The Nation August 23, 2011

Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

Governors: why we oppose Wealth Fund

•‘Its implementation is defective’

NEWS

Page 6

Police rescue Mikel’s dad from abductors NEWS – Page 63

•Soccer star’s dad relives ordeal

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VOL. 7, NO. 1861 TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

•Activist lawyers and other Nigerians protesting yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, against NJC’s suspension of Justice Isa Ayo Salami. See also pages 2, 3, 4 & 5

N150.00

PHOTO: BISI OLANIYI

Jonathan, NJC under fire over Salami’s suspension Protests in Lagos, Port Harcourt Lawyers boo AGF Adoke Soyinka condemns NJC’s action Acting PCA takes the oath

J

USTICE Minister Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) got a cold reception from his colleagues yesterday. The Attorney-General of the Federation was booed at the Civic Centre, Port Harcourt where no fewer than 10,000 lawyers were seated for the

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

yearly Bar Conference.

The lawyers, according to some of them who spoke with The Nation, were displeased with the suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Isa

Ayo Salami and Sunday’s appointment of an Acting PCA, Justice Dalhatu Adamu, by the President.

Adoke was speaking at 12:34 pm, commenting on disunity in the Bar and the judiciary. Then, the lawyers started shouting: “No, No, No, No!”; “We no go gree!”

“President Jonathan must do the right thing”; “The President must allow justice to prevail”. Then, there was calm. Four minutes later, the shouting recurred - to the surprise of Adoke, who was the President’s representative.

The National Executive Committee of the NBA, in a

communiqué on Sunday evening, directed all its members to stay away from NJC’s activities, including the swearing in of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), fixed for Friday. Besides, it advised President Jonathan not to accept Justice Salami’s suspension, as recommended by the

NJC. The popular thinking is that the NJC’s recommendation and by entertaining it, the President was endorsing and illegality, particularly as the matter is in court.

As the conference was Continued on page 2

Ki Moon, Obama, Cameron to Gaddafi: go SEE PAGES 2, 54 & 61

•Col. Gaddafi

Rebels launch bloody battle to take Tripoli

•SPORTS P15 •POLITICS P17 •PROPERTY P25 •ENERGY P37 •MONEY LINK P56

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

NEWS OUTRAGE OVER SALAMI’S SUSPENSION

NBA rejects appointment of Appeal Court acting president

T

HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday faulted the appointment of Justice Dalhatu Adamu as acting President of the Court of Appeal saying it did not follow the due process.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the association’s yearly conference in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, NBA President Joseph Daudu, SAN, said: “We must point out regrettably that two hours after our resolutions were made public, the President and Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces appointed Justice Dalhatu Adamu as Acting President of the Court of Appeal. Whether

•From Left: Guest Speaker, Prof Wole Soyinka; Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Uche Ndu, and Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers, at the 2011 Nigeria Bar Association National Conference in Port Harcourt ... yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN •Daudu ... yesterday

From John AustinUnachukwu, Port Harcourt

the decision to appoint and subsequent announcement was coincidental is not important here. What is significant is that once again, the President has lost a clear opportunity to arrange himself on the side of due process and the Rule of Law.” “An efficient and incorruptible judiciary will guarantee a vibrant, just and egalitarian society. On the other hand, a crooked, corrupt and inefficient judiciary will promote disunity, insecurity, anarchy and strife in the polity.

“Be it noted that no person Continued on page 3

Jonathan, NJC under fire over Salami’s suspension Continued from page 1

about starting, activist-lawyers and thousands of others were protesting round Port Harcourt, bearing placards to condemn the suspension of Justice Salami and appointment of Justice Adamu. They warned President Jonathan not to dabble in illegal and unconstitutional matters. The protesters later came to the Civic Centre.

The Nobel laureate, Prof.

Wole Soyinka, who was the keynote speaker at the conference, berated the NJC for taking decisions that were: “improper, illegal, self-destructive, ill-advised, counter-productive, irresponsible and unconstitutional”. But, he rejoiced with Libyans over their triumph.

Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who opened the conference, criticised lawyers for working with the National Assembly and the Federal Government to draft anti-people bills, which would later be passed into law and assented to by the President. “Physician, heal thyself,” he told them.

The conference, theme is: “Sustaining an Enduring Democracy in Nigeria”.

Adoke said the crisis in the judiciary should quickly be resolved.

The AGF also lauded President Jonathan for his

Presidential decision hasty, says Justice Akanbi

T

HE endorsement of the suspension of Appeal Court President Justice Isa Ayo Salami by President Goodluck Jonathan is too hasty, ex-chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Mustapha Akanbi, said yesterday.

The retired President of the Court of Appeal spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

His words: “I thought having regard to the history of this case and the political implications, the President reserves the right to adopt or not to adopt the panel’s recommendation. I even heard the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the President’s party, called for an outright dismissal of Justice Salami.

I don’t want to believe that that was what made the president to rush into taking a decision in this matter as the implications are varied.

“One, we don’t know the people at the National Judicial Council that took this decision. Two, having regard that a case has been filed, I am afraid whether any judge who will handle the case will have the conviction to do justice in the matter. The President’s administration’s reform agenda. Besides, he congratulated the NBA President, Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN), and other lawyers for the conference and its theme, which he said was timely and most appropriate.

Amaechi asked: “Where was the Bar when Presidents were disobeying court or-

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

adoption of the suspension, to me, looks that minds have been made up.

“I am not looking at Justice Salami, but the judiciary itself. The way we are going about it is giving us cause for alarm. Honestly, I feel worried and disturbed about what is going on. I don’t know, but whatever happens, history will judge all of us and the greater judge is Allah.

“Judges will come and go, but the judiciary will remain forever. If the ordinary man begins to lose faith in the judiciary, it is sad. This problem was basically between the politicians and the court. Today, it has degenerated so much that nobody can say which judge is thinking rightly and which one is not thinking rightly.”

The retired judge added: “I feel Mr. President, once he has assumed office, has become the father of the nation.

Maybe he has been advised by his lawyers or the lawyers of the party to toe the line he has taken.

“My prayer is that there is still room for us to be fair and just in all our decisions, but not swayed by emotions and

ders? Where were the Attorneys-General when the laws were being passed? Physician, heal thyself. Fiscal federalism is needed in Nigeria; how many lawyers will support it?

“Lawyers have not been speaking with one voice.

Why is it that the NBA cannot speak for the poor? Why

partisan considerations.

“As a former member of NJC, I am completely at sea with what has been happening because some of the steps taken were not the sort to take when a complaint is made. I understand that Salami’s case was discussed under ‘Any Other Business’ (AOB), not that it was specifically set out for discussion. More curious is that the chairman who presided over the case was a customary court judge. But what the constitution says is that either the CJN as the chairman or in his absence the person next to him in the Supreme Court, should preside.

“By the time Justice Abdullahi panel was set up, I said then it was a waste of time as Justice Salami had been cleared on the issue, that the judgment did not leak, on corruption and call log issues.

“The Nigerian Bar Association, which is another arm completely feels that proper thing had not been done.

Those lawyers at the panel, some more experienced than even some of the judges at the panel, had wanted the President to maintain the status quo ante.”

is NBA not supporting the removal of subsidy on petroleum products when only few persons are benefiting from the subsidy?

“Why are our people not gainfully employed? The key to success of this country is for the government to rise and provide the basic necessities of life.”

The Rivers governor added that Nigerians must rise and demand that the right of the poor must be protected.

Soyinka stated that democracy guarantees a level playing field, stressing that it stands on three legs: constitution, law and the civil will.

The Nobel laureate said the nation’s constitution must be

by the people and nobody should be above the law, adding that democracy would not exist without law. The civil will would ensure the enforcement of human rights, he noted.

To the keynote speaker, Islamic banking should not be an issue in Nigeria, since it is against the spirit of the constitution. Staying together as Nigerians would be resolved through dialogue, he said.

Some of the placards of the protesters read: “Nigerians say no to judicial recklessness”; “NJC’s verdict, a shame to the judiciary”; “NJC, you are biased against Salami”; “Katsina-Alu, stop politicising the judiciary”; “Nigerians do not want Katsina-Alu”; “Katsina-Alu needs not destroy the judiciary before he goes, sack him now”.

Others are: “CJN cannot be a judge in his own case”; “Katsina-Alu must go now”; “Five mad men versus Nigeria people”; “NJC, do not kill the rule of law in Nigeria”.

The protesters were under the aegis of Campaign Against Corruption in the Judiciary, Lawyers of Conscience, Social Action and Civil Society Coalition.

Their spokesman, Kenneth Kobani, said judicial rascality and recklessness would never be allowed in Nigeria.

Continued on page 3

ENDGAME IN LIBYA

Ki Moon, Obama, Cameron to Gaddafi: go now

L

EADERS of the United Nations, the United States, The United Kingdom and other top European nations spoke without mincing word.

But Gaddafi’s whereabouts remained unknown, even as fighting raged on between his dwindling forces and the rebels who stormed Tripoli on Sunday night.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said: “The dramatic scenes we are witnessing in Tripoli are a testament to the courage and determination of the Libyan people to seek a free and democratic future.”

He spoke at the UN Headquarters in New York, adding: “It is crucial now for the conflict to end with no further loss of life and retribution.”

Mr. Ban welcomed the assurances given by the Chairman of the National Transitional Council (NTC), Mustafa Abdul Jallil, that extreme care would be taken to protect people and public

institutions, and to maintain law and order.

“I call on Colonel Gaddafi’s forces to cease violence immediately, and make way for a smooth transition.”

The UN chief said he has been in touch with the representatives of the African Union, the League of Arab States and the European Union, as well as other world leaders.

Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru said: “The Federal Government of Nigeria has followed closely the developments in Libya and in particular the events in the last 48 hours.

“The unmistakable message from the battle for the control of Tripoli and other cities is that the people of Libya are anxious and determined to take their destiny in their own hands and to ensure the realisation of their quest for freedom and democracy.”

United States President Barack Obama said last night:

“Tonight, the momentum against the Gaddafi regime has reached a tipping point. Tripoli is slipping from the grasp of a tyrant.

“The surest way for the bloodshed to end is simple: Muammar Gaddafi and his regime need to recognise that their rule has come to an end. Gaddafi needs to acknowledge the reality that he no longer controls Libya. He needs to relinquish power once and for all.

“Meanwhile, the United States has recognised the Transitional National Council as the legitimate governing authority in Libya.

“At this pivotal and historic time, the TNC should continue to demonstrate the leadership that is necessary to steer the country through a transition by respecting the rights of the people of Libya, avoiding civilian casualties, protecting the institutions of the Libyan state, and pursuing a transition to democracy that is just and inclusive for all of the people of Libya. A season

of conflict must lead to one of peace.”

United States Prime Minister David Cameron said: “It is clear from the scenes we are witnessing in Tripoli that the end is near for Gaddafi.

“He has committed appalling crimes against the people of Libya and he must go now to avoid any further suffering for his own people.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said: “As the outcome is no longer in doubt, the president of the Republic urges Col Gaddafi to spare his people pointless suffering by renouncing without delay what little powers he retains.”

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: “The Libyan people have suffered tremendously under Gaddafi’s rule for over four decades. Now they have a chance for a new beginning.

Continued on page 54

•Ki Moon

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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NEWS OUTRAGE OVER SALAMI’S SUSPENSION

The grand conspiracy against Salami

A

LL hopes were on President Goodluck Jonathan to reverse the illegality. But such hopes were dashed on Sunday, with his appointment of Justice Dalhatu Ahmadu as acting President of the Court of Appeal (PCA). His action has stoked rather than douse the controversy over the stage-managed suspension of Justice Isa Ayo Salami by the National Judicial Council (NJC). The NJC suspended Justice Salami as President of the Court of Appeal, last Thursday, setting off a chain of reactions. Lawyers feel hurt over the NJC’s questionable action.

They were seeking a presidential remedy to what they perceived as ‘’judicial rascality’’ when the news broke of Justice Dalhatu’s appointment. If NJC’s action did not come as a surprise to them, that of the president was a shocker. It was least expected at the time it came because it was thought that he would give room for wide consultation and expert advice before acting on such a sensitive issue. Can the NJC suspend the PCA? Does the Constitution provide for the suspension of judges? Did the NJC act in breach of the Constitution? Was the NJC aware of Justice Salami’s suit when it purportedly suspended him? Was Justice Salami given fair hearing?

Did the NJC form a quorum at its August 18 sitting? These were some

By Lawal Ogienagbon

ANALYSIS of the issues the lawyers wanted the president to address before delving into the matter.

But he didn’t. Instead, the president chose to back the NJC, fuelling speculations of a grand design to get Justice Salami out of office by hook or by crook. Could the Presidency be part of this conspiracy? Justice Salami’s troubles began when he rebuffed attempts by the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, to interfere in a case before the Court of Appeal. He alleged that Justice Katsina-Alu sought to interfere in the Sokoto State governorship election petition appeal by asking him to disband the panel handling the matter. In the alternative, he claimed, the CJN asked him to direct the panel to give judgment against the appellant/petitioner. He fell out with the CJN following his refusal to so act.

In no time, the CJN came up with the tale of the leakage of the panel’s verdict and on the strength of that allegation, the judgment was ‘arrested’ by the Supreme Court. The NJC saw nothing wrong in what the CJN did , even when some of its panels and an independent probe by

Police at Salami’s house

code. With this report, the NJC finally nailed Justice Salami. It asked him to apologise to the CJN. Justice Salami refused and returned to court to seek redress.

Rather than stay action since the matter was in court, the NJC suspended him last Thursday and recommended him for retirement by the President. As CJN, Justice Katsina-Alu chairs the NJC, which is a creation of the Constitution.

The NJC is empowered to recommend to the president and governors persons to be appointed judges at the federal and state levels. It is also empowered to recommend their retirement or dismissal, as the case may be, if they commit any infractions. There is no place in the Constitution where the council is empowered to suspend judges. So, where did it derive its power of suspending Justice Salami from? Worried by this flagrant abuse of power, the NBA president, Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN), noted in an address at the pre-conference National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Sunday: ‘’It is a matter of great regret and shame that a judicial organisation of the calibre of the NJC can ride roughshod over the processes of a court of law. The implication for the Nigerian judicial process is cata-

•Justice Salami

strophic. If not remedied, we are witnessing the slide into anarchy and lawlessness which history will record as having been fired up by the judiciary...’’

Daudu implored Jonathan not to endorse NJC’s recommendation on Justice Salami’s retirement. Lagos lawyer Femi Falana made a similar call, saying by suspending Justice Salami, the NJC acted ultra vires.

There is no doubt that the NJC acted beyond its powers. But it is not too late to do what is right because as Daudu said: ‘’Most detestable is judicial tyranny because its effect emasculates the people’’.

NBA rejects appointment of Appeal Court acting president Continued from page 2

From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

R

IOT policemen were at the Court of Appeal in Abuja yesterday.

A detachment of police and State Security Service (SSS) personnel were also seen positioned beside the gate of the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami’s home.

Our correspondent who visited Justice Salami’s 13, Haile Sellassie Street, Asokoro home about 10am, observed that the policemen were stationed by the gate of the house in a Toyota Hilux van with registration number NPF 2121 C. The Police van also had Abuja Crime Control Squad (ACCOS) 34, inscribed on it.

Another unmarked white van used by the SSS was parked directly opposite that of the police.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command’s spokesmen, Jimoh Moshood, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said it was not unusual for policemen to be posted to courts.

He denied that policemen were deployed in Justice Salami’s house.

Moshood said: “It is not unusual for policemen to be deployed in courts. It is part of our constitutional responsibility. It is a normal routine and proactive measure to ensure that things are okay.”

He also denied that there was threat to peace in the FCT. “There is no threat to peace anywhere in the FCT, we are just doing our constitutional duty,” he said.

When asked why policemen were deployed in Justice Salami’s house, he said: “We didn’t deploy policemen there.”

the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) concluded that he has no power to interfere in a court case. Meanwhile, Justice Salami had denied that the verdict leaked and countered Justice Katsina-Alu’s affidavit on the purported leakage. The CJN saw this as an affront and decided to deal with Justice Salami. First, he elevated Justice Salami to the Supreme Court.

Justice Salami rejected the offer and went to court to stop what he called his “unholy” promotion. Justice Katsina-Alu was not deterred. He cashed in on the petitions filed by former Governors Segun Oni (Ekiti) and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun) to get at Justice Salami. Again, he failed when an NJC panel headed by Justice Umaru Abdullahi, former President of the Court of Appeal, cleared Justice Salami of any wrong doing.

The CJN then raised the Justice Ibrahim Auta panel to review the job of the Abdullahi panel. The Auta panel also cleared Justice Salami and other justices of the Court of Appeal, who handled election petition appeals from Osun and Ekiti states, of professional misconduct. But the panel found Justice Salami liable of what it called “a breach of the code of conduct for judicial officers”.

According to the panel, who was working to the answer, Justice Salami took his case to the media contrary to the provisions of the

•Justice Katsina-Alu

is born a judge; his initial appointment is from the Bar. Lawyers who ply their trade in court are acknowledged as ministers in the temple of justice. The Bar and Bench, therefore, have a symbiotic relationship. The relationship in reality ought not to be solely mutually beneficial; it must be principally beneficial to the society at large.

“The Bar cannot continue to take the blame for a situation that we are not responsible

Jonathan, NJC under fire Continued from page 2

He advised the NJC to reverse itself on Justice Salami’s suspension.

Mr. Debo Adeniran, who is the Chairman of the Campaign Against Corrupt Leaders, said the era of acting with impunity must end in Nigeria now. He condemned Justice Salami’s suspension.

Mr. Celestine Akpobari said President Jonathan must not allow himself to be misled into taking wrong decisions.

The protesters said: “A section of Nigeria’s judiciary is shameless. There must be no price tag on justice. It is very unfortunate that courageous judges are no longer able to deliver justice in Nigeria.

They are being frustrated.

“We do not want Nigeria to fail. President Jonathan should be careful. He must not retire Justice Salami. The President must not be part of the conspiracy to frustrate Justice Salami out of the Appeal Court. Appointing an Acting PCA is illegal and unconstitutional. If President Jonathan is part of the conspiracy, he should be impeached.

“Justice must prevail. The Judiciary must not be politicised. Justice must not go to the highest bidder. The lopsided decision of the NJC will not stand. The NJC must be dissolved, with immediate

effect and a probe conducted.

“Justice Salami must continue as PCA. His humiliation is uncalled for. They conspired against Justice Salami.

Courageous and fearless judges must be protected.”

The NBA president, in his welcome address, said the crisis in the judiciary should be resolved as quickly as possible, maintaining that Justice Salami’s suspension is illegal and unconstitutional.

Daudu urged the Federal Government to do something urgently about the LagosIbadan Expressway and the Lokoja-Abuja Highway as well as other roads to stop the frequent loss of lives. Besides, he called for adequate security on the roads and other parts of Nigeria.

The NBA president advised the government to replicate Amaechi’s model primary and secondary schools in each of the 774 local government areas.

In his welcome address, the Chairman of the NBA, Port Harcourt Branch, Mr. Worgu Boms, promised that the conference, which was last held in Port Harcourt in 2006, would be both exciting and professionally rewarding.

He said over 2,000 lawyers practise in Rivers State and are organised into Port Harcourt, Ahoada and Isiokpo branches.

for. After all, we are veritable stakeholders in the justice sector. Our withdrawal from the National Judicial Council, NJC, does not mean that we shall sit helplessly with our chin in hand. The Nigeria project is far too important for us to resign ourselves to utter helplessness. We shall now engage the system proactively borrowing a leave from progressive Bars, like the Pakistan Bar Association. We are resolved to confront any form of lawlessness, be it executive, judicial or legislative.

“When I became NBA President, I immediately raised the alarm that the pervading corruption afflicting the country had infiltrated the Judiciary and that judges even at the highest levels were not only corrupt but incompetent and or ignorant. I was criticised for taking such a matter to the public domain. Events since then leading to the face-off between the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal have proved the Bar correct. While the Bench is faced with allega-

tions of steep declining standards, corruption, inability to manage its affairs etc, the Bar stands accused of delaying cases, collusion by some of its members in instances of corruption and insensitivity to the negative happenings in the system. All these tribulations will gradually lead to a system collapse.

“The danger is once the third arm of government shows signs of deep rooted crack, it follows that if urgent restorative steps are not Continued on page 54

•Justice Adamu taking oath of office in Abuja ... yesterday. Left is a Deputy Registrar, Supreme Court, Hajia Hajo Farouk.

PHOTO: NAN

Appeal Court acting chief takes oath

O

UTGOING Chief Justice of Nigeria Aloysius Katsina-Alu yesterday inaugurated Justice Dalhatu Adamu as acting President of the Court of Appeal.

He was sworn in about 8:40 a.m at the Supreme Court.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday night approved his appointment, “pending when all issues relating to the recent suspension of Justice Isa Ayo Salami are resolved”.

The court’s president, Justice Salami was suspended by the National Judicial Coun-

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

cil (NJC) at its 7th Emergency Meeting in Abuja last Thursday.

The Council also recommended his retirement to President Jonathan, following his refusal to apologise in writing to it and the CJN. The CJN admonished Justice Adamu to be forthright and focused as no one is a repository of wisdom.

He enjoined him to always listen to wise counsel and follow the dictates of his conscience and the Constitution.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

NEWS OUTRAGE OVER SALAMI’S SUSPENSION

SERAP sues Fed Govt, NJC

By Nneka Nwaneri

T

HE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has instituted a court action against the Federal Government and the National Judicial Council (NJC) over “unlawful suspension and removal of Justice Ayo Salami as President of the Court of Appeal (PCA).”

Joined as parties in the suit filed yesterday at the Federal High Court in Ikeja are: President Goodluck Jonathan; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke and the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The suit, brought under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, was filed by Adetokunbo Mumuni on behalf of SERAP. The suit was supported by a 17-paragraph affidavit sworn to by Adetola Adeleke, a Litigation Clerk at SERAP.

Atiku calls for observance of Constitution

F

ORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday called for strict observance of the Constitution in the resolution of the crisis of confidence in the top leadership of the judiciary.

Atiku, who made the call yesterday in Abuja, said that the judiciary as the last hope of the common man should not be jeopardised.

In a statement by his media office, the former vice president said he has watched with concern the unfolding and embarrassing drama, which according to him, could undermine the integrity of the nation’s judiciary.

Atiku stressed that the path of constitutionality must be followed in resolving the crisis for the interest of the rule of law and democracy.

He was quoted as saying: “It is imperative that we apply to the letter what the Constitution provides for in respect of issues like this.”

Atiku condemned the mismanagement of the working relationship between the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, which is now causing the country avoidable discomfort.

“It is in the best interest of our nascent democracy that I wish to appeal to the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Presidency to tread with caution in resolving the issue at stake as doing otherwise may endanger our fragile democracy,” Atiku said.

He urged all stakeholders to adopt an impartial disposition in the resolution of the conflict, bearing in mind that undue extremism has the potential of violating the sanctity of the judiciary.

Suspension spurious, anarchical, say lawyers S

OME lawyers, under the aegis of the Lawyers of Conscience, yesterday condemned the suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal Justice Isa Ayo Salami and the appointment of Justice Dalhatu Adamu in acting capacity.

Its National Coordinator/ Public Relations Officer, Benedict Mohammed said the purported suspension of Justice Salami by a faction of the National Judicial Council (NJC) was spurious and anarchical.

The group also frowned at

By Nneka Nwaneri

the move by President Goodluck Jonathan to endorse what it called judicial rascality and brigandage.

The statement reads: ‘’The actions of the NJC members constitute a rape of the Rule of Law and a threat to national security.

“This is indeed an abuse of power. It is very curious, sad and quite unfortunate that a highly placed body that should ordinarily promote and protect the rule of law and the integrity of

courts and the judiciary in Nigeria has been turned into a political and lawless body that makes mockery of whatever modicum of regard and integrity that is left of our judiciary which has been in shambles all these while. “Or how best can it be explained that these members of NJC that had notice of an action pending against the body in the Court would now, against the well established principle of Law (lis pendens) in the case of Governor of Lagos State v. Chief Odumeg-

wu Ojukwu, go ahead to take decisions which will prejudice the claims against the body before the court.

“The actions of these members of NJC are contemptuous and run contrary to the clearly defined powers of the body in the Third Schedule, Part 1,Section 21(b) and Section 292(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended). “Thus, NJC does not have power to suspend the President of Court of Appeal. It can only recommend to the President the removal from

office of the PCA, and the President can only remove the PCA from his office before his age of retirement after such recommendation on an address supported by twothird majority of the Senate.

“Consequent upon the unconstitutional and lawless nature of the actions of these NJC members, therefore, we urge Honourable Justice Ayo Salami to discountenance the so-called suspension and continue to discharge his official duties as the President of the Court of Appeal.

Civil society protests in Lagos •Fashola: It’s a breach of law

By Miriam Ndikanwu

S

CORES of human right organisations under the aegis of Civil Society Coalition Against Injustice, yesterday, stormed the office of the Lagos State Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) to protest the recommendation of the Court of Appeal President Isa Ayo Salami for sack by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

President Goodluck Jonathan, acting on the NJC recommendation, has already appointed Justice Dalhatu Adamu as acting president of the Court of Appeal The protesters brandished placards with such inscriptions as: “Go Katsina Alu, go now’’; ’’National Judicial Council is fraud’’; ‘’Judicial hypocrisy in the NJC’’; ’’Salami, the incorruptible judge’’; ‘’NJC shameless justice;’’ to show their grievances.

Spokesperson of the group, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, sent a letter to the president through the governor. He described the NJC decision as subjudice, saying the role of the NJC in the Salami saga is appalling and destructive.

Opadokun, in handing over the letter to the gover-

• The protesters.. yesterday. Inset is Fashola addressing them

nor said: “ I was sad yesterday when I saw President Jonathan appointing an acting president. That is to say that Salami has been conquered. Salami cannot be conquered that way. He cannot be relegated in the way they have done it. ‘’It was as a result of that decision that the civil society group decided to take this first step. We will not come to do what is unreasonable.

We will not come to do what is unfair with your position.

In this struggle, a lot of people have been put in office because they never suffered.

“As an administrator, before you can rule successful-

ly, the political platform must be very strong. Nobody can come here to disturb your peace. That is why we are here. They have taken the judiciary, and once they succeed, the country has collapse.’’

In the letter signed by Olanrewaju Suraju and Sina Loremikan, both co-conveners, , the group expressed disappointment that the NJC that should be the bulwark of rule of law, judicial integrity and sanctity has turned itself into a motor park strategist adopting a cavalier method of self help in order to redress its grievance in modern times.

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

They called for the dissolution of NJC while stressing that a probe be conducted into the matter for the purpose of sanctioning all unscrupulous individuals involved in this melodrama.

Fashola praised the group and said he personally felt concerned with the crisis rocking the NJC. He said:” I will be pretending if I don’t tell you that I have been concerned myself.

The judiciary perhaps is the most critical of the institutions that sustain democracy it is the vehicle for conflict resolution and if it is now the object of conflict and high wired manipulation, it is a

very ominous sign for our country. At various times in the history of our nation we have had to deal with warnings and threats of dangers.

Those threats are with us now and they will not come in the form of earthquake or other natural disaster but in breach of law and order.

“One is concerned that within a very short time, with the knowledge that this matter was pending in court, the decision had been taken to supplant the president of the Court of Appeal. I was concerned about what seems to be a very quick rush to give effect to the recommendation.

ACN: President violated oath of office T

HROUGH its National and Lagos State secretariats, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday joined other Nigerians and organisations in condemning what it called the “unfortunate victimisation of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami by the combined forces of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Judicial Council (NJC).’’

In two separate statements by the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Lagos State spokesman, Joe Igbokwe, the party accused President Goodluck Jonathan of violating his oath of office by appointing Justice Dalhatu Adamu as Acting President of the Court Appeal.

The party suspected a highwire political plot by the PDP to ensure that the judiciary is shackled to keep its legendary

By Nneka Nwaneri

electoral heists.

Insisting that the whole process that led to the suspension of Justice Salami fell short of constitutional stipulations, Mohammed said President’s action was clearly subjudice and a repudiation of the oath of office he took to protect the Constitution and uphold the rule of law.

It said the action also confirmed the rumour making the rounds that the President may have been secretly pushing for the removal of Salami, through some hawks in the NJC, over fears that the petition by the Congress for Progress Change (CPC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari may go against him (Jonathan). Until his suspension, Justice Salami was hearing the CPC petition against Jonathan’s election.

“Apparently, the last straw for President Jonathan was the strong stance of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), which asked him to ignore NJC’s recommendation on the retirement of Justice Salami, adding: ‘’indications are that the unequivocal action of the NBA jolted the President to act quickly to effect Justice Salami’s removal, in line with the prepared script .’’ “ President Jonathan exhibited executive recklessness when he acted on an issue that is pending before the court and also relied on a section of the Constitution that deals with appointment, rather than removal, to get rid of Justice Salami. ‘’Section 238 which the President relied on to remove Justice Salami and appoint an Acting President of the Court of Appeal deals with the appointment of Pres-

ident and Justices of the Court of Appeal if the office is vacant. ‘’Section 292 deals with the removal of top judicial officers, including the President of the Court of Appeal. In accordance with this section, the President can only remove any of the listed officers, acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate. In other words, it is not even the President, but the Senate, that can initiate the process upon the recommendation of the NJC. ‘’By rushing to remove Justice Salami on the strength of Section 238, the President has committed the same faux pas as the NJC clique and violated the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He has filled a post in which no vacancy exists, and allowed himself to be guided by political expediency, rather than the provisions of the

•Justice Salami

Constitution,’’ it said.

ACN said the crisis precipitated by the face off between Justice Salami and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alloysius Katsina-Alu- the best opportunity yet for President Jonathan to show his strength of character and leadership qualities. On both counts, the President fell short, the party said.

5

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

NEWS

•Osun State Deputy Governor Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; Oni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; Commissioner for Environment, Mrs. Bukola Oyawoye and Secretary of the State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Prince Gboyega Famodun, at a meeting between the government, traditional rulers, religious leaders with representatives of labour unions over the on-going strike at the Local Government Service Commission, Osogbo...yesterday

OUTRAGE OVER SALAMI’S SUSPENSION

Reps minority caucus threatens M boycott of sessions ORE criticisms trailed the suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, yesterday, as the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives declared the action as a brazen violation of the Constitution.

The caucus threatened that lawmakers elected on the platform of opposition political parties will boycott sessions of the parliament if the decision was not immediately reversed.

The Caucus also noted that President Goodluck Jonathan’s ill-advised action in appointing a new President of the Court of Appeal was “incurably defective.”

The Caucus, in a statement said that while it had maintained “a stoic silence” over the war of attrition between the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) on one hand and Justice Salami on the other, the House of Representatives can no longer fold its arms on the matter.

Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila and four other principal officers signed the statement.

It reads: “The House had for some times distanced itself from the crisis rocking the Judiciary in keeping with the tenets of separation of pow-

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor

er with the belief that the Judiciary will endeavour to put its house in order within the ambits of the law and the Constitution but was disappointed at the turn of events.

“The recent developments have shown that the lower chamber cannot and should no longer fold its arms and allow the nation’s judiciary to be put in further disrepute with its attendant potential for anarchy.

“Should Mr. President fail to withdraw or rescind his action, we in the opposition will totally boycott the sittings of the House. ‘’The consequence of this is the likelihood that the House will not be able to conduct any business as provided in Section 54(3) of the Constitution and any such business conducted in violation of that provision will be declared null and void.

“We will also be urging all lawyers to boycott the sittings of the Appeal Court . This has the potential of a government shut down. This must be avoided.

“It is time to invoke Section 88 of the Constitution and the spirit guiding that document. Indeed the provisions of the Constitution for checks and balances and power of oversight as contained in Section 88 and Section4(2) have been triggered by the unfortunate suspension of Justice Salami by the NJC and his consequent removal from office by Mr President for the following reasons.

“In the first place, it was against practice, procedure and legal tradition for the NJC to have purported to have suspended the President of the Court of Appeal after it had reluctantly accepted and acknowledged service of court process on the matter.

“It was even more egregious for Mr. President to have acted on an illegality even when he or his Attorney General knew or had constructive knowledge of the pending court action.

“Such is an affront to the rule of law and a brazen attempt to present the court with a fait accompli and destroy the rest.”

According to the Caucus, Presi-

dent Jonathan erred when he acted on the recommendations of the NJC and removed Salami from office without taking into cognizance the stipulations of the Constitution.

It noted that Section 157 of the Constitution stipulates that a member of the NJC can only be removed by the President if such a removal is recommended by a resolution of 2/3 majority of the Senate.

The statement said that the purported recommendation upon which Jonathan acted was unconstitutional as the NJC lacked the powers to recommend the removal of the President of the Court of Appeal to the President or anyone.

The lawmakers noted that beyond the illegality and unconstitutionality of the removal of Salami, the political implications were farreaching.

It warned that any appearance of executive recklessness must be resisted by all well-meaning Nigerians in the interest of the country.

Others opposition lawmakers who endorsed the statement included the Minority Whip, Samson Osagie, Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Ismaila Kawu, Deputy Minority whip Garba Datti and Leader of the Labour Party, J. Akinlaja.

Lagos Assembly flays Jonathan

M

EMBERS of the Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday condemned President Goodluck Jonathan for hurriedly approving the suspension of the President of the Appeal Court, Justice Ayo Salami, describing the action as an “abuse of rule of law”.

Deputy Speaker Taiwo Kolawole, who raised the issue under Matter of Urgent Public Importance, noted that the judiciary has always been seen as the holiest amongst other institutions in the country.

Wondering whya few people in the National Judicial Council (NJC) will go ahead to suspend the president of the Appeal Court on a matter pending in Court, Kolawole condemned Jonathan for approving what he described as an illegality.

According to him, Salami is a man

By Oziegbe Okoeki

that has done a lot of good things, especially concerning the election petition tribunal. But the NJC decided to suspend him just because he refused to do what is not legal. This is condemnable and must be treated as such by all.

Contributing, the member representing Epe Constituency 11, Segun Olulade maintained that what the NJC has done amounted to an abuse and total disrega for Rule of Law. He praised the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for its planned boycott of the swearing-in of new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).

Olulade however, urged all Nigerians to come up with one voice and condemn President Jonathan and the NJC’s action.

On his part, Sanai Agunbiade from Ikorodu 1 Constituency wondered why the NJC could take such an action on a matter that is pending in

court. “It is worrisome that the NJC can no longer even respect the court,” Agunbiade added.

Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji noted that the development portends a bad omen for the country’s nascent democracy and the nation’s judiciary.

Ikuforiji, who said he held the President in high esteem, lamented that “the worst I have seen of Jonathan’s administration is that he approved a recommendation from a small team; a cabal from the NJC. Jonathan should go back to his scripture and be reminded of history.

“He is not thinking of the unity of this country, because there are germane issues out there for him to attend to. He should concentrate on restructuring the country,” Ikuforiji said.

He wondered if the President ever considered the repercussion of his action.

•Dr. Jonathan

The House in its resolution, however, called on members of the National Assembly to stand by the popular position and out rightly reject the position of President Jonathan.

ASUU rejects appointment of acting PCA • Seeks probe of judges From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

T

HE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday condemned President Goodluck Jonathan’s appointment of Justice Dalhatu Adamu as acting President of the Court of Appeal (PCA).

The union’s President, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie told reporters in Abuja, that since there was pendency in court on the matter and the President ought to have witheld action.

He said: “Jonathan is knowledgeable enough to know the rule of law except he is above court contempt”.

Prof. Awuzie called on the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), PCA, and all there who participated in the meeting that directed the suspension of Justice Salami to resign.

He said: “We call on the CJN, President of the Court of Appeal and all those who participated in the meeting that directed the suspension of the President of the Federal Court of Appeal to, as a matter of honour, resign without further delay or be kicked out by Mr. President for the sake of our democracy and the survival of the Nigerian Judicial system. We can no longer condone this macbre dance by the actors.

“There is what is called pendency of matter in court. And when there is pendency in court everybody is supposed to respect it. That is what we are told as laymen. Is it that Mr. President is not aware that there is a case in court? If you read NBA’s president’s position in PortHarcourt it is clear on this. I think he is knowledgeable enough to have been advised to the contrary, to have advised even NJC. What was done was wrong .

“This law is not for the judges, it is meant for persons and so when you want to discuss a matter in court that is in court, they say it is sub-judicial and can be charged for contempt. Are they exonerated from it? If they are not, they have to obey the law. I think whoever advised Jonathan should have known that there is a pending matter in court and that is the position of our union.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

6

NEWS

• President Goodluck Jonathan, with members of the National Economic Council (NEC) after its inaugural meeting...yesterday.

PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

Why governors insist on review of Sovereign Wealth Fund, by Suswam, Yuguda G OVERNORS Isa Yuguda and Gabriel Suswam yesterday explained why the 36 state governors are insisting on the review of the operation of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).

They spoke with reporters at the end of the monthly meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) at the Presidential Villa.

Suswam and Yuguda said the governors viewed the fund as a way of short-changing their states.

They also hinged the call for the suspension of SWF on the new minimum wage package.

The governors under the umbrella body of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Sunday night, issued a communiqué calling on the Federal Government to suspend the operation of SWF until all the issues are resolved.

The communiqué, which was read by Governor Rotimi Amaechi stated that “members resolved to call on the Federal Government to suspend the operation of the sovereign Wealth Fund Act (SWF) until all the issues are resolved because it is uncon-

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

ditional” President Goodluck Jonathan signed SWF bill into law last May after the National Assembly passed it. The bill, though an executive one, got input from the governors before it was sent to the National Assembly.

Yuguda said: “The SWF was discussed and the governors did agree yesterday (Sunday) that there was need for rethink because of the legal implication. In any case, it is the consensus at our own meeting that the issue needs to be discussed further because the interest of Nigeria comes first before any other thing. If some of the dynamics involved might impact positively as it were, certainly the governors will have a review of the position because, maybe, it has been viewed by the state governors as a way of short-changing their revenue flows. Besides, there is also the issue of its legality.”

He added: “The Nigeria Governors Forum was not averse to the SWF. The issue is that in the implementation viz-a-viz what we agreed on before, there are slight differences but as we talk to you, there is a small committee headed by the Vice President that is meeting with the President for further discussion on it.

“What we want is that some review has to be made given the reality of the situation that we found ourselves now. We are talking about the minimum wage and that requires a lot of money in the hands of the states to meet up those obligations. So, we are looking at it that given these additional responsibilities, there is also the need for us to look at the way that the implementation of the SWF would be carried out.”

Suswam said the commiitee would recommend a way out of the quagmire. He said: “Discussions are ongoing on on the the issue.

There are many sources

available to the government to fund their different transactions. You might just be thinking that the only source is the excess crude but because the governors are not averse to it, but it is not constitutional. That is why they are having a rethink.

“It was unanimously agreed that we dialogue on it and see the best way of addressing it rather than saying we are not going to be part of it.”

He added:“But for whatever it is, we want to obey what the constitution says and if it is necessary, absolutely important that we should have this fund to move this country forward, then discussions would have to be entered into and see how the law can be amended to accommodate the interests of Nigerians because we are thinking of tomorrow’s Nigeria and generations yet unborn.”

“So, it is not a question of doing a u-turn. It was a proposal that came to the governors and it came to yet another forum and is at discussion

level and we will continue discussing until a favorable solution is arrived at, in the best interest of our dear country.”

Suswam said the governors’ call for a review of the SWF had nothing to do with politics. He said:“We are not playing politics. In principle, we agreed that the SWF be put in place. The implementation is where we have issues with and that is what we have said.

Nobody is averse to it. We have to all agree to it and like I said earlier, we are still meeting with the President to look into it, given the realities that are before us now. Even the Federal Government is facing the realities. When we were setting up the SWF, the issue of minimum wage was not on the table. It has come now and we need money to pay workers, we need money also to address the education sector. Yes there will be SWF but the modality of saving is the issue.”

Army hands over suspected Indian hemp dealers to NDLEA

T

HE 23 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Yola, on Monday handed over two suspected Indian hemp dealers to the Adamawa State command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The Brigade Commander, Brig. Gen. NJ Nwaoga, said the suspects were arrested in Michika Local Govern-

ment Area of the state at an army check point.

Nwaoga said the suspects, Emmanuel Otukpa and Aiden Bassey, were on their way from Otukpa in Benue to Michika when luck ran out of them.

“Our officers on check point duty in Michika, noticed suspicious moves from one of the suspects who fully paraded himself as a captain

of the Nigerian Army.

“When they noticed irregularities in his fake identity card, the soldiers being professionals, asked him to come down and open his Mercedes 230 car booth for checking.

“And at that point, they noticed these substances suspected to be Indian hemp,” Nwaoga said.

He said that after prose-

cuting the suspects, NDLEA should hand them back to the brigade command for further interrogation for impersonating officers of the army.

He advised all security agencies in the country to work hand in hand to make the nation better.

Responding, the NDLEA Commander, Malam Abdullahi Zungeru, commended

the efforts of the Nigerian Army.

“We thank you very much for this well done job.

“I want to assure you that the command will not rest until this case is prosecuted. After prosecution, they will be handed over back to you for additional interrogation,” Zungeru said.

LASIEC to recall LG polls nomination forms from de-registered parties

T

HE Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) on Monday said it would recall nomination forms issued to deregistered political parties for the council polls in the state.

LASIEC also said it refused to issue nomination forms for the polls to four factionalised political parties pending the determination of

their leadership disputes.

LASIEC Chairman retired Justice Afolabi Adeyinka told newsmen in Lagos that three of the deregistered political parties escaped the notice of the commission at the point of issuance of the forms.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) listed the affected political parties from which the forms would be retrieved

as the National Action Council (NAC), the Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC) and the Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN).

INEC on Aug. 18 announced the withdrawal of the certificates of registration of seven political parties following their failure to meet the Commission’s requirement for participation in elections.

Adeyinka said LASIEC would formally send letters to the three parties to return the forms.

“LASIEC organises the council polls for political parties recognised by INEC which is the registration body.

“Any party not recognised

by INEC, therefore, lacks the locus standi to participate in the Lagos council polls,’’ he said.

He said that aside from the three deregistered political parties, 23 parties have so far picked the nomination forms for the local government elections.

The LASIEC Chairman denied claims by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) that the commission wanted to edge it out of the Lagos council elections.

Man, 53 in Court for allegedly raping 10 year-old girl A FIFTY THREE-year-old man, Segun Akinwande, was on Monday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly raping a 10 year-old girl (names withheld).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Akinwande was arraigned before Magistrate A.B. Olagbegi-Adelabu on a onecount charge of rape.

Police prosecutor, Cpl Anthony Osayande, alleged that the accused had on several occasions between July and August, 2011 had sexual intercourse with the minor.

According to him, the victim and her parents were tenants in the house of the accused.

The prosecutor alleged that Akinwande lured the girl into his room and raped her when everybody had gone to work.

He told the court that a petition made to the police by the father of the girl led to the arrest of the accused on Aug. 13, 2011.

The prosecutor said the alleged offence contravened and was punishable under Section 27 of the Child Rights Law of Lagos State 2008.

Akinwande, however, pleaded not guilty.

The court granted the accused N100,000 bail with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till Oct. 24 for trial.

‘Promote primary health care’ DR Prosper Ahworegba, the Executive Director, Professionals for Humanity, a nonprofit health care delivery organisation, says the promotion of primary health care services above tertiary health care will help reduce the malaria scourge and infant mortality in the country.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Asaba that it was through primary health care that most Nigerians in the low income group could access health care services, noting that most of the big hospitals are too sophisticated for them to access.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

7

NEWS Reporter loses car, property to robbers in Lagos

Govt urges NURTW to promote peace

R

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

MINISTER of Labour and Productivity Emeka Wogu yesterday enjoined the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to promote industrial peace and harmony in the country.

According to a statement by the Assistant Director, Press, Mr. Samuel Olowookere, the minister also congratulated Alhaji Najeem Yasin for his reelection as the union’s president.

He said: “I wish to say that your success did not come as a surprise to me as your doggedness and steadfastness in moving NURTW to the envy of other unions in the country have been visible, extolled and acknowledged by all and sundry.”

“Having noted the achievements the union has made under the current leadership, charting a new course is imperative for the growth of the union. As partners in the labour sector, the Ministry of Labour and Productivity under my supervision will continue to partner the NURTW to ensure not only improved labour relations but also adequate support from the Federal Government.”

Minister seeks UK help on Boko Haram From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

MINISTER of Interior Comrade Abba Moro has urged the United Kingdom to assist Nigeria in fighting the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

Moro spoke after a meeting with the British High Commissioner in Abuja, Mr. Andrew Lloyd.

Moro said: “The major issue we have today is the issue of internal security.

We have this problem of people who have entered Nigeria through irregular routes. What we have discussed is where can the UK government help to enhance security? Our people are undergoing training on counterterrorism.

• National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie (right), National Treasurer, ASUU, Dr Regina Ode and Chairman, ASUU, University of Abuja chapter, Dr Clement Chup, during a news conference condemning the President for the suspension of Justice Ayo Salami in Abuja... yesterday.

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

EFCC recovers 350,000 Euros from fraudsters T HE Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, has directed the release of three high-end Mercedes Benz vehicles, worth 350,000 Euros to the German Police.

The vehicles were stolen from Germany and recovered from some accused persons in Lagos by EFCC operatives.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi said: “The vehicles were fraudulently shipped to Lagos in February 2009 by a Nigerian fraudster, John Aban and two German accomplices who have already been arrested, prosecuted and convicted in

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

Germany.

“The German Police thereafter contacted the EFCC for assistance on the case. The vehicles were later traced and recovered from a compound on Victoria Island, Lagos, where they were kept.

“The German police had, in a letter of appreciation to the EFCC, thanked the Commission “for the prompt and professional reaction to my request leading

to the seizure of the three luxury vehicles.

“I was really impressed, though not surprised since I have experienced your cooperation over the past three and a half years”, Dominik Muller, the Police Liaison Officer said in the letter.

The EFCC said the Philadelphia Police Department in the United States of America has donated 24 high-end ballistic vests to it to enhance its operations.

The EFCC said: “Impressed by the EFCC efforts to tackle corruption in Nigeria, the Phil-

adelphia police department had, at the 244th session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, early this year, promised to assist the anti-graft agency with logistic support.

“This promise was promptly followed up with the donation of the ballistic vests which were shipped to Nigeria about two weeks ago.

“While acknowledging the support from the US Police, the EFCC Chairman, in a letter on Monday August 22, 2011 said the vests will help against attacks on operatives of the Commission.”

ASUU flays appointment of World Bank, IMF agents

T

HE Academic Staff union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday flayed the engagement of those it called World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) agents into the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

It also reminded the Federal Government that its 2009 agreement with ASUU is due for renegotiation.

Urging the government to begin the process of raising its negotiating team to pave the way for a hitch-free dialogue devoid of delay and sabotage,

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

ASUU described the appointment of World Bank/IMF employees by President Goodluck Jonathan as re-colonisation.

ASUU, in a statement, also reviewed revelations at the Senate probe of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and said the ruling class had deployed its economic and political power to loot the country’s assets.

It urged the Federal Gov-

ernment to halt the privatisation of public estates and corporations, adding that due to the primitive accumulation of and subservience to imperialism, the ruling class could not be trusted to manage the country’s assets.

Describing the appointment of World Bank/IMF officials into FEC as re-colonisation, ASUU said: “The programme of re-colonisation is now being given an impetus by the introduction of World Bank agents as ministers, technocrats, advisers etc into our system

and efforts of ASUU to challenge this was rebuffed when a court ruled that our union had no locus stand to challenge the privatisation programme.”

It noted that there were already renewed attempts to privatise Federal Government Colleges, known as Unity Schools, stressing that it (union) will mobilise across the country to stop the unending siege on public-funded education.

OBBERS invaded the residence of the Defence Correspondent of Punch, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, at Iyana Meran LagosAbeokuta Express-way .

The wife of the journalist, Mrs. Justina Soriwei, who was in the house when the robbers struck at about 1am, said about 12 heavily armed men were involved in the operation, which lasted about 45 minutes.

According to her, two of the robbers entered the residence by cutting one of the steel protectors after which they opened the door leading to the kitchen for five of their gunwielding colleagues to come in.

She said the robbers repeatedly asked for her husband who they thought was hiding somewhere in the house.

Although nobody was shot in the operation, the robbers threw the expectant mother against the wall as they made repeated demands for money, jewellery, and other items.

The journalist who works at the Abuja Bureau of the Punch was not around when incident occurred.

The hoodlums raided three of the four flats in the building before escaping in a Metallic Grey Nissan Exterra Jeep, with registration number Lagos TQ 241 AAA, belonging to Justina.

The police arrived the scene 10 minutes after the robbers’ departure.

The woman said that she later got to know at the Police Station that the robbers left her residence and headed for Oyetoro Street where they shot somebody in the legs.

She also said that the robbers took away some money from her, laptop, jewellery and a 42 inch LCD television.

Chances of early recovery of the stolen Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) were dashed as the police who were said to have sighted the car later could not engage the robbers who were more in number and had automatic weapons.

She said that the matter had been reported at the Meiran Divisional Police station.

The Police Public Relations in charge of the Lagos State police Command, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, said that the police would recover the car.

Obasanjo, Babangida feud unfortunate, unproductive, says Solomon Lar

T

HE pioneer National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Solomon Lar, yesterday intervened in the verbal exchange between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-military President Ibrahim Babangida.

Lar, who spoke to reporters in Abuja, described the public show of animosity between the two leaders as “unfortunate” and “unproductive.”

He asked them to sheathe their swords.

Lar said: “I have been reading in the press recently about the comments of our two leaders of this nation,

From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

General Babangida and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. These two great leaders of Nigeria have contributed to the development of this country; and both of them are known for the fact that they love this country. Chief Obasanjo loves this country and General Babangida also loves Nigeria.

“Both of them love this country very much. So, for them to engage in this kind of unproductive matter is unfortunate. So, I am calling on all to help stop this unfortunate situation. I am very glad that recently, for the last one

or two days they have not said anything, but other people are saying something to promote the problem.

“Please, I am calling on them not to reply any of these, let them stop. We respect them, we honour them because they love this country and they have contributed a lot. For example, General Olusegun Obasanjo would always be remembered as the first military ruler who voluntarily and willingly and gladly handed over the government to the civilian.

“And it would always be remembered that General Babangida was the first military man that recognised

that Nigeria would need only two political parties, no matter how many parties that were there.

“So his doctrine of a little bit to the left, a little bit to the right is still what we have up till today. That was the contribution of IBB to Nigerian politics. Each one of them has contributed and so we should like them to respect that.

“Again, both of them are my members, members of my party and members of the PDP. Of course, I was the first National Chairman of the party. So, I want to say that we must not do anything and we should not because we want to do anything, we bring unfortunate situation into this

country.”

Lar dismissed allegation that the Obasanjo/Babangida fight is a fallout of the last general election in which the North expected to retain the Presidency.

“You see, you people have a wrong impression that the North didn’t want President Jonathan to become the President. I am from the North and I took very active part in seeing that he ran for this election and that he won the election. And you can see that in the North, he got very good votes, very substantial. For instance in my state, Plateau, we gave

• Obasanjo

him the highest votes in the North. And you know that Plateau is in the North Central, not just any other northern state, so I don’t think the North didn’t want him. It isn’t,” the former PDP chairman stated.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

8

NEWS Stolen car A HONDA Accord car belonging to W.B. Omonaiye has been stolen.

The car, a red/wine 1997 model (Bulldog) at the time of the theft, on August 14, bore an engine/chassis number IhGCD5539VA237686 and registration number FY114LSR. It was stolen on Sanni Labode Street, New OkoOba, Agege, Lagos.

Any information on the car should be reported to the nearest police station.

Boko Haram: General’s trial begins over suspects’ escape T HE trial of an Army General over last year’s escape of two Boko Haram suspects from detention in Bauchi began yesterday in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

The Special Court Martial was inaugurated by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Maj.-Gen Sunday Idoko.

On trial is the former Commander of the 33 Ar-

Yakowa assures of completion of roads ADUNA State Gover-

K

nor Patrick Yakowa has assured the residents of timely completion of ongoing road projects.

He warned contractors to ensure that they deliver quality roads to the residents.

The governor spoke in Kaduna when he inspected ongoing roads in the southern part of the state.

Yakowa urged the contractors handling the Asso Bridge in Jema’a Local Government Area, which was washed away last year by flood, to hasten work on the project.

The area was cut off during last year’s flooding.

The governor inspected the Kafanchan-Kwoi road; Waso-Asso-Tanda-Gegira road; the Kurmin Jibrin-Jere road; Kubacha-Shadalafiya road, in Kagarko Local Government Area; and the link road to the state university in Kafanchan, Jama’a Local Government Area.

Yakowa urged the contractors to speed up work on the project.

The governor said the government would not ac-

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

cept low quality, saying the road must be built to last so that the community would reap its benefits for a long time.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to impact on the lives of the residents through the intervention projects.

Yakowa urged the residents to live in peace with one another, saying it is only in a peaceful environment that sustainable development can take place.

He said: “Violent conducts should not find habitation in you. This is what retrogresses a community and, by extension, the state. I implore you to live in peace with your neighbors, irrespective of your religious or ethnic differences.”

The governor has inspected other ongoing road projects in Kaduna metropolis where he assured the communities of speedy completion of the projects after the raining season.

Benue ALGON chief’s home demolished From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

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OFFICIALS of the Benue State Urban Development Board have demolished the multi-million naira home of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) chairman and caretaker chairman of Ukum Local Government Area, David Sevav, in Makurdi, the state cpital.

The mansion is located in House of Assembly quarters, Nyiman Layout.

An official of the board, who pleaded anonymity, said the house was an illegal structure because it had no site plan and government approval.

But Sevav told reporters that he bought the land from the Ministry of Land and Survey.

He did not show the papers to buttress his claim.

During the demolishing, Sevav allegedly approached Governor Gabriel Suswam for intervention but the governor reportedly did not yield.

The governor was quoted as saying the law must take its turn.

Sevav put the value of the building at over N30million.

Galadiman Katagum’s turbaning postponed HE Katagum Emirate

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Council of Bauchi State has postponed indefinitely the turbanning of the new Galadiman Katagum, Alhaji Usman Mahmud Abdullahi.

The Galadima is one of the kingmakers of the emirate and the district head of Katagum.

The ceremony was reportedly shelved because of last minute hitches.

The Nation learnt that the postponement was the third since Abdullahi was selected by the emirate council for the traditional stool.

He was appointed the Galadiman Katagum on December 27, last year, after

tillery Brigade, Bauchi, Brig.Gen. Muraina Raji.

The proceedings began with a fresh charge that Raji allegedly took N387,000 belonging to the Army.

President of the court Maj.-Genl John Zaruwa read the charge. The proceedings were dominated by argument on the constitution of the panel by Judge Advocate, Lt.-Col. Bernard Okorie.

Lagos lawyer Femi Falana, leading three other lawyers for the accused, objected to the new charge, wondering why the Judge Advocate should not participate in the trial.

Although the court overruled the objection to the panel’s constitution, it

Falana said: “Having regard to the role of the Judge Advocate, under Section 80 and 81 of the Rules of Procedures of the Army, it is the duty of the Judge Advocate, particularly as outlined in Section 80, …to advise the court about its constitution and any defect of the charge.

“Now, the only fear of the accused is that the Judge Advocate, as a member of this division, the Judge Advocate of this Division, took part in the investigation, giving legal advice. He will not be in a position, sir, to advise.

“Particularly under Sector 340 (4) of the Rules, the Judge Advocate is to advise the court on any defect in the

• First Deputy Vice-President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr Kabir Mohammed (left); ICAN’s 47th President, Prof. Francis Ojaide; and representative of chairman, Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), Dr Dr Sylvanus Mordi, during ICAN members’ visit to the commission in Abuja…yesterday.

T

Jigawa gives N7,500 allowance to the physically challenged

HE Jigawa State Government has introduced a N7,500 monthly social security allowance for physically challenged persons.

A member of the House of Assembly, Alhaji Adamu Jigawartsada, spoke when Governor Sule Lamido hosted the physically challenged persons at the Government House, Dutse.

Jigawartsada said the Lamido administration had been supportive of those with physical disabilities.

He said he used to beg for alms between Lagos and Ibadan before the governor

From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

his nomination by Governor Isa Yuguda among four other contestants, in line with the government’s chieftaincy laws.

Makaman Katagum Aliyu urged the Galadima’s supporters to be patient, adding: “We will put on hold the turbaning ceremony of the new Galadima until after the Eid-el-Fitr.”

A member of the Galadinma family and a former permanent secretary, Abdullahi Mahmud, praised the emirate for planning a hitch-free ceremony.

upheld Raji’s objection to the membership of Brig.-Gen. Agboola Robinson.

He was replaced with Brig.-Gen. B.T. Ogini.

Overruling Falana’s argument on Okorie’s membership, the court held that for not participating in the investigation that led to Raji’s trial, his membership would not influence the court.

Falana told the court that he was aware that the accused had objected to the participation of two members of the panel last week.

He said the president of the court had granted one of his objections.

The lawyer argued with the judge advocate, citing sections of the Rules of Procedure of the Army.

constitution of the court or any defect in the charge sheet. If we are challenging the charge sheet - and we intend to do that - will the Judge Advocate be in a position to advise that it will contradict the charge that he had helped to put in place, sir?

That is why we are urging your Lordship to look at this matter.”

He cited Section 134 (2) of the Armed Forces Act (AFA), which states that “anybody who helped in investigating the accused, the trial of the accused, the Commanding Officer and any officer who investigated the accused or has acted as one of the persons holding an enquiry relating to the subject-matter of the charge, shall not sit as a member of the court martial or act as the Judge Advocate at the court martial.”

•Lamido breaks fast with the handicapped From Eunice Bosua, Dutse

bought a nomination form for him to contest in the House of Assembly election.

He said: “Where can I raise money to purchase the form if Lamido did not support me?”

“He told me categorically that he wanted me to represent the physically challenged in the Assembly.

That is why he bought the form for me, and that’s how

I contested and won.”

Jigawartsada said the Lamido administration has given political and civil service appointments to persons with disabilities.

Chairman of the Deaf, Alhaji Garba Nakore said he was a street beggar between Lagos and Ibadan, sleeping under the bridge.

He said he returned home when the government began caring for persons with disabilities.

“I have only one wife. But since I came back home, I have added another, making them two because my living condition has improved. So, anybody who said he is opposing Lamido, we are also going to oppose that person or group,” he said.

Chairman of the Blind Men Association in Ringim Local Government Area, Mallam Hamisu Nasoro, praised the governor for introducing the security allowance.

He said the physically challenged persons were living better on the stipend.

Aliyu hails Jonathan over launch of satellites

N

IGER State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan and Nigerians on the successful launch of Nigeria Sat2 and NigeriaSatX in orbit in Russia. He described it as a big leap in the nation’s quest for technological breakthrough.

Aliyu said the launch of the observation satellites would help bridge the technological gap between Af-

rica and the Western world.

“The good people of Niger State are delighted that NigeriaSat2 and NigeriaSatX would offer services in disaster warning, land use, land survey marking and high resolution imaging of the nation’s borders,” a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Malam Danladi Ndayebo said.

The statement added that it is gratifying to know that the satellites have high res-

olution capacity to pinpoint individual buildings and could be used to provide data for urban planning.

Aliyu praised the Federal Government for the courage to launch the new satellites despite the drawback occasioned by the loss of the Nigeria Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT 1) 18 months after it was launched in China in 2007.

He said the launch of NigeriaSat2 and NigeriaSatX

has accentuated Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa.

Aliyu hoped that the satellites will be well managed to justify the country’s huge investment.

“This launch gives hope that Nigeria has the capacity to provide the conducive atmosphere required for scientists to thrive and a reassurance of the Jonathan’s administration’s commitment to the actualisation of Vision 202020,” the statement added.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

9

NEWS Lagos Assembly augments 2011 budget

By Oziegbe Okoeki

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HE Lagos State House of Assembly has approved the augmentation of the year 2011 budget as requested by Governor Babatunde Fashola.

The approval was given at plenary yesterday after adopting the recommendations of the ad-hoc committee set-up last week to look into the request sent to the House last week.

The committee said the re-ordering became inevitable because some ministries, departments and donor agencies would not be able to access their funds for one reason or the other before the year runs out, hence, such funds could be utilised for meaningful developments in the state.

The re-ordering for Capital Expenditure is N15.6 billion and N6.5 billion for Recurrent Expenditure.

The House re-ordered unused funds from some sectors to more needy areas for efficient performance.

It advised the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget to dialogue with affected Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) before making the proposed deductions and future budgets.

LASAA warns against pasting HE Lagos State of posters Signage and Adver-

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tising Agency (LASAA) has warned aspirants in the forthcoming Local Government Election against the indiscriminate pasting of posters.

Anyone caught in the act would be arrested, it said.

Early this year, the agency issued a statement, warning the public to stop defacing the state with posters. It also cleaned the state of previously pasted posters.

LASAA Managing Director George Noah said: “Despite several appeals and warnings, we have noticed an increasing trend in this ignoble act.

“We wish to restate our commitment to our earlier directive that posters will

not be allowed in unauthorised places, such as high streets, highways, major roads, loop bridges, pillars and triangles.

“Posters are only allowed within designated zones, namely: walls of public schools, public hospitals and stadia. LASAA has commenced the arrest of persons/offenders found pasting posters.

“Guidelines published by the Agency before the April general elections still exist.

We re-emphasise our preparedness to collaborate with all parties, politicians, campaigners and supporters in achieving a smooth electoral exercise.”

Amosun nominates board members for statutory bodies

O

GUN State Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday sent the names of nominees for the boards of four statutory bodies to the House of Assembly for approval.

The bodies are the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB); Local Government Service Commission; Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM); and Civil Service Commission.

The nominees for SUBEB include M. A. Ajibola (Chairman); Kayode Sodiyan (Commissioner I); Mrs. Iyabode Ogunpola (Commissioner II); Mr. Kehinde Akinsoji (Commissioner III); Mrs. Tutu Sawaiye (Ex-officio); Mr. Razak Ogungbe (Ex-officio) and Mr. Olumide Soyemi (Ex-officio).

Other members of the board are representatives of the Ministries of Education and Finance; Parents Teachers Association (PTA); Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Inspectorate Division of Ministry of Education, who are all Ex-officio members.

Local Government Service Commission: Olatunde Okewole (Chairman); Wole Adesiji (Commissioner I); Yusuf Adegbenro (Commissioner II); Dele Rufai (Commissioner III) and Mrs. Ronke Soyoye (Commissioner IV).

TESCOM: Mrs. Bukky Onabanjo (Chairman); Timothy Adebowale (Commissioner I); Akeem Bello (Commissioner II); Mrs. Ayoka Akinde (Commissioner III); Lateef Olorode (Part-time

Member I) and Mr. Oyatayo (Part-time Member II).

Civil Service Commission: Mrs. Ronke Folarin (Chairman); Suraju Olusesi (Commissioner I); Hunye Semako (Commissioner II); Mrs. Folake Martins (Commissioner III); Adesoye Odubawo (Commissioner IV) and Oluwole Olubena (Commissioner V).

Amosun has also constituted the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board.

The 15-member board is headed by Dr. Is-haq Yusuf and the Executive Secretary is Alhaji Najeem Sanusi.

Other members are Mr. Iskeel Lawal; Alhaji Abidoye Amosun; Alhaji Musbau Onifade; Imam Nahu Sodeinde; Alhaja Sururat Abdulmajeed; Imam Mikail Rufai; Imam Abdurrafi Ewuosho; Sheikh Abdulrasheed Mayaleke; Dr. Aishah Lawal; Alhaji Tahir Owolabi; Alhaji Isiaka Popoola; Mr. Saola Adesanya and Alhaji Tajudeen Lemboye.

•The motorcyclists...yesterday.

Students, motorcyclists protest Osun workers’ strike

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OR the second time in one week, students of Osun Stateowned tertiary institutions have protested the indefinite workers’ strike, which began 11 days ago.

Also yesterday, commercial motorcyclists in their hundreds carried placards and walked through major streets of Osogbo, the state capital, in solidarity with the state government over the strike.

Some of the placards read: “Please allow Aregbesola to work,” “Don’t allow narrow interests to destroy Osun,” “Osun is for all of us,” etc.

The students, led by the State Chairman, Joint Cam-

Osogbo

pus Committee of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Oluwaseun Abosede, said the strike was having a negative effect on their studies and the state.

Abosede said: “As conscious citizens and stakeholders, we appeal to Labour to consider the fact that Governor Rauf Aregbesola recently slashed the tuition fees in schools from almost N65,000 to between N20,000 and N25,000.

“For doing so, the state government has been paying the institutions the balance of their revenue affected by

the reduction. These high fees were imposed by the immediate-past government in a reckless and inhuman manner without considering the effects on the education of the children of the common man.”

He said although the agitation for the minimum wage was a necessity, the government had made a number of concessions to the workers that should be considered.

Abosede said: “Reasonably, one will sympathise with the government. A responsible government is not expected to spend all its resources on a section of the populace and leave others to

suffer.

“We are calling on the organised Labour to make reasonable concessions and resume work as soon as possible in the general interest of all.

“We urge the government to stick to its promise by including the labour unions in its proposed Salaries and Wages Commission and ensure that workers’ salaries are increased when the state’s finance profile improves.”

It is not clear yet if the striking workers would yield to pleas from different quarters because the labour secretariat has not made its position known.

Ibadan cholera outbreak under control, says Oyo govt T

HE Oyo State Government has assured residents of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, that the outbreak of cholera in parts of the city is under control.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s media aide Festus Adedayo said the governor has directed the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdulateef Olopoenia, to curtail its spread.

He said cholera alert jingles have been placed on radio and television stations to educate people on its causes and what should be done immediately symptoms of the disease are noticed.

Areas affected by the epidemic are Opo-Yeosa, Idi Ikan, Alawo, Abebi and Ekotedo.

The Caretaker Chairman of Ibadan Northwest Local Government, Wasiu

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

Olatunbosun, also said the government was on top of the situation.

There has been no record of deaths aside the six reported at the weekend, but no fewer than 24 people are still receiving treatment at various hospitals.

Yesterday, some officials of the council were seen treating wells and other sources of water with chlorine.

Others educated the public on the need to treat water before drinking and keep their environment clean.

Olatunbosun said: “We are on top of the situation. Apart from those who died over the

‘Their water sources must have been polluted because they dumped faeces carelessly around their houses’ weekend, no other death has been recorded. Our health officials have been working round the clock to treat those affected.

“We also have officials moving round the affected areas to fumigate wells, which are the major source of water supply.”

It was learnt that victims initially taken to Ayeye Health Centre and Oniyanrin Maternity were transferred to the Cholera Unit of the State Hospital, Jericho, Ibadan.

The Director of Environmental Services in the council, Mr. Olalekan Olatunbosun, said: “When our men went round, we found out that most of the houses do not have toilets and waste bins. Their water sources must have been polluted because they dumped faeces carelessly around their houses.

“During routine visits to the areas before the cholera outbreak, we marked some houses and gave them two weeks notice to put up toilets.”

He said defaulters would be charged to court.

Ogun PDP denies Daniel’s membership

E

•Amosun

From Adesoji Adeniyi,

X-OGUN State Governor Gbenga Daniel may have been ditched by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Addressing reporters yesterday at the PDP Secretariat in Abeokuta, the state capital, on the planned rebranding of the party, its State Conference slated for Saturday and Southwest Conference scheduled for September 3, Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee Chief Bode

From Ernest Nwokolo Abeokuta

Mustapha spoke on Daniel’s status.

He said: “When you see Daniel, you can ask him if he is a member of PDP, but I don’t see him as a member.”

The secretariat, whichhad been locked up for about seven months, was reopened yesterday.

Mustapha said the party has learnt its lesson from the crisis that led to its defeat in the April elections.

He said: “The ex-governor was playing God. He thought he could have the party and everybody in his pocket.

“The party has learnt from the past and our new watchwords are internal democracy, proper crisis management mechanism, equal opportunities for all members as well as unprecedented discipline across board.

“We are not foreclosing people’s chance of coming back. Whosoever wants to return will have to go through

due process as written in Articles 8(4 & 9) and 10(C).

“I also don’t know the fate of the PPN, but if anybody wants to come back, it can only be on individual basis and not as a group.”

Others members of the Conference Organising Committee are Chief Titi Ajanaku, State Secretary of PDP, Chief Pegba Otemolu, Chief Saubana Abatan, Chief Dele Odulaaja, , Hon. Olaide Odusanya and Chief Yemi Oluyomi.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

10

NEWS

Fuel scarcity persists in Bayelsa as IPMAN continues strike

Edo warns task force, committees From Osagie Otabor, Benin

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HE Edo State Government has warned its committees and taskforce members to stop confiscating goods from traders and donating same to the orphanage.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole gave the warning yesterday at a meeting with committee and taskforce chairmen. He said the decision was part of the outcome of the Executive Council meeting last week.

Oshiomhole, who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Simon Imuekemhe, told the task force members to always report offenders to the police as they lacked the powers to prosecute offenders.

He said: “The attitude of confiscating goods or property should stop. Owners of seized goods not redeemed within 24 hours should be charged to the mobile court. It is not fair to give seized property to the orphanage because you don’t give what you don’t have.

“You also do not have power to prosecute because it is the duty of the police. So report offenders to the police and avoid brutality.”

Magistrate kidnapped in Delta

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CHIEF Magistrate, Obomejero Aforkeya, has been kidnapped in Iwhrekpokpor, Ughelli North Local Government of Delta State.

Aforkeya, a grade one magistrate, was said to have been kidnapped on Sunday at about 6:35pm at his home on F.O Owho Street, Iwhrek-

From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli

pokpor-Ughelli.

A source said Aforkeya, who works in the Oleh Magisterial District, Isoko South Local Government, was taken away in his official car.

He said the kidnappers were yet to contact the family.

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HERE is continued scarcity of petroleum products in Bayelsa State as members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) continued their strike.

They are protesting the non- payment of demurrage incurred during its face off with the police.

But the police said IPMAN members have not approached the Commissioner of Police about the incident since it started.

Last week, the police intercepted a tanker with petroleum products allegedly meant for Yola but diverted to Bayelsa. The driver was consequently arrested.

IPMAN members went on strike. This led to a hike in prices of petroleum products.

The situation continued until a tentative truce was reached with the aggrieved IPMAN members.

•’Govt has intervened’ From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

They demanded that N1.8million demurrage be paid for the nine days the driver and product were detained.

But the police said it has no money to pay; this sparked off another strike by IPMAN, last Friday.

At the weekend, residents of Yenagoa were at the mercy of black market operators.

Brisk business took place on the major roads, especially in front of fuel stations.

A 20-litre keg of fuel was sold for N4,000; 10 litres between N1,500 and N2,000.

IPMAN members could not be reached for comments but when contacted, a top member of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Simeon Abbey, confirmed the development.

He said IPMAN resumed its strike because police said it had no money to pay and referred them to the Inspector-General of Police.

“The scarcity has affected the state, we are looking at what to do to avert the continued strike,” Abbey said.

But the Commissioner of Police, Musa Aliyu, said since the problem started, no IPMAN member has briefed him.

He said he heard about the incident from DPR members.

Aliyu said investigations showed that the apprehended tanker was involved in illegal ‘bunkering’, and the way bill found on him was bearing a permit of lifting oil from Lagos to Yola.

His words: “Nobody

Ogonis hail Amaechi over UNEP report

has come to me since the incident started. Any illegal ‘bunkering’ is sabotage. I ordered the release of the tanker and the driver when the first strike took place because of the adverse effects on the affairs of the state.

“I never knew they would later come up with demands.

I appeal to members of IPMAN not to support illegalities.”

He urged them to call off the strike to enable motorists buy the products.

Sources said Governor Timipre Sylva had intervened in the matter and resolved it.

The governor reportedly delegated Deputy Governor Werinipre Seibarugu to meet with members of IPMAN. But there was no sign of the strike being called off as five tankers with products parked at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mega Station in Yenagoa were still there. The fuel station and others were closed to customers.

R

IVERS State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has been hailed for supporting and encouraging the fact-finding and presentation of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report.

Representatives from Khana, Gokana ,Tai and Eleme local governments gave the commendation when they met with Senator Magnus Abe, representing Rivers Southeast.

Abe said: “When the study was being undertaken, the governor practically carried the issue of the Ogoni oil pollution on his head and provided the necessary logistics for the UNEP team to work with.

“The governor bought vehicles and provided security for them. He also visited Ogoniland several times to plead with the people to allow the team carry out the study.

“We shall not make our position known until we have consulted with our people”.

He said the group was pleased with President Goodluck Jonathan for considering the UNEP report and appointing a committee. He, however, called for the inclusion of an Ogoni son on the committee.

Delta doctors set for strike

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OCTORS in Delta State yesterday issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Permanent Secretary, Hospitals Management Board (HMB), Dr. Caroline Ajuyah, to begin strike.

The ultimatum, which expires on August 29, was issued by the Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners of Nigeria (AGGMDPN), HMB Branch, Delta State.

In a statement by the group’s Chairman and Secretary, Dr E.F Oshonwoh and Dr R.O Okwuogu, the doctors said they were opposed to signing of a Time

From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Book, which they said was “alien to the medical profession”.

They alleged that Dr Ajuyah was high-handed, accusing her of intimidation, among others.

They called on the permanent secretary to withdraw the Time Book circular.

The statement attributed the success of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s free maternal and under-five years’ health programme to the fact that doctors were responsible and responsive to their duties.

Landlord in court for stealing N300,000

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FORTY-six year-old landlord, Mafe Oladipupo, was yesterday arraigned before an Ebute Metta Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing N300,000 belonging to his tenant.

The prosecutor, Jack Asuquo, told the court that Oladipupo broke into the apartment of Babafemi George and stole the money.

Asuquo said the incident occurred on July 21 at No. 9A Wilson Lane, off Balogun Square, Lagos.

The prosecutor added that the accused also damaged the tenant’s door valued at N4,500.

He said the alleged offence contravened Sections 390 (9), 451 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Olatunbosun Abolarinwa, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. He adjourned the case till September 14 for further hearing.

From left: Representative of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Director-General Gabriel Ibe; State Coordinator Mrs. Adetokunbo Idowu and Chairman of the occasion Chief Adebayo Akande at the National Inter-Universities Discourse on NYSC in Ibadan, Oyo State …yesterday PHOTO:NAN

Youths protest driver’s death in police custody

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UNDREDS of youths, under the aegis of Pan-Nigeria Youth Congress, yesterday besieged Okhoro Police Station in Benin, Edo State, protesting the death of a commercial bus driver, Elvis Omorotiomwan, inside a police cell, last Saturday.

The youths carried placards, shouting slogans and demanding a probe into the death.

Inscriptions on the placards read: “Nigeria Police stop killing us”; “We need justice now”; “No to extrajudicial killings”; “We need justice for Elvis’ killing”.

They threatened to embark on an indefinite hunger strike in front of the police station, if the matter was not properly investigated.

President of the group Osazee Edigin said they want

•Family demands justice From Osagie Otabor, Benin

the police officer who detained the late Omorotiomwan prosecuted for misconduct and abuse of authority.

According to him, “The Nigerian youth has a right to live hence we must strive to get it right in this country. The Inspector-General of Police should investigate the matter.”

The deceased’s family said it was yet to see his body.

The deceased’s elder brother, Innocent Adams, said his younger brother was beaten up and detained because he hit a car.

He said a headlight and a pointer light of the car were broken.

Adams said he went to the police station at about 7:30pm last Saturday and

found his brother unconscious.

“We begged the IPO to allow us take him to the hospital but he refused and the DTO signed a paper that he should be detained at around 11pm.

Elvis was dragged into the police cell and we left.

“When we came the next morning, the IPO called us and told us that he was sorry that my brother was vomiting blood at about 3am and was taken to the hospital where he died.

Imagine my brother was killed because of N2,000 headlight,” he said.

The deceased’s aunt, Josphine Ohomere, said her nephew was stripped naked before being taken into the cell.

She said they were yet to see the body, adding

• The late Omorotiomwan

that police has not told them the mortuary where the body was deposited.

Police spokesman Peter Ogboi said he was told that the late Omorotiomwan was drunk and that the police couldn’t have left him to go in that state.

The police were making arrangements to meet the family.

11

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

SEC to clear rescued banks’ pacts before Sept 30

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HE Securities and Ex change Commission (SEC) says it will clear the Transaction Implementation Agreements (TIAs) submitted by the five rescued banks before September 30 deadline.

Its Director-General, Ms. Arunma Oteh, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos.

According to Oteh, SEC has assigned more resources to review the applications to ensure approvals are completed ahead of the deadline.

“The commission’s team is working all hours to complete the due diligence required for the submissions made by the banks.”

She explained that there were no delays in the processing of applications, but “SEC as a responsible organisation takes its mandate of investors’ protection with utmost seriousness.

“We (SEC) always ensure that our due diligence on any transaction is efficient and comprehensive,” she said.

The director-general noted that the commission recognises the importance of the TIAs to the resolution of the banking sector challenges, adding that SEC would ensure the appropriate thing was done.

The five rescued banks, namely: Intercontinental Bank Plc, Oceanic Bank, Finbank, Union Bank and Equatorial Trust Bank (ETB) had signed TIAs with their co-investors.

The aim was to ensure they beat the apex bank’s deadline for recapitalisation and place them in a position to hold Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs).

The last of the five rescued banks to file TIA is ETB, which it has with Sterling Bank Plc.

The Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NEBT) shall exist only as long as it takes the distribution companies to become creditworthy and be able to directly negotiate their own power purchase agreements.

-Prof Barth Nnaji, Minister of Power

Inflation figure not sustainable, says Rewane • Questions its reliability T

HE Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Limited, Mr Bismarck Rewane, has questioned the sustainability and reliability of the 9.4 per cent inflation figure for June 2011.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) had last Tuesday said yearly inflation rate declined to 9.4 per cent in July from 10.2 per cent in June.

This was the lowest level for more than three years following an aggressive period of monetary tightening by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which had been targeting a single digit inflation.

The inflation decline was against most analysts’ expectations following the rancorous debate on the minimum wage of N18,000. The CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido, had consistently alerted the nation of underlying inflationary threats and the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had moved to tighten interest rates in anticipation of increasing inflation. Inflation is a measure of the rate of change in the price level and not absolute prices.

But Rewane in his economic

By Ayodele Aminu, Group Business Editor

bulletin for August, which was made available to The Nation yesterday, said the N1.3 trillion bonds floated by the Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) and the minimum wage implementation, which will be supplemented by a supplementary budget, would make the latest inflation rate unsustainable.

“What is the inflationary outlook?This is a million dollar question. The answer is that price level is a friction of the transmission effect of money supply growth. In the last seven months, M2 has grown to N12trillion or 13 per cent as against a target of 25 per cent for the year.

“Also, in the last two months, the Federal cumulative allocation of N1.9trillion, the highest government revenue sharing in recent memory was disbursed.

“In addition to the Federal and State government revenue sharing, there is the

impact of the AMCON bonds in the portfolios of the banks resulting from the toxic asset mopping and bank nationalisation. “AMCON has issued bonds in excess of N1.3trillion or 10 per cent of M2. A sensitivity analysis as to the effect of discounting of bonds by banks reveals, significant money supply saturation with a positive correlation with prices “The money supply transmission effect will manifest in Q4, coinciding with the minimum wage implementation. We expect that there will be a supplementary budget to accommodate the spending limits that have already been busted. The fiscal deficit for 2011 is being projected at five per cent of GDP, which will be funded by ways and means advances,” he said.

Noting that some policy makers have already started claiming victory because headline inflation is for the first time in three years in a single digit range, he said the decline raises some fundamental questions for

policy makers, CBN and the economic team.

“The first is whether this drop in the price is a blip or a trend in other words is it sustainable? To answer that question one has to understand the various contributory factors to price inflation in Nigeria. In the last six months, the key components of inflation have been cost-pushed mainly driven by the price of diesel.

The fuel for haulage of food and transportation had increased by approximately 60 per cent to N160 in five months.

Given these scenarios, Rewane said: “We believe that inflation will spike when the money supply effect begins to kick in. Therefore, the months of August and September will be policy tentative before another round of tightening.

“Besides, he said the final question that is on everybody’s mind, but on nobody’s lips is that of information and data integrity. “In other words, can you believe these numbers published by official sources?

“Recently in Argentina, Mauricio Macri, the odds on favourite to win the mayoral election in Buenos Aires has

Naira falls to two-month low

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DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$109.7/barrel Cocoa - $2,856/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢78.07.pound Gold -$1,161/troy ounce Rubber - ¢146.37/pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N7.3 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion

RATES Inflation -10.2% Treasury Bills -2.64% Normal lending -24% Prime lending -18% Savings rate -3% 91-day NTB -6.99% Time Deposit - 6% MPR -8% Foreign Reserve -$34.7bn FOREX CFA 0.281 • 213 £ 241.00 $ 150.7 ¥ 1.5652 SDR 240.3 RIYAL 39.3

made, as one of his electoral promises, the launching of a new and alternative consumer price index,” he said.

This, he said, is because most people no longer believe official data on inflation, unemployment etc in Argentina. The official Argentinean inflation is put at 9.7 per cent while the provincial data released by shadow organisations puts inflation at 23 per cent. This difference between official and private statistics has become a source of controversy in some emerging countries.

In Nigeria, he noted that the public has not yet questioned the inflation figures, but it is necessary that integrity of official data is a major objective of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s team. “She knows too well coming from the World Bank environment that garbage in, garbage out. This is because once people start raising eyebrows about inflation data in Nigeria, the credibility of the policy makers will be questioned with serious consequences. In the end, I hope that my uncle will not have to jump to that cynical conclusion again that all economists are nuts, “ he said.

• From left: Branch Manager, Ado Corporate branch, Enterprise Bank, Mr Idowu Ogunlade; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Executive Director, Enterprise Bank, Mr Niyi Adebayo; and Regional Head, Southwest 2, Mrs. Stella Bolarinwa, after a courtesy visit by the bank chiefs to the Governor, in Ado-Ekiti.

HE naira fell to its weakest in almost two months against the United States dollar on the interbank market yesterday after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) removed restrictions on the amount of dollars lenders could sell to Bureaux de Change (BDCs).

The CBN last Friday lifted a ceiling placed on dollar purchases by bureaux de change from banks, prompting a rush of demand for the dollar on the interbank market and forcing the local currency to depreciate.

The naira, according to Reuters, closed at N155.95 to the dollar on the interbank market yesterday from N153.70 to the dollar’s Friday close despite the CBN failing to meet all demand at its biweekly auction.

Economic Council okays new agric lending scheme

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HE National Economic Council (NEC) yesterday endorsed a new agric lending scheme for the country.

Tagged ‘Nigerian Incentivebased Risk Sharing Agricultural Lending System (NIRSAS),’ it is aimed at increasing farmers’ access to credit.

The council also said N120 billion out of the N200 billion agriculture loan scheme has been lent out to various agricultural companies and about 24 states.

According to Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, who briefed newsmen alongside his Bauchi State counterpart, Isa Yuguda and Central

• Says firms, states got N120b loan From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Acting Governor, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, the initiative is aimed at increasing agricultural lending.

Suswam said the new scheme was an idea of the apex bank in partnership with some stakeholders including the Presidency, the Minstries of Agriculture, Finance and the governors.

Moghalu, who explained the CBN initiative, said the intention is to increase the total agriculture lending from its 1.4

per cent of total bank lending to at least seven per cent over the next 10 years.

“If you lend to agriculture in this manner, all the gaps that had previously existed in agricultural lending will be closed and lending to agriculture will create a quantum increase in productivity.

“Lending to agriculture in this country is very low at this point. It is 1.4 per cent of total bank lending in Nigeria that goes to agriculture. That is compared to 10 per cent of total bank lending in countries like Brazil , Mali, Burkina Fasso.

Moghalu further said NIRSAS would also tackle the risk in lending to agriculture sector by commercial banks and create a risk sharing mechanism whereby CBN shares the risks with the Commercial Banks in lending to agriculture sector.

The scheme, he added, would create an insurance mechanism that increases the insurance that is available to farmers and help to overcome the absence of collaterals.

He noted that the scheme is would be private sector driven with the banks leveraging their own balance sheet while the CBN will only participate in it by providing risk sharing mechanism.

Moghalu also assured that the small scale farmer will not be left out of the scheme, saying they will all benefit from the scheme by organising themselves into groups, or larger agricultural farms to assess credit.

On the N200 billion commercial agriculture credit scheme approved by NEC in 2010, Moghalu said the apex bank has taken steps to increase access to the fund by agricultural companies.

“About N120 billion out of the N200 billion have been lent out to various agricultural companies and to governors, I believe, about 24 governors have assessed the fund,”he said.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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AVIATION

NCAA bars aircraft without emergency A locator transmitter

IRCRAFT or helicopters without a functional emer gency locator transmitter will not be allowed to fly in Nigerian airspace, the Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, has said.

Demuren told The Nation that the authority’s action is to correct the notion that some registered aircraft flying in the nation’s airspace are not fitted with such transmitters.

He said although the transmitters are not safety device, they are useful during accidents as it would be easy to locate where an aircraft

Stories by Kelvin Osa-Okunbor Aviation Correspondent

may have crashed.

He explained that though there are instances when transmitters could not emit signals because of damage or failure of reception from the co-ordination centre, it is a mandatory requirement for the equipment to be fitted into an aircraft.

Demuren said the furore gener-

ated over the crash of the OAS helicopter in Osun State last month would not have arisen if the helicopter was fitted with all the required post-crash equipment.

The weather in the area of the crash, he said, was bad, adding that this must have blurred the vision of the pilot who was on Visual Flight Rule (FVR).

“This particular accident was a very unfortunate one. There was a very big hill and a big tree on

top of it and the helicopter hit the hill. That was basically what happened. Weather had a finger in the accident. This particular flight was flying on visual flight rule (VFR).

“Normally they don’t fly high in the sky. The weather was not clear; there was fog in the air. It was Control Flight Into Terrain (CFIT).

Bad weather is our number one problem; we must continue to work at it.

“The CFIT was very bad and then it just smashed and everything scattered, so it was very bad. I want

to wait for the report of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).”

Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Muhammed Sani Sidi, called for sanctions against airline and maritime operators who fail to install Beacon 406MHz in their aircraft or vessels.

He said the problem of location detection in search and rescue operations could be minimised if all stakeholders complied with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) directive that all aircraft and sea faring vessels be equipped with Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT) beacons.

Why we are re-modelling airports,

by Aviation Minister

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• From left:Special Adviser to the Minister of Aviation on Media, Mr. Joe Obi; representative of the Aviation Minister, Prince Clement Dosunmu; Rector, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Capt. Adebayo Araba and Demuren, at the opening of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents Training Programme, at NCAT, Zaria, Kaduna State.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

Contractor gets completion date for airport tower

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HE construction of the new control tower of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, will be completed by the end of this month, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said.

FAAN Managing Director Richard Aisuebeogun, who made this known in Lagos, said the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella OduahOgiemwonyi, has given a 60-day ultimatum to the contractor to complete the work.

He said the new control tower would be in place before the commencement of the 2011 Hajj operations in October, with the assurance given by the contractor that all works at the site

would not exceed the end of August.

Aisuebeogun said: “this project is of utmost concern to us. This is the first indigenous control tower to be completed by an indigenous company after 25 years of the last constructed control tower in Abuja. Though the contract was awarded in August 2009, it has taken some time because its execution has been in stages. These are some of the things we have been contending with.

“For instance, the control tower cabin takes an average of six months to be manufactured at the workshops in the United Kingdom. Then the contractor goes for factory inspection/acceptance

test. It is after that the items are dismantled and packaged for onward delivery, which takes at least one month to arrive at our airports. This is now transported to the destination of its installation.

The manufacturer then gives a date after arrival at the site to the contractor when installation would start.

He explained that installation takes an average of eight weeks under a conducive weather condition.

The FAAN boss said management had already paid over 90 per cent of the sum to the contractor.

He said NAMA has begun the installation of its necessary equipment at the project site.

NAMA flays Customs action

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HE Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has condemned the invasion of its office at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, by officers of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

Spokesman of NAMA Supo Atobatele described the invasion as unacceptable, describing it as a violation of the cooperation that exists among government agencies.

He said: “We are not a private entity that would want to evade duties.We are a government owned entity that is guided by the financial regulations of government on procedures that should be

followed, which we were already going through before the invasion.

“Their action of holding our officials hostage was embarrassing and uncivilised. Why should they invade another government agency like theirs, when they knew there are procedures to be followed in settling bills between government and inter-ministerial departments.”

Officials of the NCS at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Command had last week, invaded the premises of NAMA. The Customs men claimed they were sent by their Comptroller,

Mr Adewole, over N19 million import duties due on the importation by NAMA of some World Geodetic Survey (WGS 84) equipment meant for preparation of the country’s movement from the terrestrial navigation to satellite based navigation.

The armed Customs men allegedly harrassed NAMA officials.

They eventually got hold of one of the general managers of the agency, Mr M.K.Jimoh, whom they held for several minutes before he was released following intervention of the management who explained that the process for payment of the duties was in progress.

HE Federal Government has unfolded plans to re model at least 12 airports to meet international standards.

Minister of Aviation Mrs Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi said the government is embarrassed by the decay of facilities at the airports. She said urgent measures are required to re-build and upgrade their standard.

She spoke at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State.

Mrs Oduah-Ogiemwonyi said in the next six months, serious work would have been done at the airports in line with the transformation agenda of the Federal Government.

He said the government would revoke airport concession agreements signed between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and private companies, if invstigations reveal they were negotiated without putting the interest of the public ahead of private considerations.

She said it has become imperative to carry out the revocation of some of the agreements, because feelers emanating from the aviation industry, indicated that some of the concession agreements were negotiated without factoring in the general interest of Nigerians.

The minister also spoke of plans to woo the private sector to invest in aviation through Public Private Partnership (PPP) in developing car parks, airport terminals and aircraft maintenance hangars.

She said Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind in the commity of aviation nations.

Mrs Oduah-Ogiemwonyi said the first phase of the remodelling would be completed in the next

six months and it has been christened “Special Remodelling Project”.

She listed the facilities to be addressed to include, installation of conveyor belts to enhance passenger facilitation, renovation of toilets, as well as upgrading air conditioning systems.

She said: “The change that we desire and which we are vigorously pursuing, cannot be funded from public resources alone. We need the private sector to partner with us to deliver the huge promise which the aviation sector holds for the growth of the Nigerian economy.

“But the partnership must put the interest of the ordinary Nigerian first and above other considerations. Huge opportunities exist for the public private partnership in the aviation sector and we urge investors both foreign and local to take advantage of these opportunities to invest in the development of facilities including parks, terminals and hangars.

“Already we are studying and evaluating the terms of the existing concession agreements to ensure that they are in favour of the people. We shall, however, not hesitate to revoke or renegotiate, where necessary, the terms of any of the agreements if we discover they do not serve the greatest interest of the greatest number of the Nigerian people.

“In the next six months, Nigerians will surely begin to see the new face of the aviation industry,” she said.

Also, speaking the Rector of NCAT, Captain Adebayo Araba spoke of plans to boost the manpower capacity development of the college, which he said has been on course to add value to the industry.

IRS to ply Sokoto, Port Harcourt routes

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RS Airlines is set to begin daily flight operations to Sokoto and Port Harcourt.

This would bring to nine the number of destinations the airline serves in addition to Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, Maiduguri, Yola and Gombe.

Managing Director of IRS Airlines Mr Yemi Dada said it is in line with their new slogan“now you can go places”.

He said the airline will operate flights to more routes as the fleet size increases and some of the

planned routes include flights to Uyo, Owerri, Asaba, Enugu and Benin.

On its online payment system, Dada stated that passengers can log unto www.flyirsairlines.com to book and pay online with an Interswitch verve, MasterCard, visa, e-transact cards or passengers can hold their bookings for 14hours and pay into designated Zenith Bank branches, with an IRS Airlines teller and get a reference code.

2011 FIFA BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP

Super Sand Eagles Plot to jail NFF board depart for Portugal members uncovered Pg. 49

Pg. 49

Nation Tuesday, August 23, 2011

PAGE 15

•Osaze

WEST BROM EPL RACE

Osaze targets top 10 spot Pg. 16

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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NATION SPORT Daegu 2011: IAAF reject AFN list PAOK considers •Say Asumnu, Mayungbe not eligible to compete for Nigeria •Worphil, Odogwu-Nwajei battle for IAAF Committee list tomorrow

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HE International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) have told the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to do its home work properly before presenting athletes for any major competition.

This came after the world’s governing body for the sport told the Solomon Ogba-led board that the USAborn duo of sprinter,Asumnu Ogechi Gloria and quartermiler, Mayungbe Ibukun Blessing are not eligible to compete for Nigeria at the 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics which begins this weekend in Daegu, South Korea.

The AFN had listed the duo in a 17man squad for the biennial championships apparently without the technical committee of the federation doing a check on the eligibility of these athletes who hold dual citizenship.

Both Asumnu and Mayungbe will not be eligible to compete for Nigeria until June 23, 2013.However, cleared to compete for Nigeria from August 4, 2011 is Okoro Chinwe who did not make the team to Daegu.

‘The fact that both athletes are still listed as representing the USA on IAAF website should have alarmed the AFN officials who should have done a proper check before sending Nigeria’s final list to the IAAF and save the country this international embarrassement,’ said many athletics observers yesterday after it was

revealed that the IAAF has rejected the duo of Asumnu and Mayungbe.

Both athletes are also ineligible to compete for Nigeria at next month’s 10th All Africa Games in Maputo while it remains to be seen what the AFN will do to the result achieved by the athlete at the last national championships, the Nigeria/Cross River State Track and Field Championships last June in Calabar.

Many athletics followers have called on the president of the AFN, Solomon Ogba to do a complete overhaul of all the sub-committees of the federation while some even suggested that the entire board of the federation should resign over this international disgrace.

Meanwhile, the duo of Mrs Maria Worphil, Secretary-General of the AFN and erstwhile president of the federation, Mrs Violet OdogwuNwajei have been confirmed as the only two Nigerians vying for seats on the IAAF Women’s Commitee and Cross Country Committee respectively.

Worphil, a former national handball star has been one of the longest serving Secretary-Generals the AFN has ever had and is very popular among international athletics administrators while OdogwuNwajei, the first Nigerian nay African woman to win a field event medal at the Commonwealth Games is one of the vice-presidents of the African Athletics Confedrations(AAC).

MAPUTO 2011 ALL AFRICAN GAMES

Ndika Nsofor targets five medals HE morale in camp is high. in boxing The boxers are raring to go.

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Everything we need we’re getting at the moment, the camp is good, food is regular. Our target is a minimum of five medals but can be more.”

These were the words of a Technical Adviser of the national amateur boxing team, Ndika Nsofor when spoke to NationSport yesterday on the state of his boxers preparatory to the All African Games (AAG) slated for Maputo, Mozambique September 3.

The boxing tactician said the national boxing team has not had it this good when preparing for major championships and he commended the National Sports Commission (NSC) for their efforts in making the team comfortable for the task ahead.

Nsofor said the technical crew is set to imbibe a selecting process devoid of favouritism and any form of sentiments that will jeopardise team spirit and general ambition.

“Everybody in camp including the boxers are part of the selection in camp. During sparring, they make their judgment and we take it into

By Innocent Amomoh consideration. It is based on these various judgments that we will be making our final selection. We will need team effort to succeed in Mozambique,” he said.

Nsofor further disclosed that the justconcluded boxing championship in Ghana helped the team discover its flaws, which the team is working on correcting at the moment.

After the AAG, he explained, work will start in earnest for other competitions in the future, as the boxers and coaches would have known their weaknesses and would do everything possible to rectify them.

“I must tell you that we have a very good team. The boxers are responding well to training and we are ready to go.

I don’t want to mention names so it does not get into their heads, but I assure you that we are on course,” at Nsofor stated.

A total of twenty–four boxers are currently in camp but only nine will be selected to represent Nigeria at the games.

Yakubu swoop

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UT-of-favor Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni (28 years) is close to a transition to two-time Greek Champions, PAOK. PAOK hope to strengthen their squad with offensive reinforcements, and have targeted the Everton man, who is not in the plans of gaffer David Moyes.

Because of Everton’s debt crisis of close to 51 million euros, they must offload some of their players before the close of the summer market. The club will not stop Yakubu’s proposed move to PAOK if the Greek club comes up with an enticing offer.

Yakubu is a very experienced striker, and has scored over 100 goals since coming to England in 2003.

•Yakubu

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GULDER 5-A-SIDE TOURNAMENT

Antennah FC crowned Western Region Champion •Several teams jostle for space in Lagos

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NTENNAH FC, Ijebu Igbo on the 18th of August 2011 emerged as the Gulder 5-Aside Football champions from the Western Region of the country after thrashing Moonstar FC of Ijebu Ode by five goals to two. The game was played amidst tension among fans of the two finalists, at the Otunba Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode. Teams from neighbouring cities and towns have for three days, gathered in the Ijebu –Ode town known for pomp and pageantry, trading tackles in order to book their space in the fortunechanging football competition.

At the end of the third day, it was Antennah FC and Moonstar FC that became the last two teams standing.

They were victorious against the over 200 teams that registered in that region for the 2011 Ultimate Gulder 5-A-side

Football competition.

The two teams that got to the regional finals did not disappoint their respective fans at the final encounter to determine the overall winner from the region. Both sides proved their mettle to the admiration of their fans.

Moonstar FC which scored the first goal in the 5th minute through Michael Adesin, eventually caved in to the football dexterity and skillful display of Antennah FC which eventually roasted Moonstar 5 - 2.

Speaking to sports journalists after the match, Ismail Obisanya, the highest goal scorer of the entire tournament with eight goals, and striker of Antennah FC said, “I am thrilled with the win and all the credit goes to my entire team. We all played as a unit towards one goal of becoming the Gulder 5 A-side

NATION SPORT WEST BROM EPL RACE

Odemwingie targets top 10 spot W

EST BROM star striker Peter Odemwinigie believes Albion have what it takes to better last season’s performance in the English Premier League (EPL).

The Super Eagles ace disclosed that he and his Baggies mates have set a target of finishing in the top 10 at the end of this season. He said: “I’m in a good team and hopefully we will finish in the top ten as that is our target for this season.”

Albion have had arguably the most difficult Premier League start after facing Manchester United and Chelsea in consecutive weekends.

The Baggies have lost marginally 2-1 on both occasions but Albion’s hitman says the close defeats show the quality currently in the side.

“Our players worked so hard, and we

Ghana-Nigeria match organiser meets media HE Ghanaian media and the general public have been assured of a successful encounter between Ghana and Nigeria.

This was revealed after match organisers JV2i Consult met the media in Accra on Monday to allay all fears and also to make public the arrangements put in place to ensure a successful game.

“We are here to interact with the FA and also to meet the Ghanaian media to let them know what the future plan for the game is like,” JV2i CEO, Justin Addo told GHANAsoccernet.com.

“Basically the match has been rescheduled for October 11 and tickets for the initial game are still valid and the media who want accreditation have to apply through the Ghana FA as per the previous game.”

Though very confident the game would be held successfully, Addo is also wary of the unpredictable nature of the riots in UK which scuppered the original game.

“Only God can tell whether there are any other unforeseen developments but hopefully this game would come off without incident.”

The match organiser also confirmed reports of the massive loss of investment following the botched friendly but says he has taken it in his stride.

“Well, after paying for advertising and publicity when the game does not come off you obviously lose a lot of money, but the fact that you had an accident doesn't mean you should never seat in a

regional champion and qualify for the Lagos finals.”

Sharing the same sentiment, the Chief Coach of Antennah FC, Yinka Osene gave glory to God for making his team the overall regional champion from the Ogun State zone.

He promised that his team will do its best to justify its regional acclaim come September 5, 2011 at the knockout stage in Lagos. “We are going to work on those areas that we have spotted lapses before the commencement of the knock-out stage in Lagos,” Osene said.

On the other hand, the coach of Moonstar FC, Lawal Oluwaseyi, whose team came second, reasoned, “it has shown that football is not about physical strength but skill and ability to work as a team, and that is what my boys have shown here.”

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were very organised, we did everything we could,” Odemwingie said after the Chelsea defeat.

“Some of the boys are saying that sometimes football’s not fair. We would have been happy with a point, and I think these first two games have been a very good test for our team and I think that in the last two games we have shown that we can compete with the big teams for points.

“I will take only positives from these two games, against the teams with the most quality. Chelsea had to work very hard to get the three points from us.”

Albion now face Stoke City on Sunday (KO 3pm) before playing newlypromoted Norwich City and Swansea.

Odemwingie is hoping the Baggies build on the performances against United and Chelsea and secure their Premier League status for another year.

car again.

“At the end of the day I’d prefer to lose money like this than rather let the match go ahead for people to have got injured and all other repercussions. So at the end of the day it was the right decision,” he added.

Enyimba leave for Morocco today

•Eneji Otekpa, Uche Kalu assure Nigerians of victory

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri IGERIA’s remaining representatives in the lucrative CAF Champions League, Enyimba International will today leave the country for Morocco aboard Air Morocco to keep a date with Raja Casablanca for their Friday tie with the North African side.

The players and officials of the club arrived Lagos yesterday ahead of today’s journey and the two-time African Champions are seeking a third shot at the foremost club competition on the continent after triumphs in 2003 and 2004.

The media officer of the People’s Elephant, Farriel Allaputa made this known to NationSport.

Enyimba FC duo of Eneji Otekpa and Uche Kalu have also assured Nigerians that the People’s Elephant would remain focused and resolute in their quest to land Nigeria the Champions League diadem for a third time.

Speaking with NationSport on their way to Lagos the two players assured that their supporters should not be bothered in any way and that by the end of regulation time in Casablanca on Friday they hope to have kept their unbeaten run intact.

Otekpa said: “We are ready for the match with Raja and I am assuring Nigerians that total victory shall be ours. We are not in any way distracted by the few victories we have had but they are actually serving as morale boosters for our other matches.

We hope to do the country proud in Morocco and God will help us out.”

Uche Kalu, who was the hero of their away win against Coton Sport Garoua of Cameroon, also sounded optimistic. “ I have not played against any North African team at away before but this time around I still want to give my best for the cause of the team and I hope to get more goals in Morocco to cement our place in the last four and to draw us closer to the highest goal scorer race.”

Enyimba defeated Raja Casablanca 2-0 when the two met about a fortnight ago in Aba through goals from Uche Kalu and captain by example, Chiedozie Johnson.

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“I believe in this team as well because we do have quality,” he added.

“We have shown that in the first two games and on Saturday we showed that I am in a good team to have played like that against a very good team”

Super Sand Eagles depart for Portugal •16 players selected for Faro camp

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IGERIA’S national beach soccer team, the Super Sand Eagles, early yesterday departed the shores of the country for a week-long camping in Faro, Portugal ahead of the 2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup holding in Ravenna, Italy, from September 111th.

The training tour was earlier scheduled to hold from August 15 to 29 but NationSport learnt it was delayed due to inability to secure visas from the Portugal embassy for the players and officials listed for

By Akeem Lawal the trip.

Accordingly, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had wanted the team to have early and adequate preparation to ensure that technical lapses observed during the African fiesta were corrected and the team put in the proper physical and mental shape for the tournament.

16 players were selected from the list of 22 which included top players from the Premier League and National League that were involved

Plot to jail NFF board members uncovered

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HE Credible (Football) Election Group of Nigeria has raised the alarm on an alleged plot by Davidson Omatseye Owumi and some top members of both the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to jail some NFF Board members.

The Secretary-General of the group, Comrade Prince Udofia, who made this allegation, stated that a letter was sent to the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) by

the embattled former Chairman of the NPL, Owumi, who still address himself as the incumbent Chairman of the NPL, to directly delay the activities of the Electoral Committee of the NPL Chairmanship tussle after the judgment of an Abuja Federal High court .

Prince said in Owumi’s previous letters to both the Director General of the NSC and the Minister of Sports titled ‘Travesty of injustice by NFF,’ he claimed that the NFF was stopping him from contesting

the Re-run election which forced the Minister to reply his letter via a copy sent to the NFF. The Secretary-Geneneral also alleged that interested members in the NSC and some staff of the NFF are collaborating with the removed Chairman of the NPL to tacitly delay the Re-run Election, because going by the judgment of Hon. Justice G. Kolawole, a Consequential order was given to NFF to conduct the Re-run Election between 30-45days.

With barely 25 days to go, according to the order of the Judge, the NPL Electoral Committee is yet to come out with concrete plans concerning the Re-run election which, according to Prince, is only open to the two candidates who contested the first election.

Prince emphasised that by the disqualification of one of the candidates, Davidson Owumi, Baribote Victor becomes the sole and unopposed candidate of the Re-run, and that this is in accordance with both the Prof. Ibidapo Obe Arbitration Award and the Hon. Justice G. Kolawole decision, having adopted/upheld the Award of Professor Ibidapo.

He further alleged that these partisan men in the NSC had made a road map of their strategy in connivance with Owumi and some key members of the NFF to delay the Electoral Committee beyond the 45 days maximum period. This would then create a scenario where the committee members would be in contempt of the court order and the court could jail the NFF Board members for disobedience.

in the two-week first phase camping at the Avioje Beach in Badagry, Lagos.

At the Badagry camp, the team engaged in series of friendly matches which included an 18-3 spanking of Badagry United and an 11-5 victory over Owibeseb of Ojoo.

At the end of their camping in Portugal, only 12 players will make the final cut to the Beach Soccer World Cup. Nigeria will be aiming to go beyond the quarter-finals round especially after she lost the African crown to Senegal at the continental fiesta held in Morocco.

Nigeria will be slugging it out in Group C along Russia, Tahiti and Venezuela.

The Sand Eagles will face Russia in their first game of the World Cup at the Stadio del Mare in Marina di Ravenna on September 2.

Players selected for Faro camp: . Abdullahi Isah (Goalkeeper, Plateau United, Jos) . Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Goalkeeper, Sharks FC, Port Harcourt) .Olalekan Oladepo (Goalkeeper, Owibeseb FC, Lagos) .Azeez Abu (Defender, Bridge Boys FC, Lagos) .Emmanuel Kyande (Defender, Adamawa United, Yola) .Shehu Maijama’a (Defender, Wikki Tourists, Bauchi) .Ogbonnaya Okemiri (Defender, Kwara United, Ilorin) .Ramon Arubiewe (Pivot, Owibeseb FC, Lagos) . Onyekachi Nwosu (Pivot, Warri Wolves, Warri) .James Okwuosa (Pivot, Rangers International, Enugu) . Isiaka Olawale (Pivot, Kwara United, Ilorin) .Babatunde Badmus (Wing Player, Owibeseb FC, Lagos) .Bartholomew Ibenegbu (Wing Player, Heartland FC, Owerri) .Musa Najere (Wing Player, Rangers International, Enugu) .Victor Tale (Wing Player, FC Lokoja, Kogi) . Atu Irumekhai (Unattached)

WO Nigerians are among the list of 22 Match Commissioners released by Confederation Africain De Football (CAF) for the next round of the preliminary tournament of the 28th Africa Cup of Nations to be jointly hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

In a release made available to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Paul Bassey has been nominated

Okwaraji memorial Competition now for Sept 17 •Bartholomew Ibenegbu

A

new date of September 17, 2011 has been fixed for the start of Samuel Okwaraji Under-20 Memorial Competition tagged Memoir Cup as against the August 28 initially fixed by the organisers of the event.

Making this known to NationSport exclusively, the Coordinator of the competition and elder brother of the former Nigeria international, Patrick Okwaraji stated that the change in date became inevitable to enable all the participating states from the South West to adequately prepare ahead of the tourney, which is meant to evoke memories of the Imo-born player who died at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos on August 12, 1989 during a World Cup Qualifying match. “ There is a slight change in the day on which the Memoir Cup will start. It is no longer August 28 but September

FIFA fair play award excites Mbah

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LYING EAGLES right full back, Chimezie Mbah has said he is not surprised that Nigeria won the fair play award at the 2011 FIFA Under20 World Cup in Colombia.

The three-week global football fiesta ended on Saturday with Brazil claiming her fifth Fifa Under20 World Cup title at the expense of Portugal.

Nigeria’s race was halted in the quarterfinals by France, but the African champions earned mentions for their uninhibited attacking style and finished second-highest scorers with 15 goals in their five matches.

They collected a mere three yellow cards thereby ending the race as the fairest team at the event.

Mbah told SuperSport.com that the award has confirmed opinions in many quarters that coach John Obuh’s team is a highly disciplined side.

“That is great, we had a good game at the World Cup, we had a great team, too, so I am not surprised at the award.

“Our team is disciplined, and I know the award will spur us on in our future endeavours,” Mbah said.

The Warri Wolves ace defender also congratulated the Brazilians for emerging the new champions of the world.

“Brazil must have done very well to win the title, I think they merited it. I must say congratulations.

“We had similar ambition to win the title too, unfortunately it did not happen. We have taken solace in the fair play award we received and have resolved to do better in our future assignments,” he said.

Brazil’s Henrique chalked up individual double - adidas golden ball and the golden boot awards as the best player and top scorer.

Portugal’s Nelson Olivera won the silver ball while Mexico’s Jorge Enriquez picked the golden ball.

Portuguese’s keeper, Mika won the best keeper’s award.

CAF picks Bassey, Ojo-Oba for Nations Cup duty

T

•Owumi

FALLOUT OF U-20 W/ CUP

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri 17 in the same main bowl of the National Stadium in Lagos. The change in date is to enable the states in the South West to adequately prepare for the competition. They asked for an extension in date and we have to oblige them so that the six states can be represented.

“The Memoir Cup will start from the South West Zone from where it then moves to the other zones before the grand finale.

“The six states will do battle with each other in a knock out basis in the initial round before three qualifiers for the second round will play a round robin to eventually determine the sole winner of the zone, and that is the same formular we shall adopt in all the 6 zones before the six qualifiers shall emerge,” Patrick Okwaraji enthused.

to commission the highly explosive Group K encounter between Malawi and Tunisia scheduled for Blantyre in Malawi on September 3.

Whereas Botswana are the runaway winners of this group with 17 points, both Tunisia and Malawi are placed second with ten points each with Tunisia slightly ahead on goals difference.

The battle of Blantyre will therefore be a do-or-die confrontation as only one of the two teams has a chance of going ahead as second best. When both sides met in Tunis, the match ended 2-2.

Former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba is appointed match commissioner for the Niger-South Africa match in Niamey.

With Egypt (two points) deciding to use its Under 23 squad (They will be hosting the London Olympics African Playoffs) henceforth in this group G decider, the South Africans with eight points must strive for a good result against Niger with six points.

Sierra Leone with five points also stand a chance against the Egyptian youth side who are out to gain experience preparatory to the Olympics qualifiers.

It will be recalled that the Super Eagles of Nigeria are also in a makeor- mar confrontation against Madagascar.

17

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Another controversy looms in the House of Representatives when it resumes sitting in September. The presiding officers have to constitute committees to handle legislative business. Experience shows that it is usually the beginning of a turbulent sail. Assistant Editor ONYEDI OJIABOR reports the undercurrents.

Race for House committees begins C

ONSTITUTION of standing committees for a legislature appears to be a simple task. Beneath the seeming simplicity of the task, however, lies a banana peel that may turn out to be the undoing of the presiding officers of the House.

For Aminu Tambuwal, a Speaker whom a few powerful party leaders including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, desperately want to displace, the task can only be undertaken with trepidation. All his predecessors walked the narrow, slippery path.

To underscore how herculean the task of choosing who becomes what in the 360-member House could be is the fact that more than three months after its inauguration, the lower chamber still sits without a House leader.

The intrigues and horse trading that characterised the emergence of the presiding officers of the House is also playing out in the selection of the House leader. Mulikat AkandeAdeola and Muraina Ajibola, two legislators from Oyo State who lost out in the election of the Speaker, have shifted their bitter rivalry to the struggle for the position of House Leader.

A series of clandestine meetings in high places have failed to produce a House Leader, due largely to what insiders regard as the unyielding disposition of the two front-runners.

Unconfirmed reports say the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hierarchy have once again endorsed Akande-Adeola for the exalted position. Unfortunately such high profile endorsement had yielded nothing in an earlier contest; it failed to give her the needed edge over Tambuwal in the choice of Speaker.

To the amazement of Akande-Adeola, members voted overwhelmingly for Tambuwal to emerge as Speaker on June 6. Tambuwal and Ihedioha could be said to have taken the leadership of the House by storm, considering the pattern with which they overcame the high-

wired politics that preceded their emergence as first among equals in the House.

On the other hand, Ajibola is said to enjoy the backing of some House members who are reportedly pushing him not to give up the fight, even in the face of a clear signal from PDP headquarters about the party’s position on the vexed issue.

Watchers of the House politics are however wondering how long the chamber can go without a House Leader.

It is too close to call the direction of the pendulum on the issue, but feelers from Tambuwal’s office indicate that AkandeAdeola is likely to be announced House Leader on resumption of the House.

Observers say the implication of the inability to fill the position of House leader about three months after inauguration is that composition of standing committees is likely to prove more turbulent.

To underscore the fear that composition of committees may be chaotic, the Selection Committee of the House started sitting weeks before the House went on recess. There are also reports of Tambuwal’s Sokoto home being turned into a Mecca of some sort by lobbyists scheming to corner certain “juicy” committees.

To make matters worse for Tambuwal, some henchmen in the House are already positioning themselves to appropriate some class “A” committees to themselves.

Observers believe that if for reasons known to the Selection Committee such hawks miss their targeted committees, they are most probably to visit their frustration on the presiding officers.

Ask Ghali Umar Na’Abba, Aminu Bello Masari and Dimeji Bankole, former Speakers of the House, they will quickly report that they did not find it funny with members of the House who felt schemed out in the composition of standing committees.

• Tambuwal

• Ihedioha

Bankole created 84 standing committees apparently to accommodate as many members as possible but it failed to assuage the feelings of his die-hard opponents who saw their appointment as committee chairmen as a Greek gift.

The first baptism of fire for Tambuwal and Ihedioha was the nature of their emergence.

The second will be the composition of committees; the way and manner such process is handled will determine the true colour of the House.

No doubt the legislative agenda which Tambuwal rolled out few days after his election is important, but vibrant committees to drive the agenda are of essence.

Tambuwal had promised in his legislative agenda that “the committees being micro reflections of the larger House, its operations and activities will be held to standards of efficiency, transparency and accountability, which are the same standards already defined to guide the Seventh Assembly of the House of Representatives.”

He assured that the committee system in the House will be strengthened to deliver on efficiency and effective performance of legislative deliverables.

The Speaker added that in the composition

of membership and leadership of Committees, special attention will be paid to the skills and relevant experience of members in order to achieve greater efficiency while strict compliance with existing House Rules and Code of Conduct for members will be required as a check on chairmen of committees and members who violate them.

Committees, he said, will be expected to prepare and submit their work plan, as well as periodic reports to the House on their activities, which will be considered and debated; templates and standardization of reporting formats will be introduced.

He promised that the relationship between legislators and committee staff will be structured to deliver on the objectives of the Seventh Assembly.

“There is an important need to re-orientate the National Assembly staff and bureaucracy and secure their buy-in, into the House’s legislative agenda for a more efficient legislature,” he said.

If morning tells the day as it is often said, Tambuwal and Ihedioha will likely act pragmatically by putting square pegs in square holes. Anything short of that, observers believe, may spell doom for a House even as it is desperately searching for a new identity.

Take politics out of economic management, President tells governors F OR the sake of the economy and the good of the people, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday pleaded with the 36 states governors on the need to forge a common front, stressing that playing politics with the economy will not benefit any political party.

President Jonathan said the need to forge a strong synergy with the states informed the decision to bring two governors into the National Economic Management Team (NEMT).

The president who spoke yesterday while inaugurating the National Economic Council, the said the governors are expected to bring the states’ perspectives to government policies and programmes.

The council is chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo and it comprises the 36 states governors, Minister of Finance, Minister of National Planning, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He also said the governors should approach the federal government on any issues that they are not comfortable with so as to take a common po-

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

sition.

He said, the economy of the country is the topmost priority of this administration because “we know without fixing our economy, we can’t go anywhere as a nation.”

The President said: “That is first interest of government and I would want to urge all the different tiers of government, the states and local governments to place economic issues on the front burner because without a well managed economy, as a nation, we will not be planning for the future generation. “ We all know, and all Nigerians know what happens in other countries, and China is a classical example where they had a bit of challenges, they planned and got out of it. Transformation or reformation of the economy goes with some form of inconvenience, which is transient.

“Just like anybody who has a tumour, it is better you bear the pains of excising that tumour than to live with

the tumour. If you bear the pain and the tumour is removed, you live a normal and better life. I believe that within this period that their maybe some little inconveniences that those of us in government and indeed the citizens of this country will face, but it will not be too painful to be properly managed.

He spoke further: “Let us all work together and see that we bear this little pain and transform our country so that we have hope for the future generation. The Federal Government will surely work with all of you the state government for this economic transformation because we cannot wok in isolation.

“The country is one, even nations that practice fiscal federalism or confederal system, the federal government still has a major role to play in terms of coordinating and managing the economy and we cannot succeed alone without getting the maximum cooperation from the governors just like no state can succeed alone without a good relationship with the cen-

tral government and of course that is one of the reasons why some among the governors two of you are part of our economic management team.

Governor Murtala Nyako is the Honorary Adviser to the President on Agriculture; Governor Peter Obi is the Honorary Adviser to the President on Finance and they are also members of the Federal Government Economic Management team so that at anytime the team will be meeting, they will bring the state perspectives to bear. “ I will therefore plead with the governors not to play politics with anything that has to do with the economy of the country. Of course, we have a multi-party system and we cannot all come from the same party, all political parties have the same aspirations, good governance, to improve the welfare of the citizens; so we don’t need to play politics with the economy.

“I will therefore plead with the governors that at the end of any of the governors’ meetings, if you feel there some grey areas, it is better you approach us so that we can sit down and look at them, discuss and agree on where to go. The governors should not rush to the media and make pronouncements

• Dr Jonathan

bordering on the economy of the country.”

In his remark, the vice president Namadi Sambo said: “We may not deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians if we continue to pay lip service to the commanding requirements of our national economic integration.

It is my belief that changes in attitude and commitment to our collective national goals where both federal and state government will work in synergy, which will facilitate the improvement in economic growth and development of the country.”

18

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

POLITICS Former deputy governor of Ogun State, Senator Adegbenga Sefiu Kaka, is today the voice of Ogun East Senatorial District in the Senate. In this interview with Assistant Editor DADA ALADELOKUN, he expresses his view on the 7th Senate with some burning national issues. Excerpts:

‘Single term presidency should be thoroughly debated’ The leader of the South-South Nationalities Forum in Lagos State, Chief Manager Seigha, spoke with reporters on the Jonathan Administration, six-year single term and national security, among other issues. Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

The task before us, by Senator G

IVEN the numerical strength of Senators from your party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at the assembly, how easy do you think you will hatch your agenda?

Of course, we are not the majority, but by all standards, we have what it takes to make our marks. Besides, you excel best when you are confronted with challenges. With our party’s manifesto and coming from the progressive axis of the nation, I’m sure that with the character we are made of, we will make our marks. And it’s only a fool that will fail to accommodate sane reasoning; so, I believe that our brothers and sisters from the other parties will readily reason with us on issues, all in the interest of the nation because Nigerians are watching us. One could see how the performances of Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and others in the other ACN-controlled states helped us against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last elections despite their money and muscle-flexing.

People have seen the progressive bent in us and any attempt by anyone to table any senseless agenda on the floor of the House will irk the people into revolt. But we have a Senate President who is a statesman.

He has successfully paddled the canoe of the Senate without the socalled banana peel; no rancour. And he is noted to have been fair to all as the father of all. So far so good, he has been fair to all concerned.

With your experience so far, how do you feel about the insinuation that legislators only go to the National Assembly for jumbo pay?

It is unfounded, except something that I don’t know is on the way (laugh). You would recall that before we got in there, in the current budget, the executive and the legislature agreed to cut all the overhead expenditures by 40 per cent. We learnt it was carried out by the legislature, but we are waiting to see if the executive will follow suit. To me, it is good thing that it happened because if we reduce the cost of governance, we will have enough for the common people. Also, the salaries and allowances of all public office holders are determined by the Revenue Allocation Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

So, anybody can find out from the body or go to court. Besides, before now, I learned that senators used to have three or four cars being fueled and maintained at the expense of the government, but now, they said they are monetizing it. By so doing, you will get money for just one car; allowance for house rent. I was told that the allowance won’t be up to 50 per cent of the cost of hiring a residence in Abuja. From what is happening now, it appears there is a mistake in selling the houses provided for past senators. Now, it appears that the new senators as well as the government are losing.

What about the controversial constituency project?

From what we were told, it is factored into the projects of the executive for implementation. The legislator will only point out where to site it and supervise it. We won’t have access to money. So, that is why I believe questions about jumbo pay

should no be solely about the legislature. The civil service and the executive are also part of governance.

I believe that there are lots of misconceptions about the issues of constituency projects, allowances and jumbo pay.

Recall your motivations for offering yourself for election into the Senate.

It was borne out of the need to get things done better in terms of better qualitative representation of our people’s yearnings. It is all about agenda for development. Everyone knows that we don’t toy with education in the Southwest. Look at the state of education today; look at the rate at which students drop out of schools and even check the quality of the educational system in place today. Pupils go to class on empty stomach. Now, about 40 per cent of our children who are supposed to be in school are not there; hence, those we see as Area Boys or Almajiris today. Our state of healthcare system is sick. Kwashiorkor-ridden children cannot assimilate anything in the classroom; hunger is on the rampage in the land despite the arable land God blessed us with. What has the government been doing to rescue agriculture which used to be the mainstay of our economy? It is worrisome that we have oil money begging for effective and judicious utilization with only about one per cent of the nation’s populace cornering the wealth of our country.

Look at the number of unemployed people in the country that yearly churns our graduates from our schools with nowhere to work. We must have a way of re-embracing agriculture to banish unemployment; ensure food security to make us truly independent; helping us to provide local input for our industries, and give us more revenue from foreign exchange.

On a personal level, how far have you gone in laying the foundation for actualizing your aim in the Senate?

Interestingly, recently, I got fascinated by the pronouncement of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor while lamenting the billions of naira we spend annually on printing new currency notes and the need to develop a cashless society through the use of other instruments apart from currency. I gave it a thought and came to conclusion that the real problem is about peo-

‘Look at the number of unemployed people in the country that yearly churns our graduates from our schools with nowhere to work. We must have a way of re-embracing agriculture to banish unemployment; ensure food security to make us truly independent; helping us to provide local input for our industries, and give us more revenue from foreign exchange’

T • Kaka ple’s lack of confidence in our credit cards, especially the cheque. As a result, I have proposed a bill that has passed through the first reading. It is on electronic transfer of funds cards.

The bill is to protect the issuer of the card, its holder, and boost people’s confidence in electronic transfer of money. It will not only reduce attacks on money carriers by robbers, but will enable you to cash your money at any point as many times as possible in a day. It is to assist the CBN on the matter. I’m sure my colleagues will support the bill because it with help our economic growth. I may likely sponsor a bill that will make our undergraduates have affinity towards agriculture so that by the time they graduate, their apathy towards agriculture would have been punctured greatly.

What do you make of the President’s recent single-term tenure proposal?

Mr. President has the right to propose anything he wants like every other person. However, it is a misplacement of priority. The timing was absolutely wrong while the intent is diversionary. We are in a nation where unemployment is staring everybody in the face and one major project that can save the situation is electricity. With electricity in place, a lot of artisans will be gainfully employed while our industries will be able to run profitably without depending on diesel. Then, the end products will be affordable to the people whose purchasing power has been totally eroded. Why can’t we get more refineries and stop spending trillions of naira on subsidizing imported petroleum products, thereby helping the economies of those countries and compounding unemployment problems here? These are the things that should occupy the minds of Mr. President and the executive rather than tenure issues. So, we must attend to the pressing yearnings of our people before talking about the mode of governance.

Corruption still remains a big issue in our daily discourse; what in your view, is the problem?

It is the leadership. There is an adage that says that once the head of the fish rots, there is not point asking about the body. The problem flows from the top. Once the head of a system revels in embezzlement, his subordinate will follow suit. Since the leadership has made looting a way of life, the people got psychologically motivate to join the fray as they would not just watch while the few lazy and conscienceless ones cart away what should go into their well being. Unfortunately, what cause the whole problem are greed and lack of contentment. I still wonder what a man needs in a fleet of ten cars and mansions when his entire nuclear family comprises not more than four members. They are just wasting resources while many are sleeping under bridges in harsh weather. All these thing fuel a situation where everybody seeks the shortest cuts to getting anything. The callousness of the leadership must end if we genuinely love our people and fear God.

HERE have been mixed reactions over the proposed six-year single tenure for the President and governors. What is your group’s position on the proposal?

Our group wants Nigerians to know that it is the best proposal that has come from the Presidency. Our group thinks the President has started very well.

To look at it the other way, may be, the word six is one of the parameter people are using. It could have been a single term of eight years, which is left to the legislators that would handle it. People should not be bothered about the motive of President Jonathan; they should be bothered about the merits.

Majority has decried the proposal. Why are you not taking a cue?

The Niger Delta Nationalities in Lagos support it because previous elections have cost the nation huge sums of money and this has to been repeated every four years. Nigerians have lost trillions of naira as a result of conducting elections in the country. The president is trying to reduce the amount of money Nigerians will be losing every four years. The economy is the one at the receiving end. What the president has done is the best thing that can happen to Nigeria.

We have always identified four groups of persons who are against this proposal. The first group is those who lost out during previous elections and feel the proposal will not be good for them. The second group is those who feel that their contemporary have spent two terms in office and there by they will be shortchanged at the end of the day if the proposal scales through. The third are those who have not contested elections before, who have not borrowed to run for elections do not understand what the single term means. For them, they believe that the proposal should not be.

The fourth groups, who are ferociously against it, are the enemies of the president. These are people who never liked him while was aspiring to become president. They are mobilizing their people to make sure that whatever comes from President Jonathan should not be acceptable. The proposal will be good for Nigeria in the long run.

Aside this proposal, what areas does your group think the President should focus on in the next four years?

The president comes from our geo-political zone and we are very worried that he is representing us. In the next four years, if the President fails to perform well, it will rub off on all of us, and that is why we are agitated.

What Nigerians want from the Presidency is for him to tackle electricity. We think if he spends most of his time to fix the epileptic electricity, Nigerians will appreciate his administration.

Nigerians are not after who will occupy office for four or six years,

they are looking for a president that will do their bidding and that is why we thing fixing the electricity problem is one thing he can achieve. We know that he has set the ministers to work; he has given them a standard and his only thinking is to provide good leadership. What we also want him to do seek advice from foreign experts to tackle the electricity problem. If he does that, he would have done a great job.

The activities of the Boko Haram sect have raised issues of insecurity in the country.

How can the federal government tackle this problem?

First of all, it is not our place to say Boko Haram should not bee given amnesty, but giving amnesty to Boko Haram has its own negative implication. A negative implication in the sense that you are asking other self determination groups to demand for amnesty, that negative tendency should not be allowed. Giving Boko Haram amnesty is not the best, but the generally known method of carrot and stick is adoptable.

The military has been sent to the restive areas like they were sent to the Niger Delta; those who want to dialogue with government can be received by government, because they are Nigerians who are perpetrating this act.What is happening in Borno State, is a developmental challenge and what this means is that the Federal government must update itself in intelligence gathering. We think sending the military to the place is a good thing, but they (military) should be careful so as not to repeat what they did in the Niger Delta.

But again, the other side of is that what goes around, comes around, when the JTF were in the Niger Delta in respect of our militants, the Northern leaders complained that somebody like EK Clark was an accomplice. I remember someone like Alhaji Yakassai saying that leadership in the Niger Delta has failed.

Where are the leaders in the North? What are they saying?

They should also take up this challenge by doing their bidding, so that we will know that leadership in the north has not failed.

• Seigha

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

19

EDITORIAL/OPINION COMMENT

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

Babangida vs Obasanjo •Both men ought to be sober on how they misruled Nigeria

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HERE is an African adage to the effect that when elders fight in the public, they will have to live with the discomfort of children upbraiding them.

Even this translation has to be tempered and toned down to mitigate its searing, abusive effect in the whiteman’s tongue. Which true African child dares look a greying elder in the face?

Do we not say in another vein, that a child who hoists his father will surely be blinded by the hem of his cloth?

But not when dad goes fighting in the market or playing in the muck.

This is exactly what is unfolding in Nigeria’s political arena today as two elders who would love to be addressed as statesmen are debasing the public space by engaging in a frivolous and unwarranted quarrel.

The two elders, Generals Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), and Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd), the former just clocking 70 years and the latter approaching 80, had regaled a country which both of them once ruled, with gripping farcical drama the whole of last week.

It must be stated that Babangida, Nigeria’s military president (August 27, 1985 – August 26, 1993) drew the first blood when, at a press conference to mark his 70th birthday in his hometown, Minna, Niger State, when he took on Obasanjo almost unwarrantedly by berating him for

lacking in foresight and imagination during his two-term, eight-year civilian administration.

Babangida had suggested that Obasanjo’s time in Aso Rock was a waste and that Obasanjo was a failure.

He said Obasanjo had so much resources during his time to turn Nigeria into an Eldorado, mentioning specifically, that about $16 billion was spent by Obasanjo on power infrastructure, yet electricity is not available to Nigerians.

Not known to shy away from even a mere spat, Obasanjo, who was military head of State (1976-1979) and President (1999-2007) responded, calling Babangida a ‘fool’ at 70 and accusing him of doing the worst damage to Nigeria’s infrastructure during his time; Obasanjo had thrown his barbs from his country home in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The bitter quarrel by the two leaders has drawn reactions from various quarters, with the consensus being that the two men ought to show more restraint in their actions and utterances.

It is also thought that Nigerians expect to share from both men, great wisdom drawn from their rich experiences and not to expose us, especially our youths, to the art of abuse and explectives.

It is commonly held that both men combined, ruled Nigeria for about 20

out of her 50 years since independence without laying foundation for a great nation nor did they leave behind legacies and monuments.

Indeed, it is believed by many that these dramatis personae are chiefly to blame for the poor state of underdevelopment of the Nigerian state today.

While General Babangida did not have to tell us where General Obasanjo failed – we know - General Obasanjo also did not have to respond to Babangida. Sometimes, silence can be golden.

We expected them to individually get sober and reflective, and if they must take our space, let each of them tell us where he erred and seek to make amends. They have a lot of making up to do and they don’t seem to have the luxury of time.

‘We expected them to individually get sober and reflective, and if they must take our space, let each of them tell us where he erred and seek to make amends. They have a lot of making up to do and they don’t seem to have the luxury of time’

Beyond politics •Road safety is a matter of life and death; so, FG shouldn’t stop states from repairing dilapidated federal roads

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N August, 2007, the then Minister of Transportation, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, caused a stir when, during an inspection tour of the Benin-Ore Expressway, she burst into profuse tears at the deplorable condition of the road, which she described as “inhuman and unacceptable”. Ever since that dramatic incident, Mrs. Madueke has moved on, first to the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, and now the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, but the road in question has degenerated even more abysmally.

The Benin-Ore Expressway is only symptomatic of the condition of many federal roads, which have become veritable death traps, across the country’s geo-political zones. It has been reported

‘Given the obvious funding challenge confronting the Federal Ministry of Works in effectively maintaining federal highways nationwide, the Federal Government should encourage state governments which have the means to intervene and immediately carry out remedial repairs, after which they will be reimbursed in due course’

than no fewer than 37 contracts valued at about N308.13 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of federal roads throughout the country between 2002 and 2010 are yet to be completed, with unsavoury consequences both for safety of lives and performance of the economy.

Some of the affected roads are LagosIbadan; Ilesha-Akure; Ado-IworokoIfaki; Benin-Shagamu; Abuja-Abaji; Kano-Western By-Pass; Onitsha-Owerri Expressway; Onitsha-Eastern By-pass and the East-West road to link Warri to Akwa Ibom, to name a few. Experts estimate that 70 per cent of federal roads in the country are in a state of severe disrepair.

The danger posed by dilapidated federal highways was, once again, graphically demonstrated in June when residents of Akure, the Ondo State capital, were thrown into mourning, following a fatal accident at the Ilaramokin town end of the Ilesha-Akure Expressway, resulting in the death of 21 passengers, including seven children.

The accident occurred when a truck driver, trying to avoid a deep pot hole lost control and hit the bus conveying the deceased passengers.

Eighteen passengers had died in another accident at the same spot about a year earlier. It is thus easy to appreciate the frustration of the Ondo State, Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, when he recently lamented: “It is not an exaggeration that there is no single federal road that is good in Ondo State

and our government had to, in the past 18 months or so, carry out works on federal roads when we could not bear the series of loss of lives occasioned by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency’s lack of commitment to its primary duties”.

One of the federal roads on which the Mimiko Administration has intervened is the Ajebandele – Ofosu stretch of the Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway that falls within its territorial jurisdiction. It is however ironical that the Federal Ministry of Works does not appreciate the gesture of the Ondo State government as it has asked the latter to hands off the said road repairs. The ministry’s’ contention is that contracts for the affected road have already been awarded, with work scheduled to be completed by the first week of November, 2011. The problem is that hardly any of the scores of contracts awarded for the rehabilitation of federal roads over the last decade have ever been delivered on schedule.

Given the obvious funding challenge confronting the Federal Ministry of Works in effectively maintaining federal highways nation-wide, the Federal Government should encourage state governments which have the means to intervene and immediately carry out remedial repairs, after which they will be reimbursed in due course. Of course, state governments must also explore the option of providing good inner state roads that can serve as alternatives to dilapidated federal ones. Road safety is a matter of life and death that should be elevated above personal egos or partisan politics.

Not the America they expected

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N Wednesday, 300 foreign students walked off the job and staged a protest rally at a packaging warehouse for Hershey’s chocolates, saying this wasn’t the America they had paid to see. It was not a good day for the State Department’s efforts to promote a positive image of the United States through cultural exchanges.

The students, from Turkey, China, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Romania, Mongolia, Moldova, Poland and Ghana, were hired under the J-1 visa program, which allows foreign university students to work in the United States for two months and then travel. The idea, as Julia Preston reported in The Times, is to let them practice English, make some money and learn what America is like. Chances are that if you have ever encountered young people from abroad working summer jobs at hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions, you’ve met some J-1 students.

What was unusual and seems clearly against the program’s promise of adventure and cultural enrichment is that these students found themselves working in an industrial park, packing candy and moving boxes, many on the overnight shift.

Though they had each paid from $3,000 to $6,000 to participate in the J-1 program, rent and other fees were deducted from their pay checks. When they tried to organize, they said they were warned to stop complaining or they would be kicked out of the program.

As is often the case in the murky world of foreign-labour recruiting, responsibility for this debacle is hard to pin down.

Hershey says this is not its problem because the plant is run by another company, which said it used a staffing agency to get its J-1 workers. The State Department uses a California non-profit, the Council for Educational Travel, U.S.A., to manage the J-1 program. The council’s chief executive said that he had been trying to resolve the students’ complaints but that they had refused to cooperate.

There is much good to see in this country. And no one should want to sugar coat the tougher side of life here either, including long shifts at backbreaking jobs for low pay that is familiar to American workers. But no workers should have to put up with bullying from bosses or threats of firing (or in this case deportation) if they want to organize. That sort of “cultural experience” should shame us all.

A version of this editorial appeared in print on August 19, 2011, on page A22 of the New York edition with the headline: Not the America They Expected.

– New York Times

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

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IR: Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar said in one of his public statements during a fight with his boss that when the head of a fish is rotten, the whole body cannot be exempted from the rottenness. This statement

by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar best encapsulates the illogical, irresponsible and prejudiced attempt by the highest judicial organ in Nigeria, the National Judicial Council (NJC) to embarrass and malign the unquestionable integrity of Justice Ayo Salami, President of the Court of Appeal for being forthright in the discharge of his statutory functions which he swore to do under oath of office.

That the confused and biased body called NJC was out to do a hatchet job for its boss the CJN was clearly

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The judiciary hawkers of today emphasized in the hurried manner in which its two ‘investigative’ committees came out with reports exonerating the obviously corrupt CJN from an allegation of ambushing justice as clear as snow of impropriety levelled against him by the PCA. The CJN failed in his attempt to surreptitiously manipulate the PCA to disband the Sokoto Court of Appeal on the eve of its judgement on the

Sokoto State gubernatorial elections.

With the way and manner this matter has developed, I am embarrassed as a Nigerian that the highest judicial officer in the land can be so brazen in this age and time in humiliating us in the eyes of comity of civilized people. Shamefully too, a body whose membership are appointed by him are being allowed to arbitrate a matter involving him

and someone else. What the CJN is using the conscienceless and confused NJC to do is a clear negation of justice in all ramifications because you cannot be a judge in your own.

The NJC I must confess, by allowing themselves to be led by the nose and used in violating their oath with their bias and illegality have not only succeeded in subjecting themselves to ridicule by their macabre dance

Need to address the National question IR: More than twelve years to the present democratic process, Nigeria is still battling the contrived disequilibrium of the accumulated yesteryears’ mess and the myopic and foolish calculations of our rulers, not leaders; hence the continuous slide into political abyss and social stupor.

The clairvoyant prognosis of few altruistic patriotic leaders have been turned down and despised with supercilious attitudes by those who had been holding fort the reins of power in Nigeria and this has resulted in unparallel, unmitigated and unprecedented disaster on this potential nation.

It is in view of these man-made social disasters and crises that the burning National Question issue can no longer be swept under the carpet; it is imperative and of compelling necessity. Characterization of this fundamental issue should not delay or detain this nation before this dysfunctional, chaotic, anarchical, floundering and doomed Lugardian project is devoured by its obvious contradictions and the centrifugal forces that exact so strongly on the thin and weak fabric that connects its fragile and phantom unity together.

It could be called any name; sovereign national conference, national dialogue, restructuring or constitutional conference. The fact is that Nigeria needs and badly too a dialogue today. It is only the tiny cliques of beneficiaries of this fraud called Nigeria that are blind to the realities of modern Nigeria.

It is imperative and of compelling necessity. In fact, it is inevitable. The inevitability of this is more glaring

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and noticeable now than any other period. The reasons are obvious as they are hereunder enumerated. The potentially disintegrative issue of zoning, the Boko Haram revolt and carnage, the subsided militancy in the Niger Delta and the intolerance of regional views and regional consciousness are capable of gravely sounding the death knell of Nigeria.

Today, Nigeria is critically socially fractured, immobilized and hellish.

It is more socially afflicted and hotter than the darkest days of Abacha.

The acuteness of the hotness of today’s Nigeria is felt in all strata of the society. Nigeria is inexorably moving towards an avoidable precipice. The ubiquity of ethno-religious crises is alarming, appalling, discomforting and shocking which portend a bleak, cataclysmal and catastrophic future. The perennial and unending electoral fraud though ameliorated in the 2011 gen-

eral elections and other upheavals and their attendant debilitating and delegitimizing effects on the polity and the Nigerian state are gradually reaching a breaking point.

Implosion seems imminent. The incident of these social crises is a clear manifestation of one thing and that is ‘dissatisfaction’. Nigerians are strongly dissatisfied with the current socio-political formation and system that has no known definable characterisation, neither federal nor unitary, neither understandable democracy nor full autocracy, what is Nigerian system? And why has it defied all known logic of solution to her problems since the unfortunate amalgamation of 1914? Nothing works in Nigeria. Nigeria is still “a mere geographical expression”, “a mistake of 1914”, “a political fraud”, and Nigeria’s unity was an “intention of the British”.

All these eternal and truthful quotations were the statements of the

founding fathers of Nigeria. So who is deceiving who except the few beneficiaries of this laughable contraption called Nigeria?

The question that agitates the minds of millions of the citizens is that how long shall we live under a great deceit and illusion of a utopian and unrealistic notion of one indivisible and indissoluble Nigeria.

Our forebears and ancestors were neither consulted nor the present generations when this Lugardian fraud was forcibly foisted on us.

Peoples who were traditionally hostile and antagonistic neighbours were merged while peoples who were homogenous historically and culturally were separated from their kith and kin. It is like we are deliberately postponing the evil days.

This is dangerous.

• Akinrolabu T.Omonitan , Ikeji-lle ljesa, Osun State.

on this matter, but their space in the black book of history as the undertaker of the Nigerian judiciary is well assured.

Is this not the same NJC which has been unable to investigate series of petitions of established cases of judicial misconduct levelled against judicial officers pending before it close to two years or more? We knew the agenda before hand or has the NJC suddenly rediscovered its lost self and is looking for a scapegoat?

We thank God that the world has become a global village through technology, if not, the miscarriage of justice by the NJC would have been taken to a Guinness book of record if we all realize that the intrigues among the members of the panels and the fear of untoward consequences of indicting the innocent.

The desperation of the NJC in its tomfoolery to nail Justice Salami at all cost can be seen in its contradictory recommendations of totally exonerating the CJN of the alleged ‘judicial recklessness.’ However, to Justice Ayo Salami and his other forthright justices still sitting on the bench, I urge them all to persevere in the face of this persecution by a corrupt system because even our Lord Jesus Christ in the Christendom suffered persecution from a similar perverse and satanic system but in the end, ye shall be victorious because the victory of good over evil is temporary.

On a final note, I still laugh having read in newspapers that the same NJC has refused to be served court process on this same matter justifying the saying that the guilty are afraid, but a disturbing question is, how far can this absurdity go and is there more to come? Time will surely tell.

• Nelson Ekujumi, Chairman, Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM),Adesina Street, Ikeja, Lagos.

Clarion Call on Federal Government Press

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IR: The Nigerian Senate earned my commendation over its resolution compelling the Federal Government Press to print authentic versions of the National Assembly legislations. For sometime now, multiple versions of the amended 1999 constitution, Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) as well as other Acts of parliament are being illegally printed by some shrewd businessmen and hawked on major streets of some states.

In Abuja, the Three Arms Zone is the most notorious sales point. I recall the frustration I went through before the 2011 elections trying to access the genuine editions of the newly passed elec-

toral laws meant to regulate the conduct of the polls and resolve post election disputes. Though belatedly, it is heart-warming that the Senate, after thorough deliberation, had deemed it fit to pass the vital resolution aimed at awakening the Federal Government Press to its lawful duty.

It is however important to stress that though those who illegally print and circulate bogus versions of our legislations are blameworthy; the government too must share in the censure.

The legal department of the National Assembly, Nigeria Copyright Commission, the Presidency, Federal Ministry of Justice and Federal Ministry of Information under whom, I assume,

the Federal Government Press is, must all share in the fault.

If these ministries, agencies and departments had networked and coordinated to ensure prompt publication and circulation of these legislations as soon as they were signed by the president, the vacuum the illegal printers are trying to fill would not have been there.

I am proposing an amendment of the 2004 Authentication Act to mandate the printing of all National Assembly legislations by FGP within a period of 60 to 90 days of the signing of such legislations into law by the president. That is however in case such proviso is not currently in the Act. Also, Federal Government Press must be

properly funded and equipped with competent personnel and modern machineries to perform its assigned legal responsibilities. Additionally, there must be well advertised sales points nationwide.

Furthermore, all the 36 States should find a way of ensuring that the authentic copies of legislations passed by the state assemblies and signed by the governors are circulated nationwide through well publicized sales points.

Finally, it will be helpful if our parliament and ministries of information could make available new Acts on their websites for easy access.

• Jide Ojo, Abuja

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THE NATION TUESDAY,AUGUST 23, 2011

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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ROM the beginning, the conservative arm of the Judiciary, most times at the apex of that institution, has always been part and parcel of the Nigerian power racket.

But even with all its legal collusion and conniving with Nigeria’s power rascals, it is Olakunle doubtful if the conservative Abimbola lordbeek@yahoo.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) bastion of the Judiciary has ever crossed that threshold of judicial rascality to try open judicial gangsterism.

That is the all-time legal perfidy the National Judicial Council (NJC) has now achieved, in its infernal rush to nail Justice Isa Ayo Salami, president of the Court of Appeal – law, decency and common sense be damned! oxygen of life – dictates otherwise. Nigeria’s judicial Samson For Salami, the NJC has decreed, injustice must be done, must demand one last power to crush his conscientious even if the heavens must fall! Not even the good, old doctrine opponent, even if that means crashing the Judiciary with it! of sub-judice could halt the NJC in its blind rush to dispense Now, things are falling apart and even the Nigerian Bar injustice.

Association (NBA) is up in arms against a Samsonic CJN. And as Ripples predicted last week, President Goodluck But even as the macabre judicial drama is reaching a Jonathan has played the Pontius Pilate, legalistically aiding denouement, another macabre theatre has opened: two the conspiring Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN)-led NJC to power prodigals who left Nigeria worse off than they met nail an innocent and principled man, when those doing the it, tearing at each other in the media, and craving public nailing are the real devils, the way they spurned the most sympathy for their lost causes. basic and cherished legal principles, and thumped their If you think that was mere happenstance, then you are noses at due process and the Rule of Law, which, by their dead wrong. It is rather a spiritual naked dance in the public legal oaths, they swore to nurture and protect. by two power moguls who squandered rare opportunities For this new height in judicial infamy, hail the retiring to make their country a better place, chose cheap selfChief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, glorification instead of lasting glory, but find out too late, and his acquired Samson’s complex (ASC). The Biblical on crossing the threshold of 70, that the game is up!

Samson asked for – and got – one last divine help to crush But the spiritual implications of this media cross-lynching, his Philistine traducers, even if he must perish with them. by these two power prodigals yoked in infamy, are clear: The CJN, from the Auta joker and subsequent events, sought they left behind hardly any laudable legacy. and got one last mundane proxy-help in conspiring NJC So what is the legacy of the CJN, now playing judicial god, members, to send an innocent man to judicial gallows, no who incidentally retires at 70 in a few days? And what will matter the position of the law. be the legacy of President Jonathan, now playing Pontius But as the retiring CJN and the conspiring NJC proxies Pilate on the Salami affair, when he reaches that terrible hail their legerdemain, history, in no time, will nail the juncture Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida have CJN’s legacy of illegal and wilful self-help, even in the face now found themselves? of public outrage. Quipped Geoffery Chaucer in Canterbury IBB fired the first salvo, granting an interview at 70, Tales, “If gold rusts, what would iron do?” If NJC indulges insisting that Obasanjo’s two terms as civilian elected in judicial gangsterism, what would mere mortals do? president was a waste – which it was, generally speaking.

The NJC must do the will of the Judicial Big Boss, even if Obasanjo fired back, dismissing IBB as a fool at 70, and the wish of the Law – the law that gives the Judiciary the resorting to Biblical allusions, to couch his crude vulgar abuse in some scriptural grandstanding; and for the ‘Nigeria’s judicial Samson must umpteenth time, pass himself off as the hypocritical Pharisee Sadducee of this polity. Then IBB, using the Kazeem demand one last power to crush his and Afegbua sledge hammer, dismissed Obasanjo as fool of the conscientious opponent, even if that century.

But which is to choose between this six and half-a-dozen? means crashing the Judiciary with it!’

Both had unprecedented oil receipts but blew the revenue

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epublican ipples

T is a matter for concern that the cankerworm of corruption has permeated every facet of life in Nigeria. It now makes for difficult regularization of payment of pension benefits to civil retirees with federal share of pension.

The lamentable consequence is strangling hardship resulting in the untimely death of thousands of pensioners who are generally referred to as “senior citizens”.

Payment of pension allowance to eligible retirees from the civil service and corporate establishments dates back to 1875 when private pension plans were introduced in an American Express Company, followed by the Baltimore Ohio Rayland in 1880. With time, labour leaders considered that pension should supplement social security which was inadequate as a sole source of retirement income. Their demand was boosted by an American Labour Relations Board which ruled in 1948 that employers had legal obligation to bargain over the terms of pension plans. Subsequently, new plans were introduced while existing ones were liberalized, and employers’ sponsored programmes came in place.

In later years, pension schemes were introduced to other countries of the world. Being part of the global society, colonial Nigeria was not left out in the spread. The conditions that must be satisfied by an employee for eligibility for pension include full-time employment leading to the attainment of a prescribed minimum or maximum length of service, whichever is applicable, retirement age and, of course, an unblemished record of service. Topical among the retirement benefits are prompt lump-sum payment as gratuity, followed by regular and unfettered payment of monthly pension and a free medical care programme.

The past services of, or contributions by the retirees to the development of their countries were duly recognized and appreciated by the British and other colonial masters as evident in the prompt, regular and unfettered payment of gratuity and monthly pension, and the granting of other related benefits to the erstwhile civil savants.

When Nigeria attained nationhood in 1960, its indigenous federal rulers, like their immediate past British colonial predecessors in office, directed the Regional Governments which later metamorphosed to State Governments to pay the federal share of pension to affected retirees. That decentralised system was a huge success until June 2002 when the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation reversed the arrangement, and started the payment through its Pensions Division following the discovery of fraudulent inclusion of ghost names in the pensioners’ pay roll in one of the eastern states of the Federation.

Thereafter, massive and worse frauds involving huge sums of money intended for payment to ghost retirees were said to have been uncovered in the Office of the Head of Service on several occasions. This led to the introduction of the Biometric Data Capturing System of verifying pensioners with federal share of pension across the country. The ineptitude, the making of shambles and the fiasco of pension administration

Judicial gangsterism

The agony of retirees

By Sunny Aaron-Atuboyedia. in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the concomitant strangling hardship for, and untimely death of thousands of the Senior citizens of Nigeria began at that stage. For instance, the claim by a former Head of the Civil Service that the total sum of N9.3 billion was paid to the pensioners after the first round of the biometric verification is incredible, for the retirees are still genuinely complaining of non-payment.

The last biometric enrolment exercise that was conducted between June and July, 2010 was characterized by removal of the names of many thousands of genuine pensioners from the pensioners’ pay roll, many cases of under-payment, payment into wrong accounts and frauds of various descriptions and degrees. Under Nigeria’s judicial system that is much vaunted for its incorruptibility, the long arm of the law has still been unable to catch up with the culprits, some of who are at large, and enjoying their loot while the senior citizens are suffering hell on earth for sins they did not commit.

The saying is true that justice delayed is justice denied.

A Task Force on Pension Reform was set up under the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation very long ago. It is now very close to one year since that Committee was appointed. Contrary to expectation, the situation has not changed for the better. Hundreds of thousands of the pensioners are still languishing in penury over non payment of their retirement benefits, some for upwards of eight years, now. The situation caused them psychological trauma. Many of them have died of the strangling hardship.

It is pertinent to state that retirees from the armed forces, the police, the judiciary, the prisons and the customs departments who, too, have shares of pension benefits from some state governments and corporate establishments, as well as the Federal Government by virtue of departmental transfers prior to their retirement from service, are not subjected to the embarrassing maltreatment under discussion. Invariably, the shares of each retiree are consolidated, and paid to him by the Pensions Board of his last department of employment.

The reasons for the incongruous treatments of the pension matters of this group of senior citizens and those of the group of retirees from the civil service are unfathomable.

While the genuine cries of the federal civil retirees for prompt, regular and unfettered payment of their gratuity and monthly pension continued to fall on deaf ears, the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation blundered

on vanity. IBB conducted the freest election in Nigerian history yet sabotaged that rare feat by annulling it. Obasanjo conducted the worst election in Nigerian history, yet pulled all stops to ensure that fraud stood.

Both conspired against Moshood Abiola’s election, and that is why they are spiritually unravelling. IBB was ultra-wayward as selfimposed military president. Obasanjo was ultra-reckless as supposedly elected civilian president. IBB tried a gutless selfperpetuation scheme that blew up in his face. Obasanjo tried a crude term extension gambit that revealed him as the power charlatan he had claimed all his power life he was not.

Which is to choose between this six and half-a-dozen?

Still, despite all his glaring faults, IBB comes across as flawed humanity. That is why he remains likable to some of his friends, hoofs and all, who probably see in him their own failings. A Kazeem Afegbua, for instance, would speak up for IBB any day.

Obasanjo, on the other hand, is a gross human playing the Divine. That is why he remains hateful to even many of his vouched friends, not to mention millions of Nigerians. He has a special talent for hurting those who help him. That is perhaps why a Femi Fani-Kayode, who as minister once declared golden geese lay golden eggs in Obasanjo’s Ota farm, would now queue behind IBB in this confrontation of shame. Does that explain why hardly anyone would speak up for Obasanjo?

But whichever redeeming or un-redeeming factors of the duo, Nigeria and Nigerians have been unfortunate to have them rule over a period of time. That takes the matter back to the Salami affair.

Once upon at a time, both Obasanjo and IBB found themselves in the position President Jonathan now finds himself: to fudge on injustice or strike a hard blow for justice.

Most times, both made their peace with injustice. If their winter years now turn cold and dreary, it is because they squandered their youth on political expediency.

What would Jonathan’s fate be when he gets to that allcrucial juncture? That is why he must think hard before political scammers of today push him into the gallows of history on the Salami affair.

But both Justice Salami and CJN Katsina-Alu, by their deeds, have written epitaphs on themselves. Just as Salami ensured vote robbers did not get away with their loot, no matter how long it took, the embattled jurist will yet get justice, no matter how long it takes.

But CJN Katsina-Alu has gifted himself a legacy of turning the NJC, once a hallowed chamber, into a hollow one of judicial storm troopers. He freely chose his legacy. Let us see how he will live by it for the rest of his years. again by stopping further remittance of the check-off dues deducted from the monthly pension of the retirees to the Nigeria Union of Pensioners since May, 2010 in flagrant violation of the provisions of the Trade Union Act. The office is aware that the Nigeria Union of Pensioners is one of the thirty-five registered trade unions in the country, and an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

The probable reason for the stoppage is to cripple the activities of the union by lack of funds, and disable it to make payment of its legitimate dues to the parent body – the Nigeria Labour Congress. Thus to cause friction, so that the Nigeria Labour Congress will have justifiable reason to stop protecting the interests of the federal civil retirees who, like a toothless bulldog that cannot bite, have no locus standi to declare trade dispute and embark on an industrial action in their peculiar circumstance.

The unwholesome developments in pension administration by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation since June, 2002 are shameful, deplorable repugnant to good conscience while also leaving much to be desired. They constitute a slur on the reputation of the Federal Government against the background of its much vaunted respect for the rule of law and the fundamental rights of the people as entrenched in the 1999 Constitution of the country.

It is now expedient for the distinguished, the exalted and the revered presidency to intervene urgently to save the elderly, the sick, the feeble, the starving and the dying senior citizens, some of who are consequently bed-ridden, by ensuring immediate payment of the arrears of the federal and shares of their gratuity and monthly pension to enable them put body and soul together, and to save the Nigeria Union of Pensioners from extinction.

• Atuboyedia is a retired Director in the Rivers State Ministry of Information, and a public affairs analyst.

‘Their demand was boosted by an American Labour Relations Board which ruled in 1948 that employers had legal obligation to bargain over the terms of pension plans.

Subsequently, new plans were introduced while existing ones were liberalized, and employers’ sponsored programmes came in place’

THE NATION TUESDAY,AUGUST 23, 2011

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EDITORIAL/OPINION HEN Major Hamza al-Mustapha recently opened his mouth too wide at his on going trial for the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola and threw some verbal jabs at Pa Abraham Adesanya and Chief Bola Ige, even in their graves, I knew the era of wild allegations and unguided comments has arrived. We are now in the season of diarrhea of the mouth when anyone can say anything to anybody even when it is not the truth and doesn’t make sense or even where it is the truth but does not make sense to say it.

And to open the floodgate, two seemingly respectable statesmen, ex-khaki boys to be precise, stepped into the ring last week in a heavyweight bout with their knuckles bare, trading uppercuts and jabs in childish verbal exchanges that has left the rest of us bloody spectators still in shock but thoroughly entertained.

Because this non-title heavy weight or is it super heavyweight contest was not scheduled and therefore not advertised, a lot of us could not get ringside tickets, but those who did, I mean those journalists in Minna last Tuesday that attended the pre 70th birthday media briefing, by the self acclaimed evil genius of our time, the gap toothed general, and their colleagues that gathered at Abeokuta the day after to listen to the pot bellied foxy former Commander In Chief, were really entertained and they gave us a blow by blow account of what transpired.

And because there was no referee the blows freely flew.

If you are still at a loss as to what I am talking about then you don’t know anything at all you dis my broda; apologies to late Afro Beat king, the abami eda, Fela AnikulapoKuti.

You mean you’ve not heard that former presidents, Generals Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida have been at each others throat in the last one week over who is the more useless Nigerian ex leader between the two of them? Are you saying you didn’t hear Obasanjo call Babangida a fool at 70 Wednesday last week, after the latter had called him a failure a day earlier? If you did not, then let me lay everything on the table for you.

Babangida, you know calls himself an evil

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only thing we require of him. If he can convoke a sovereign national conference for us to re-write the constitution, fine. If not, let him just give us electricity 24/7 and go, others will take care of the rest.

Orosanye Committee and NDDC

Between kettle and pot genius and he gave us a full dose of this during his eight years in power, as military Head of State between August 27, 1985 and 1993. He turned seventy on August 17 and invited journalists to his native Minna, hilltop mansion residence to share his views presumably on his 70th birthday as well as the state of the nation. Along the line, the briefing veered into the eight years of Olusegun Obasanjo as president which Babangida considers a waste, describing OBJ as a failure. Contrasting that with his eight years as military leader, IBB said whereas he delivered prosperity, Obasanjo gave us poverty. He was particularly critical of Obasanjo’s power projects that only delivered darkness instead of light to Nigerians in spite of the billions of dollars the government claimed to have expended. He said he could have added nuclear energy to Nigeria’s power mix with that kind of money.

The rotund Ota chicken farmer would have none of this. Trust OBJ; a day after, he summoned journalists to his own hill top palace in Abeokuta and lambasted the evil genius.

IBB, he said, is a fool at 70 for saying what was credited to him. In a chest thumping exercise, Obasanjo gleefully reminded Nigerians that twenty years after he left office as Head of State in 1979, no single power station was added by successive administration including Babangida’s.

Trust Nigerians, as the punches were flowing back and forth between the two elephants, supporters on both sides joined the fray and the fight is now free for all. And the neutrals are enjoying it. But some enemies of progress

are trying to spoil our fun pretending to be referees and calling for ceasefire.

In the words of a concerned Nigerian: Which one concern dem? If OBJ fights IBB, whose wahala be dat? I hear say presidency sef wan step in. Dem no get work for dat place? Jonathan no get wetin he dey do? I beg leave dem o. OBJ and IBB be small pikin? If dem wan fight for public and disgrace demselfs make we leave dem now. Abi! Sebi Vatsa don warn dem before IBB kill am dat time say make dem no laf demselfs for public so dat others no go join dem. I beg make we join laf dem now. I jus hope say Jonathan and our other leaders go learn from dis disgraceful conduct of Obasanjo and IBB and use our money wisely and perform wen dem dey office, otherwise dia own day of shame go come one day like dis.

Need I say more? I think the lesson here is not who is right or wrong. Both Obasanjo and Babangida are two sides of the same coin.

There is nothing to choose between their six and half a dozen. It’s the case of the kettle calling the pot black. For every good thing Obasanjo can lay claim to as achievements both as military Head of State and later civilian president, Babangida can equally point at his own achievements. They equally have some terrible records to their names. Nigerians should attach little seriousness to what they are saying. They are both rogues; untouchable rogues. Can anybody bring them to book? I doubt. May be a masses revolt can, like the Egyptian revolution.

The lesson here is for President Goodluck Jonathan to do the right thing and shame the two of them by fulfilling his promise of uninterrupted power supply by 2015. That’s the

After what seems to be an indifferent disposition to the seemingly unending crises in the Niger Delta Development Commission, the federal government moved recently to bring sanity to the commission by setting up a fact finding committee to look into the activities of the interventionist agency and proffer solutions to the problems.

Headed by a one time Head of the Civil Service of the federation Stephen Orosanye, the committee should be putting finishing touches to its report by now for onward transmission to the presidency. The main problem with the commission is the overlap of responsibility and authority between the Board and Management, with the Board not restricting itself to policy formulation alone, but also wanting to run the commission on a day to day basis. This has also created friction within the management itself. Every other problem was a fall out of this and it is hoped that the Orosanye committee would do a good job and the presidency would act on the report quickly in the best interest of the Niger Delta region, its people and Nigeria as a whole.

‘Nigerians should attach little seriousness to what they are saying. They are both rogues; untouchable rogues. Can anybody bring them to book? I doubt. May be a masses revolt can, like the Egyptian revolution.’

VIEW FROM THE FOREIGN PRESS

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What is business waiting for?

HE word means short work. Instead of laying off workers, German companies cut back their hours. The government then used money set aside during good times to pay the workers around 60 percent of their lost wages. The labour unions went along because they believed it was better to keep people employed even at reduced pay. This is the German social compact.

As we suffer through our own economic hard times, the German approach is something we can only envy. Here, companies quickly lay off workers, many of whom never find their way back into the full-time labour force. Corporations shy away from investing for the future, even though investment is what will turn the economy around. The government, for its part, invariably starts talking about “job creation,” but rarely does anything that makes a difference.

This downturn is no exception. What are the latest unemployment figures? Some 25 million people — more than 16 percent of the work force — are looking for full-time work. Companies are hoarding cash while reporting record profits.

As for the government, President Obama’s idea of job creation is extending unemployment insurance, on the one hand, and painting grandiose pictures of far-off “green jobs,” on the other. He is bereft of ideas for creating jobs in the here

‘If enough companies started hiring — while wrapping their actions in the mantle of patriotism — even Carl Icahn might have trouble complaining about it’

By Joe Nocera and now. Meanwhile, the Republicans insist — despite mounds of evidence to the contrary — that more tax cuts would create jobs. By now, most Americans have lost hope that our current government will come up with a viable jobs program. It won’t.

I am coming more and more to think that with the government essentially paralyzed for the foreseeable future, the only way we’re going to get jobs is by turning to actual job creators: business itself. With all their cash, companies shouldn’t be waiting for Congress to give them tax incentives to hire people. They should be trying to jump-start the economy — and fend off another recession — by making investments, and hiring workers that will lead to renewed prosperity.

The only way that’s going to happen, however, is if our society implicitly makes the kind of compact that German society makes explicitly: We have to be willing to allow companies to sacrifice short-term profits for the long-term good of the country. As the leadership expert Michael Useem wrote recently on The Washington Post’s Web site, business needs to make “people a priority, not just earnings.”

What makes that hard for executives is that they’ve spent the last 30 years having it beaten into them that the only thing that matters is delivering “shareholder value.”

Over time, this phrase has become code for focusing on short-term profits — and chief executives who have ignored this mantra have often found themselves kicked to the street by impatient investors like Carl Icahn.

But as Useem points out, it hasn’t always been this way — and doesn’t have to be in the future. “What might seem an idée fix of the American way is really a moment’s artifice,” he writes, “a prescription that served a past era but less well the current

one.”

Indeed, it turns out that the focus on short-term profits is nowhere enshrined in the law. On the contrary: Delaware law, where many big companies are incorporated, gives directors enormous leeway to ignore short-term gain if they believe that doing so would ultimately benefit the corporation.

Does it ultimately benefit American business if the country gets back on its feet again? It seems to me that you can make a pretty strong case for that. If enough companies started hiring — while wrapping their actions in the mantle of patriotism — even Carl Icahn might have trouble complaining about it.

There is, of course, another reason corporate executives might be reluctant to sacrifice short-term profits by putting people to work. What if their competitors didn’t go along? Then they would find themselves at a disadvantage. Useem would tackle that by having a credible group like the Business Roundtable leading the charge, rounding up companies that would agree to start hiring.

But Marc Groz, a financial risk expert I’ve gotten to know, has what I think is a more intriguing approach, which he calls a “contingent commitment facility.” “Everyone is waiting for someone else to go first,” he told me the other day. Using his facility, a company would agree to hire X number of new workers. But the commitment would only become binding if certain conditions were met — such as having other companies in the same industry agree to do likewise. Once that happened, all the companies would have to do what they’d promised.

Groz’s idea is new and fresh and untested. It could fail. In other words, it is exactly the kind of out-of-the-box “job creation” idea that our stymied government no longer has the ability to come up with.

The ball’s in business’s court now.

• The New York

•Obama

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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PROPERTY

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com

* The Environment * Mortgage * Apartments * Security * Homes *Real Estate

email:- property@thenationonlineng.net

Sagamu-OreBenin Expressway: A traveller’s nightmare

Nigerian roads have been described as death traps. One of the worst is the Sagamu- OreBenin Expressway. Many manhours are lost on this deplorable road. Motorists and passengers are crying. This has left a hole in their purses as commercial drivers charge extra cash for taking alternative routes with the attendant risks. OKWY IROEGBU, who was on the road recently, writes on her experience.

•Ore junction, last Wednesday

PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU

•STORY ON PAGE 26

•World Bank partners REDAN on housing reform - PAGE 26

• Road construction to cost Ondo over N12b - PAGE 27

•‘Bad eggs in LASTMA will be dealt with’ - PAGE 28

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

26

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

World Bank partners REDAN on housing reform

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HE World Bank has ex pressed its readiness to work with the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigerian (REDAN) in assisting the government in its housing reform agenda.

The World Bank Representative in Nigeria, Mr Simon Walley, gave the assurance in Abuja, stating that in proffering solution to housing, there is the need to enumerate the various challenges facing the housing sector, especially as being perceived by international communities.

Walley maintained that Nigeria is not seen as priotising housing, instead infrastructure and power are where it seeks most international finance arrangements.

He said: “The government has not demonstrated enough willingness in her zeal to pay adequate attention to the housing sector, even though REDAN is standing to support the country in capacity building, proper survey, large scale technical assistance etc.

“We observed that REDAN is an organised informal sector in the Nigerian real estate. It is our intention to help REDAN help themselves. We promise to furnish the association with some vital report carried out on the Nigerian Housing sector to enable REDAN to assist the government in housing reform agenda. We shall also work with the group in several other areas that will be beneficial to the sector,” he stressed.

Also, the National President of

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

REDAN, Chief Olabode Afolyan, said the session has afforded REDAN an opportunity of an overview of operations in the real estate sector, and it would further strategise on tackling the challenges within the sector and effectively manage and devise sustainable programmes having understood the international perception of the residential sector.

“This whole meeting is in preparation for the association’s Annual General Meeting coming up in September and, which will be attended by some global leaders, including the Vice-President of Kenya, Kalonzo Musyoka. This will afford them to know what the international bodies perceive of

the sector and how they could work with the World Bank.”

“Data on affordable housing delivered is most times inaccurate.

Managing the informal sector of housing in Nigeria is not well-articulated in terms of mortgage financing, the lack of regulatory authorities that should stop mortgage bankers from diverting to business of real estate developing has not been firm. Mortgage banks take jobs of estate developers thereby creating conflict of interest.

“It was observed also by the World Bank that internal and external factors have made FMBN as the only secondary mortgage bank to be plagued with enormous difficulties in managing the National Housing Fund and the Estate De-

velopment Loan, (EDL).”

In a related development, REDAN executives also met with the Managing Director of the FMBN, Gimba Ya’U Kumo, where it was agreed that both would form a technical committee that would look into various issues of interest waivers and exit point for Estate Development Loans ( EDL), from the Federal Mortgage Bank.

The meeting, which was originally meant to serve as a forum where REDAN will receive update on the outcome of committees set up to address developers problems within the FMBN, ended with a conclusion between the two organisations on possible modalities for determining the exit in EDL. It was revealed that the committee set up to look into issues sur-

rounding developers being labelled as bad debtors have been granted waivers on interest approved on their loans because it was discovered that some of them were not responsible for the circumstances resulting into such huge accrued interest.

Kumo explained that FMBN will want developers to come forward and agree on interest waivers prior to issuance of formal letters of waivers to such developers by FMBN. It was also decided that the exit points of any loan from FMBN must be determined on an individual basis due to the different characteristics of projects and developers operational bases. It was agreed that a six-man committee be set up and it should comprise three members of REDAN and three senior officials of FMBN.

Utuama canvasses review of Land Use Act to aid housing provision

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ELTA State Deputy Gover nor Prof Amos Utuama (SAN) has advocated a land use system that will guarantee legal right to land to the poor and the less-privileged in the country.

He made the remarks last week as chairman of the Felix Okoye Memorial Lecture organised by the Nigerian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies, which held at the institution’s campus at the University of Lagos.

He urged that the 1978 Land Use Act was a clog in the wheel of socioeconomic growth and develop-

By Okwy Iroegbu, Asst Editor

ment of the nation as it locked up the wealth of numerous poor members of the country.

“The potential wealth of the numerous poor of our country represented in their lands have been locked up under the Act,” he said.

This, he observed, could “only be revealed and transformed into active capital for additional productivity and wealth creation through a land reform and adaptive strategies that have this in mind.”

Utuama noted that the Act origi-

nally ought to make land available for the people in the interest of national solidarity, but that the aim had been eroded due to the discretionary powers conferred on the governor of a state.

“Section 17 of the Land Use Act empowers the governor to grant the right of occupancy rent free or at reduced rent on ground of public interest. But the exercise of this power is discretionary and ad hoc to have any meaningful impact.

“Succinctly put, in my humble view, any land reform that integrates the poor and the least ad-

vantaged in our country into formal property system, which enables them to have an instrument to legally determine, manage and obtain the economic potential of their land will be a step towards social justice.

“In this way, the poor or lessprivileged could use their land to produce, secure, or guarantee greater value in the expanded capital markets and enjoy their food and fruits thereof to provide sustenancefor themselves and their families.”

A traveller’s nightmare •Continued on page 26

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HERE seems to be no end yet to the harrowing experiences of commuters on the nation’s highways, especially the SagamuOre road.

The problem is heightened with the approach of ‘ember ‘months and the Christmas season.

The nation has not been short of ministers who showed sympathy to the plight of road users at some bad spots and made some public declarations. One was reported to have cried when she visited one of the highways. But what Nigerians are asking is, when will the comic reliefs be over?

People sleep at Ore junction for days as the road remains impassable with terrible gridlock posing security, health and financial implications to the traveller.

As a quick fix, some have even suggested that every Works minister and other personnel of government agencies responsible for the construction and maintenance of the nation’s highways should be barred from local air travels until the roads are fixed. The aim, they argue, is have a feel of what people go through daily.

In a statement, a non-governmental agency, “Save the Masses and Children Heart Association” recently asked President Goodluck Jonathan to ban certain categories of ministers from travelling by air until federal roads roads are fixed.

The statement said: ‘’Apart from wasting quality hours on the roads, the development had made many passengers to fall victim of armed robbery attacks in the recent time.

In order to ensure effective monitoring of the activities of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and the Ministry of Works, their officers must be barred from further travelling by air within Nigeria until all the fed-

eral roads in this country are fully fixed,” he said.

Though some government officials have proposed road tax as a panacea to the dilapidated federal highways, experts argue that funding is not the only fundamental problem.

They said appropriate design and Bill of engineering quantities, and use of experienced and skillful contractors with capacity are required for these roads. They stressed that contracts are given to individuals or firms with deficient capacity and competence for the volume of work they are given due to political or other pecuniary considerations, leading to poorly done jobs and collapse of the roads.

Shedding light on why the roads collapse recently, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NIIT), Zaria, Alhaji Aminu Yusuf, attributed it to over usage.

He said: “The nation’s roads are constructed to last for 20 years, but hardly last five years because of high usage by heavy trucks not meant for them. In United Kingdom, roads are meant to last for 50 years. ‘’Again, lack of control and failure of the Nigerian Railways Corporation and poor implementation of national road master plans considering the fact that 95 per cent of movements in the country are done by road is a militating factor.”

He canvassed adequate control over the loading usage in Nigeria and regretted that goods, such as cement and fuel are supposed to be transported by rail, but they are seen every day on our roads. Yusuf also tasked the Federal Government on inter-modal transportation that is inclusive of rail, air and water to save the roads from imminent decay.

•A bad portion of the Benin-Ore Expressway.

A highway engineer, Mr. Afolabi Adedeji, noted that the SagamuOre-Benin road is a major arterial and strong hold of government that should not be toyed with and asked that the government should quickly intervene to restore its pride.

He called for emergency repairs with the break in torrential rains to make it motorable and ready for the heavy traffic expected during the Christmas period.

He wondered why most of our highways are in poor condition with the large bitumen deposits in Ondo State, which is second larg-

est in the whole world.

He said: “The government should as a matter of urgency work on having an asphalt overlay on the road and work on the drainages as poor drainage gives rise to early failure of roads.”

Adedeji called for the strict implementation of non-allowable vehicle on the highways by bringing back weigh bridges to discourage haulage and axial vehicles from putting pressure on the fragile road.

He also called for the implementation of a properly planned and co-ordinated inter-modal

transport system, such as obtainable in the United kingdom where a person can combine modes of transport for convenience in a given trip.

Furthermore, he called for the revival of the railway system, the harnessing of public-private partnership for efficiency, dredging on inland waterways and the patronage of indigenous engineers who understands the terrain unlike the current situation where the government is only interested in foreign firms without developing the capacity of the local talent.

‘The government should as a matter of urgency work on having an asphalt overlay on the road and work on the drainages as poor drainages give rise to early failure of roads’

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Road construction to cost Ondo over N12b

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NDO State has become a huge work station with the ongoing construction of strategic roads in its Northern Senatorial District to ease bottlenecks on major roads and also check incessant road accidents, says Commissioner for Works, Mr‘Gboye Adegbenro, during inspection of roads.

Adegbenro said the projects under construction consists of two federal and three state roads.

He observed that as a responsible government, it cannot wait endlessly for the Federal Government and watch lives of the citizenry wasted on avoidable accidents.

He decried the neglect the state has suffered and declared that the current administration has risen to the challenge.

He said: “It is regrettable that some of the roads were never rehabilitated by successive administrations both at the state and federal level making it an odious task for people to move from one part of the state to another. ‘’Worse still, the Federal Government from available records is owing the state about N12 billion excluding the new projects we are undertaking, but as a responsible government, we cannot wait for them indefinitely while our people are wasted daily on our roads,” he said.

The Works commissioner said the roads include the 10.2-kilometre Akungba/Ikare/Ugbe junction; 9.7-kilometre inner road of the

By Okwy Iroegbu Asst. Editor

state university, 17.7-kilometre Ikare/Ise, Akoko. Others are the 29- kilometre Ikara/Karamu/ Ajuwa/Kogi border and 9.7-kilometre Owo township dualisation project.

He revealed that the government earmarked N1 billion, as initial compensation for those whose buildings and places of business may be affected by the dualisation in Owo. On the construction firms handling the projects, he gave their names as Servitec Construction Company, Kopek, Borni Prono and CGC. The commissioner also disclosed that while Owo road project include dualisation, among other road furniture, others are single lanes with 7.3-metre width asphalt overlay.

On the delivery dates and costs, he said while the Akungba/ Adekunle Ajasin University inner road will be delivered by December at the cost of N823 million, Owo township dualisation road will be delivered by September 2013. It will cost N3.9billion.

Ikare/Ugbe/Ise/ Akoko, which will be ready by August 2012, will cost N2.1billion, while Akungba/ Ikare/Ugbe junction, which will be ready by March of the same year will gulp N836 million. The N4.8 billion Ikare/Ajuwa road is expected to be delivered by September 2013.

He stressed government’s con-

• On-going dualisation of Oyemekun-Adesida Road, Akure, Ondo State.

viction to spread development to the nooks and crannies of the state with emphasis on areas that have been denied infrastructure and motorable roads for years.

On the sharp and dangerous bends at Ikare, he said: “The government is looking at the possibility of having an alternative route. ‘’We will look at the cost implication of blasting the rocks or constructing an alternative road altogether,” he said. Furthermore, he said the projects had an initial chal-

lenge of inclement weather due to climate change that initiated down pour as never before, thus affecting the planned initial takeoff of the projects.

He called on the people of the state to support the administration in its development efforts to usher in a fresh breath of life in the state.

Road

Amount

Adekunle Ajasin/Akumgba Owo township Ikare/Akoko Akumgba/Ugbe junction Ikare/Ajuwa

N823m N3.9b N2.1b N836m N4.8b

Delivery date Dec. 2011 Sept. 2013 Aug.2012 March 2012 Sept. 2013

More rains coming, warns Lagos

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HE Lagos State government has warned again that there will be more rains after the August break as it announced at the beginning of the year.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, stated this during an inspection of the cleaning exercise of System Two channel consisting of Bajulaiye-Shomolu Canal.

He, however, assured Lagosians that the government is prepared to contain subsequent flood incidence.

He said the cleaning programme is going on simultaneously in all the drainage systems in the state preparatory to the rains. ‘’We have works going on all around the state.

We are monitoring their progress.

The Bajulaiye section of System Two is part of government’s efforts to address flood incidence in the state,” he said.

The inspected canal is a section of System Two, which is a combination of channels, across several local governments in the area.

The commissioner, however, noted that the heavy flooding experienced in the area was due to the works going on at the downstream of the canal, which necessitated the damming of a section of the canal. “It is necessary to block a section of the canal to slab it,” he stated.

The System 2, which has a top width of 27metres, bottom width of 17metres is 10kilometres long. It will serve Lagos Mainland, Bariga,

•L-R: Bello, Bago-Stowe, Adeyemi and Wakeline, during an inspection, at Bajulaiye Section of System Two Canal in Shomolu Local Government, Lagos

By Okwy Iroegbu Asst. Editor

Shomolu, Kosofe, among others.

Bello stated that the inspection was a follow-up to Governor Babatunde Fashola’s tour after the July 13 rain. He attributed the major cause of flooding to the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in canals and channels.

He lamented that despite the gov-

ernment’s efforts at improving waste disposal in the state, residents still dump refuse in drainage channels.

While the canal was in a deplorable state before work started, Bello recalled that the canal has been dredged by the government in the past.

He attributed the deplorable state to people’s attitude, urging them to be partners to complement the state

government’s efforts in ensuring a flood-free Lagos.

Bello warned that flood is not about the environment alone, “ flood affects life. It’s not just about the environment, it’s about people’s health; water must find its level and when it does, it respects no one. The Ministry of the Environment will collaborate with the Ministry of Health to sensitise the

‘He appealed to the residents and the traders around the Bajulaiye Canal to desist from dumping refuse into the canal.

He appealed to the people to co-operate with the government by not erecting structures on the drainage channels’

public on the dangers inherent in indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” he explained.

According to the commissioner, there are over six systems in Lagos, with each discharging water into the Lagoon. A system is made up of 10 channels and these cut across several local government areas.

He appealed to the residents and the traders around the Bajulaiye Canal to desist from dumping refuse into the canal. He appealed to the people to co-operate with the government by not erecting structures on the drainage channels.

Chairman, Shomolu Local Government, Mr Gbolahan Bago-Stowe, said his team will co-operate with the government to ensure that the objectives of the state are implemented.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT Building Issues

Understanding the Lagos Tenancy Bill

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• Third from left: Adediji, Pepple and other NIESV members during the visit

Estate surveyors, ministry to create more jobs, says NIESV chief

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HE Nigeria Institution of Es tate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) is discussing with the Federal Ministry of Housing to explore the opportunities in the housing and construction sector to tackle the challenge of youth unemployment in the country.

The body says, if harnessed properly, the sector has a huge potential in generating employment .

It stated this when the President and other members of the institution paid a visit to the Housing Minister, Ms Ama Pepple in her office.

The NIESV President, Mr Bode Adediji, draw the attention of the minister to the strategic role played by surveyors in issues relating to land reform, housing and urban development.

He regretted that the government has not tapped from the skills and competencies of members of the profession to lift the sector and make it contribute to the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) of the economy, which is abysmally low at four per cent with 16 million housing gap.

By Okwy Iroegbu, Asst Editor

He proposed a retreat of the key stakeholders in the country’s building and construction sector to have a view of what the issues are and how to tackle them with relevant players making valuable contribution.

Adediji observed that the bane of the sector has been the absence of workable and implementable housing policy and programme, access to land, absence of virile mortgage system and the under-capacity of the construction sector. Others, he added, are over reliance on imported building materials, absence of entrepreneurship, lack of political will to confront housing problem frontally and the perennial policy sommersaults that have beleaguered the polity.

He promised that his institution will always seek to maintain a cordial and regular interface and interaction with the ministry so that the key objectives of the administration and that of the ministry would be achieved.

In her response Ms. Pepple con-

firmed that President Goodluck Jonathan, had directed that any project proposal submitted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development must have the capacity to gainfully employ Nigerians, saying that the administration is committed to providing job opportunities for the teeming populace.

She promised that pending issues on housing, land and urban development matters, such as the knotty issue of the review of Land Use Act, prosecution of land and housing policy as well as rolling out of the National Building Code (NBC), would be reviewed and implemented.

The minister urged the association to submit to her office within two weeks all areas of interest in the programmes, projects and activities of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development for appraisal. She also promised to involve estate surveyors and valuers in all the key projects and programmes of her ministry, saying the administration is poised to delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

‘Bad eggs in LASTMA will be dealt with’

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HE Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State on Transport Education, Dr Mariam Masha, has said the management of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) will not spare any of its operatives involved in any act of indiscipline.

She stated that while it was true that it could be quite challenging dealing with commercial bus drivers on the roads, she noted that it was not enough excuse for any of its men to compromise themselves by indulging in acts that could threaten the free flow of traffic.

“We have the provost who handles the case of those ones involved in any

act of misdemeanour, we don’t hide anyone,” she said.

Masha, who said this at an interactive session with the executives and members of City Club, Surulere, Lagos, as part of LASTMA’s advocacy programme, stressed that the major cause of traffic gridlock on Lagos roads was indiscipline.

She maintained that if every motorist could obey traffic rules, there would be no reason for Lagosians to spend hours on the road due to indiscipline.

“This is why we are interfacing with clubs in Lagos to share experiences and fashion ways of keeping the traffic

flowing,” she added.

Responding, the Chairman, City Club, Mr Gbenro Oluwole, commended LASTMA for its efforts in maintaining sanity on Lagos roads, describing the initiative as laudable and timely.

“I commend the Lagos State government for this initiative of interfacing with members of the public. It will definitely assist LASTMA in being more proactive and perform better,” he said.

Other members of the club, who spoke at the event, wanted LASTMA to curb the excesses of okada riders and commercial bus drivers, who most times flout traffic rules with impunity.

‘Urban transport will play a key role in Lagos’

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ANAGEMENT of urban transport in Lagos will play a major role in making the state attractive for foreign investors, the UN- Habitat Coordinator of the World Urban Forum Mrs. Mariam Yunusa has said.

She stated this at a lecture entitled Planning cities for wealth creation organised by the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of University of Lagos.

She revealed that Lagos will be the biggest city in the world by 2020 and warned that it means a lot of hard work to make it part of the top urban areas by 2025.

According to her, planning has become a global concern for na-

By Samuel Akintan

tions and cities and, if properly handled, has the capacity to create wealth, especially for nations anchored in cities.

Yunusa further validated her statement, saying that curently Africa is 42 per cent urban and will be 56 per cent and 44 per cent rural by 2020.

She explained that she took the stand as planning remains the first and basic step in creating a better and desired nation.

She commended the Lagos State government for its achievement in creating a good transportation system, which has set the standard for

urban transport in other African countries, but cautioned that adequate planning and relentless effort must be in place to move the city to greater heights.

A representeative of the ViceChancellor of the UNILAG, Prof Leke Oduwaye, commended the UN-Habitat for creating a new approach for urban planning and development and pledged that the university would live up to its billing in urban planning. ‘’This lecture was organised based on the award received by the University of Lagos for emerging the best regional and planning school in Nigeria,” he added.

HERE is not much difference between the new Lagos Ten ancy Bill recently passed by the House of Assembly and the Rent Edict of Buba Marwa of 1997.

The prohibition of the collection of advance rents for over one year is in Section Four of the existing edict which has not been repealed.

The new law has only increased the fine to N100,000 as against N50,000 in the old edict probably in line with inflation and present value of money.

I, therefore, wonder why many people are rejoicing about it as if it is a new law. A major change that I can see is that the new law covers both residential and commercial properties unlike the old one that was limited to residential properties only. It is a welcome provision, but it does not take into consideration commercial users, such as banks, which usually want security of tenor and, therefore, always willing to pay for five or even 10 years in advance. This is because they usually spend a lot on renovation to make the property suitable for their use. This is very unusual with most rent control laws as the conditions for renting commercial properties are not the same as those of residential properties.

It should have been limited to residential properties only.

Another minor difference is that unlike the old edict, sitting tenants who are monthly tenants are now required to pay six months rent on renewal. This is strange! A monthly tenant should continue to pay monthly after the initial advance.

There is a new innovation in the new law which will benefit both landlords and tenants. And that is the introduction of Alternative Dispute resolution (ADR) through Citizen mediation Centres or MultiDoor courts. It is the in-thing in the modern world. Instead of both parties spending money and time going to court, many cases will be disposed off by ADR. The law has gone further by making the decision of ADR enforceable like court judgements. This is very much welcome!

The issuance of quit notice has also been made easier. Unlike before, the quit notices need not terminate on the anniversary of the tenancy.

This will remove a situation where you could not proceed to evict a tenant until after he has been owing one year rent. Now, if your tenant defaults, you can issue him a quit notice immediately.

This is a welcome departure!

Again, the need for personal service has been removed. You can now deliver the notice to any adult residing in the premises or by courier where the tenant cannot be found. This will remove a situation where tenants evade service of quit notices.

Unlike the old edict, the law does not stipulate any figure on rent to be collected anywhere. It must have dawned on the government that such rent ceilings cannot be enforced in the face of scarcity of ac-

By Kola Akomolede

commodation all over the place.

However, it prohibits “unreasonable” increase! It is also now compulsory to issue receipts for rents collected from tenants. Failure to do so will attract a fine of N100,000.

The law is to assist tenants by reemphasising the need to pay only one year advance rent, which is a very good move.

It shows that the government is concerned about the welfare of the citizens of the state.

However, the people will appreciate this more if the government can provide more houses so that would-be tenants will have alternatives. The truth is that in the absence of alternatives, people will pay whatever the landlords demand irrespective of any law to the contrary.

The law can only be enforceable where a report is lodged by the tenant. Any tenant who wants to have peace with his landlord will not report him to anybody unless he/she has seen an alternative.

There will be no need for any legislation on rents if houses are available. Even before the law, landlords in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki have already started to accept one-year rent.

This is happening because there are so many houses available for rent in these areas due to the economic recession.

If the type of houses required by the low and middle

‘A major change that I can see is that the new law covers both residential and commercial properties unlike the old one that was limited to residential properties only’

classes is available in the same way, there will be no need for this law.

I believe Governor Babatunde Fashola will be remembered more by the number of houses he provides during his tenure than a tenancy law.

How many people remember Buba Marwa today for his rent edict?

Whereas everybody remembers Alhaji Lateef Jakande for his low cost houses, which can be seen everywhere from Lagos Island, (Adeniji Adele) to Iponri in Surulere, Amuwo Odofin, Isolo, Abesan, Iba and many more! Ditto for the medium income houses at Maryland and Alapere.

Therefore, if this regime is serious about alleviating the suffering of the masses in housing, let it follow the footsteps of Alhaji Jakande.

The masses will appreciate this more than a tenancy law that may not work like previous rent control laws.

On the other hand, excessive control on rents can act as a disincentive to investment in housing which in the long run, will lead to a reduction in the supply of housing with the consequence of increase in rents.

In the face of too many taxes and levies on properties in this state, high cost of construction (cement is now N2,500 per bag), difficulties in securing land and getting building approval, property developers may be discouraged if government limits their income from such investment.

•Chief Akomolede is Chairman, Faculty of Housing, Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors & Valuers (NIESV).

•Contributions, questions? e-mail: quichi3cities@yahoo.com

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

Salami: NJC’s unkind cut Even though the National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended President of the Court of Appeal Justice Isa Ayo Salami for retirement, President Goodluck Jonathan has the final say on the matter, which has polarised the bench. Will the President uphold the recommendation? Many lawyers don’t think he should, even as the President has named Justice Dalhatu Adamu as acting President of the Court of Appeal.

ERIC IKHILAE and JOSEPH JIBUEZE write HESE are not the best of times for the Bench, especially the appellate court.

The face-off between the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and the President of the Court of Appeal (PGA), Justice Isa Ayo Salami has dominated national discourse in the past few months.

Last Thursday, the National Judicial Council (NJC) chaired by Justice Katsina-Alu suspended Justice Salami and recommended

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him for retirement. Will President Goodluck Jonathan uphold NJC’s recommendation?

Nobody can say for sure how the President’s mind is working on the issues on which he has the final say. Many believed that the NJC, by taking side in the dispute between Justice Katsina-Alu and Justice Salami, failed to do justice when it mattered most.

This is evident in its last Thursday’s decision. While the NJC hurriedly suspended Justice Salami and recommended his retirement, it accorded its chairman Justice Katsina-Alu a free passage to a “meritorious” retirement. The same NJC had earlier cleared both of wrongdoing.

Analysts now wonder why the NJC which admitted that the CJN acted outside his judicial power when he arrested the Sokoto governorship petition that was on appeal, went ahead to pronounce a ‘guilty-ascharged’ sentence on Justice Salami for daring to challenge his boss’ impunity.

Is there a political angle to all of this? Was the NJC propelled by external forces as alleged by the Congress of Progressive Change (CPC), to the effect that the assault on Salami was to delay the hearing of the petition against President Goodluck Jonathan’s election? Why was the NJC not contented with the reports of its two earlier committees?

Why was it in haste to act on the report of the Justice Ibrahim Auta panel despite the pendency of Salami’s suit, challenging the legitimacy of the Auta panel and having been duly served with the processes, which it grudging accepted after embarrassing itself by initially refusing service?

Only four NJC members were said to have voted for sanction against Salami at the Thursday meeting. Did that amount to a quorum in a body of about 24 members? Why were there only eight members in attendance?

Was it that others did not believe in the path NJC was toeing,

•Justice Salami

but were afraid to say so for fear of being visited with what is now known as ‘the Salami treatment?’ Or were they afraid to offend the man that appointed them, bearing in mind that the CJN appoints almost every member?

How can such a vital institution play its role when, in the eyes of the public, its sanctity has been virtually shredded? How do you save an arm of government, whose supposed corrective agent, chose to dispense injustice when the society most expected it to stand for truth and justice?

What future exists for the Judiciary? If indeed Salami committed the offence of perjury as alleged, does the NJC possess the jurisdiction to act on it, being a criminal matter? Is the NJC not aware of the Supreme Court’s position that any investigation body has no power to make pronouncement over a criminal matter?

These and many questions beg for answers as legal experts and concerned bodies continue to comment on the issue and suggest a way out. To lawyers, the NJC should not open

itself up to political manipulation, as the Salami saga seems to suggest.

Recall that Salami’s Appeal Court removed several governors of the ruling party who stole victories from office. Could this be a grand plan to force him out by all means and punish him unjustly for his radicalism? That the NJC ignored a pending suit on the matter to suspend Salami, against all legal norms and precedent, leaves an even bitter taste in the mouth. Whose script is the NJC performing?

LAWYERS REACT Lawyers were unanimous in their condemnation of Salami’s suspension. They urged the NJC to rescind the decision.

Two former NBA presidents Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) are displeased by the development.

Akeredolu said: “The recent development in the legal profession leaves no one in doubt that some of us will stop at nothing in our bid to pull down the erstwhile structures of integrity erected, painstakingly, by the

founding fathers of this profession.

“If people, no matter how highly placed, are allowed to get away with illegality by taking prejudicial steps in total disregard of the rule of law, then the rest of us should forget about the little respect we still enjoy among the people.

“Let no one hide under one finger, feigning objectivity on the recent development in our profession and unwittingly license impunity. There should be a limit to the “constructive engagements” with adventurers in our profession. The NBA, I trust, will make its stance unambiguous.”

Agbakoba said: “It is important that the NJC exercises the constitutional power conferred on it by Section 294 of the 1999 Constitution, which is to direct judicial policies. It is not for us to say whether the allegations are true or not. The perception of the public of the judiciary is at a very low point today,” he said.

Agbakoba, a member of the NJC, added: “It is our duty, as members of the NJC, to turn things around and restore public confidence in the judiciary. We can’t allow things to continue to decline, because the judiciary is so vital to the survival of democracy in Nigeria.

“Nigerians are looking up to us, especially those of us representing the NBA, to resolve this crisis appropriately, and that can be done in diverse ways. So, you have the CJN at the pinnacle of judicial institutions, overseeing appoints, promotions, discipline, allocates resources, appointment of Senior Advocates and controlling virtually every aspect of the judiciary.

The problem now is: What happens if the CJN is involved in a controversy, like this one?

“So, I am suggesting a constitutional amendment that would make the CJN to cease to be head of judicial institutions, except the Supreme Court. The NJC should comprise current and retired CJNs, with the immediate past CJN as head, so that the current CJN would have nothing to do with the overall functions or control of the body.

“Going too far into administration and overseeing the entire Nigerian judiciary, that, I think, is too much for the CJN,” Agbakoba said.

Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN) said: “The suspension has shown that the NJC is unfair to Justice Salami. It shows they are bent on crucifying him. Why was he not invited to the meeting where they reached the decision? Can he be said to have been accorded fair hearing? “How can they accuse him of externalizing the dispute which was already in public domain? Has Salami been credited with any media reports? Did any journalist attribute his report to Justice Salami? From media reports, we have seen references to press releases from the NJC. “In any case, matters filed in court are public documents. NJC should be wary of public opinion on its roles in this crisis. It should remember that it is a public body and should be serving the interest of the public.”

Mr Yusuf Alli (SAN) said: “I can just say that the day Justice Salami was suspended is the saddest day for the legal profession in Nigeria. It is an unprecedented thing that has never happened in the history of the Judiciary in Nigeria. It is very sad. It is indeed, a sad development.”

Human rights activist, Femi Falana said: “With due respect to members of the NJC, the body has acted mala fide and ultra vires its powers. Since Justice Salami has gone to court

•Judicial integrity at stake over investigation

•Continued on page 31

•‘I am bound by NBA’s position’ - P.33 •‘Why Diamond Bank petitioned IGP - P.34

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

COVER

‘NJC action a matter of regret and shame’ Address by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN) to the pre-conference national executive committee meeting of the NBA in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Sunday

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UR Association’s annual conference kicked off today with Registration at the Township School Moscow Road here in Port Harcourt and it has been designed to be a seamless event. I hope your experience there represents an agreeable platform from which to launch this weeklong activity that brings together an estimated 10, 000 legal practitioners in all walks of life and endeavours.

This conference comes at a time when the legal profession is reeling from a serious crisis of confidence precipitated not by or within the Bar but by our alter-ego, the Bench. We do not among us need to define who members of the Bench are; suffice to say that they are entrusted with the sacred duty of adjudicating disputes between person’s inter-se and between Government and other persons to determine their civil rights and obligations. This hallowed function carries with it onerous obligations requiring of the occupants of such high office certain sterling qualities. The public expect of members of the bench total commitment to the cause of justice.

No less commitment is required from members of the bar that present cases for all suitors that go before the bench for Justice. In this regard, lawyers are regarded as ministers (not serfs or plebians) in the temple of justice. They are equal partners in the constitutional quest to provide justice to the people. Consequently, it is expected that both the Bar and Bench will at all times, particularly in the course of their service to justice protect and uphold the Rule of law, respect and observe due process, exhibit great learning and independence at all stages in the discharge of this sacred function and generally inspire confidence in the Administration of Justice.

The result, if the foregoing are scrupulously observed and applied is that the society will be peaceful, secure, progressive and blessed.

Such society whose judges offer justice to her people prospers in all ramification be it economic, social or political. The converse is the case for a society with a warped, unreliable and or unpredictable system of justice or which possess a fine system but whose operators are corrupt or unreliable. Either way, the society is worse off for it.

Nigeria operates a system of justice that should ordinarily provide for her people undiluted justice but a good system does not on its own guarantee justice. Its operators must be truthful, honest, sincere, and Spartan in living, they must also be God fearing and exhibit a disdain for any corruptive factor. It follows therefore that at all times those who administer justice must be a shining example for others as it relates to the observance and strict application of the due process of and the rule of law. It is the beginning of the end for a society whose judges exhibit selective preference for the Rule of law, choosing to apply it when it suits them and ad nauseum, rejecting it when their own personal interest is in issue.

The duty of the Bar is no different; it is expected to be knowledgeable, fearless, and truthful. Above all, her members are expected to show total respect for the laws of the land and defend same at any cost.

The Bar fails in her duties to the society and the cause of justice where it condones tyranny from any arm of government.

Most detestable is judicial tyranny because its effect emasculates the people.

It is against this background that I wish to report on certain pressing recent events that have rocked the sanctity of our fledgling democracy. In the course of the issues that I propose to report on or deal with, the reason for this background will be apparent. They include (i) The NJC issue and the report of your members in the NJC; (ii) The NJC’s handling of the face-off between the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the President of the Court of Appeal, (iii) The fixing by the CJN of the swearingin of new Senior Advocates of Nigeria to a date that falls within our annual general conference, (iv) Our own report on the same CJN/PCA face off and on other is-

sues affecting the administration of justice.

I shall deal with these issues in seriatim.

Report on the National Judicial Council It is essential to commence this report by providing some background information about the National Judicial Council. It is a creature of the 1999 Constitution as amended-see section 153-(i). Its composition and powers are as set out in part (1) of the third schedule to the Constitution...

Now of all the functions specified above, members of council only participate in and or are only aware of A-D. The rest are presumed to be performed by the Chairman and or staff of Council. The Constitution on the role of lawyers in the NJC provides of paragraph 20 of the Third Schedule thus: “(i) five members of the Nigerian Bar Association who have been qualified to practice for a period of not less than fifteen years, at least one of whom shall be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, appointed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria on the recommendation of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association to serve for two years and subject to re-appointment.

Provided that the five members shall sit in the Council only for the purposes of considering the names of persons for appointment to the superior courts of record;” While it is correct that paragraph 20 quoted above limits the participation in council of legal practitioners; until about 3 weeks ago legal practitioners have always been in attendance at every council session.

The rationale for their participation I gather was hinged on the fact that to properly perform their duty as it relates to appointment, they needed to know the disciplinary records of serving judges so that they could be seised of all facts when elevation to appellate courts and appointment as Head of Court are being considered. It was also thought since he who could appoint could also dismiss, the stipulation could purposefully be interpreted to accommodate the participation of legal practitioners at all stages of Council proceedings.

However, about three weeks ago, in the middle of proceedings of the CJN/PCA face-off, legal practitioners were required to recues themselves. The coincidence was inauspicious. From that point the Council continued unabated with the process that has led us to the sad state of affairs that now exists.

SUIT NO FHC/ABJ/CS/723/2011 The plaintiff is the Hon. Justice Isa Ayo Salami President Court of Appeal of Nigeria and the 11 defendants are principally the National Judicial Council and 11 other members of Council excluding of course the representatives of the Bar. The cause of action arises from the disciplinary proceedings in the nature of the report of 2 committees set up by the NJC leading to the meeting of August 18, 2011 wherein the PCA’s retirement was purportedly recommended to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was also suspended forthwith from the performance of his constitutional and judicial functions.

From undisputed facts available to us, NJC was aware of the pendency of the above law suit. This is clear from the press statement signed by its secretary and published in many national dailies between the August 18 and 20, 2011. I have it on irrefutable authority that the NJC decided to proceed with their action in the face of pending court proceedings ‘Since the said papers were not signed by any judge to show that it had been properly filed; that no court or date of return was stated on the process; parties that were NJC members were not served and for that reason section 158 of the Constitution applies and that NJC is therefore not subject to the direction of any authority or any person’. I must at this stage reproduce the provisions of section 158 of the 1999 Constitution; it provides thus: 158. (1) In exercising its power to make appointments or to exercise disciplinary control over persons, the Code of Conduct Bureau, the National Judicial Council, the Federal Civil Service Commission, the Federal Judicial Service Commission, the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, the Federal Character Commission, and the Independent National Electoral Commis-

sion shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person.

The question is whether this provision allows the NJC to proceed with the action regardless of the pendency of court proceedings. Is the court here an ‘authority’ or a ‘person’? The relevance of this poser is that if answered in the affirmative then that provision acts as an ouster clause to court intervention to the actions or inaction of the NJC. I will like to say straightaway that Section 158 is not an ouster clause to the powers of the court to intervene and correct any perceived error made by the NJC which has provided a cause of action to the injured party.

Section 6-(1) of the 1999 Constitution provides that ‘The judicial powers of the Federation shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established for the Federation’. Subsection 3 also provides that the courts to which this section relates, established by this Constitution for the Federation and for the States, specified in subsection (5) (a) to (1) of this section, shall be the only superior courts of record in Nigeria; and save as otherwise prescribed by the National Assembly or by the House of Assembly of a State, each court shall have all the powers of a superior court of record.

Sub-section 6 of the said section 6 provides that he judicial powers vested in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this section Shall extend notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, to all inherent powers and sanctions of a court of law (b) shall extend, to all matters between persons, or between government or authority and to any persons in Nigeria, and to all actions and proceedings relating thereto, for the determination of any question as to the civil rights and obligations of that person; The effect of the foregoing is that ‘Courts’ as used in here cannot be equated to ‘persons’ or ‘authority’. If the framers of the Constitution had wanted to exclude courts from interfering in the process of the NJC it would have expressly said so in section 158 of the said Constitution.

Consequently, the matter was clearly sub judice when the NJC proceeded with its actions on August 18, 2011. I am recommending to NEC to condemn the actions of the NJC in going into a matter which at that time was and is still before a superior court of record. The judicial reversal of the NJC’s unfortunate and worrisome actions is a matter to be left for the law courts to deal with as they deem fit.

It is a matter of great regret and shame that a judicial organisation of the calibre of the NJC can ride roughshod over the processes of a court of law. The implication for Nigerian judicial process is catastrophic. If not remedied, we are witnessing the slide into anarchy and lawlessness which history will record as having been fired up by the judiciary. (a part of the legal profession) We shall not sit idly by and watch our profession ridiculed and brought into disrepute in the public domain.

I am recommending that the NBA withdraw her members from the NJC pending when appropriate amendment to the Constitution will be made inter alia (i) increasing our membership from five to 10, (ii) restructuring membership and functions in such a way as to make the body functional and less prone to dictatorship and abuse of power and (iii) removing any dichotomy that seeks provide levels of membership of the Council, we are either Council members or we are not.

I am further recommending to NEC to advise the President having regard to the uncontroverted fact that a suit was pending when the NJC brazenly took their decision, to decline to proceed further with the matter and to advise NJC to revert to status quo ante. The position of the recommender is subject to the approval or otherwise of the confirming authority.

Finally, I have refrained from touching on the issues that are sub judice. Be it noted that our NBA Okpoko Committee Report is not affected by the pending action in the Federal High Court. I recommend to NEC

•Daudu

that we discuss it post-haste and take a decision.

Swearing-in ceremony for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria I received the CJN’s letter dated August 1, 2011 on the above subject matter inviting me to present a speech on behalf of the NBA on August 26, 2011 at the swearing-in ceremony which falls within our Annual General Conference taking place at Port Harcourt, Rivers State from August 21 -26, 2011. As you are aware we legal practitioners regard it as a flagship event for the Nigerian Bar. His lordship traditionally chairs the opening ceremony and his official invitation had long been forwarded. I informed his lordship about this sterling event sometime in February this year when I paid him a courtesy visit. I consider the fixing of the swearing in of senior advocates to a date i.e. August 26, 2011, which is the date fixed for Conference communiqué, press conference and closing ceremonies as an affront and disrespect to the entire Bar. After all, the new Senior Advocates are members of the Nigerian Bar Association, who ought to be with members of their profession at this point in time. I know as a matter of fact and record that September 19, 2011 had earlier been selected as the date for the swearing-in ceremony. It is an appropriate date as it is traditional to swear in new senior advocates at the opening of new legal year and we understand that the said date marks the opening of the 2012 legal year.

There are other factors such as the ongoing Ramadan fast, the vacation for the legal profession which ends on September 18, 2011 which are compelling reasons the ceremony ought to be shifted. The exercise conducted by Kutigi CJN (Rtd) had the recepients sworn in at the opening of legal year presided over by Katsina-Alu CJN. I am recommending to NEC the following urgent steps; (i) The Bar shall boycott the ceremony and all her members are advised to stay away including those to be conferred the rank. (ii) Any legal practitioner that at attends the ceremony will not be referred to by member of the NBA with any rank he possesses and if in any NBA body such as the Body of Benchers will lose all privileges and be stripped of membership of any committee or body that the NBA participates in. We advise that the ceremony be shifted to September 19, 2011.

Conclusion Gentlemen and ladies of this august body, I have not commented on issues relating to the Conference. It will be taken up at the appropriate stage when Committee Chairmen present their reports. The foregoing matters will naturally come up for debate. Let us be the learned people that we are in the way and manner that we present our arguments. Decorum and decency should be our guiding principles. I wish you an inspiring and exciting conference.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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LAW COVER CONT’D

Salami: NJC’s unkind cut •Continued from page 29

and court processes have been served on the NJC, although accepted reluctantly, the NJC ought to have allowed the court make a pronouncement on the issue.

“That is the position of the court in the case of the Military Governor of Lagos versus Ojukwu, to the effect that in any country which professes respect for the rule of Law, people must not be allowed to resort to self help, because that is an invitation to anarchy.

“NJC is only a recommending body. It has no powers to suspend a judge. It can only make recommendations to the appointing authority, who is the President. The President can discountenance such recommendations.

“Until the President of the Court of Appeal is proved guilty of the offence of perjury, which he has been accused of, by a well constituted court of law, no punitive measures can be meted out to him. The NJC ought to have waited for the judicial process to run its full course.

Lagos lawyer and activist, Bamidele Aturu said: “The news is a condemnable illegality.

That the brazen decision was taken by a body that has responsibility for overseeing the judiciary shows that our attempt at building a liberal democracy is imperiled simply on account of the illiberal persons that superintend the administration of justice in this country.

“The decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Ojukwu v Military Governor of Lagos State has made it clear that it is an act of lawlessness for a party to present the court, as the NJC as brazenly and contemptuously done in the instant case, with a fait accompli.

“What the NJC has done is nothing but a farce. First, the NJC evaded service, then, it pronounced definitively on a matter that is pending in court. What nonsense? We will not allow this act of primitive lawlessness to stand. Those who desecrate the temple of justice are not entitled to any protection or respect from civilized citizens.

“Somehow, somewhere, I hope against hope that the news is a rumour. I call on all decent Nigerians to condemn the farcical illegality. The NJC should withdraw the putrid and offensive decision. The suspension of Justice Salami is unacceptable, atrocious, evil, illegal, unconstitutional, irresponsible and cannot stand.”

A human rights group, Access to Justice (AJ) in a statement by its Director Mr Joseph Otteh, said: “The judiciary that ought to set the example of how courts and legal processes must be respected is now the institution undermining the court and the judicial process.

“This is a very wrong, rash, dangerous and ultimately self-destructive precedent the NJC has established. It is an ill-advised, imprudent, counter-productive decision that erodes the rule of law and the functions of courts and we urge the NJC to immediately rescind it.”

Constitutional lawyer, Mr Ike Ofuokwu said: “Justice Salami’s suspension is to say the least scandalous, shameful and a brutal rape against judicial integrity. It is a tragedy that the NJC allowed itself to be used to execute a political script which result endangered the existence of the judiciary itself.

“The future of the judiciary with Justice Musdapher as CJN in the face of the unresolved saga of Justice Salami’s issue is bleak and very dim. If Katsina-Alu has any legacy, it has been wiped out and rubbished with the Salami case which has left the CJN badly battered. This is not the judiciary that was handed over to us, neither is it that which we craved for.”

Theophilus Akanwa said: “The suspension despite the pendency of a suit against it, is the

•Fagbohungbe

•Agbakoba

‘

•Akeredolu

‘

‘

The suspension has It is our duty, as If people, no matter shown that the NJC is members of the NJC, how highly placed, unfair to Justice are allowed to get to turn things around away with illegality Salami. It shows they and restore public are bent on crucifying confidence in the judi- by taking prejudicial steps in total disrehim. Why was he not ciary. We can’t allow gard of the rule of invited to the meeting things to continue to law, then the rest of us where they reached decline, because the should forget about the decision? Can he judiciary is so vital to the little respect we be said to have been the survival of democ- still enjoy among the accorded fair hearing? people racy in Nigeria

’

height of disrespect to a law court. The actions of the NJC in the face of a pending suit against it potends serious danger and bad precedent for the future of the judiciary.

“I strongly feel that the NJC headed by the CJN should have obeyed its own judgment in Ojukwu v. Military Governor of Lagos State and a plethora of cases, but went the other way. So much is expected of the judiciary as it is the last hope of the common man. The incoming

’

CJN has enormous tasks ahead.”

Jonathan Iyieke said: “Anarchy has hit the noble rock of Nigeria judiciary and things have fallen apart. The NJC is becoming a stranger to the true and cardinal principle of ‘legal precedence’. Where did it place the rule that once a case is sub-judice, comments are reserved to give way to judicial pronouncement?

“What legal precedence does the NJC want in clearing Justice Katsina-Alu and Justice

’

Salami a couple of weeks ago only to revisit Mr Salami? The non-invitation of Salami to the panel that suspended him raises the interalia the issue of ‘fair hearing.’

“In my opinion, the advice of the NJC for suspension and retirement of Justice Salami is unwarranted, unnecessary and ultra-vires the powers conferred on the body. The NJC for the sake of justice should rescind its decision. The new CJN should thread with caution.”

NBA Conference: Minister, lawyers list expectations

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•Wike

AWYERS have sent their goodwill messages as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference begins in Port Harcourt.

Minister of State for Education, Mr Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, wished lawyers a successful outing.

The former Chief of Staff to Governor Rotimi Amemchi, thanked the leadership of the Bar for giving Rivers the hosting right.

“Everybody knows Port Harcourts is a place where when you come, you feel relaxed, you feel at home, you feel safe and protected to go about your lawful business.

Whatever is needed to make life comfortable as far as this conference is concerned, is

available.

“So, I am sure that this is a conference that will remain a reference point for many years.

This is something everybody is expecting and I say welcome to all our colleagues.”

Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) said: “The theme of the Conference-‘Sustaining an Enduring Democracy in Nigeria” offers us an opportunity to appraise our journey so far and project for the future of our fledgling democracy. The Law Firm wishes all participants fruitful and peaceful deliberations in the conference and a pleasant stay in the Garden City. As you journey home at the end of the conference, we wish you bon voyage!”

Olisa Agbakoba (SAN): “It is necessary that

this event will be attended by members of the legal profession from many States in Nigeria, who will be afforded the opportunity to network and deliberate on matters of importance to the growth of the NBA. OCJ Okocha (SAN), former NBA president: “This year’s conference is dealing with a topical issue and it is my hope that we will all genuinely contribute our ideas, so that we can see how we can move, not just the Bar Association forward, but also to help our country, to move forward. We welcome them to Port Harcourt.”

•Continued on page 33

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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LAW & SOCIETY DR FELIX OKOYE MEMORIAL LECTURE AT THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED LEGAL STUDIES (NIALS), UNILAG, AKOKA CAMPUS

•Director-General NIALS Prof Epiphany Azinge and Mrs Ijeoma Okoye

•Chief Judge of Enugu State, Hon. Justice Innocent Azubuike Umezulike (left), Deputy Governor, Delta State Prof Amos Utuama (SAN)

•From left: Ufuani Suzzie Onyeka, Maduka Emmanuela Ngozi and Okpara Joy Nnanna

•Prof Emiritus Adedokun Adeyemi and Louis Mbanefo (SAN)

•Prof Pat Utomi and Hon Justice Chinwe Iyizoba, JCA

•Emmanuel Ayo Imoukhuede and Sham Sandra

•Prof Wole Smith (SAN) and Dr Ejike Onjia

•Joy Ebeledike and Sir Amechi Ebeledike

•From left: Mrs Sena Jerry-Imahiagbe, Emmanuel Okon and Dr John Adebisi Arewa

•Jude Oparaku and Prof Paul Idornigie

PHOTOS: DAVID ADEJO

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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LAW PERSONALITY Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN) was inaugurated president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in August, last year at the NBA Conference in Kaduna. A year later, he looks back and scores his administration high. In this interview with JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU, Daudu speaks on the NBA administration, the crisis between the CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, the conferment of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and other issues.

Salami v NJC: ‘I am bound by NBA’s position’ H

OW do you feel about this conference, being the first NBA conference under your watch as the president of the Bar? I feel extremely expectant and am very happy that lawyers have gathered again for this Annual General Conference and by the grace of God, under my watch as NBA president.

I am filled with expectancy, with anticipation and I am very very confident that by the grace of God, the conference will be a resounding success.

My message to lawyers is that we must realise our unique position in the scheme of things in the society.

What do your mean by this?

Yes, we must realise that as lawyers, we are not laymen. We are learned gentlemen and we need to act out that role in the society.

This means that we have to be honourable in everything we are doing. And honourable people do not take part in corruption; honourable people do not take part in the bastardisation of either judicial, political or economic process of the society. At this point in time, we notice a great lack of professionalism by lawyers in the discharge of their duties.

What is the way out of this?

Painful as all these may sound, there is still hope because we still have a percentage of those who are willing to work hard, to achieve the highest standards in the profession.

My commission to lawyers is that we should retrace our steps. Let us engage in that which is only professional because we are not involved in the creation of money, but in the creation of wealth.

What is the distinction between the two?

To make wealth, you must make it in the proper,legitimate or legal channels.

To make money is not like that; you can even go to a herbalist to get that. So, lawyers must take their hands off this get-rich-quick syndrome and work painstakingly to achieve success.

What is NBA doing to expand the scope and decentralise disciplinary processes?

The first thing is that once we finish this conference, we will submit a Legal Practitioners Act (LPA). That LPA will contain provisions creating not one Legal Practitioners Committee sitting in one place, but with opportunity to create six or more Councils in the six geo-political zones.

So, instead of having only one committee, you’ll have so many of them sitting round

the country. That will create the opportunity to discipline far more people than it is being done now.

What is your reaction to the depeening faceoff between the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Aloysius Katsina -Alu and the President, Court of the Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami?

First of all, with all said, we do not have coerceive powers. The influence we have is one that carries a great moral burden. And because we are stakeholders, our voice must naturally be heard.

It is difficult to predict how things will go at this point in time. All that I can say is that l’m in a difficult situation. I am a member of the NJC and at the same time the president of the NBA. Therefore, since both bodies are taking decisions, it is best to leave matters as they are until after the decisions have been fully taken. But l will be bound by the NBA position.

Would you say that you have lived up to the goals you set for yourself?

If I am to assess our performance for the last one year with all sense of modesty, I would say that we are on track. I have an executive that is quite co-operative; they have keyed into my vision which is the vision we outlined at our retreat on August 11, 2010.

We would score ourselves very high in terms of achieving the goals we set out for ourselves.

Can we know some of those goals?

Yes, we said we would have a criminal justice reform conference. We have had the conference, and we said we would professionalise the secretariat. We are on course. We said we would do a data verification . We are doing it and so on.

We have one year to build on these keys and create templates for new administrations to come in. That is the next stage.

You just conducted a data verification exercise for lawyers throughout the country.

Is the project concluded?

The process is 50 per cent completed. We are at the stage of effecting the corrections, all the verified mistakes, putting up a clean copy and then, the last stage will be hosting, in the internet, in the Supreme Court and in the NBA. And examples have come where the verification is vital. One lady called to the Nigerian Bar 20 year ago also desired to be called to the Bar of one of the states in the United states of America USA and that US State Bar wrote to us, requesting us to confirm that the Lady aspirant is a lawyer in Nigeria.

So, what happened?

•Daudu

The Nigeria Law School did not have her record. It was through our verification exercise that we were able to refer the correct data to the Law School.

They were able to get her records, that she attended the Nigerian Law School, through the data that we were processing.

So, if we didn’t have it, there was no way the Law School would have been able to trace it. Having moved from Lagos to Abuja, the records were readily not there to confirm that she attended the Nigerian Law School.

Things are beginning to come up to show that the verification is vital.

One problem in Nigeria is when something doesn’t concern us, we think that it may never arise to concern us.

You expressed misgivings or concerns over the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria. What is the problem?

We all agreed that the timing is not fair on

the Bar. The people that will be conferred with the rank are lawyers. They are part of us. If they are part of us and we are having flagship event like Annual General Conference where every lawyer should be if he can participate, then we expect that anyone who is in a position of authority in the legal profession shall not come into collision course with us and advance another programme when we are at another venue.

So, what will happen now?

Well, I wrote a letter asking for a change in date. I have presented the matter to the NEC, which I consider the best approach, for NEC to take a decision on the matter. It is not what I could determine by myself since there are many conflicting interests on the matter.

It is better we sit down in one place and decide what to do about it. I am bound by the NBA position.

NBA Conference: Minister, lawyers list expectations •Continued from page 31

them to Port Harcourt.”

Prof. Epiphany Azinge( SAN), DirectorGeneral, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies: “I wish all lawyers a highly successful, intellectually rewarding and eventful conference.

“I urge them to do their best to upgrade their points in the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education, enhance capacity building at the Bar, improve their skills and ensure quality service delivery to their clients.”

Stella Obiageli Ugboma, President FIDA: “As we all (about 10,000 of us) converge, I wish all of us journey mercies, sorority, fraternity, comradeship and a determination to move our Association forward, a willing-

ness to address issues that will continue to unite the Bar and those issues that will give the common man/woman hope in our ability to protect their interests, and ensure the emergence of a great African nation where the rule of law exists, where real democracy is enthroned, and where no person is oppressed.”

Kemasuode Wodu, Chairman of the Eastern Bar Forum (EBF): “We urge members of the Bar to take advantage of the opportunity the conference offers, especially for the purpose of continuing legal education.

“The Annual General meeting which takes place during the conference also provides an opportunity for members of the Bar to take part in the management of the affairs of the bar. We therefore urge members to partici-

pate fully in the deliberations.”

Frank Agbedo, Former Chairman, Human Rights Committee, NBA: “The official bar is the conscience of the nation and as such should effectively deploy the instrumentality of the law to stimulate, drive and galvanize social change in the society no matter whose ox is gored and especially so under a civilian democratic dispensation.”

Chief Solo Akuma (SAN): “I wish all the conferees a wonderful experience as we deliberate on issues that will further develop the legal profession and positively impact on the Nigerian polity. Long live the NBA.” Chuks Muoma: “May we always be mindful of our duties to the citizenry. At the close of the conference may we all be safely guided back to our respective homes and stations.

Enjoy yourselves while in the Garden City.”

J.N. Egwuonwu, Director, Vox Public Foundation: “On behalf of the VOX PUBLIC FOUNDATION we wish all conferees to the 2011 NBA Annual Conference holding in Port Harcourt journey mercies, fruitful and constructive deliberations and a memorable stay in Port Harcourt.”

Olumuyiwa Akinboro, NBA General Secretary: “I welcome participants to Port Harcourt and wish them a memorable conference. I urge them to participate fully.”

Chief John Ochoga: ‘’I wish our members a hitch free journey to Port Harcourt. I wish them a very happy and successful conference in Port Harcourt and I wish them journey mercies as they return to their respective stations.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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FROM THE COURT

Alleged fraud: Why Diamond Bank petitioned IGP

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IAMOND Bank Plc has told a Lagos High Court why it petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), seeking the investigation of some of its staff over a multi-million naira fraud uncovered in the bank.

The bank said its intention was to enlist the assistance of the Police to establish the level of involvement of some of staff linked with the said fraud.

The bank’s lawyer, Muyiwa Abatan, stated this at the hearing of a fundamental rights enforcement application by one of the bank’s contractors, Du-Jour Event Management Limited and its Managing Director, Olu Olowookere.

They had prayed the court to halt the on-going investigation of the said fraud uncovered few days to the bank’s planned 20th anniversary gala night held on July 3 this year.

Fingered in the deal were some officials of the bank’s Corporate Affairs and Account departments, most of who have since been sacked.

Abatan told the court that the petition was directed at its staff linked to the fraud and not the contractor.

Abatan said it was the responsibility of his client to invite the Police to investigate any crime allegedly committed against it.

Du-Jour and Olowookere had accused the bank of procuring the Police to harass and embarrass them over an alleged contractual dispute between them. They claimed the dispute was purely civil and not

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU

Stories by Eric Ikhilae

criminal to warrant Police’s investigation.

They, among others, accused the respondents, including the bank and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), of breaching their rights and prayed the court to restrain the respondents from further threatening to arrest or inviting them for investigation over the issue.

Trouble stated when, as plans for its 20 th anniversary celebration were on the bank came up with the concept of an anniversary gala night. It contracted the project to Du-Jour Event Management Limited.

But days to the event, the bank discovered that the contract was characterised by insiders’ collusion and abuses resulting in alleged inflation of the contract sum. It consequently halted the execution of the contract and petitioned the Police, accusing its staff, linked with the deal, of complicity in the alleged fraud.

On July 7, this year, during their investigation, some men of the Nigeria Police stormed the head office of Du-Jour Ltd in Lagos and carried out some searches. The office of IGP later invited Olowookere to Abuja for questioning.

It was in a bid to stave-off further invitation by the Police that Olowookere and his company approached the court, complaining of harassment.

In her ruling, Justice Mojisola Dada

email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

Between Rotarian Kennedy, Chairman Ayodele

A •Alex Otti, Managing Director, Diamond Bank

held that the application by Du-Jour and Olowookere was without merit and consequently dismissed it. The judge observed that the applicants did not dispute the bank’s claim that its petition to the Police was against its staff and not the contractor.

The judge held that Police’s invitation of applicants during investigation, did not amount to a breach of their fundamental human rights.

Justice Dada upheld the right of the Police, under the Police Act, to investigate criminal allegations and held that no court of law would grant an order, restraining a statutory body from performing its statutory duties.

The judge held that if Du-Jour and Olowookere had nothing to hide, it was strange that they would seek to stop an investigation not directed at them.

Residents seek company’s inclusion in suit against PHCN

•Barth Nnaji, Minister of Power

S

OME aggrieved property owners in Lagos have asked the state’s High Court to include the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Plc as a defendant in the suit they filed against the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) over its alleged failure to honour an agreement.

The was suit filed by Mr. Jimmy Oni Olufade, Rev. P. A. Elemide and Chief R. A. Ismaila Olowo on behalf of others whose properties at Orile Agege, Lagos are affected by PHCN’s transmission lines.

They specifically accused PHCN of allegedly reneging on an agreement to compensate them for the negative impact of the company’s electricity transmission lines on their houses and the occupants.

The plaintiffs’ request for TCN’s inclusion in the suit is contained in a joinder application filed by plaintiffs’ lawyer, Abayomi Omoyinmi of the firm of Akinlolu Omoyinmi and Co. They said the application was informed by PHCN’s claim that TCN, being its successor company by virtue of the provision of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2004 and

the Electric Power Sector Reform (Transfer of Assets, Employees, Liabilities, Rights and Obligations) Order No. 1 of 2006, has assumed control of its assets and liabilities.

“Since the party sought to be joined has taken over the functions of the defendant (PHCN), the party sought to be joined is a necessary party to this suit. Unless the party sought to be joined is made party to this suit, the suit would not be finally settled by the court”, the plaintiffs stated.

The plaintiffs have equally opposed PHCN’s request for the court to strike out the suit. In the plaintiffs’ response to PHCN’s notice of preliminary objection, they contended that PHCN’s claim that it was not a necessary party in the suit was erroneous.

They argued that PHCN’s claim that TCN has taken over its responsibilities pursuant to Order No.1 of 2006 “Can not exonerate the defendant from the suit because the defendant even acknowledged the notice of intention to commence legal action written by the claimants’ solicitor in 2008.”

The plaintiffs noted that in two meetings between their lawyer and PHCN’s agents, Mrs. Carol Babalola (in Lagos) and Idris A. Garba (in Abuja) in 2007 and 2008, the said agents pledged prompt payment of the compensation estimated at N16.5 million.

They argued that as against PHCN’s claim in its notice of objection, no successor has taken over the responsibilities of PHCN, insisting that the company still exists even in function relating to the subject matter of the case.

The plaintiffs observed that PHCN and TCN share the same address and office building at PHCN’s corporate headquarters at Plot 441 Zambezi Crescent, Maitama, Abuja.

In its objection, PHCN prayed the

court to strike out the suit for want of jurisdiction.

PHCN argued that it was not the right party to be sued over the failure of the then Nigeria Electric Power Authority (NEPA) to complete the payment of compensation for the installation of power transmission lines which injuriously affected the plaintiffs’ properties.

It contended that by virtue of the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act 2004 and the Electric Power Sector Reform (Transfer of Assets, Employees, Liabilities, Rights and Obligations) Order No. 1 of 2006 the TCN should be the proper party to defend the suit.

PHCN, while arguing that the case was instituted without the plaintiffs’ understanding of the provisions of the EPSR Act, stated that by virtue of the law, PHCN has peculiarly transferred all its assets and liabilities relating to power transmission functions to the TCN. The plaintiffs, in their statement of claim, are praying the court for, among others, an order directing PHCN to pay them the said compensation.

They urged the court for an order directing PHCN to pay them the N16, 249,296.00 being the 80 per cent of the earlier N20. 3m, and which should attract 20 per cent interest from June 1, 2005 to the date of judgment.

The plaintiff are also seeking an order directing the defendant to pay them N5million as general damages for the breach of their agreement, and a further order directing PHCN to pay eight per cent per annum on that total sum due to the plaintiff, from the date of judgment to full payment of the judgment sum.

Hearing in the case before Justices Jumoke Pedro was fixed for September 12.

WONDERFUL synergy is about to play out in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State. It is a partnership for public good, and it will be between the foremost international service organisation, Rotary, and the local government council. The setting for that possibility was when Comrade Ayodele Adewale, the council chairman, played host to the Rotary International District 9110 Governor, Rotarian Kennedy Ejakpomewhe at the council headquarters in Festac Town, last week. As the chief facilitator of that visit, being the President of Rotary Club of Festac Town, I was deeply impressed by the unalloyed commitment of the two personalities to their responsibilities.

I had, early last year, written on the impressive service credentials and achievements of Comrade Adewale as a public official, comparing him with Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State. The comparison was because of their common commitment to building roads and other physical infrastructure in their area of authority. In that write up l also commended the calm, unassuming but highly cerebral presence of the local council chairman, on few occasions when l saw him at public functions. Not much had changed, as the young man still resists the urge for most public officials’ effusive swagger.

This time, Governor Kennedy’s visit put me at the ring side, and it was my first close contact with the Council chairman. While receiving his visitors, but for the fact that Comrade Ayodele sat behind the big table, you would think he is the chief marketing officer and public relations officer of the council rolled into one. He was sharing with his guests the needs of the local government, areas for collaboration, challenges and achievements of the council. He particularly mentioned health concerns and youth empowerment, as areas for collaboration, noting that Rotarians who are doctors and motivational speakers could donate some man hours for the council’s health centers and youth empowerment programmes.

The chairman also told his guests of the challenges facing the council in providing amenities for people living along the river banks. It was interesting to hear that medical doctors who work in the remote areas are better paid than those who work for the council in the city. While thanking Rotarians for the amenities and several boreholes they have sunk in the urban parts of the town, he requested a shift of emphasis to these challenged areas. After the courtesies in his office, he took Kennedy and his entourage on a tour of the council.

He showed off his primary health care facilities, including the sick bay, women and children’s ward, doctors’ consulting rooms, and the pharmacy. We heard of his partnership with private concerns for regular supply of drugs, free medical treatment, and how the doctors are organised to consult for 24 hours. He also took his guests to the new office extension, and proudly showed off his marriage registry and offices for various categories of staff. While moving from one facility to another, the chairman kept on talking of his vision for the local council, including the planned new council headquarters and accompanying five star hotels to be developed through public private partnership (PPP).

Kennedy Ejakpomewhe, a redoubtable sales man of Rotary ideals, having served rotary in several capacities before he became the District Governor in charge of clubs in Lagos and Ogun States, immediately invited the chairman to join his host club, the Rotary Club of Festac Town. He reminded him that what he preaches is no different from what he and his colleagues are doing in Rotary. He gave the chairman branded copies of the Four Way Test of the things Rotarians think, say or do, which asks the poignant questions: is it the truth, is it fair to all concerned, will it build goodwill and better friendship and will it be beneficial to all concerned.

The projects executed by the host club were also inaugurated by the District Governor with the assistance of the local government Chairman, Past District Governor Richard Giwa Osagie and assistant Governor Richard Oguai. The projects done by the Rotary Club of Festac Town included the donation of food and other provisions to members of the spinal cord injury association and another charity home, the donation of a set of oxygen masks to the council’s health center, a sowing machine and baking oven to persons trained under the club’s partnership with the district in the last rotary year.

The district Governor also promised better collaboration with the local council in the new rotary year which started on July 1. He also used the occasion to invite members of the public to donate to the Rotary foundation, which has proved to be the source of fund for many of the programmes executed by rotary across the world. He mentioned the eradication of polio as the flag ship of the many activities of the rotary foundation, and also water and sanitation programme, health and hunger initiatives, poverty eradication and micro credit, and education and community development programmes.

As members of my club were warming up for the exciting partnership with the local council, the news broke that the Labour union’s strike action averted the previous week may start this week. That unpalatable news once again put a slur to our common hope for a brighter and more rewarding future as promised by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, and l guess many of the other Governors and the President during their campaigns. As Nigerians, it is our common hope that the issue of the minimum wage will be resolved to the satisfaction of all interests; since the pursuit of peace is very dear to the rotary movement.

•This piece, published on August 2, is rerun

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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MARITIME

‘48-hour cargo clearance is working’

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• Some members of the unions arrested by Customs at Ikoyi High Court last week.

PHOTO: OLUWAKEMI DAUDU

Fresh crisis looms at ports T HERE are fears of fresh crisis at the ports, following the arrest of some Customs agents and freight forwarders by Customs men.

The Association of the Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAAFF) have threatenend to protest their members.

Importers are worried over the development which they said may result in the clearing agents not coming to work today.

They urged the Federal Government to wade into the face off The call, the importers said, became necessary to avert another crisis that may paralyse business activities at the seaports.

Their spokesman, Mr Alex Babatunde, urged the Customs and clearing agents to resolve the matter amicably to save them from paying demurrage to terminal operators.

Babatunde said freight forwarders would meet today under the aegis of Joint Action of Freight Forwarders at Festac

By Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

Town, to discuss their relationship with the Customs and other government agencies at the ports.

Customs men recently arrested and arraigned 167 persons including clearing agents and a lawyer, who was later released following the intervention of his colleagues.

The accused were charged with forgery of Customs’ documents, concealment of prohibited items in containers and obstruction of officers and men of the Tin-Can Island Command from performing their duty.

Babatunde said: “There is an urgent need for the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar to call a meeting of stakeholders that would resolve the crisis between Customs and clearing agents in the interest of peace and the nation’s economy.

“Although the judge, Justice Mohammed Idris granted all of them bail. The 167 people, were arrested by a combined team of Customs officers and detained at various police stations across

Lagos since August 10, and granted bail eight days after their rights have been violated.”

Another importer, Mr Samuel Adesida, raised the fear of congestion if the unions embark on strike over what he called unlawful arrest and detention of members of the unions.

Adesida alleged that many members of the unions under the aegis of Joint Action of Freight Forwarders (JACOFF), have vowed to ground business activities until their allegations of extortion and delay in cargo clearance against Customs are addressed by the government.

National President of ANLCA, Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu, said it is against the method adopted by Customs and Police to arrest their members.

The Council for the Registration of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CRFFN) ACT 16 of 2007, he said, was clear that such arrest is illegal.

The association, Shittu said, would seek redress over the violation of the rights of its members in a court of law.

NPA calls for electronic system

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ANAGING Direc-tor, Nigerian Ports Author ity (NPA) Omar Suleiman has said a single window electronic trade facilitation initiative will eliminate human contact and the use of discretion, which have been identified as major causes of delay in the clearance of cargo at the ports.

Suleiman said technology has brought about the need for speed.

“Shippers, importers and freight forwarders are constantly searching for more efficient ways to get their business done at the port.”

Speaking with The Nation in Lagos, the NPA boss said the electronic system would not only facilitate trade but also ensure improvement in revenue generation and help developmental plans.

Suleiman said the initiative would resolve most of the major problems confronting cargo clearing at the ports.

He said the reports on the situation at the seaports calls for a one-stop-shop that will accommodate all relevant agencies

• Suleiman

where importers and their clearing agents can clear their goods within the time limit.

He said: “For us to make our ports attractive for business, boost trade facilitation and gen-

erate more revenue, now is the time for all government agencies at the ports to embrace a single Window Electronic Trade Facilitation (WETF) programme that would put an end to unnecessary delay in cargo clearance.

Corruption needs to be eradicated at the ports to boost revenue and enhance trade facilitation.’’

He said he was not against the review of port charges as it would make the ports competitive, encourage importers and their agents since it would eliminate arbitrariness and ensure parity with ports of neighbouring countries.

The NPA boss said shipping plays a vital role in world trade.

“Without ships and transportation services that ships provide the world would not be as prosperous as it is today and many countries would not be able to participate in world trade hence the reason why the Federal Government is set to maximise the unlimited opportunities in the maritime industry,’’ Suleiman said.

OMPTROLLER-GENERAL of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi, has declared that the 48 hours cargo clearance policy of the Federal Government is working.

Dikko made this known in Lagos. He bemoaned the low level of compliance by importers and their agents.

He said: “Those complaining about the policy are those who bring in their consignment and want to shortchange the government and the service does not allow them.

“When some importers bring in 3,000 cartons of goods they will declare 200 cartons and when examination shows under declaration, the same importer will start blaming the officers in charge of delaying their goods.

“How can such cargo be cleared by Customs within 48 hours? We have those people in the system, they are there and I think they should explain to Nigerians why they are engaging in under declaration.”

Dikko made reference to an importer who brought a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser, and declared it as used vehicle just to avoid payment of duty to the government.

He told The Nation that he had no regrets for making sure that he recovers such revenue.

On smugglers, he said the service counselled them, to make them understand that they are also revenue

beneficiaries.

Payment of duty, he said, helps the government to provide and employment for Nigerians.

He said the money collected as revenue, gets to all levels of government, adding that Nigerians are revenue beneficiaries at all levels.

He wondered why importers are willing to cut corners by bringing goods into the country through the bush.

“An individual would pay duty at Cotonou where he will not be allowed to stay a minute more once he finishes paying. The same person will come back to rob his own country, a place where he belongs. It is a shame to those people that smuggle in goods. I repeat, it is a big shame to all smugglers,” he added.

He said the service has taken a large number of its officers to Bassawa and those officers are fully trained to handle AK47 rifles.

“We have just brought in 5,000 AK47s with ammunition. Our officers and men are out there and any smuggler that gets in our way will be crushed. We are all out for smugglers. There is no way I will fold my hands and allow smugglers to kill my officers. As from now on, it is a new ball game and it will be a different story next time anybody fires at any of my officers. They would fire back, so I advise those holding arms around the border to take their time, they should not try my officers and men,” he warned.

Lagos ports to handle 1m containers

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OMBINED Container traffic at the Lagos ports is expected to increase by about 43 per cent in the next two years.

Port Manager, Apapa Port Complex, Mr Joshua Asanga, disclosed this during a one day stakeholders meeting put together by the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) in conjunction with the Ports Consultative Council (PCC) and MEENO CEO Partners.

The event was put together to fashion out ways of managing the logistics and supply chain problems in Apapa and Tin-Can Island

By Uyoatta Eshiet

Ports.

Asanga revealed that the annual container traffic at Apapa and TinCan ports which stands at 700,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) is expected to hit 1million by 2013.

He said 3,200 vessels called at the two ports each with 35 million tonnes of general cargo and 250,000 vehicular cargo units yearly.

He added that the two ports host 85 per cent of the nation’s imports.

Apapa Customs records N104b

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HE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa has recorded half-year revenue of N104.69 billion.

Customs Controller in charge of the command, Comptroller Garko Adamu Yusuf disclosed this while presenting the halfyear result at Apapa last week.

The result, which is for January to June 2011, represents an increase of 22 per cent over the performance of 2010 and 34 per cent over that of 2009.

The performance in 2010 stood at N86.146 billion while that of 2009 stood at N78.148 billion.

Garko said it was made possible by strategies put in place at the Command, chief among which is industrial harmony between the command and all other stakeholders that carry out busi-

By Uyoatta Eshiet

ness in the port.

“The achievements of the Command have been predicated on its cohesive and proactive management structure, which in addition to its constant engagement of its stakeholders has helped to create synergy within the system. This synergy propelled by the articulation of a single vision has resulted in achieving very tangible rewards for the Service in general”, he said.

He disclosed that between January and June, the command recorded 48 seizures of various items with duty paid value (DPV) of N333 million, recording an increase of 134 per cent over the figure recorded during the same period last year.

Firm opens shop

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FFSHORE Shipbroker has opened an office in Ghana to serve the local and West African markets.

The company will provide consultancy and broking services in the Ghanaian market and the wider West African offshore industry from its offices in Tema.

In a statement, the company said

it will introduce knowledge transfer by apprenticeship training for local employees through the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, as well as employing support staff for the office.

Mentoring will also be provided

by Offshore Shipbrokers’ London and Aberdeen offices.

37

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

ENERGY THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Govt plans grid stability for 5,000MW T

HE Federal Government is making efforts to ensure that the power grid is firm and efficient to carry at least 5,000MW generation. This is being planned to be achieved by the end of the year with the installation of a new system control and data acquisition (SCADA), which is anticipated to be completed

by December.

These were made known to reporters by the Minister of Power, Prof.

Barth Nnaji, during the facility tour of the National Control Centre (NCC), Osogbo, which is part of the Transmission Company of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). The minister was accompanied by his Information and Communication counterpart, Labaran Maku and other government officials.

SCADA is a technology, which comprises centralised systems that monitor and control the quantity of power wheeled into the grid as well 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 enhances energy management systems (EMS). The SCADA gather operational data from all the power stations through the RTU. The NCC assured that by December the new SCADA would be operational.

Speaking in Osogbo, Nnaji, who was on a two-day facility tour of power formations in the southwest, said the essence of his visit was to make on-the-spot assessment and get first hand information on the operational states of the facilities. This,

INSIDE

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

he said, was to ensure the nation’s power supply is working and controlled effectively to serve the entire country and also to improve in the power generation, distribution and transmission.

The minister said the essence of the visit to control centre was to see how the nation’s power supply is being controlled and improved upon.

He said: “There is 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 when installed, control system would be efficient and eliminate system failure experienced by the company from time to time.

He said the SCADA installation is very imperative because the government wants to achieve 5000 megawatts (MW) generation by the end of the year and 6,000MW by 2012.

On how to achieve the 5,000MW, Nnaji said some of the generation would come from the plants of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) and some units lost in the existing assets of the PHCN, would be recovered, for instance, steam turbine (ST06) of the Egbin power plant.

“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,” Nnaji said.

The General Manager, System Operation, NCC, Jonathan Ndiagwalukwe, in his address listed the roles of the centre and challenges confronting it.

Ndiagwalukwe said: “The National Control Centre, which has been in existence since 1968, is the nerve centre of the operations of the PHCN. The major responsibilities of the centre are matching supply with de-

Shell, communities hail pact

‘Work or refund govt’s funds’

By Bidemi Bakare

•••Page 38

• ‘How to boost exploration, production’ •••Page 39 • Sunmonu

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power generation from nuclear •••Page 40

HE Shell Petroleum Devel opment Company of Nige ria Limited (SPDC) has said it is pleased with the success recorded by the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) it

signed with some oil bearing communities in Rivers State in 2006.

The GMoU is an agreement between SPDC and several communities grouped as clusters. These clusters are determined based on criteria by the state government.

At the maiden GMoU fair held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State where communities came to give account of stewardship of the GMoU funds the Managing Director SPDC and Country Chair of Shell Companies Mutiu Sunmonu said the GMoU is a unique way the company felt it could engage and work with communities in bringing sustainable development and a positive impacting change to the communities in which it operates.

OIL PRICES AUG 12 -AUG 19

Light Crude

Source: Rigzone.com

ers of the grid namely; generation, transmission and distribution sectors, majority of the challenges that confront it are related to the challenges of these sectors.

These include inadequate generation, frequency control, gas supply, system black starting, radial and fragile grid, poor performance of line protection relays, frequent tripping of critical transmission lines, transmission line redundancy and system voltage control.”

• From left: Minister of Power, Prof. Nnaji; Minister of Information and Communication, Labaran Maku and Managing Director, PHCN, Alhaji Labo Hussien, during their visit to Egbin Power Station ... at the weekend.

• Amakpe refinery:

• Agency plans

mand at all times; maintenance of grid security and reliability; co-ordination of generation and transmission outages; operation planning and real time system control; procurement of ancillary services (voltage and frequency support); dispatching of generating units; water management in the hydro stations and handling power system emergencies as well as restoring the power system in times of grid incidents.”

On challenges, he said: “Since NCC provides services to all us-

Brent Crude

Sunmonu, who was represented by the company’s Government and Community Relation Manager, East, Funkakpo Fufeyin, said SPDC and its joint venture partners have had a history of investing in social projects and programmes in many communities in the Niger Delta, stressing that the GMoU is just a way of improving on the achievements made so far in its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative.

He said under the terms of the GMoUs, communities decide and drive their development programmes while SPDC on behalf of its joint ventures only provide the funding and technical assistance to implement the programmes.

The funding, he said, is secured for five years while effort is made to ensure that the communities have stable and reliable financial structures to fully implement their community development plans.

From 2006 till date, he said the company has provided grants to 12 community clusters or cluster development board (CDB) in Rivers state with numerous development interventions and projects successfully carried out.

Some of such interventions and projects include microcredit, scholarships, innovative healthcare, water and skills acquisitions schemes.

Giving his account of stewardship, the Vice Chairman of Degema 1 CDB, one of the beneficiaries of the GMoU Ngoye Benebo, said Degema 1 comprising three cluster communities including Bille Kingdom Commu-

nity Trust, Ke community Trust and Krakrama Community Trust has been able to execute GMou projects in three major categories ranging from completed and commissioned projects, completed projects awaiting commissioning and ongoing projects.

Some of the projects the cluster has been able to successfully accomplish include the construction of a local broadcasting station, construction of a cargo boat project, provision of school desk and teachers’ tables and distribution of pipe borne water network all in Bille kingdom.

Others include an ongoing cold room project and bursary and scholarship schemes for Bille undergraduate and postgraduate students.

In Ke, the renovation of the primary school has been completed while the construction of a water tank rehabilitation treatment plant is still ongoing.

Looking forward, Benebo said the communities are soliciting for the review and renewal of the GMoU for another five years with special emphasis on capacity building.

He applauded SPDC for the new vista of relationship with communities in form of proposed investment opportunities in the marine and other sectors in keeping with the local content policy.

Other beneficiaries of the GMOU who also spoke gave good accounts of their stewardships with different testimonies of successfully completed and ongoing projects to show in their communities.

38

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

ENERGY

Amakpe refinery: ‘Work or refund govt’s funds’

A

KWA Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has advised the management of abandoned Amakpe Refineries in Eket to begin work or refund the state government’s investment in the project.

The Special Assistant (Media) to the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Essien Ndueso, in a statement said Akpabio gave the order during the weekend in Miami, Florida, United States of America (USA), saying that the state government had invested $10 million into the project as part of its contributions and commitments for the take-off of the project even though it was a private-sector driven one.

Answering questions from the state indigenes in the United States on the Amakpe project, at a business session of the annual convention of Akwa Ibom State Association of Nigeria (USA Inc.), Akpabio said if the initiators were not interested in the project again, the state government’s investment in the project should be refunded.

He explained that although approval for the project was granted by the administration of Obong Victor Attah, its operators have not found it necessary to get it off the ground many years after issuance of licence, adding that the project was a liability his administration inherited from the previous administration.

He said: “The Amakpe refinery was a private initiative that was supposed to have started way back.

The negotiations for the establishment of the project were concluded by the previous administration. But towards the tail end of the life of that administration, the state government that granted the approval instituted a lawsuit against it, demanding for the withdrawal of its 25 per cent equity from Amakpe investment. So, I inherited a liability from the previous administration right from the beginning.”

He also explained that when he took over the mantle of leadership in 2007, he revisited the case and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the operators and the state government and the level of government involvement was reviewed to the tune of $6.5million. But he, however, regretted that since that was done the operators have not made any attempt to either explore means of establishing the refinery or refund the outstanding money that they still owe the government.

“The desire to establish a refinery

dates back to the previous administration. Based on the agreement reached, the state government had paid in the total sum of $10 million into an escrow account. But the Amakpe operators withdrew the money without the knowledge of the previous administration, which led to litigation.

“This withdrawal was made without any work done at the site where the refinery was supposed to be sited in Eket and Nsit Ubium local governments. When I became governor, I called for the file and thereafter, we met with the initiators of the project and an agreement was reached. But since then, we have not heard anything from them,” Akpabio said.

He also added that out of the sum of $3.5 million that the management of Amakpe was supposed to refund to the state government only $1.5million was refunded.

He asked rhetorically why the state government would invest so much money in the project and would not want it to see the light of the day, saying that the reason why his government has invested so much money on infrastructural development was for the state to attract investors. “I am still surprised that people are blaming the state government for lack of commitment on the part of the initiators of the project,” adding “don’t forget that the project was supposed to be a private-driven one, but the state government in its magnanimity decided to provide the fund for its take-off as a way of encouraging and attracting other investors to the state to provide jobs for the teeming population of youths.”

Akpabio explained that the Amakpe issue was misconstrued by the people in the Diaspora, and advised them to always ask questions before jumping to conclusions on issues concerning their state, saying that he would not be talking about industrialization of the state if his government was not committed to the course.

He regretted that the Amakpe people were not there at the forum to state their own side of the story, saying since the issue is raising so much dust, people should tell them to come and explain and if they are not ready to commence work on the project, state government investment should be refunded. “The Amakpe people would be in a better position to state their own case and explain to us why they have not been able to build the refinery they promised the people of the state.”

• Managing Director, Nipco Plc, Venkataraman Venkatapathy (left) conducting the DPR Director Andrew Obaje round the company during, his visit to the firm in Lagos.

Ministry set to drive gas revolution, says Goni

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HE Ministry of Petroleum Resources has said it is prepared to drive the gas revolution recently launched by President Goodluck Jonathan by collaborating with host communities to protect, monitor and survey gas infrastructure and facilities.

Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Sheik Goni disclosed this at the Nigeria Gas Association (NGA) business forum in Lagos.

Goni, who delivered a paper on “Gas revolution and its implementation: Government and industry perspective” at the forum, said one of the efforts currently being made to realise this ambition is the implementation by the ministry of the Real-Time Pipeline System Surveillance (RTPSS) which is aimed at detecting, locating and quantifying pipeline leaks in real time thereby preventing severe loss of lives and properties in the event of pipeline ruptures.

He added that the instrument when combined with physical monitoring of the pipeline would enable quick intervention in the event of any pipeline upset and totally eliminate pipeline vandalism.

He said the RTPSS has reached 85 per cent completion for the gas system and 50 per cent completion for the liquid system.

The inauguration of the project for the gas system, he said, would be done in October 2011 while the

By Bidemi Bakare and Sola Adetiba

one for the liquid system is to hold by the first quarter of 2012.

He said the ministry is also prepared to implement projects aimed at monitoring in real time the facilities, production, and operations of the industry He said: “The ministry of power is putting in place projects that would help to see in real-time oil and gas production and delivery activities in some of the petroleum installations in Nigeria. This project is intended to enable the monitoring of operations in especially remote locations and to facilitate quick response in the event of system failures.”

He stated that the ministry is pleased with the gas revolution that has also recognised and

Alison-Madueke, Nnaji, others for NAEC conference

OPEC’s June crude exports up by 425,000 bpd

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PEC’s crude oil exports rose to 22.536 million barrels per day (bpd) in June from 22.111 million bpd in May, a month-on-month increase of 425,000 b/d, according to data published by the JointOrganisations Data Initiative (JODI).

OPEC biggest producer - Saudi Arabia boosted exports by 539,000 bpd to 7.378 million bpd from 6.839 million bpd in May. The June export figure is the highest since October 2008, when the export figure provided to JODI was 7.512 million bpd. But the highest figure for Saudi exports provided to JODI was 8.344 million bpd in May 2003.

According to Platts report, the data provided by individual countries to OPEC which then gives them to JODI, shows that Iraq’s monthly crude exports have consistently outpaced those of Iran

since December last year. In June, Iranian exports averaged 2.017 million b/d, broadly unchanged from May, while Iraqi exports rose to 2.273 million bpd - a post-war high - from 2.225 million bpd the previous month.

The data shows Libyan exports falling from 1.118 million bpd in January, before the start of the rebellion against the government of Moammar Gadhafi, to 981,000 bpd in February and 202,000 bpd in March. There were no Libyan crude exports in April or June, but May saw an average of 9,000 bpd exported.

Nigeria, according to the data, produced 2.446 million bpd in June and exported 2.283 million bpd, but these figures include condensates.

The figures from Venezuela showed June production at 2.775 million bpd and exports at 1.575 million bpd.

Total OPEC production rose by

767,000 bpd to 30.49 million bpd in June from 29.723 million bpd in May, with Saudi Arabia boosting output by 918,000 bpd to 9.813 million bpd from 8.895 million bpd. The June figure is the highest since April 2003 - the month after the US-led invasion of Iraq - when the kingdom said it produced 9.745 million bpd.

JODI is part of the Riyadhheadquartered International Energy Forum, which promotes dialogue between oil producing and consuming countries.

OPEC, meanwhile, using secondary source estimates, pegged its June output at 29.6 million bpd, a figure considerably lower than the JODI total.

Secondary source estimates put Nigerian and Venezuelan output in June at 2.16 million bpd and 2.41 million bpd respectively, well below the figures supplied to JODI.

identified the fertiliser, petrochemical and methanol industries as another core component for economy growth outside the power generation and distribution industry.

He said with the revolution encapsulating the development of the petrochemical sector the industries that will work with the oil and gas derivatives no doubt would eventually be developed.

According to him, the gas revolution which proposed the establishment of two world class petrochemical and fertiliser companies as well as five fertiliser blending plants, a methanol plant and a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution plant would position Nigeria as the undisputed regional hub for gas based industries such as fertilisers, petrochemicals and methanol.

• Alison-Madueke

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HE Minister of Petroleum Minister of Petroleum Re sources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke and Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji will on Thursday make policy statements on the government’s plans for the economy especially in the oil and gas and power industries at the National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC) conference which holds at the Eko Hotel and Suites at 9am.

The conference is entitled, The Impact of PIB on Nigerian Content, Gas and Power.

While Alison-Madueke delivers the keynote address, which will give highlights on government’s ongoing and planned actions in the oil sector, gas industrialisation

projects and gas to power, Nnaji will state government’s on-going plans to achieve and sustain stable power supply in the country.

Other speakers include the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr Ernest Nwapa, an engineer, who will deliver the lead paper entitled The Impact of Nigerian Content Act on Indigenous Capacity Development: The journey so far.

Governor of Central Bank, Mallam Lamido Sanusi Lamido, will present a paper on “the funding challenges in local content implementation,” while the Chief Executive, Oando Group, Wale Tinubu, will share his experience on “the prospects and challenges in Nigerian Content Act on indigenous oil companies,” and Senator Lee Maeba, former Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) presents paper on “the implication of delay in the passage of the PIB.” Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ms Bolanle Onogoruwa, will also present a paper as well as other industry operators.

Stakeholders in the organised private sector (OPS), chieftains of oil and gas industry and those of power sector, will be in attendance.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

39

ENERGY

How to boost exploration, production, by operator In oil prospecting, seismic data gathering is vital in predicting where the oil is. The sectional leader, Reservoir Characterisation Group, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Sebastine Bombarde, presented a paper at the monthly technical meeting of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE). BIDEMI BAKARE, who was at the event, reports.

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HE August technical meeting of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) was refreshing and enriching as many participants, especially those operating in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry got additional knowledge on how to enhance exploration and production of oil and gas in a very cost-effective way.

The session looked at how seismic data can be used to control the properties of the reservoir to aid the whole process of oil exploration and production.

In his presentation entitled Appropriate and impactful use of seismic attributes in reservoir modelling, the sectional leader, Reservoir Characterisation group of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Sebastine Bombarde, said because of the importance of seismic data,

companies such as Chevron have had to create underground models to be able to successfully locate where oil is.

He stated that getting the data alone, as research has shown, may not be all that is required to make better decisions along the exploration process, advising that there is a need to determine when it is appropriate to use or not to use this data.

According to him, a technology tool like the Reservoir Properties From Seismic (RPFS), may be the saving grace.

He said: “Today’s presentation is so apt in the sense that it looked at how seismic data can be used efficiently. Seismic data as we are all aware is the data acquired on the oil field to control the properties of the reservoir. Seismic data is one data that guides wells to tell where

the sand is because the oil is always in the sand.

“This data, which may be called a soft constraint, tells us whether there is oil in a well or not. But for this data to be able to add value to exploration by predicting sand location and quality there is always the need to determine how appropriate its use would be to the exploration work. This is where I think the RPFS comes in.

“This is the science of using the seismic data to predict reservoir sand and quality. One must understand that it is not because you have seismic data and that it looks good that you are going to make the right decisions from it.

“Seismic may be the first step in the exploration but the RPFS helps us focus on where to go next. And because the seismic data typically sets out hundred kilometres in

width, this helps to provide better locations for the well and to quantify how much oil there before starting production.

He said the RPFS helps in getting the level of uncertainty that goes with exploration for the right investment to be made.

“Every exploratory effort has its own level of uncertainty. We have to know this level of uncertainty.

As a matter of fact, we have to know whether the level is much or not. It is important we know this, to be able to spend the appropriate amount of money to develop the field. If the uncertainty is not much, then we will know we don’t have to spend much money but if there is a lot, we would understand we have to spend much,” he said.

Elaborating on the RPFS, Bombarde said a 2D or 3D seismic attributes may either be exploited to determine sand quality, size and porosity depending on the condition on ground.

He said: “In a sand/no sand situation a 2D seismic attributes is frequently used while 3D may occasionally be used. When considering porosity a 2D seismic attributes may be used but 3D is rarely used. While the 3D helps in properties simulation the 2D takes care of the amplitude and real mean square (RMS).

“What all of these translate to, is that when you are looking for oil you have to find the sand because

the oil is in the sand. You need to get the size of the sand. That is, how big it is and finally how dense it is.

The porosity too basically tells us how much oil can be captured in that volume of rock.

“By quantifying these parameters one can have a better feeling of how much oil is on the ground and even at 100 or 10,000 feet. This no doubt makes it possible to make right business decisions on production.”

He added that the RPFS which is one way of using the seismic data to add value to prospecting however requires a lot of experience and knowledge to make it work.

“If the RPFS is appropriate it can be used for a specific field but if not the value would have to be artificially added before it can be used. I think this can only be possible provided the operator has high degree of expertise and knowledge in this area and this may likely have a big impact on the cost of production,” he said.

He disclosed that the RPFS may not be applicable to 4D seismic as 4D attributes are only meant for monitoring of the reservoir with time and not to predict.

Commending the country for its giant strides in seismic acquisition and processing, Bombarde said there is still need for more support, funding and leverage for exploratory work effort so that we can be assured of making better decisions on oil production.

Investors to showcase competence at power expo

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• Oil platform

Oil price falls on weak demand fears

O

IL prices fell on Friday, extending the previous session’s plunge, on renewed fears of weak demand following a slew of dull data from the world’s top oil consumer, the United States.

According to Reuters, Brent slipped to as low as $106.05, after breaking below the 200-day moving average to settle at $106.99.

Prices dropped 70 cents to $106.29.

The contract has slipped more than nine per cent this month, the worst since a 15 per cent drop in May 2010.

U.S. crude slipped to as low as $80.66 a barrel and traded $1.31 a barrel lower at $81.07. The contract slipped nearly six percent to settle at $82.38 and has lost 15 percent so far this month, the steepest since December 2008.

“This short-term downturn is not done yet. It could take WTI to as low as $75. The fundamental picture is not that bad but if the overall economy remains weak it is very hard to make a case for a bull run in oil,” said Tony Nunan, a risk manager with Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan.

“What could turn the situation around is if OPEC tightens supply.

The question is at what price trigger it will do that.”

Brent oil could extend the current

fall to $105.24 per barrel, while U.S. oil is expected to slide more to $78.85 per barrel, as the bearish momentum is strong, said Reuters market analyst Wang Tao. The Reuters-Jefferies CRB, a global benchmark for commodities, fell more than two percent on Thursday - its largest daily decline since August 8, when energy, metals and agricultural markets slumped following the Standard & Poor’s downgrade of the U.S. triple-A credit rating.

Investors continued to flee riskier assets in favour of safer havens amid the turmoil, with gold prices hitting record highs on Friday, while Asian stocks tumbled as much as four percent.

The selling came after data showed factory activity in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region in August fell to the lowest level since March 2009. The data from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank is viewed as a forward-looking indicator of national manufacturing.

An unexpected fall in existing US home sales in July and a greaterthan-expected rise in new claims for jobless benefits in the latest week added to growing fears that the US economic recovery could stall and slide into recession.

“The threat of a double-dip

recession is made all the more real by the belief that policymakers have few options left in their toolboxes to boost the economy.

Developments in the oilproducing countries of Libya and Syria could also change the direction of the market, analysts said.

Libyan rebels seized an oil refinery in the city of Zawiyah and took control of Sabratha further west on the main highway from Tripoli to Tunisia on Thursday, further isolating Muammar Gaddafi’s stronghold.

“The situation in Libya is looking like the beginning of the end. Actual supplies will take some time to come on to the market, but if there is peace and a chance for supplies to return there could be a surprise to the downside,” said Nunan.

The U.S. and European Union called on Syrian President Bashar alAssad to step down on Thursday and U.S. President Barack Obama banned U.S. imports of Syrian oil as part of a wider sanctions effort.

The impact on global oil markets from a potential shutdown of Syria ‘s 380,000 barrels per day oil industry would be relatively small compared to the impact of a supply loss from Libya. Around 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd) of Libyan crude production has been cut by a sixmonth civil war.

HE pre-qualified investors who bid for acquisition of assets in the planned privatisation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) have the opportunity to showcase their technical competence and financial muscle at the upcoming Nigeria Power Expo scheduled for next month in Abuja.

The event holds at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja from September 12 to 15.

Managing Director, BKG Exhibitions Limited, organisers of Nigeria International Power Expo and Conference, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, said it is important for the pre-qualified bidder to come and exhibit at the conference and showcase other projects they have accomplished in other countries and also meet with industry operators, supervising agencies and government officials one-on-one.

He said participating in relevant sector-based expos, exhibitions and fairs, organised in Nigeria has been identified as one of the sure ways of assessing their competence by all the stakeholders.

In a chat with reporters, Agwu said some of the challenges of the already sold government companies would have been

avoided if the window of opportunities offered to assess their pedigree by more stakeholders as provided by exhibitions were utilised.

He said: “Active and regular participation in expos and exhibitions remains one of the ways in which pre-qualified investors into government companies billed for privatisation could further showcase their competence before more stakeholders other than the bodies supervising the privatisation process; which will in no small measure lead to better and informed assessment.

“The forthcoming third edition of the Nigeria International Power Expo and Conference offers such good opportunity, he pointed out, stressing that the hosting of the event at this period when the bids of some investors have been prequalified offers the privatisation agencies a good platform to invite those companies to showcase their pedigree to both the agencies and other relevant stakeholders in the country. The regulatory agencies, other key agencies and parastatals in the sector, state governments, local and foreign power companies are taking part in this edition, Agwu said.

Ghana signs oil, gas pact with PetroSaudi

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HANA National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabian firm - PetroSaudi International to jointly explore, develop and produce oil and gas and related services in Ghana.

Ghana, Africa’s newest crude producer began pumping oil last December from its Jubilee oilfield operated

by UK energy company - Tullow Oil. GNPC and PetroSaudi will explore JVs in oil and gas exploration, devel-

opment and production; oilfield services and infrastructure.

According to Reuters, the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation Mr Nana BoakyeAsafuAdjaye said currently, it is a broad MoU for collaboration and we are now going to work out the specific areas to be covered and all the other details.

Ghana said last week it has also planned to borrow $800 million from the state owned China Development Bank to develop its natural gas infrastructure.

40

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

ENERGY

Agency plans power generation from nuclear

N

OTWITHSTANDING the growing skepticism about nuclear power, the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) has said it hopes to generate electricity from nuclear power plants, which is expected to be ready by the end of 2020.

The commission said with the backing of the Federal Government it is prepared to successfully implement the nuclear power programme with the strategies being put in place.

Chairman of the commission, Dr Franklin Osasai, who gave this hint said nuclear power could be a reliable alternative source of electricity if the right approach is exploited to mitigate the challenges associated with it.

He said the commission is partnering relevant agencies and commissions toward the realisation of the target.

He said: “We are doing everything within our powers to enhance nuclear energy in the country. As a matter of fact, we are trying to position the country in a way that it can begin to exploit nuclear technology for the generation of electricity. In making this possible we are carrying along every stakeholder in the project.

“For instance, we think that if we are to successfully execute the nuclear programme, the Ministry of Power should be actively involved. Though the commission may be the driver of the project but building a nuclear power plant for electricity generation would surely require the ministry’s support and guidance as this is its mandate.

That explains why we are appointing an ex-officio of the ministry to be part of the commission so that there won’t be any policy disconnect.

“Besides, we are also setting up a nuclear implementation committee where all stakeholders would participate to ensure that we achieve synergy in programming and planning for the nation to benefit from a successful nuclear power programme. The plan is that in another 10 years, before the end of 2020, we should be able to generate electricity from nuclear power plant although this depends on a large number of factors. But for us, we are taking all these into considerations and that is why we are working with all relevant stakeholders for us to achieve the same purpose.

“We think that whatever we want to achieve as regards nuclear power, there should be an integrated way of looking at all the factors and issues that pertain to it and this is simply what the commission is doing,”

By Bidemi Bakare

he said.

He said the commission is equally investing in human capacity development to enhance the implementation process of the nuclear programme.

He stated that with the interest shown by Nigerians in nuclear science and engineering and the commission’s desire to develop their capacities realising the 2020 target of generating electricity from nuclear power plants is surely a huge possibility.

He said: “First of all, I must say that every young Nigerian wants to see himself participate in national development. He considers participating in the nuclear energy sector for instance as a way of contributing to the development of this country. This has been reflective in number of those who showed interest in prospective trainings in nuclear science. In 2009, for instance, when we advertised that we needed 40 people for a three-month intensive training programme which is more like a post graduate diploma in nuclear science and engineering, 1,700 applied.

“We short-listed and invited 700 of them to participate in the aptitude test and finally picked the 40 who came top in the test. This year again we needed just 50 but 4,680 applied. Out of these applications it may be gratifying to note that about 400 of them had first class in various fields.

“We have short-listed about 1,800 to write the aptitude test. So, I think what this tells us is that Nigerians are all genuinely interested in nuclear science and engineering.

On our part we are ready to develop their capacities so that they can contribute their quotas and play huge part in the implementation of the nuclear power programme.

“The government is putting resources too to develop the youth for this purpose. By 2020, we should be able to have those who would be capable enough to maintain and sustain the nuclear programme for electricity generation.”

Osasai added that the commission is also poised to develop the capacities of the trainers who according to him are not sufficiently in place.

Before now he said some had been sent overseas for training but the number that returned back to the country appears not to be sufficient enough to implement a sustainable human resource development.

Domestic prices of petroleum products Companies

PMS

AGO

DPK

Conoil

65.00

160.00

140.00

AP

65.00

160.00

140.00

Total

65.00

160.00

140.00

Oando

65.00

160.00

140.00

Mobil

65.00

160.00

140.00

Texaco

65.00

160.00

140.00

Energy

65.00

160.00

140.00

Fagbems

65.00

160.00

140.00

Nipco

65.00

160.00

140.00

INDIGENOUS

• Part of Olorunsogo power plant

Siemens gets order to build power plants

S

IEMENS Energy said it has re ceived two orders from Thai land for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of combined cycle power plants. Siemens is to build Chana Block 2 in the province of Songkhla and Wang Noi Block 4 in the vicinity of Bangkok together with its Japanese partner Marubeni.

A statement by the company’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Siemens Nigeria, Olusegun Akinlabi, said Chana Block 2 will be the first single-shaft power plant built in Thailand based on the Siemens field-proven design whereas WangNoi will be of multi shaft configuration. Purchaser is the state-owned utility Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). The two power plants, each with an installed capacity of approx 800 megawatts (MW), are scheduled to come on line in the summer of 2014. The total investment volume amounts to approximately USD1 billion, with more than half for the Siemens scope of supply. The two associated long-term maintenance contracts for Siemens will be signed at a later date.

“Thanks to the state-of-the-art technology, the two plants will set new benchmarks in Thailand in terms of environmental compatibility and efficiency,” said Lothar Balling, head of gas turbine power plant solutions at Siemens Energy. “The two power plants will also be characterized by their high efficiency, operating flexibility and economy.”

Thailand is the largest per capita power consumer in Southeast Asia

and currently has an installed power plant capacity of approximately 39 gigawatts (GW). Because of the high consumption, above all in the steel, textiles and rubber industry, power demand is increasing there at an annual rate of as much as 3.5 percent. Against this background the Thai government is planning to increase the country’s total installed power plant capacity to 52 GW by 2020. With a share of just less than 70 per cent gas-fired power plants today account for the major share of Thailand’s power generating capacity. Experts anticipate that gasbased power generation in Thailand will increase annually by approximately five percent by 2015.

Over the past 35 years Siemens has successfully implemented a large number of power plant orders in Thailand, such as the Chon Buri IPT project, Chana Block 1, Bang Pakong Block 5, and Glow Phase 5 combined cycle power plants. As recently as February 2011, Siemens posted several orders from Thailand for the supply

of 20 industrial gas turbines. Siemens is to build the natural-gasfired power plant Chana Block 2 as an extension to the Chana Block 1 plant using the Siemens fieldproven single-shaft concept – for the first time in Thailand – in which the main components are arranged on one shaft. In addition to the Engineering, Procurement and Construction, Siemens will supply the main components, namely an SGT5- 4000F gas turbine, an SST5-3000-series steam turbine, an SGen5-2000H generator, the entire electrical equipment, an SPPA-T3000 I&C system, and the ancillary and auxiliary systems. Marubeni will be responsible for supply of the heat-recovery steam generator, the main transformers and switchgear, and for erection and installation of the overall plant.

The Wang Noi Block 4 combined cycle power plant is to be built in the vicinity of Bangkok as an extension to the existing complex Wang Noi Blocks 1 to 3.

Venezuela has world’s largest oil reserves, says OPEC

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HE Organisation of Petro leum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has stated that Venezuela has world’s largest oil reserves, even exceeding those of OPEC’s top producer, Saudi Arabia.

Oil production in Venezuela is under the control of the stateowned Petróleos de Venezuela, (PDVSA).

Energy prices Energy & Oil Prices OIL ($/bbl) PRICE* CHANGE % CHANGE TIME Nymex Crude Future 82.26 -0.12 -0.15% 08/19 Dated Brent Spot 109.53 2.60 2.43% 08/19 WTI Cushing Spot 82.26 -0.12 -0.15% 08/19 OIL (¢/gal) PRICE* CHANGE % CHANGE TIME Nymex Heating Oil Future 290.45 2.97 1.03% 08/19 Nymex RBOB Gasoline Future 284.12 5.80 2.08% 08/19 NATURAL GAS ($/MMBtu) PRICE* CHANGE % CHANGE TIME Nymex Henry Hub Future 3.94 0.05 1.23% 08/19 Henry Hub Spot 3.99 0.01 0.25% 08/19 New York City Gate Spot 4.20 0.02 0.48% 08/19 ELECTRICITY ($/megawatt hour) PRICE* CHANGE % CHANGE TIME Mid-Columbia, firm on-peak, spot 33.92 -0.53 -1.54% 08/19 Palo Verde, firm on-peak, spot 39.79 -1.04 -2.55% 08/19 BLOOMBERG, FIRM ON-PEAK, DAY AHEAD SPOT/ERCOT HOUSTON 84.25 -27.75 -24.78% 08/19 Source: Bloomberg.com

Petroleum Intelligence Weekly lists PDVSA as the world’s fourth largest oil company, due to its proven reserves, production, refining and sales, MercoPress news agency reported.

PDVSA has been roiled by a pension scandal where millions were lost when they were invested in a Madoff-type Ponzi scheme overseen by Francisco Illarramendi, a Connecticutbased hedge fund manager with joint U.S.-Venezuelan citizenship, who used to work as a U.S.-based advisor to PDVSA. PDVSA revenues underwrite many of the progressive social programs of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Concerned about the ongoing effects of the global recession on the national economy, President Chavez had said he would repatriate $11 billion in gold reserves held in overseas banks and diversify the nation’s fiscal reserves away from Western nations and into emerging economies like China, Russia and Brazil.

Venezuela’s gold reserves of $18.3 billion represent two-thirds of the country’s total reserves, with $11.1 billion currently held in foreign banks and the remaining $7.2 billion residing in Venezuela’s Central Bank.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

41

HEALTH THE NATION

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) is an option for assisting infertile couples. But, when it failed after some attempts, what should a couple do, especially the woman? Clinic Manager, Nordica Fertility Centre, Mrs Tola Ajayi, tells OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA the way out of the challenge.

‘IVF success stories are hope for others in waiting’ T

WICE one has tried to conceive through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF); no luck. But businesswoman Mrs Riskat Abdullahi, 47, is preparing for a third attempt. She is encouraged by the success stories of others she has seen. Not that she is financially buoyant, but the fact that she has an understanding and supportive husband, a 49-year-old teacher, keeps her hope alive.

Aside the dredge that the failed IVF attempts have dug in her family purse; the emotional stress is another concern.

The Clinic Manager, Nordica Fertility Centre, explained the underlying factors.

She said when a couple have undergone multiple IVF cycles and are yet to take home a baby, naturally, frustration and cynicism set in and they may have feelings of giving up. Yet, they may not have received a “full” work-up, which may vary from one fertility centre to another. Some may simply continue doing the same thing. The most likely

answer would be to change their medication protocol to try and optimise the IVF stimulation. Even with this, there is yet much that we can’t explain as to why some do not get pregnant.

“Yes, sometimes a change in protocol can be the answer, but not in all cases.

Sometimes, decision must be made vis-avis using own eggs or donor eggs, even sometimes using donor sperm. The sperm parameters sometimes can be terrible that the use of donor sperm must be considered.

“Some centres may do a blood panel to check coagulation patterns, and if there’s an abnormality, then Heparin and baby aspiring may be prescribed and possibly help with some embryo implantation issues. Whether beneficial or not, MTHFR mutation is sometimes checked and if abnormal, high dose folic acid (Folgard) is given with or without checking for homocysteine levels by some physicians. Of

more controversy, immunological factors can be measured through serum analysis, such as Natural Killer Cells (NKa) and if abnormal, then IVIG or Intralipids are given. IVIG is a blood derived product and is the IV medication routinely used for these patients. There is primarily a theoretical risk that a blood borne infection may occur with IVIG. An unproven commodity, intralipids, in my opinion, works as well as IVIG without the cost.

“Others may perform surgery via laparoscopy to look for endometriosis which may be a culprit for diminishing, egg quality and decreased success rates.

There is some evidence and clinicians may agree that burning the endometriosis may temporarily give better pregnancy outcomes. Even if examined before, uterine cavity re-evaluation with a hysteroscopy has, at times, yielded surprising finding of polyps.”

Mrs Ajayi said male issues are also con-

•Mrs Ajayi

sidered in such scenarios. Two common clinical sperm assays that are commonly used are the Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay (SCSA) and Sperm DNA Decondensation Test (SDD), which can help determine if sperm is a significant issue and whether or not donor sperm is needed. L-Carnitine, the active ingredient in many male fertility supplements, is one of the few vitamins that have been noted to particularly help sperm’s motility.”

Hope rises for air ambulance service

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HERE is a ray of hope for the take-off of air ambulance services for air lifting patients requiring such services in the country.

The Flying Doctor Nigeria, the only specialist air ambulance service provider in Nigeria, has held a meeting with the Nigerian Airspace management Agency (NAMA) to discuss the clearing/navigational procedures for air ambulance journeys.

NAMA reiterated its support for the work of the group, stating that clearance for air ambulance transport has always been and must continue to be a priority.

According to the Director of operations, NAMA, Alhaji R.O. Raheem, “The

Stories by Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

purpose of the airspace authority is to protect life and property, the only instance we would prioritise anything over an air ambulance journey, would be the case of an aircraft in distress.”

Speaking at the meeting with NAMA, an helicopter pilot/medical physician, , Dr Ola Orekunrin, said: ‘Our relationship with the airspace authorities is absolutely essential.

And we appreciate their support and guidance, especially with regard to our safety profile. They are a brilliant example, a government authority working effectively and efficiently

for the good of the nation.”

Orekunrin, who is also the managing director, the Flying Doctors Nigeri, added that his group is the leading air ambulance provider in Nigeria with clientele across the oil and gas, manufacturing and construction industry.

“Their skilled team of specialist flight physicians save hundreds of lives every year. Supported by NAMA, they are able to achieve response times of as little as 10 to 20 minutes.

“Majority of rescue missions take place within the country, moving critically ill patients from more remote areas to landing sites at their partner hospitals across Lagos and Abuja,” said Orekunrin.

•Raheem and Orekunrin at the meeting

NHIS, MDGs Office partner for kids, women

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•From left: Managing Director, Jaykay Pharmacy Limited Mr Jimi Agbaje; Chairman PSN, Lagos State Mr Akintunde Obembe and National President PSN Mr Azubike Okwo, during PSN Pharmacy Week in Lagos.

HE Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Office in the Presidency is partnering with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to ensure adequate cover for children under the age of five and expectant mothers in 12 of the 36 states.

Southsouth Zonal Co-ordinator, NHIS Prince Nassir Ikharo made this known at a workshop organised by the Scheme for police at the Bayelsa State Command in Yenagoa.

On implementation of the scheme so far, Ikharo said the MDGs Office was providing the necessary funding through NHIS to finance access to health care services by registered expectant women and children under five.

The beneficiary states are Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Katsina, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Sokoto and Yobe. The Zonal Coordinator stated that these states were se-

lected based on the assessment of their health indices in relation to their contribution to the poor national averages.

He also said the money paid to participating primary health care centres have enabled the health care facilities to improve on health care service delivery through availability of drugs and hiring of additional personnel.

Asked why NHIS has not extended the insurance cover beyond the Federal employees to the rural community where it is most needed. He said: “The blueprint for implementing the Scheme’s Community Health Insurance programme is ready and it will be flagged off very soon. This will take care of the rural community people and urban self employed.”

He also explained that other programmes of the scheme include that of voluntary contributor, retirees, tertiary institution and vulnerable groups’ programmes.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

HEALTH

Health Tourism With Dr Dheeraj Bojwani e-mail: indiasodel@gmail.com

•Olaleye flanked by Business Development Manager, Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, Mr Dayo Fowe and a multinational speaker, Patricia Omoquie, at the briefing by Wish for Africa.

NGO plans walk in UK A NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisation (NGO), Wish for Africa, is planning to stage a walk in London to bring more gains to Nigeria.

The annual five-Mile Charity Walk tagged ‘Walk4Wish’ is scheduled for Saturday, August 20, 2011 in the Southeast area of London in the UK. The Walk is being organised to raise awareness among Nigerians living in the UK about the charitable works of the NGO, set up by Dr Femi Olaleye.

The event will be used to raise funds for its various health care projects in the country for the benefit of the underprivileged who suffer daily due to lack of access to affordable health care.

This year’s edition is the fourth and it is being organised in partnership with the Central Association of Nigerians in the United Kingdom (CANUK).

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

Over 500 participants are expected to take part in the walk.

The Mayor of Greenwich and the Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK are some of the expected guests taking part in this year’s walk.

According to Olaleye, Wish For Africa has been encouraging doctors and nurses/midwives working in the Diaspora (UK and the US) to volunteer their time and skills in offering subsidised treatments at the health centres supported by the NGO. The medical practitioners also offer training and skills transfer to doctors and nurses across these centres in Nigeria. It is hoped that many of such volunteers shall be recruited during the Walk4wish event.

Walk4Wish 2011 is supported

by Arik Air, Best Western Ikeja Lagos Hotel, Nordica Fertility Centre Lagos, Ovation Magazine, BEN Television (UK) and a host of others.

Wish For Africa has been in the forefront of the campaign for cervical cancer screening in Nigeria and the NGO’s efforts received a massive boost this year when the First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Fashola, made a substantial donation to support the fight against cervical and breast cancer through mass screening of women across Lagos State. Ovation Magazine, UBA Foundation and the River State Sustainable Development Agency are notable sponsors of Wish for Africa’s projects.

Dr Olaleye, a Diaspora returnee/brain gain, established Wish For Africa while working as a medical practitioner in the UK.

Regular health checkups in India

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OOD health is the foundation of a happy, productive and rewarding life. The modern lifestyle symbolises excessive stress and strain. Extended working hours, irregular eating habits, late night/weekend parties, and inadequate rest, coupled with high level of pollution, are bound to cause health-related problems. To meet the growing demands of the competitive world, most of us tend to ignore our health until we are compelled to confront a medical complication. To cope up with a rising risk of the medical disorders, health monitors have become mandatory. After all, most health problems can be managed more effectively if detected early.

According to our ancient scriptures, the human body is a temple in which the soul lives. It is, therefore, our duty to keep our body healthy and physically powerful.

And we all need to know, the biggest killer in the world today accounting for almost 80 per cent deaths worldwide is not war, disease, natural calamities or accidents; the biggest killer is “LIFESTYLE”. Thus, it should be our endeavour to prevent an illness from occurring and getting on the path to wellness. To take appropriate action, all that is required to do is to get yourself checked with your medical practitioner at least once in a year.

Dr Dheeraj Bojwani said: “Health is the best thing in this world. He who has good health has nothing more to wish for. Without good health, one can hardly expect success in any walk of life. To remain fit throughout the journey of your life you need to have knowledge of the state of your health and the various ailments that may crop up at different stages of your life. Most of the diseases are silent. You often do not have any early symptoms.

Hence preventive health checkup and tests are the only way for early detection.”

Your health may be at a risk if you are:

•Minister of Health Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu (right) presenting the Lamido of Adamawa, Aliyu Musdafa a gift when he visited the monarch.

DO YOU KNOW THAT...

T

HE prostate is a small organ found only in men.

Only men can develop prostate cancer and the risk of getting it increases with age.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men world wide, including Nigeria.

Nine out of 10 cases occur in men

over 50 years.

Prostate cancer occurs more commonly in black men.

Early stages are symptomless, but may progress to difficulty in passing urine, dribbling urine, frequency and a feeling of not having emptied your bladder completely.

Early detection saves lives.

What can you do to reduce your risk?

All men aged 45 and above should see their doctor annually for physical examination and blood test (PSA) -Prostate Specific Antigen.

•Source PathCare Nigeria

•Obese, stressed, a smoker , suffering or having a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, or chronic indigestion; losing weight; facing low tolerance for exercise or are unable to maintain adequate physical activity; have a computer job that restricts your activity and alters your posture.

At this point, the value of preventive health checkups should be understood. Preventive healthcare involves measures taken to identify and minimise risk factors for disease, improve the course of an existing disease and screening for early detection of disease. A balanced diet, regular moderate to vigorous exercise and early detection of potential health problems are the recipe to good family health. Preventive care experts say that with the periodic examination they not only can detect disease early but also sometimes stop it before it starts.

Why is preventive health care so crucial?

Some diseases like cancers cannot be cured if they are diagnosed at an advanced state while some disorders like heart disease may result in sudden death without any previous warning signs. Prevention, in such cases, is not only better than cure but is often the only option for a healthy life.

Modern lifestyles don’t leave people with quality time for healthy routines.

It then becomes necessary that periodic health checkups be done for early detection of risk factors and diseases.

Dr Bojwani further adds: “We have about 10 patients monthly that come to India specifically for “Full Body Checkups”. Results for almost all of them indicate a silent medical condition of which they have been totally unaware of. Onece diagnosed the patients are then counselled about it. They start managing their lifestyle with eating habits, relaxation exercises and disciplined routine which benefits them to a large extent. Some require medical attention as well which they follow-up under their local physician under guidelines prescribed by Indian doctors. And out of every 10 patients, at least two patients require surgery.

Most of the diseases are “silent”, We often do not have any early symptoms. Hence regular screening tests are the only way for early detection.

Diseases, such as diahigh cholesterol, heart diseases etc are quite debilitating. They seriously impair normal life and if left untreated, lead to complications and may even cause death.

Fortunately, these diseases can be easily prevented and even fully cured if detected early. Some of these diseases can be ‘managed’ so that you can lead a near normal life. All that you need to do is to make slight modifications in your lifestyle, eat regularly and responsibly, exercise, avoid stress, and sleep well. Regular health check – ups coupled with these lifestyle changes, can go a long way in the prevention, early detection and cure of these diseases.

Preventive Health Checkups at 50 We all know “prevention is better than cure”. If you are around or above 50 years and care for your long-term well-being, it’s essential that you go through a proper preventive health check once a year. Research all over the world has proven that it is more economical to invest in preventive health care rather than to think of a hospital only in times of distress.

More than the cost, it is about the sheer joy of living a happy life without having to worry about one’s health. A proper and comprehensive preventive health check will conduct a range of medical tests and help you; •Find out how healthy are various organs of your body and if your lifestyle is leading you towards a potential disease •Discover what you can do to avoid risks of such a disease •Learn how you can enjoy good health yearly and not become a victim of lifestyle diseases.

Dr. Bojwani is the Chief Executive of Forerunners Healthcare Consultants Pvt Ltd, India’s Pioneer Medical tourism organisation.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

43

HEALTH

Lagos re-strategises on health T

HE Lagos State Ministry of Health is set to revamp its human, infrastructural and capital resources for a more responsive health care delivery.

This is a deliberate way of consolidating on the first term achievements of Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola.

According to the Commissioner of Health, Dr Jide Idris, health care delivery is about the caregivers, consumers (patients) and the infrastructure, hence the present administration is positioned to serve the people of Lagos State better.

He said some of challenges faced by the state hospitals and even the Lagos State University teaching Hospital (LASUTH) were largely created by some scrupulous people in the employment of the state, via, the Health Ministry.

“Since the state is on the Governor’s mind 24 hours, and he is working round the clock, we are attempting at having a look at the health care plan and policy of the state, for a more service-oriented, health personnel satisfaction and resource derived and management approach,” said Idris.

“Part of our strategy has always been to put the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in top shape, to decongest LASUTH, which can then focus on its responsibilities as a tertiary hospital. Many of the cases being brought to LASUTH are supposed to have been catered for at the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and General Hospitals. For we know that curative care takes about 25 per cent of health care demand. Preventive medicine

Stories by Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

and maintenances take the rest.”

“We should bear in mind that the Mother and Child Centres (MCC) put in place to absolve the diversion of antenatal care and child care in the state are already beaming at the helms, due to the reconstruction of Ayinke House at LASUTH. “And that is a measurement of the Health Sector Reform, which will involve the redefinition of roles of government in the health sector; broadening of health financing options; application of best practice techniques and institution of business processes; and the enhancement of technological capacity. For the various cadres in the sector, the renovation of the staff quarters at Lagos, Epe and Badargy General Hospitals is to further complement the staff welfare intervention programmes with the goal of enhancing staff productivity.

“Government will continue to pursue with vigour its preventive health care programmes including breast cancer, hypertension and diabetes; cervical cancer among others, just new ones such as anti-smoking, hand washing, mental health and road traffic accident will be introduced,” said Idris.

The commissioner also said the ministry is ready to renovate mortuaries at Epe, Badagry and Isolo General Hospitals to facilitate best practices in those hospitals.”

Idris pointed out that the establishment of a Social Health Insurance Scheme will help to institutionlise a

Foundation holds training

•Fashola

•Idris

cally an upgrade of the mobile clinics the state started with extra features such as defibrillator, monitoring equipment, extra stretchers and wheel chairs and neck collars among others.

According to him, “these ambulances just like the other MICUs in the state kitty have improved capacity over the old mobile clinics with enhanced features including Twin Cross main stretcher with matter, belts and floor fastener; two Oxygen cylinders of 100 litres each; Scoop Stretcher; Twice foldable reserve stretcher; extrication device; Collar Cerviflex; Ventilator Spencer 170; Emergency Case Circulation; Accu Vacu Suction Pump; and Sphygmomanometer” He expressed optimism that the latest addition would go a long way in ensuring that the state government achieves its objective of hav-

ing a robust accident emergency response team to act swiftly and reduce the number of people that die from accident-related causes because of lack of prompt intervention.

The commissioner stated also that the free medical missions were embarked upon to serve as alternative source of health care delivery access, especially to the people at the grassroots since government cannot wait until infrastructure, equipment and manpower championed by the health reform are ready before people have access to qualitative and affordable health care service.

Dr Idris noted that the Mission will also supplement the state government’s formal health structures at the grassroots level and provide alternative avenues of providing secondary medical care to the ailing within the time frame of operation.

Firm donates milk to 300 hospitals

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T

HE Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria in collaboration with MTN Foundation has commenced its 13th Genetic Counselling Training Course.

The event, which started on August 14, at the National Sickle Cell Centre, Ishaga Road, IdiAraba, Lagos ends on August 26.

Training of genetic counsellors has been identified as the most cost effective yet low technology strategy for initiating sickle cell programming especially in resource poor countries. Trained personnel are also best suited for running parent/patient advocacy and support groups, such as sickle

pre-paid health plan for the formal sector with the overall objective of an enhanced financial access to qualitative health services by the sector.

He reiterated government’s commitment to the provision of free community-based primary health care services by ensuring that each of the 376 political wards in the state has a minimum of one functional primary health clinic to provide access, by the indigent and vulnerable members of the communities, to basic qualitative primary health care services.

“The scaling up of the Indoor Residual Spraying exercise which will take place in Ikorodu Local Governmnet and five local council development areas; Ojo Local Government and two local council development areas; Amuwo Odofin Local Government and one local council development area; and Badagry Local Government and two local council development areas is to further engage the strategy of vector control as an integral part of the malaria control intervention thereby leading to the reduction of malaria-related disease burden.

The state has also increased it fleets of Mobile Intensives Care Units (MICUs) to 27 with the procurement of additional five MICU to boost its emergency response operations. The government’s decision was informed by the priority its accords the issue of emergency response, especially in a highly populated state such as Lagos.

Idris explained that the five new mobile intensive care units are basi-

•Chairman, Sickle Cell Foundation, Prof Olu Akinyanju

cell clubs in their communities.

Participants from all the geopolitical zones in the country are expected at the training.

Certificates will be awarded to successful participants at the closing ceremony.

O realise Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), Nutricima Plc is providing its low cholesterol Olympic milk to expectant women in 300 hospitals nationwide for three months.

The programme tagged, The Olympic Milk Hospital Partnership Programme, started at the Ikorodu General Hospital.

According to its Senior Brand Manager, Mrs Chiaka Eluchie, Under the Olympic Milk Hospital Partnership,free samples of Olympic evaporated milk will be provided to people and offer useful nutritional tips that would improve their overall well-being. Olympic Milk is a veritable vehicle for this initia-

tive as it contains essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamins A, D, Calcium, Protein, and Carbohydrates. It has high calcium content to meet the required intake for women and the elderly,” said Eluchie.

She cited research that showed consumption of milk to be of benefit in repairing worn out tissues, restoration of lost blood and energy, optimal brain performance, provision of nutrients for fresh skin and treatment of malnutrition and kwashiorkor.

“Nutricima has the support of doctors in the hospitals for the sampling that would primarily target patients with nutritional deficiencies, but also extend to other patients.

“Importantly, Olympic milk helps to maintain cholesterol at a balanced level in the body, thereby helping to promote a healthy cardio-vascular system”, Mrs. Eluchie added.

“Nurses in the selected hospitals would serve as ambassadors to educate patients on the importance of milk and the nutritional benefits they will derive from the consumption of Olympic milk that is rich and full of natural goodness. Nutricima is a joint venture owned by PZ Cussons Plc UK and Glambia Plc, Ireland. Nutricima seeks to provide nutritionally sound products that improve the nutritional and health status of consumers.

Group trains midwives, others

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O reduce avoidable deaths of women and babies as well as ensure that Nigeria achieves the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Partnership for Transforming Health Systems II (PATHS2), a programme funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development (DFID), has empowered midwives and Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) in Jigawa State with life saving skills.

This intervention by the group became necessary to support the state to bridge the gap of inadequate qualified skilled health workers, especially midwives and Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs).

The training was designed to build capacity of a core group of midwife trainers, who will support the State Ministry of Health to train CHEWs on practical life-saving skills geared towards reducing maternal and infant mortality rate in

the State.

The eight-week long training facilitated by a team of midwives from The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), which held at the Hadejia General Hospital, started with a “Clinical training of trainers” module, in which 12 midwives drawn from Primary Health Care Centres across the State, were trained. The newly trained midwives, with supervision from the ACNM midwives thereafter effectively stepped down their training to Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), most of who provide services in rural areas.

The training utilised various adult learning approaches, such as didactic lectures, group discussions and practical sessions, which helped to build the skills-set of participants in critical areas of health care delivery including competence and confidence in performing skills related to Advanced Life-Saving Skills specifi-

•Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Mrs Riskat Akiyode with children at the activation of Dettol six steps’ hand wash.

cally in supporting a woman in labor, admitting a woman in labour using the problem solving

method, care of the woman and baby in second, third, and fourth stages of labor, infection preven-

tion, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, hemorrhage and newborn resuscitation, etc.

44

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

45

NATION SPORT FOOTBALL TRANSFER...FOOTBALL TRANSFER...FOOTBALL TRANSFER...

Sneijder snubs Man City Juve offers Storari to

M

AN City have failed in a late swoop for Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder.City, at a secret meeeting last week, proposed a swap deal with wantaway Carlos Tevez but Dutch ace Sneijder said no.

Manchester City have failed in a dramatic late swoop for Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder.

A high-level meeting was held at a secret venue in Europe last week, when it was planned to agree a deal which would have taken Sneijder to City in

•Sneijder

exchange for Carlos Tevez.

But City abandoned the deal when it was made clear by the Dutch star’s representatives that he wouldn’t compromise on his massive wages of £250,000 a week.

Neighbours Manchester United had a similar problem when they tried to sign Sneijder, 27, although it is understood that United is still the club he wants to join.

Sunday can reveal that a City delegation, believed to be headed by chief executive Garry Cook, flew out for a meeting with Sneijder’s advisors immediately after Monday night’s victory over Swansea.

But they were left disappointed and dismayed after being confident a deal would be agreed.

A City source said the days of the club being held to ransom over wages were “long gone.”

A cash deal to take Tevez to Inter, though, could be resurrected if City lower their £50million asking price.

An Inter source said a reduction in the fee to between £40m and £45m could see Tevez heading for the San Siro before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

PSG fights Inter for Forlan

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IEGO Forlan may have said he’s waiting for Inter, but Paris Saint-Germain and Leonardo are preparing a surprise swoop.

The Uruguayan hitman has been pinpointed as the ideal replacement for Samuel Eto’o, who is heading to Anzhi for •27m.

Forlan’s father told newspapers that talks were already in place and they were only waiting for Eto’o to complete his sale.

However, French newspapers suggest PSG have dived in to anticipate Inter with a •10m offer to Atletico Madrid.

It would be a snub on the transfer market from Paris

Saint-Germain director Leonardo, who left the Inter bench to take that job.

B

•Ballack

J •Borriello

Borriello’s agent blasts Roma

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ARCO Borriello’s agent confirmed Roma’s decision to put him on the market was “a surprise. The club isn’t communicating with the Coach.”

It emerged over the weekend that Borriello is up for sale to make way for Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, who will be signed from Espanyol for •15m.

“While he remains at Roma, he will train at the head of the group,” said agent Tiberio Cavalleri.

“The news he was on the market was a surprise, above all considering the fact they only bought him out from Milan on June 26.”

Borriello’s representative pointed the finger at a lack of organisation within the newlook Roma.

“If the reason is tactical, then we will discuss that with the

club. There have been many rumours, but in our last meeting with director Walter Sabatini there was no clue they wanted to sell him.

“If they wanted to release Borriello, then all they had to do was leave him on the bench against Slovan Bratislava. I think the club isn’t communicating with the Coach.”

The striker was fielded for the final 15 minutes of Thursday’s Europa League tie, meaning he is cup-tied until January.

“The fact he has already played in Europe vastly limits Marco’s options on the transfer market.

Last season he scored 17 goals, he got 54 in the last three campaigns.

“On August 31 last year he turned down Manchester City and Juventus in order to join Roma, as they immediately set aside a one-year deal with a further four-year contract.”

Monaco go for Blackburn’s defender Givet •Forlan

Bayer — Ballack will stay AYER Leverkusen have assured veteran midfielder Michael Ballack that he has a future at the German club.

Ballack joined the 2002 beaten Champions League finalists last summer but has not been able to cement a place in the starting line-up yet.

The 34-year-old was left on the bench for Bayer's narrow 1-0 away victory over Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon and after the game, he left the stadium

Chelsea for Alex swap

without speaking to any journalist.

Speculation over the future of the former Germany international at the BayArena has increased, but the club's director of sport, Rudi Voller, maintains that Ballack will continue to play for them.

"We are far more relaxed about this than many people think from the outside," said Voller.

"There are other players who are not playing at the moment too, and he played last weekend anyway (in 1-0 victory over Werder Bremen).

"We definitely need everybody.

There will be times when other players will be glad of a break because they are worn out."

Robin Dutt's Bayer have made a good start to the 2011-12 league season, as they have collected six points from their opening three matches.

They finished second in the Bundesliga last campaign and will compete in the Champions League this season.

A

S Monaco are interested in Blackburn Rovers defender Gael

Givet.

The Mirror says Rovers boss Steve Kean is already -struggling for defenders and could also lose Chris Samba, who has been linked with Tottenham and Arsenal.

Givet played 178 times for Monaco during a seven-year spell that included a losing appearance in the 2004 Champions League final, and he could be open to a return.

He had a falling-out with -Blackburn when he tried to sue them for money to pay a tax bill relating to his signing-on fee.

V

during his injury lay-off.

However, Tuttosport claims it will be a last-minute scramble, as the talks could only reach a turning point from Thursday.

•Storari

Cologne eager to keep Podolski

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OLOGNE's director of sport Volker Finke on Sunday denied reports Germany striker Lukas Podolski is set to quit the Bundesliga's bottom club to join Turkish giants Galatasaray.

The 26-year-old is under contract with Cologne until June 2013 and with the transfer window set to close on September 1, Turkish news channel NTV's website has reported the German is on the verge of signing for Galatasaray.

Podolski missed Cologne's 1-1 draw with Kaiserslautern on Saturday night with a fever during the third weekend of the new German league season, but Finke said he is not prepared to let Podolski go.

"We want to keep Lukas Podolski, no ifs, no buts," said Finke after training on Sunday.

"There is neither the interest (to let him go), nor an

opportunity for talks.

"Three or four days I had a call from an alleged negotiator. "The conversation was very short."

Cologne's Norwegian coach Stale Solbakken has said he has "heard nothing" about a Galatasaray transfer from Podolski.

•Podolski

I’m close to joining AC Milan — Aquilani

•Givet

Raul: I'm staying at Schalke ETERAN Schalke striker Raul has pledged his future to the club amid speculation he was set to leave for Blackburn.

Raul met club officials this week to resolve his future after he was left out of the squad that lost 2-0 away to HJK Helsinki in the first leg of their Europa League play-off in midweek.

After Schalke turned down a bid from Blackburn for the 34year-old last week there was speculation Raul was keen on leaving after one season at the Royal Blues.

But the former Real Madrid frontman, who started in Sunday's Bundesliga trip to Mainz, denied such talk and instead claimed he was happy to remain in Gelsenkirchen for

UVENTUS could use Marco Storari as part of the deal to coax Chelsea into releasing defender Alex.

This weekend Alex stated he would “gladly accept” a transfer to Turin, but only if it was a permanent move rather than a loan.

His price-tag is thought to be around •7m and director Beppe Marotta is expected to fly out to London for negotiations.

According to Tuttosport, the Bianconeri have an ace up their sleeve, namely goalkeeper Storari.

Chelsea sent scouts to view Storari during Thursday’s Trofeo TIM tournament and need a reliable pair of hands after Petr Cech was ruled out for a month with knee ligament damage.

Storari already proved himself in this role when replacing Gigi Buffon at Juve

the final year of his contract.

"I never tire of repeating that I feel at home at Schalke," he said in a statement on the club's website.

"The affection shown to me by the Schalke fans is extraordinary and unforgettable. I'm definitively staying at Schalke and I will fulfil my contract.

"I'm fortunate to have a great family. My wife and my children and fully integrated in German life and I'm proud to be playing in the Bundesliga."

The Spaniard denied any rift with Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick and claimed he had been left out of the squad that flew to Finland to improve his fitness.

L

IVERPOOL midfielder Alberto Aquilani has admitted that he is close to joining Italian champions AC Milan.

The midfielder was not part of the Reds squad who beat Arsenal 2-0 on Saturday as he is currently on holiday in Tuscany.

His future has been up in the air but just last week the Italy international said he had no problem with staying at Anfield. However, he has now admitted that a move to San Siro is on the cards.

"I am close to joining Milan," Aquilani is quoted as saying by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Ahead of the Trofeo Berlusconi against Juventus, Massimiliano Allegri said Milan were still looking for a midfielder.

"If someone arrives then it will be better for us," the AC Milan coach said.

His side have been linked with Fiorentina's Riccardo Montolivo, but their early bid was rejected and t the Tuscan side claimed they will not be selling Montolivo to any Italian club.

This has given rise to speculation Milan have focused

their efforts on getting Aquilani.

However, reports suggest the champions are in no mood to meet Liverpool's •10 million (£8.7m) demands and don't want to pay more than •6m.

Last week Aquilani's agent Franco Zavaglia said he hoped to hold further dialogue with CEO Adriano Galliani over a move for his client.

•Aquilani

46

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

PREMIERSHIP TRANSFER...

NATION SPORT Wenger must buy —Capello Johnson dismisses exit talk Kean set to add new faces

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NGLAND boss Fabio Capello hopes Arsene Wenger will stay on as Arsenal boss - but concedes Wenger needs to strengthen the Gunners' squad before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

Wenger has come under fire this summer for letting experienced players leave Emmanuel Eboue, Gael Clichy, Denilson and Cesc Fabregas have gone - without bringing in replacements who are used to top-level

•Wenger

football.

The pressure on Wenger intensified on Saturday as a depleted Arsenal side were booed off the pitch at the end of a 2-0 defeat at home to Liverpool and, after the match, he refused to confirm he would be bringing any new players to the club.

Capello has urged the Frenchman to whip out the chequebook in order to ensure Arsenal push for a Champions League place this season.

"I hope he will stay on, I have a good relationship with him, he's a really good manager, but it's not a good moment, it's difficult after six years without a trophy for such an important club like Arsenal," Capello said on Sky Sports.

"I think he needs to buy some new players, some important players, but it's difficult to find top players at this moment, because the best players are playing with important teams, teams who want to win. I think Arsenal have got money but it's difficult to find top players to improve the team. Because if you spend the money buying normal players, it's not good, you need to spend money to improve the team."

Ferguson: We tried to sign Jones in January

S

IR Alex Ferguson has admitted that he tried to sign defender Phil Jones in January after being impressed with the player's attitude.

Sir Alex first noticed Jones last November when Manchester United hammered Blackburn Rovers 7-1, insisting that the youngster was exerting his influence on his team-mates even then.

He told reporters: "When he was playing against us in the 7-1 game, after the fifth goal he was running out and giving everyone around him stick and he was only 18 then.

I was very impressed.

"After that I tried to get him last January. We put an inquiry in but Blackburn wouldn't sell him at that time."

"He was just one that we couldn't miss," Sir Alex added.

•Jones

"He's definitely got all the parts to his game, there is no doubt about that.

"He has got the desire to play and he's a good trainer, with a great determination about him."

I know nothing of £22m Mata bid - AVB

A

NDRE Villas-Boas claims he does not know anything about Chelsea's reported £22million bid to sign Valencia's midfielder Juan Mata.

•Mata

The Blues chief was speaking after watching his side hit back from a goal down to defeat West Brom 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening thanks to second half goals from Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda.

And, following reports that Chelsea had recently failed to entice Spanish La Liga side Valencia with an initial offer of £18million for 24-year-old Mata and another £4million based on appearances, VillasBoas was playing it down.

He said: "I don't know anything about that."

Meanwhile the Portuguese tactician blamed anxiety for his Blues' players lacklustre first half display but claimed their 'talent' got them through.

"It is just the players' talent that makes the difference.

Their mental attitude for the second half was good," VillasBoas said.

B

A

DAM Johnson has dismissed rumours he is unhappy at Manchester City and stated his belief that the club can win four trophies this season.

Johnson has failed to command a regular place in the expensively assembled starting line-up at the Etihad Stadium since moving from Middlesbrough in January 2010.

The 24-year-old was linked with a temporary move away from the club over the summer with the likes of Spurs, Everton and Aston Villa linked.

However, Johnson, who started City's opening Premier League game with Swansea last Monday, is happy where he is and believes the club has a chance of winning all four of the trophies on offer this season including the Champions League.

"It's not a case anymore of when City are going to do it, we are actually doing it now," Johnson told the Mail On Sunday.

"We're definitely going into

•Johnson

four competitions thinking we can win them all.

"I know I can't play every game but as long as I play my fair share then I will be happy.

"People thought I'd be a bitpart player when I signed but I said to myself I'll show people how good I am and get straight into the team.

"I'd like to win the Premier League above anything else, including the Champions League. But we won't take anything lightly."

Halliche set for Fulham exit

M

ARTIN Jol has revealed defender Rafik Halliche could leave the club before the end of the transfer window.

The Algeria international has found his chances at Craven Cottage limited and could follow Carlos Salcido out of the club on-loan.

Jol said: "I think Halliche is a good player, better than we probably give him credit for because he could not show last year and couldn't show this year.

"But, of course, I have different players at the back good players - so there is probably not an opportunity for him to play.

"If I work hard to find something and he is working hard, I think if he can play for another club then he can raise his profile which is good for

him and good for us."

He added: "I don't expect him to leave before the end of the transfer window, but that is what Halliche hopes for and that is what I hope for."

•Halliche

E

we were a bit unlucky with Baines' free-kick.

"But if anyone is surprised and disappointed they shouldn't be because we have been saying for a year or two we could do with an injection of wide players and centreforwards.

"We are disappointed we didn't win because I thought we should have gone on and got a result."

ANCHESTER CITY want England winger Aaron Lennon to replace Shaun Wright-Phillips.

City are prepared to allow striker Emmanuel Adebayor to go to Tottenham on loan in exchange for Lennon, 24.

But the stumbling block is that while Spurs boss Harry Redknapp wants former Arsenal striker Adebayor, 27, he doesn’t want to lose Lennon.

It was thought that City may be interested in taking England striker Jermain Defoe, 28, in a swap deal for Adebayor but while Carlos Tevez, 27, remains at the Etihad Stadium that is -unlikely.

Winger Wright-Phillips, 29, is available for transfer and has caught the attention of both Bolton and Sunderland.

But City’s priority, of course, is finally clinching a £25million deal for Arsenal -playmaker Samir Nasri, 24, who they still hope to land before the transfer window

•Kean

-closes at the end of this month.

Adebayor, meanwhile, remains an outcast at the FA Cup holders and is nowhere near being part of -manager Roberto Mancini’s plans.

The Togo target man has been holding out for a move to Real Madrid, where he was on loan last season, but nothing has materialised.

•Lennon

Hodgson unsure of next move for Bednar

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•Moyes

"We're still bedding people in, and we've a young squad," added Kean. "(Captain) Ryan Nelsen also played his first game yesterday after knee surgery, and even though he's not 100% fit, I'm delighted he put himself up for playing.

"We are a little bit inexperienced, and we do need our experienced guys back, and we need them back quick.

"All being well for next week we will have Gael and Chris available which will increase the number of senior players and give us a better mix."

Aaron Lennon to replace Shaun Wright-Phillips.

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Everton needs striker, two wingers — Moyes VERTON boss David Moyes says defeat to QPR is due to a lack of key signings.

Moyes admits he needs two new wingers and a striker of they're to be competitive.

"It wasn't because QPR dominated the game and outplayed us, we had good chances to make better opportunities and didn't do so.

"Tim missed a good one and

LACKBURN manager Steve Kean is poised to add new faces to a side he is convinced will haul themselves off the foot of the Premier League.

Although only two games into the campaign, Rovers slipped to bottom in the table after slumping to a 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa.

After falling 2-0 behind inside 25 minutes to goals from Gabriel Agbonlahor and Emile Heskey, Morten Gamst Pedersen offered hope by pulling one back early in the second half.

Darren Bent, though, restored Villa's two-goal cushion and ensured the win with a thumping strike in the 67th minute to leave Kean's side without a point from two games.

Kean, though, has new signings lined up as he said: "We've had bids accepted and medicals took place at the club on Friday.

"Personal terms are being spoken about with other players, so we're confident we'll have another couple of bodies in."

Kean also pointed to the fact he was crucially missing injured defenders Gael Givet and Christopher Samba, although there are rumours the latter could join Arsenal before the transfer deadline expires.

EST Bromwich Albion boss Roy Hodgson is unsure of the next move for striker Roman Bednar.

The Czech Republic striker, who spent the final three months of last season on loan at Turkish top-flight outfit MKE Ankaragucu, has lost the No.9 shirt to new signing Shane Long and been handed No.43.

"It's unfortunate when you have to take a number from a player who has been at the club a while," Hodgson told the WBA website.

"But you must remember Roman has not really been at the club during my time here - he has returned to the club.

"It was obviously more important for me to give the number to the player I'd chosen and brought here rather than keep the number with the player who has returned to the club, who may or may not stay here.

"I didn't enjoy doing that and it's not a nice thing to have to do.

"But the fact is that at the moment Shane Long is higher up the pecking order than Roman. As a result, he got that shirt.

"Whether Roman stays or not, I don't know.

"That will depend on a lot of factors, not least of all his assessment of how many games he's going to get here."

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

47

NATION SPORT Bekele to defend world title in Daegu

•Mayweather (l) and Ortiz

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BC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz has launched a blistering attack on next opponent Floyd Mayweather Jnr, who he fights on September 17.

The unbeaten American is regarded, alongside Manny Pacquiao, as the best fighter in the world - but despite Mayweather’s celebrated reputation, Ortiz is refusing to pay him respect.

Instead, he has vowed to slowly dismantle Mayweather, who will be fighting for the first time in over

Mayweather’s finished, I’ll destroy him—Ortiz a year when he steps into the ring in Las Vegas next month.

“I’m going to destroy him, round by round, until the knockout,” Ortiz said on boxingscene.com. “I

think Mayweather has a few defeats already, but they aren’t on his record - Jose Luis Castillo and

Oscar de la Hoya beat him. He was good at 130lbs, but the day I arrived to 147lbs, he was finished.”

Shahid Afridi desperate Clijsters out of US Open to return F

T

WO-TIME defending U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters will not go for three in a row this year because of a stomach muscle injury.

Clijsters, who missed Wimbledon with an ankle injury, pulled out of a tournament in Toronto this month with a muscle strain on the left side of her stomach. In a statement Friday, she said “two weeks of rehab is not enough to heal this injury.”

Clijsters, ranked No. 3 in the world, said she also would pull out of tournaments in Japan and China in September.

Her absence leaves Serena and Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova as the headliners on the women’s side of the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 29

• Clijsters

Vinokourov in retirement rethink AZAKHSTAN’S Alexandre Vinokourov looks poised to come out of retirement and race in the season-ending Tour of Lombardy.

The Olympic silver medallist quit after breaking his leg in July’s Tour de France but he now wants to compete in Italy on October 15, with the London 2012 Games also in his mind.

“The exams revealed that I’m recovering very well from my injury after my crash in the last Tour de France. So, if everything goes well, I may compete in the Tour of Lombardy, which is the last race of the season and could be the last race to end my career,” the 37year-old said in a statement.

“This would be also a last occasion for me to contribute to increase the UCI points of Pro Team Astana and for the Kazakh Federation, in anticipation of the selections for • Astana rider Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan the Olympic (C) is carried by teammates after a fall during the Games.” ninth stage of the Tour de France 2011

K

ORMER Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has confessed that he is dying to play for the national team once again.

Speaking on a show on Geo TV, Afridi also made some scathing remarks on the resignation of Waqar Younis as Pakistan team coach after the Zimbabwe tour.

“My heart bleeds to play for Pakistan and I am dying to play for my country. I even wanted to go to Zimbabwe and hopefully at the right time I will make a comeback to the team,” Afridi said.

The flamboyant all-rounder announced his retirement from all international cricket in protest in late May after the Pakistan board removed him as captain of the national one-day team after a dispute with Waqar on the West Indies tour which was highly publicized.

Afridi has repeatedly said that he can make a comeback only when better people come into the team management.

Interestingly some cricket analysts point out that since Afridi’s retirement the entire team management of the national side has been changed and indications are

now he will return to the team soon.

Earlier this month, the board removed Intikhab Alam as manager and also changed assistant coaches, Aaqib Javed and Shahid Aslam while yesterday Waqar announced his resignation due to personal and health reasons insisting he had no complaints against anyone and his decision was not cricket related.

But Afridi said that he failed to understand that if Waqar had resigned why was he being sent as coach on the Zimbabwe tour.

“I don’t know but I feel if he has any issues he should have faced them. He didn’t look to have health problems to me but now if that has changed I don’t know about that,” Afridi said.

The allrounder said he owed a lot to Pakistan and wanted to represent the country but retired because the environment in the team was not congenial.

“They need to bring in more sensible and good people into the team management and if that happens I will reconsider my decision to retire,” he said.

Button, Hamilton still contenders – McLaren boss

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CLAREN team chief Martin Whitmarsh sounded the first fighting notes ahead of Formula One’s resumption of racing hostilities next week by claiming both Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are still in with a chance of winning the drivers’ world title.

As the F1 teams began to return to work after their summer holidays, an upbeat Whitmarsh said the task facing his men was tough, “but not impossible”.

McLaren have been in resurgent form and won three of the five races before the sport’s August break – and will hope to carry on winning in next weekend’s (Aug 28) Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Although defending champion German Sebastian Vettel, 24, has a

FOUR-TIME World 10 000m champion Kenenisa Bekele has been included in the Ethiopian team named on Sunday for this month’s world athletics championships in Daegu, South Korea.

Bekele, who has not featured in a competitive race since January 2011, has been entered to compete in both the 5 000m and 10 000m, which he successfully won during the last championships in Berlin in 2009.

His participation in Daegu, has however remained long in doubt since he has struggled to shake off a calf muscle injury.

“Everyone has an eye out for Kenenisa Bekele. He will be competing in 5000m and 10 000m even though he’s recovering from an injury,” said the Ethiopia Athletics Federation (EAF) technical director, Dube Jillo.

“I hope he is going to win, he is one of the strongest athletes,” he added.

The women’s world 10 000m silver medallist, Meselech Melkamu is also included in the team.

lead of 88 points ahead of Hamilton in the standings, and 11 on Button, Whitmarsh believes the Red Bull driver is not likely to have it all his own way any longer.

“I would say I think it’s tough, but it’s possible,” said Whitmarsh.

“Winning races is tough, but I think all you can do is try to win every race.

You can’t do more than that. It is difficult to pull back the gap, but it’s possible.

“Of course people focus on the championship, but I think if you are not leading the championship then you can’t worry too much about it.

“I’d like a one-two and it’d be handy if a Red Bull was not the third car on the podium if we get a one-two and so we’d welcome Ferrari on the podium as well!

• Bekele

Decathlete Clay out of World Champs OLYMPIC decathlon champion Bryan Clay has withdrawn from the athletics World Championships with a minor knee injury.

“I feel that I would be at less than my best,” the American said in a statement released by his manager Paul Doyle. “I want to win medals every time I compete and based on the way my knee has been over the past six weeks, I feel that I would not be at top form,” the 31-year-old said.

The championships begin next Saturday in Daegu.

Clay fell in the decathlon 110 metres at the U.S. world trials in June and withdrew from the competition.

He later developed tendonitis in his right knee.

His goal now is to prepare for London where he hopes to become the first decathlete to win three Olympic medals. Clay took silver in Athens in 2004 and gold in Beijing in 2008.

The Americans will still field a powerful decathlon team in Daegu led by world champion Trey Hardee and 2011 world leader Ashton Eaton.

48

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

NATION SPORT

CESC FABREAGAS

“I haven’t come to retire Xavi” T

HE new Barça midfielder stresses that Xavi still has lots of years left, and that he can see himself “playing and winning with Xavi……my best years are starting now”, and Guardiola “will get the best out of me”.

Cesc arrived at the Barça TV studios with a smile from ear to ear. Following the most drawn out transfer in World football, he looked relieved, but mainly very happy. It’s how the new Barça number 4 feels, and hopes it’ll carry on for many years. In a long conversation, Cesc explained his feelings as a new Barça player.

How does it feel? Like a release?

“The last months I’ve been under a lot of pressure. Mentally it’s really tiring, but it finally happened and I’m very happy to be back at Barça”.

Did you ever imagine that coming back home would be so complicated?

That the process would be so long?

“It is partly my fault for having left.

Not in my wildest dreams had I imagined that one day I would play for the Barça first team. Not as a child, nor playing with Arsenal had I thought I’d live a day like Monday”.

In your presentation, you said that Wenger was like a Father to you. You do understand that many Barça fans don’t have much time for the French manager?

“I think the image of Wenger here is a bit mistaken. If I’m here today it‘s, at a high percentage, thanks to him. He makes the decisions, and told me I could come. It’s he who took the lead in the negotiations. Thanks to Wenger I am now a Barça player”.

It’s been a long time, but why did you leave Barça in 2003?

“I saw that I didn’t have any chance of getting into the first team and Xavi was very young at that time. Also there was Andres and some of the youth players who were far ahead of me, and I saw that I was well behind them. I thought it was funny that an English team like Arsenal were asking about me, and I was amazed that the first team manager, Arsene Wenger, cut his holidays short to come and see me. I was 16 and playing for Barça juniors. The offer they made me was brutal”.

We know that Barça is your lifetime club, but why have you decided to come back now?

“The easiest thing would have been to stay at Arsenal. I’m the captain, playing every game. We are always in the Champions League, always fighting for titles. For all that, and the tough competition here, perhaps now might be the worst time to return to Barça. It’s going to be really tough to make the starting 11, but I needed a new challenge in my life. I thought I’d stagnated a bit, and needed a change of scenery. I needed a special motivation to bring the best out of myself”.

Your involvement has been admirable and Barça have made a great effort to sign you. But above all, it was Guardiola who wanted you. What does that mean to you?

“It’s the key. I know I can learn a lot from Pep and my teammates. I know they’ll bring the best out of me. On top of that there are many tactical and technical aspects that will make me better in this team”.

10 years ago you thought there was no one who could think as fast as Pep on the field. Do you still think the same, or that Cesc has bettered that?

“Not at all!. There are also two before me who think very fast, like Xavi and Andrés, and they’ve demonstrated that

fact. They are 2 stars on and off the field. Pep has always been a reference for me, but now they are both the benchmark”.

Many years ago Pep dedicated a shirt to you which read “you’ll be the Barça number ‘4’. How did the story go?

“My parents separated when I was 13 or 14. I went to play in a tournament in Valladolid or Italy, I don’t remember very well. I was a bit depressed about the separation. I was having a bad time, and my manager, Rodolf Borrell, a fantastic person, came and told me that he’d heard that he was going to give me this shirt. It’s a great coincidence, an anecdote. My father has kept the shirt. I’ll treasure it forever”.

You were part of a great generation, that of 87. You’ll be back playing with Messi and Pique. When you were young, did you speak about one day more becoming first team players? competition.

“We played some very good Together championships with that team and we we’ll be a were very together. They were the best group.

It years of my life. But talking about it, no g r e a t we didn’t. I don’t think that any of the doesn’t matter whether or not three of us ever imagined that one day it‘s the best ever. The most important thing is that Barça we’d play together in the first team”.

What remains of that Cesc who left at continues performing at the top 16? Or is the Cesc of today a product of level, keeps winning titles, and that the fans enjoy it”.

Wenger?

You are considered a signing for “I think that Cesc has changed very little. I have improved in some ways, today, but also for the future?

“I hope so. I’ll work hard to make but I’ve always been willing to work hard, and that’s what’s helped me to it happen. I’m very young and the improve every day. I am always keen best years of my football career are to learn. It’s a mistake to think you beginning now, and in the future. I know it all or you are better than still have a lot to learn and hope to mature with Barça for many years to others”.

How do you think it will be, working come”.

There’s a surplus of players in every day with your great friends midfield. Do you think that everyone Puyol and Pique?

“Special. It’s what I really wanted. has a different profile and can provide They are great friends and I have other different solutions?

“Exactly. We are players that great friends in this dressing room. But it’s also true that I lived with them via understand football the same way, yet the national team in European we’re quite different. More than people Championships and World Cups. For think. Together we make a very good me it will be a brutal experience, and combination and at a footballing they’ll certainly help to get the best out level that’s great, but we have to prove that on the pitch. We of me”.

Have the “oh oh!! and moooc moc” understand football the same way, but we all have different on Twitter finished?

“Certainly not. Now we’ll do it more characteristics, which might just make us a very special group”. often (laughs)”.

Many years ago it was said that You’ve known Gerard since childhood, but Carles Puyol less time, Xavi would take over from and he’s become an important person Guardiola. Is Cesc Xavi’s heir apparent? to you.

“I don’t know. I think that Xavi still “For me Carles is an amazing person.

Last year in the World Cup I was having has some years left in him, huh! He a really bad time, and he was in my does things you wouldn’t believe! I room every day encouraging me. And haven’t come to retire Xavi. I came here finally, I came on in the World Cup to play with Xavi, to compete with Final, it all ended well and he said to Xavi, and to win with Xavi. What I’m me ‘do you see that you have to have saying about Xavi also goes for Andres more confidence in yourself?’. He’s a and Thiago. I think altogether we make captain on and off the field, due to his a very good group. I know what we’ll personality and his humility. I’ve met do. With the great group we are, we’ll very few people like him in football”. do great things together”.

Will Barça be able to keep winning With your signing does Barça now have the best midfield in the history of titles playing with the football style they have in recent years? the club?

“We’ll try but it’ll be difficult. There “Time will tell, depending on results and performances on the pitch. Thiago are teams like Madrid, who have and myself have come this year, strengthened their team, who’ll want hopefully to offer more quality, and to beat us, and don’t only want to win

“I saw that I didn’t have any chance of getting into the first team and Xavi was very young at that time. Also there was Andres and some of the youth players who were far ahead of me.”

• Fabreagas

t h e League but also want to win the Champions League. There’ll also be Manchester United, Inter, etc. up against us.

We’ll have to be very careful, therefore, be very disciplined and work to maximum capacity. We can’t relax. If you relax too much that’s when the problems start”.

Which Arsenal memory stays with you?

“It’s very complicated, but I guess I’ll remember my debut the most. It was the day when I least expected it. I thought I would make the squad and that’s it, and suddenly there I was in the starting 11, and my family was in the stands. It was a really spectacular day”.

You’ll miss London, but your grandmother’s crayfish are better than the London banter?

“I’ll miss the London banter, but

• Fabreagas celebrates with Messi

there’s nothing to compare with my grandmother’s crayfish.

They are t h e best”.

SLIDING TACKLE

"He's got a little bit of an injury. There's a possibility he could have played through it, but at the moment his head's not in the right place."

50

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Tottenham coach Harry Redknapp clearing the air on why Russian midfielder, Luka Modric was not fielded against Man Utd last night.

I had no fun under Van Gaal, says Ribery

B

AYERN Munich star Franck Ribery has taken the time to praise head coach Jupp Heynckes for the faith he has shown in him, and added that he is full of confidence again.

Ribery impressed in Bayern's 5-0 win over Hamburg at the weekend, and the France international stated that he's thoroughly enjoying his football again.

"I really had a lot of fun in today's game [against Hamburg]. I'm brimming with confidence again. The coach has a lot of faith in me and I really like the way he treats the players," Ribery was

•Wenger

quoted as saying by Kicker.

The tricky winger then looked back at the past two seasons at Bayern with Louis van Gaal in charge and Ribery stated that he struggled to find his best form under the Dutchman.

"I haven't had fun on the pitch for two years. I had had more than enough of it. I can't play the way I want to play when I'm not having fun out there. I need to enjoy myself to be at my best."

Bayern currently sit joint third in the Bundesliga table with six points from three games. They have scored six goals and conceded only once so far.

Man United seal £40m training kit deal

M

UEFA bans Wenger for two more games A

RSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has been banned for two further European matches by UEFA for breaching the terms of his original suspension.

Wenger was forced to sit in the stands at the Emirates Stadium for his team's 1-0 win over Udinese in the first leg of their Champions League qualification play-off last week.

The Frenchman was caught attempting to contact members of his coaching staff on the bench during the match, something which is against the terms of the touchline ban imposed for his reaction to the Gunners' exit at the hands of Barcelona last season.

The fresh ban means Wenger will not be in the dugout at the Stadio Friuli on l

Wednesday for the second leg, and would also miss the first match of the group stage should Arsenal go on to qualify.

European football's governing body also revealed in a short statement that it has fined Wenger £8,739. Arsenal have announced their intention to appeal the decision.

UEFA added: "The UEFA

OTHER SPORTS...OTHER SPORTS...OTHER SPORTS...

Woods drops to 36th in latest rankings FALLEN golf superstar Tiger Woods slid three places to 36th in the updated world rankings released Monday.

The 14-time major winner was overtaken by Open champion Darren Clarke, Spain's Miguel Angel Jiminez and Webb Simpson in the global list.

Simpson rose 22 places after claiming his first PGA Tour win Sunday with a threestroke victory in the Wyndham Championship.

Woods looked set to fall further down the rankings after failing to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs, which he has won two of the last four years. He was scheduled to next tee it up at the Australian

Open in November.

England's Luke Donald continued to hold the No. 1 ranking spot -- which Woods made his own for more than a decade -- ahead of countryman Lee Westwood and American Steve Stricker.

Europeans Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy ranked fourth and fifth, ahead of the sixth-placed Phil Mickelson.

Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day filled seventh and eighth, while US duo Dustin Johnson and Nick Watney completed the top 10.

Latest leading positions in the world golf rankings: 1 Luke Donald 10.17pts, 2 Lee Westwood 8.30,

3 Steve Stricker 6.93, 4 Martin Kaymer 6.86, 5 Rory McIlroy 6.81, 6 Phil Mickelson 5.86, 7 Adam Scott 5.86, 8 Jason Day 5.56, 9 Dustin Johnson 5.47, 10 Nick Watney 5.33

•Woods

Disciplinary Regulations stipulate that a manager may not communicate with his team during a fixture for which he is suspended and may follow the game from the stands only."

The news comes as yet another blow for the beleaguered Arsenal boss, who is currently enduring his toughest period of his 15-year tenure at the club.

Having lost Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona last week, Wenger's other star midfielder, Samir Nasri, looks set to leave the club this week for Manchester City, the club who beat Arsenal to the third and final automatic Champions League place last season.

An injury-ravaged Arsenal side lost 2-0 at home to Liverpool at the weekend, and their next match after the trip to Udine is a visit to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Saturday.

Should Arsenal lose away to the champions then they will have picked up just one point from their opening three domestic games of the season.

They have only won two of their last 13 Premier League fixtures stretching back into the last campaign.

ANCHESTER United struck a training-kit sponsorship deal, the Premier League champions saying they believed it was the first such agreement in English football.

United said they had agreed a four-year contract with express and logistics company DHL. While the club did not give exact details, a source with knowledge of the deal said it was worth £40 million.

That is more than the Old Trafford team received in the early 2000s from a shirt agreement with Vodafone although it is less than the £80m media reports have said their existing shirt deal with insurance brokerage Aon was worth.

United won a record 19th league title last season and their on-field success has been matched by strong

commercial revenue figures.

In May, quarterly financial results showed there was a 30 per cent rise in commercial revenue compared to the same period the previous year.

"This deal breaks new ground in the English game," United chief executive David Gill said in a statement.

"We are delighted DHL has chosen to pioneer training kit sponsorship with the club.

Their global presence and international standing are a perfect fit for the world's most popular football club."

DHL, part of Deutsche Post AG, will see their logo appear on training kit worn by first, reserve and youth team players.

International business and finance news agency Bloomberg also reported on Monday that United are close to tying up another sponsorship deal with Asian crisp brand Mister Potato.

Harry - Modric 'head not right'

H

ARRY Redknapp admits Luka Modric's 'head's not in the right place' as the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder continues to be linked with a move to Chelsea.

The Blues have already seen two bids for Modric rejected this summer and are expected to make another offer in an attempt to add the Croatian to the imminent signing of Juan Mata.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has insisted that Modric is not for sale, but Redknapp conceded last week that he could cash in on the schemer in order to strengthen his squad.

Modric was left out of Spurs' squad for their opening Premier League game against reigning champions Manchester United on Monday night

after also missing the Europa League win over Hearts last week due to injury.

Redknapp feels the 25-yearold may have been able to play with the injury, but revealed he was not in the right state of mind to be involved at Old Trafford.

"He's got a little bit of an injury," said Redknapp.

"There's a possibility he could have played through it.

"But at the moment his head's not in the right place."

Meanwhile, winger Gareth Bale insists that the Spurs squad cannot dwell on Modric's departure should he leave White Hart Lane.

"Luka is a fantastic player," Bale said. "I'm not sure what the situation is with him but I think if he is here then he's great for the team but if he's not then we have to get on without him."

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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52

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

NEWS AUGUSTUS AIKHOMU (1939-2011)

•Former Ekiti State Governor Adeniyi Adebayo signing the condolence register at the Apapa, Lagos home of the deceased

•Prof. Pat Utomi signing the condolence register

•Lagos State Governor’s wife Dame Abimbola Fashola(left) and the widow, Rebecca

•Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas condoling with Mrs. Aikhomu... yesterday PHOTOS: ADEJO DAVID AND ABIODUN WILLIAM

Ogun PDP chair criticises ex-Rep on peace moves •Wakilin Adamawa, Ambassador Hassan Adamu

•Former Military Governor of Lagos State Brig. Gen. Raji Rasaki (rtd) signing the condolence register

T

HE Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State , Chief Dayo Soremi, has criticised claims by the former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dave Salako, that he lacked the locus standi to comment on the affairs of the party.

Salako had, in a statement, said Soremi was not qualified to comment on party affairs because he was standing trial over alleged falsification of signature.

He spoke against the backdrop of Soremi’s assertion that the likes of Salako and Lekan Mustapha, who were said to be making moves to reconcile ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, are no longer members of the PDP having defected to opposition parties before the April general elections.

However, Soremi said he was more than competent to speak on PDP affairs as the

chief executive officer of the party in the state.

“It is ironical as it is amusing that an outcast would tell the chief custodian of the party’s ethos that he was not fit to comment on the party affairs. Pray, who is more qualified; a fellow who is no longer a member of the party? Certainly not!” he said.

On the alleged falsification of signature, Soremi maintained his innocence, adding that two reports by the Forensic Science Laboratory of the Police have exonerated him and other accused.

“The first report to the Inspector-General of Police, dated March 22, 2011 , was signed by Inspector Ralph Onwuzuligbo. It stated inter alia ‘the questioned handwriting on (the) document marked ‘B’ and the specimen handwriting in the relevant columns of documents marked ‘A’ and the documents marked ‘1’

and ‘3’ portrayed minute features of similarity’.”

“The second report was done at Salako’s own lawyer’s request at the Forensic Office of the Police, State Headquarters, Owerri, Imo State . It was dated April 5, 2011 , and signed by ASP Reginald Udunze. It stated inter alia ‘That I found characteristic features of similarity between the questioned handwriting on (the) document marked exhibit A and the standard handwriting marked B’,” Soremi said.

He said it was after it dawned on Salako that the two forensic reports had put a lie to his claims that he went to Kaduna to procure another one which he has been brandishing.

This, he said, was why Salako and his lawyers kept the two earlier reports away from the court until his lawyer, Mr. Ajibola Oluyede, brought them to its attention.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

53

NEWS Anyaoku to chair anniversary team

NLC orders Enugu workers to go T back to work

HE National leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has ordered the striking workers in Enugu State to go back to work.

The Congress disowned the Osmond Ugwu-led group of the body purportedly fighting for the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage in the state.

NLC Deputy President Comrade Kirri Mohammed dismissed the group, saying it has no legitimacy of any sort.

Mohammed, who spoke to reporters in Enugu yesterday, maintained that it was only the leadership of NLC at the state levels that is empowered by the union to handle issues concerning members.

From Chris Oji, Enugu

He urged Enugu workers to disregard Uwgu and his group, saying that after the minimum wage crisis in Enugu , the national leadership of NLC would visit the state again with a view to evaluating activities of the state executive.

The NLC leader, who was in Enugu to address the state’s workers on the strike, said the national secretariat of the congress had taken over further negotiations with the state government on behalf of the workers.

While directing the workers,

who turned out in large numbers at the rally to resume work today , the NLC said it had given the state government two weeks ultimatum to fully implement the new salary structure or face the full wrath of the national leadership.

According to Mohammed , after the two weeks ultimatum, “if the state government refuses to shift ground or implement the new minimum wage, the national body of the union would have no other option than to mobilise the Organised Labour to Enugu State with a view to staging ral-

lies that may ground the state economy.”

He criticised Governor Sullivan Chime on the manner he handled the issue, adding that since the issue at stake has legal teeth, it would be bad for any governor to start dragging his feet in the implementation.

The NLC chief said: “It was wrong for the governor to have opened up discussion on such issue with labour leaders in the state instead of setting up a committee to handle the matter as recommended by labour l a w . ” He added that futile effort was made by his team to convince Chime to withdraw a circular earlier issued by the state government.

Jonathan’s action is dictatorship, says CNPP

T

HE Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) yesterday condemned President Goodluck Jonathan over the appointment of Justice Dalhatu Adamu as Acting President of the Court of Appeal, pending the resolution of the face-off between the National Judicial Council (NJC) and Justice Isa Salami.

CNPP regrets that Jonathan’s dictatorship tendency is: “unfolding too early in the day, for the executive fiat adopted by him in the recommendation of the NJC is subjudice, arbitrary and meant to frustrate Justice Ayo Salami’s suit.”

A statement by its Nation-

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

al Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, said: “We are at a loss if heaven would fall if President Jonathan had not descended into the arena, asserted the age- old independence of the judiciary and allow time for the court process to run its full course.

“It is our considered view that by descending into the arena, Mr President has not only violated the Constitution; but has exposed his interest in manipulating the Presidential and Governorship Elections Tribunal, where the President of the Court of Appeal is a key actor.

“CNPP is yet to locate the vacancy, which Section 238 he

relied on is predicated upon; when Justice Ayo Salami has not resigned as the President of the Court of Appeal and the President cannot adopt the recommendation of a Kangaroo National Judicial Council without the express address of two-third of the Senate, as stipulated in Section 292 “Section 238 is not an ouster clause and cannot be relied upon, when there is no vacancy; therefore Mr President is only exhibiting dictatorship tendency.

“Is not paradoxical and a contradiction for President Jonathan, who with executive fiat appointed Justice Dalhatu Adamu as Acting President of the Court of Appeal, to in all

honesty expect that equity, justice and fairness shall prevail in the circumstance. Who is that Federal Judge who will deliver the case in favour of Justice Ayo Salami, when the Imperial President has taken side?

“As President, Jonathan has defied all rational advice not to descend into the murky arena of the judiciary; we call on all patriots to brace up for the struggle ahead, for non-violent Mass Action to stop the dictator on his tracks.

“We salute the Nigeria Bar Association, for unlike President Jonathan, avoided the temptation to be dragged into the arena of corrupt judges.

History will vindicate the NBA.”

Climate change policy framework for Lagos

L

AGOS State government and stakeholders have developed a policy framework that will serve as a template to combat climate change.

The policy framework presented for validation at a stakeholders’ meeting was declared open by Commissioner for Environment, Tunji Bello. It covered Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management, Climate Change Mitigation and Low Carbon Economy, Climate Change Governance, Agriculture and Food Security, Human Settlement, Security and Health, as well as Coastal and Natural Resources Management.

By Okwy Iroegbu, Assistant Editor

The stakeholders, from the public and private sector , Ministries of Information, Rural Development, Physical Planning, Agriculture, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and Civil Society Organisations, did an appraisal of the policy document and commended the state government for developing a framework on climate change.

They urged government to accelerate the enactment of the policy.

The state had initiated the

international summit on climate change, climate change in schools, tree planting and carbon credit in mitigating the scourge of climate change.

Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Ministry of Environment, Titi Anibaba described the meeting as necessary considering the nature, culture and location of Lagos.

The permanent secretary, who was represented by Head, School Advocacy Unit, Idowu Philips, said climate change is a global phenomenon with effects such as drought and flooding.

Sulaimon Arigbabu, HEDA Resource Centre, said:

“Lagos State is currently developing a comprehensive policy would provide an integrated approach to reducing vulnerabilities to climate change and enhancing capacities of relevant stakeholders to implement measures.”

He said: “A comprehensive, coherent, clear and ambitious climate change Policy would build the adaptive capacity of Lagosians to cope with major changes and consequences of climate change.

This singular effort will also set the state on the path to energy efficiency and low carbon economy without compromising her shortterm competitiveness.”

Activist sues Jonathan over commission’s chair

A

CIVIL society activist Comrade Hassan Isah has sued President Goodluck Jonathan at an Abuja Federal High Court, challenging the purported reinstatement of Prof. Shuaibu Oba Abdulraheem as Chairman of the Federal Character Commission.

Also joined in the suits are Secretary to the Government

By Dada Aladelokun, Assistant Editor

of the Federation (SGF) Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Attorney-General of the Federation, Prof. Abdulraheem and Alhaji Mohammed Ari Gwarska.

A statement by Ugochukwu Ezekiel of Festus Keyamo Chambers, said the affidavit in support of the Originating

Summons was filed yesterday

by Isah.

Isah, in the Summons, alleged as follows: That on December 13, 2010 , Prof. Abdulraheem forwarded a letter to the 1st and 2nd Defendants, resigning his position as Chairman of the commission to enable him contest for a political position in Kwara State .

Minimum wage: Ebonyi pledges to keep promise

E

BONYI State government yesterday rest ated its commitment to the implementation of the minimum wage and assured the workers that it would not renege on its promise to pay .

Addressing reporters in Abakiliki, Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Chike Onwe, said the gov-

From Ogbonnaya Obinna, Ebonyi

ernment would dialogue with Labour to find out ways of implementing the wage.

Onwe said: “The government has also given its commitment to the implementation of the new wage. After the harmonisation process that is ongoing at the state level, government

will sit down with Labour and see how to implement it.

“The government is committed to the welfare of workers. Since the government is committed to the welfare of workers in the state, that means the government will always stand by its promises on anything that is agreed upon.

It said after the government accepted his resignation and paid all his entitlements, he failed to secure the position. Thus, on August 11, the government accepted a letter of withdrawal of resignation and purportedly reinstated him as Chairman.

According to the statement, Prof. Abdulraheem ceased to hold office as the Chairman as from December 13, 2010. He added that the Senate did not approve his re-instatement/re-appointment and, therefore, must not be allowed to reassume office.

Isah averred that if this court does not intervene, the defendants would “continue to breach the provisions of the Constitution and the Federal Character (Establishment etc) Act.”

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

•Obi

GOVERNOR Peter Obi of Anambra State has appointed former Secretary- General of the Commonwealth Emeka Anyaoku as the chairman of the 20th anniversary of the state.

The three- day event will begin on Thursday with a facility tour .

On Friday, there will be a summit on Anambra at 20, entitled: “A Call for Collective Action” and a banquet for those to be honoured.The grand finale holds on Saturday.

Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, is expected to be the royal father of the day.

Minister of Finance, Ngozi

G

Okonjo-Iweala, will deliver the key note address.

Others expected to present papers are the Vice-President, World Bank ( Africa), Oby Ezekwesili; Mustapha Chike Obi and Prof. Barth Nnaji, Minister of Power.

A statement by the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget,Prof chinyere stella okunna, said: “The state has really prepared for this event, Governor Peter Obi and his team have been working tirelessly to ensure a hitch-free anniversary. th

20 anniversary of Ikorodu chief

THE 20th year anniversary of the late Chief Musiliu Tekobo Awolesi, the Baale of Itunmori, Ikorodu, Lagos, will hold tomorrow. A statement by Shakirudee Awolesi said the celebration would hold at 15, Ogunkoya Street, Ketu, Lagos.

The late Awolesi died on August 24, 1991. He is survived by many children, grandchildren and great grand children.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT The documents of the property situated at No. 15 Odelola Street, Surulere Lagos belonging to Mr. Afolabi Burran Bashorun are missing and all efforts made to trace and recover same has proved abortive.

The general public should take note.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

NEWS Ki Moon, Obama, Cameron to Gaddafi: go Continued from page 2

“Now is the time for all threats against civilians to stop, as the United Nations Security Council demanded. Now is the time to create a new Libya - a state based on freedom, not fear; democracy, not dictatorship; the will of the many, not the whims of a few.

Others are: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

We continue to call on Colonel Gaddafi to get out of the way and of course we believe he should face the international charges that are against him.

We will as a nation continue to support the people of Libya on what we want to see as a journey to peace and democracy.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi We ask Colonel Gaddafi to put an end to every pointless resistance and to save, in this way, his people from further suffering.

China foreign ministry China respects the Libyan people’s choice and hopes Libya will return to stability soon and the people will lead a normal life.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

“Today we are seeing images of how the democratic European governments - well some of them are (democratic) - are practically demolishing Tripoli with their bombs and the supposedly democratic government of the United States, because they feel like it.

“Today they dropped I don’t know how many bombs and they are dropping them indiscriminately and openly... over schools, hospitals, houses, businesses, factories, farms.

And we call on God to bring peace of the Libyan people and the people of the world.”

Rebel commanders said they have taken control of about 80 per cent of the capital, including the headquarters of state TV. But fighting is still raging in parts of the city, and the rebels have not managed to find the Libyan leader.

The rebels were met by jubilant crowds in central Green Square, which was previously the scene of nightly pro-Gaddafi demonstrations.

They have set up checkpoints in parts of the city, and claim

•Obama

that reinforcements are due to arrive by boat.

But elsewhere in the city they have met stiff resistance.

A rebel spokesman said his forces came under fire from tanks emerging from the Gaddafi compound at Bab alAzizia in western Tripoli early on Monday, and witnesses say there has been sustained gunfire in the area throughout the day.

Gaddafi loyalists remain in control of the streets around the Rixos Hotel, where many Western journalists are based.

And rebels fighting in the west of the city were pushed back late on Monday.

“We are bracing ourselves for another night of intense street fighting,” a Tripoli resident told the BBC. “I think Gaddafi security forces will resort to guerrilla warfare because they know they do not have the support of the people.”

But another resident said rebel fighters were “breaking into people’s houses, stealing everything”, adding that the rebel assault would be “a disaster for Libya and Nato”.

Gaddafi’s whereabouts are unknown.

Gaddafi was last seen in public on June 12, meeting the president of the International Chess Federation, Russian Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who said then that the leader told him he had no intention of leaving the country.

In the first few months of the uprising, the flamboyant 69year-old made several spontaneous and often bizarre public appearances in Tripoli

to rally support and spout defiance.

Once he turned out in a golf buggy, wearing brown Bedouin robes and holding aloft an umbrella. At other times he made speeches amidst the ruins of a palace bombed by the Americans in 1986, threatening to hunt down his opponents “alley by alley.”

Invariably, he vowed to stay and fight to the death.

NO EXIT TO SOUTH AFRICA Whatever his hiding place, Gaddafi must be contemplating his fate and considering those of other toppled strongmen.

Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak is now on trial for ordering the killing of protestors in the popular revolt which ended his rule in February. Tunisia’s Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the first leader to fall in the Arab Spring, is in exile in Saudi Arabia but facing trial in absentia.

After a long manhunt, Saddam Hussein was ignominiously found hiding in a hole in the ground nine months after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. After a trial, he was hanged and the pictures shown on television.

Still, an internationally supervised trial might be the best option for Gaddafi.

In 1989, Romania’s Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena were caught after trying to flee the capital by helicopter. They were executed by firing squad after a brief show trial.

Over the years dictators have found refuge in Panama (the Shah of Iran), Hawaii (the Philippines’ Ferdinand Marcos), Saudi Arabia (Uganda’s Idi Amin) and France (various). But there appears to be few volunteers to host Gaddafi.

South Africa, which led a failed African mediation effort, said on Monday it was not aiding Gaddafi’s exit from Libya and knows that he will not seek asylum there.

Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane dismissed speculation that South Africa had sent aircraft to Libya.

“The South African government would like to refute and dispel the rumours that it has sent planes to Libya to fly individuals to some undisclosed locations or South Africa,” she said.

NBA rejects appointment of Appeal Court Continued from page 3 acting president vast resources of this country taken, the edifice will collapse. The solution to this malaise cannot be found in this welcome address. It lies elsewhere. The truth is that there has been a constitutional miscalculation or misadventure of the highest proportions,” he added.

Condemning some of the powers of the NJC, Daudu said: “Vesting virtually all influential powers in the hands of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Constitution had unwittingly brought about the collapse of the judiciary. As things stand now, urgent constitutional amendment is required to inter alia retool the judiciary and all its agencies in such a way that never again will one man, who is still serving in judicial capacity have a decisive say in the appointment and removal of judges at every level.

“We shall continue to pursue the rights of Nigerians as we have described purposefully

and proactively. The last has definitely not been heard on the Rule of law and due process aspect of this matter “The Bar recognises its duty to society and must therefore in today’s Nigeria be more proactive and vociferous in the battle against self centred, reactionary forces who in conspiracy or collusion seek to undermine the very fabric of State, good governance, rule of law, separation of powers and an independent judiciary. It is on this platform that we serve notice to State Governors who still treat the Judiciary as a department in the executive.

“It is deeply saddening to reflect on the events of the past six months that have painted the judiciary and, by extension, the legal profession in very bad light. To say that the confidence of Nigerians has not been eroded is to deny the obvious.

“The Bar does not think that day-to-day management of the

by leaders for the benefit of her people ought to pose any serious problem. The more so where such a task is pursued in truth, honesty and with a good conscience. There are projects that Government ought to embark on that will put them in good stead with the people.

An example is the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Its present state as with a lot of things in Nigeria is horrifying. Perhaps the President and ministers should take a drive on that death trap so as to experience what millions of Nigerians face on daily basis. Government should as a matter of urgency consider completing the expansion of the Abuja-Lokoja Highway. In addition, heavy police presence, which must include the use of helicopter gunship, should be introduced so as to stem the tide of violent robbery and murder on that road that has led to the death of innocent law-abiding Nigerians.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

56

MONEY LINK

$500m bonds yield to rise despite decline in inflation

T

HE yields on Nigerian bonds are projected to rise this week despite a drop in inflation in July to 9.4 per cent . The bond yields are expected to inch up after higher than anticipated yields at the latest auction.

Dealers said yields on 3-5- and 20year bonds rose last week, while those on the 10-year bond fell slightly.

The 3-year instrument was trading at 10.65 per cent, compared to 10.42 per cent, the 5-year bond was trading at 11.19 per cent against 11.12 per cent, and the 20-year bond rose to 11.99 per cent from 11.96 per cent.

The Debt Management Office raised N93 billion ($604 million) at the sale of 3-, 5- and 10-year sovereign bonds last week, its eighth auction of the year, with marginal rates higher than at the previous auction.

Dealers said projected increase in yields this week would further impact on secondary market trading. "The results of the primary auction inpacted positively on yields at the secondary market," one dealer said.

In line with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) monetary tightening measures, the debt office has within the last two months, sold about N89.73 billion in 91-day and 182-day Federal Government of Nigeria treasury bills. It also sold N44.3 billion of the 91-day paper and N45.40 billion of 182-day bill at marginal rates of 6.8 per cent and 7.79 per cent, respectively.

The CBN issues treasury bills regularly as part of monetary control measures to help banks manage their liquidity.

Also, the DMO, on August 17, sold N70 billion ($458.7 million) in 3-, 5- and 10-year sovereign bonds. It was the nation’s seventh debt auction of the year, the DMO FGN BONDS

By Collins Nweze

said.

“All the papers are re-openings of previous issues and the results of the auction will be published the following day,” DMO said in a statement. The government

agency issues sovereign bonds monthly to support the local bond market, create a benchmark for corporate issuance and fund its budget deficit.

DMO Director-General, Abraham Nwankwo disclosed that the Federal Government issues

sovereign bonds monthly to support the local bond market create a benchmark for corporate issuance and fund its budget deficit.

The units of sale are N1, 000 per unit subject to a minimum subscription of N10, 000 and in multi-

LCCI task Lagos on tax dispute resolution mechanism

P

RESIDENT of Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) , Femi Deru, has urged the State Government to set up a dispute resolution mechanism that would help address issues on tax implementation.

Deru made the call yesterday when the Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Taxation, Bola Shodipo and his entourage visited the chamber.

He explained that a dispute resolution mechanism that is fair, independent and business-like

ber will continue to give its full support to enable help realise the objectives of the state.

He said there is need for government to address issues of multiplicity of taxation and levies especially at the local government level, stressing that the fewer the number of taxes the better for both the authorities and tax payers.

“There is also the problem of arbitrariness in the determination of tax liabilities at the local government level.” he said, and urged the government to simplify compliance processes and procedures for

By Miriam Ndikanwu

would in no small measure assist professionals in doing their job effectively and improve the government tax implementation.

The president said there is urgent need for the government to put this structure in place, saying this would inspire confidence of the tax payers.

He described the visit as a very important step in promoting understanding between the Organised Private Sector and the government, assuring that the cham-

T

HE Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has called for enforce ment of the monetisation programme in public service.

Its Director, Eze Onyekpere in a statement said: “A situation where officers and agencies that have some services monetised and directly paid to them go through the back door to enjoy official vehicles and other perks, which they have already been paid for is outrageous and should not be allowed to continue,” he said.

Speaking during a debate on the 2012 Federal budget in Abuja, Onyekpere said there is need to abolish or drastically avoid wasteful expenditure in almost all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

He said there is need to complete on-going and abandoned projects before embarking on new ones.

He said the debate, was imperative to improving fiscal governance, creating value, jobs and enhancing the standard of living.

“The idea is to kick-start the debate on policy options and emergent best practices as to what has worked, what has not worked and what has failed in the federal budgeting process so far,” Onyekpere has said.

He said the group is committed to raising and resolving budgetary and fiscal posers, adding that there would be need to look at whether the mode of implementation of the budget should be sustained, or better still, to adopt a new approach.

He stated that there is need to understand why government at all levels are not meeting up with set targets under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), or why the country has a huge recurrent expenditure profile in budgets.

Nigeria’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), has also made it imperative for the budget to reflect the priorities that will enhance the standard of living of the people.

He gave reasons why government borrows to fund recurrent expenditure or even borrowing in times of high oil prices, as well as and when production is exceeding the budgetary benchmark, were key issues discussed at the debate.

Onyekpere, said time for trading

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 ($) Demanded ($)

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 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 22-8-11 SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CHANGE

TRANSCORP

0.84

0.88

0.04

REDSTAREX

2.65

2.76

0.11

UNITYBNK

0.61

0.63

0.02

213.00

215.00

2.00

GUINNESS

LOSER AS AT 22 -8-11 SYMBOL

blames was over, saying there is need to ginger those entrusted with power and authority to do their duties. “We are here to join government’s proclaimed transformation agenda, and to insist that the agenda must extend to fiscal governance.

“We are here to seek alternative ways of doing things. We are here to make recommendations and to confirm that a new fiscal Nigeria, with a people centred fiscal trajectory is possible, and to confirm that Nigerians cannot only be consumers of goods and services produced outside our shores, but have the capacity to produce to satisfy local markets and even for export if the right fiscal policies are combined with government wide reforms,” Onyekpere added.

DATA BANK

Amount N

OBB Rate Call Rate

all levels of taxes in the state.

Responding, Shodipo explained that a dispute resolution center is in place, adding that government will see to their demand and make sure that this centre is more visible and accessible, adding that government plans to stimulate the economy to ensure business growth.

He said the issue of multiplicity of taxes has been a recurring decimal in the state, while stating that taxation is based on law.

He urged them to have in-depth knowledge to avoid exploitation.

Group calls for enforcement of monetisation programme

Tenor

NIDF NESF

ples of N1, 000 thereafter.

These issuances, analysts said were meant to hamper the effects of the N606 billion allocations from federal accounts to its three tiers of government for June which hit the respective accounts last week.

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CAPHOTEL

8.00

7.60

CHANGE 0.40

NAHCO

7.01

6.66

0.35

ETI

14.47

13.75

0.72

DANGFLOUR

13.72

13.04

0.68

UBA

4.65

4.42

0.23

ECOBANK

2.90

2.76

0.14

PRESTIGE

1.68

1.60

0.08

JAPAULOIL

1.06

1.01

0.05

GUARANTY

12.98

12.41

0.57

STARCOMMS

0.58

0.50

0.02

Amount Sold ($)

Exchange Rate (N)

Date

450m

452.7m

450m

150.8

08-8-11

250m

313.5m

250m

150.8

03-8-11

400m

443m

400m

150.7

01-8-11

EXHANGE RATE 30-05-11 CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD NGN GBP

147.6000 239.4810

149.7100 244.0123

150.7100 245.6422

-2.11 -2.57

NGN EUR

212.4997

207.9023

209.2910

-1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

Bureau de Change 152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

(S/N) Parallel Market

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

NSE CAP Index

NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N)

16-08-11 N7.291tr 22,792.06

17-08-11 N7.297tr 22,811.39

% Change +0.08% +0.08%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

(S/N)

153.0000

DISCOUNT WINDOW January ’11

February ’11

July ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

8.75%

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% 10.2%

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 117.62 112.11 0.81 1.01 0.97 1,620.90 9.61 1.39 1.87 8,827.74 193.00

9.08 1.00 117.16 111.16 0.78 1.01 0.97 1,618.90 9.14 1.33 1.80 8,557.73 191.08

ARM AGGRESSIVE KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND THE LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY THE DISCOVERY FUND • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 04 MAR, 2011 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 24, MAY, 2011 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK Previous

Current

04 MAR, 2011

07, MAR, 2011

Bank

8.5000

8.5000

P/Court

8.0833

8.0833

Movement

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

57

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 22-08-11 2ND-TIER SECURITIES Company Name FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC PRESCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 3 1 6 10

Quotation(N) 0.50 0.50 7.48

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 99,144 49,572.00 60,000 30,000.00 27,200 198,580.00 186,344 278,152.00

AIR SERVICES Company Name AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 33 34

Quotation(N) 2.23 6.66

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 400 848.00 289,613 1,958,900.00 290,013 1,959,748.00

Quotation(N) 0.50 1.37

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,596 798.00 227,760 313,491.50 229,356 314,289.50

Quotation(N) 5.90 4.20 2.76 5.95 2.04 10.85 0.50 12.41 9.50 0.70 1.15 5.98 1.36 4.42 2.09 0.63 0.80 12.80

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 20,348,715 121,891,775.45 2,337,752 9,686,410.89 1,179,534 3,267,304.88 523,581 3,106,822.95 3,922,212 7,966,602.66 15,795,522 172,625,488.43 196,288 98,144.00 9,260,641 116,188,461.53 29,134,019 275,422,310.50 966,946 676,862.20 688,025 791,228.75 7,218,681 42,824,980.31 1,776,714 2,400,378.83 31,104,960 137,574,750.08 26,335 55,040.15 671,300 416,557.00 674,988 542,787.40 19,483,401 250,146,035.38 145,309,614 1,145,681,941.39

Quotation(N) 215.00 6.15 86.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 469,781 100,933,935.07 16,200 94,770.00 323,920 27,079,998.06 809,901 128,108,703.13

Quotation(N) 19.58 7.50 116.94 45.50

Quantity Traded Value 313,997 9,672 307,986 404,891 1,036,546

Quotation(N) 27.90 1.38

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 83,333 2,268,418.98 12,000 15,840.00 95,333 2,284,258.98

AUTOMOBILE & TYRE Company Name DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC R. T. BRISCOE (NIGERIA) PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 12 13 BANKING

Company Name ACCESS BANK PLC DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC FIDELITY BANK PLC FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC FINBANK PLC GTBANK PLC STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC INTERCONTINENTAL BANK PLC. OCEANIC BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC SKYE BANK PLC. STERLING BANK PLC UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC. UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC UNITYBANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC ZENITH BANK PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 208 38 46 39 56 505 1 575 43 14 17 95 14 165 7 9 14 257 2,103 BREWERIES

Company Name GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 61 3 71 135 BUILDING MATERIALS

Company Name ASHAKA CEMENT PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTHERN NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 44 6 40 54 144

of Shares (N) 5,973,726.31 69,938.40 35,821,290.64 18,216,329.35 60,081,284.70

CHEMICAL & PAINTS Company Name CHEMICAL AND ALLIED PRODUCTS PLC DN MEYER PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 24 1 25

COMMERCIAL/SERVICES Company Name COURTVILLE INVESTMENTS PLC RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 34 35

Quotation(N) 0.50 2.76

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 100 50.00 1,410,631 3,673,106.12 1,410,731 3,673,156.12

COMPUTER & OFFICE EQUIPMENT Company Name OMATEK VENTURES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Indicators remain bearish in massive sell-off

No of Deals 1 20 29 24 68 142

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

were Stanbic-IBTC (29.134 million shares), Access Bank (20.349 million shares), Zenith Bank (19.483 million shares)and First Bank (15.796 million shares).

Sentiments in the banking sector were skewed in favour of the sell side, with Unity Bank emerging as the lone gainer in the sector as a result of a crossed deal at N0.63.

The stock added N0.02 to close at N0.63. On the other hand, institutional sales continued to shave-off points from many stocks in the sec-

‘Total volume of shares transacted dropped to 183.481 million valued at N1.667 billion in 3,537 deals, as against 442.13 million shares worth N3.05 billion exchanged in 3,978 deals recorded on Friday last week.

Dips in volume and value represent 58.5 per cent and 45.3 per cent respectively’

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 39,257 19,628.50 39,257 19,628.50

Quotation(N) 6.85 31.31 0.88 39.02 28.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,368 9,151.92 130,457 4,084,608.67 1,194,157 1,015,098.99 235,137 9,188,708.75 320,421 8,814,251.17 1,881,540 23,111,819.50

Quotation(N) 2.66 55.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 100 266.00 62,500 3,468,750.00 62,600 3,469,016.00

Company Name JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 45 45

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,000 2,080.00 1,000 2,080.00

Company Name AFROMEDIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 2

Quotation(N) 45.00 16.80 13.04 11.60 84.05 4.63 1.70 4.30 41.00 400.00 22.61 0.50 0.60

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 9,772 459,402.00 167,714 2,809,028.69 504,055 6,572,877.20 216,900 2,428,455.72 1,021,678 86,140,282.13 15,530 70,177.00 2,400 3,888.00 444,915 1,926,835.50 69,336 2,729,418.85 40,254 16,230,492.09 225 4,833.00 6,660 3,330.00 25,155 15,093.00 2,524,594 119,394,113.18

Company Name ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC Sector Totals

Quotation(N) 1.60 26.90 4.00 9.52

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 107,100 172,160.00 36,360 946,307.70 12,700 48,260.00 2,000 18,100.00 158,160 1,184,827.70

Quotation(N) 7.60 4.32

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,900,000 14,640,000.00 200 822.00 1,900,200 14,640,822.00

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 22-08-11 Sector Totals

143

No of Deals 1 6 7

Company Name C&I LEASING PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 10 10

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 1.99

No of Deals 8 40 8 32 63 5 7 12 28 45 1 2 3 254

No of Deals 5 8 7 2 22 HOTEL & TOURISM

Company Name CAPITAL HOTEL PLC TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 8 1 9

INDUSTRIAL/DOMESTIC PRODUCTS Company Name VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 24 24

Quotation(N) 6.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 447,904 2,629,659.92 447,904 2,629,659.92

No of Deals 1 1 2

No of Deals 1 17 18

Quotation(N) 2.94 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 100 280.00 3,152,069 1,576,898.64 3,152,169 1,577,178.64

No of Deals 64 3 3 8 2 14 1 3 35 1 6 1 1 1

Quotation(N) 0.69 1.00 0.50 2.59 0.50 1.15 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.60 0.50 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,942,480 2,072,249.31 332,538 334,363.38 325,000 162,500.00 1,175,686 3,115,397.16 135,010 67,505.00 443,800 511,872.00 200 100.00 100,890 50,445.00 10,346,503 5,173,251.50 200 100.00 128,700 206,055.62 5,000 2,500.00 1,000 500.00 265,000 132,500.00

No of Deals 7 7

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,443,909 1,478,186.09 1,443,909 1,478,186.09

Quotation(N) 0.51

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 4,200 2,142.00 4,200 2,142.00

Quotation(N) 1.44 0.52

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 200 302.00 6,000 3,120.00 6,200 3,422.00

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,880 940.00 1,880 940.00

Quotation(N) 2.00 2.92

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 243,551 487,183.32 300 834.00 243,851 488,017.32

PACKAGING Company Name NIGERIAN BAG MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC STUDIO PRESS (NIGERIA) PLC. Sector Totals

No of Deals 23 2 25

PETROLEUM(MARKETING) Company Name BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC CONOIL PLC ETERNA OIL & GAS PLC. FORTE OIL PLC MOBIL OIL NIGERIA PLC. OANDO PLC TOTAL NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 3 10 13 3 5 23 219 16 292

Quotation(N) 0.50 63.86 32.73 4.94 17.41 148.70 29.82 203.32

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 100,000 50,000.00 54,608 3,635,400.91 77,285 2,654,437.60 950 4,465.00 1,759 29,093.86 41,269 6,033,876.26 3,719,372 110,886,407.57 41,640 8,403,140.40 131,696,821.60 4,036,883

PRINTING & PUBLISHING Company Name ACADEMY PRESS PLC. LONGMAN NIGERIA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1 4 6

Quotation(N) 3.17 5.00 4.09

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 100 302.00 100 500.00 5,180 20,979.00 5,380 21,781.00

Quotation(N) 19.75

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 190,159 3,613,021.00 190,159 3,613,021.00

REAL ESTATE Company Name UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 10 10

ROAD TRANSPORTATION

INSURANCE Company Name AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE CO. PLC. CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M. INSURANCE CO. (NIG.) PLC. OASIS INSURANCE PLC PRESTIGE ASSURANCE PLC. SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC STACO INSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC

Quotation(N) 1.01

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Company Name ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC Sector Totals

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Company Name IHS NIGERIA PLC STARCOMMS PLC Sector Totals

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 600,000 546,091.60 600,000 546,091.60

MORTGAGE COMPANIES

HEALTHCARE Company Name FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. Sector Totals

Quotation(N) 0.94

MEDIA

FOOD/BEVERAGES & TOBACCO Company Name 7-UP BOTTLING CO. PLC CADBURY NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIGERIA PLC HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NATIONAL SALT COMPANY NIGERIA PLC NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY PLC NESTLE NIGERIA PLC NORTHERN NIGERIA FLOUR MILLS PLC TANTALIZERS PLC UTC NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

11,829,338.97

MARITIME

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Company Name CUTIX PLC Sector Totals

16,202,007

LEASING

CONSTRUCTION Company Name COSTAIN (WA) PLC JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

tor. UBA lost maximum points, although slim pickings at the lower end of the market suggest a possibility of a reverse in this trend today.

Also heading southwards were GTBank, Zenith Bank and First Bank with losses of 4.4 per cent, 1.5 per cent and 1.4 per cent respectively. On Monday, market downturn was induced by value losses in the stocks of Access Bank, Dangote Flour, First Bank, GT Bank, UBA, Oando, Flour Mills and Zenith Bank.

The breweries sector remained flat yesterday.

Crossed deals firmed up the price of Guinness marginally, closing at N215.00 with a 0.9 per cent mark-up. This gain could be reversed today as buyers were still bidding at the lower end of the market yesterday.

The stock which is one of the only four stocks on the gainers table, added N2.00 to close at N215.00. Nigerian Breweries and International Breweries however recorded no price change yesterday.

In other sectors, Transcorp and Red Star Express rounded up the list of gainers recorded in the market yesterday, with respective gains of N0.04 and N0.11 to close at N0.88 and N2.76 representing 4.8 per cent and 4.2 per cent respectively.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

Quotation(N) 0.50

CONGLOMERATES Company Name JOHN HOLT PLC PZ CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC UAC OF NIGERIA PLC UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

•Records four gainers

T

RANSACTIONS on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Market (NSE) yesterday continued its bearish mood with a further drop of 0.78 per cent each.

The move in the market was characterised by massive sell-off, leaving the market to open on a negative note.

The All-Share-Index lost a total of 176.40 basis points to the bear to close at 22,547.62 points.

The market started the downward trend last week Friday when NSE ASI lost 0.45 per cent to the bear.

Sellers retained dominant force in the market with 72.6 per cent, 71.5 per cent and 66.4 per cent of total deals, volume and value transacted respectively.

Similarly, the Market Capitalisation of all first-tier traded equities lost N57 billion to close lower at N7.212 trillion.

Total volume of shares transacted dropped to 183.481 million valued at N1.667 billion in 3,537 deals, as against 442.13 million shares worth N3.05 billion exchanged in 3,978 deals recorded on Friday last week.

Dips in volume and value represent 58.5 per cent and 45.3 per cent respectively.

UBA was the most actively traded stock with 31.1 million shares valued at N137.6 million in 165 deals.

Other equities that recorded significant volume

Company Name ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 4 4

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 576,000 288,000.00 576,000 288,000.00

Quotation(N) 0.58

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 4,050 2,268.00 4,050 2,268.00

TEXTILES Company Name UNITED NIGERIAN TEXTILES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

THE FOREIGN LISTINGS Company Name ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Sector Totals Overall Totals

No of Deals 13 13

Quotation(N) 13.75

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 630,805 8,737,211.50 630,805 8,737,211.50

3,537

183,480,586

1,667,117,920.34

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

58

NEWS

Six die in Kano building collapse S IX members of a family were killed early yesterday in Warure, Gwale Local Government of Kano State, when a storey building collapsed on them.

The building reportedly caved in after a long downpour.

Those killed in the incident, which happened at 1.45am, are a three-year-old; the mother; and four other members of the family.

Three other persons were injured.

They are receiving treatment in a hospital.

There has been persistent downpour in the area in the past week.

Sources said the pro-

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

longed rains weakened the foundation of the mud building, which was said to have been built about 50 years ago.

The building suddenly collapsed when the occupants were asleep.

The dead are: Amina Bello, 45; Rukayya, 18, whose marriage had been slated for next week; Fyadusi, six; Abbashiyya, Bello, all of the same family; and Abdul, from another family.

One of the survivors, Mal-

lam Sanusi Bello, whose wife, Amina, and children died, said the incident has devastated his future.

Bello told reporters yesterday that he was asleep in one of the rooms, while his wife and the children were in another.

He said he heard a bang as the family was preparing for the morning meal for the Ramadan fast.

“I lost my wife, my four children, including my daughter, whose marriage was scheduled for next week, after the end of Ramadan. The building also killed my nephew,” Bello said.

Tukur, Okoya-Thomas, others mourn Aikhomu •‘He was a humble military officer’

T

HE President, Africa Business Round Table, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; renowned industrialist, Chief Molade OkoyaThomas; Champion Newspapers publisher, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; and Catholic Archbishop of Benin Province, Rev. E.J. Imaekhai, yesterday condoled with the family of the late Chief of General Staff (CGS), Admiral Augustus Aikhomu.

They were at the Apapa home of the late Naval chief to express their condolences.

A former Anambra State Military Governor and Aikhomu’s cousin, Commodore Joe Abulu said the late CGS was never arrogant, despite his military training.

Abulu said Aikhomu never bullied younger officers under him or considered himself more important than them.

He said the young and old found him approachable, noting that this was the virtue he would miss most in the late Naval chief.

Abulu noted that despite joining the Navy at a young age, the deceased never felt arrogant or looked down on his contemporaries when he was at home or elsewhere.

Aikhomu, he said, would rather share jokes with his friends, welcome them with open arms, and advice them.

By Joseph Jibueze

He said: “As a young man, he was straightforward and gentle. He was a peace-loving man. He was accommodating and never intimated the younger ones. I was much younger than him and I recall that we found him approachable.

“He gave a lot even to his community that they will find it hard to forget him. I will miss his wise counsel and goodness.” Arrangements are already in top gear for the funeral.

A naval officer, who pleaded not to be named, said Aikhomu might get a state burial.

“It is going to be over a week-long of activities and probably a state burial. A military parade is being organised at the Naval base at Apapa, Lagos, and we are looking at September 14, going by indications from the family that the burial may be around that period.”

The Nation gathered that Aikhomu may be buried in military regalia.

Some naval officers were seen yesterday checking the uniform of an admiral, brought out of the house.

The laces were checked as well as a naval sword. An officer said the cap would be placed on the coffin.

Tukur described Aikhomu as an exemplary African, saying he would be

•The late Aikhomu

remembered for his patriotism and contributions to national unity.

“We have lost an illustrious son of Africa. May his soul rest in perfect peace,” Tukur said.

Iwuanyanwu noted that the late Admiral stood for peace, adding: “He was a real gentleman: very reliable and dependable. He was a patriot. Whenever there was a crisis, he stood for peace.

“I still remember his role during the June 12 crisis. He played a crucial role in restoring peace to the nation.

He was a peacemaker. I will miss his wise counsel. So, we have lost a great peacemaker, a great leader of men, a very intelligent officer and a patriot.

“He was a detribalised.

Part of the problem we have as a country is tribalism.

Some feel very insecure in the company of people who are not from their ethnic nationality. But with Aikhomu, men and women from all tribes felt at home. Anybody close to him would feel sad at losing him.”

Police deny officers’ death in Bauchi attacks

T

HE Bauchi State Police Command yesterday denied a report that three policemen were killed by armed robbers in last Monday’s attacks at a police station and two banks in Gamawa town, Gamawa Local Government.

Inspector-General of Police Hafiz Ringim has directed the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja, to take over the investigation of the attacks.

In a statement, Police Commissioner Ikechukwu Aduba said policemen attached to the station repelled the attacks, adding that the hoodlums, however, killed a policeman.

According to him, the slain policeman had killed one of the robbers before he was

•Ringim orders probe From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

shot by other members of the gang.

The police chief said besides the slain policeman, who was a corporal, two other policemen and a civilian sustained gunshot wounds.

He said they had been treated and discharged from the hospital.

Aduba said though the hoodlums were prevented from robbing a first generation bank in Gamawa, they reportedly stole N500,000 from a microfinance bank in the town.

The police chief said an alert to neighbouring states

to mount a vigil paid off as the hoodlums were arrested within 24 hours.

He said the police arrested some members of the gang and seized six AK 47 rifles; one general purpose machine gun (GPMG); 250 rounds of GPMG ammunition; 150 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition; and five vehicles.

Aduba urged reporters to always crosscheck and confirm information before going to press.

He said: “Our doors are open, particularly those of the commissioner of police and the command’s Public Relations Officer to journalists seeking information.”

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FOREIGN NEWS ENDGAME IN LIBYA

Gaddafi goes into hiding •Libyan TV off the air

L

IBYAN state TV went off the air yesterday as rebels armed with AK47s stormed the country’s broadcaster and Col Gaddafi cowered in hiding.

Rebels said that they ambushed the concrete building in Tripoli and killed the soldiers that had been guarding it.

The station has been used to broadcast propaganda messages from Gaddafi since the unrest began on February 17 and the loss of the station is a major blow for the leader.

‘The revolutionaries stormed the television building ... after killing the soldiers surrounding it. It is now under their control,’ the spokesman said. He was speaking after television screens airing the Jamahiriyah station went blank.

The BBC Monitoring service confirmed that TV screens across the country had gone blank yesterday afternoon.

The development came as Gaddafi went into hiding after rebels seized control of almost all of Tripoli Sunday night in the most successful 24 hours of the entire conflict.

Heavy gunfire continued to echo across the city after the encircled Libyan leader’s die-hard loyalists

PUBLIC NOTICE This is to inform Mr. EPHRAIM OGBU that the estate of Late C. O. OGUNLASE has revoked the DEED OF ASSIGNMENT of 15 th February, 2004.

Contact: Jegede, Ogunlase & Co. Solicitors 161, Agege Motor Road, Olosa B/Stop Area, Mushin, Lagos.

•Thousands of people gathered in central Benghazi, in the east of the country, last night following the news from Tripoli

launched a final counter-attack.

Government tanks emerged from the complex, known as Bab alAziziya, and began firing shortly after dawn following an assault by rebels.

Residents said fighters had attempted to scale the walls of Gaddafi’s compound but were met by a wall of gunfire. The Libyan leader still controls the Rixos area in the south west of Tripoli and mercenaries are continuing to fight for him. His youngest son, Khamis alGaddafi, is understood to be spearheading a fightback.

Nato aircraft have been heard over Tripoli but as yet they have not launched airstrikes and could be carrying out surveillance work.

Gun battles were raging in the Gargaresh district of Tripoli where government snipers could be seen on the streets. Snipers were also positioned on the main road through Madinat Seyahiyah. Rebels began firing back with AK47s and RPGs. They are beginning to prepare for an assault on Green Square using jeeps mounted with rocket launch-

ers. It also emerged yesterday that rebels had reinstated Libya’s internet and phone connections while closing down the state broadcaster.

The rebels have been securing key government buildings in the city and telling residents to stay inside while offering them immunity if they surrender their weapons. Supportive residents were handing out milk and water to the rebels. onvoys of families on roads are reported to be travelling from around the country towards Tripoli to join in the celebrations. The mood in the capital was the most buyout yet, as residents waved flags and sounded their car horns today.

Elsewhere in Libya, there were clashes between rebels and proGaddafi mercenaries near al-Hani area while more artillery had been captured from an airbase.

C

Gaddafi in a bunker The Libyan leader was believed to be cowering in a bunker outside Tripoli, as heavy fighting erupted

around his compound and wild celebrations broke out across the country among opposition supporters cheering on the rebels.

As the dictator’s regime appeared to be on the brink of collapse following 46 Nato airstrikes yesterday, independent Libyan television claimed the tyrant had ‘run away like a coward’.

Gaddafi’s former right-hand man Abdel-Salam Jalloud said the leader was ‘not brave enough to do a Hitler’ and kill himself.

‘I think it’s impossible that he’ll surrender,’ Jalloud told Italian television. ‘He is not like Hitler, who had the courage to kill himself.’

Jalloud became the latest defector when he fled Tripoli for Tunisia on Friday and turned up in Rome.

He said that his former colleague has ’10 days at most’ left in power.

‘I don’t think the evolution of the situation in Tripoli will allow him to survive. I believe the regime has a week left, 10 days at most. And maybe even less.

‘He has no way of leaving Tripoli.

All the roads are blocked. He can only leave with an international agreement and I think that door is closed.’

Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the Libyan rebel council, said today: ‘We are on the threshold of a new era ... of a new stage that we will work to establish the principles that this revolution was based on. Which are: freedom, democracy, justice, equality and transparency.

Within a moderate Islamic framework.

‘During the last few days the revolutunaries in Tripoli have really proved that they are the revolutionaries of the capital. And that the calls for Tripoli to be our capital were rightful calls.

‘Muammar Gaddafi will be remembered and his period of rule through the acts that he committed against the rebels and the world. From political assassinations, arrests and mind games. And oppressing all the efforts of the Libyan people to oust him since the first year of his revolution.

There were many, many attempts to oust Gaddafi.

The Libyan people never

PHOTO:AFP

submitted to Gaddafi, since the first year of the revolution..or, rather, since the first year of the coup.

‘But God has chosen that Gaddafi’s end should be at the hands of these youths, so that they can join the Arab Spring that is going around the Arab nations.

‘And now I say with all transparency that the era of Gaddafi is over.’

Exile likely

T

he dictator could be offered exile by the African Union in Angola or Zimbabwe as his representatives have been in talks with South African officials, according to the news channel AlJazeera.

Meanwhile, three of Colonel Gaddafi’s sons are reported to be in the hands of Libyan rebels.

The head of Libya’s National Transitional Council, the rebels’ governing body, said they had arrested Saif al-Islam and Al-Saadi, two of the tyrant’s sons. A third, Muhammad, was reported to have handed himself in.

Mustafa Abdel Jalil told Al-Jazeera: ‘He (Saif) is being kept in a secure place under close guard until he is handed over to the judiciary.’

And he insisted Saif would not be harmed, telling French newspaper Le Monde: ‘We gave instructions that he is well treated, in order to be judged.’

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi once had a very close relationship with the West and was considered by many to represent a more democratic future for Libya.

But since the uprising began he has become closely allied to his father.

The International Criminal Court has a warrant out for his arrest on war crimes charges.

The ICC said that it is also seeking the transfer of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity.

‘The court as a whole is involved,’ Fadi El-Abdallah said. He added that discussions were underway with the Libyan rebel National Transitional Council NTC over a transfer of Saif.

Gaddafi’s oldest son, Muhammad, ran the company which operated all mobile phones and satellites in the country, as well as being head of the Libyan Olympic Committee.

Al-Saadi, took a far more handson role in his father’s regime, as commander of Libya’s Special Forces. He has been accused of ordering the army to fire on unarmed protesters in Benghazi at the start of the uprising.

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SPORT EXTRA

Mikel Obi’s father rescued in Kano •’I was beaten mercilessly,’ says Pa Obi • Police nab five suspects in miltary uniforms HE police in Kano yesterday rescued Elder Michael Obi, the kidnapped father of the Chelsea of England midfielder, John Mikel Obi after about 12 days in captivity.

The Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Idris, who paraded five suspects before reporters yesterday evening in Kano, said the alleged kidnappers were apprehended in the Kabuga Quarters of the ancient city of Kano.

Idris said the suspects included a woman, Nkechi Ossai alongside, Ifeanyi Essient, Ndubuisis Friday, Basil Chukwuma and Nigerien, Sule Ibrahim.

The police boss revealed that all the suspects were camouflaged as soldiers and had been using a vehicle painted in military colours.

Idris said: “a team of police officers deployed from the Plateau State police command in collaboration with the officers and men of the Nigerian Police in Kano raided a neighborhood in Kabuga quarters of Kano city following a tip-off.”

The police, he said, got information about the kidnap from a dismissed police corporal, Jacob Kowen, who was arrested in

T

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

Jos and led the team of police officers from Jos to Kano where the other suspects were discovered with Elder Michael Obi in their custody.

The traumatised father of the footballer, Elder Michael Obi, who narrated his ordeal to reporters, said he was subjected to serious inhuman treatment.

“I was taken right deep into the bush, in an isolated area in Jos. I started begging them, yet they beat me

mercilessly, kicking me with their boots. There are five of them and they were dressed in military uniforms.

“They pushed me into a vehicle painted in military colours and they also wore military uniforms and drove on high speed. I never knew a vehicle could move as fast as that.”

The father of Mikel Obi thanked God for what the police had done to rescue him alive from the hands of his abductors.

At the moment, the police have launched an intensive investigation to ascertain whether or not the arrested suspects are members of the Nigerian army.

SUSPECTED KIDNAPPERS • • • • •

Nkechi Ossai Ifeanyi Essient, Ndubuisis Friday, Basil Chukwuma Sule Ibrahim (Nigerien)

• Pa Michael Obi

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TUESDAY,AUGUST 23, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

TOMORROW IN THE NATION

‘Nigeria is the second worse country for RTAs with 161 deaths/10,000 vehicles. Our potholes have no warning signboards. Why are Nigerians comfortable with 35,000 deaths and 100,000 injuries per year?

VOL. 7

NO.1,861

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

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ASHORUN Moshood Abiola, who would have been 74 years old tomorrow, was an unlikely candidate for political martyrdom, or indeed martyrdom of any kind.

He had entered politics almost as a pariah who regarded money as the measure of all things. He had everything money could buy.

And he was not apologetic or coy about it. He flaunted his wealth, even when putting some of it to serve beneficent ends.

But his compassion was genuine. He held it as an article of faith that any person who was in a position to show compassion but failed to do so would never find favour with Allah.

He would recite in English, Arabic and Yoruba, passages from the Bible and the Quran to that effect. And he lived every day by that creed.

His compassion and public-spiritedness won him a great deal of public attention, even respect, but not much love nor significant following, as he discovered when he went into party politics in 1978 as a card-carrying member and financier of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), and entered his senior wife Simbiat as a candidate for a Senate seat from Ogun on that party’s platform.

She lost by a huge margin.

Abiola’s position as chief executive of ITT in Nigeria did not help matters, given its complicity in the overthrow of the democratically-elected Socialist government of President Salvadore Allende Gossens in Chile, and its notoriety for unsavoury business practices, which led the contrarian Afro-beat king, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, to mock the global brand as the “International ThiefThief.”

But what galled the teeming supporters of the UPN, which governed all the Yoruba States and Bendel but was the Opposition in the National Assembly was the virulently anti-UPN stance of Abiola’s Concord newspaper group.

It was as if the newspapers had it as their goal to take Awolowo and the UPN out of political reckoning.

In short order, it published a sensational story claiming that Awolowo had improperly acquired vast landed property in Maroko, Lagos, while falsely and hypocritically parading himself as a Socialist devoted to the public welfare.

It followed with another story, about yet another improper acquisition of landed property by Lateef Jakande, the popular UPN Governor of Lagos State who enjoyed a reputation for probity and a Spartan lifestyle.

Then it took on the UPN Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, claiming that he had improperly dipped into the public treasury for a lavish private vacation in the United Kingdom.

The courts held the stories on Onabanjo and Jakande false and defamatory, and awarded both plaintiffs substantial damages. Chief

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

MKO Abiola: Man and martyr

•The late Abiola

Awolowo’s lawsuit was still wending its way through the courts at his death in 1987.

But Abiola’s romance with the NPN did not survive the 1983 presidential election.

In keeping with its claim to having a “national outlook,” the party had at its inception adopted a policy of “zoning” the presidency. Relying on this policy, Abiola had sought the NPN’s ticket for the 1983 presidential election. A stalwart of the party from the North, Umaru Dikko, declared, with petulant scorn, that the presidency of Nigeria was not “for sale.”

The NPN could draw on Abiola’s vast resources, but would not countenance his seeking its presidential ticket?

That was it. Abiola stomped out of the NPN and never looked back.

He tried to mend fences with individuals from whom he had been estranged by his

exertions in furthering the NPN’s cause.

Public appreciation of his philanthropy turned to respect for his person; over time, the respect turned to admiration.

But it was when Abiola declared for the SDP on the return to party politics in 1987, when he finally got his politics right by embracing the progressive political tradition of the states carved out of the former Western Nigeria that he began to attract the devoted following that translated into the massive electoral support so crucial to his victory in the 1993 presidential election.

It was this mass support that animated the struggle for the actualisation of Abiola’s electoral mandate and kept alive much of the passion surrounding the events subsumed under the evocative label of “June 12.”

The mass support, it is necessary to insist, had less to do with his being a Yoruba than with his being standard bearer of the party that was “a little to the left,” one whose ideology accorded with that of the Yoruba.

After all, Ernest Shonekan whom Babangida foisted on Nigeria as head of the misbegotten Interim National Government, is Yoruba. But the Yoruba rejected him roundly. Obasanjo, also a Yoruba, won the fewest votes in the Yoruba States when he ran for president in 1999 under the banner of the conservative PDP. Running four years later as an incumbent, he hardly fared better.

In Abiola’s favour must also be counted his gospel of hope, and his vow to alleviate poverty, the organising theme of the campaign. The theme resonated powerfully in a country across which he had sought tirelessly to build bridges of understanding.

The quest for the presidency changed Abiola in significant ways, according to members of his campaign team and senior aides. Gone was the brashness of those days when he regarded money as the measure of all things. He learned to stoop to conquer.

He became a good listener, and a patient

HARDBALL

W

E may never accurately determine why all the top judicial and government officials involved in the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) versus the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) misunderstanding failed to appreciate the connection between their actions and the fortunes and even survival of the country. By Sunday, after the problem at the top level of the judiciary had festered dangerously for many weeks, President Goodluck Jonathan finally felt that the only option opened to him was to appear not to be interfering in the affairs of the National Judicial Institute (NJC) by endorsing the unconstitutional act of the CJN in suspending the PCA, Justice Ayo Salami.

The Nigerian constitution nowhere makes provision for the suspension of the PCA, only his retirement through two procedures whose provisions are clearly stated.

The trigger for the president’s ‘nonintervention’ intervention was the NJC’s suspension of the PCA last week, and the presentation of a letter to that effect asking the president to retire him. There was nothing in the letter from the NJC asking the president to endorse the suspension of the PCA. How the

TONY MARINHO

conciliator. He encouraged those around him to tell him what he needed to know, rather than what they thought he would like to hear.

Before 1993 and even thereafter, the legitimacy of persons elected to the political leadership in Nigeria was always disputed.

In the 1964 general election, the first after independence, the ceremonial president, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, was loath to invite the incumbent prime minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, to form a government, persuaded that a poll boycotted by the opposition for the most part could not be said to reflect the true wishes of the people.

In 1979, it was a mathematical sleight of hand that awarded the presidency to Shehu Shagari. Throughout his first term, his legitimacy was always in contention. The ruling NPN went on to rig Shagari into office for a second term in a manner so brazen that the military had to step in to stave off violent protests in many parts of the country.

The 1999 election that produced President Obasanjo was held under a Constitution that the military kept a closely-guarded secret.

The 2003 sequel was, according to accredited local and international observers the most fraudulent they had ever witnessed. The 2007 contest was more of the same.

Though a big improvement, on close scrutiny the 2011 election that brought Goodluck Jonathan to power raised troubling questions that are yet to be resolved.

The 1993 election delivered a clean, panNigerian mandate and conferred on Abiola a legitimacy that no president before or since has been able to claim or enjoy. Abiola showed that, in Nigeria, elections can be won without the organised rigging that has been the bane of Nigerian politics.

To the very end, he resisted every pressure, discounted every threat, and spurned every blandishment the military regime and its foreign collaborators contrived. His tenacity surprised the vast majority of Nigerians who did not know him well and those who knew him only as caricature.

They thought that, faced with the prospect of being put to the slightest inconvenience, to say nothing of being jailed and losing his vast financial empire and perhaps his life, he would cut a deal, put the best face on it, and move on.

Bashorun Moshood Abiola had entered Nigerian politics almost as a pariah. He departed the political scene and the world revered by the multitudes with whom he refused to break faith.

•Excerpted, with slight revisions, from Diary of a Debacle: Tracking Nigeria’s Failed Democratic Transition (1989-1994). An earlier version of this piece appeared in this space on August 24, 2010.

•For comments, send SMS to 08057634061

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

CJN/Salami: Nigeria’s slow, frustrating decline president sidestepped the request to retire the PCA and instead endorsed an action that was not requested of him is still a mystery. Right from the beginning of the misunderstanding, which broke out after the Supreme Court under the CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, arrested the Sokoto governorship election appeal, it had been a comedy of errors and appalling missteps.

The long, embarrassing and sordid story finally came to a head when the NJC set up panels in quick succession to investigate the PCA, who had alleged unethical practices against the CJN. Reports published on the panels’ sittings or gleaned from sources within the troubled judicial body were not flattering.

They indicated preconceived plans to tilt the outcome against the unyielding PCA, who, against constitutional provisions, was to be pushed out of office. The suspension has now cast the PCA in the mould of a persecuted judicial officer, even in the eyes of his enemies.

A second, more damaging effect depressingly indicates how poor the judgement of Nigeria’s

leading judicial and government officials had become, starting from the CJN and sadly ending with the president.

But if anyone thought Nigeria’s political, legislative and judicial aberrations stopped at the doorsteps of state governments which bent quorum rules, subverted the constitution and perverted decency and common sense, it was because such a person had not yet encountered the worst affront ever to the dignity and integrity of the Nigerian government and people as exampled by the unlawful suspension of the PCA. It was hoped that the contradictions would end at the atrocious level of the indifferent NJC, and that the president would be wary of making an order that would suggest that Salami was being punished for political reasons connected with the ruling party’s legal reverses. Unfortunately, it did not end there, for Jonathan has unwittingly immersed himself neck-deep in the controversy. There will be horrendous backlashes that will rubbish the oath taken by

the president to protect and preserve the constitution.

More, there will be expressions of general disgust especially among chafing lawyers that both the president and the ruling party could not detach themselves from their primordial political interests to run the country as a large, tolerant, multicultural and modern society desirous of reaching out to the 21st century and offering leadership to Africa. But perhaps the most worrisome aspect of the farce in the NJC, which was endorsed by the president, is that the last fulcrum of the country’s stability has just been eroded. With the open shame displayed at the NJC, the humiliation of the constitution, and the desecration of the laudable and revered work done by previous justices in the NJC, it is unlikely that many high-profile political litigants will repose trust and confidence in the impartiality and judgement of those who have been entrusted the responsibility of administering justice. Welcome to the slow, painful decline of Nigeria.

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