The Nation August 29, 2011

Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

Rebels reject Gaddafi’s talks offer NEWS – Page 2

•Set to take his home town Sirte

Afenifere, Ohanaeze, Buhari damn bombing •Death toll in Abuja blast hits 23

NEWS

– Pages 2&4 http://www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

VOL. 7, NO. 1867 MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

N150.00

Ibadan floods death toll up as more bodies surface Man loses eight children Another loses four kids, father

•Vehicles stuck in the flood at NIHORT, Idi-Isin road, Ibadan ... at the weekend.

PHOTOS: FEMI ILESANMI

•Mr Adisa, the man who lost four kids ... yesterday

As I managed to find my feet again, the entire house had been flooded to the ‘level that I could not locate anybody again. I just struggled to hit the ceiling and held onto a frame, hanging. I was there till the flood went down. By the time the flood went down, my father and my four children were no more.

I

BADAN, the Oyo State capital, recovered yesterday from the hangover of last Friday’s floods to begin the terrible but necessary task of burying the dead.

Besides, the desperate search for more victims continued.

There were results: more bodies lined up by wailing relatives.

The death toll climbed from 24 to

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

30, according to official sources.

Others said scores died in the floods that swept through the bustling city of government workers, traders and artisans.

The state government began the distribution of relief materials to victims yesterday.

At Oke Ayo and Agbowo, parents

of children who were swept away climbed trees to avoid being swept by the floods sobbed as off by the floods.

According to him, two of the vicsympathisers consoled them. tims, threatened by a At Ajara in Oluyole Local Government Area, CareMORE ON snake on top of a tree taker Committee chairman PAGES 2,3&4 where they had sought refuge, jumped down Ayodeji Aleshinloye said no fewer than 50 victims were rescued and died in the floods. The snake was killed yesterday morning, after the rain on Saturday.

Aleshinloye said some victims Aleshinloye said.

’

Shop owners and residents who lost property were weeping, mourning their huge losses.

The Deputy Governor, Chief Moses Alake-Adeyemo, and the governor’s wife, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, along with some commissioners, visited the flooded areas Continued on page 2

•POLITICS P17•SPORTS P24•CITYBEATS P31•CEO P45•PERSONAL FINANCE P47

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

NEWS Rebels reject Gaddafi’s talks offer

L

IBYAN rebels yesterday rejected an offer by fugitive Moammar Gaddafi to negotiate.

They said they had captured the eastern town of Bin Jawwad, forcing regime loyalists to flee after days of fighting.

With his regime crumbling fast, Gaddafi is on the run, but his chief spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told The Associated Press the beleaguered leader is still in Libya.

As the call for negotiations came, new signs emerged of arbitrary killings of detainees and civilians by Gaddafi forces during the rebels’ push into Tripoli earlier this week, including some 50 charred bodies at a regime lock-up.

The rebels dismissed Gaddafi’s proposal, relayed

by Ibrahim by phone, to have his son al-Saadi lead talks on a transitional government as delusional.

“I would like to state very clearly, we don’t recognise them. We are looking at them as criminals. We are going to arrest them very soon,” Mahmoud Shammam, the Information minister in the rebels’ transitional government, told reporters. “Talking about negotiations is a daydream for what remains of the dictatorship.”

In London yesterday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague also dismissed the offer, saying the National Transitional Council was already in charge of the country and that Gaddafi should call on his supporters to stop fighting.

“I referred a few days ago to Col. Gaddafi making delusional statements and this is

another one of them,” Hague told the BBC. Hague dismissed any involvement by Gaddafi in Libya’s future, and said on the Libyan leader should, when found, face justice, Sky News reported.

Hague expressed optimism over Libya’s future, and added that the events of the past days had “strongly vindicated” the UK’s push for foreign intervention in Libya.

Hague added that Gaddafi should tell his supporters to disarm so that the National Transitional Council could begin planning the future of the North African nation.

The rebels control most of Libya, including Tripoli, but are struggling to alleviate shortages of water, fuel and electricity in the capital.

Usama el-Abed, the deputy leader of the new city council, said between 60 and 70 per cent of the residents don’t have enough water, but that the shortages are due to technical problems, not sabotage by regime forces.

The U.N. is preparing to ship in baby food, bottled water and medicine. World Health Organisation (WHO) officials are in Malta, some 350 kilometers (225 miles) north of Tripoli, to prepare the aid shipments, which are expected to leave for Libya in the next few days.

In one small attempt at returning to normal, a traffic policeman in a white uniform was on duty yesterday in an eastern neighborhood of Tripoli. “Today is the first day that we started working.

Things are under control and running smoothly,” said traffic cop Abu Bakr al-Murbet.

Man loses four children, father

T

•Col. Gaddafi

Some 1,000 Egyptians, Jordanians and Filipinos boarded a passenger ferry in Tripoli’s port yesterday to escape instability and shortages. Most people said they plan to return to their jobs in Libya once the situation calmed down.

Before the outbreak of fighting, large numbers of foreign workers — some estimates go as high as 2.5 million — were employed in oil-rich Libya, though hundreds of thousands already fled.

In yesterday’s fighting, rebels threatened to advance on the coastal road toward Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte, if tribal leaders there don’t surrender.

Mohammed al-Rajali, a spokesman, said rebel forces captured Bin Jawwad, about 350 miles (560 kilometers) east of Tripoli, late Saturday and deployed forces in the city after days of fighting. He said Gaddafi’s forces fled westward, likely to join regime forces in Sirte, the headquarters of Gaddafi’s tribe and his last major bastion of support.

Continued on page 61

HE Friday flood in Ibadan was a calamity for Mr Sikiru Adisa, 30, who lost his four children and his father.

Adisa, a driver who lives on Adeoye Street, Agbowo, told reporters while receiving relief materials from Oyo State Deputy Governor Moses Alake-Adeyemo in Ibadan yesterday that life is now meaningless to him, following the loss of his loved ones.

Fighting back tears, the distraught man narrated how he went to open the door after seeing streams of water in the house. According to him, the flood forced the door on him and swept him off his feet. He broke the ceiling and held a frame while his legs were suspended. Adisa said he remained hanging, until the flood subsided.

Said Adisa: “On opening the door to see how to control the flood, a six-feet tall flood confronted me and swept me off the ground. I did not know that the door was the major hinderance and the saving object. As I managed to find my feet again, the entire house had been flooded to the level that I could not locate anybody again. I just struggled to hit the ceiling and held onto a frame, hanging. I was there till

More bodies surface Continued from page 1

and distributed relief materials to the victims.

The police put the death toll at 30 last night. Police spokesman Femi Okanlawon said the six newly discovered bodies increased the toll to 30. It could increase as more bodies were being discovered in some areas.

Among the materials distributed by the government were food items, cooking utensils, palm oil and bags of rice.

The Deputy Governor said the government team decided to visit the victims in their areas because they refused to come to the relief camps set up for them.

Mobile clinics were also taken to the affected areas to allow victims access medicare.

A helicopter moved around the town for the second day running, trying to identify the crisis areas.

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

the flood went down. By the time the flood went down, my father and my four children were no more.”

The rain started at about 5:30 pm and lasted till midnight. It flooded the city and destroyed property worth millions of naira.

Another victim, Mr Kunle Oke, who is said to have lost eight children and grand children in the flood in Oke Ayo, was at work at the time of the incident, according to residents. He was said to be on night duty at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria

(FRCN), Ibadan, during the incident. He reportedly called his children at home at about 10:00 pm and instructed them to leave the house after watching the intensity of the rain, but the children believed they could handle it, like previous ones. Shortly after, it was learnt, the flood trapped them inside the house.

There were conflicting reports about the whereabouts of his wife. Some said she died in the hospital; others said she was rescued.

The bodies of six of the children had been found, as at press time. Rescuers were searching for the remaining two and other victims.

Explosion at ex-minister’s home

A

N explosion occurred last night in the house of the former Police Affairs Minister Yakubu Ibrahim Lame.

The blast occurred at 7:25p.m at the house located behind Bauchi Club, GRA, Bauchi about 120metres from Government House.

The extent of damage was

From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

not immediately known but a security man, who was close to the scene, said the house was damaged.

It was not clear if the former minister was in the house when the blast occurred. Besides, no casualty had been reported – as of last

night.

Police Commissioner Ikechukwu Aduba could not be reached for comments.

Police spokesman Muhammed Barau could not be reached either.

The Nation reliably learnt that the governor and security chiefs were informed about the incident.

UN House bomb: Four injured officials flown to South Africa

F

OUR United Nations (UN) workers who were injured during the terrorist attack on the UN building in Abuja have been flown to Johannesburg, South Africa, for further treatment.

It was confirmed that there were no children in the basement of the wrecked building as feared because the crèche was no longer operational.

UN Deputy Secretary General (DSG) Asha-Rose Migiro put the figure of the dead at 21. He said 73 were injured, 26 of them in intensive care.

The DSG said a senior Ministry of Health official, including a Kenyan, an Ivorian and an intern were among the dead, adding that investigations were ongoing to compile the final list of nationalities affected by the blast.

But the death toll given by the UN DSG conflicts with the figure given by Health Minister Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, who spoke with reporters earlier, shortly after conducting Migiro and her team round the UN building and the National Hospital.

Chukwu said 23 persons diead; 104 are receiving treatment.

The UN deputy chief, who was flanked by Under Secretary-General for Security Gregory Starr and UN Assistant Head of African Region Tegegnework Gettu during the news conference yester-

Death toll now 23 as three more bodies are recovered From Yusuf Alli, Gbenga Omokhunu (Abuja), Chris Oji (Enugu) and Bisi Olaniyi (Port Harcourt)

T

HREE more bodies have been retrieved from the devastated United Nations building in the last 72 hours, it was gathered yesterday.

“I knew the last body, which brought the death toll to 23, was recovered on Saturday night,” a source said.

“NEMA officials are still combing the building with antibomb experts to find out if bodies were still hidden in some parts of the building,” he added.

Health Minister Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu said 38 wounded persons are alive at the National Hospital.

“Right now we have five people in Intensive Care Unit, one or two are quite critical, the others have been well resuscitated and even though they are really very injured, they are doing well, so far,” he said.

He also said 104 persons with various degrees of injuries are receiving treatment in various hospitals around Abuja.

With the death toll at 23, a UN official said the attack is more devastating than a similar incident in Baghdad, Iraq in 2003.

“I think this is the worst the UN has recorded on any of its buildings,” he said.

Some bomb experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the UN Security Chief, Gregory Starr, yesterday began investigation into the explosion at the UN House, which is located in an otherwise secure part of the capital city.

•Deputy Secretary General Dr Asha-Rose Migiri during the press briefing in Abuja ... yesterday.

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE From Sanni Onogu and Dele Anofi, Abuja

day in Abuja, said her team had met with President Goodluck Jonathan and families of the affected staff.

They were in Nigeria to offer condolences to the fami-

lies of the victims and express solidarity with the survivors, she said, adding the men and women who work in the UN building are here to help.

“It is striking that also among the dead and wounded are cleaners and security guards, as well as hu-

Continued on page 61

manitarian partners and an official from the Ministry of Health. This was an attack on a working community that was helping the people of Nigeria-plain and simple.

“Targeting such people is outrageous and morally reprehensible”.The DSG,

who said the UN will continue with its humanitarian work despite attacks on its workers in some parts of the world, stressed the determination of the UN workers to continue to work for Nigerians and humanity.

“Among the UN colleagues

I saw today in hospital, there was a very clear massage.

They wanted their vital work to continue. For a woman who is a cleaner, there is an obvious desire that she will be able to continue her work for her family.

“Such attack will neither deter us in our work nor win any new sympathisers for whatever cause might be the motivation.”

She said the UN leadership would want to know exactly what happened and what can be done in the period ahead to strengthen security.

Under Secretary Starr said the UN building is under the security of the government of Nigeria and, as such, they would meet with President Jonathan and his security team to discuss security.

She praised the courage and dedication of UN staff in Nigeria as “they strive to continue supporting that country’s efforts towards sustainable peace and development”.

“Four seriously injured UN staff were medically evacuated this morning to Johannesburg,” she said.

CORRECTION Justice Aloma Miriam Mukhtar is due to retire November 20, 2014. It is not November 20, 1944 as published yesterday.

The mix-up is regretted.

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

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

NEWS IBADAN FLOOD OF TEARS

‘My husband couldn’t have jumped into the lagoon’

•Debris of a collapsed fence on a car at Aina Sogbetan Street, Bodija

•Ologuneru street

•Ologuneru River after the flood •Some people wading through the flood

•A car being pushed in the flood on Idi-Isin road, Ibadan •Some residents salvaging their property.

•Some residents of Odo Ona with their property •A woman and her kids after the flood at Odo-Ona.

• A flooded Redeemed Church at Olugbode, Gbekuba

A flooded compound at Ojutelegba in Odo-ona

PHOTOS:FEMI ILESANMI

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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NEWS IBADAN FLOOD OF TEARS

Govt distributes relief materials to victims

T

HE Oyo State government yesterday began distribution of relief materials to victims of the Friday flood disaster that hit some parts of Ibadan, the state capital.

Distributed were beddings, food items, cooking utensils, palm oil and bags of rice, to victims at Agbowo. The government assured the recipients that it would not rest on its oars until all those who suffered one loss or the other got palliatives.

Handing over the materials, Deputy Governor Moses Adeyemo, pledged that government would not allow them to suffer as it would continue to provide them with relief materials.

The government also set up mobile clinics in the affected areas to enable victims access medicare.

The deputy governor visited homes of many of the victims to commiserate with them and assured them that more palliative measures were coming.

Of note was the deputy governor’s visit to Mr. Sikiru Adisa, who lost his four children and his father to the flood. Mr Adeyemo prayed that God would give him and the rest of the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Government also, for the second day, deployed the services of a helicopter which went round many of the affected areas.

The deputy governor, who took a ride in the helicopter,

in the company of the Chief of Staff, Dr Adeolu Akande, and three reporters, for about an hour, surveyed all the affected areas, taking aerial pictures of the spots to help government plan the next line of action.

The government had earlier set set up three committees, including the Control Room.

The government also established an infrastructural committee comprising representatives of the Ministry of Works, Lands and Housing and Oyo State Road Management Agency (OYSROMA) to asses the state of dilapidation of roads and bridges so that the government could promptly provide relief materials.

Another committee is on the environment which went round the city collecting dead bodies and setting up mobile clinics.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Olatubosun Oladele, told reporters that government had taken some proactive measures to ameliorate the sufferings of the people.

The commissioner conveyed the regret of the governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, whom he said was on his way from lesser hajj . He gave the affected citizens a map of alternative routes that could be taken by them before government fixed the dilapidate bridges and roads.

He appealed to the PHCN to reconnect the areas that have been thrown into darkness by the flood.

Oyo ACN, senator mourn

A

S residents of the flood-affected areas in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital continued to count their losses, the Oyo State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria,(ACN) yesterday condoled with families of the victims. The flood that occured in Ibadan at the weekend, claimed several lives and property.

The tragic flood, second in less than two months, resulted from the rain that lasted for about six hours.

A statement signed by Matthew Oyedokun, the party’s Publicity Secretary , sympathised with the families of the victims and those who lost their property, praying God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

Also yesterday, Senator Femi Lanlehin sympathised with victims and families of those who died in the flood.

Lanlehin, in a statement in Ibadan, lamented the magnitude of the disaster, saying it was painful to see how the flood swept away loved ones and destroyed property acquired through years of sweat.

Lanlehin called on the Federal Government to assist the state government.

He said: "I pray God to comfort the bereaved and restoration of other losses for the flood victims."

Former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala also expressed sadness at the incident. In a statement by his spokesman, Prince Dotun Oyelade, Alao-Akala described the incident as unfortunate, urging the government to immediately bring succour to the victims.

Flood threatens Oyo residents

O

VER 1,000 public and residential buildings located at Koso, and Oroki in the Atiba Local Government area of Oyo State , are being threatened by flood.

The Nation investigation revealed that the popular Isunwin stream in the area, has become a refuse dump for residents, which obstruct its free flow.

The heaps of refuse, with bamboos, and trees along prevent the stream from

From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

running easily and as a result it overflows its bank into the surrounding valley, with the water seeping into buildings.

Some of the structures have already been eaten up by erosion.

Worried about the situation, the Caretaker Chairman of the Local Government, Prince Hakeem Adeyemi, ordered the Works Department to dredge the stream, and other spots threatened by erosion.

•A car being pushed in the flood on NIHORT Road, Idi-Isin Road

•Some houses and shops at Ojutelegba in Odo-Ona, Ibadan

PHOTOS: FEMI ILESANMI

Buhari, Afenifere, Ohanaeze, Southsouth leaders, condemn attack on UN building

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HERE is national outrage over weekend’s terror attack on the United Nations office in Abuja.

Pan Igbo social political group Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Yoruba Political bodyAfenifere Renewal Group (ARG) and the Southsouth Leaders Forum yesterday strongly condemned the terror attack.

Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Gen. Muhammadu Buhari described “the horrendous attack as a heart rending devastation and a great challenge to the emotion.”

The death toll in the attack has risen to 23, according to Minister of Health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu.

Buhari, in a statement by his spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, said condolences to the United Nations, the mourning people of Nigeria and the grief-stricken families who have lost beloved ones in this unfortunate incident.

“There has yet to be any coordinated response by the security forces in the country.

It is unprofessional and incompetent for our security agencies to surrender to this omnibus Boko Haram as the only clue to every security challenge.”

He added: “What that means that even foreign interest can enter Nigeria today and wreck havoc and issue a

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Lagos, Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt and Chris Orji, Enugu

statement in the name of Boko Haram and we will bury our dead and life continues”.

Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) said: “We therefore call on our government to, as a matter of urgency, address the increasing level of insecurity and injustice that have taken over Nigeria’s landscape. That successive leaders have woefully failed in addressing issues of bad governance and other forms of inequality means that we should look in the direction of a national conference for solutions.

The statement by ARG spokesman Kunle Famoriyo added: “We are of the belief that the challenges posed by these avoidable challenges are more than enough to engage the attention of any serious leadership than getting involved in issues that are excessively laced with primordial motives like the illegal suspension of Justice Ayo Salami as President, Court of Appeal.

“Basically, since religion is primarily a personal issue, we advise those with grievances to seek lawful means of channeling their grievances, instead of embarking on invidious and insidious missions that do not put food on the table of the common man.

Ohanaeze in a statement by

Prince Ralph Ndigwe, said: “Such a senseless act directed at a peaceful international organization and all the previous similar attacks in this country could destabilize the Nigerian polity to a possible point of no return to socio-political normalcy.

“Our country cannot progress to the desired benefit of all of us with people living in perpetual fear for their lives and property.”

The statement added: “we are taking this opportunity also to differentiate between criminal acts of heartless extremists and the purely symbolic recent display of MASSOB, whose members, portraying their democratic beliefs, were clamped in police detention last week.”

Ohanaeze called for the immediate release of the MASSOB members in prison custody “in the absence of evidence of criminal acts provenly hurtful to persons or property.”

The Southsouth leaders, under the aegis of Southsouth Peoples Assembly (SSPA), called on President Jonathan to fish out and prosecute the perpetrators and sponsors of Abuja bomb blast.

They also condemned the terrorists’ activities of members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, which was referred to as an attempt by a tiny minority to make Nigeria ungovernable for the President.

SSPA’s leaders: Ambassador Mathew Mbu, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (rtd.) and Dr. Kalada Iruenabere, spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt.

Southsouth leaders said: “Boko Haram is a political tool in the hands of a small group of power merchants and economic parasites, seeking to achieve their earlier threats, made during the struggle for Jonathan’s Presidency, to destabilise the nation.

“The SSPA does not believe that the Boko Haram of today, is the offshoot of the one crushed by the Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration.

“Rather, we are convinced that the name has become a metaphor for a more sophisticated struggle for political power.

“We dare say that it is a tool in the hands of those who threatened to make this country ungovernable and those who lectured us on the inevitability of violent change in the heat of the struggle for the Jonathan Presidency.

“Boko Haram cannot be pursuing a religious agenda.

It should be obvious to its ideologues that exploding bombs in Abuja, will do very little to advance the cause of its fanatical Islamic Ideology.

“On the contrary, we are convinced that the group’s agenda, which clearly is that of its urbane sponsors, is to make the Presidency of Goodluck Jonathan unworkable.”

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

NEWS ENDGAME IN LIBYA

• A man accused of being a loyalist mercenary of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is arrested at one of the several check points in Tripoli... yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP

Two rebels involved in the battle against beleaugured Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi say revolution ‘tastes just like the aroma of freedom’. For them, there is no rest until the Gaddafi era is finally ended with his arrest

‘We’ ll not rest until Gaddafi is finished’

T

HEY fought on the front in West Libya and in battles in Tripoli and now they are trying to take the South. Marwan and Elias are both exhausted but upbeat But they are determined to finish the job.

The two friends, proudly declaring themselves to be citizens of the Libyan revolution, recounted the fierce firefights that preceded the rebel seizure of strongman Muammar Gaddaafi’s Bab al-Aziziya compound in the capital.

But upon arriving in the small town of Al-Jamil, close to Libya’s border with Tunisia, the pair are at a loss for words to describe their accomplishments.

“It tastes just like the aroma of freedom,” shouts Marwan Meyouf, 30, amid cries of joy and celebratory machine-gun and cannon fire.

Since the initial rebel assault on Tripoli penultimate Saturday, they have barely slept, engaging in urban shoot-outs almost without in-

‘When I go into battle I’m scared. But I want to get rid of that scum Gaddafi, who took everything from us...I will not rest until Gaddafi is finished’ terruption before then traversing the desert in the South.

“We heard Zuwarah was under siege and we’re going to help them,” said Elias Azzabi, a 28-yearold medical student.

“Tomorrow we will join our friends to attack Ghadames, from where Gaddafi supporters are fleeing to Algeria.”

Both admit to not having enjoyed the conflict, conceding that they were initially fearful upon taking up arms.

“We are just simple citizens,” Marwan said, adding; “when I go into battle I’m scared. But I want to get rid of that scum Gaddafi, who took everything from us.”

Of the two, Marwan more closely fits the image of a rebel fighter.

He has a more athletic build, sports Ray Ban sunglasses, cradles a heavy

Tanzania backs AU stance on rebels

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ANZANIA has backed the Africa Union (AU) in not recognising the Libya National Transitional Council (NTC) rebels even as they continue to tighten the noose around embattled leader Muammar Gaddafi in his birth town of Sirte.

The Tanzania stand was announced in Dar es Salaam yesterday by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Bernard Membe.

But the minister said Tanzania would recognise the group “if it is takes over the government and establishes all the governing organs which respect the division of power between the executive, legislature and the judiciary.”

Besides, Membe said there should be election through which the people of Libya would have opportunity to choose the leaders they want.

With that decision, Tanzania has enlisted in the club of 41 African countries that refused to recognise the interim government in Libya.

So far, about 11 African countries have recognised the rebels led NTC in Libya.

These include Botswana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tunisia, Senegal, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Benin, Kenya and Djibouti.

The NTC had at the weekend released the names of members of its governing council for the first time and promised to increase its roster rapidly to provide representation to newly liberated parts of the country.

But, Mr Membe said it was not clear whether the rebel group has taken over the country.

“The issue of Libya is like a bunch of spiralling worms in can that you cannot see their heads and tails as well as know their number and size,” he said.

He said what Tanzania and AU see as important step now was restoration of peace in order to rescue lives of innocent people in nation engulfed in sporadic fighting.

machine gun and has a knife lodged in his belt.

As second-in-command of the KK Tripoli Battalion, he was among those who led the assault on Tripoli from the Nafusa Mountains in the West.

When the rebellion began in February, Marwan left for Benghazi, the Eastern city that was long the rebel headquarters, and fought in Ajdabiya before joining rebel forces in the mountains.

“I will not rest until Gaddafi is finished,” he vows.

Elias, wearing a bullet-proof vest and helmet he found in Bab alAziziya, stayed in Tripoli throughout.

For months, he trained secretly at home, hiding a Kalashnikov in his basement and learning to load and aim it, as well as how to assem-

ble bombs.

“I was jogging and exercising every day,” he said said. “My friends laughed at me, but I wanted to be ready. The day of the assault, I was with a small group that hid on the roof of a building, waiting for the rebels.”

“We left and I fired my first shot.”

His gunfire later resulted in the deaths of three men armed with rocket launchers, Elias said.

“They shot at me - I did not have time to think, I didn’t have a choice.

It was a new feeling. But we do this to defend our country and our children.”

The two friends are proud of the rebellion brought about by ordinary Libyans.

They recalled the Tunisian revolution in January and the Egyptian revolt the following month that

•Gaddafi

gave them and other Libyans the courage to defy Gaddafi, who had been in power for 42 years.

They recounted the first demonstrations against the regime and the strength they said they found buried inside them. They spoke of the time Gaddafi pledged to crush the “rats” that rose up against him.

“I’m proud, because now we are free,” said Marwan.

Rebels accuse Gaddafi of using human shields

F

ORCES loyal to the embattled Libyan strongman, Muammar Gaddafi are using civilians as “human shields” to block the rebel advance on Gaddafi’s birthplace of Sirte, rebel commanders have claimed.

As a result, the rebel advance from Misrata on Sirte, the last of Gaddafi’s coastal strongholds, has been halted, with opposition units unable to bypass the village without being shelled and unwilling to fire back.

Rebel commanders said a government brigade has moved into the homes of farmers in the village of Heesh, 60 miles West of Sirte, on the coastal highway and is refusing to let the residents flee.

He said: “The Gaddafi Kabita (brigade) came there and stayed with them,” said Commander Ali Ahmed of the rebel Sidra brigade.

“They (the government forces) are on a hill above there, and also in the houses. The people cannot

leave” Opposition forces advancing on the town from Benghazi in the East yesterday reported the capture of Bin Jawad, 62 miles from Sirte.

The fighting was a reminder that a week after opposition forces swarmed into Tripoli there was no sign of pro-Gaddafi forces laying down their arms.

Heesh villagers made contact with rebel units to say they are frightened, but not being mistreated by Gaddafi units. “The families, they have a normal life, but do not have food. Water and electricity not good,” said Ahmed.

There was no independent confirmation of the claim, but rebels said the Gaddafi regime has long made use of human shields.

A total of 1,017 residents of Misrata were kidnapped by government forces in the spring, most of whom are now accounted for, having been freed from Tripoli prisons.

When rebels captured the nearby

town of Tawarga two weeks ago, they claimed government forces retreated in a column with army vehicles interspersed with civilian cars to deter attacks from the Non Allied Treaty Organisation (NATO) jets.

Sirte has remained a key target for rebel forces, both because of reports that senior administration officials had taken refuge there and because at least four scud rockets, each intercepted by a United States (U.S.) warship, have been launched from Sirte on Misrata in the past fortnight.

NATO has pounded targets in Sirte for three days, claiming the destruction of a scud launcher and 44 military vehicles.

But attempts by National Transitional Council (NTC) figures to negotiate with tribal chiefs in Sirte had broken down, as they had over the surrender of another government Garrison at Beni Walid, 100 miles South of Misrata, also thought to be housing top Gaddafi officials.

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

NEWS UN HOUSE BOMBING CAN calls for fasting, prayer From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged churches in the country to get their members to embark on a three-day fasting and prayer for the Federal Government to apprehend the masterminds of the attack on the UN House in Abuja and to prevent other possible bomb attacks in the country.

The message of the Christian Association of Nigeria was conveyed by Christian leaders to their followers in most churches in Kano yesterday.

ACN to Boko Haram: it’s time for ceasefire

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HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday condemned Friday’s bombing of the UN House in Abuja, urging the Islamic sect Boko Haram to stop its attacks.

In a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party expressed condoled with the families of

By Nneka Nwaneri

the victims and the United Nations (UN). It said no grievance could justify such a dastardly act against innocent people.

It called for a National Stakeholders Security Meeting to find a lasting solution to the worsening insecurity of lives and property in the country.

It urged President Goodluck Jonathan to think out of the box in seeking a way out of the security nightmare.

The statement reads: “The President should know by now that his advisers have run out of ideas as far as the issue of Boko Haram and insecurity in the land is concerned. He should therefore look beyond himself and his

advisers in seeking a way out of the quagmire in which the country has found itself.

“When we called for some form of engagement with Boko Haram, many criticised the idea. But we will like to repeat here that nothing short of a constructive engagement with the sect will give an insight into whatever its grievances are.

Falana: Blast a challenge

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‘Nigeria’s security called to questioning’ From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

THE bombing of the United Nations Building in Abuja has called to question the security in the country, Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Najeem Salaam, has said.

He called on President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that those involved in the bombing are brought to book.

Salaam, in a statement by his Press Secretary, Mr. Goke Butika, described the incident as a terrorists’ affront on world peace and unity.

Salaam said: “The Presidency’s measures to tackle the menace of terrorism in the country are too soft. No meaningful steps had so far been taken to unveil those behind the recent spate of suicide bombing which is alien to us in this country. I believe lack of courage on the part of the Presidency to bring to book perpetrators of past incidents has emboldened the terrorists to go on and have a field day each time they strike.”

‘A heinous crime against humanity’ THE Campaign for Democracy (CD) yesterday described Friday’s terror attack on the United Nations House in Abuja as heinous.

The group, in a statement by its President, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, said: “The unjust, unwarranted and murderous attack is a vicious and wicked act by merchants of blood and enemies of humanity.

We mourn with all the families who have been thrown into grief by this dastardly terror act and pray that God will console them.

“We equally pray for all the injured to have speedy recovery from the pains and pangs that this terror act has inflicted on them.

“This latest act of terror is another wake-up call that all is not well with our country at the moment as we are now at the mercy of terrorists.”

“For those who are more fixated on whether or not members of the group should be granted amnesty, we say engagement is not the same as amnesty.”

“This is one more reason why the government should rise up to the occasion. After all, the raison d’etre of any government is the welfare and security of its citizens.”

• From left: Ghananian Vice-President Mr John Mahama, former President John Kufuor and human rights activist Mr Femi Falana at the celebration of the 10th celebration of the De-criminalisation of Press Law in Accra, Ghana.

Security strengthened around MMIA •Nigeria will rebuild UN building, says Jonathan

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ECURITY has been beefed up around the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Scores of plain clothed security operatives are now mounting surveillance around both the local and international terminals of the airport.

Security agencies attached to the airport have been having series of meetings to design new operational procedures to forestall any threat to nationals assets and secure lives and property.

Officials of the Police, the

By Kelvin Osa-Okunbor

Air Force, the State Security Services and the Nigeria Intelligence Agency took part in the security meetings.

Airlines insisted on both primary and secondary screening of passengers in line with the directive of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, to ensure that prohibited items, including fire arms and explosives are not taken on board.

President Goodluck Jonathan has said Nigeria would help rebuild the Unit-

ed Nations’ building destroyed by a bomb blast last Friday.

Jonathan spoke while receiving the United Nations’ Deputy Secretary-General, Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, at State House, yesterday.

He said the government would offer temporary accommodation to the United Nations to enable them “continue doing the good humanitarian work you have been doing.”

He commended Nigerians and foreign nationals who helped in the rescue operations and efforts to bring

relief to those affected by “this condemnable act of destruction of lives and property.”

Migiro said she came to observe and assess the situation after the bombing of the UN House, adding that the development would not deter the UN and its agencies from doing their work.

She requested assistance to enable the quick evacuation of the dead and injured.

Migiro thanked President Jonathan for offering to assist in the rebuilding the UN House.

‘Govt must look beyond Boko Haram for solution’

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HE Federal Government has been advised to look beyond the Boko Haram Islamic sect in the search for those who bombed the United Nations building in Abuja last Friday.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Mic Adams, said other terror groups in the country could be responsi-

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

ble for the explosion.

He said: “On behalf of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Interim National Executive Committee wishes to convey our heartfelt sympathy to the people of Nigeria, the Feder-

al Government, and President Goodluck Jonathan, on the wicked and devillish act of the U.N. House bombing in Abuja.”

“We condemn in strong terms, this barbaric act of terrorism, which threatens the security of our nation and affects our socio-political and economic development.

“We call on the Federal

Government and all security agencies to beef up a good strategy to combat the excesses of those terror groupings in the country. Financiers of these various terror groupings should be fished out, arrested and prosecuted.

“No stone should be left unturned. Security agencies should beam their search – light beyond Boko Haram.”

‘Jonathan should query security chiefs’

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HE National Commandant (NG), Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Dickson Akoh asked President Goodluck Jonathan to query the service chiefs.

He said security agencies should be more proactive.

Akoh said: “The UN House bomb blast is another conspir-

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

acy to make the country ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan who is presently not happy with the situation. He must take an urgent step to avoid the worst.

“He should call his securi-

ty chiefs and order them to do their best. He should warn them that if any of them do not take orders from him or do the right thing they will be sacked. Things are getting out of hand. How can we as a nation explain this?

“The resignation of President Goodluck Jonathan is

not the solution to the problem. The solution is to tackle the act. This act of terrorism which must be condemned by all peace loving Nigerians is not only a national embarrassment, but has also dented the hard-earned corporate image of the country before the comity of nations.”

AGOS lawyer Mr. Femi Falana yesterday urged the Federal Government to see the blast as a challenge.

Falana, in a statement, commiserated with the families of the victims.

The statement reads: “We join the government and people of Nigeria in condemning the bombing of the United Nations Building in Abuja last Friday. We also sympathise with the bereaved families of the deceased and others who were injured in the dastardly attack.It is a national shame that some of the injured survivors have to be flown abroad for treatment since the National Hospital in Abuja is ill equipped to treat them .

After 12 years in power the Peoples Democratic Party led Federal Government should explain what has happened to all the funds allocated for the refurbishment of the National Hospital that it has no pint of blood in its bank.

“However, beyond condemnations Nigerians should take the bomb blast as a challenge to protect themselves since President Goodluck Jonathan has confessed that he himself is not safe! Since Nigerians have become cheap targets in the hands of assassins, kidnappers, armed robbers and terrorists the National Assembly should as a matter of urgency comply with section 220 of the Constitution which states that: ‘The Federation shall establish and maintain adequate facilities for carrying into effect any Act of the National Assembly providing for compulsory military training or military service for citizens of Nigeria.”

Minister condoles with ILO

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INISTER of Labour and Productivity Chief Emeka Wogu has condoled with the staff of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) over Friday’s bomb attack on the UN House in Abuja.

Wogu said, in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by Mr Samuel Olowookere, spokesman of the ministry, that the ILO is one the social partners of the labour ministry.

The minister also expressed sympathy with Jose Xirinachs, the Deputy Director-General on Employment of the ILO. Xirinachs was in the country to foster relationship with the Federal Government on the Global Jobs Pact (GJP) when the incident occurred.

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

NEWS UN HOUSE BOMBING

Fayemi, Mimiko, Sylva: bombing a negative signpost for Nigeria

Minister, monarch appeal to bombers

By Jude Isiguzo

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INISTER for Police Affairs Captain Caleb Omoniyi Olubolade (rtd) and the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu at the weekend, appealed to those behind the spate of bombing in the country to stop and give peace a chance.

Olubolade, who was reacting to Friday’s bombing of the United Nation’s headquarters in Abuja, said it was high time Nigerians started addressing issues concerning security.

He said: “I would want to remind that Nigeria belongs to all of us irrespective of differences, either political or otherwise, and we must secure it. My advice to those who are aggrieved is that they should come closer and present their views so that we do not use our own hands to kill ourselves. We are looking at ways to checkmate the situation”.

The minister noted that security challenges in the country are alarming and that there is need for everyone to join hands to solve the issue.

And receiving the minister in his palace, Oba Akiolu noted that the negative image such incidents have brought the country cannot be overemphasized.

He said: “I want to use this month of Ramadan to appeal to perpetrators of this ungodly act .This month is one of the most beneficial of all months because Ramadan according to the Holy Qu’ran is a month of forgiveness and a month which prayers are heard. The nation does not deserve this. I beg the perpetrators in Allah’s name to give President Jonathan the chance to do his work”.

Oba Akiolu blamed the problem in the Police on its leadership, government and citizens, noting that the amount of money spent on the force is not enough to meet the challenges of the moment.

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OVERNORS yesterday described the UN House bombing a negative signpost.

Ekiti State Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi enjoined the leadership of the country not to view the growing spate of violence in the country as purely a local issue.

Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode, said Nigeria needs a more strategic rather than an ad hoc reaction to the development.

He said the country should prioritise intelligence gathering, processing and utilisation in security operations, adding that external forces could not be ruled out of perpetrating the violence despite claims by a local group, Boko Haram.

Fayemi said: “Nigeria needs a strategic, rather than an ad hoc reaction to this. We ‘d be chasing shadows if this is seen purely from a local

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

angle. Boko Haram is just a label for something more insidious.”

Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi, expressed dismay at the spate of bombing.

He said: “On behalf of the Government and people of Ondo State, the Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, sympathise with the families and officials of the United Nations over the bomb blast that occurred today in its Abuja office complex. We condemn this act of terrorism as unacceptable, anachronistic, retrogressive, reprehensible, odious, barbaric and against the commandment of God to shed lives and destroy property at will for base reasoning.

“While we urge all security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book, we commiserate with those injured, their families and the Federal Government over this unfortunate and unacceptable incident. It is one dastardly act too many,” he said.

Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva asked Nigerians to place national interest above every other consideration.

Sylva described it as unwarranted destruction of lives and property.

“It is a sad thing that all Nigerians must be concerned about. We must rise up as one to condemn this senseless act”, Sylva said in London where he was attending the 2011 Isaac Boro Day event.

He said: “Democracy offers us limitless avenues for peaceful resolution of our grouses.

And President Goodluck

Jonathan has been committed to this path of seeking political solution to conflicts since assumption of office. Those behind this monstrous destruction should have availed themselves of the numerous democratic avenues for redressing perceived wrongs.”

Niger State Acting Governor Ahmed Ibeto called on Jonathan to convene a national security summit.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Malam Danladi Ndayebo, the acting governor said the spate of bombings in the country has become a national emergency and must be treated as such.

“The issue of security should not be left to government alone. My thinking is that government alone cannot stop the activities of terrorists which have left hundreds of innocent Nigerians either dead or wounded,” he said.

Islam against bombing, says cleric

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N Islamic cleric, Sheikh AbdurRahman Lawal has condemned the bombing of the UN House.

Lawal, the National Missioner of Nadwat-ul-ahli Islamic Society of Nigeria and Overseas, dissociated Islam from the Boko Haram sects.

He said the group is ethnic and not a religious group. He

By Risikat Ramoni

added that its actions contradict the teachings and lessons of Islam.

He spoke during the Laylat-ul-Qadr of the group at the Marina car park on Lagos Island.

The missioner enjoined Nigerians to live in harmony with one another.

Youths seek tight security at borders From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

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HE National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), has called on the Federal Government to ensure that security is tightened at the country’s borders in order to prevent importation of bombs.

The NYCN, in a statement in Abuja yesterday by its President, Ajani Olawale James, condoled with the family of the victims and wished those that are still receiving medical attention a quick recovery.

The group said:”Nigeria is no more safe and we call on the Federal Government to step up their action in fighting this menace immediately.”

“We also call on the security at the nation’s border to be more proactive; because all these foreign weapons suggest that our borders are porous and it is high time security agents either did their job or quit for capable hands to come in and if they think they are experiencing frustration anywhere; they should cry out for help.”

Kwara governor condemns blast

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WARA State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has condemned the attack on the United Nations building in Abuja.

The governor, who described the bomb attack as barbaric and dastardly, asked the Federal Government and security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the bomb

blast and bring them to book.

He said the attack was a national disgrace and assault on the United Nations and Nigeria.

Ahmed advised the Federal Government to take security more serious, noting that the present state of insecurity in the country was becoming unacceptable.

It’s act of barbarism, says Akpabio Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

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KWA Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio yesterday described the bomb blast which rocked the Abuja United Nations House as an act of barbarism.

Akpabio urged Nigerians to move closer to God and pray for the country.

The governor spoke in Eket during the thanksgiving service to mark the 75th birthday of the Primate Emeritus of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Mbang.

Akpabio explained that Nigerians should live as one irrespective of religion affiliation.

His words: “Instead of celebrating the 75th year of existence of Mbang on earth. Nigerians and indeed the entire world are mourning over the abrupt termination of innocent souls at the United Nations office in Abuja . It is an act of barbarism.”

• Vice-President Namadi Sambo, being received by Saudi President of Intelligence, Prince Magrin Abdulazeez, on behalf of King Abdallah bin Abdulazeez at the royal guest palace in Meccah...on Saturday.

PHOTO: NAN

PDP urges Nigerians to be vigilant

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Nigerians to be vigilant following the bombing of the United Nations office building in Abuja on Friday.

A statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, said the party joined all well meaning Nigerians and other citizens of the world in expressing sadness over the carnage on

a compound that symbolised world peace and global cooperation.

The statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Prof Rufa’i Alkali, said the suicide bombing which led to the death of several innocent people was another mindless carnage perpetrated by persons whose motives and cause remained a mystery to Nigeri-

ans.

His words: “The Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, on behalf of all members of the PDP joins all well meaning Nigerians and other citizens of the world in expressing deep sadness over this carnage on a premises that symbolises world peace and global cooperation.

“We offer our heartfelt

condolences to the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the entire families of those who lost their lives in the service of humanity.’’

While wishing the injured a speedy recovery, the PDP urged Nigerians to be vigilant and to fully cooperate with security agencies in bringing the ugly trend to a halt.

High level intelligence solution to Boko Haram, says Ojudu

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HE Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Babafemi Ojudu, has stated that a high level intelligence gathering can assist to rein in the Boko Haram menace in the country.

Ojudu, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. ‘Dimeji Daniels, said it was a routine for governments and security agencies to blow hot as immediate reaction to outrageous terror attacks only to dawdle and drag feet on solution measures.

He stated that govern-

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado Ekiti

ment had to explore ways of making security agencies more pro-active through result-oriented trainings and collaboration with security agencies from other countries which would include sharing of intelligence, amongst others, adding that security agencies should focus efforts on pre-attack reconnaissance for solid intelligence gathering.

Ojudu, who was reacting to the bombing of the United

Nations building in Abuja, described it as an affront on the international community and that all stakeholders in Nigeria should join hands to get at the roots of a menace that could be visited on anyone, anywhere and at any time.

He commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives and the survivors of the bombing, stressing the need for all Nigerians including the faceless masterminds of the bloodletting to imbibe the lessons of Eid-el-Fitri during and long after the holy

month.

Identifying self-denial and fear of God as some of the lessons of Eid-el-Fitri, Ojudu said it was important for Muslims and Christians to make these attributes their guiding principles. He believed that a man with all these attributes would always look out for the good of his fellow man.

In his goodwill message to Moslems on the celebration, the lawmaker congratulated them, adding that they should remember Nigeria in their prayers at all times.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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NEWS Four found dead in Ikorodu

By Jude Isiguzo

OUR persons were found dead last Saturday morning at their home on Kutere Street, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Though details of their death are still sketchy, they may have died of poisoning or suffocation from fumes from a generating set.

The father of one of the deceased celebrated his birthday in FESTAC Town, Lagos, on Friday and he went there with his wife and three others. The wife slept over in FESTAC, but the four men returned home.

When the wife phoned her husband on Saturday morning, there was no answer, so she phoned a neighbour to check on him.

When the neighbour knocked on the door and got no response, he sought help and the door was pulled down to reveal the lifeless bodies.

The incident was reported at the Igbogbo Police Station and the policemen have deposited the bodies at the mortuary.

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Osun targets N7.5B from tourism S the curtains fall on by 2015

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this year’s edition of the Osun Osogbo festi-

val, the Osun State Government is determined to make tourism a source of revenue.

It estimates that by 2015, it would attain N7.5 billion in revenue and host 20,000 tourists.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola, represented by his deputy, Mrs. Grace Laoye-Tomori, said tourism has a great potential to turn around the state’s economy.

Aregbesola said: “In 2010, it was reported that there were over 940 million international tourist centres, which globally raked in $919 billion. When tourism is developed, it generates jobs in arts and craft; tour guides; transportation services, such as airlines and cabs; hospitality services, such as accommodations, hotels and resorts; and entertainment venues, such as amusement parks, casinos, shopping malls, music venues and theatres. It is expected that each of the at least 5,000 foreign tourists would spend $2,500 each. We believe they are here already. Also, not less than 800 jobs have

By Evelyn Osagie

been created during this festival, including tour guides.

“Our unique selling advantage is in packaging the state as the cradle of Yoruba civilisation and our target market is the Yoruba nation at home and in the Diaspora.

“There are estimated 91 million Yoruba people scattered at home and abroad in West Africa, Brazil, the United States, Caribbean, Europe, Venezuela and Colombia. Of these, our target by 2013 is to bring in 10,000 tourists and rake in N3.5 billion.

“By 2014, the figure would have jumped to 15,000 and our projected revenue would be N5.6 billion. In 2015, we would have hit the 20,000 mark and attain N7.5 billion in revenue.”

The governor said a lot was spent on this year’s festival to make it more attractive to tourists.

Lagos State Deputy Governor Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire and the Minister for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Edem Duke, were at the grand finale of the festival last Friday.

Court rules in favour of LP candidate From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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HE Appeal Court sitting in Akure has struck out the petition of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate in Ilaje/Ese-Odo federal constituency, Rawa Felix, against the election of Raphael Nomiye of the Labour Party (LP) last April.

The ruling was based on the ACN counsel’s failure to file application for pre-hearing notice within the stipulated time.

LP Counsel Remi Olatubora, at the weekend, said other cases filed against the party had also been struck out.

Olatubora said: “The Electoral Act, paragraph 15, requires that after filing your petition, you have to file an application for pre-hearing notice seven days after the reply of the respondents.

“If you don’t file it within seven days, the law says there shall be no extension as stated in paragraph 18 and 2 of the Electoral Act.

Ajimobi mourns Obey’s wife

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YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has commiserated with Juju musician turned evangelist, Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi, on the death of his wife, Lady Evangelist Juliana.

In a statement by his Me-

dia Aide Festus Adedayo, Ajimobi described the deceased as an “easy-going, industrious and dedicated wife, a pillar of support to her husband.”

He prayed that God would grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Lagos/Ibadan road set for Sallah

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I-COURTNEY Highway Services Limited has said it would complete the repair of bad portions of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway before Sallah.

Its spokesman Dipo Kehinde spoke at the weekend during an inspection of the work done by representatives of the Federal Government.

Kehinde said: “We have worked over a stretch of 600 metres at Ibafo on the south-

bound carriage way, where a 570 metres length has been cleared and backfilled. This work has eased traffic on that stretch.

“We have overlaid about 100, 000 square metres at Fidiwo, Sapade, Alapako, Kilometre 90, near Ibadan; Fatgbems, at Isheri; Ibafo and RCCG area.”

The FG representatives praised the company on the speed of the work.

•Ekiti State Deputy Governor Funmi Olayinka (right) hosting the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Olayinka Balogun (left) and the first Amirah of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Ekiti State branch, Alhaja Falilat Aladejana, at the breaking of fast at her official residence in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital...at the weekend.

ACN chief assassinated in Ogun

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CHIEFTAIN of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ogun State, Mr. Yomi Bamgbose, was shot dead last Saturday at the entrance to his home in Abeokuta, the state capital, by unknown gunmen.

The late Bamgbose (53) was the Southwest Coordinator of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO).

His remains have been deposited at the morgue of the State Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta.

It was gathered that the gunmen, numbering about seven, laid ambush for the deceased in a white vehicle, a few metres from his home on Samba Road, behind MKO Abiola Stadium.

When the late Bamgbose arrived at about 10: 35pm, the criminals accosted him at the gate.

It was learnt that the victim abandoned his car and took to his heels, shouting for help.

But the killers caught up with him, dragged him back to his gate and shot him severally in the chest.

A man, who does not want his name mentioned, said the criminals did not leave until they were sure that their victim was dead.

He said they fired sporadically into the air to scare neighbours away.

Sympathisers besieged the

•Ex-Oyo Acting Chief Judge killed From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta and Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

late Bamgbose’s home yesterday to commiserate with his three widows – Funmilayo, Sekinat and Mopelola.

Mopelola, who livesseparately from the rest of the family, said she and her children waited for him to come home on Saturday night and went to bed around 11pm when he didn’t show up.

She said: “I was expecting him at my apartment to give me some pocket money and bring his clothes for washing. My children too were waiting, because he had promised to give them some money.

“When we waited till 11pm and he didn’t come, we went to sleep, believing he would see us on Sunday. I was surprised to hear that my husband had been shot dead. It is shocking to me. He was a good father to the children and a responsible husband to me.”

Early sympathisers included Deputy Governor Segun Adesegun; House of Assembly Speaker Suraj Adekunbi; Mr. Afolabi Fashanu (SAN) and some ACN members.

‘When we waited till 11pm and he didn’t come, we went to sleep, believing he would see us on Sunday’ Adesegun said: “I know the deceased very well. He was a good guy; a serious and strong member of our party.

He has been with us for a very long time. He was quite reliable and we are definitely going to miss him. “We know that God, in his infinite mercies, will take care of the loved ones left behind.”

He said Bamgbose’s killing was not a sign of a security breakdown in the state, but a reflection of the insecurity of lives and property across the nation.

Urging security agencies to arrest the situation, Adesegun said: “It is all over Nigeria. I’m not in a position to know the motive of the killers, but the police have been around and are taking necessary steps to unravel the mystery.

“The governor is on pilgrimage in Mecca and the message has been passed to him. It is unfortunate that we have this type of development.”

Adekunbi said he was with the late Bamgbose last Saturday morning.

He said: “It is quite unfortunate that this type of thing is happening. I met him around Tinubu Round About during the sanitation period.

“Somebody called me and said he was shot dead. He was a nice, responsible and God fearing man. It is unfortunate and we believe God knows what really happened.”

Also at the weekend, a former Acting Chief Judge in Oyo State was killed by unknown gunmen at her home on Ondo Road, Old Bodija, Ibadan, the state capital.

The hoodlums forced their way into her home and killed her.

Police Commissioner Moses Onireti confirmed the incident, saying: “it is a murder case and we are investigating it.”

Police spokesman Femi Okanlawon said: “The matter has been reported to the Police and investigation is on going. We are determined to get to the root of the matter.”

No arrest has been made.

PDP sets tough conditions for Daniel, others HE Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set stringent conditions for ex-Governor Gbenga Daniel and others who may want to return to the party.

At its State Conference held in Abeokuta, the state capital, at the weekend, the party resolved that: “PDP members who defected to other parties during the last general elections and wish to return shall go back to their wards for re- registration and will henceforth be treated as new members.

They will queue up in their constituencies, regardless of

T

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

their previously held positions.”

The conference was attended by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo; State PDP Chairman Dayo Soremi; the party’s governorship candidate in the last election, General Tunji Olurin (rtd); Secretary Pegba Otemolu; businessman Buruji Kashamu; among others.

Obasanjo said he was impressed by the turn out of members at the conference.

He said: “PDP is not dead in Ogun. When I came here and saw the massive crowd, I re-

alised that PDP is not dead.”

Obasanjo said.

In his speech entitled, “The rebranding of the PDP,” Olurin said all moves to bring PDP and the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) under one umbrella ceased on the eve of the April 16 Governorship Election.

He said: “Those who still believe there can be a settlement between the PPN and PDP are just desirous of embracing illegality. The PPN was a monstrous invention that became stillborn or was dead on arrival.

“That position is strengthened by the recent court judgment. Those still in doubt

should revisit that judgment or make inquiries at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) office in Abuja.

“Therefore, those who are still engaging with PPN and other faceless groups sympathetic to PPN must be told once and for all that they are engaging in anti party activities frowned at by the constitution of the PDP. “They are simply engaged in a voyage that would only lead them to political purgatory.”

Olurin said the only way to return sanity to the PDP was to instill discipline in members.

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

NEWS

Chime donates materials to inmates

Ebonyi tribunal accepts forensic result E

BONYI State National and House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abakiliki has accepted the results of forensic experts detailing the figures scored by the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Innocent Chima and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Paulinus Nwagun, in the Ebonyi Central senatorial election.

Chima had challenged

Lawmaker petitions Jega over fraud From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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F E D E R A L lawmaker, Nathaniel Agunbiade, has petitioned the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, over electoral malpractice allegedly perpetrated by some INEC workers in Osun State during the last April polls in the state.

The lawmaker representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of the state in the House of Representatives urged INEC to investigate and prosecute its staff who allegedly connived with the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his constituency, Wole Oke, to void ballot papers used for the April polls.

Two weeks ago, the tribunal struck out the petition filed by Wole Oke challenging the victory of Nathaniel Agunbiade,the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate as winner of the National Assembly poll in Osun State.

Agunbiade, through his counsel, Bola Oladele said: “We demand that immediate investigation be conducted in the matter and appropriate punishment meted out to the perpetrators.”

The petition alleged further: “Prior to the filing of the petition at the election tribunal, agents of Oke and the PDP colluded with some INEC officials in Obokun/ Oriade councils to invalidate valid ballot papers used for the election by double thumb-printing to create an impression that invalid votes were counted in favour of Agunbiade.

“With this, they believed that the tribunal would only subtract the invalid votes from Agunbiade’s votes and declare Oke the valid winner of the poll.

“On the date of election, the number of invalid votes in the various units of the afore-mentioned federal constituency ranged from 2,4,8 etc but they just suddenly jumped to 30,80,100 and even 300 in some units by the time the petition came up at the tribunal.

“We still cannot comprehend how the numbers of invalid votes suddenly increased by over 500 per cent between election day, when votes were counted and recorded in forms EC8A and the time the materials were made available for inspection to the parties by an order of the tribunal.”

From Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakiliki

Nwagu’s declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the election and urged the tribunal to declare him the winner, having scored the highest number of valid votes.

Counsel to Chima, Prof. Ilochi Okafor (SAN), had prayed the tribunal to carry out a detailed forensic examination of the ballot papers used to determine the valid and invalid votes and the figures allegedly allocated to the PDP. The tribunal granted the application.

The result of the forensic ex-

amination presented to the tribunal by Chief Maurice Umanna, a finger print analyst, indicated multiple votes and foreign body impression.

This was opposed by Nwagu’s counsel, S.O Oke (SAN), who argued that the tribunal should not accept the as evidence.

Tribunal Chairman Justice Henry Olusiyi said the tribunal accepted the evidence since the petitioner had sought for its leave before embarking on the examination.

The tribunal directed Oke to study the result presented by the petitioner within 10 days to make its reply on the outcome of the examination.

•Chime

E

NUGU State government has donated beds, mattresses, bed sheets and pillows to inmates of Enugu Prisons.

Governor Sullivan

Chime restated his administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of the inmates.

The governor spoke during the presentation of the items to the Comptroller of Prisons in the state, Chris Ntewo. Chime said the beds and beddings would be used to furnish the hostel built for the inmates in Enugu by the state government.

Chime, who was repre-

sented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Amechi Okolo, said the hostel would improve the welfare of the inmates.

Receiving the items, Ntewo hailed the governor for his interest on the inmates.

Ntewo decried the congestion in the prison which was built in 1915 and appealed to the governor to grant amnesty to condemned prisoners.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

10

NEWS 30 held for sanitation offence

Education is freedom, says Sylva

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

T

HIRTY persons were arrested on Saturday in Ugbogui, Ovia South West Local Government of Edo State for violating sanitation law during the Environmental Sanitation Exercise.

Those arrested were arraigned before a Mobile Court presided over by Mrs. Isi U. Iyioha. Some were fined N200.

Others got N500.

The Transition Committee Chairman, Jonathan Igbinowanhia, who monitored the exercise, promised to begin palliative measures at the erosion ravaged area at Iguobazuwa.

Igbinomwanhia promised to start an awareness campaign to enlighten residents on the need to clean their environment.

He said the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)-led government is concerned about the health of the people.

Head of Environmental Department in Oredo local council Friday Ebohon has said the council had begun rehabilitation of a section of Uwa market in Benin to accommodate street traders.

‘We’ve paid ex-AUN workers’

T

HE American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, Adamawa State, have said terminated academic workers and those whose contracts were not renewed have received about N50 million as terminal salaries and logistics.

A statement by the university said all the “11 academic workers recently terminated by the institution have been paid their salaries and entitlements as they deserved in line with their contracts.”

The statement denied allegations that the affected workers have not been paid.

The university’s VicePresident, Information, Malam Abba Tahir, said: “With their salaries and entitlements fully paid, the institution has no issue with the terminated staff.”

NLY quality and appropriate education can guarantee freedom for peoples and the development of any nation, Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva, has said.

The governor said this in a paper entitled “Education is Freedom”, delivered in London at the weekend during the 2011 Isaac Boro Day Celebration organised by the Ijaw Peoples Association (IPA) of Great Britain and Ireland.

Sylva said : “Now is the time for us to decide how to leverage on the political development which is now in our favour to propel Ijawland out of backwardness.

“By education, I do not just mean the mere acquisition of certificates, but the acquisition of real transformative knowledge that can make recipients see their environment in such a way that they can engage and create wealth from it for their benefit and that of the society.”

The governor listed his administration’s achievements in the education sector to include the introduction of the Education for Qualitative and Indigenous Professional, massive renovation of secondary schools, payment of WAEC fees, securing of accreditation for courses in the Niger Delta University, establishment of the State College of Education, Okpoama, postgraduate scholarships for students of Bayelsa origin, among others.

O

•Sylva (right) being congratulated by the Special Adviser to the President on Research and Strategy, Oronto Douglas, at the event,..at the weekend

Kidnappers kill two policemen in Edo

T

WO policemen, serving as orderlies to Chairman of Tomline Conglomerate Tes Sorae, were yesterday killed in Benin, Edo State, by suspected kidnappers.

The kidnappers also abducted Sorae, popularly known as ‘Tomline Engineering’.

Sorae’s wife and two others are currently on danger

T

•Abduct businessman From Osagie Otabor, Benin

list after being injured by the hoodlums.

It was gathered that the kidnappers struck at about 2pm after trailing Sorae from church.

They were said to have ac-

costed the construction magnate in front of his house on Textile Mill Road, some few metres from a police station.

Sources said the kidnappers started shooting sporadically, killing the two policemen and injuring the victim’s wife.

They said the kidnappers

dragged Sorae into their vehicle and drove away, despite the shooting from some policemen from a distance.

Policemen were seen at the scene of the abduction while blood apparently from the victims was seen inside Sorae’s vehicle.

Police Spokesman Peter Ogboi could not be reached for comments.

Two arraigned for alleged murder of NNPC official

WO persons, including a worker of a new generation bank, identified as Austin Ashioma, have been charged to court in Orerokpe, Okpe Local Government of Delta State, for the alleged murder of a worker of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (SPDC), Onyeka Eborka.

From Shola O’Neil, Warri

Eborka was murdered at an underdeveloped plot in Adeje on July 15, barely one hour after he withdrew N4 million from a bank on Warri/Sapele Road.

It was gathered that Ashioma and his partner, Good Ofudje, were arrested, following statements made by a suspect.

A source said: “They must have trailed him from the bank to the scene of the murder, ostensibly to dispossess him of the money.

“He was hacked to death by his assailants.

“They allegedly hatched the murder plan with other suspects, who are on the run.”

Police spokesman Charles Muka confirmed the report.

He said the suspects would be punished, if they are found guilty.

Police prosecutor Kingsley Onyia read the twocount charge: “That you Austin Ashioma and Good Ofudje and others now at large on or about July 15 at Adeje village in Orerokpe Magisterial District did conspire among your-

selves to commit felony to wit: murder and thereby committed an offence punishable underSection 324(1) of the Criminal Code Law Cap C21 vol.1 Laws of Delta State 2006” But Magistrate P. Elonye said the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

She, however, remanded the accused in custody at the Sapele Prison.

Mrs. Elonye directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case flies and forward same to the Department of Public Prosecution, Asaba, for legal advice.

She adjourned the matter till September 9.

Bayelsa residents protest PHCN’s alleged rip-off E

LECTRICITY consumers in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, are complaining about an alleged rip-off by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

They said PHCN is asking them to ‘donate’ N2million for the installation of a transformer in Yenizue –Epie.

This is being done through a committee known as ‘Light Committee’ headed by some members of the community.

The community also works in conjunction with PHCN workers in the area to collect bulk payment of bills.

According to members of the committee, a new trans-

From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

former has been secured but the installation fee of about N2 million is what is being sourced for.

This, they said, has made them to charge consumers N7,500 for a two-bed room flat; N10,000 for a three-bedroom flat.

But residents said it is a ripoff.

A resident, Mrs. Eyerin Fambo, said: “The installation of a transformer is supposed to be free, and even if money is to be charged, must it be as high as thousands of naira?

“We are worried that PHCN workers could send the committee members to collect such huge amount of money when we are still paying electricity bills at the end of the month.”

Another resident, Ebi Peres, said: “The committee members told us that PHCN workers said the money is for installing the transformer and that is what they are trying to collect.”

But PHCN Business Manager Godwin Orovwiroro denied the allegation.

“I am not aware of it,” he said.

Oshiomhole re-appoints commissioner

E

DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has re-appointed Anselm Ojezua as a commissioner.

Until the latest appointment, Ojezua was the immediate past Commissioner for Information.

A lawyer by profession, Ojezua attended Emotan Preparatory School Benin, Immaculate Conception College Benin , University of Nigeria Enugu Campus and the Nigerian Law School, Lagos.

He was called to bar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a solicitor and advocate in 1981.

Ojezua joined partisan politics in 1982 when he was appointed the Special Assistant to the National Secretary of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Since then, he has served in various capacities in the Public Service including as Deputy Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Youth and Sports.

In the present administration, he served as the Chairman of the State Post Primary Education Board from where he was appointed to serve again as Commissioner for Information and Orientation.

He was dropped in a minor cabinet reshuffle earlier in the year.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

11

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Nigerian firms get N150b contracts from Shell From Shola O’Neil, Warri

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HE Shell Petroleum Development Com pany (SPDC) says it awards over 94 per cent of its contracts to indigeneous companies in support of the Nigerian Content Development initiative.

SPDC, which is reacting to allegations of neglect of local companies in the award of juicy contracts, said Shellrun companies awarded contracts worth $947million (about N150billion) in 2010 alone.

SPDC’s Warri Media Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Obari, in an email reaction to our correspondent, affirmed that, “Shell supports the development of Community Content.”

Obari said the company took deliberate steps to encourage the development of community and Nigerian content in its operations, adding: “the Managing Director, Mr Mutiu Sunmonu, has developed a deep personal interest in making sure communities are involved in the company’s operations as much as possible.

“In 2006, SPDC set up the Community Content team in a deliberate effort to encourage communities to take full advantage of opportunities in the oil and gas industry. Between 2009 and last year, some 589 community vendors were registered with SPDC. “SPDC awards them contracts and builds their capacity through business clinics, entrepreneurship and vendor development, project management and professional certification for a variety of disciplines and services. On July 2, this year, SPDC launched the NNPC/ Shell Kobo Fund, which is a unique solution to the funding problems facing this category of contractors.

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

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

Rescued banks: AMCON defends CEOs’ exit package T HE Chief Executive Of ficer of the Asset Manage ment Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mr Mustapha Chike-Obi, has defended the severance package paid to the managing directors and executives of the nationalised banks.

Following the nationalised banks’ (Bank PHB, Afribank and Springbank) failure to show the necessary capacity to recapitalise, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) had liquidated the institutions and transferred their assets to three new banks (Keystone, Mainstream and Enterprise). The managing directors of the nationalised banks were also paid exit packages.

Speaking with The Nation, the AMCON boss said the exit package was based on four key issues – exiting arrangement the executives had with the Central Bank of

By Ayodele Aminu, Group Business Editor

Nigeria (CBN); banking industry best practices; the conditions of service existing in the rescued banks and the outstanding jobs the CEOs executed.

“Don’t also forget that the CEOs took significant pay cuts and some of their executive directors left their jobs and they are not guaranteed a job when they leave. So, when you consider all these and all the risks involved in running these institutions, you will agree that they need to be compensated.

“So I took that decision for the payments and ‘am ready to defend it,” he said.

Shedding more light, a top CBN official that

craved anonymity, said there was no big deal about the exit package, stressing that it was the industry standard.

“You can find out from banks what the severance package of these bank executives are. These CEOs signed a two-year contract with the CBN and it was all documented that they will receive 50 per cent of their salaries as severance package for each year they spent in the bank.

“People have forgotten that the former CEOs of these banks that were tried stole hundreds of billions and some even bought private jets. The rescued banks CEOs are the ones that uncovered most of the atrocities in these banks, which

are the cleanest in the industry today. And they were able to do this because they had no interest in these banks.

“It was also not their fault that they couldn’t recapitalise their banks. Fidelity Bank, for instance, was interested in one of the banks, but the non-executive directors said they did not want to deal with Fidelity Bank.

They insisted it should be Vine Capital and we rejected the deal. But we have documents to show why we did not approve,” she said.

The CBN had few weeks ago appointed the Group Managing Directors of the defunct Afribank Nigeria Plc (Nebolisa Arah); BankPHB Plc (Cyril

Chukwuma) and Springbank Plcy (Sola Ayodele) as Transition Consultants for the newly created banks – Mainstreet, Keystone and Enterprise.

The appointments as exclusively reported by The Nation, were announced to the trio in Abuja at a meeting presided by the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido; CEO of AMCON, Mr ChikeObi and the CBN deputy governors.

Their duties and responsibilities to bank, it was learnt, will be in accordance with the laws applicable to the position of the MD of a duly licensed bank, but acting as Transition Consultant to each of the banks.

The trio, who were said to have been commended by Sanusi and Chike-Obi, and are expected to act in this capacity till September 4, 2011.

World Bank explains why $80m mining loan never came From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

T

• From left: Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), President, Tunji Bolu; Group Managing Director, Odu'a Investment Company Ltd, Adebayo Jimoh and Chairman, Sharafadeen Alli, during an inspection tour of Heritage Mall, being constructed by the company in Ibadan.

Power minister redeploys power station boss

T

HE Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji has taken another step forward to proving that it is no more business as usual at the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), with the removal of the Chief Executive Officer of Olorunsogo Power Station (Phase 1), Mohammed Almu, for inefficiency.

Nnaji and other members of the entourage, who were on tour of power facilities in the southwest of the country including Olorunsogo, discovered that Almu, an engineer, couldn’t provide basic information about the plant and its operations.

Besides, the information he provided, it was discovered was not only mingled with falsehood, but misleading.

For instance, the Olorunsogo chief said the Chinese who built the power station prepared the manual with which the plant was constructed

• Plant generation rises by 100mw

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

only in Chinese language.

The development, according to the company, denied engineers and technical staff access to repairing the plant whenever it develops fault.

After the tour, the minister discovered the manual was written in both Chinese and English.

The Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Media, Mr C. Don Adinuba, told our correspondent that following these developments, Almu has been moved to the headquarters of PHCN in Abuja with immediate effect.

He has been replaced with the most senior technical staff in the company, Mr Phillip Ugwu.

Besides, when Nnaji visited the plant, only two out of the eight units were working.

The installed capacity of each unit is 38 megawatts (MW), but because the units were configured with the Chinese weather, which is far cooler than that of Nigeria, the units were adversely affected by Nigeria’s high temperature and currently work at between 22mw and 24mw. The development left Olorunsogo Phase 1 generating capacity below 50mw.

But after the minister’s visit and shake-up in the company, Adinuba said the number of units working at the power station have increased from two to six, shooting up a total generation from less than 50mw to 150mw. This indicated an increase of over 100mw.

“Almu’s inability to know basic information about the workings of the station showed he was not just in

control and perhaps his redeployment to the headquarters might help him add more value,” he said.

Investigation by our correspondent during the visit, showed that Almu was not supposed to head the company. Some workers, who spoke in confidence to The Nation, said he was not just prepared for the job and most of the time, was not ground and had to depend on second and third hand information from his workers.

Adinuba said: “Olorunsogo CEO was relieved of his job for his inability to know the basic information and integrity level of the station. He has been redeployed to the headquarters, perhaps he may perform better there. He was directed to hand over to the most senior technical officer, who will be in acting position until his competence is proved satisfactory.

HE Task Team Leader of the World Bank Sus tainable Management on Mineral Resources Project (SMMRP), Ms. Ekaterina Mikhaylovak, at the weekend confirmed that Nigeria could not secure the $80 million additional funding for the mining sector because there was a decision to assess all the sectors to ascertain which one needed funding.

There has been high hope that the country would get additional funding in July, this year as the current $120 million project is due for completion in May, 2012.

But speaking with journalists in Abuja, Ms. Mikhaylovak, explained that the loan never came, saying she has prepared a detailed report on the SMMRP to both the Federal Government and the World Bank. She said, due to the portfolio of the bank at the moment, there was a decision that the additional funding should be suspended.

Mikhayloyak, who expressed satisfaction over the performance of the SMMRP, said through Federal Government’s budgetary allocation, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development will fund and supervise the project.

Her words: ”Unfortunately, additional financing did not happen. At least, not yet. Following that, I have prepared a detailed report to both the government and my management in the World Bank and based on the portfolio situation of the World Bank at that time, it was decided to wait and assess its sectors; which sector in Nigeria should continue to be supported by the World Bank project.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

12

ISSUES

•Sanusi

•Adesina

The Federal Government is taking another look at agriculture, with the aim of turning it to a cash cow, like oil. To actualise this, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has instituted policies to secure low cost funds for farmers. Stakeholders insist that economic diversification holds the key to Nigeria’s future, COLLINS NWEZE writes.

Returning agric to the front burner T

HE structural imbalance of the economy has, over the years, remained a source of concern to the government, stakeholders and investors who insist on diversification. The discovery of oil in the early 1950s led to the dumping of agriculture as source of revenue earner. This has adversely affected the performance of the agricultural sector over the years but now calls are amounting across the for the diversification of the economy, beyond oil revenues.

For instance, the dismal performance of the agricultural sector in terms of its contribution to yearly total revenue in the last four decades prompted the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in conjunction with the Bankers’ Committee, to deliberate on ways of increasing lending to agriculture from one to five per cent.

Consequently, the CBN and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources established the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) in 2009 to finance agricultural value chain from input supply to marketing. The scheme began on April 23, 2009 with the approval of the Federal Government.

The CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido

Sanusi, said establishment of the N200 billion CACS was to fast-track the development of the agricultural value sector through the provision of credit facilities at a single digit interest rate to large-scale commercial farmers.

The apex bank also seeks to enhance national food security by increasing food supply, lowering agricultural produce prices and reducing the rate of food inflation. Besides, it wants to reduce the foreign exchange expended on food imports; trim the cost of credit in agricultural production for farmers and exploit more of the untapped potential of the agricultural sector, among other benefits. The CACS will also help to shore up foreign exchange earnings and make available inputs to the manufacturing sector and processors nationwide.

How much has gone out The CBN and participating banks have given out N133.11 billion to beneficiaries of the CACS. The fund is to boost the sector’s funding from financial institutions. The 139 beneficiaries, made up of 115 individuals/private promoters and 24 states, accessed the funds through local banks.

The states requested the CACS funds for on-

lending to farmers’ unions and co-operatives and for other agricultural interventions within their regions.

"Since inception in 2009, the CBN has released N133.11 billion for disbursement to 139 beneficiaries made up of 115 individuals/private promoters and 24 state governments," the apex bank said in a statement.

Banks and the CBN are discussing how to increase lending to the sector.

"That agriculture contributes 40 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is the largest employer of labour and yet receives one per cent of lending is not good enough," Sanusi declared.

He said the government needed to pay more attention to agriculture, which is one of the greatest potential in growing the economy.

Sanusi stressed that one way of achieving this is by collaborating with the banking system to fix the value chain problems in the agricultural sector. He said economic development is about enhancing the productive capacity of an economy by using available resources to reduce risks and remove impediments, which could hinder investment.

Stakeholders’ view A report by the Alliance for a Green Revo-

lution in Africa (AGRA) showed that agriculture accounts for roughly 41 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria and 50 per cent of the economically active population. The report explained that if the government is sincere in its poverty reduction campaign, it absolutely has to fix agriculture.

It also showed that the country has 70 per cent of its population in the rural areas and about 70 per cent also living on less than one dollar a day. It attributed the 70 per cent population figure still living on one dollar a day to the fact that the nation is yet to revive its agricultural sector. It stated that since 2000, agriculture has been the slowest growing sector, roughly at about 5.1 per cent per annum.

According to the former Vice President for Policy and Partnerships, AGRA, Dr. Akin Adesina (now Minister of Agriculture), agriculture development has to be encouraged to transform the economy, generate jobs and equitable growth. It said the country has become a net importer of food, spending about $4.2 billion yearly importing food items such as wheat, fish, rice, sugar • Continued on page 18

2011

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

13

ISSUES

•GMD UBA, Phillips Oduoza

• GMD Access Imoukhuede

Bank,

Aigboje

Aig-

•GMD Finbank, Suzzane Iroche

•GMD Intercontinental Bank, Lai Alabi

Returning agric to the front burner • Continued from page 17

and many others.

Adesina, who spoke at a meeting of the Bankers Committee in Lagos, added: “When you look at the history of the agriculture sector, in the 60s, we used to have the groundnut pyramids; we used to have palm oil and cocoa, among others. Nigeria was known as an agricultural basket, not only in the country, but globally. Today, we have lost all that.

So, we are actually importing inflation because as global commodity prices are rising, we are importing food and by that we are driving inflation in the country.”

Martins Antekhai, professor of Fisheries, Lagos State University, Ojo, said CBN should increase its funding for agriculture because of the huge population of the country.

“We should have over 100 per cent of that amount injected into the sector annually until we become self-sufficient. Agric financing is expensive; that’s why government should ensure that it reduces borrowing cost to a maximum of two per cent per annum”, he said.

Antekhai said he borrows at 18 per cent, and that the return on investment is always around 25 per cent, leaving him with only seven per cent profit per annum.

According to Antekhai, there is the need for important a duty-free policy for importation of agric equipment. He said for the sector to be developed, it must be public driven, with government proving the right infrastructure to reduce operating cost. There is also the need for government to provide insurance cover for farms so that in the event of any disaster, the policy will cover the losses. He insisted that this will make it easier for banks to extend credit to the sector, knowing that there is a cover, should there be any untoward occurrence.

He said the Land Use Decree has to be reviewed to ensure that government does not revoke the Certificate of Ownership of land in the name of providing social amenities.

“The government should also pay more attention to research and development, so that farmers can begin to develop varieties of produce. There should also be bilateral agreements developed countries like United States, Britain and Canada, among others, to ensure that Nigerian farm produce are exported to these countrie,” he said.

Head, Agricultural Banking, Stanbic IBTC, Jacques Taylor, said access to agricultural inputs, market linkages, technical support services as well as financial services are key to reviving Nigeria’s ailing agriculture sector.

According to a statement from the bank, value chain financing will ensure the flow of funding within the agricultural sector, across all value chain actors, thereby getting agricultural products to the markets.

Taylor said development and proper coordination of the food production chain comprising input suppliers, primary producers, storage, logistics and processors, among others, will reduce risk, attract financing and new investments and make the agric sector competitive and commercially viable.

He said the sector has the potential to rapidly jumpstart economic growth and reduce poverty, thereby positioning the country as a food basket.

“Agricultural finance requires understanding of the interdependency of businesses along the value chain, which is as important as ,” he said.

Taylor said the provision of a system through which small farmers can improve efficiencies in all areas, from accessing inputs, improving yields, market linkages, infrastructure development and skills transfer is equally important.

“The partnership between Standard Bank and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and other partners currently operational in Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique is an example of this type of system, benefitting 55,000 farmers, in four countries,”he added.

The model requires that the lending structure makes use of a co-operative mechanism that includes linkages to formal markets that provide minimum price guarantees as well as training and mentorship. The co-operative structure, in turn, allows farmers to consolidate their bargaining power, which reduces input costs and contributes to economies of scale in terms of output and market access.

CACS’ guidelines The CBN stipulates that to participate in the scheme, the borrower shall be a limited liability company with an asset base of not less than N350 million with the prospect to grow the net asset to N500 million in three years.

The potential beneficiary is also expected to have a clear business plan as well as provide up-to-date record on the business operation if any. He is also expected to have out growers’ programme, where appropriate, as well as satisfy all the requirements specified by the lending bank.

Those wishing to benefit from the facility, under the medium-scale commercial farms/ agro-enterprises, must be limited liability companies with asset base of not less than N200 million with the prospect to grow the net asset to N350 million in three years.

The farmer should also have a clear business plan with its lending bank and provide

up-to-date record on the business operation, if any, and satisfy all the requirements specified by its lending bank.

The apex bank in collaboration with the Federal Government, represented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources established the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CASCS) for promoting commercial agricultural enterprises in the country.

This Fund will complement other special initiatives of the CBN in providing concessionary funding for /agriculture, such as the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme which is mostly for small scale farmers, Interest Draw-back scheme, Agricultural Credit Support Scheme among others.

The scheme is expected to be financed from the proceeds of the N200billion bond to be raised by the Debt Management Office and will be made available to the participating bank(s) to finance commercial agricultural enterprises.

$500m NIRSAL’s fund to the rescue Another scheme adopted by the apex bank was the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), designed to drive agricultural revolution in the country.

NIRSAL, which is expected to replace the present agricultural framework in the country, the bankers argued is a model for financing agriculture different from the current model which has not yielded the desired impact of making adequate credit available to the sector.

The CBN has said it will equally channel $500 million (N77 billion) into the Nigerian Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL). The money will be invested under five basic segments. The Risk-sharing Facility is expected to receive $300 million to address banks’perception of high-risks in the sector by sharing losses on agricultural loans.

The Bank Incentives Mechanism would get $100 million and offer winning banks additional incentives to build their long-term capabilities to lend to agriculture. It will be in terms of cash awards.

More so, the Technical Assistance Facility would secure $60 million to equip banks to

‘Over the last decade, agricultural growth has slowed down and, today, it is under-performing, despite enormous potential. To reverse the trend, there will be the need to tackle some of its major challenges, such as low productivity, poor technology and cultural practices, low research and development and under-financing of the agricultural value chain’

lend sustainably to agriculture, producers to borrow and use loans more effectively as well as increase output of better quality agricultural products. The Insurance Facility would get $30 million needed to expand insurance products for agricultural lending from the current coverage to new products, such as weather index insurance, new variants of pest and disease insurance among others. The Holistic Bank Rating Mechanism would get $10 million to decide banks’ agricultural lending effectiveness and the social impact.

How NIRSAL works The apex bank explained that NIRSAL, unlike previous schemes which encouraged banks to lend without clear strategy to the entire spectrum of the agricultural value chain, emphasises lending to the value chain and to all sizes of producers.

It said the agricultural sector is central to the economy, accounting for 40 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and providing over 60 per cent of employment. However, the sector represents only one per cent of exports.

“Over the last decade, agricultural growth has slowed down and, today, it is under-performing, despite enormous potential. To reverse the trend, there will be the need to tackle some of its major challenges, such as low productivity, poor technology and cultural practices, low research and development, and under-financing of the agricultural value chain,” the CBN said in a statement.

It said the funding level in the agricultural sector stands at about two per cent of total lending of banks as against six per cent in a country like Kenya. Some of the reasons for the low funding, it added, include lack of understanding of the agricultural sector, perceived high risks, complex credit assessment processes/ procedure and high transaction costs.

It said in the first instance, six pilot crop value chains have been identified based on existing crop production levels and potential in six highpotential breadbasket areas. The crops are tomatoes, cotton, maize, soya beans, rice and cassava.

The NIRSAL is expected to generate an additional $3 billion of bank lending within 10 years to increase agricultural lending from the current 1.4 to seven per cent of total bank lending.

It will also increase lending to the “pooled” small farmer segment to 50 per cent of the total. The NIRSAL is also expected to reach 3.8 million agricultural producers by 2020 through pooling mechanisms, such as value chains, microfinance institutions, and cooperatives. It will also reduce banks’breakeven interest rate to borrowers from 14 to 7.5 to 10.5 per cent.

However, analysts insist that agriculture grew in other parts of the world through focused investment in a particular bread basket area and not just spending money every where. They are calling for concentrated investments in key areas and granting of tax holidays to companies in areas of production, among other measures.

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Before the House of Representatives went on a six-week vacation, it adopted a Draft Legislative Agenda as blue print for the lower chamber this session. As the House is set to resume activities Assistant Editor ONYEDI OJIABOR compares the agenda with previous plans.

Wanted: A new image for Reps B

EFORE it was adopted on July 27 as a working document of the House of Representatives, the Draft Legislative Agenda was extensively debated by members. Presented by Speaker Aminu Tambuwal on June 28, the lawmakers dissected it. Debate was concluded on July 19 when the ad-hoc committee constituted to provide a road map for legislative activities presented the plan to the plenary.

The document seeks to reform the processes of the House, set priorities and outline a programme of action to achieve the goals that members set for themselves.

The euphoria that greeted the agenda is over now. The main posers are: What becomes of Tambuwal’s legislative agenda?

How intellectually prepared and disciplined are members to implement the agenda?

Salisu Buhari, Ghali-Umar Na’Abba, Aminu Bello Masari, Patricia Olubunmi Etteh and Dimeji Bankole, all former Speakers of the House between 1999 and 2011, also came up with such agenda that were later abandoned for members’ selfish interests. The result: The House lost focus and become rudderless.

Attempts to remedy the battered image of the House have been unsuccessful.

Members of the chamber, after more than 12 years of legislative engagement, are still struggling to win public trust and confidence. Given the bad news the House had had to contend with over the years, especially under the immediate past leadership of the House, the new presiding officers must have recognised the necessity to do things differently.

Tambuwal and his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, have therefore assured that the 7th session of the House is committed to honouring the faith and trust reposed in it by Nigerians and is determined to chart a new course of legislative business for the benefit of Nigerians. Tambuwal may have recognised the huge gulf between the House and Nigerians when he promised a new dawn in the House.

The legislative agenda of the House, he said, would aim at reviving and diversifying the economy, generating employment, strengthening national security, curbing corruption, tackling electricity crisis and general infrastructural decay that confront the country.

He also assured that the agenda aimed at improving health and educational sectors and work to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Speaker said: “We seek to do things differently and reverse the notion of business-as-usual approach that has been a source of worry to our people.

We will be sensitive to what the Nigerian people want and increase our public sensitivity quotient.”

Of utmost importance may be the review of legislative branch budget in line with the requirements of openness, effectiveness and accountability. Review of the constitution in all relevant areas to facilitate the implementation of the House of Representatives legislative agenda and in line with the aspirations of Nigerians; to engage actively with other arms of government to restore public order and national security.

The main business of the House is to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of the country. The House promised its full dose. The House under him Tambuwal said, would strengthen the processes in the House

• Tambuwal

to deliver better quality and more passage of bills, including private member bills as well as to overhaul legislative process to achieve quick passage of bills and ensure strict compliance with time frames.

The document talks about standing committees as micro reflections of the larger House, whose operations and activities will be held to standards of efficiency, transparency and accountability as defined to guide the House.

It sees oversight as an activity whose scope encompasses policies, processes and activities to eliminate wastage, plug loopholes and ensure value for money, within the appropriated time frame. The House planned to redefine the scope, methodology and effectiveness of oversight as a key function of legislative activity.

To enhance the quality and effectiveness of oversight activities, the House promised to partner with Civil Society Organisations, professional groups, the media, citizens and other stakeholders.

The committees will be made present quarterly reports of their oversight activities to the House.

The vexed issue of members’ “jumbo pay” was not left out. Tambuwal said that the seventh session of the House is conscious of the concern raised by Nigerians about the cost of running the National Assembly.

He promised that the House would be more transparent with all public funds spent for the purpose of paying the salaries and allowances of legislators and ensure that distinction is sufficiently made between what a legislator actually earns and what is spent to run and im-

‘Attempts to remedy the battered image of the House have been unsuccessful. Members of the chamber after more than 12 years of legislative engagement are still struggling to win public trust and confidence of Nigerians. Given the bad news the House had had to contend with over the years, especially under the immediate past leadership of the House, the new presiding officers have recognised the necessity to do things differently’

plement legislative business and committee activities. The watchword in financial issues, according to him, will be fiscal conservatism.

The House also promised to promote a viable and robust national economy as it works to support the emergence of a strong Nigerian economy. The thrust of the national budget, it said, should be effective prioritisation of spending on programmes within the national budget, ensuring that adequate resources are available for spending on priority capital projects, adoption of an effective Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and effective monitoring of spending and of outcomes achieved – value for money.

The document also emphasised compliance with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) such that the Executive shall seek input from the National Assembly in the preparation of MTEF, while the MTEF should be made the basis for the preparation of the estimates of annual national budget laid before the National Assembly. Perhaps the whole essence is to ensure that the needs of Nigerians become an important factor in budget considerations.

On revenue disclosure, the House recognised the huge concern about federal revenue leakages, with reports of ministries, departments and agencies of government failing to adequately account for revenues received on behalf of the country in their areas of activity. The document said that the House will work to plug the leakages of federally collectable revenue such that it will seek full and transparent disclosure of all revenues and receipts by corporations and agencies on behalf of government, in accordance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Ihedioha captured the essence of the agenda in his lead debate. According to him, the spirit behind the agenda is the determination of the House to redeem its image and win back the confidence of Nigerians in line with the principles of the manifesto.

He said that the decision of the House to reduce the cost of governance as well as ensure transparency and accountability in public policy would help it win back people’s confidence and redeem the image of the House as the defender of the nation’s democracy.

Openness and probity in the conduct of public policy, internal democracy in the running of the House, international best practices, prudent financial management, review of the constitution and relevant laws to ensure good governance, and productive interface with civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders in the Nigeria project, he said, are key factors captured in the agenda.

For him, the agenda is “a refreshing mission and vision which is set to open a new vista of hope and possibilities in our national efforts at democratic consolidation,” while commending the “people-centredness” of the policy document which “seeks to empower and mobilise the citizenry for national development,” adding that “the agenda imposes on all of us a burden of responsibility to deliver good governance and development to Nigerians.”

Tambuwal’s legislative agenda may be comprehensive, but only time will tell how well the House will be guided by it.

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THE NATION MONIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

NEWS

Teetering on the democratic trampoline Continued from last Friday Yes, it is sometimes necessary that the Civil Will take the battle to the Constitution. This should not be surprising. The Constitution is – or should be – an expression of the Civic Will, not its suppression. When it has emerged as the latter, and as long as such a constitution is not legitimized by the patent, transparent and collective activity of the people on behalf whom it has been fashioned, there will be tensions. And as long as the Law purports to act on behalf of such a document of suppression, there will also be repudiation of the Law in that regard.

In short, a recipe for social anomie. The Constitution saves itself – at least, saves itself to fight another day - because, in-built into its provisions, are the mechanisms for possible change.

It is disheartening that humanity is forced again and again to that ledge of desperation where it must express its own unflinching resolve against the encroachment of Power. The example, first of Libya, but even more horrendously of Syria are humbling lessons, inspiring but also near unbearably agonizing. To watch the Syrian populace emerge again and again, unarmed, despite being cut down by the cowardly agents of al-Assad, the mass killer of Syria, picked off methodically like fish in a goldfish bowl, with children singled out also by snipers in order to inflict the maximum anguish upon, and thus demoralize their parents, is to be confronted all over again with the resilience of the collective human spirit in its seizure of that immaterial bequest of the human psyche called – Freedom. Even if African governments, including ours, have largely remained silent or tepidly disapproving of this daily butchery of the Syrian people, I take on myself the presumption of conveying the solidarity of the Nigerian people to their Syrian brothers and sisters – this, alas, is all we have to offer. I express our moral disgust at the criminality of the usurper of their collective sovereignty. in the estimation of all decent people, al-Assad has excommunicated himself from the human community, and we look forward to the day when he, and his henchmen will be tried for gross crimes against humanity.

History is on the side of the people. Their Civic Will is being stressed to a degree that one cannot quite recall in the past half century. Their cause is humanity’s historic cause and, in all humility, we salute their courage. Theirs is a costly struggle, but triumph they shall in the end.

Such luminous, inspirational instances apart, one still recognizes that the Civic Will is not a seamless mould, is not homogenous and is not proven by belligerent energy. The question then becomes, how else, by what means other than violence, can Civic Will be determined?

Let us not mystify an answer that is so glaring, so obvious that it is amazing it should ever rise in contention – that answer is, Dialogue. Next, how do you organize a Dialogue? I have heard that question posed and it deserves its dismissal as a monumental distraction. There are numerous ways in which a nation can dialogue with itself. We are not short of precedents in this very nation, some genuine, others fake, purely rhetorical and insincere, constituting an equally monumental distraction away from the genuine dialogue. We engaged in one a few years ago, which was clearly nothing more than an opportunistic device for a private,

•Text of Nobel Laurete Prof Wole Soyinka’s speech at the Nigeria Bar Association Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State illegitimate power agenda. We shall not go into those particularities. What needs to be emphasized is that, where dialogue is lacking, monologues take their place, and these can be of nation destroying intransigence. Either that or - silence, ominous silence that erupts eventually in irreversible consequences.

It could be of course that Dialogue is totally unnecessary. There are voices we hear regularly which preach that our nation has reached that stage where Dialogue has become superfluous, where the character if the nation is so indelibly stamped on its operations that dialogue becomes not just a distraction, bur a force for destabilization.

Let us assist them even further in their disposition. We shall offer that the other two structured legs of Democracy – Constitution and Law (unlike Civic Will) are so firmly established, so intricately woven into the fabric of civic being that they have indeed become the incontrovertible expressions of the Civic Will itself and thus, must be taken as immutable. We shall further advance that Civic Will is not necessarily grasped in events of overt manifestation, such as Dialogue, that it is already expressed in the operations of Law and Constitution. Why expend time and money on something that already exists and is seen to be functioning?

Constitution, that third partner in the democratic tripod, is a candidate for such easy dismissal. It has not have passed – in the Nigerian case – the test of a product traceable to the manifested expression of the Civic Will, and many will attest to its identity as the concoction of a minuscule minority cabal known as the Military Mafioso. Today, even if that document is not to the satisfaction of huge swathes of the nation’s population, it has become, we shall propose, its expression, simply through its operation along symbolic processes such as elections, functioning institutions such as legislative houses, and the participation of millions of Nigerians in the populating of those chambers. If I may express this through a Yoruba proverb: ti ewe ba npe l’ara ose, oun na a d’ose. Traditional soap we know normally comes wrapped in leaves, so, translate that as: give it sufficient time and the wrapping leaf of the soap also turns to soap. Civic Will is no more mystical or illogical than that law of Nature, where even inert matter finds its destiny with seeming passivity but in reality, produces a dynamic result.

Thus, when a constitution of the most alienated originationation remains unchallenged, is actually cited as the legitimisation of acts, policies and structures of governance, then that constitution, we may argue, becomes an expression of the Civic Will.

But suppose the structure that is upheld by these three legs appears to be tottering? I asked this question not so long ago in Abuja. I recall the exhausting, largely tautological rebuttal that this received from a governor, known as the Comrade governor, who had been invited to contribute some remarks.

I had to chalk that down, by the way as a unique experience. I was the Keynote speaker, he was just a discussant. My speech lasted fifty minutes, his nearly one hour and twenty minutes, so there was no room left for other discussants, au-

dience participation, or even the final response by this Keynote speaker. In the United States it is known as filibustering – I simply had not known that the tradition had been imported to Nigeria with the presidential system. However, let us pass over for now and stick to substance – at least on the present occasion.

His interjection, the sum of which was that the nation as a democratic state was hale and hearty, in no need of a medical check-up or second opinion, is even something to which I am willing to grant plausibility. Nations have been known to survive in a state of advanced decay or through merely living on the brink. Some are dubbed banana republics, others client nations to more forceful and productive ones.

They carry out orders which may or may not coincide with the interests of the people who constitute the nation. We have known these nations both of the right and left – the satellite nations of the once Soviet blocs, the Third World supply depots of the capitalist bloc whose leaders swagger through the corridors of the United Nations contributing nothing of their own to the progress of their own nations or of the world.

These so-called nations are no more than nation spaces. We cannot claim ignorance of the existence also of nations simply classified as “failed states” yet they seem to have taken to heart the proposition of that colourful politician/ businessman, also from Edo state.

When he was told that his son would not be nominated for a second term as governor, having failed woefully in the first term, his response was, “So what? If you sit and exam and you fail the first time, aren’t you allowed a “re-sit”?

So maybe ours, which has been classified a failed state in company with others, is also having a re-sit.

But permit me to pose this question: isn’t the mark of seriousness the will to do extensive revision before a re-sit? So let’s take the proposed dialogue as a “re-sit”, and proceed to an in-depth revision exercises.

The dynamics of mutual testing of interests – collaborative, adversarial, territorially expanding and retreating, contending and conceding until attaining an even keel of functional interaction, are part and parcel of the operations of Democracy, deepening and strengthening in the interests of the people it is meant to serve. There are benign, even creative challenges, needless to say, and there are malevolent, simply destructive ones. Neither Law nor the Constitution is written in stone and where the Constitution is not itself a product of Civic Will, it is especially vulnerable. As already emphasized, Civic Will can itself become a facilitator of any imposition, including despotism, real or incipient, simply by the culture of complacency, of acquiescence and collaboration in the operations of any set of protocols of association, however lop-sided. The Nigerian constitution today enjoys that dubious civic validation. It may be a grudging accommodation, it may be resentful, it may indeed be hostile but, yes, the Constitution is the nation’s document of self-validation – but that is not the same as saying that it has thereby come to stay. Visit the motor park any day and it will not take you long to find a bus or a lorry emblazoned with

that truism: No Condition is Permanent.

Even absence or omission is not permanent. Augmentation or rectification – owing to developed or diversified needs, a changing world with unaccustomed challenges, newly encountered models for possible emulation - it is all part of social development. So now, let that reminder bring us down to some topicalities. Let us address one item to which some constituent units of our national estate have woken up as an unjust but rectifiable absence. We have reached a point in nation becoming where abstractions, while useful and stimulating, sometimes distance the urgent realities in which we are involved, so this is a good moment to refer to the recent controversy over a call for the insertion of a missed arm of our banking system, and ask why it is being elevated nearly to a ‘do-ordie’ affair. Surely, to bank or not to bank, belongs in the province of human choice. So far, no one has advanced any evidence that the entry of an Islamic bank contravenes the Law or offends letter or spirit of the constitution.

That recent cri de coeur - a cry from the heart – of the Sultan of Sokoto is a useful entry point into this subject and his cry actually opens out into two dimensions.

First, I find myself in empathy with him – “why do people try to islamise….” etc. etc . I however expand it to read – why do people attempt to force into a religious mould, any religious mould – clearly social issues, negative or positive, transparent or obscured, projected or actualized etc. etc.

Why on earth should Islamic Banking become a hot-air issue, with inflammatory discharges going back and forth, drum wars resounding, clerics, politicians and pundits at one another’s throat?

The recent upheavals across the largely Arab/Islamic world have nothing to do with christsian banking, any more than the fiveday mayhem in more or less Christian England have the least connection with the existence of Islamic banks which I have seen occupying the same street with Christian originated banks, even though the latter are not so described. Islamic banking has not been mentioned as a contributory factor to the devastating collapse of European and American banks and the economic meltdown of the world. Islamic banking was not responsible for the hideous, mind-boggling corruption among several Nigerian banks, executives of which flouted that moral injunction contained in ancient Mosaic commandment – Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not covet they neighbour’s goods, least of all when such goods are placed in your sacred charge as highly paid, over guardians.

Islamic banking is not responsible for the violent unrest in the Niger Delta, the massacres of Idi, Zaki Biam, Bauchi, Kaduna, Gombe. Maiduguri etc etc. I have not heard Islamic banking cited in the manifesto – if any - of Boko Haram. It never featured in the statement of purpose of its predecessor, the Maitasine, whose followers butchered mainstream moslems with even greater zeal that they dispatched christians and the so-called ‘infidels’ of other faiths. Islamic banking is not responsible for the failure of Ni-

•Soyinka

geria to have acquired sustainable electric power in sixty years of independence. It is not responsible for the breakdown of all human public services – from education to health and shelter, nor is it responsible for the total eradication of moral restraints that once existed in the nation, producing the new lucrative pastime of totally dehumanized criminal minds – the kidnapping of human beings – even the aged, feeble, or simply vulnerable for ransom. Only two years ago, at a lecture in Lagos, I urged the need to conserve and protect a nation’s youth as its primary asset – little did I know that this was already being taken literally, manifested in the stuffing of children into car boots ln order to extort millions of bloodsoaked Naira.

I frankly do not understand the fuss. Banking laws exist. If an Orunmila Bank were to be proposed by followers of orisa, and it does not breach the nation’s laws, then such a proposal need not give anyone sleepless nights. And even if the Law is held to oppose it, orisa followers are entitled to take the initiative and make a case for a change in existing laws – that is their democratic right and no one can take it away from them. I shall be among the first to open an account with the Bank of Orunmila, based on Ifa precepts. Until one is established however, I shall join Pastor Tunde Bakare in opening a solidarity account with the Islamic Bank whenever it begins operations, as long as its terms are favourable to the needs of a seventyseven year old writer without pension, but thankfully with minimal needs.

The extension – by implication - of the Sultan’s protest is, for me, a far more potent charge directed at society, and crucial to the setting for this gathering. It implicates two of the legs on which we have posited the democratic edifice – Law, and Constitution. It is inevitable that we expand the provenance of this challenging lament, since it is one that is not limited to any one religion. It thrusts its interrogatories beyond Nigeria and onto other lands and societies, so let us simply rephrase it to read: “Why do people theocraticize…..” straightforward concerns of secular existence? The question applies to a particular cast of mind, usually moulded and fixated during impressionable years. By its adult phase, such minds have become inflexible and calcified, incapable of responding to any kind of phenomena except through theocratic lenses. The thrust of that question goes to the heart of democracy, and determines the basis of the democratic order. And yet, what other order is possible for harmonized coexistence in a pluralistic society differentiated by faith, history, and customs?

To be continued

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

19

EDITORIAL/OPINION EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

COMMENT

Do they want to know less?

Go ahead •We welcome the decision of the unemployed to protest in Abuja

T

HE mass unemployment that leaves millions of Nigerians who are otherwise willing and able to work trapped in unproductive idleness is a key feature of the country’s protracted socioeconomic crisis. Despite persistent promises by successive administrations to create jobs, particularly for the teeming youth population, unemployment has continued to worsen, thereby compounding the problems of poverty, social delinquency, crime and insecurity.

Figures from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) estimate the rate of youth unemployment at 41.6 per cent of the population, comprising 23.3 per cent males and 17 per cent females. We are thus confronted with the ironic situation in which there is so much work to be done in diverse sectors throughout the country to fix and expand infrastructure as well as provide critical services, but the economy is unable to employ the people needed to undertake these tasks.

‘The reality is that in a representative democracy where votes count, the large population of unemployed persons we have in Nigeria is a potentially powerful political group. Their organisation as a potent electoral threat will help to discourage the rampant corruption, incompetence, indiscipline and lack of purposeful governance that ... accelerate de-industrialisation and breeds unemployment’

It however appears that the country is about to enter a new and certainly more eventful phase in the struggle for mass job creation, with the plan by jobless persons to carry out a peaceful protest in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, over the alarming unemployment rate. Organised under the aegis of the Council for Unemployed Nigerians, the planned demonstration scheduled for September 1 will reportedly involve about 43 million affected persons from all over the country.

It is, of course, logistically implausible that such a large number will be able to converge on Abuja in one fell swoop.

Such a development will even be an inadvisable security risk. However, even if it is a representative fraction of this justifiably aggrieved group that participates in this action, they would still have succeeded in drawing the attention, particularly of relevant policy makers, to their plight.

While it is true that the Federal Government takes overall responsibility for the country’s fiscal policy and is in a better position to implement macro-economic initiatives that can stimulate growth and jobs, the group of unemployed Nigerians should not focus their protests solely on Abuja. Pressure should also be exerted at state and local government levels across the country, to make job creation a priority.

We welcome this attempt by jobless Nigerians to organise themselves and take action to remedy their pitiable situation. Unemployment is as dehumanis-

ing as it is psychologically depressing. It renders its victims dependent on others and denies them meaningful control of their destiny. It transcends ethnic, religious, regional or partisan political boundaries. Joblessness is particularly frustrating for those who are highly trained, have acquired appropriate qualifications but can find nothing worthwhile to do. Such investment of time, money, energy and hope amounts to sheer waste in the wake of unemployment.

All too often in the past, unemployed persons had tended to wring their hands helplessly while fortunate members of society who have jobs at best sympathise with them. This initiative by the Council of Unemployed Nigerians is an indication that such a defeatist attitude is about to change. The reality is that in a representative democracy where votes count, the large population of unemployed persons we have in Nigeria is a potentially powerful political group.

Their organisation as a potent electoral threat will help to discourage the rampant corruption, incompetence, indiscipline, and lack of purposeful governance that is fundamentally responsible for the infrastructure collapse and hazardous economic environment that accelerate de-industrialisation and breeds unemployment. It is encouraging that the new finance minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, has identified job creation as her central focus. But we must learn the appropriate lessons from the recent past where impressive economic growth rates did not impact significantly on employment.

Timely warning •Lagosians alerted again to prepare for heavy rains after this month E are elated that responsive governance is firmly being ingrained in the running of public affairs in Lagos State. Unlike what happens in most states of the federation, the state government is taking proactive and remedial steps to secure lives and property within its jurisdiction. Mr Tunji Bello, commissioner for the environment, has warned that ‘Lagosians must prepare for heavy rains after the August break.’

This warning, a rare occurrence in public administration in our clime, is timely in view of the devastating impact of the last flooding caused by the 14 hours rain that fell on July 10. The ruins and fatalities that were the aftermath might be gotten over but they cannot be forgotten so easily. This is why it is good that the government, being in a position to know, is sensitising inhabitants, especially those living in flood-prone areas, on the expected rains and the attendant dangers ahead.

We acknowledge the geographical peculiarities of the state. Its location below the sea level makes certain natural occurrences such as heavy rainfall and attendant flooding inevitable. The state has witnessed the menace of slums and that of blighted areas bequeathed by the neglect of years of military rule, leading to unplanned development. Regrettably, an upsurge in natural upheavals, ecological dislocations and climatic disruptions, though a global phenomenon, and the challenges of waste management and disposal remain major issues in the state.

These are problems that successive democratic administrations in the state

W

from 1999 till date have been tackling.

We commend the responsive approach of the Lagos State government to the dangers posed by flooding. The state ministry of the environment deserves special commendation for bringing its wealth of experience to bear in the management of the last flooding in the state. Its handling of the disaster won the admiration of inhabitants. There is no doubt that Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola has invested so much in the environment and the results are the beautiful scenery that the commercial nerve-centre of the country has now become. Lagos, in over 12 years of democratic rule has witnessed intensive tree planting and campaign, extensive clearing of drainage channels and construction of new ones, and upgrading of blighted areas as well as enhanced enforcement of sanitation and urban planning laws, to achieve greater public health and safety.

However, the recurring decimal that flooding has become shows that the government still has more Herculean environmental task to attend to. To minimise the flooding that might accompany the post- August rains, it is imperative that the government deploys more resources, men and efforts to quickly finish new channels, canals under construction and embark on regular desilting of existing ones. No part of the state must be overlooked in this exercise. Areas such as Abule-Egba, Alimosho, FESTAC Town, Apapa, Mile 2, Mile 12 and Somolu, among others, are craving for govern-

ment’s attention in this regard.

The government must fortify its Emergency Flood Abatement Gang (EFAG) if meaningful results are to be achieved when the rains start falling in the last quarter of the year. The man-holes in the state must be located and be properly covered. EFAG and related agencies that are involved in environmental emergency management must at all times be ready to bail the state and its inhabitants out of envisaged ecological challenges.

Bello’s admonition will only be meaningful if proper sensitisation is done to avail inhabitants of Lagos of the hazards of bad environmental habits, particularly with regards to waste disposal and management. Also, the people must be properly sensitised and schooled on what to do when faced with emergency flood situations.

‘Bello’s admonition will only be meaningful if proper sensitisation is done to avail inhabitants of Lagos of the hazards of bad environmental habits, particularly with regards to waste disposal and management. Also, the people must be properly sensitised and schooled on what to do when faced with emergency flood situations’

U

NDERSTANDING what is happening in the economy is essential in hard times. Yet House Republicans have proposed budget cuts that could cripple or end government surveys.

The surveys are used to generate timely and accurate data and answer such basic questions as: Is the economy descending into another recession?

Without such data, business leaders, investors and policy makers would be flying blind. Every five years, the Census Bureau conducts an Economic Census — a detailed survey of nearly five million businesses that serves as the benchmark for measuring economic growth and other important indicators, like inflation, productivity and consumer spending. The next Economic Census begins in 2012.

House Republicans propose cutting the bureau’s budget to $855 million (President Obama requested $1.02 billion).

The Republicans have not said what the bureau should cut. But the Economic Census, which costs $124 million, would almost certainly be hit. Otherwise, the bureau would have to stop core functions already under way, like the resolution program for the 2010 decennial census, by which local governments challenge undercounts.

Representative Hal Rogers of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, has said that given the budget deficit, the bill containing the cuts to the census and other programs is necessary “to move our country in the right direction.” He has it backward.

The Census Bureau cuts would increase uncertainty about the state of the economy, the drivers and drags on growth and the effectiveness of business and government policy. Precisely because the data are vital, the United States Chamber of Commerce has called for full financing of the Census Bureau.

The House is expected to take up the bill next month. Other business leaders and groups should join the chamber’s call.

The Obama administration should raise the alarm, and the Senate must be prepared to provide full financing. Less data on the economy won’t do any good.

– The New York Times

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

IR: President Jonathan never misses an opportunity to show just how completely detached he is from the concerns of ordinary people in terms of firm belief in our judicial system.

Strangely and surprisingly too, the President has demonstrated how incompetent he is in handling issues that border on rule of law. And it calls to question the integrity of the President and his advisers on rule of law. In sharp contrast to Mr Jonathan’s disposition however, successful presidents would not abandon more important socio-economic programmes that would benefit the masses to pursue a sectional agenda as he has done in the case of the CJN Kastina-Alu and the former PCA Ayo Salami. It is an act of executive rascality and recklessness to be pre-judicial in a case that is pending before a competent court.

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Jonathan misses the opportunity The president has succeeded in setting a stage in which governors could become more reckless with impunity.

Who else would, in the face of a collapsing economy, catastrophic economic mismanagement, educational misfortunes, inaccessible health care programmes, political hypocrisy and youth abandonment policy would dabble into an unconstitutional issue except Nigeria’s president? It is unthinkable that the

president would take a one sided action in a case that borders on integrity of our judicial system. Both the CJN and PCA have cases to answer and the president would have done better and be Solomonic in his decision by allowing the law through the court to take its natural course.

Instead of the president to show partisanship in judicial matters, he should be more focused, get on his feet and begin the process of rul-

ing. It is pathetic, worrisome and repressive that barely three months in office, Nigerians could not point at a singular effort of the president at mending the broken ends. It must be told that his latest ill-thoughtout decision to pacify the CJN at the expense of rule of law would not in any way translate into job and food security, improved health conditions and robust educational system. While families across the country are struggling daily to

Nnaji and Power Supply

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IR: There are signs that Nigerians are experiencing a bit of improvement in power supply. This, from my experience as an electricity consumer, is true for the past two weeks or thereabouts. This is commendable despite the fact that, the state of electricity supply in the country, still falls far below the expectations of the Nigerian citizenry.

It may not be out of place to wonder what is behind this situation, and no one will be blamed for thinking that it is as a result of the increase in water level at the country’s dams. Usually, we notice a slight improvement in power supply across the country at this period of the year, with the rains becoming relatively steady and the water levels in hydroelectric stations rising to the right levels for optimum power generation. In fact, the 760 Megawatt Kanji Hydro sta-

tions which by this time of the year usually generate 400MW are unfortunately producing a mere 40MW right now.

While I do not discount completely the factor of the hydro stations doing better now because we are in the rainy season, I believe there is more to it than has contributed to the improvement in power supply nationwide in the past several weeks. After all, the rains and those same dams had been with us since April and yet the power supply situation deteriorated until about weeks ago. For me, that other factor that has led to improved power supply is linked to three related developments.

The first development is the strong policy statement which Prof.

Bart Nnaji has made to all chief executives of the 18 Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) successor companies – that henceforth each person will be judged by his/ her performance in line with the

conditions of the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) signed by chief executives.

The second development, in my view, is the Minister of Power’s appointment of the right people into two critical offices: Engr. Akin Bada, Executive Director in the PHCN (System Operations), appointed as the CEO of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Engr.

Uzoma Achinanya, also an Executive Director in the PHCN, whom the Minister appointed as Executive Director, Market Operations, a position Engr. Achinaya created and occupied creditably from 2004 to 2010.

The third development responsible for the improved power supply in the last few weeks is the recent change of guards at four electricity distribution companies at the instance of Prof. Nnaji, with a view to cranking up service delivery and positively altering the status quo in the power sector. I refer to the

replacement of Engr. Justus Obilomo with Engr. Oladele Amoda as the chief executive of the Eko Distribution Company. Similarly, Engr. Oladele Adeola, was replaced with Engr. Bolaji Mofoluso (for the Ibadan Distribution Company), Engr. George Chiatula with Dr. Effiong Umoren(for Benin) and Engr. Kosiso Nawakoro with Engr.

Mrs. Vera Ngozi Osuhor (for the Jos Distribution Company).

The country needs stable electricity and there is no gainsaying the fact that satisfying the hunger of Nigerians for full and stable electricity is still a distant journey and needless to say that Prof. Nnaji needs the support of all Nigerians to get the electric power sector fully functional. I hope that the new improved power supply is the shape of things to come.

• Ganiyu Makanjuola, Lagos State branch.

make ends meet, worried about jobs; security of lives and property the government is crawling and recycling the business men and women in its economic team. Members of the team are people whose business empires would not allow them to bring succour to the teeming suffering population. As it was in the past, the present government would waste another four years in the life span of the nation.

The founding fathers of Nigeria did not contemplate such a slow motion growth that we are currently witnessing. They established a virile nation that was endowed with all it needed for a catalytic growth in all ramifications of life.

They sacrificed their future and well being to jumpstart a country that was designed to bring succour to the suffering people of Nigeria.

Fifty-one years on, we are daily confronted with hunger, bad roads, epileptic electricity, deadly hospitals, malaria, substandard educational system, corrupt leadership, ill equipped police, aggressive armed forces, battered retirees, tribalism, favouritism, nonexistent water supply, political thuggery, government induced violence, religious intolerance, avoidable road accidents, environmental degradation, youth restlessness, armed banditry and other vices.

For Mr President to ‘doublecross’ justice at the early stage of his administration shows that he is parochial, ideologically ignorant, lacking the maturity, courage and vision of other great world leaders that have given their people hope and reason to believe in the existence and relevance of their justice system that could not be tailored for selfish ends. It is regrettable that Dr Jonathan is missing the opportunity to re-affirm his belief in the rule of law and give Nigerians hope to believe in the judicial system.

• Tola Osunnuga, Email: tolaosunnuga @yahoo.co.uk

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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ANY members of my generation can vividly recall reading Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels in our school days.

In Voyage To Laputa, Swift wrote, “I had often read of some great services done to princes and states and desired to see the persons by whom those services were performed. Upon enquiry, I was told that their names were to be found on no record, except a few of them, whom history hath represented as the vilest rogues and traitors. As to the rest, l had never once heard of them. They all appeared with dejected looks, and in the meanest habit, most of them telling me they died in poverty and disgrace, and the rest on a scaffold or a gibbet.”

Unfortunately, this is the story of my dear country, worse in the 21st century age of advancement and civilization. We live in a society that is upside down; a society that rewards crime and criminality; a society where those who choose to be guided by probity, accountability and the rule of law are reviled and derided and even forced to the fringes of existence, if not completely outlawed; liberty is taken for licence while magnanimity is regarded as weakness. Added to this is the crime of amnesia. How often we forget the past in Nigeria!

Our erudite scholar, Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, was a guest speaker at the recent investiture ceremony of Rotary Club, Ikeja. He had to employ that public space, once more, to bludgeon to consciousness a nation that has lost his once-cherished values.

Said he, as published in the Punch of Wednesday, August 17, page 16: “This class hardly ever gives up completely, they always plan a comeback, having concluded, from precedents, that a nation like ours is a nation of short memories and all their transgressions shall be quickly forgotten. The expression on their lips is ‘After all what have I done that others haven’t?’ or , ‘Damn it, others have done worse’ and now, look at them, back in the public eye, receiving chieftaincies right and left, guaranteed a seat at the high table, and/or toppling the MC’s boring list of ‘I beg to recognise’ at social

‘Citizens of Ogun State will not accept a situation where the current administration closes its eyes to all the misdemeanors of the past, including properties of Ogun State that were sold at rock bottom prices in the name of concession. Some of the sales have no records and a good example is the concession of Gateway Trailer Park, which was concessioned on a public holiday!’

The degeneration in Ogun

By Dr. Tolu Obadein

functions...”

Prof Soyinka then proceeded to cite an example from his home state, Ogun: “Let me regale you with the career of one such candidate who, I am certain, is covertly engineering his parole, if not working towards a direct commutation of sentence, based on the culture of amnesia. Right now however, he’s serving time. Once upon a time – that is, before the last elections, you could not see the trees or sky in my state for his self-promotional billboards – The Lion of the West! The Man in the Lion’s den! Santa Claus come to Life! Pace Setter without Equal! Supreme Architect of Olumo Rock! etc etc.”

Soyinka went further, “I did keep a wary lookout for this advertised lion in my bush forays… but I never encountered him… His presence as king of dictators was however felt by all when he proceeded to shut down the Ogun State House of Assembly, sneaking in a minority number of legislators under full police complicity early one dawn, when all normal beings were barely stirring. This minority impeached the absent Speaker, elected their own Speaker, then proceeded to sack the absent majority. They passed over 20 bills in less than 2 hours, the principal of which was a ‘419ner’ multi-billion Naira debt facility – one needn’t be told that a lion would of course take the lion’s share of that bounty. This was the pernicious bill that the majority had steadfastly refused to pass, leading to their ‘impeachment’. Immediately after that prodigiously productive session, again with the aid of the police, he sealed up the legislative building tightly while he presided over the affairs of the jungle from some hidden lair, without further interference from the pesky creatures over which he reigned like a true Mafia Boss of the underworld.”

Let the reader make no mistake. Prof. Soyinka may be a playwright or dramatist, the narration above is neither a fiction nor faction but an event that took place in our dear state under the immediate past administration.

Our world-renowned scholar and gadfly to usurpers of power also made reference to Wale Adedayo’s insider account – Micro Seconds Away from Death.

Some other shocking revelations can bear repetition here.

The immediate past administration in Ogun State, led by the self-styled ‘Lion of the West’, took a loan at a mindboggling interest rate of 21 per cent, paid about N20bn interest, as reported in the press and it reluctantly declared a bebt profile of N49bn.

If press report is anything to go by, the current House of Assembly has given the green light to the administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun to obtain a loan facility of N20bn at a negotiated interest rate of – what! – 12 per cent. Certainly, you do not need to be a banker to know the import of an interest rate of 21 per cent and that of 12 per cent. Most manufacturers in Nigeria are reeling under the yoke of capacity under-utilization as a result of lack of funds because banks are

charging above 20 per cent interest. You can imagine the huge difference the manufacturing sector will make on the economy of Nigeria if interest rate were to come down to 12 per cent!

Readers can vividly recall the main reason that led to the now famous Ogun House Resolution 167 of June 9, 2009, which warned banks, the Security and Exchange Commission, the Nigerian Stock Exchange and all financial institutions not to honour the N60bn loan bid of the then administration except the legislature first approved such a request. Nobody, except the then sole administrator, knew the financial state of Ogun.

Despite the loans and federal allocations coming to Ogun State when the price of oil kissed the skies, hitting about $150 per barrel, the government of Ibikunle Amosun inherited an empty treasury and a crisis-ridden state, as virtually all institutions were practically shut down because workers were disgruntled, subventions to parastatals and institutions as well as pensions of retired workers were not paid.

I think the time of magnanimity has passed, the current administration should take the bull by the horns and, with the imprimatur of the current forward-looking House of Assembly, inaugurate a Judicial Panel of Inquiry, empowered to recover all the mismanaged funds of the state between 2003 and 2011.

Citizens of Ogun State will not accept a situation where the current administration closes its eyes to all the misdemeanors of the past, including properties of Ogun State that were sold at rock bottom prices in the name of concession. Some of the sales have no records and a good example is the concession of Gateway Trailer Park, which was concessioned on a public holiday!

Again, whereas the revenue that ought to accrue to Ogun State from land allocations, using the Bureau rates, was at least N33.8 billion, only N10.9 billion for land allocation and N577 million for land ratification could be accounted for by the last administration after 8 years in power.

Also many were killed in the state. The new government must open investigations into the killings as the blood of these men is crying for justice.

Like Prof Soyinka observed, “This class hardly ever gives up completely.” Reports now have it that underground meetings have been held in order to destabilise the current government. There are also rumours that the opposition is planning to orchestrate disaffection within the cabinet of the government. Since the power clique behind these dangerous game are masters of violence, the government should not treat with levity another grapevine report.

Therefore, it is time for the action governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, to seize the initiative and ensure that the peace his new administration heralded in Ogun State is not aborted midstream by the agents of destabilization.

• Dr Obadein is a member of the Campaign for Good Governance in Ogun State.

Rethinking the privatisation policy in Nigeria

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T has become clear that Nigeria since independence in 1960 has been plagued by an endemic problem of leadership. Chinua Achebe actually diagnosed this in the 1980’s in that masterpiece of a pamphlet ‘The Trouble with Nigeria’ where he stated categorically that ‘the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership’. What is , however most worrisome is the fact that successive leaders do not seem to learn anything from the past, whether distant or immediate. Recent revealations at the Senate adhoc committee investigating the privattsation policy in Nigeria have further emphasized this fact.

Privatization, or denationalization of government controlled businesses is a policy that was designed to, either propel such business concerns towards the path of profitability, or to out rightly divest from such business and sell them to private entrepreneurs who will run them properly for improved efficiency as well as profit. The policy could not have been designed to kill government owned companies and render their employees jobless.Policies are instruments with which governments or state elites respond to demands of the public. They are programmes of action in response to particular problems by government.

Most of the problems in developing countries like unemployment, deficit budgets, inflation, missapropiation, ineptitude in governance, etc, are as a result of inappropriate policies or misapplication of appropriate ones.

The Nigeria economy has never been strictly capitalist; neither has it been strictly socialist. At best, it could be described as a mixed economy, with the Federal Government having exclusive control over essential services like communication, electronic media, and power.. In other areas like the print media, hospitality, insurance e.t.c.

Government concerns existed alongside, and in fact competed favourable with private businesses. But the public are usually more comfortable patronizing Government corporations than the privately owned ones because they were usually more affordable.

The first step to privatization and commercialization is deregulation. This is done to allow room for private investors to invest in areas that were, hitherto, under the exclusive control of the government. Deregulation of the electronic media in the 1990’s broke the monopoly of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio

By Kadiri Abdulrahman

Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). This led to the emergence of private broadcast outfits like AIT/Raypower, Rhythm FM/Silverbird Television, Channels Television to name a few. The success recorded by these organizations has not had any adverse effect on NTA and FRCN; in fact it has led to improvement in their operations.

On the contrary, an attempt to privatize Daily Times Publications has resulted to the total collapse of the organization and job loss by its teaming members of staff. The same thing has happened to NITEL. These two organizations would have been capable of competing favourable if they had simply been re-organized or still remain under government control.

Accorging to Calvin Colidge, ‘Nothing is easier as spending public money. It does not appear to belong to anybody .The temptation is overwhelming to bestow it on somebody.’ This aptly explains Nigeria’s experience from the privatization policy.

Privatization in Nigeria has only succeeded in wasting our communal wealth. Even the several steel rolling mills that were sold to private investors years back are yet to find their bearing. These companies are sold at ridiculously low prices, only for their buyers, in most cases, to strip them of their assets.

Amidst this very poor picture of the implementation of privatization, why does government find it difficult to rethink this policy since they are not capable of executing it correctly. Several failed attempts to sell NITEL attest to this fact. There are four ways of making government business private. They include:Displacement, which refers to a passive opportunity given to the private to expand.(Deregulation): The shift of decision making to agents operating according to market indicators.(Commercialisation): Delegation, or transfering state owned businesses to private ocontrol and management and: Divestmant, which means transfer of state owned enterprises to private ownership.

Government, thus, has three other options to explore.The new one is the attempt to sell the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), under the deceptive euphemism of ‘power sector reforms”, a move which the workers have vowed to resist. On the face of stiff opposition by electric-

ity workers, the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on power, now Minister of power, Prof. Barth Nnaji described those who are against such reforms as “enemies of the country”. But Nnaji himself is accused of being self – centered. His interest in the privatization of PHCN, according to the Secretary - General of National Union of Electricity Employees, Joe Ajare is because he owns Geometric Power Limited, a private company that can only commence business if PHCN is privatized.

The “real enemies of the country” are people who fritter away our common wealth and render our people jobless.

If Government cannot create jobs for the army of unemployed in the country, it should not render those that are employed jobless under whatever guise. Any Nigerian who witnessed, and is still a witness to what has become of companies like NITEL, Daily Times and Jos Steel Rolling Mill cannot support the privatization policy as presently being implemented.

The plethora of failed attempts to sell NITEL have only succeeded in devaluing the company’s assets and making it lose large patronage gained over the years when it was a monopoly, whereas, the only thing the company required was improvement and expansion in its services.

This would have made it the dominant telecoms company in Nigeria.

If the policy of privatization can not be well implemented, nothing stops government from reversing it.

• Abdulrahman writes from Abuja

‘The Nigeria economy has never been strictly capitalist; neither has it been strictly socialist. At best, it could be described as a mixed economy, with the Federal Government having exclusive control over essential services like communication, electronic media, and power..

In other areas like the print media, hospitality, insurance e.t.c.’

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

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T is not unexpected that when elections are approaching in this part of the world, mudslinging, character assassination, half truths, naked lies become the pastime of desperate politicians who would stop at nothing to get or return to power. Such is the understanding of the malicious commentary by one frustrated Okharedia Ihimekpen, a supposed PDP youth who has suddenly gone all greyheaded having been kicked out of government alongside his paymasters in that historic judgement that gave power to the rightful winner of the April 2007 gubernatorial election in Edo State.

A malevolent article published on page 42 of the Nigerian Tribune of Monday August 1, 2011 failed to tell the public that Oharedia Ihimekpen, Obasanjo, Anenih and Osunbor among several others connived to steal the peoples’ mandate freely and willingly given to our locally, nationally and internationally respected Peoples Governor, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole. The electoral fraud was not only exposed by a court of competent jurisdiction but the manipulators and handlers of the election were thoroughly reprimanded. Even when they appealed against the judgment, it is on record that all the judges at the Appeal court which sat in Benin City in a unanimous judgment upheld the tribunal judgment that Osunbor, Ihimekpen et al stole Oshiomhole’s mandate freely given to him

by Edo people and as such declared him the rightful winner of the April 2007 governorship election in the state.

As electoral thieves who lost out at the court, courtesy of our respected judiciary, we are not surprised that Ihimepken having allegedly collected his July pocket money from Uromi can afford to vituperate fallacy and denigrate the judiciary and the Edo State government on the pages of newspapers.

The Anenih faction of the PDP in Edo State, which the article represents, is yet to come to terms as to what hit them, two and a half years after. That is why Ihimekpen could give a jaundiced account of what never happened when Oshiomhole held sway as President of the Nigeria Labour

The people are leading in Edo

By Dan Owegie Congress (NLC). It is shameful that Ihimekpen who had all these tell tales about Oshiomhole in his days as NLC helmsman could not raise a finger let alone write about them all these while. Why did Ihimekpen not write about these fairy tales when the Comrade was at the NLC? Is it not obvious that this false information fed the public is new fabrications?

If he was not a success as the article tended to portray, why will all Presidents past and present since he left NLC leadership depend on him to resolve major industrial disputes that the federal government is unable to manage?

The limitations of Okharedia Ihimekpen’s half-baked education became robustly manifest when he inferred that the cliché, “let people lead” is a coinage of the NLC which Oshiomhole had to sell to Edo people. That dummy is far from the reality.

“Let the people lead” is a cliché of democracy anywhere in the world, it is not a property of Oshiomhole, neither is it that of Edo State nor the NLC. In a democracy, the people choose who leads them and are part of the decision-making processes of government, which is what separates democracy from dictatorships.

In Edo State, the people are leading. This is a truism. What Ihimekpen may be misunderstanding to mean that the people are not leading is the obvious fact that it is no longer business as usual, that in Oshiomhole’s administration; “the laws are working”. Laws are being enforced.

Perhaps, they expect a complacent government where anything goes because, “the people are leading.” The beauty of democracy does not just lie in the people making informed decisions and being part of government; it is also about the people obey-

ing the laws of the land and government enforcing these laws no matter who is involved. Lawlessness has been the bane of our national system. Poor enforcement of laws has made so many people get away with so many criminal offences leading to corruption and underdevelopment. If we were in a country where laws are being properly enforced, by now, electoral thieves in the PDP would be in jail for committing electoral fraud against Edo people in 2007. It is really sad that today, these same elements are walking the streets as free men and still have the temerity to insult the psyche of the people. When you enforce laws in a democracy, criminallyminded elements take it for wickedness or high handedness or that ‘the people are not leading’.

But we know that at the appropriate time, the long arm of the law will catch up with all those who take delight in breaking the laws of the land.

All the transformation that we are witnessing in our public primary and secondary schools is within two years. The PDP government in Edo State which Okharedia Ihimekpen served for ten years had the same money and opportunities to do even better, what did they do with the money? Not one school was renovated for ten solid years! Should we continue to leave our children to study under leaking roofs or under the trees, even after collecting the money because we want to retain PDP in Power in Edo State? That is the question Edo people are asking the Anenih faction of PDP today.

The bulldozers are working in Edo and Oshiomhole holding the people hand-inhand are working. As at today, over 190 roads are under various stages of con-

struction across the three senatorial districts of the state. How did Ihimekpen arrive at the American wonder cost of constructing roads in Edo State, vis-à-vis the figures of NDDC and Federal Government constructed roads? Who told Ihimekpen that the cost of constructing one kilometre of road in Edo is N1.3bn? I am sure Ihimekpen is working on the assumption that when you tell one particular lie over and over, people would begin to mistake it for truth. Ihimekpen should point to the roads the PDP have constructed or repaired in Edo state in years past.

Going to tell obvious lies to the reading public about Oshiomhole will not give PDP any victory at next year’s gubernatorial polls. What will see the Action Congress of Nigeria through is the massive developmental works Oshiomhole is embarking upon. PDP will definitely meet its waterloo in the hands of Edo people. That will be the acid test whether the people are leading in Edo or not.

• Mr. Dan Owegie is Publicity Secretary ACN, Edo State Chapter.

‘It is shameful that Ihimekpen who had all these tell tales about Oshiomhole in his days as NLC helmsman could not raise a finger let alone write about them all these while.

Why did Ihimekpen not write about these fairy tales when the Comrade was at the NLC? Is it not obvious that this false information fed the public is new fabrications? ‘

VIEW FROM THE FOREIGN PRESS

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ARLIER this month, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced that he and five other wealthy individuals had raised $1.5 million to reinstate the January Regents exams, which New York State had cancelled because of budget cuts.

Although praiseworthy as a matter of personal philanthropy, the donation by the mayor and the others, whose names were not disclosed, is highly distressing as a matter of public policy. It is disgraceful that essential components of our public education system now depend on the charitable impulses of wealthy citizens.

At least 23 states have made huge cuts to public education spending this year, and school districts are scrambling to find ways to cope. School foundations, parent-teacher organizations and local education funds supported by business groups and residents contribute at least $4 billion per year to help public schools throughout the country.

In New York City, families and philanthropies are asked to pay for classroom supplies and music and art lessons. In Lakeland, Fla., a church provided $5,000

‘Many schools that have already reduced hours, increased class sizes and eliminated electives are also now charging fees for workbooks, use of lab equipment and other basic instructional materials; extracurricular activities long considered essential are now available only to students who can afford them’

When schools depend on handouts

By Michael A. Rebell and Jessica R. Wolff

worth of supplies for an elementary school’s resource room, and paid for math and English tutors. The board of the Los Angeles Unified School District voted in December to accept corporate sponsorships and to allow the placement of corporate logos on cafeteria walls and in ball fields.

Many schools that have already reduced hours, increased class sizes and eliminated electives are also now charging fees for workbooks, use of lab equipment and other basic instructional materials; extracurricular activities long considered essential are now available only to students who can afford them.

In Medina, Ohio, The Wall Street Journal reported, it now costs $660 for a child to play on a high school sports team, $200 to join the concert choir and $50 to act in the school play. High school students in Overland Park, Kan., pay a $120 “activity programming fee” and a $100 “learning resources fee.” In Naperville, Ill., they are charged textbook and workbook fees, even for basic requirements like English and French, according to The Chicago Tribune.

In some cases, students from impoverished backgrounds are exempted from these payments if the class is required, but must pay for Advanced Placement courses or sports and other extracurricular activities. If they can’t pay, they miss out.

Public education was built on the philosophy articulated by Horace Mann, the Massachusetts reformer who pioneered the Common School: a system “one and the same for both rich and poor” with “all citi-

zens on the same footing of equality before the law of land.” Today, that vision of equality is in jeopardy.

As anti-union sentiment continues to spread, politicians may wrongly assume that education cutbacks mainly affect the salaries and benefits of teachers. In reality, it is the students who pay the dearest price. Some California districts have reduced the number of days in the school year; in Miami, 4,500 students will be deprived of after-school programs this year; Texas has cut pre-kindergarten programs for 100,000 children. The poor are, unsurprisingly, disproportionately affected: Pennsylvania’s education cuts amounted to $581 per student in the poorest 150 school districts, but only $214 per student in the wealthiest 150 districts.

Not every state will have a Bloomberg to step in, not every school has a P.T.A. with the resources to help out, and not every child has a family that can afford fees. Depending on private contributions is inequitable and unconstitutional; public financing should fully support public education.

Most state constitutions, in fact, guarantee all students a sound, basic public education. These constitutional rights cannot be put on hold, even in tough times. It is unconstitutional to call on parents to pay for textbooks and lab fees for required courses. And art, music, sports, basic educational support services and many extracurricular activities that promote learning, creativity and character are not luxuries; they, too, are essential fea-

tures of a sound, basic education.

California acknowledged as much last December when it settled a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union challenging illegal school fees. Officials ordered school districts to halt the practice and to refund the fee money they had collected. While schools in California now must eliminate textbook and activity fees, affluent children whose parents can afford to reinstate teaching positions will continue to have more educational opportunities than their poorer counterparts.

A number of judges have begun to respond to the devastation in state education financing: in May, the New Jersey Supreme Court ordered Gov. Chris Christie and the Legislature to reinstate $500 million in funds for poor urban districts, and last month, a North Carolina judge blocked cuts that would have decimated financing for a statewide preschool program.

The courts are doing their job, but litigation is time-consuming and expensive. Politicians have a constitutional obligation to protect public education. They need to ensure that adequate public funds are available, and the people need to hold them accountable for doing so.

• A. Rebell is the executive director and R. Wolff is the policy director of the Campaign for Educational Equity at Teachers College, Columbia University.

‘Not every state will have a Bloomberg to step in, not every school has a P.T.A. with the resources to help out, and not every child has a family that can afford fees’

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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NATION SPORT Senate pledges N50,000 per gold for Team Nigeria

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IGERIAN contingent to the 10th All Africa Games holding in Maputo, Mozambique between September 3 and 10, left Nigeria with high hopes on Friday and Saturday nights as Senate President, Senator David Mark promised to reward each gold medal won by the athletes with N50,000. The Senate President was at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to give the athletes message of hope and motivation at the weekend.

“It is possible for all Nigerian athletes going for the games to win gold,” Senator Mark said. “I want that to be the driving force as everybody must win something but we don’t want bronze. Now that I have come to see you off, I want you to know that the entire Nigerian populace is behind you. We will pray for you and back you up with everything we can.

“From the Nigerian Senate, I want to pledge that every gold won by Team Nigeria will be rewarded with N50,000.

If an athlete wins three gold he earns N150,000. You should all be proud to represent Nigeria. Home is home. There is no place like home, sweet home. Those who chose to represent other countries may have done so in error because there is no country in the world as sweet as Nigeria.”

The sports-loving Senator promised to talk to the athletes on phone as soon as possible assuring them of coming to Maputo to cheer them up after the first week.

He said: “I will personally talk to you on phone and also come to Maputo to cheer you up as the games progress. I love 100m race and I have to watch the

final. I hope we will have three Nigerians in the final.”

The Senate president told journalists at the airport that Nigeria has the potential to rank among the best in the world revealing that one of the players in his football team in Benue State has been on the radar of English Premier League giants Arsenal in the last six months.

“I love sports and that is why I spend so much to put a football team together in my place. One of the players is about to join Arsenal now. They have come for him several times and I think the deal is almost through.”

Senator Mark also said that the Senate would do everything possible to assist the National Sports Commission in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic Games. to make maximum benefits out of the challenges. We can do better than Algiers 2007 and even better that the Commonwealth Games feat.

“Mr President has given us enough support to succeed and with our long preparations, I know that we will do well.

But the President said that you have to shun drugs and come back to Nigeria with your heads up. We want a clean record like the Flying Eagles. They made us happy even though they did not win the World Youth Championship. But FIFA gave them the Fair Play trophy. That is the spirit I want Team Nigeria to take to Maputo.”

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission will join the team on September 1 stressing that the NSC will announce a special motivation package as soon as he gets to Maputo

13TH 1AAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Okagbare, Osayomi in 100m Semis

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LESSING OKAGBARE and Damola Osayomi are to fight for places in the final of the women’s 100m of the 13th 1AAF World Championships scheduled for this evening in Daegu, South Korea.

Yesterday, Okagbare shook off the lethargy of poor outing in the Long Jump event by winning her race with an 11.10 ahead of Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price (11.13) and Ana Claudia Silva (11.27).

•Osayomi

Osayomi (11.15) on the other hand placed second behind Bulgarian Ivet Lalova to also qualify for the semi final.

Season leader with a 10.70 American Carmelita Jeter ran an effortless 11.21 to also qualify for today’s semis.

Although both Nigerians were happy of the progress they have made, Osayomi in particular admitted that running here was tough as they were all racing against head wind.

“I am okay with qualifying for the semi final for now. I am hoping to do my best in the next race. I don’t have any problem. My health is good and if fate smiles on me tomorrow, i will be just too glad,” observed the Ekiti born sprinter who came here with a season best of 10.99 she clocked in a Sao Paolo Meet in Brazil on May 22.

Okagbare was equally not disturbed by her poor show in the long jump.

“As you can see, it was not just her day in that Long jump event. She just didn’t get it right. We all know she has the capacity to do better than that in that event where she won bronze at the last Olympics in Beijing,” observed Solomon Ogba, the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.

Also in the semis is another Nigerian runner competing for Norway Ezinne Okparaebo. The 11.21she clocked in the Round One is Norway’s new national record in the event.

NATION SPORT AHEAD OF ALL AFRICAN GAMES

•Osaze

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Late attendance or absence to training also attracts five hundred to one thousand Naira.

Other disciplinary measures taken to enforce discipline in the team during the season, he revealed was a fine of ten thousand Naira (N10, 000) for traveling without permission from Technical Adviser.

Absence for two days or more from training attract ten thousand Naira, absent from club’s activities up to one week or more without official permission fetches a player,no matter how highly valued,places him on half salary, unnecessary yellow or red cards at matches attracts a fine of five thousand Naira.

Any confirmed case of stealing in

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has charged Team Nigerian athletes for the All Africa Games to emulate the Flying Eagles of Nigeria who were adjudged the best disciplined team in the last FIFA World Youth Championship in Colombia even when they did not win the Cup. The President told the athletes who departed for

Maputo at the weekend to be Nigeria’s good ambassadors.

Relaying the President’s goodwill message to the departing athletes at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Sports Minister Yusuf Suleiman said that the biggest achievement a citizen of any country can aspire to is to represent his or her

country at international events like the All Africa Games. He charged the athletes to be resolute in winning gold medal and come out as one of the best in Africa.

“Nigeria is the first country to arrive Maputo and that is because we want the athletes to remain focussed,” the minister said.

Osaze may miss Nigeria/ Madagascar

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EST BROMWICH ALBION’s Peter Odemwingie will miss Nigeria’s game in Madagascar.

West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie has ruled himself out of Nigeria’s 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar because of an ankle injury.

The 30-year-old will miss the game in Antananarivo on 4 September as well as the Super Eagles’ friendly with Argentina two days later in Bangladesh.

Odemwingie aggravated an ankle injury against Chelsea last weekend.

“It’s quite unfortunate that I have been advised to rest my troubled ankle for about a week,” he told BBC Sport.

“I think that’s the price to pay for forcing it against Chelsea the last time, now I’ve got to rest it.

“I was looking forward to helping my club and country because they both need me desperately.

“It’s a shame I have to concentrate on getting better fully so I can give my best to my club and country when needed.”

Odemwingie has not played for Nigeria since March’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia.

“Fans, players and everyone at the club count on me to help the team, same thing with my national team as well.” he said.

“It’s only a matter of time, I wish my teammates all the best in Madagascar and against Argentina in the friendly.

“I’ll be supporting them from here because we need to win our next two matches to qualify so it is crucial we win.”

Odemwingie is the latest injury blow for Super Eagles’ coach Samson Siasia after AC Milan defender Taye Taiwo suffered an injury that ruled him out of action for a month.

Nigeria are desperate for a win against Madagascar to keep up the pressure on Guinea, who are top of Group B three points ahead of the Super Eagles.

The Nigeria squad will then fly straight to Bangladesh to keep a friendly date with Argentina on 6 September.

camp or hotel gets a dismissal, just as bringing women into the camp by any player most pay five thousand Naira with a written warning for more puitive measures while drunkness and hang-overs are not tolerated.

The couach appreciated the support and co-operation of the management in implementation of the players’ code of conduct but called for the payment of the players unpaid match-bonuses before the start of next football season.

NationSport learnt the T A had two weeks ago, asked the management to extend invitation to specific players discovered from other clubs in desirable positions.

I won’t wait for any player –Siasia •Says focus is key to victory

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UPER EAGLES head coach, Samson Siasia has warned that he is prepared to leave any player that fails to report to camp before Wednesday’s departure to Madagascar behind.

Nigeria and Madagascar lock horns this weekend in an important Africa Nations Cup qualifier.

‘The agreement we had with the players invited was for them to report to camp by Tuesday because we should

From Ejiro Femi-Babafemi, Abuja hopefully on Wednesda,’ said the coach.

Speaking to NationSport on Saturday, Siasia reaffirmed the team’s commitment to win the match which brightens Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the competition next year January.

‘Focus is the word on my mind and

that of the players. We need the victory and the only way it can be achieved is for the entire team to stay focused,’ he said. Recalled lack of concentration was blamed for Eagles 2-2 draw to Ethiopia in June.

Eagles camp opens today at the Transcorp Hliton Hotel in Abuja with 21 players expected. The team trails Guinea with 7 points to place second in Group B from four matches.

Air Nigeria has been contracted to airlift the teams in a chartered aircraft.

NFF passes vote of no confidence on Uche

HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)may have tactically passed a vote of no confidence on the Super Falcons Chief Coach Uche Eucharia and may have resolved to take over the job of the coach who has not been in their good books since after the Women World Cup held recently in Germany.

This was evident as there were various complaints before the Olympic Games qualifying match between Nigeria and Cameroon last weekend in Abuja. According to our various sources, the Technical Committee Chairman Christopher Green absorbed the works of the technical crew and even insisted on the use of injured Precious Dede in goal against the wish of the Coaches. The ever agile goalkeeper limped all through the game, and could not recover adequately to save the head pass from Onome Ebi which resulted in the advantageous goal scored by the Lioness of Cameroon in the last minutes of the game.

Reacting to this in a chat with NationSport, the Rivers State FA Chairman who was seen at the sideline along with fellow Board member Effiong Johnson, Director of Competitions Mohammed Sanusi, and Supporter Club President General Rafiu Ladipo assisting the Technical

From Patrick Ngwaogu, Abuja crew in passing instructions to the girls, said “it is all about confidence.

I believe that the Coaches have confidence in the Precious Dede over the other goalkeepers in the team.

She did not perform poorly, she made good saves, if she was so injured as people are saying, I don’t think she would be able to make those save”. He said people should

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EANWHILE, Sam Okpodu is being touted to handle the women’s national team to the 2012 Olympics in London which is, however, subject to Nigeria qualifying ahead of Cameroon.

Falcons lead 2-1 after Saturday’s first leg at the Abuja National Stadium and require a draw to book a place in the return leg scheduled for Cameroon on October 22.

A competent source revealed to NationSport that Okpodu’s name has been recommended to some key officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as Eucharia Uche’s replacement.

Madagascar: Ambrose promises Nigerians victory FE AMBROSE has told allnigeriasoccer.com that despite the Madagascar Federation naming a squad of Under-23 National Team players for the tie against Nigeria, the Super Eagles will approach the game with all seriousness. ‘’We won’t underrate the Madagascar team. Maybe they are using their Under 23 squad but the Super Eagles players know what is at stake. This match is like a Final to us. It’s for that reason we are starting preparations for the game early. ‘’Well, they said the playing pitch is bad.

But we are hitting camp early to acclimatize, get used to the weather, the environment and the playing surface. I believe by the grace of God, we shall be victorious next Sunday, and come back with a handsome win, ‘’ says Ambrose to allnigeriasoccer.com.

Ambrose has a contract with Israeli club Ashdod FC until the summer of 2013. There are so many clubs scrambling for his signature, so he wants the club to offer him an improved contract. ‘’I want Ashdod to offer me a better contract. I am hoping they consider the proposals brought by my agent. There are several offers from Turkey, Germany and clubs in Western Europe for my signature. ‘’ I am not in a hurry to leave Israel, as God’s time is the best. Ashdod is a nice club, and a good place to continue my development, ‘’ Ambrose who won a silver medal at Beijing 2008 Olympics said.

Efe Ambrose made his full international debut in March against Ethiopia. Since then, he is Siasia’s preferred candidate to partner Joseph Yobo in defense.

not write off the team, as all hopes are not yet lost “the game is still wide open, we are not out yet until the last whistle in the second leg match in Cameroon. We would further motivate the girls, and ensure that they qualify at the end of the day. The Cameroonians were not too exceptionally, only that our girls did not take their chances. We still remain hopeful” stressed the ever arrogant Board member.

...Okpodu may return as Falcons’ coach

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•Efe Ambrose

Kanu still got magic –Pearce

FALLOUT OF OLYMPIC 2012 QUALIFIERS

Be good ambassadors, Jonathan T charges Team Nigeria P MADAGASCAR TRIP

Wikki Tourist returns to elite division IKKI TOURIST FC of Bauchi sweats merchant Hassan Abubakar yesterday described the return of Wikki Tourists ’return to Premier League the Nigerian elite football class as an act of self discipline and hard work.

Abubakar told NationSport in Bauchi that’’when I took over the team, a lot of things were not in place including playe focuse essentially self discipline that was conspicuously absent’’.

But determined to suceed, Abubakar put in place disciplinary measures among which dressing code for players to training sessions, attracted punitive measures.

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•Eucharia

From Ejiro Femi-Babafemi, Abuja ‘A board member told me in confidence that this was going to be Uche’s last chance and if she messes up she would be shown the exit door,’ the source said.

‘The officials have been made to understand that Okpodu remains the best coach to have handled the Falcons till date due to his technical ability,’ added the source.

Okpodu guided the Falcons to victory at the 2002 Africa Women’s Championship in Nigeria.

Under him, Nigeria went to the World Cup the following year but crashed out in the opening round due to allegations that the players were quarantined against the deadly SARS virus.

Okpodu, an ex-international was this year appointed the Chief Executive officer of the South Carolina Youth Soccer Association an affiliate of US Youth Soccer.

He also serves as the chairman of NSCAA-Black Soccer Coach Committee and is a member of the NSCAA board which is the largest coaching association in the world.

Recently he was named one of the “50 Greatest Footballers since Nigeria’s Independence!”

We’re not yet in London Games OACH of the Indomitable –Lioness coach Lionesses of Cameroon, Enow

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Ngachu left the Abuja National stadium on Saturday a satisfied man following his girls’ spirited 1-2 defeat by the Nigerian Super Falcons in the first leg of the London 2012 Olympic Games qualifier.

Perpetua Nkwocha put Nigeria forward from the penalty spot after Desire Oparanozie was fouled in the box by overzealous Lionesses’ defender while Ebere Orji made it two but the faulty leg of Falcons’ Osinachi Ohale gave the Cameroonian the vital lone goal. The three goals came in the second half as first half ended goalless.

The decisive leg comes up on October 22 in Yaoundé, Cameroon after the Lionesses would have returned from the All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique.

An elated Ngachu told SuperSport.com that he is satisfied with the result even as he admitted it demands further hard work to guarantee his side London Games’ ticket.

“It is a good result but we are not going to live under any illusion that

we are there, the London Olympic Games ticket is yet to be won.

“They still have an edge over us, the game ended 2-1, and we need to be careful because the return leg in Yaoundé will be tough.

“Super Falcons are the best in Africa with talented individual players, so anything can still happen.

“We need to work hard to be there but I am satisfied with the outcome, it is a good result for us.”

Ngachu who applauded the Lionesses for standing up to their Nigerian counterparts hinted that the crowd at the stadium helped Falcons immensely.

“You saw it all that my players are fitter and stronger than your girls, they owe the marginal victory to the crowd, I think the crowd and officials helped them,” he said.

Super Falcons players and their coaching crew were immediately escorted away from the stadium shortly after the Ugandan centre referee signaled the end of the match. The game calls to questioning the fitness level of the players.

2011 AFROBASKET

Nigeria finishes 3rd, earn Olympics playoffs ticket •Beats Cote d’Ivoire to third place 77-67

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IGERIA’s senior national team, D’Tigers Sunday defeated 2009 runner-up Cote D’Ivoire by 7767 to finish third and a slot for London 2012 Olympic Games playoffs.

The Nigerian side who put behind the semi-final lose to Angola Saturday rose to the challenge with a 20-17 and 20-10 points win in the first and second quarters to take a 13 points lead going into the break.

Nigeria was however, slowed down in the third quarter by the Ivoriens who back to pick the quarter by 18-23 but it was the Coach Ayo Bakare tutored Nigerian side that carried the day as the romp on to a 19-17 points win in the fourt quarter to emd the

By Akeem Lawal series with bronze medal after two championship misses in 2007 and 2009 where Nigeria best was 5th placement.

With the third place finish in the 26th edition in Antananarivo, Madagascar Nigeria has earned for itself a Pre-Olympic Games ticket in a yet to be named venue.

Nigeria Derrick Obasohan led his team quest for honours with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, Michael Umeh had 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists while the duo pf Ikechukwu Ofoegbu and Ejike Ugboaja added 13 points, 5 rebounds and 11 points, 10 rebounds.

•Enow Ngachu

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VEN at 35, Nwankwo Kanu still has a few more goals left in him after he came on to earn Portsmouth a 1-1 home draw with Cardiff City.

The old fox, who quit international football in the summer and he is now doing his coaching badges, headed home from a cross on 80 minutes to salvage a point for Pompey at Fratton Park.

Incidentally, ‘Papilo’ netted the English FA cup winner against the same team three years ago.

Pompey teammate Jason Pearce said Kanu, simply called ‘King’ in the Portsmouth dressing room, is still magical.

“He’s magnificent in training and in the games. He’s unbelievable – you never know what he’s going to do next,” hailed an admiring Pearce.

“If you give him the ball when he comes on, then you know he’s going to do a bit of magic.”

From the younger generation of Nigerian players, Ahmed Musa was also on target for the second week running, but it proved to be only a consolation as his club VVV Venlo slumped 4-1 at last season’s runners-up FC Twente.

Musa, who grabbed a brace against Ajax Amsterdam last week, found the back of the net on 26 minutes to restore parity against Twente.

The 18-year-old forward has interested several top clubs including Italian club Udinese, but Venlo are not in a hurry to sell just yet.

•Kanu

1st Emeka Enechi Memorial Lecture holds today

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KEDI ISIGUZO, Chairman of Vanguard Newspapers Editorial Board will chair the first Emeka Enechi Memorial Lecture which holds today at the Secretariat of the Lagos State Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN). The lecture scheduled to start at 11am is being organized by the Emeka Enechi Trust Fund to mark one year of the death of Emeka Enechi, a former Chairman of Lagos SWAN. According to Mr. Frank Ilaboya, Chairman of the Board of Emeka Enechi Trust Fund, speakers at the event will be coming from First Trustees PLC and the Nigeria Insurance Association to speak on the theme ‘Beyond Sports Journalism’.

“The theme of the lecture has been carefully chosen to prepare practicing Journalists on the need to invest for their family while in active service”, Ilaboya explained and added “the Foundation is of the strong belief that the lecture series will live a legacy of planning for a life after active service or even death for practicing Journalists hence we have chosen experts from the Financial Investment and Insurance sectors to educate us on how to go about this”.

Davis Iyasere, the Senior Head of Corporate Communications at the Nigeria Insurance Association and Mrs. Mofoluke Keshinro, the Manager, Private Trust Unit of First Trustees PLC will be delivering papers at the lecture. The organizers say the lecture will be held annually to immortalize Enechi who died on August 29, 2010 at a hospital in Asaba, Delta State following complications in injuries sustained from a motor accident.

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JOBS THE NATION

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

25

• The best place to work: Google office in Zurich.

The economic downturn is affecting workplaces negatively. There is low performance, poor employee morale and reduced job satisfaction in most places of work. Companies have not been able to create conditions that promote loyalty, dedication and on-target performance. However, there is an attempt by an indigenous firm, in collaboration with an international organisation, to create good places to work, writes DANIEL ESSIET.

Investing in firms’ ‘greatest’ assets W

HAT makes a good place to work? A good work environment is where professionalism is recognised and matched with adequate reward. It is an environment where job satisfaction and motivation thrive.

There is increased productivity and job security is assured in good workplaces.

These attributes and others are what Great Place to Work (GPTW) Institute, Nigeria, is introducing to help employers implement widespread changes in their organisations to improve the productivity of their workforce.

At a workshop in Lagos for managers to provide practical experience of using best practices from the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies (a United States-based magazine which focuses on good workplaces) to achieve higher productivity, quality products and services and innovation, the President, Kunle Malomo, said people are organisations’greatest assets.

He said there are many drivers of employee engagement, but they can be summarised by how the employees feel about the support they get to do their jobs, their autonomy and how they can develop in their careers with appropri-

ate rewards and recognition.

Malomo said Nigeria lacked workplaces where everybody wants to work and where no one wants to leave.

Successful companies, Malomo said, treat workers fairly, respect their personal lives; provide opportunities for development and endow their jobs with meaning and fun. In return, the employees bestow their best ideas and efforts on the business.

He said organisations needed to find out what the employees need and want, and how they can deliver for themselves and their companies. This culture, Malomo explained, is lacking in Nigeria.

The workplace culture in most companies, he observed, don’t promote individuals’ growth and development. To this end, Malomo said his institute is compiling a list of best workplaces.

He said companies would be judged on employee engagement and development, management effectiveness, rewards and recognition, mission and benefits.

In addition, the institute will conduct anonymous employee-satisfaction surveys in all the companies. The goal is to create a work environment where leaders act ethically; employees are healthier and happier, where organisations and the workforce con-

tribute to their host communities in meaningful ways.

Malomo said participating companies in the survey are to be drawn from about 300 companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and their financial base may be considered.

“We are going to gather data first-hand.

So, there will be category of publicly-traded companies.

“Then, there will be another category of multinationals. Then, we will look at the category of small and medium-scale companies and category of government and quasigovernment agencies. The important thing is that it is a self-nominating process. The companies will indicate that they want to participate,” he said.

“A lot of organisations are looking for foreign investors and one of the factors foreign investors look at is corporate structure. How well managed your organisation is and when there is no data, it becomes very difficult for them to make investment decisions. This becomes one very crucial point to look at in evaluating what an organisation is doing.”

Malomo, who is also the Managing Partner, Corporate Initiatives Group, said the venture would enable businesses to benchmark with other world-class companies us-

ing the same criteria, since a similar survey is done annually to determine the 100 best companies to work in the US and 31 other countries.

He said his organisation was determined to improve lives in the workplace and create a better society.

“Our goal is to consistently deliver unparalleled innovative solutions across all industries and business functions through access to best global management practices and access to a wide array of renowned subject matter experts,” he added.

Former Managing Partner, Accenture Nigeria, Mr Adedotun Sulaiman, said ability of organisations to optimise their human resources can make a big difference.

According to him, organisations with high proportions of engaged employees are less likely than others to see a decline in earnings.

Sulaiman said there was the need to evaluate companies to determine how they fare from the employee perspective.

He said multinational companies are the most attractive places to work in Nigeria today.

Sulaiman said they offer good pay pack• Continued on page 26

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

JOBS

Investing in firms’ ‘greatest’ assets •Continued from page 25

ages, which are the same worldwide. These include quality exposure to the global business environment, which is a good foundation for a career.

He cited US-based SAS International, which has been named the number one company to work by US Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work for the second year running. SAS International, Sulaiman explained, has a worldwide reputation for being great employers, where each employee has a Bonus Plan that recognises performance and achievement.

According to him, creating a good work environment for employees

reduces employee turnover and cost of training new hands and results in increased customer loyalty and profitability.

Sulaiman said local employers have to treat their employees fairly and pay particular attention to making the work environment attractive.

Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Foluso Phillips, said the economic crisis has affected the work climate for everyone, from professional employees to those in manufacturing including managers and executives. The capacity of well-functioning workplaces to sustain the positivity and commitment of their employees, Phillip added, is hinged on corpo-

• Sulaiman

• Phillips

• Malomo

rate productivity and financial performance.

Philips, who is also the Chief Executive, Phillips Consulting Limited, noted that there is little consolation to the countless Nigerian businesses – and their employees

– that are still reeling from the consequences of the economic crisis.

The crisis, he explained, has led to poor corporate performance, creating an environment where workers are not motivated to be productive.

A major trend from the situation, he observed, is a continued wave of lay-offs, stressing that more companies are focusing on cutting on spending that mainly results in a reduction in workforce.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS May & Baker gets two new directors

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• Ibidapo

HARMACEUTICAL giant May & Baker Nigeria Plc has appointed two new members to the Board of Directors. They are Mr Ezekiel Odunlami Ibidapo and Mrs. Gloria Ijeoma Odumodu.

Ibidapo was appointed executive director in charge of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Operations while Mrs. Odumodu joins the Board as a non-executive director.

Before his elevation, Ibidapo was general manager, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Operations. He joined the company in 2006 as Liquid Process Manager and later be-

came the Solid Process Manager.

He holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) degree from the University of Ile, Ile-Ife (1980) and a Masters of Science in Pharmaceutical Analysis (1984) from the same institution. He is a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria.

Ibidapo started his career in 1985 as a Quality Control Pharmacist. He has undergone trainings in pharmaceutical plants in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Mrs. Odumodu is a banker. She was manager, with ABYZ Logis-

tics, London, 2004 -2005, She served at various levels with Afribank Nigeria Plc (now Mainstreet Bank) between 1993 and 2004.

A graduate of Banking of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, 1985, Mrs. Odumodu also holds a Masters in Finance and Banking from the Delta State University. She has attended various courses in management and skill development in Nigeria and London.

She is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

• Mrs Odumodu

CAREER MANAGEMENT

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RE you having a tough time job hunting? Do you need to get your job hunt in gear?

Here are job hunting tips from leading career experts that will help you refocus your job hunt, get to contacts at companies, learn how to effectively follow up and utilise the top job search strategies that will ensure your job hunt succeeds.

Networking is the key to success The key to a successful job search is networking. With more than half of all hiring done through referrals, it’s critical for job seekers to leverage their professional and social networks to get an inside track on a job.

Take advantage of social sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to connect with industry leaders and recruiters, and to show off your unique skills and experience.

These online tools are great resources for connecting with hiring decision-makers, or those who can put you in touch with them.

Know what you’re the best at This is the advice I give to people of all ages and stages: “Know what you’re the best at. Know where you will shine brightly.” Become crystal clear on your three or four best traits, talents and skills.

Of course you need to do a selfanalysis to better understand yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, areas of interest, etc. Document and acknowledge how you excel and what you’ve accomplished with them. Make these talents the North Star of your job search, and allow them to guide your answers in interviews and your path to a new position.

The best of job hunting tips

By Olu Oyeniran

Job search efficiently First, you need to know what is working and what is not. A fact never to be forgotten is that most jobs are never advertised. And competition is fierce for job positions in the public domain. In a nutshell, get the skills to uncover and pursue hidden jobs.

Stay focused on your job search Stay focused in your search on the employers that interest you, the industries that excite you, and the locations that draw you. Limit your search for employment listings to those resources that focus on these same topics, and network with others who share your interests, both online and in person.

And always take advantage of the opportunity to meet new people in casual settings that may turn into new professional relationships. When you need to look for work, looking for work will not look exciting at all- don’t be deterred.

Why did you fail to make the sale?

Over 50 candidates who interview for jobs for which they believe they are uniquely qualified fail to get a call back. The accusation of age-bias leaps to mind. Yet, the employer saw your resume and already knew your approximate age and chose to interview you.

There was something in your background that caused them to

believe you were the right person for the job and they wanted to learn more. If you failed to make the sale, look to your interview for the reasons.

Did you talk outcomes? Was your appearance age appropriate? How was your energy level? Did you ‘explain’ or relate your experience?

Employers look to your stories to tell them if your recent accomplishments compared to their needs. Solution? Examine the job description and for every line item, write down a relevant example with an outcome. That puts you ahead of the competition and in line for a call back.

Establish goals It is critical that job seekers maintain a proactive and positive approach to the job search process by establishing concrete goals and setting aside adequate time each week for searching and applying to jobs.

You need to be accountable.

What are you sub-objectives and time line. Are you doing well? Are you doing enough? Can you do more? Job searching can be an exhausting experience, even more so than a full-time job, and when responses from employers don’t immediately come flooding in the natural tendency is to often become discouraged and slow down or even abort the job search process altogether.

Just keep going. Never quit, never give up. The next opportunity may just be it!

Identify companies that are a fit Don’t even think about starting a job search campaign without first

identifying and researching companies that will be a mutual good fit, so that you can build your brand and all your career marketing communications around what will resonate with them. If you don’t know who your target audience is and you try to cover too many bases, your resume and other career documents won’t hit home with anyone.

Get current job listings If job seekers would use LINKUP.com as one of their top 3 places to search for a job, they would find those jobs that are only listed on company websites and that are currently open. So, much of the jobseeker frustration comes from applying for jobs that no longer are open because most job boards have out of date postings in order to look “busy”.

Know what makes you stand out There are numerous qualified applicants for each open position. To be successful in your job search, you need to understand your personal brand.

An important element of your brand is differentiation. To determine your differentiation, think about what you have in common with others who are seeking the same position.Then, think about what makes you stand out - what unique value you have to offer. Once you know that, you can modify your career marketing tools to reflect that unique value. This is the key to effective personal branding.

Research the company Before an interview, research the

company online using all means available. Spend at least two hours preparing for a job interview by reading about the company online.

Comb through the corporate web site (particularly the “about us” section) and search for articles in Google news to learn more about what’s going on in the workplace.

If you know the names of the people you are about to meet with, look at anything they’ve written professionally or any public information on their social networking profiles. You need to be prepared to tell your potential employer why you’re excited to work specifically for the company and for her. Bonus: if you can connect with a former employee of the company on LinkedIn and ask them questions, that can also help you prepare.

Follow-up One area that I believe to be deficient in many people’s job searches is follow up. Most people just e-mail the resume or submit the application in the hopes that someone will reply, but to be successful you must be proactive. There should be a least three attempts at following up including phone and email. It should be much more than just checking to see if the resume was received. The voice mail message could be an abbreviated elevator speech, and the follow up letter could summarise all of the ways in which they are qualified. Linked in can be a great tool for following up too. Every job sought requires research and its follow-up strategy.

Olu Oyeniran is the Lead Consultant, EkiniConsult & Assoiciates.

Website: www.jobsearchhow.com E-mail: oluoyeniran@yahoo.com Tel 08083843230 (SMS Only).

ALERT

DONATION

ASSISTANCE

Council chief lament ecological problem

Free books for pupils at Ibadan

Kidney failure victim seeks help

Ekiti 28

Oyo

MONDAY AUGUST 29, 2011

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Lagos

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Email: news_extra@yahoo.com

Ogun approves new transport union

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•Amosun

O ensure peace and harmony at motor parks across the state, the Ogun State government has advised members of the newly approved Accredited Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (AMORAN) to be law abiding.

The administration also warned AMORAN members not to engage in any act that could put them on a collision course with a sister union, the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), or indeed with any member of the public.

The government issued the advice through the Special Adviser to Governor Ibikunle Amosun on Parks and Garages Development Board (PAGADEB), Mr. Bola Adeyemi at the official presentation of a certificate of recog-

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

nition to the acting executives of AMORAN in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The AMORAN executives included Mr. Sufianu Oyeleye, who is the state chairman; Mr. Adio Asunmo, Vice Chairman and Mr. Akinde Adebayo, secretary.

The exercise was witnessed by the Commandant, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) Mr. Ayo Sango Fadeji, the Ogun State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corporation (FRSC), a member of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Kunle Oluomo.

Adeyemi warned the excited transporters that the liberty offered them to operate with the issuance of the Certificate should not be

abused because it is temporary, adding that the government will not hesitate to remove the protem leaders of the new union should they be found to conduct themselves in a manner inimical to the peace of the state.

Adeyemi urged AMORAN members to be of good behavior.

“You know you have been in this struggle for a very long time, so the executives should remember that they are in acting capacity. Nothing is permanent yet,” he said.

“Be warned, if you flout the laws of the state, you can be removed at any time because you have not been called to foment trouble. We have informed all the security agents in the state about you, so do not take the law into your hands.”

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S the locals turned up to welcome the investors, one thing seemed uppermost on their minds: the transformation of their community.

One way that transformation will come is through jobs, which will keep their teeming youths profitably engaged. For Koko, an ancient port town in Delta State, is just as much in need of youth employment as several communities in the country.

The investors comprising Mr. Matouq Janna, Senior Vice President, Project, Xenel/Safra Group of Saudi Arabia and PP Singh and KH Dharudu of Nagarjuna Group of India, visited the peaceful Itsekiri town to set up petrochemical and fertiliser plants there.

It would be like an industrial revolution in the community because, apart from the presence of a petroleum product blending plant and some private jetties, Koko has remained a vast greenland with huge untapped potentials. Ironically, the town is remember mostly for a disgraceful incident nearly three decades ago in 1987, when unscrupulous Italian businessmen hoodwinked trusting natives to deposit huge toxic waste in the land.

However, the fate of the headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State is set to change with the arrival of the august visitors on that rainy morning as they came along with an investment portfolio worth $16billion. Xenel Group, the Saudi Arabia-based company, founded in 1973, was in town to inspect the site of its proposed petrochemical company. Its Indian counterpart, Nagarjuna, was also checking out a similar site for its $6billion fertiliser plant.

Twenty four hours earlier, an obviously excited Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, addressed journalists on the importance of the project. He stressed that beyond being ecstatic about the highest single foreign investment in the state in recent times, his joy was the social and economic benefits the projects would bring to the town, state and indeed the entire region.

“The benefits are quite huge,” he said.

“The completion of the plants will lead to the employment of thousands of persons and many of them will be Deltans. So we have a lot of benefits from it and there are several industries that will spring up from these plants. Industries that will utilise the by-products and others that will make parts for these plants will also benefit. So with

•Koko community elders and youths at the inspection of the project site

Jobs coming as community awaits plants Koko port town site of petrochemical, fertiliser industries Uduaghan expectant From Shola O’Neil, Warri

the cooperation of every Deltan and everyone around, the future is very bright.”

He said the investments are the gains of the federal government’s National Gas Master Plan, and that Delta State under his watch has

done enough to justify the wise decision of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, which led to the choice of Koko as the project site.

The governor said: “Let me first clarify that these projects were initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration through the NNPC [Nigerian National Petroleum Cor-

poration] in conjuction with foreign firms.

We are lucky and fortunate that these projects are located in Delta State. These projects started several years ago when the NNPC started the Nigerian Master Gas Plan.

I took a lot of interest in what they were doing, knowing that Delta State is a state •Continued on Page 28

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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Jobs coming as community awaits plants •Continued from Page 27 with a lot of gas reserves. I got in contact with the officials in NNPC and I was invited by NNPC to be part of the team that went round the world on a road show for the Nigerian Gas Master plan. I did this because I was hoping that the federal government will use Delta State for whatever project they want to develop under the Nigerian Master Gas Plan. Fortunately as it was being unveiled by the president we were happy to know that Delta State is a major beneficiary.”

He further clarified that the companies zeroed in on Koko because of the efforts of his administration to position the ancient town for industrialisation, especially its stride that led to the site getting the Export Processing Zone status.

Specifically, Uduaghan said the status of Koko as an EPZ is an attraction because of the tax break that then companies intended to get from the use of the EPZ. Similarly, the ongoing construction of a dual carriage road from the town to join the Benin-Warri axis of the East-West Road, he observed, would ensure easy transportation of goods and materials from the town to any part of the country.

The event was also an opportunity for the governor to hit back at critics of the Asaba International Airport project, for which he was much vilified by the opposition in the state. He said the airport, which has come on stream, is part of the attraction, noting that with two airports in Osubi-Warri and Asaba, as well as the dualisation of the Ughelli-Asaba and KokoUgbenu roads, a critical infrastructure need is being met.

“Each investment requires transportation and the Asaba Airport will be the quickest airport to the location of these plants. So it is just

•Uduaghan (middle) and the visiting investors for them to fly their goods to the Asaba airport and cargo them.

Even though most of them are going to come by sea, those that are urgently needed would have to be flown in and the Asaba airport would be handy. And with the dualisation that we are doing in Koko, within one hour or a little more, goods are already in Koko.

So it is easier for them not only to transport human beings but also the goods too,” he added.

Meanwhile, prior to the visit to the port town, the team met with the Manager, Delta Ports, Mr. Obumneme Onuenyenwa, for firsthand information on the state of ports in the state. The Nigerian Ports Authority topshot assured them that the ports in the state have the capacity to handle whatever cargo would be brought in for the plants.

Onuenyenwa also moved to allay fears of the investors on security, noting that the area has passed its worst security challenge. He re-

marked that in demonstration of the stability, revenue and activities of the port have tripled within the past three years with revenue jumping from N4.8billion in 2007 to N12.5billion last year. He also assured that problematic Escravos Bar would be dredged to enable bigger vessels berth at the Warri Ports even as he noted that the problem of the bar would in no way affect the Koko Port, which he described as having a natural harbour. Already, the fund for the dredging, the NPA boss stated, had already been provided in the 2011 budget.

When the team got to Koko, they met a boisterous crowd of expectant community leaders, youths and women whose presence displayed their hunger for the developmental breakthrough the area yearns. Chief Victor Nana, Olare-Aja of Koko, led prominent leaders of the various lineages to a reception held for the visitors at his country home.

Leader of the Delta State delega-

projects and similar ones are successful, stressing that the state was determined to be the first choice for investors and investment hub in the country.

Corroborating his boss, Mr. Paul Odili, his Communication Manager, told our correspondent that the state is on the path of industrialisation. “His Excellency (the governor) took a very bold decision in the face of stiff opposition and at a time when it was politically dangerous. Most people would have preferred to shy away from the dualisation projects, airport and the IPP because of the huge investments that have gone into them even though the gains are not immediately being seen on ground.

He proved that sometimes what is right is not what is popular and it takes a strong political will to forge ahead with them. We are beginning to see the results now but i know that in the years to come people would look back and see the foresight and vision behind them.”

Council chair donates bus to workers

Council chief alerts on ecological problems

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HE chairman of Ekiti South West Local Government Area of Ekiti-State, Dr. Azeez Olaniyan, has raised the alarm over ecological problems threatening the area.

Olaniyan told reporters at Ilawe-Ekiti that the places worst affected by floods are Igbaro-Odo and Ogotun-Ekiti, two of the council’s major towns.

He said a part of the IgbaroOdo township was cut off 15 years ago by flood waters from River Oruo and that a path had to be made for both towns as a result of incessant flooding in the communities.

Olaniyan appealed to the federal government to respond to the challenge and arrest further deterioration of the communities.

He disclosed that a number of projects undertaken by his administration targeted basically at the people living in the grassroots to make life more meaningful for them have either been completed or are near completion.

The council chief listed the names of the many projects undertaken by the administration to include rehabilitation of a total of 50 kilometer roads across about 30 towns and villages, ex-

tion, Honourable Daniel Reyenieju, member representing Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, briefed the Itsekiri leaders of their mission, stressing that he was sent in by Governor Uduaghan to inform them of the good development. Reyenieju also stressed the need for peace and atmosphere conducive for smooth operation of the companies’ agents.

In his welcome speech, Chief Nana Olomu prayed for the team and commended President Jonathan and Uduaghan, for the choice of the town as site for the plants. Chief Nana assured the foreign investors of the cooperation of his people, adding that whatever assistance leaders of the Nagarjuna and Xenel needed to make their work there successful would be readily provided by the leaders of the town.

Governor Uduaghan later received the visitors at the Governor’s Office Annexe, Warri. He listed the numerous measures and infrastructure being put in place to ensure that the

•Dr. Olaniyan (left), with his team From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

tension of electricity to a radius of 750 meters which involved the purchase of 17 concrete poles, the purchase of multi-dimensional laboratory and ultra-

sound scanners in hospitals as well as promotion of 200 workers.

The remaining projects include making provisions for aged men and women, pregnant women, widows and chidren and bursary to indigent students worth N7m.

HE Transition Committee Chairman for Ijebu North East Local Government Area (LGA), Ogun State, Mr. Idowu Osimade, has donated a bus to the council workers. He said he donated the 18-seater to ease the workers’ transportation problems.

Osimade said his administration will vigorously implement peoplefriendly programmes, adding that his vision is distilled from the programmes of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The council boss spoke at Atan, headquarters of the local government during an interactive session with the staff. The bus was presented to the workers at the event.

He said he inherited a debt from the previous administration of the council, but assured that the constraints posed by it will not deter him from delivering the dividends of democracy to the staff and people of the area.

H e commended the workers and the people for supporting ACN with their votes during the last April

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

general elections, and stated the administration’s resolve to work for the people, irrespective political leanings.

“Payment of staff salary will no longer be delayed as it used to be,” Osimade told the people, adding that the council will start paying outstanding leave bonuses immediately.

He enjoined the workers to reciprocate the gesture of the council leadership by being loyal and supportive to the administration. He also urged them to be dedicated to their assigned duties, being punctual to work as well as shunning acts capable of detracting from the goodwill the new administration. Reiterating its open-door policy, the council chief said his administration will revisit the issue of giving financial assistance to staff in need.

THE NATION

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MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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KITI State Government has reiterated its commitment to the development of rural communities, even as it explained that they are central to its redemption programme.

Governor Kayode Fayemi disclosed this during the week while inaugurating health

Ekiti to accelerate rural development From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

centres in two rural communities of Adebamidele and Alapoto in Emure Local Government Area.

The eight-point agenda is designed to facilitate access to the expected gains of governance…The inauguration of the healthcare facilities offers bold demonstration of state government’s commitment to free and quality healthcare services which will be accessible to all and sundry

Fayemi, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka disclosed that free and quality healthcare services which are some of the core areas of focus of his administration are meant to be enjoyed by every resident anywhere in the state.

He stated that the eight-point agenda is designed to facilitate access to the expected gains of governance. He observed that the inauguration of the healthcare facilities offers bold demonstration of state government’s commitment to free and quality healthcare services which will be accessible to all and sundry.

He further added that the

establishment of the health centres in the communities would save lives of the people and cost involved in going to far distances to access health services. He therefore urged the communities to ensure the security of the facilities at the health centre, urging them to use the facilities well.

Earlier, Caretaker Committee Chairman of Emure Local Government Area, Hon. Muyiwa Abegunde had lauded Governor Kayode Fayemi’s numerous achievements already recorded and for giving the local government councils the enabling freedom to operate without undue interference.

He said his local government was determined to institute measures and programmes that would facilitate rapid development of the area and also work hard to increase the local government’s internallygenerated revenue.

The Baale of Ajebamidele, Chief Samuel Kolade thanked the government for giving consideration to the welfare of people in the rural areas, even as he appealed to the government to provide all necessary facilities and personnel for the health centres so that the people can begin to enjoy the healthcare services.

supervising and monitoring an officer even after delegating an assignment served another purpose of giving the subordinate officer a sence of belonging and of respect for their own level of influence, noting that a refusal to monitor and supervise after awarding an assignment could mean arrogance on the part of the delegating superior.

Prof. Adelabu said the seminar was informed by a wide gap between the management staff, heads of units and junGovernment and Security Agencies in curbing ior officers which she the menace of kidnapping in the territory of easily observed on asthe peace-loving Ilaje people of Ondo State. suming office August “The conference condemned these criminal 1, 2011. acts and called on our people particularly the She explained that youths, in line with our patriotic duties to rise the gap between the to the occasion and disallow the incursion of levels of authority in this strange and abominable culture into our the establishment territory”. would undermine The conference also threw its weight behind the appointment of Amapetu of Mahin, His Imperial Majesty Oba Lawrence Adetemi Omowole as the National Chairman of the Association of Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria.

(TROMPCON).

It noted that this appointment is in accord with the position and roles of the Amapetu of Mahin as a member of the Association from its inception as a monarch of a major Oil Producing Areas of Nigeria and particularly attests to the leadership attributes of the incumbent Amapetu as the immediate past Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Obas and member of the Presidential Committee on Infrastructure in the Niger Delta.

smooth operations of the board and would frustrate the achievement of set goals, adding that the seminar will enable especially the management staff of the Board see the necessity of monitoring and supervision even after delegating assignments.

The SUBEB chair said that plans were on by the state government for massive evacuation of children of primary school ages roaming the streets in Ekiti State from the streets for a compulsory primary education, adding that sensitisation of parents and guardians will be carried out to encourage them to send their children to school.

She disclosed that the state government is working on improving literacy among her citizens, stating that children roaming the streets are the prime target in the literacy drive.

Ekiti SUBEB holds seminar

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KITI State Universal Basic Education Board has held a seminar on the importance of delegating duties among its management staff.

The seminar was meant to update the management team of the board on the advantages of division of labour and leveraging on fellow workers’ capabilities for the overall benefit of the entire board, They were encouraged to work more harmoniously with their subordinates and be confident to delegate assignment to them.

The seminar was, according to Professor Dupe Adelabu, the first in line of a series of in-house seminars being planned.

The seminar, which dwelt on the head-words: monitor, deligate and supervise, featured participants from a broad spectrum of the management staff including the Chairman of the Board, Professor Modupe Adelabu who coordinated the seminar, members of the newly constituted Board and its career officers.

Professor Adelabu explained that an effective management staff must accommodate the three attributes of delegating, monitoring and supervising to be able to execute assignment on time and without hitches.

In his contribution, Hon. Bunmi Awotiku, member of the state Board of SUBEB explained that a superior should not abdicate his responsibility by delegating without supervising, noting that consequences of unsupervised delegated responsibilities are almost always poorly executed assignments. He added that the principal guiding words are the twin concepts of “in-

•Participants at the seminar From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado Ekiti

volvement and engagement”.

Another participant, Mr. Ajiboye Sunday Oladayo explained that in superior officers who failed to supervise and monitor after delegating responsibilities should equally be ready to accept lapses and fail-

ures in job execution .

Another contributor, Dr. (Mrs.) Eunice Dada, noted that the whole essence of delegation revolves around effective supervision as there is a time-frame for any assignment which should be of equal importance to the superior officer as well.

Mrs. Modupe Ajasin, in her contribution, was of the opinion that

Coastal community laments erosion

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HE Mahin community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State has decried the destruction of its land and waters by multinational oil companies.

At a well attended meeting held at Ode-Mahin, indigenes of the area said activities of the oil companies are causing oil pollution, coastal erosion and sea incursion. They said further that drilling and sand recovery activities are creating what they called “artificial lagoons”.

The meeting was presided over by the Amapetu of Mahin land, His Highness, Oba Lawrence Adetemi Omowole.

It called on the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, (OSOPADEC), the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as well as oil companies to put in place immediate and sustainable remedial meas-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

ures to address oil pollution and sea incursion in the area.

In a communiqué signed by the Secretary-General of the group, Evangelist Olayemi Saanumi lamented the total marginalisation, discrimination and neglect of Mahin kingdom in the hands of successive Nigerian governments in terms of distribution of infrastructural facilities, political patronages, and other social amenities.

The Group also urged traditional rulers in the area to work in tandem with the Ondo State government to curb the menace of kidnapping and hostage taking in the territory of the Ilaje people.

The communiqué reads in part, “The conference was briefed of the efforts of the traditional institution in conjunction with the Ondo State

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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S Lagos State Government, in collaboration with Health, Education, Works and Shelter (HEWS) Foundation, begins another round of free Cleft Lip and Palate Corrective Surgery Programme, no fewer than 300 people have so far benefited from the programme and re-integrated into the society since its inception in 2004.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris who disclosed this when he visited the latest beneficiaries of the programme at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), explained that the number of beneficiaries is quite high compared to what obtains in other parts of the world.

He said: “So far, we have corrected 300 cases of different types of mouth congenital deformities especially cleft lip and palate and this is quite a high number

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•Dr Idris

Governor seeks investment in agric

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DAMAWA State Governor Murtala Nyako has called on state governments to consider investment in the agricultural sector, which he said has capacity to generate enough funds into the Federal Account, instead of reliance on crude oil funds.

Nyako, who spoke to reporters at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos explained that unless states look inwards by investing in agriculture,the crisis and agitation arising from crude oil funds would continue.

Nyako said : “ Don’t forget that some people are making money from agriculture. I have a literature to indicate that when you look at the United States of America, you will discover that they are helping farmers in one state in the United States to make not less than N14 billion annually from the sales of their agriculture products, that is equivalent to the Federal Government budget.

By Kelvin Osa- Okunbor

The total pool that agric has in the year in the United States is N360 billion, that is a lot of money compared with our N15 billion annual budget. So it is an area where if we get it right, we are going to make a lot of money and make the oil money irrelevant.

The governor said that the country had no alternative than to go into agriculture as things are getting more critical particularly with the dwindling funds from oil sale,adding “agriculture will take us to a height far above the crude oil revenue, so in all the states of the federation there are commodities these states can produce in their own comparative advantage, so it is not just one state but we have to make a decision that this time around, we must tell ourselves that we have to get it right “

300 get free surgery

Oyo gives free exercise books

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Lagos when compared with what obtains in some other parts of the world. I think this is one of the reasons why organinations like Smile Train and HEWS Foundation decided to support us.”

The commissioner noted that the resources available to government will not be enough to meet all the state’s challenges, hence government embraces every form of partnership and assistance that different stakeholders can offer.

“You will recall that in the past, we have had support from external agencies like Smile Train and this partnership is still ongoing. This is another partnership from another organisation, HEWS Foundation, that believes in our mission and objective for this programme. This programme has given us an opportunity to provide services to the poor and needy in our society, especially children. This gives them a better lease of life.”

He pointed out that the programme afforded government an opportunity for capacity building, adding that apart from the surgical interventions, all other efforts put into the programme are geared towards re-integrating beneficiaries back into the society.

•From left:Osun State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Titi Laoye-Tomori; Head of Administration, Office of the Vice Chancellor, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Mr.Ibrahim Awoniyi and Acting Vice Chancellor (LAUTECH) Prof Adeniyi Sulaiman Gbadegesin, during the visit to the government on LAUTECH issues at the Governor’s Office, Osogbo

Ekiti converts technical colleges

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KITI State Government has converted two of its technical colleges to ‘Life Academy’ as

part of measures to reposition the education sector in the state.

The government had also reversed automatic promotions for teachers and students in primary

Corps members donate blood

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ATIONAL Youth Service Corps members serving in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State blazed the trail recently by voluntarily donating blood for public use.

The exercise was organised by Batch C 2010 and Batch A 2011 Corps. doctors in the council.

About 20 donors, both corpers and non-corpers were involved.

During a chat with Newsextra at the event, the head of Lagos State voluntary blood donor organisation, Mrs Temilola Alayande said the laudable effort of the corpers is the first of its kind.

According to Alayande , at every orientation camp, the donor organisation creates awareness and give motivational talk to corp. members but at the end, the body hardly gets up to 50 donors.

She added that those with low haemoglobin level are not fit to donate.. She said photometer is used to determine the hemoglobin level which must not be less than 12.5grms.. If anyone is below this, he may be deferred temporarily, adding that the individual has enough blood, it may not be sufficient for donation..

She noted that weight is not a determinant of blood donation, rather, slim people can give better blood than the fat ones, saying, fat people

• One of the Corps members donating blood

Lagos

By Risikat Ramoni

have fat and water in their system..

The blood donor head said the organisation screens for HIV, Hepatitis B, C and Syphilis.

Any blood with any of the above infections would not be used.

On why people pay to buy blood when it was donated freely, she said, “People don’t pay for blood. They pay a minimal administrative fee for service carried out on the blood because we have foreign investors who are part of the screening exercise. We also cross match to ensure that the blood type of the donor correlates with that of the recipient to ensure compatibility before transfusion. All these are capital intensive. Health is not totally free.”

She encouraged other corpers in all the other local government areas in Lagos and other states to follow suit as this would make Nigeria achieve the World Health Organization’s 2020 deadline that all blood donated must be from voluntary blood donors.

In her observation, voluntary blood donors have very low incidence of transmissible infections as donors seldom lie about themselves.

•From left: Information Officer, Mushin Local Government Area, Mr Akinyemi Olusegun, Chairman, Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area, Hon. Afeez Ipesa-Balogun and the project coordinator, Orderly Society Trust, Mrs Fisayo Grata idunnu at a one-day seminar on the Freedom of Information Act for local government information officers in the state

Aspirant promises quality education

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HE Vice Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Engineer Mojeed Balogun has promised the residents of the area quality education, improvement of infrastructure, affordable primary healthcare services and a cleaner environment if elected as chairman of the council in the local government election.

Balogun, who is vying for the chairmanship of the council under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), made this known in an interview with newsmen.

According to him, community development can be further strengthened when technocrats who will put the interest of the people first are elected into public office.

He said that his many years of experience in politics and community service in Lagos State prompted his desire to serve the Ikeja community and bring the much desired socio-economic development they long for in the area.

Balogun said: “I am of the belief that this is now time to allow the younger generation to build on the foundation already laid by our fathers. It is time for us to bring in the best brains into local government administration so that we can leverage on their networks, intelligence and exposure”.

He added: “My dream is to align Ikeja Local Government Area to the dream of the new Lagos. We are the capital city and that must show in the infrastructural and manpower development”.

The Former Youth Coordinator, Afenifere Justice Group who threw his weight behind

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Lagos

By Adeola Ogunlade

the success of the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola administration, noted that the giant achievement of the Lagos State Governor is attributed to the intellectual strength and adherence to positive governance which are germane toward nation’s development.

He called on public office holders to adhere to positive governance as that remains a spring board for national transformation.

Church prays for Nigeria

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HE Lagos District of the Assemblies of God Church is to devote its 2011 annual conference to seeking divine intervention to the socio-economic problems of Nigeria.

The District Superintendent, Rev. Joseph Okafor, said this at a news conference in Lagos The cleric said that the conference would also focus on national peace and unity.

He said that Nigeria needed the intervention of God to address its security and many other challenges.

Okafor said that the four-day conference with the theme “ Dwelling in God’s Presence’’, would offer opportunities for Nigerians, including leaders, to dedicate themselves to God to attract His mercy.

“Dwelling in God’s presence has become very necessary because of what one stands to achieve not only as an individual but as a nation,” he said.

Ekiti From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado Ekiti

and secondary schools.

Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Hon Funminiyi Afuye disclosed this in Ado Ekiti during a press briefing on the decisions of the State Executive Council meeting.

Afuye, who revealed that the affected colleges were those of Ijero and Iluomoba Ekiti in Ijero and Gbonyin local government areas, stated that the move became necessary in order to ensure effectiveness in education management.

He further explained that students who had already been admitted into the two colleges would be allowed to complete their courses before the schools would wind up, adding that the promotion of any teacher in the state would now be based strictly on passing a prescribed examination as the era of automatic promotions was over.

“The state government will no longer allow any student to be promoted to any class without passing the prescribed number of subjects in an examination. Promoting students indiscriminately cannot, in any way, help our education system, because most of these students look up to this situation as protection for their indolence and we have to correct it.

“We also believe that if a student could be made to write examination for promotion, teachers also must write theirs to strengthen and prepare them to discharge their duties effectively. This is also part of the administration’s policy of training and retraining of teachers.”

Market named after Tinubu-Ojo BByy By Emmanuel Oladesu

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HE 6th Avenue market in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State has been named in honour of the vice chairman of the Market Development Board, Mrs Folasade Tinubu-Ojo. The chairman of the council, Hon. Ayodele Adewale,said the market is now “Folasade Tinubu-Ojo 6th Avenue Market,” and urged traders to relocate to the new market from the streets and highways.

Tinubu-Ojo, who inaugurated the market, thanked the executive and legislative arms of the local government and advised traders to keep it clean.

Guests at the inauguration included the Alado of Ado, Oba Lateef Olayinka, General Manager of the Federal Housing Authority, Fola Owolabi and leader of the Hausa community, Alhaji Umaru Yinusa. •Mrs Tinubu-Ojo

HE Oyo State government has directed chairmen of the 32 local government areas to print free exercise books for all public primary school pupils in the state beginning from the new session in September.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Peter Odetomi, gave the directive at a meeting with the chairmen at the State Secretariat, Ibadan. Directors of Personnel Management, Directors of Works and Directors of Finance in all the local governments also attended the parley for proper orientation and understanding of the vision of the new government.

Odetomi also directed the chairmen to personally deliver the free books to each school in their areas, adding that they should ensure that each pupil gets minimum of six exercise books as they resume for the new session next month. The commissioner disclosed that approval for the project had been granted by Governor Abiola Ajimobi, stressing that application and approval for the project by the chairmen could be completed by his ministry within three days.

Odetomi, who gave specification of the books and emphasised the quality required, also directed the council chiefs to construct modern toilets in all markets in their areas.

The commissioner emphasised that government would not compromise quality of all the projects and jobs executed by the

Oyo From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

councils. He said the new government was committed to bringing quality to all government programmes and projects with a view to leaving a lasting legacy.

He also rolled out new guidelines to tackle failed roads and collapsed buildings in the state.

At the end of the dialogue, the commissioners assured the stakeholders of pursuing qualitative jobs, prompt release of funds and observing the law in all their dealings.

“This administration wants qualitative jobs.

We won’t compromise quality. We want each local government to print exercise books for primary school pupils. While primary 1 and 2 pupils will receive exercise books, primary 3 to primary 6 pupils will get big notes. These materials are to be ready by resumption of new session next month. Each pupil should get at least, six books of pure white paper 40 leaves.

Please deliver the books to the schools by

•Governor Ajimobi yourselves. Don’t invite headmasters to come and receive them.

“Governor has also directed all local governments to build modern toilets in all markets in their local governments. Approval has been given. Please ensure that qualitative jobs are done,” he said.

Festival disrupts business

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OMMERCIAL activities were last Wednesday brought to a standstill in Akure and the neighbouring Oba Ile as indigenes of the two towns marked the annual Airegbe Festival.

Our correspondent who went round major

• Some graduating students of 2011 YABATECH Secondary School, Yaba

Ondo streets of Akure reports that shops on Oba Adesida and Oyemekun roads were locked up.

It was learnt that anybody who defied the order and opened shop risked his or her shop being looted by the people.

A trader said that youths of the town were at liberty to loot any shop that opened on the day of the festival, hence the saying: “Du, du du festival”.

Indigenes of the town who spoke to newsmen said that during the fiesta, nobody was expected to open shop around the palace area and other places in Akure.

It was learnt that markets in Isinkan and Isolo Quarters were not affected by the close shop order.

Mr George Omoniyi, a civil servant, said that the two communities were not affected because they had their own rulers “who are under the leadership of the Deji of Akure.

Shops and markets on Hospital road and NEPA junction were also closed down because of the festival.

It was also observed that cart and wheel barrow pushers and other itinerant traders were off major streets in observance of the festival.

Policemen and officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were strategically positioned along the road to forestall breakdown of law and order.

Many traders and workers were seen discussing in groups near their shops while wheel barrow operators parked their wares in secured places.

‘Be involved in community development’

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HE Nasrul-lahil-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) has called on all religious organisations to be more committed to their social responsibilities.

In an interview with reporters in Lagos, NASFAT’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Biyi Bamgbose, said that some religious bodies were not committed enough towards developing their communities.

He said that some religious groups shied away from assisting the government in managing some environmental problems around them, saying that “they focus too much on only human capital development.”

He further said that private corporations fared better than religious organisations in terms of fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities.

He also said that religious organisations, surrounded by certain environmental problems such as flooding or potholes on the roads, ought to be seen assisting the government to surmount them.

The NASFAT image maker said that any effort geared towards helping the government to control environmental problems was targeted at making life

worthwhile for the people.

B a m g b o s e assured motorists on the LagosI b a d a n Expressway that the usual gridlock on that road during any of their programmes would be mitigated. “ W e h a v e evolved new measures to ease traffic ahead of any of our programmes and throughout the duration of any programme.

“The society has engaged some traffic wardens who will assist those of government to control movement of vehicles at our • Chairman, Ikeja Local Government Area. Hon. Wale Odunlami a drain in the council under the ‘de--flooding and desilting’ Friday activities,” inspecting programme going on in the area he said.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

CITYBEATS THE NATION

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E-mail:- ynotcitybeats@gmail.com

H

E wore dirty dreadlocks that reached his shoulders. His sunken eyes were red and he looked haggard.

His white cassock, now brown, could do with some washing, but that seems to be a luxury. With a torn Bible in his left hand and a bell dangling from the other as he walked barefooted about, there was little doubt that he is a peripatetic preacher.

Many do not know his real name, but refer to him as prophet. They, however, are quick to recall some ‘miracles’ he performed, using the salty beach water. He has no church, as he seems content with the regular stream of visitors coming to him daily for consultation.

Home for him is a shanty behind a slab of stone on the beach, where he claimed he has lived for close to a decade.

The ‘Prophet’ is not the only undesirable element the government has again ordered to vacate the beach.

Hundreds of other illegal settlers who have turned the beach into their home are also on their way out. The final straw, it was gathered, will be the emergence of the Eko Atlantic City, designed to sit on the entire beach.

The success of the sold-out real estate development has opened a new vista for the government to mine the economic potential of its shorelines and create mini or midi cities, that can add value to the lives of residents clamouring for quality homes in the emerging mega city.

Most beachfronts, which were an eyesore, are about being taken over by the government in response to the need for accelerated increase in housing stock. The beachfronts are becoming a Mecca of sort for real estate developers, a development that reinforces the government's determination to extend development across its waterfronts.

One area pencilled for such development is the slum settlement beside the Third Mainland Bridge, along the lagoon. Hundreds of settlers in the shanties within the slum, mostly fishermen, are likely to be evicted.

The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru, who served them the quit notice, described the move a part of the redevelopment programme of the Governor babatunde Fashola administration.

• Shanties at the Waterfronts in Bariga axis of the state

Slums to go as Lagos develops waterfronts

By Miriam Ndikanwu

He said when it comes on stream, development along the waterfront in the Bariga axis will attract investors in the built environment.

Oniru told occupants that their activities of the slum constituted environmental

nuisance and posed security threat to users of the Third Mainland Bridge.

The government, he said, could no longer allow the situation to degenerate, adding that the shanties, visible from the Third Mainland Bridge, constituted an eyesore to foreigners, investors

them near the bridge anymore. The entire area has been bastardised with shanties in the water and we will remove them if you refuse to move.”

He recalled that the state had earlier asked the dwellers to leave the area, saying their continuous stay on the lagoon

•SEE PAGE 32

Group seeks establishment of disability office

Govt directs road contractor THE Lagos State government has directed Julius Berger, which is handling the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, to ensure that it provides an alternative source of water for communities affected by its work.

Managing Director of the Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC) Mr Shayo Holloway said the order was in line with the agreement between the government and the company.

The directive followed the publication of a photograph showing some Lagosians waiting to fetch water from the main trunk of LSWC pipe at Doyin, Orile-Iganmu area of the metropolis.

Holloway said the inconveniences arose over the shifting of the 1,200mm water trunk which supplies water to the western axis between Mile 2 and Ishasi.

and visitors.

He said: "We have come here to warn you to leave this place; we would not come back here to warn you again.

The bridge you see there is an international link bridge, and we do not like the eyesore these shanties are creating here. We do not want

posed security and environmental threat to the state.

"We are here because of the ongoing security problem that we have in our state today. If you look around, you would see law enforcement officers, they are here to help and enable us clear the eyesore you are looking at behind me.

"Those shanties on top of that water have no street address for anybody, so the state government is here to warn them to move from the water body because we are coming to clear all the shanties on the water bodies, be it on the

•Holloway

PEOPLE With Disabilities (PWD) is seeking the creation of an office from the Lagos State Government.

They want the office created in line with the provision of the Special People’s Bill recently signed into law by Governor Babatunde Fashola.

The office, they said, must be adequately staffed with competent PWDs. Speaking at a technical workshop organised by Lagos Civil Society Disability Policy Partnership (LCSDPP), the group also called for the inclusion of the Lagos State Special People's Law 2011 in the 2012 budget. A member of the group, Vitus Nwanafio, in his presentation entitled: “The social model of disability: policy implementation,” said government should provide enabling environment for the law to survive.

He said government should organise more capacity building programmes for PWDs to utilise the opportunities inherent in the new law. Earlier, the Secretary of the LCSDPP, Adekola Adetayo, said the workshop was designed to ensure that disability issues were not left behind in the ongoing socio-economic and political changes sweeping across the globe.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

32

CITY BEATS Youths told to strengthen nation’s peace, stability

LEARN, Indomie partner on summer school THE Lagos Empowerment and Resource Network (LEARN), an initiative of the governor’s wife, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, in collaboration with Dufil Prima Foods Plc, producer of Indomie Instant Noodles, have been providing free lunch to students attending summer school in the state’s six education districts.

LEARN’s Project Manager, Mrs Bisi Awoyomi, who praised the company for its support, described the initiative as strategic and helpful. She said it has aided the students to concentrate more on their studies as they are no longer in a hurry to go home for lunch.

"This partnership has added a new dimension to the summer school experiences, the students are excited about the lunch.

Indomie is serving and this has really encouraged them to pay more attention in class since they are sure of lunch after class."

Dufil Prima Foods Public Relations Manager Mr Temitope Ashiwaju said the partnership was in line with the focus of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility, which placed high premium on the educational development of the child.

He commended Mrs Fashola for the initiative, which he said, would help to engage the students during the holidays.

LASAA restates zero tolerance for posters THE Lagos State Signape and Advertising Agency (LASAA) has vowed to continue to pursue its zero tolerance policy on indiscriminate posting of posters. In a statement, LASAA described the warning as a reminder to all political parties, aspirants and their campaign teams that they should refrain from defacing public places as they prepare for the council elections.

He said: "Early this year, LASAA issued a public statement to all local government aspirants as well as other members of the public involved in the act of pasting posters to desist.

"Despite our paperbound warnings, we have noticed an increasing trend in this ignoble act. To this end, we wish to restate our commitment to our earlier directive to the effect that posters will not be allowed within unauthorised places.

These are high streets, highways, major roads, loops, bridges and pillars.”

1. Fire and Safety Services Control Room Phone Nos: 01-7944929; 080-33235892; 080-33235890; 08023321770; 080-56374036.

T

•Oniru (middle) addressing dwellers

Slums to go as Lagos develops waterfronts

•Continued from page 31 water or along the water front, the state government is here to make sure that people don't live like this anymore".

Oniru said the government had no plans to pay anyone compensation for relocating from the slum.

He declared: “Why will you relocate someone who is not supposed to be in an area in the first place? There are people here, along the waterfront, who are not supposed to be here. They should move away from

there and I don't believe that a plan should be put in place to relocate them.”

He said the state has a master plan for the area as well as other waterfronts in the metropolis, adding that the government will also demolitish other shanties on its water bodies.

"There is a plan for the entire area, not just Bariga. The plan covers the entire waterfront that spans UNILAG, Ebute-Meta and beyond. The government has plans for

them all, but until that plan is kickstarted, we cannot start speculating.

“This is not the only area but we have to start from somewhere. This is the eyesore you see when you are on Third Mainland Bridge from Ikeja to Victoria Island and, really, anyone that comes into our country, be he an investor, private or foreign, once they climb the Third Mainland Bridge, this is the first thing they see and I don't think it speaks very well for the state and for the country,” he said.

Prioritise your needs, Lagos tells rural AGOS State Govern- communities Ojelabi was also at ment has asked rural Araromi Ale Microwater

L

communities to prioritise their infrastructural needs to aid planning and development.

The Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr Cornelius Ojelabi, gave the advice during a tour of projects in Olorunda Local Council Development (LCDA) and Badagry Local Government Area.

He said the tour was to enable him have first hand information on the basic needs of the people to facilitate development. The commissioner solicited for the support of the rural populace in maintaining government properties.

Addressing the community members at IyesiGamayi in Olorunda LCDA where he inspected the ministry’s rural electrification project, which is about 85 per cent completed, he said the government is ready to provide their basic needs, such as water, electricity and roads to reduce unemployment and poverty.

He urged them to identify what can be done in agriculture for youths gainfully employed.

Inspecting the IlogboEremi Road on which the community is seeking gov-

By Miriam Ndikanwu

ernment’s assistance, Ojelabi promised to find a temporary measure to the problem immediately and ensure its incorporation in next year’s budget for rehabilitation.

scheme where the Officer in-charge informed him that the water scheme is producing below capacity because of the erratic power supply and outrageous bills by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

HE contributions of youths to the deepening of an enduring peace and stability of the country were the focus of a one-day seminar organised last week by the African Foundation for Peace and Love Initiatives (AFPLI).

The seminar, which held at the Nigeria Army Post Service Multipurpose Hall, Abule-Egba, Lagos, was in commemoration of this year’s International Youth Day. The seminar, with the theme: Toward Youth Inclusiveness in Policies, aimed at curbing violence in Nigeria, brought together 30 youths, who were lectured on their role in deepening the peace initiatives in the country by the ViceChancellor of Caleb University, Prof Timothy Tayo.

Other speakers at the event were the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Yakubu Alkali; the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Youth Affairs, Mr Dolapo Badru and the National President, Change Agent International, Mr Sotade George.

Speaking at the event, Professor Tayo listed the erosion of family value, bad leadership, and absence of ideals, as causes of youth restiveness in Nigeria.

Tayo, who was represented by the Chief Security Officer of the institution, Mr Akinbo Oyeyemi, said the present generation is faced with youth restiveness, drug abuse and child labour.

He drew the link between the slide in the economy and the political, as well as social problems facing the country.

Although he said there are various polices set out to

By Adeola Ogunlade

curb violence Tayo said to ensure good governance, there must be strict adherence to “clear cut national values that the youth can own and imbibe.”

He added: “From worn out slogans such as housing or health for all by year 2000 the nation’s leaders are now fond of dropping Vision 20:2020 though they still lacked in developing a harmonised template to get those things that could lead the nation to the path of greatness.”

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police implored the youth to shun crime and uphold values of integrity hard work and uprightness that are needed for the nation’s development.

Alkali, who was represented by the Divisional Police Officer for Oke-Odo, Omoliaoye Akin, said ‘youths are the springboard of development in any society and that they must cultivate virtues that will move the nation forward’.

Also speaking at the event, the Programme Coordinator, Public Safety and Security, CLEEN Foundation, Onyinye Oyemobi, challenged the youth to be more committed in community policing as that would make them take ownership of government programmes to curb crime in Nigeria.

In her welcome address, the President of the Foundation, Rev Titus Oyeyemi, charged policy makers to proactively involve youths in policy making, planning and implementation, particularly to establish peaceful lifestyle is our communities.

•Mr Ojelabi; Special Adviser on Rural Development, Mr Babatunde Hunpe, Permanent Secretary, Rural Development, Babatunde Oshodi and Mr Ayeni, inspecting Araromi Ale Microwater project

2. Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Lagos Zonal Command Phone No: 080-77690200; 01-7742771 Sector Commander Phone No: 080-776909201; 01-2881304 FRSC Emergency No: 070-022553772

EMERGENCY LINES 3. LASTMA Emergency Numbers: 080-75005411; 080-60152462 080-23111742; 080-29728371 080-23909364; 080-77551000 01-7904983

4. KAI Brigade Phone Nos: 080-23036632; 0805-5284914 Head office Phone Nos: 01-4703325; 01-7743026 5. Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Phone Nos: 070-55350249; 070-35068242 080-79279349; 080-63299264 070-55462708; 080-65154338

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

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

33

CITY BEATS Commission vows to enforce safety standards

FROM THE GRASSROOTS

Council chief replies critics

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T

HE Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Chairman, Demola Doherty, has denied allegations of non-performance levelled against him by some political and religious leaders in the area.

Alleging that the group was sponsored to embark on a sustained media war against his ambition, Doherty said contrary to the critics’ claims, evidence of his achievements in road construction, drainages and culverts, education, primary health care services, and poverty alleviation abound in the seven wards of the council.

A group, Elders’ Assembly, comprising civil society, political and religious leaders, had petitioned the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the state chairman, Chief Henry Oladele Ajomale, alleging non-performance against Doherty.

The group named a certain political chieftain who they claimed had been "unanimously and carefully nominated to replace the nonperforming council chief".

Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Prince Yomi Adedo, last week, Doherty said he has lived up to the expectations of residents of the area and has delivered creditably on his mandate.

He said the Elders’Assembly did not represent the overall interest of the generality of stakeholders in the council area and urge the party to discountenance their grievances.

Doherty, who is seeking his party's ticket for a second term, wondered why any politician worth his salt would embark on cheap blackmail of opponents to score political points, adding that such people have failed in Ifako-Ijaiye.

He said: "We know these people, and we know those who are behind them. What we can say is that these people are being sponsored.

We receive, on a daily basis, hundreds of commendation letters from appreciative individuals and corporate bodies, who have been benefitting from our programmes."

Adedo, who doubles as Chief of Staff to Doherty, said the petitioners were sponsored to create disharmony and disaffection in the

•Doherty

By Yinka Aderibigbe

IFAKO-IJAIYE ACN fold in the council, ahead of the election, adding that despite their schemes, the party remained one indivisible entity in the local government.

He said one of those who signed the petition, the Concerned Human Rights Nigeria (CHRN), a civil society group, in collaboration with the Civil Societies for Good Governance, (CCSGG), had in November last year, adjudged Doherty as worthy of an award as the best chairman for his strings of performances in the council.

The Secretary General of the Nigerian Local Government Assessment Coalition, Comrade Adeniyi Mark Adebayo, said the CHRN need to apologise for its unwholesome action that portrayed civil society groups as "cheap and politicised".

"They need to let us know whether their earlier assessment and award of the best and outstanding chairman bestowed on Doherty was faulty or whether they were acting under another influence. Whichever way it is, their complicity in this present action is contradictory and does their image no good."

He said the report by his group, showed that Doherty runs an open door administration and has been fair in the distribution of projects across all the council's wards.

Throwing his weight behind Doherty's cause, Adebayo said the civil society groups would continue to defend his cause as they have not found him wanting in the discharge of his mandate to the people of the local government.

70 get dispute resolution training

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O fewer than 70 Law students of the Lagos State University (LASU) have been trained by the Negotiation and Conflict Management Group (NCMG) on how to settle disputes on campus. This is aimed at reducing intracampus conflicts and develop their competence in arbitration with the aim of reducing the economic loss and negative effects of trials at the regular courts.

According to the lead trainer, Mr Bola Disu, the importance of peaceful co-existence among students on campus cannot be over-emphasised because youths are naturally prone to violent conflicts.

He said the programme, organised in collaboration with the school's Law students association, was timely, as it was aimed at enlightening the students on practical ways of managing disputes within their campus.

Disu, an accredited mediator and the Registrar of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Lagos, advised the students to take their training on dispute mediation to the next level by establishing a peer mediation club on the campus to intervene in student- related

O ensure protection of lives and property, the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSC) has vowed to enforce safety standards in every sector of the economy.

LSC Director-General, Mrs. Odebunmi Dominga, told reporters in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, that the Commissioner would address the incessant accidents and disasters across the metropolis.

Lamenting the rising rate of accidents, most of which would have been prevented if safety measures were in place, Mrs. Dominga assured residents that the government was set to remedy the situation by enforcing compliance with rules and regulations.

She said: "The Lagos State Safety Commission is empowered by law to enforce safety standards on erring and non-compliant people and would certainly bring to book those that violate the Law".

She appealed to Lagosians to be

By Wale Adepoju

IBA disputes before they degenerate into violence.

He said such programmes would also enhance their competence in mediation and conflict management, adding that they could also build a career in ADR after their study.

NCMG Programme Officer Mr Chima Oladayo Ohiagbaji said proactive student associations and youth groups had participated in the training to broaden their skills in conflict resolution.

"Our group had been championing alternative dispute resolution (ADR), conflict management, peace building methods and projects for over 16 years. We have built students' skills and re-orientated them in conflict management methods", he said.

The students commended the trainers and pledged to deploy the training received within the university community and among their peers.

By Miriam Ndikanwu

safety conscious and forward all safety concerns noticed around their neighbourhood to the commission.

The commission, she said, would be intensifying the public service safety management system through trained safety champions and leadership commitment, adding that it was set to ensure that safety advocacy measures were taken to the grassroots through the use of the right form of communication.

Mrs. Dominga urged stakeholders in the public and private sectors to align with the commission to make safety a household name. She promised to intensify its advocacy visits to clubs, schools, organisations and other places of social interactions to get the safety message to all parts of Lagos State as soon as possible.

On the misconception that the

•Mrs Dominga

commission was duplicating activities of other government agencies, such as the Fire Service, LASEMA and the Ministry of Special Duties, she explained that the commission was established to complement these agencies to ensure better life for all residents.

•A cross-section of butchers at the market.

‘My dream is for a plaza’

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T has something similar to the plaza that overlooks the 63year-old University of Ibadan (UI) in Agbowo, Oyo State, yet they are different in a lot of ways. The popular Ijangbara Irorun Market opposite the Lagos State University ( LASU) gate Ojo Local Government, may not cut the picture of a plaza, yet, its proprietors hope that, someday, it will metamorphose into a plaza.

“I want to turn this place into a plaza in future with lock-up shops.

This is my dream for this market.

Anytime I remember the plaza opposite UI, I imagine that, someday, this place will be like that,” said Alhaji Taofeek Alabi Olanrewaju, the Chairman of the market.

Olanrewaju's vision may as well be a tall dream considering the poor state of the market.

Ijangbara Irorun is a local market. To transform it into a sprawling shopping mall from its current deplorable state, will definitely require serious financial commitment from its owner, the Ojo Local Government.

Aside its strategic location which enhances its prominence, the market still yearns for improvement.

A first-time visitor to the market is ushered through its wide gates into its ever-bustling ambience.

The visitor then runs into a cluster of small stalls mainly operated by butchers. The sight of the meat sellers is a spectacle; not because such sights are strange, but because one finds male and female meat sellers

By Adegunle Olugbamila

competing in the cacophony orchestrated by the hacking of the meat for prospective customers with their mallets. Adjacent is an array of standard shops built with bricks and meant for other traders, such as food and textile sellers, hair stylists, caterers, provision sellers, pepper blenders and several others.

In its 12 years of existence, the market has competed well with some major ones in Ojo locality, especially in meat merchandise which still remains its primary preoccupation.

“One major advantage in this place is that outsiders come here and buy meat from us at wholesale price.

We've enjoyed good patronage from lecturers, students of LASU and also neighbouring communities. We are traders and we pay our dues to the local and state governments,” said Olanrewaju.

Like every coin with two sides, this market also has its challenges. The market is in a swampy area making transactions between buyers and traders difficult, especially during the raining season.

"Whenever it rains, this market is almost overtaken by flood, making walking extremely difficult for people.” Olanrewaju said.

Another challenge, he stressed, is the absence of modern toilet facility inside the market. He recounted several moves he made to draw the attention of the local government

•Alhaji Olanrewaju to the need for such facility.

Olanrewaju said though a plan was underway to construct a modern toilet, he added that with the market’s population of over 250 traders, it needed more than one.

Another headache operators of the market are still trying to cope with is the entrance.

"We have also drawn the attention of the (local) government to this, over time, that we want the road tarred but, up till now, nothing has been done to it. We are using this opportunity to remind and implore them to help us pave the road as the budget is beyond what we can muscle,” the chairman pleaded.

However, some of the traders who spoke with our reporters pleaded with state and local governments not to neglect the market, noting that if improved upon, it will boost the market values and generate more revenue into government’s coffers.

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

34

CITYBEATS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Let us all stick to the principles of Law. They have proved historically, time after time, to be the most enduring principles that will protect all ofus.”

Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), while addressing Civil Society groups protesting against the suspension and replacement of the erstwhile president of the court of Appeal Justice Ayo Salami

Lawmaker empowers widows

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HEN Mrs. Elizabeth Owotile lost her husband in 1988, her world was shattered. She was then 34. At that age, she was left alone to fend for the children. To make ends meet, she resorted to petty trading.

Twenty-three years after, she is still struggling to make ends meet.

Last week, respite came for the 57year-old woman from an unlikely quarter. She and 200 others living in Oshodi became beneficiaries of the yearly Moruf Akinderu-Fatai (MAF) Widows/Widowers Empowerment Programme.

Akinderu-Fatai is a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and member of the House of Representatives, representing Oshodi-Isolo I Federal Constituency. He is serving his second term in the lower chamber.

Reliving her plight since her husband died, Mrs. Owotile said: “I am a trader; my husband died in 1988, and I have been a food vendor since then, in my determination to send my children to school. We were all living in Kaduna State before the incident. But when the religious crisis started, I and the kids relocated to Lagos. This is the first time since my husband’s death that anybody would find me worthy of any cash gift of any kind. The money will further assist my food vending business.”

MAF gave each of benefiting widows N10,000 to trade. The grant is non-refundable.

Another widow, Mrs. Joke Ajisegiri, 50, said, since her husband died, life has been a battle.

Like Mrs. Owotile, she had to resort to selling bottled drinks and kerosine to take care of her three children. She was glad to have N10,000 to beef up her income.

The MAF Widows/Widowers empowerment programme started last year with 200 widows as beneficiaries.

At the second edition held last week at the Oshodi/Isolo Local Government council secretariat, party chieftains, including the Chairman, Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area, Afeez IpesaBalogun; Elewu of Ewu Land, Oba

By Yinka Aderibigbe

Shakirudeen Kuti; Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Oshodi Chapter, Rev. Olusoji; Chief Imam, Ansar Ur deen Central Mosque, Oshodi Branch; and the Iyaloja-General of Oshodi-Isolo Local Government, Mrs. Taiwo Arowojobe, among others, were in attendance.

Akinderu-Fatai said the initiative is meant to "assist those in need, we acknowledge their concern and we have identified the need to assist the widows among us, especially those in critical or poor condition.

"Therefore, it is with great delight, I am here today to render help in kind and cash to our mothers and sisters, who have lost their beloved ones. The widows are part of us; although their percentage in Nigeria is not clear, statistics shows they are many."

Angry about the deplorable state in which many of them live, the lawmaker said there is no doubt that so many of them could do with some helping hand. He called on well-meaning individuals to extend their hand of kindness to them.

"They (widows), really need help and we must come to their aid and give them a new lease of life. Many of them are illiterate and lacked skills to sustain them, which had subjected them to a sub-human existence, and very vulnerable," he added.

The lawmaker lamented that apart from agonising the death of their loved ones, the widows were exposed to many sordid things that further aggravate their plight.

Most of them face untold hardship from their extended families.

"They are often denied their in-

‘

•Akinderu-Fatai presenting a cheque to a beneficiary heritance rights and do find themselves in a battle too big and ferocious to win. Their major headache at times is their children who must eat and go to school. Many widows die in frustration having been left in the lurch in the hour of great needs."

He said as a lawmaker, he would continue to ensure that widow's plight is tabled for appropriate legislation. He added: "While pursuing that, I have to see to their immediate needs by making available for them non-refundable gift, which can be used to start a small business."

Akinderu-Fatai said he hoped the

I do hope that the widow's mite we are giving today will be used judiciously by the beneficiaries and please, start something lucrative with it

’

proceeds from their trades would help to feed them and their children, adding that "as we celebrate the World's Widows' Day on June 23, every year, I feel their plight and this prompted me on a yearly basis in making provision to help them out of their critical conditions.

"I do hope that the widow's mite we are giving today will be used judiciously by the beneficiaries and please, start something lucrative with it. Through this gesture, we hope you will be able to meet your immediate needs. I implore you to make good use of the opportunity.”

Apart from empowering widows, over 1,000 residents in Oshodi, Isolo, Ejigbo and Mushin metropolis had been beneficiaries of the free eye treatment initiated by the lawmaker in the past two years.

The lawmaker had also initiated various skills acquisition programmes, such as Information Technology and Computer training, web designing and manage-

Lagos tells tertiary institutions to generate fund internally

L

•From left: Chairman Oshodi/Isolo Local Govt, Hon Afeez Ipesa Balogun; Programme Co-ordinator ,Orderly Society Trust, Mrs Foluso Idumu and Chairman Ejigbo LCDA, Kehinde Bamigbetan, during the oneday capacity building workshop for information officers.

ment, peachtree accounting, computer engineering, fashion design, hairdressing, and photography.

Chairman of the Oshodi-Isolo Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr Israel Orija, said: "Akinderu-Fatai has set a high standard by which others coming behind would be judged. It is our hope that the party that produced him will endeavour to continue to field candidate of his kind for all the elective offices in the whole state, so that the much talked about dividends of democracy can reach all and sundry."

Former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, also praised the lawmaker for the gesture.

Bamidele, now Akinderu-Fatai's colleague in the lower house, said: "Akinderu-Fatai is outstanding in his passion for youth development, and this of course, manifest in the myriads of lofty youthdriven programmes.”

AGOS State government has tasked the management of its tertiary institutions to be more creative and generating fund internally to make them selfsufficient.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Parastatals Monitoring Office, Mr Adebayo Salvador, gave the charge when he visited Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, (AOCOED), Ijanikin, during an assessment tour.

Adebayo explained the need for the institutions to be creative in their dealings, stating that it is by so doing that they can support the monthly subvention given by the state government. He urged them to ensure judicious use of resources in the implementation of meaningful capital projects.

He reiterated the commitment of the state government to make its tertiary institutions the in the country, despite some challenges facing the educational sector. Salvador implored the institutions' management to iron out its grey areas with the National Universities Com-

By Miriam Ndikanwu

mission (NUC) He said the recent directive by the Lagos State Governor to shut all satellite campuses of LASU was a way of streamlining the focus of the institution and enabling it get through accreditation of many of its courses.

He said: "The governor’s aim is to make LASU number one, and he is ready to give full support for this to be achieved."

He assured the students of government’s continuous provisions of their occupational tools through a careful procurement, storage and systematic distribution of highquality agricultural inputs, which will in turn guarantee a sound and rewarding career of appreciable investments.

Earlier, the Dean of Postgraduate School, Prof. Babajide Elemo, decried the continuous underfunding of the institution, adding that government must consider the plight of the increasing number of students in scrapping the institution’s external campuses.

SEND YOUR STORIES, VIDEOS AND PICTURES TO CITY BEATS at ynotcitybeats@gmail.com OR SEND AN SMS TO 08033054340

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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Research has shown an increase in the prevalence of some preventable conditions, such as dental caries, periodontal diseases, oral cancers, oral manifestations of HIV infection

Unilever celebrates 20 years of partnership with dentists

N

IGERIANS have been told to pay more attention to their oral health in order to avoid such challenges as bad breath.

Head, Dentistry Division, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Bimpe Adebiyi said there are so many misconceptions about this subject in Nigeria, adding that so many people’s teeth have been poorly looked after.

“For instance, the teeth ought to last a lifetime, but here in Nigeria, once one is advancing in age and a tooth pulls out, people say it is a sign of old age. But with proper brushing day and night, with the right toothpaste that contains fluoride, the teeth will last a lifetime,” said Adebiyi.

The Chief Dentist of Nigeria, Adebiyi, spoke at the launch of Logo for Unilever’s 20 years partnership with Nigerian Dental Association (NDA). Her paper was entitled: Current trends in oral health care in Nigeria: Forging the way forward.

She said, oral health means more than healthy looking teeth and absence of disease.

“The mouth is the gateway (eat, drink, speak, laugh, kiss, etc) and the mirror (diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis) of the body.

“As the mouth is the gateway to the body, dentists can pick up to 80 per cent of HIV cases that have progressed to AIDS and other ill health and diseases,” she said.

She pointed out that undoubtedly,

•From left: Dr Mrs Bimpe Adebiyi, Head of Dentistry of Federal Ministry of Health, MD of Unilever Mr Thabo Mabe, National Chairman of NDA, Dr Olufemi Orebanjo and Unilever Brand Building Director, Mr David Okeme at CLOSE UP and NDA

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

the consequence of poor oral hygiene begins with discomfort and pain which may lead to life-threatening illnesses. Yet, poor oral health has remained a widespread national problem and one that is rarely prioritised by governments.

“Research has shown an increase in the prevalence of some preventable conditions such as dental caries, periodontal diseases, oral cancers, oral manifestations of HIV infection.” she added.

Adebiyi painstakingly, highlighted the vision and mission of the “Na-

tional Oral Health Policy”, as she said the vision is to improve the oral health of all Nigerians; and the mission is to develop and promote an accessible, effective, efficient, and sustainable oral health system which focuses on prevention, early detection and prompt treatment of oral diseases.

She explained that the policy has set the tone for a change in the oral health system, noting that the work is enormous but the goal is certainly achievable; therefore it is time for Nigerians to work together to lift their oral health status.

Commenting, the Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria Plc, Mr

11-year-old kidney failure patient seeks help

ronment that allows all stakeholders in Dentistry community to effectively work towards improved oral health in the country, the Unilever MD emphasised.

In the view of the National Chairman of Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), Dr. Olufemi Orebanjo, statistics available have shown that more than three million Nigerians do not brush twice a day, but only once in the mornings. “Most dental problems are preventable through regular brushing day and night. With fluoridated toothpaste, dental problems can reduce by 50 per cent, especially cavity occurrence,” said Orebanjo.

Ogun to fix Ode-Omi community road

O

T

HE life of little Miss Cynthia Uche is hanging in the balance. She is bedridden and needs help to live.

Eleven-year-old Uche has a kidney failure, and her parents do not have the means to pay N7.5m transplant required to save her life.

They are, therefore, appealing for financial assistance from wellmeaning Nigerians to enable her to undergo the kidney transplant.

Uche has been in and out of hospital since September last year when she was diagnosed with kidney disease at Federal Medical Centre, Ebuta-Metta Lagos.

She was in Junior Secondary School (JSS) One at Osimoye Memory Nursery and Primary School, Ijesa Tedo, but was forced to quit because of the ailment.

Her father, Mr Anthony Uche, said her problem began last year when they noticed her legs were swollen.

She was diagnosed with a case of chronic renal failure.

She is, at present admitted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). Her kidneys are said to be barely functional.

“For this, she has been commenced on hemodialysis to assist the kidney function which is however only a temporary measure. The only cure for this condition is kidney

Thabo Mabe, said it is fortunate that most Nigerians do not regard oral care as a priority for good health.

“Improving oral health in Nigeria has been a burning issue in the mind of Unilever which was what lead to its synergy with NDA in a journey that commenced as far back as 20 years ago.

“Our partnership with NDA was inspired by the understanding that we need to partner to achieve our common objectives of improving the oral health of Nigerians”.

We cannot over emphasise the place of partnership building and bringing out the right policy envi-

•Uche

By Emmanuel Udodinma

transplant,” said a Consultant Paediatrician at LASUTH, Dr Ladapo Taiwo.

The situation, the parents said, has been compounded by lack of finance to manage the disease. Mr Uche is therefore appealing to public-spirited Nigerians and

organisations to come to his daughter’s aid.

Miss Uche needs about N7.5m which is the estimated cost of two kidney transplants as well as drugs.

Money could be paid into the following banks: Diamond Bank Plc, Anthony Uche: 0006999059; or Skye Bank Plc, Tony Uche: 1050805152.

GUN State Government has given directive for the immediate opening up of the coaster community of Ode–Omi in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area through fixing of the neglected 7-kilometre road which connects the community with her neighbours.

Ode - Omi is host to the joint venture billion dollars Olokola Liquified Natural Gas (OKLNG) project and Olokola Free Trade Zone (OFTZ) The government has also resolved to deploy reasonable number of teaching staff to its schools, recruit at least 10 qualified members of the community into the state public service as measures to tackle years of neglect and marginalisation of the area by past administrations.

This is the outcome of the meeting held at the Governor’s Office, Abeokuta, on Thursday between members of Ode-Omi community led by its traditional ruler, the Lenuwa of Ode-Omi, Oba Adenuga Okuniyi and top functionaries of Ogun State Government led by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice ,Mr. Oluwemimo Ogunde, (SAN).

Others present at the meeting included four other traditional rulers from Ogun Waterside Council, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Mr

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

Muyiwa Oladipo, Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyinu, Hon. F.A. Sabitu, Commissioner for Forestry; Surveyor -General, Mrs Aderonke Adeyokunnu; and the Chairman, Transition Committee, Ogun Waterside Local Government, Hon. Toyin Aiyebusiwa.

They deliberated on the contentious issue of ownership of OdeOmi between Lagos and Ogun State governments and it was unanimously agreed that Ode-Omi statutorily belongs to Ogun State and that the claim by Lagos State is unfounded.

It had been reported by The Nation that the community had expressed its intention to identify with Lagos State instead of the Gateway state because of its neglect by past administrations of Ogun State.

The community however pledged to cooperate with the present administration in the prosecution of its socio-economic and people-oriented policies and programmes.

A communiqué issued by the chairman of the Council Caretaker Committee, Toyin Aiyebusiwa, said the entire people of Ode-Omi have noticed the activities of some people claiming to be agents of the Lagos State Government in OdeOmi in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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INTERVIEW The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim told Finance correspondents in Abuja that the erstwhile Afribank; Bank PHB and Spring Bank had become bankrupt. However, following the intervention of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and subsequent transformation to Mainstreet bank; Keystone Bank and Enterprise Bank respectively, the institutions are fully capitalised to offer full scale banking services. He also spoke on other issues, including a warning to the other intervened banks that have signed the transaction implementation agreements (TIAs) to beware of the September recapitalisation deadline Excerpts:

‘We’ve extended insurance coverage to new banks’

• Ibrahim

W

HAT’s the update on the recent take over by the banking sector regulators of three banks in the country.

Specifically, what is the state of the three newly acquired banks now?

Thank you, gentlemen, we are happy about the wide publicity that this development has received, particularly since the establishment of new banks and the subsequent recapitalisation by the AMCON. We are also happy that this has received wide publicity.

As you have been following the events, happily, we have executed the formation of the bridge banks, they have crossed the bridge so to say. They are no longer bridge banks, they are full – fledged banks, and new management teams have been constituted and announced by AMCON. Their names are already known to everybody, and I believe they will very soon swing into action.

So far, there is a smooth process transfer or handing –over by the out-going management to the in- coming management going on. And if you go through the Curriculum Vitae of the members of the newly instituted managements, you will find that these are very credible, well known and well tested professionals in the industry and they have been very carefully selected by AMCON to ensure that the new banks start on a clean slate and a good note so that they manage the banks in

a very professional manner. As regulators, we will continue to exercise our oversight functions in these new banks as much as we do for the other banks, so as to make sure that they remain sound and profitable.

This is to ensure that depositors of these banks continue to enjoy comfort and protection. Naturally, we have extended insurance coverage to these new three banks.

On some of the concerns being raised by the press that AMCON will be involved in the management of these banks, we have stated very clearly that even though AMCON is the new owner, until credible shareholders are found, AMCON or any government functionary for that matter will have no business interfering in the affairs of the banks.

That is why we have very credible professionals on the Boards. You are talking of somebody like Mr. Ajekigbe, former MD of First Bank; Alhaji Falalu Bello is chairman of one of the Banks and also Mr. Onwuka who is well known and respected in the industry.

It is also my firm believe that very soon, the rest of the non-executive members of the Boards of the banks will be constituted by AMCON so as to complement the Executive Management. it is important we clarify these issues and reiterate the fact that we are going to extend our insurance cover to the new Banks as much as we do for the rest of the

banks. The most important matter concerning the depositors is that they need to be sensitised, they need to be educated and assured that their funds are safe in all these banks barring any need for panic or rush withdrawals of their monies from the banks.

In fact, a trial will convince you. Anybody who doubts of course can go and check. I can assure you whatever money you have in these banks, you will be able to access it at any time and the banks will continue to give you very good services. We therefore want to use this opportunity to continue to educate our teeming depositors and Nigerians that their monies are safe and that there is no need to panic or rush to withdraw from these banks.

There are concern by some stakeholders as to why you had to forcefully take-over these banks more than one month ahead of the September 30 deadline originally set for them by you the regulators. What informed this decision?

Yes, I think this is public knowledge. You will recall that in July, the CBN Governor issued a statement in which he warned that the affected banks and gave them this September deadline indicating that if they failed, they would be handed over to the NDIC to manage, sell or liquidate. Yes you can say that we have not reached the deadline, but the bottom line is that there has been

a continuous deterioration in the financial conditions of these banks. They have totally lost their capital; their shareholders’ funds is negative - below zero, and they are practically been living on the life support system guaranteed by the Central Bank- largely the interbank loans.

They have been unable to mobilise deposits, attract new customers, and they don’t have liquidity. They have resorted managing the continuing liquidity problem by borrowing from other banks, and these other banks naturally will not give them a kobo but for the CBN’s guarantee.

So what is banking if you are living on borrowed funds and you are not able to retain your customers? On a daily basis, your customers are withdrawing their monies and running away; you are not growing the business; you don’t have your own money; and your capital is gone. That fact is, ‘you’re almost dead and bankrupt’. So having that in mind and considering the pertinent need to protect the depositors, we had to move in to save the situation.

Moreover, in the NDIC Act, 2006, there is a clear provision which empowers us to quickly step in a situation where a bank is clearly failing. What are the indicators: loss of capital, lack of liquidity except for the life support, inability to grow the business, loss of

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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INTERVIEW customers, etc. Further to this, their inability to come out with credible investors that will give the NDIC and CBN comfort that yes, by end of September, the matter of ‘suitors’ (investors) has been dealt with and all that’s left is the matter of further detailed negotiations.

So in such a situation, you don’t have to wait until the deadline.

When you are asked to go and find a partner, in some cases our parents would give us a deadline and say go and find a partner and make sure you get married before the time.

And if they know that you are not serious and you can’t find one, what do they do? They find one for you or they declare you something else. It is more or less the case here.

Now, in fairness to the affected banks, are their Managements completely to be blamed for their inability to find investors, given that the CBN sacked them and appointed interim managements and charged them with the responsibility of recapitalizing them. Are these CBN interim managers going to be sanctioned for failing in their tasks of almost two years?

You have to be very fair to those people, they have been appointed for barley two years now. In fact their mandate was for two years the period of which would be expiring by the end of this month August.

Now, given the state of decay and complications in these banks, there isn’t too much that can be expected for these managements to have done beyond the efforts they made.

We all know what has happened; I don’t want to mention the banks.

We have witnessed the extent of malpractices perpetrated by the previous Managements of these banks. Essentially, the outgoing teams were carefully selected and given the mandate to turn around those banks in the best professional manner, hoping that they could turn them around, arrest the rot; determine the health and exact financial conditions; identify malpractices; fraud and all other abuses.

There are plenty of them as we know. A lot of the banks were saddled with non – performing insider loans. Loans granted to directors, leading shareholders and owners of the banks. But like I said we don’t have to mention names.

Some of them have gone to jail and have forfeited billions of naira. If it has taken somebody 10 years to run a bank aground, what miracle do you expect somebody to do in a period of two years?

The interim managers have tried their best.

And except in the case of these three banks, the other affected banks have gotten to a stage where they have found new owners - people who are willing to invest in these banks.

These are banks which have already signed Transaction Implementation Agreements (TIAs), which are like a binding marriage, which they have pledged to execute and consummate before the September deadline. And that is why they are off the hook.

To that end, they have done their best and of course they are relinquishing their positions this month. A lot of them came from various banks and are going back to their banks and the rest to their privates businesses.

There were allegations of extravagance leveled against these CBN-appointed interim managers for these intervened banks even above the life-styles of the sacked banks’ managements. Perhaps these contributed to why some of them could not secure investors and we didn’t quite see any action or reprimand from the CBN/ NDIC. What guarantee do we then have that these AMCONappointed management and Board members would be above board and not compound the woes of these banks?

Well, you cannot guarantee human behavior generally. You can only strive to make sure that you choose the best people, skilled professionals, and people with strength of character. You also have to establish a robust risk management system, a good credit management system that can guarantee safeguards.

Of course you must have a good system of sanctioning those who violate the rules and regulations in any business and more so in banking. So it is not correct to say that nothing is being done. I don’t want to stay here and start mentioning names.

I am sure you have been following cases of people that are being arraigned by the EFCC and some people have been convicted. Some people have forefited assets worth billions of Naira to the Federal Government.

The law will take its course. Like I say, you cannot guarantee human behavior because this is a humanity issue. It’s up to the new banks to negotiate their own package in accordance with what they can afford and what the industry dictates.

They are in the market. If I want a good journalist to be employed in NDIC, the Nigeria

Union of Journalists (NUJ) has no business telling me how much to pay him. It’s a matter of contract here and it will be dictated by the business here. And of course whatever the press says is not sacrosanct, I am sorry to say so. It is a matter of detailed investigation.

Those of them who are found to abuse their positions are being arraigned by the EFCC. And am sure none of these out – going managers was indicted and arraigned by the EFCC. But in your own candid opinion, don’t you think that these managers failed in their tasks, and secondly we are aware you the regulators aborted an attempt by an investor, Vine Capital from consummating a deal with one of the affected three banks. What happened?

In general, I will say the out – going interim managers did their best. They took over banks that had suffered abuses, and tried to rehabilitate them as much as they could to a position to attract suitors. To that extent they did their very best. Now there were various reasons why they couldn’t get investors which varied from bank to bank. Generally speaking, investors are difficult to come by, but some local and foreign investors have shown interest in these banks but the terms and conditions may not be favourable to them.

That is why a deal could not be struck up to the time we had to move in to rescue the situation. So it could be a matter of price and credibility of the investor and so on and so forth.

The truth was that the Regulatory Authorities advised against going ahead with that transaction with Vine Capital for reasons that border on credibility and governance issues. But they had a choice to go with another suitor but they said no. But like I said, if your parents give you a deadline and you have two boy friends and you insist on a particular one and your parents say no, you can’t go with this A, you should go with B and you insist that no, the parents would put their feet down as well. So, there you are.

Sir, what are these credibility and governance issues, we will like to know?

No, I don’t want to belabor these issues.

Please, I think what has happened has happened, we are moving forward. The important thing is that we have stepped in, an appropriate resolution framework has been found which has assured continuity of banking services to all customers of the erstwhile banks by the new banks and depositors’ protection is assured, so please lets not belabor the issues.

But if you like, you can go and ask the actors.

But I can assure you that we have carefully done this and we got good legal advice and we are guided by our Laws.

Now what is the fate of the investors in the affected three banks?

SEC has issued a statement and I would advise that you go and read that statement. It issued a statement yesterday that they have suspended trading of the shares. SEC had said that the banks were under technical suspension. I am not in a position to make any categorical statement on this. Please, refer your question to SEC. How about ETB, SGBN and Savannah Bank Well, we have issued a statement in the case of ETB, which is a small bank, it is not even publicly quoted. The bank is in active negotiation with some interested buyers.

There is an arrangement which will ensure that ETB strikes a deal, an acceptable deal before the deadline, we are quite optimistic that a favourable deal would be arrived at.

We are in active discussion with SGBN. The bank has proposed a new name. It has also intensified efforts at identifying credible shareholders who will pump in money into the bank.

But we are quite mindful of the need to resolve the issue and to get both the SGBN and Savannah bank to go back to business whether as National banks or in whatever framework that they want to operate. I can assure you that we are mindful of that and we in NDIC in particular are quite concerned because of our statutory obligation to depositors of those banks.

The intervened banks that have signed TIAs, have they really crossed the bridge and what in specific terms is the state of the three new banks now?

Let me first start with the new banks. Yes, they are new. AMCON has stepped in. All I can say at this point is that they are well capitalized. AMCON has filled the hole. It has brought them from minus zero to zero level and even to above zero levels now. They have now met the statutory minimum capital required by the Regulatory Authorities.

And in fact, from all indications, they should be in a position to repay the temporary loans that was given to them (the erstwhile banks) by the CBN. For the intervened banks that already signed the TIAs, I hope we don’t see them facing the fate of the three banks. But it’s up to them, we believe that they should work hard so that the TIAs actualise before the D- Day, that is, before September 30, 2011.

‘Until credible shareholders are found, AMCON or any government functionary for that matter will have no business interfering in the affairs of the banks’

‘We therefore want to use this opportunity to continue to educate our teeming depositors and Nigerians that their monies are safe’

‘The interim managers have tried their best. If it has taken somebody 10 years to run a bank aground, what miracle do you expect somebody to do in a period of two years? ‘

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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MOTORING

A

N auto giant, Great Wall Motors, has unveiled four new vehicles in Lagos for a test drive.

The models that included Voleex, Florid, Haval and Wingle, are the latest products of the Chinese automobile technology in vogue in many parts of the world.

Distributed in Nigeria by CFAO Cica Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of CFAO Group, the test drive took off from the company new aesthetic office at Ogba to Eleko Beach en route the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

Apparently to show the vigour and performance of the vehicles on the peculiar Nigerian road, the Managing Director, CFAO Cica, Mr Regis Tromeur, said the team decided to release the models for a relatively long distance test drive.

Tromeur flanked by CFAO Automotive Group’s Marketing Manager, Hapreet Arora, and CFAO CICA’s Commercial Manager, Idris Siyaka, boasted that the vehicles had successful in over 80 countries.

He stated that in places

Firm releases four new models

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

where the company already maintains a stronghold, a strong after-sales support including maintenance and parts availability, would not be a problem.

According to him, to ensure that the same qualitative services are extended to customers and potential buyers in the rest of the locations covered by appointed dealers, the outlets are not just branded, but their after-sales service delivery is also brought upto-date by training the workshop personnel and stocking spare parts.

The objectives, he said, are to live up to the expectations of the customers and the CFAO Auto Group as well as meet the high standards set

by Greatwall, which has the capacity to produce over 400, 000 vehicles yearly with plans to raise it to 900, 000 by 2012.

•Florid

“We (at CFAO CICA) are assessed by the CFAO Group, using the same yardstick for

Kebbi to partner FRSC on road safety

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HE Kebbi State government is to partner with the state command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to reduce the loss of lives from road accidents.

The Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Bello Tugga, who stated this during a visit to the state office of the FRSC, added that relevant government agencies would support the commission.

He said efforts would be made by the ministry to ensure that rehabilitation of

roads was done. He called on the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to ensure that federal highways were rehabilitated.

Tugga called on the commission to intensify the campaign on adherence to road signs with a pledge that the ministry would provide the signs, adding: “We would ensure that only people who pass the vehicle inspection testing were offered drivers license.”He said disregard to traffic rules and careless-

ness by motorists had resulted in avoidable accidents and loss of lives.

An official of the state command of the FRSC, Mohammed Garba, said enlightenment campaigns would be intensified, adding: “With the support of state agencies in ensuring adherence to traffic rules, this would stem the rate of accidents and loss of lives”.

He identified recklessness and over speeding as major causes of road accidents.

other brands,” he said.

Tromeur said the brand’s pick-ups had held the number one spot in sales for 10 consecutive years in China.

Meanwhile, Great Wall has released its sales figures for January to June, this year, which shows an increase of 39.9 per cent over the figure recorded last year.

According to the automobile production and sales data released by China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the sales volume in the

first half of 2011 amounted to 9.3252 million units.

The details showed that the passenger vehicles had 7.1103 million units, up by 5.73 per cent.

It said: “The data indicates that automobile market, especially passenger vehicle segment market, walked out of the aftermath of depression and witnessed upturn in June after undergoing a two-month slump.

“The upturn, although slight, was hard won under the cir-

cumstances that the preferential policies were cancelled and oil price soared.”

It said: “The sales volume of Great Wall Motors in the first half of 2011 amounted to 238,395 units, up 39.9 per cent on a yearon-year basis, much higher than the general growth rate in the industry, and Great Wall Motors thus became one of the brands witnessing the fastest and greatest growth.”

It said that the sales volume of Haval SUV amounted to 77,376 units in the first half of 2011, up by 8.6 per cent on a year-on-year basis, adding that Haval SUV had continued to be the champion in sales volume, far ahead of Tiguan,Honda-CRV, Hyundai ix35 and Tiggo.

It gave the sales volume of Voleex sedan as 101,109 units in the first half of this year, up by 100 per cent, among which Voleex C30 was the main contributor.

It said: “Its sales volume exceeded 130,000 units only one year after its launch into market owing to its fashionable outlook, super-large space, luxury configuration and outstanding performance.

“In particular, its sales volume in the first half of 2011 accounted for 70 per cent of the total of Voleex sedan.”

Driver’s licence: FRSC registers 343 driving schools TOTAL of 343 driving schools have been registered nationwide by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for training and testing of

A

prospective drivers, an official of the command has said.

Plateau Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr Samuel Odukoya,Mr

Samuel Odukoya, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) last week in Jos that seven such schools were in Plateau.

He listed the schools to include A. A. Rescue Driving School, Bamshak Driving School, Easy Driving School and Gradan Driving School.

Others are the International Driving School, Kingdom Way Driving School and Tin City Driving School.

He said the selection became necessary in view of the planned introduction of a new Driver’s Licence and Plate Numbers across the country.

“FRSC is worried about the faking and indiscriminate issuance of the drivers’ licence to unqualified persons.

“Beside, FRSC is losing billions of naira due to the faking of the licence. The situation is even more serious when one remembers that three million licences will be processed online across the country.”

Odukoya said that the new drivers’ licence, which costs N6,000, was portable and contains data that could be obtained on the web site anywhere in the world.

He said that benefits of the new driver’s licence and plate numbers were enormous, and called on the public to comply as the law was sure to catch up with defaulters.

The FRSC chief urged those with the old licence to renew it, while those who never had should register in the selected driving schools for training and clearance certificate.

The sector commander further disclosed that the new plate number would eliminate parallel production and faking thereby checkmating crimes.

“All plate numbers would have database and a central verification facility, which would make it easy for the authorities to trace owner of such vehicle,’’ he said.

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THE CEO As part of efforts to reduce loan repayment default rate, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) mandated banks to obtain reports on prospective borrowers from at least two Credit Bureaux before giving out loans. The policy is also to keep track of borrowers with poor credit ratings.

The Chief Executive Officer, Credit Registry Services, Mr Taiwo Ayedun, says only a few banks complied with the directive. He speaks with COLLINS NWEZE on these and other issues.

Excerpts:

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HAT is the level of banks’compliance with the Central Bank’s directive that they pool credit reports from at least two credit bureau firms before giving out loans?

Since April 2010, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued three circulars regarding banks or any regulated financial institution to use at least two credit bureaux.

They are expected to have different agreements and ensure that on every loan processed, there is a credit report, one from each bureau.

Some of them do upload information on their new loans to us in a certain month.

And we also input the number of loans they send to us in that month. So, if there are differences, we will know that they are not pooling reports on all loans.

So, the CBN has to prompt banks into using your services?

Banks still feel the need to be reminded to do what is really in their best interest. The apex bank obviously, as a regulator, wants

• Ayedun

‘Nigerians should have easier access to loans’ the banks to utilise all their tools to reduce bad debts. The job of the regulator is to reduce anything that would cause any problem in the industry. Bad debt is really one of the significant ones. That’s why it facilitated the creation of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), to buy bad assets so that banks will have more capital to do business. My hope is that bank owners and management see the need that this is in their best interest and they do this without

being prompted.

What’s your scope of duty?

Our job is to let the regulator know which banks are not complying. We also need to help the Central Bank on enforcement.

Besides, the Central Bank is putting in a lot of efforts for banks to comply. We have seen significant increase in patronage. We get more requests from the commercial banks as opposed to the microfinance, primary mortgage institutions and finance houses.

So, that’s really where most of our patronage come from.

What is the level of growth in the sector?

I can say there is a significant growth in the sector compared to 2009. In 2010, we had significant growth, but as relative or ratio of loan processing, I don’t think all the banks are pooling credit reports for all of their loans. That’s the area the banks should im• Continued on page 46

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THE CEO

‘Nigerians should have easier access to loans’ • Continued from page 45

prove on. They believe they can only pool report for a certain class of loans, maybe loans above N1 million, which is wrong. All loans have a risk as long as you are parting with your money. Whether it is N10,000 loan or N50 million, it does not matter. The banks should pool reports for all loans.

Where is the biggest default coming from?

I can say that monthly, we see between 25 to 30 financial institutions coming to pool credit reports. In terms of compliance, we have 23 out of the 24 banks subscribing to our services. So, I want to say that probably, out of the 24 banks, maybe 12 to 14 are regular users monthly. The rest of them are not using at all or they make one or two requests which don’t reflect the volume of businesses they do. They are still exposing themselves. So, the compliance ratio in the commercial banking segment is roughly 50 per cent.

Is it due to cost consideration?

Well, I don’t think it’s an issue of cost. If you look at it that way, then they are really asking for trouble.

We are talking about spending N1,000; not to lose N1 million or N10 billion. The banks already charge customers certain fees.

They charge quarterly management fees. The fees for the report are really insignificant. The banks also add the cost of credit check to the cost of the loans.

Are you saying it is not a matter of cost saving?

It is really not a cost matter.

There is no reason for non compliance. It is purely an internal process issue and that goes to management. If the managing director of a bank, or executive director of risk, or even the compliance department is not pushing for credit reports on loans being obtained, then the problem is from them.

If the Central Bank said a bank should pool credit report and they are not doing that, then we need to really question management capabilities to do their job well. It is the best practice across the world to use credit information to make loan decisions.

How have banks managed to accommodate the global financial crises in their operations?

Despite the financial crises, even banks that have problems and have been bailed out are still lending.

They are restructuring loans, refinancing loans. The fact is: all the banks across board, are not pooling reports on all loans. Yes, lending may have come down in terms of quality and quantity of lending compared to 2007 and early 2008.

What I am saying is that although the level of patronage of credit bureau has come up, it is not equal to the level of loans they are making. There are still some issues in terms of compliance. I think it is not proper for the banks to think that pooling credit reports is a burden. That is fully where I question. In other countries patronising credit bureaux, they have done so without government compelling them to do so.

Will the on-going mergers and acquisitions not affect the volume of business you will be doing?

Not really. It’s the quantum of loans that matter. For example, you probably have fewer banks in South Africa and they are doing more loans than Nigerian banks.

It means their banks are bigger, and instead of one bank doing 10,000 loans a year, you could have merged banks doing 50,000 loans a year. Also, the appetite for credit

is still large. It has not been satisfied. So, there are great prospects.

I can tell you that.

What are the key challenges being faced by operators?

The key challenges honestly have to do with data quality and completeness of data. There is expectation that the account update on customers mandated by the Central Bank would help. The level of upload of that data is at different levels of completion. Some banks give us incomplete data, but the biggest problem is still lack of unique identifier.

What’s that?

It means a customer that banks with more than one bank does not use same means of identification issued by one authority. The lack of universality of those IDs is a problem. It affects our ability to collate data more effectively. We need a unique ID to make our work easier. But today, banks are reporting different ID numbers. So, we have to do more work as we infer whether it is you or not. We can settle for phone number, passport number, among others.

Are there any on-going reforms in the credit bureau sector?

There are no new polices in our sector because we have little risk to depositors than banks. But there is one clause in the prudential guidelines saying that a bank must get the consent of a borrower before getting information about such borrower. It is a flawed clause, because a customer that wants to default will not give that consent.

Do we still have customers moving from one bank to the other to borrow?

Let me say there is nothing wrong with a customer moving from one bank to the other to borrow. What is wrong is to bring the same collateral. But it is even allowed if the collateral has more value than the loan. So, you can pledge it to more than one bank. If you have a collateral worth N300 million, you can use it to borrow N100 million each in three different banks. The real issue is where the collateral is not properly registered for all the banks to know that it has already been pledged.

Is there a way to verify?

Yes. Banks can search, using our facility, to determine whether the collateral has been pledged somewhere else or not. Through the help of credit bureaux, people are declined credits because banks have found out that they owe other banks. We have seen instances where customers are declined access to credits because there is negative information on their reports.

How do you interface with the Central Bank or other regulators?

We interface with the Central Bank because they have access to our bureaux if they want to do so.

And they do so. The Central Bank sends the names of directors of banks to us to find out their credit worthiness before they are confirmed. We have done such in the

past. Every new director in the financial services sector regulated by the Central Bank must get a clean credit report from bureaux before they are confirmed. We file returns with them every month.

We don’t have interface with the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC). We have made a lot of overtures, especially where a bank has folded up. They have the list of debtors and we want them to furnish us with their data so that those borrowers don’t go around borrowing from other banks. But they have not gotten back to us.

What are you always looking out for in the credit report of such bank directors?

We would find out if those directors have taken loans at all and whether there is a default. If there is default, the Central Bank will take action.

What other factors are hindering operations of credit bureaux?

Weak management that does not understand the importance of a credit bureau is a major problem.

That is a big shame. To me, that’s one of the biggest challenges. But the top banks are complying.

We have seen a lot of mergers in the banking sector. What are the likely implications in the financial services sector?

I think, in the face of it, there is nothing really wrong with mergers and acquisitions. It helps to improve efficiency and enhance shareholders’ value. These banks have probably built a lot of branches. By merging, they would dispose a lot of excesses to reduce overhead. I think that a bank that cuts its excesses will deliver for its shareholders.

What is unique about Credit Registry?

The important thing about our company is that we have stayed the course. Every economy in the world has consumer credit as the bedrock of its financial system.

Consumer credit cannot be done without information because people are what they are. If there are no mechanisms to prevent them from default, they will default. So, that is the reason we have stayed the course. We told ourselves that we will stick around as long as it takes. If Nigeria is going to be a big economy like Germany or the United Kingdom, South Korea or United States, we must strengthen consumer credit to every single Nigerian that has a job, or every entrepreneur that has an aspiration, if they get access to credit, the consumer that has a job will buy more and the entrepreneur will expand his business.

How would that be achieved?

It is by buying that we stimulate economic expansion. That means there will be more trading. The economic expansion is all about efficient buying and selling. So, when there are no credits for people that have jobs, that means they won’t buy as much as they would

• Ayedun want to buy.

What that means is that, as government spends time looking at the ways of getting manufacturers have access to credit; they also have to look at the demand side. Who are going to buy those products?

The income of a lot of Nigerians is not enough to buy a house, or a car. The number of cars imported into Nigeria annually is infinitesimal compared to our population. I think, the last I have heard, it is less than 500,000 new cars a year for a population of over 150 million people.

What does that mean to the economy?

It means this economy has huge opportunities. We are yet to even scratch the surface when you consider the pent up demand. For us, our vision is to see a Nigeria where every working class or entrepreneur has easy access to credit to improve their lifestyle and living standards.

That has always been our vision.

And we know that banks have the money. So, we want to help them lend in a way they can reduce risks.

And that’s why we are doing this business. To help them identify who is credit worthy. Banks love the efficiency of our software, the speed at which they work, and competiveness of our data. The amount of business we do has improved significantly. So, this is a

‘Banks can search, using our facility, to determine whether the collateral has been pledged somewhere else or not. Through the help of credit bureaux, people are declined credits because banks have found out that they owe other banks. We have seen instances where customers are declined access to credits because there is negative information on their reports’

very tough market where the banks are slow to embrace our services.

Do you think that the banks will express this level of optimism in you?

We are determined to help the banks succeed so that our vision can be realised. So that every Nigerian that has a job can get access to credit. There is still a lot of work to be done. We want the banks to do business with more Nigerians at reduced risk and cost. Today, every bank requires that before one accesses a loan, he or she must get a current account. In other markets, that is not required. The banks know that you have an income.

There is no need for people to open accounts first before having access to credits.

So, what do you prescribe for the banks?

We want banks to do business with people because they are credit worthy and have sufficient income to service that loan. Not because you opened an account with the bank. It is understandable that the trust is still being built. The beauty of credit bureau is that banks do business with a borrower faster. So, a bank that deals with 10,000 loans a year can go to 100,000 loans. And they have to automate the process as well. I want the banks to build faster trust with Nigerians because the mechanisms are there. That’s where I want to see Nigeria go because I think there is a limited loan banks can do today because of the way they are constituted.

I don’t know of any Nigerian bank that can serve five million customers a year in terms of loans. It is either they have not upgraded their infrastructure to do it or not. So, once we solve the unique ID problems, and the banks are able to see the need for improved risk management and credit reporting, then, they will become more comfortable reaching out and lending more. If we can increase the number of loans banks make to 50 million a year, I will be a happy man.

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PERSONAL FINANCE

Email: taofad2000@yahoo.co.uk

Investor’s Worth

A physician as an investor

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LOR’OGUN Sonny Kuku’s credentials as a physician are quite intimidating. So also is his passion for enterprise development and investment.

In both his primary calling and his hobby - investment, he holds many unequalled firsts and for many decades, he has been the quintessential example of the symbiotic healing between medicine and financial security.

He is the first African Master of the American College of Physicians, the first recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award of the University of Lagos, the Ambassador of Goodwill Award of the City of Freetown and the first and only physician to list the shares of a hospital.

A long-standing trustee and distinguished fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, president and trustee of the West African College of Physicians, chairman, University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Dr Kuku has been the joint medical director and chairman at Ekocorp Plc, the owners of Eko Hospital, which he co-founded in 1978.

The “K”in the “Eko”represents his surname under the arrangements whereby the name of the hospital was derived from the first letter of the surnames of the three trailblazing partners.

A fellow of the Nigerian

Academy of Science, Dr. Kuku had variously chaired the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State Universities, Committee of Chairmen of Federal Tertiary Hospitals and King’s College Old Boys Association.

But while he remains a reference of excellence in medical practice, Dr. Kuku has always been an avid entrepreneur and investor. In 1984, he led the transformation of the Eko Hospital into a distinct corporate entity with the incorporation of Ekocorp.

A decade later, Ekocorp made history as the first medical company to be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Ekocorp today ranks as the fifth most capitalised company in the nine-member health care sector at NSE with a current market value of about N2.7 billion.

Kuku also has a longstanding interest in the financial services sector. He had served on the board of the then Midas Merchant Bank and currently chairs the board of Midas Stockbrokers Limited.

With his growing profile as an investment-savvy physician, Dr Kuku was appointed to the board of Ecobank Nigeria Plc, the Nigerian subsidiary of the pan-African bank-holding companyEcobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), in 2004. He currently chairs the multinational 14-member board of Ecobank Nigeria.

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•Sonny Kuku

Besides his major equity stake in Ekocorp, another public proof of Dr. Kuku’s investment prowess is his shareholding in Ecobank Nigeria. He holds the second largest equity stake among the directors with his shareholdings more than 167 per cent above the entire direct and indirect shareholdings of other directors, excluding the director with the largest shareholding.

It is noteworthy that Nigerian citizens and groups only hold 15 per cent equity stake in Ecobank Nigeria while ETI owns 85 per cent. Ecobank Nigeria is currently valued at about N42 billion.

Dr Kuku, no doubt, has demonstrated that healthy body and soul need not only medical prescriptions, but also the assurance of financial security that comes with building nest eggs that stream in incomes irrespective of physical presence or absence.

This physician has surely hearkened to the slogan, “Physician! Heal thyself”.

Ask a Broker

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PRIVATE placement refers to securities offer to select private investors through the networks of the issuer and its professional advisers.

Usually, the unit of subscription for private placement is higher than public offer while private placement must not be marketed in any way that suggests invitation to subscribe by the public.

As such, private placement’s prospectuses are only made available through select chain of investment bankers. Private placement is used variously

What is private placement? to raise seed capital for the formation of a company, increase the capital base and exit or introduce new investors into the business.

A company undertaking private placement may not apply to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for screening of its documents if it does not intend to list its shares in the immediate period.

It is important to note this distinction since several investors had been deluded into private placements in recent period with the expec-

tations that the shares would be listed.

The issuer is expected to write boldly on the prospectus of a private placement the main conditions for the issuance of the securities while further disclosures, which constitute the legally binding terms of placement, are usually made available under statutory and general information, memorandum and article of association (MEMART) and subscription and allotment rules.

Ways and Means

What to consider before opening bank account (2)

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ROXIMITY of a bank, in terms of nearness to one’s centres of transactionshome, office etc, is also a major consideration. This not only reduces cost of transaction, it also enables the account holder to cope with emergencies.

For instance, nearly all banks are well represented on the Marina commercial hub of Lagos and this may induce a low-tomiddle cadre employee whose official centre of transaction is within the corridor to choose any of the banks.

But many of the banks are not represented in the suburbs where most of the employees live, thus limiting their effective hours of transactions to official hours alone. It is also important to consider the feedback/dispute

resolution mechanism of the bank. Effective two-way communication system enhances quick resolution of unavoidable transactional errors and misunderstandings common to every human interaction.

Most banks now operate 24hour contact centres that enable customers to make enquiries and lodge complaints within the confines of their homes and offices without necessarily having to shuttle between banking hall, clearing centres and headquarters.

Account officers also play important roles in determining one’s banking experience and as such, having a personal interaction with your prospective account officer, where possible, may assist in one’s decision-

Making good use of reports and accounts (1)

making.

Also, customer communication enables the customers to get up-to-date information, changes and new developments that may be invaluable in their decision-makings. Many banks produce and distribute- through the post, banking hall and internet, customer’s digest to keep customers abreast of information on products, services and other changes within the organisation.

More importantly, a potential account holder needs to read in between the lines of the terms and conditions of account opening. It is important to seek clarification on any seemingly ambiguous terms, since the terms and conditions become legally enforceable once the customer signs the document.

OOD understanding of operational reports and accounts of companies is a primary factor for success as an investor.

Although one does not need to study accounting and other related disciplines to be a good investor, good investment decisions require the basic ability to pick the ups and downs in periodic operational reports of a company and, more importantly, to relate these information to the desirability or otherwise of the investment.

It is most important for shareholders to be adequately informed about accounting details and additional notes that show the state of health of their companies.

The all-important nature of this lies in the fact that shareholders more than any other stakeholders bear the liabilities of a company. In the event of insolvency, bankruptcy or liquidation, other stakeholders like bankers, staff, government, customers, services providers like auditors, advertising and marketing agencies etc are more often on the creditors’ side with rights of claim on the remnants of assets of the company, mostly leaving shareholders with little or nothing.

The reason for shareholders as the ultimate bearers of all liabilities is because public limited liability companies run on the principles of representative leadership, where the leaders are seen as representing the views of the multitude.

The logic is that since shareholders appoint the board and the board appoints the management, which determines the employment of every other person in the company, the shareholders are the ultimate decision maker.

With the recurring local experience under the failed banks and the global corporate failures, there is increasing global challenge to shareholders to know much more about the operations and state of their companies beyond mere representations made to them at the yearly general meetings.

More importantly, minority shareholders should be more concerned and vocal about the directions of their companies because in many corporate failures they bear the brunt. As indicated by the failed banks experience, major shareholders have been found to be culpable in the failures of their companies and in, many instances, they would have created alternative routes to cushion their losses before the whistle blows.

The sense of ultimate responsibility of shareholders is further showed by the scope and responsibility of the external auditors, whose opinion many shareholders depend on.

By the scope of their pro-

By Taofik Salako

fessional function, auditors are mere reviewers of the conformity of companies to accounting principles and the synchronisation of the figures.

An auditor is neither an investigator nor an investment analyst.

This much is made clear in the auditor’s statement. It is noteworthy to point out that auditors have standard statement across the world and a common phrase in the statement read thus: the directors of the company are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. Thus, an auditor merely reviews the statements. He neither prepares nor guarantees these statements. Auditing follows specific rules, derived largely from Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (Gaap) and once an auditor follows the rules, he is professionally absolved from any liability. Although the appointment and remuneration of auditor are usually tabled for shareholders approval at annual general meeting, suffice to note that it is the board that decides the choice of the auditing firm.

Without undermining the importance of auditor’s review as an important external check on the performance of companies, it is evident that shareholders need to complement auditors’ review with further critical investors’ review to really undress the performance of a company. This is the reason for the institution of audit committee, to enable directors and shareholders have interface with the auditor and seek necessary clarification on his opinion. Unfortunately, many audit committees have been politicised and in many instances lost focus of their purpose.

So the fate of each shareholder lies in his understanding of the ‘soft and hard’ highlights in the annual report. The crucial nature of yearly report is further reinforced with the fact that the performance of a stock on the secondary market depends on its fundamentals and operational reports, which yearly report dwells on.

The harrowing experiences of shareholders, especially minority shareholders, and even subscribers to new issues of failed banks under the 2004/2005 banking recapitalisation and consolidation and the recent nationalisation of alleged failed publicly quoted banks in Nigeria are quite indicative of the position of shareholders as the riskiest group of stakeholders in any endeavour and should serve as impetus for paying attention to details in the reports of companies.

Upward review of minimum insured deposits and regulators’ 100 per cent deposit guarantee have served to ensure that depositors do not incur any loss in the failed

banks, including deposits by governmental agencies.

However, shareholders whose investments were truncated, arguably by either government’s policy shift or the manner of implementation of that policy or both have been left in the quandary.

Trapped in the failed banks are life-savings and hopes of millions of Nigerians in form of equity investments. This underscores the danger inherent in equity investments and the singular advantage of fixed-income instruments such as bonds.

Given all these, the yearly report is the reference book for all investors. And even with inadequacies, a knowledgeable investor will find annual report his investment companion.

So, it is detrimental to one’s investment not to receive annual report far ahead of the yearly general meeting and this should be a strong point to raise at the general meeting in case of any such failure.

It is advisable to take yearly report through law enactment process by subjecting it to at least three readings, each time taking note of points of observation.

In yearly or quarterly reports of companies, there are areas that require less knowhow to grab the imports of the details.

These include the chairman’s statement, which contains reviews of the global and local economy as well as operations of the company during the year under review.

Many companies provide chief executives’ report, which elucidates on the reviews by the chairman touching key areas of strategies and prospects.

There are also reports on social responsibility, industrial health and harmony, conformity with laws and regulations including those on corporate governance and many others.

These explanations are as important as the financial statements as they often time provide valuable insights into soft issues that the financial statements may not capture.

For instance, a shrewd investor needs to consider some pertinent questions when it comes to cash outflows: Is there any link between the directors or top management members and the recipients of the donations or charities of the company? What is the propriety of each project in line with principles of the company? What are legal status and charters of the recipients?

Are they really public trusts institutions or private endeavours? Are their ownerships vested in the public domain and operations directed through public trustees or are they exclusive corporate entities of few or one individual?

There are so many concerns that shareholders can raise on donations and charities alone that will put many boards and managements to test.

‘So, it is detrimental to one’s investment not to receive annual report far ahead of the yearly general meeting and this should be a strong point to raise at the general meeting in case of any such failure’

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NEWS

Woman, 60, beheaded by suspected cultists in Ebonyi

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GROUP of suspected cult members at the weekend beheaded a 60-year-old woman in her farm at Enuhia Itim on Uwanna Afikpo Road in Afikpo Local Government of Ebonyi State.

The woman, identified as Mama Monday Nwachi, was allegedly attacked by three cultists in her farm where she had gone to harvest some crops.

It was learnt that her beheaded body was found at the farm by some youths who formed a search team after waiting for her return from the farm for about seven hours.

Police spokesman John Eluu confirmed the incident. He said the police had arrested one of the suspects while the other two are still at large.

He said: “One of the suspects, who had been arrested by our men, has confessed to the crime. The suspect also mentioned the other members of the group that beheaded the woman. A team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been despatched to get the other two arrested so that they can give their own part of the story.”

Eluu said the arrested suspect confessed that he belong to a secret society. “He was asked

From Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakiliki

why he committed the crime; he said he belongs to a secret society and that it was in response to the demand of the society that he committed the crime. The man is still being interrogated and investigation is still ongoing,” he said.

Director of Public Enlightenment Campaign, Directorate of Attitudinal Change, Kelechi Mbam, described the incident as barbaric and urged security agencies to ensure that all the culprits were arrested and prosecuted.

Mbam called for the sensitisation of the youths on the dangers of cultism and other social vices.

“The killing of a harmless and innocent woman who has gone to the farm to work is the most barbaric thing anybody can do, the incident is highly condemnable. The youths still need more reorientation and enlightenment on the dangers of cultism and hooliganism. The Directorate would soon embark on an enlightenment campaign on the need for youths to shun social vices,” he said.

Ebonyi Assembly queries commissioner, contractor over N2.6b contract From Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakiliki

•Elechi

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BONYI State House of Assembly Committee on Lands, Survey and Housing yesterday queried the former Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Housing Comrade Jonah Egba, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and the contractor handling the Ebonyi Five Star Hotel over the delay in the execution of the N2.6 billion project.

Addressing reporters at the Assembly Complex shortly after an interaction with the group, the Committee Chairman, Ogbonnaya Nwaifuru, representing Izzi West State

Constituency regretted that the work done is not commensurate with the money spent on the project.

Nwaifuru said the House invited the commissioner to clear some grey areas.

Egba was invited with the permanent secretary of the ministry and the contractor handling the project to explain how the money was spent. The project, which started in 2001, has not been completed, despite spending N2.4 billion of the N2.6billion (the original contract sum.)

Nwifuru said: “He is no longer involved in the technical issues concerning the project, as the contractor gave us all the information we need on the project. The contractor has been mandated to provide all details involving costs and variations of the project. We are going to monitor him to ensure that he completes the project by February 2012, as he promised.”

Deputy Speaker , Valentine Okike, said contrary to insinuation, “the House is not

on a vindictive mission against the former Commissioner for Lands and Survey nor and is not out to indict anybody.

“We are constitutionally empowered to monitor projects in the state as part of our oversight function. It was because the commissioner could not recite the National Anthem that his confirmation was stepped down. Our oversight function is to ensure that there are checks and balances in the execution of projects in the state, to ensure that huge sums of money sunk into projects are judiciously utilised.”

Vice President of CAT Construction Group, the firm handling the project, Michael Ozigbo, said the delay in payment by government was responsible for the non-completion of the project in the last 10 years.

He said government had paid N1.9billion of the N2.6billion,as against N2.4billion allegedly paid so far.

Egba declined comments on the matter.

Enugu Council poll: ‘PDP won’t impose candidates’

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OVERNOR Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has promised that there will be no imposition of candidates in the forthcoming local government election in the state.

Addressing the State executive committee of the party at a meeting aimed at repositioning the party for effective and successful participation in the polls, the governor said: “We are reminding ourselves of the process we have adopted, we do not appoint candidates, but we consult and agree either by consensus or by voting.”

“We do not impose candidates but we consult and dialogue with our people. We will support the popular choice of the people as we have done in

From Chris Oji, Enugu

the past,” he said.

Chime said although PDP was the only viable party in the state, such should not be taken for granted in preparing for the election.

He urged the leadership of the party to remain focused and continue to work as a team to sustain the level of achievements recorded in elections.

The governor thanked the party members for conducting themselves in a matured way during the last general election and congratulated those who were victorious at the polls.

He commended the state chairman of the party for his leadership quality and the

manner he had conducted the affairs of the party since assumption of office.

Chairman of the party in the state Chief Vita Abba reminded members of the challenges ahead as they prepare for the election and appealed to them to remain focused.

Abba said with the release of the time table, the party had taken measures at getting approval from the party’s National Working Committee to begin the process leading to the primaries.

He assured the aspirants of a level playing field.

Abba explained that the zoning arrangements of the party would be maintained.

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NEWS

‘Kwara’s pact with workers over minimum Cholera kills 11 wage questionable’ in Nasarawa T

HE agreement between the Kwara State Government and its workers on the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage is questionable, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said.

The party said in the new agreement a worker on Grade Level 08, Step 15 in the state would go home with N40,346.32 while his/her counterpart in Oyo State would earn N89, 232.72.

ACN Chairman Kayode Olawepo, in a statement, said: “While a Level 10 officer on step 10 in Kwara will be paid N48,111.10, his/her counterpart in Oyo is to be paid N108, 320.32.”

Civil servants in the state last week rejected their August salary based on what they described as half-hearted implementation of the agreement.

Olawepo said: “This questionable minimum wage ‘agreement’ shows that rather than a gross increase of the total package of the worker, the PDP Government has only increased their basic salary. In the case of Levels One to Six, the basic salary was increased by 75 per cent; Levels Seven to 14, (where the bulk of the civil servants are), by 25 per cent (the government just added N5, 000 across board); while in Levels 15 to 17, (where personnel is scanty), the increase is by 45 per cent).

“These are then added to the old allowances to arrive at the new minimum wage.

“All this creates the false impression that the N18,000 minimum wage is being paid

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

in Kwara. Nothing could be more fraudulent!

“Kwara State public servants must not be paid less than what the Federal Government stipulates in its agreement with Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on the minimum wage.

“The Kwara State Government, with a minimum monthly allocation of N2.6billion, should be able to meet this obligation as other states have done. If the government prioritises this obligation and cuts back on wasteful and excessive servicing of the Government House and cost of travel, there should be ‘no challenge’ to paying the minimum wage in Kwara.

“A critical analysis of the new wage structure shows that the workers and the entire Kwara people have been deceived characteristically by the PDP government into believing that the state is now implementing the wage increase approved by the Federal Government.

“Kwara pays the least wage among the first generation Nigerian states. In a state where workers are hardly promoted; in a state where salary increment is a strange occurrence; and (where) once a worker spends more than eight years on a step for no fault of his or hers, such a worker is compulsorily retired, a honest appraisal of

their status with corresponding wage remuneration is necessary to appreciate the injustices being meted out to Kwara workers over the years.

“We are well abreast of the pent-up anger among the rank and file of Kwara workers and, as responsible champions of the cause of our people, we in the ACN owe it a responsibility to speak out against this monumental injustice. For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP government in Kwara, true to its ‘legacy continues’ mantra, has continued with its policy of repression and gross deception rolled into one. Why did the police cordon off the Labour House to stop workers from gathering there on August 21?

“Why chase away workers who had peacefully gathered at a labour leader’s house in

protest of the crooked agreement? On August 25, at least 22 civil servants were reportedly arrested at the Cooperative Building on the Sulu Gambari Road, Ilorin. Their offence was that they peacefully gathered to discuss their plight, a lawful thing to do under our Constitution, which not only guarantees freedom of association but also the right to peaceful protest.

“We understand they have now been released. This protest by thousands of oppressed Kwara workers, although crudely being suppressed, clearly answers the question of whether the ‘agreement’ was stage-managed or not, and why we are speaking out on the matter.

Even the little response to this genuine agitation by workers under the PDP government did not answer the many posers arising from the ‘agreement.’

E

LEVEN persons were yesterday killed in an outbreak of cholera in two local government areas of Nasarawa State.

Seven persons were said to have died in Lafia Local Government and four in Karu Local Government, near the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Director of Personnel Management (DPM) in charge of Karu, John Iyakwari, said the victims suffered severe diarrhoea.

The Chief Community Health Officer of the Primary Health Care (PHC) Clinic, Mana, near the Emir’s palace in Lafia, Mrs Aishatu Yahaya said the first case was recorded in June.

She said many reported cases came from Makama and Ciroma wards, and a few oth-

From Johnny Danjuma, Lafia

ers from Gayam ward, all in Lafia.

It was gathered that between June and yesterday, 189 cases had been reported.

“We had the first few cases in June. But it was in July they really started coming in large numbers. Now, we have reported cases of about 186,” Mrs Yahaya said.

She urged the residents to stay away from infected persons, saying some of the cases were those that had contacted the disease from relations that were earlier admitted at the clinic.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Gamaliel Monday, said he did not have the details of the cases.

He promised to talk more on the matter today.

Post-election violence: Bauchi to help victims’ children

T

HE Bauchi State Government will sponsor the education of the children whose bread winners died in the April post-election violence, Governor Isa Yuguda has

said.

The governor, who did not state the number of the children affected, assured that his administration would take over the responsibility of their education.

Yuguda spoke at Sabon Garin Nabordo in Toro Local Government at the distribution of relief materials and cash donated to victims of the post-election violence by Dangote Group of Industries.

He said the government had spent N50 million in resettling the victims.

The governor said there were over 500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

Among them were those of Tafawa Balewa ethno-religious violence last year and early this year.

From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

The Executive Director, Dangote Foundation, Ahmed Iya, who donated the materials, said Dangote donated N38 million to assist the victims of the post-election violence.

The N38 million, he said, was part of the N364 million cash and relief materials provided by Dangote Foundation for victims of post-election violence in Bauchi, Gombe and Kaduna states.

Giving a breakdown of the money, Iya said: “Bauchi – N38 million; Kaduna – N317 million; and Gombe – N9.38 million.”

He said this was part of the foundation’s humanitarian gesture to impact positively on the lives of the people.

Iya noted that the relief materials would assist the victims and reintegrate them into the society, especially those living in camps.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

55

NEWS Rep warns Jonathan over Salami saga

By Dada Aladelokun, Assistant Editor

A

MEMBER of the House of Representatives from Ekiti State, Dr. Ife Arowosoge, has said if President Goodluck Jonathan does not rescind his decision on Justice Ayo Salami’s suspension, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) members and those of the opposition would boycott House proceedings.

The lawmaker told The Nation that the House would move against the President if he fails to reverse the suspension.

Arowosegbe represents Ikere and Ise/Orun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

He said: “Although we have not resumed from our recess, we have been talking and we are going to take serious action because the action of the President is unconstitutional.

It has no basis at all.

“He was sworn into office through an oath and he promised to uphold the Constitution, which he has already breached by doing what he was not empowered to do.

“The President has eroded the confidence Nigerians reposed in him during his election. People thought that he is God-fearing by not seriously influencing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and by letting Prof. Attahiru Jega, its chairman, have his way. Having got into office now, he is using that to victimise people.

This is executive oppression.”

Jos crisis: Fulanis sue Fed Govt at ECOWAS Court T

HE Fulanis in Plateau State have sued the Federal Government at the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for alleged negligence/dereliction of its constitutional duties.

The ethnic nationality alleged that the Federal Government’s negligence has led to the slaughter of Fulanis in the state.

In a motion on notice at the court, the incorporated trus-

V

tees of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a socio-cultural association, on behalf of the Fulani community in the state, is seeking an order to hear the case under expedited procedure.

The Fulanis said the continuous killings of its members and stealing of their animals warranted the court to

waive the rules and allow expedited hearing on the matter.

The Chairman of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, in an affidavit filed to support the application, said apart from the 384 Fulani men, women and children allegedly killed as a result of the Federal Government negligence, others were still be-

•Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori (left); Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Mr.Edem Duke (representing President Goodluck Jonathan); wife of Ataoja of Osogbo, Mrs.Bilikis Oyetunji; the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji; his second wife, Mrs. Jelilat Oyetunji; and Secretary to Osun State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, at the Osun Osogbo Festival in Osogbo...at the weekend.

Onoja accuses INEC of colluding with Mark over his petition

HE Action congress of Nigeria (ACN) senatorial candidate in the April election in Benue South, General Lawrence Onoja, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of conniving with his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and Senate President David Mark, of frustrating his petition at the Election Petition Tribunal.

Onoja’s lead counsel, Ocha Ulegede, addressed reporters in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on the alleged tactics of Mark and INEC to ensure the petition is abandoned.

But the Special Adviser to the Senate President on Liaison, Chief Adakole Elija, urged Onoja’s counsel not to prosecute his petition on the pages on newspapers but before the tribunal, where it is pending.

Ulegede urged INEC to be an impartial empire and

T

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

work towards the speedy trial of the petition instead of creating stumbling blocks against it, as they are doing.

The lawyer expressed dismay that after INEC had invited the petitioner for the scanning of election materials used in the senatorial election, it cancelled the excise at the last minute on the pretext that INEC counsel was not present.

He said: “INEC invited us for the scanning of election materials but when scanners were mounted and set to commence the exercise, the same INEC turned around to say its counsel was in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference.

“Was INEC not aware that its counsel was in Port

‘Let the counsel to Onoja stop prosecuting his petition on pages of newspapers but go before the tribunal’ Harcourt before inviting everyone, including the counsel to Mark?”

He accused INEC of taking side with Mark in the petition, noting that it was doing everything to frustrate the prosecution of the petition.

Ulegede said INEC had not been neutral since the petition was submitted at the tribunal.

The lawyer cited instances

where INEC made photocopies of documents and gave them to Mark.

He said the tribunal had to issue Form 48 before INEC allowed the petitioner to inspect election materials for the petition.

Adakole described the allegations as cheap blackmail to popularise the petitioner.

He said: “Let the counsel to Onoja stop prosecuting his petition on pages of newspapers but go before the tribunal.

“As far as I know, Mark’s lawyers have also got an order of the tribunal to inspect materials used during the election in Zone C. So, I wonder how Mark is conniving with INEC when he has been granted the same order like Onoja.

“Let me warn Ulegede that Mark is older than him. So, he should respect him and not drag his name into the gutter because of an election petition.”

Woman arrested for alleged attempt to burn church

T

HE Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a woman, Lydia Joseph, for allegedly attempting to burn down St John’s Catholic Church, Bauchi, at the weekend.

She reportedly entered the church at 1.30pm with a jerry can of petrol but told the gatemen that the content was kerosene and that she wanted to pray.

The Nation learnt that Miss Joseph “informed the secu-

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado Ekiti

THE senator representing Ekiti North in the National Assembly, Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi, has said only proper devolution of powers to states can whittle down the overwhelming influence of the Federal Government and curtail the excesses and arbitrariness of the President.

Adetumbi addressed reporters on the suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, by National Judicial Council (NJC).

The senator, however, ruled out the possibility of President Goodluck Jonathan being impeached as a fallout of his alleged complicity in the matter.

Saudi to deport 1,500 Nigerians

Visafone offers one kobo calls ISAFONE, Nigeria’s Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, has crashed its tariffs for calls within the network to less than a kobo per second in an unprecedented move to give Nigerians more time to call their loved ones with its newly introduced mega bumper package called: Fantastic Visa Bundles.

The Head, Corporate Communications, Mr. Joseph Ushigiale, said: “On these new bundles, customers would make Visafone to Visafone calls at less than a kobo per second and 50kobo per minute. This product offers three unique packages namely: the Weekly Bundle Package, where Customers would dial *450*610# to get 50 minutes of Visafone to Visafone calls (on-net calls) for N100 with a validity period of 5 days.

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

ing killed almost daily.

The group said: “On August 8, two youths, including a 13-year-old boy, were murdered; four other youths were injured; and 400 herds of cattle stolen in Bisichi town of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.”

Bodejo said 42 other persons were killed and 120 houses razed in the recurring crisis since the filing of the proceedings before the court.

‘How to curtail President’s excesses’

From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

rity men that she wanted to pray and was allowed entry into the church without further questions or any suspicion, being a parishioner, though she did not look to them as a member”.

The catechist in charge of St John’s Cathedral, John Daniel, told our correspondent that he was with a reverend father in the

church when he heard shouts.

“So, when I came out, she had run out of the compound. But as God would have it, a member who saw her, chased her and caught her.

“Lydia, on getting into the church, purportedly to pray, turned the contents of the jerry can (petrol) on the seats and benches and set them on fire with a cigarette lighter she brought with

her.”

The Nation gathered that the suspect could have gone unnoticed but for a church member who was praying when she set the seats on fire.

The suspect was said to be on her way out when the member saw her and raised the alarm.

“We had to rush in to put out the fire before any other thing. Fortunately, a man praying in the church saw

her and shouted that the gates should be closed. But the security men did not understand and before the gate was closed, she had run out.

But she was chased and arrested,” the Catechist said.

Police spokesman Mohammed Barau confirmed that the church notified the police about a woman who was caught with a jerry can of fuel and a lighter while trying to set the church ablaze.

NIGERIA’S Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Garba Aminchi, has said 1,500 Nigerians illegally residing in the country would be deported soon.

Aminchi, who spoke yesterday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Mecca, said those affected were arrested at various locations.

He said some of them engaged in criminal activities like stealing and robbery while others were apprehended for street begging or constituting a nuisance.

The envoy said more than 20,000 Nigerian illegal immigrants were deported to Nigeria by the Saudi authorities in the last 12 months for similar offences.

Aminci said the criminal activities being perpetrated

by Nigerians in Saudi Arabia included fraud, theft, robbery and prostitution.

Niger workers set for strike From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

ORGANISED labour has given the Niger State Government up till Wednesday to pay the new minimum wage of N18,000 or face a strike by its 29,000 work force.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) chairman, Comrade Yahaya Idris Ndako, and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Yunusa Tenimu, addressed reporters at the weekend in Minna, the state capital, after a botched meeting with the Head of Service (HOS) Ahmed Matane.

The union leaders wondered why the report of the committee set up by the government on the implementation of the new minimum wage had not been submitted for implementation after the completion of its assignment.

Ndako called for the support of the workers to ensure that the new minimum wage is implemented and assured the workers of the unions’ uncompromising position to ensure that the government pays the new wage.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

56

MONEY LINK

B

Bank stocks undervalued, says expert

ANKING Sector Report released

by Afrinvest West Africa Lim ited, showed that Nigerian banks are still undervalued when placed side by side their peers in other emerging markets.

Afrinvest, an investment and research firm, based in Lagos, said when Nigerian banks are benchmarked against comparable entities in other developing markets, they are shown to run conservative balance sheets, have higher non performing loans and lower profitability.

This, it said, was as a result of recent sweeping reforms and restructuring in the sector. The gap is also expected to narrow against the backdrop of a strong economy and the attendant impact on earnings.

The firm, said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has continued to issue key policy statements, rolling out landmark reform initiatives that effectively pushed forward any hopes of resolving the banking crisis soon.

“The focus of banks during the reforms, is therefore limited to developing strategic plans that are in strict compliance with the new CBN licensing regime, while still keeping an eye on balance sheet clean-up. The banks are also involved in improving asset quality and taking advantage of opportunities to drive loan growth,” it said.

This proved particularly successful for most banks, especially on the strength of the financial performance in 2010. “Afrinvest Research is of the opinion that the outlook for Nigerian banks is much rosier now, based on the expectation of an even better performance in 2011 and beyond,” it added.

The thinking is based on the need to sustain high rate of economic growth; financial deepening to fulfill huge unmet needs for basic financial services and the adoption of new technologies to provide banks with needed tools to enhance seamless transactions.

It said, there is however the unfin-

By Collins Nweze

ished business of recapitalizing the rescued banks which interestingly showed remarkable resilience through what was clearly a challenging 2010 for the banking sector.

Afrinvest maintained that rescued banks will collectively play a pivotal role in determining the outlook for the sector going forward. By implication, the erstwhile classification of Nigerian banks – based on balance sheet size – will alter in the near term. This will present a significantly different landscape with Access bank and Ecobank set to take that quantum leap into the top tier.

It said, after the CBN intervention,

N

It reiterated that in spite of all these, Nigeria’s economy maintained its positive trajectory with reported Gross Domestic Product growth of 6.64 per cent in the first quarter of 2011, falling short of the 7.36 per cent posted in same period last year. It was however, below the 7.43 per cent initial projections, saying the growt was driven by global oil prices and stable production variables.

“For most of 2011, monetary policy has mainly been directed at managing liquidity and price levels in anticipation of inflationary strains resulting from election related spending and public sector wage increases,” it said.

The CBN has pursued tightening poli-

the sector is still in the process of restructuring, albeit with a closer view on the finish line. Nevertheless, growth is slowly returning and the banks reported increased earnings in 2010.

Afrinvest insisted that balance sheet restructuring is well underway, while non performing loans ratios are dropping. “While coverage ratios are rising due to activities of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) as well as by improving economic conditions, managements are still cautious as evidenced by high capital adequacy ratios and loan to deposit ratios, which will lead to further expansion,” it said.

holders. He added that retail banks have a significant role to play in Nigeria’s growing economy.

Marsh, said over 70 per cent of Nigerian adults do not have any bank accounts and this presents an opportunity for the banking system. “It is an opportunity to win, not only for Diamond Bank, but for every other bank committed to savings drive,” he said.

He said the bank has given out about N1 billion to winning customers and will give out another N600 million in the next four months.

Adedoye Fatoke was the latest win-

ner of the Salary for Life promo; Mohammed Abdulahi, form Benin, won N2.5 million, while Ultimate Unique Friends of Lagos, won the N5 million prize. The Salary for Life winner, will be given N100, 000 every month for the next 20 years. The winners emerged after a draw conducted in the presence of auditors and representative of Consumer Protection Council. The draw was endorsed by KPMG, which explained that the winners were selected randomly and transparently.

He said the Diamond Bank

has been working on the process since 2009. It said after due consultation with key stakeholders in the market, the company embarked on the exercise to deliver an information portal that would recognise the seven key signposts of the emerging market.

These, it said, includes: The Analyst – promoting transparency in capital market operations with an emphasis on independent technical and fundamental analysis from best-in-class analysts to guide or/and create a basis for intelligent investment engagements.

Others are the Economy portal, Sup-

port Service and the Investor Relations Service, Investment Community.

The Investment Community is a dedicated service that allows all stakeholders and interest groups in the financial community to intelligently engage the market using social networking tools and such tools as investment portfolio tracker and a forum to discuss issues related to the development and growth of the financial market.

There is also the Web Television & News Services which will be focused

P

ROSHARE is set to launch the fifth edition of the financial and eco nomic information portal. This is in response to the need to meet information needs and requirements of all stakeholders in the fast changing Nigerian financial market space.

“In today's competitive market and fragile economy, the ability to go "outside the box" and use an unconventional approach to solve new situations is critical for success,” said Chief Executive Officer, Proshare, Olufemi Awoyemi.

The firm said in a statement that it

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) Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2011 “ 14-04-2011

GAINERS AS AT 26-8-11 SYMBOL CUTIX UNITYBNK BAGCO DANGSUGAR NASCON FIDELITYBK CCBB CONTINSURE CADBURY NESTLE

O/PRICE 2.08 0.55 1.92 11.49 4.43 2.05 7.60 1.03 16.89 400.00

C/PRICE 2.18 0.57 1.98 11.80 4.50 2.08 7.70 1.04 16.96 410.01

CHANGE 0.10 0.02 0.06 0.31 0.07 0.03 0.10 0.01 0.07 0.01

LOSER AS AT 26-8-11 SYMBOL UTC DANGFLOUR AIRSERVICE ETERNAOIL UPL TRANSCORP WEMABANK RTBRISCOE PRESTIGE UBA

O/PRICE 0.60 11.20 2.23 4.70 4.09 0.93 0.79 1.36 1.71 4.31

on putting out less sensational news and information service where key stakeholders and the general public can discuss developments in the market .

Proshare has in the last five years worked with leading financial information sharing, training, services and dissemination firms such as Eurofinance; Forbes; Wall Street Prep; Blue Ocean Strategy Trainings; Association of Pension Fund Managers, Invest IQ USA; AlHuda CIBE, Pakistan; Financial Derivates Company among others.

DATA BANK

Amount N

Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

SavingsXtra, is a unique product plan with immense reward, which not only encourages savings culture among Nigerians, but is also crucial in the growth of Nigeria’s economy.

“We started three years ago. In the first one year, we were trying to ensure that more people get to know Savings Extra. Today, about 30,000 new customers open accounts every month across the country. We think it is something we must continue to reward more customers and improve the retail banking in the country.

Proshare to restructure financial market portal

Tenor

OBB Rate Call Rate

cies with the primary aim of curtailing aggregate demand levels, in the light of huge projected fiscal injections and active contraction of credit growth.

‘Better retail banking’ll improve financial coverage’

IGERIANS need to focus more on retail banking in order to reduce the number of unbanked people in the country.

Speaking during the third draw for the Diamond Bank SavingsExtra promo held in Lagos at the weekend, the bank’s Senior Adviser, Retail Banking, Garry Marsh, said retail banking should be the centre of attraction for banks if the country’s financial inclusion must be improved.

He said the bank’s plan to improve savings will add value to customers and improve profitability for share-

FGN BONDS

NIDF NESF

•CEO Afrinvest, Ike Chioke

C/PRICE 0.57 10.64 2.12 4.47 3.89 0.89 0.76 1.31 1.65 4.17

CHANGE 0.03 0.56 0.11 0.23 2.20 0.04 0.03 0.05 0.06 0.14

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 26-08-11 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)

23-08-11 N7.137tr 22,313.23

24-08-11 N7.135tr 22,308.22

% Change -0.03% -0.03%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

(S/N)

153.0000

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

Aug ’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% 9.4%

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 117.62 112.11 0.78 0.01 0.97 1,620.90 9.61 1.39 1.87 8,827.74 193.00

9.08 1.00 117.16 111.16 0.81 0.01 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) 24 Aug, 2011 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 26, Aug, 2011 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK Previous

Current

04 July, 2011

07, Aug, 2011

Bank

8.5000

8.5000

P/Court

8.0833

8.0833

Movement

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

57

EQUITIES NBC submits application for delisting

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 26-08-11 2ND-TIER SECURITIES Company Name FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC PRESCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 21 23

Quotation(N) 0.50 7.48

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 19,741 9,870.50 183,500 1,363,873.00 203,241 1,373,743.50

Quotation(N) 2.12 6.70

Quantity Traded Value 1,124,306 342,474 1,466,780

Quotation(N) 0.50 1.31

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 5,400 2,700.00 261,487 349,588.46 266,887 352,288.46

Quotation(N) 5.85 4.07 2.86 5.52 2.08 10.83 0.50 12.74 9.50 0.70 1.15 5.70 1.40 4.17 2.09 0.57 0.76 12.35

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 15,914,782 94,329,933.54 2,724,074 11,047,114.86 160,301 436,432.73 301,829 1,665,203.78 13,207,936 26,853,407.06 9,131,438 98,514,838.82 125,814,821 62,907,410.50 44,071,182 561,466,858.68 276,621 2,622,984.60 78,116 54,681.20 335,000 385,250.00 762,246 4,332,727.16 6,020,628 8,376,667.78 7,897,919 33,992,797.73 3,099,801 6,478,584.09 1,233,934 667,293.09 1,456,645 1,111,813.06 9,067,782 112,121,482.61 241,555,055 1,027,365,481.29

No of Deals 12 86 1 109 2 210

Quotation(N) 4.46 215.00 6.15 83.00 0.97

Quantity Traded Value 133,573 229,206 1,250 338,281 11,000 713,310

of Shares (N) 595,735.58 49,364,727.08 7,312.50 27,935,983.60 10,670.00 77,914,428.76

No of Deals 35 5 34 48 122

Quotation(N) 19.58 7.70 111.11 41.00

Quantity Traded Value 253,680 111,112 158,871 416,817 940,480

of Shares (N) 4,934,830.44 855,156.60 17,044,306.39 17,087,328.13 39,921,621.56

Quotation(N) 9.90 26.51 10.53

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 103,375 1,022,400.00 14,946 393,926.80 2,231 22,332.31 120,552 1,438,659.11

AIR SERVICES Company Name AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 22 40 62

of Shares (N) 2,386,083.72 2,388,172.59 4,774,256.31

AUTOMOBILE & TYRE Company Name DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC R. T. BRISCOE (NIGERIA) PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 20 21 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 141 64 13 28 87 480 18 412 29 11 4 61 27 267 9 33 24 219 1,927 BREWERIES

Company Name CHAMPION BREWERIES PLC GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC PREMIER BREWERIES PLC Sector Totals BUILDING MATERIALS Company Name ASHAKA CEMENT PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTHERN NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC Sector Totals

CHEMICAL & PAINTS Company Name BERGER PAINTS NIGERIA PLC CHEMICAL AND ALLIED PRODUCTS PLC NIGERIAN-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 9 1 12

COMMERCIAL/SERVICES Company Name RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 3 3

Quotation(N) 2.78

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 18,300 48,495.00 18,300 48,495.00

COMPUTER & OFFICE EQUIPMENT Company Name OMATEK VENTURES PLC TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 3 5

Quotation(N) 0.50 3.25

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 45,250 22,625.00 10,000 30,900.00 55,250 53,525.00

Quotation(N) 31.00 6.11 0.89 39.00 28.00

Quantity Traded Value 134,229 920 3,389,102 205,856 1,362,151 5,092,258

Quotation(N) 2.66 55.11 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 8,112 20,523.36 114,245 6,301,352.50 450,000 225,000.00 572,357 6,546,875.86

CONGLOMERATES Company Name PZ CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC SCOA NIGERIA PLC TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC UAC OF NIGERIA PLC UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 39 1 42 38 77 197

of Shares (N) 4,147,136.11 5,345.20 3,016,537.78 7,996,959.64 37,931,427.57 53,097,406.30

T

HE Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Plc last weekend formally submitted application to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to delist its shares from the market.

This is to help the bottling company round-off its reversion from a publicly quoted company to a private limited liability company.

NBC had on July 22 secured the necessary three-quarter approval of shareholders to buy out minority shareholders and delist the shares of the company from the NSE. With the receipt of the application, the NSE has placed NBC on full suspension, which implies that there would be no trading on the shares. NBC has proposed delisting the shares by Wednesday, September 7, closing the 38 years history of the 60 years old company as a quoted company.

The majority core investor in NBC, Coca-Cola Hellenic (CCH), is expected to spend about N20.4 billion or $136 million on the buy-out. CCH, the world’s second-largest bottler of Coca-Cola, holds 66.4 per cent equity stake in NBC. Shareholders in NBC, would receive N47.71 naira per share under the deal.

NBC’s share price had closed at N43 following the announcement, representing an 11 per cent premium. CCH said it plans to invest about N45 billion in NBC to expand operations over the next two years to fend off competition.

According to the core investor, the buy-out and subsequent reversion into wholly owned private subsidiary of CCH would enable NBC to fully leverage the financial strength and resource of its parent.

However, Nigerian minority shareholders, capital mar-

No of Deals 7 8 2 17

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Company Name CUTIX PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 2.18

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 58,648 127,852.64 58,648 127,852.64

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 NATIONAL SALT COMPANY NIGERIA PLC NESTLE NIGERIA PLC NORTHERN NIGERIA FLOUR MILLS PLC TANTALIZERS PLC UTC NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 12 53 26 71 56 15 33 44 2 1 9 322

Quotation(N) 45.00 16.96 10.64 11.80 81.50 4.40 4.50 401.01 22.61 0.50 0.57

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 16,191 764,252.56 1,150,398 19,469,829.16 368,602 3,921,925.28 2,488,064 29,261,964.26 242,008 19,703,953.40 26,342 110,109.56 293,900 1,298,842.06 220,580 88,495,614.06 2,000 42,960.00 7,500 3,750.00 54,860,552 31,270,514.64 59,676,137 194,343,714.98

Quotation(N) 1.75 27.00 4.00 1.47 3.87 0.50

Quantity Traded Value 36,093,997 47,238 15,000 7,000 1,208 20,000 36,184,443

HEALTHCARE Company Name FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC PHARMA-DEKO PLC UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 22 11 4 3 1 1 42

of Shares (N) 60,601,608.81 1,277,615.86 57,000.00 9,800.00 4,445.44 10,000.00 61,960,470.11

HOTEL & TOURISM Company Name TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 4.32

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 200 864.00 200 864.00

INDUSTRIAL/DOMESTIC PRODUCTS Company Name ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION INDUSTRIES PLC VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC VONO PRODUCTS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 13 1 15

Quotation(N) 11.20 6.00 2.88

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 81 861.84 154,081 929,549.89 4,090 11,779.20 158,252 942,190.93

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Company Name STARCOMMS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 12 12

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,450,500 1,225,250.00 2,450,500 1,225,250.00

Quotation(N) 0.68 1.04 2.65 0.50 1.09 0.50 0.50 0.54 0.50 0.51 1.65 0.50

Quantity Traded Value 1,320,745 4,301,336 497,616 800,000 568,700 277,777 15,452 53,300 4,000 232,000 128,710 155,491,732

INSURANCE Company Name No of Deals AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 45 CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 9 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC 14 GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC 5 GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC 19 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC 1 LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. 1 LAW UNION AND ROCK INSURANCE PLC. 3 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC 1 N.E.M. INSURANCE CO. (NIG.) PLC. 5 PRESTIGE ASSURANCE PLC. 7 SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 9

of Shares (N) 851,421.40 4,373,289.38 1,348,243.86 410,005.00 616,042.00 138,888.50 7,726.00 27,716.00 2,000.00 117,580.00 213,381.60 77,745,866.00

ket operators and regulators saw the deal as a hi below the belt from a company nurtured from a small company to become a global giant in the soft drink industry.

NBC was incorporated in Nigeria in November 1951 as a subsidiary of the AG Leventis Group with the franchise to bottle and sell CocaCola products in Nigeria.

From a humble beginning as a family business, NBC has grown to become a predominant bottler of non-alcoholic beverages in Nigeria, responsible for the manufacture and sale of over 33 different Coca-Cola brands. Other popular brands of beverage produced by the company are Eva Water, Five Alive fruit juice and the newly introduced Burn energy drink.

The company presently has 13 bottling facilities and over 80 distribution warehouses located across the country.

Over the years, NBC Plc has remained the largest bottler of non-alcoholic beverages in the country in terms of sales volume, with about 1.8 billion bottles sold yearly, making it the second largest market in Africa, after South Africa.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian stock market sank deeper last week as the benchmark return index, the All Share Index (ASI), depreciated by 747.15 points or 3.33 per cent to open today at 21,976.87.

Market capitalisation of the equities dropped to N7.03 trillion.

In what indicated the widespread of the bearishness, all other major return indices on the NSE were in the negative.

The NSE-30 Index depreciated by 32.41 points to close at 976.39. The NSE Food &

Beverage Index depreciated by 18.77 points to close at 766.12, the NSE Banking Index depreciated by 10.97 points to closed at 309.79, the NSE Insurance Index depreciated by 2.09 points to close at 149.12 while the NSE Oil & Gas Index depreciated by 2.75 points to close at 258.27 Nineteen stocks made the gainers’ list as against 43 stocks that recorded price depreciation.

Guinness Nigeria Plc led on the gainers’ table with a gain of N2 to close at N215.

Conoil Plc followed with a gain of N1.63 to close at N34.36 per share. PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, which was adjusted for cash and scrip dividends, led on the price losers’ table with a loss of N9 to close at N31.

Dangote Cement Plc followed with a loss of N5.83 to close at N111.11 per share.

Turnover stood at 1.72 billion shares worth N12.04 billion in 24,817 deals as against 1.75 billion shares valued at N12.96 billion exchanged in 22,746 deals in previous week.

The banking subsector remained the most active with 1.15 billion shares worth N6 billion in 14,730 deals. Volume in the banking subsector was largely driven by activity in the shares of FinBank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa and First Bank of Nigeria Plc. Trading in the shares of the four banks accounted for 562.48 million shares, representing 66.96 per cent and 44.72 per cent of the subsector’s turnover and total volume respectively. Trading on FinBank Plc accounted for 36.75 per cent of the banking subsector.

The insurance subsector was the second most active sector with a turnover of 278.94 million shares valued at N167.52 million in 837 deals.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

CONSTRUCTION Company Name COSTAIN (WA) PLC JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC MULTIVERSE PLC Sector Totals

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 26-08-11 UNIC INSURANCE PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

1 1 6 127

0.50 0.50 0.50

1,845 15,789,473 1,365,367 180,848,053

922.50 7,894,736.50 682,683.50 94,430,502.24

Quotation(N) 0.98

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 171,350 163,366.00 171,350 163,366.00

Quotation(N) 1.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,656,100 1,642,391.35 1,656,100 1,642,391.35

LEASING Company Name C&I LEASING PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 8 8 MARITIME

Company Name JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 40 40

MORTGAGE COMPANIES Company Name RESORT SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 3 4

Quotation(N) 0.50 0.52

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 400,000 200,000.00 10,000 5,000.00 410,000 205,000.00

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Company Name NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 6 7

Quotation(N) 1.13 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,000 2,260.00 578,949 289,485.75 580,949 291,745.75

Quotation(N) 1.98

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,332,942 2,639,992.31 1,332,942 2,639,992.31

PACKAGING Company Name NIGERIAN BAG MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 36 36

PETROLEUM(MARKETING) Company Name 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 2 17 4 5 7 119 14 168

Quotation(N) 63.86 34.36 4.47 17.41 148.00 28.75 203.32

Quantity Traded Value 2,408 54,258 202,000 9,275 16,260 460,010 31,952 776,163

of Shares (N) 148,423.36 1,942,064.16 902,940.00 153,408.50 2,359,954.49 13,280,321.52 6,501,964.00 25,289,076.03

PRINTING & PUBLISHING Company Name ACADEMY PRESS PLC. UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 5 11 16

Quotation(N) 3.17 3.89

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 500 1,510.00 250,759 980,977.36 251,259 982,487.36

Quotation(N) 19.69

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 981,003 18,845,877.10 981,003 18,845,877.10

REAL ESTATE Company Name UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 19 19

THE FOREIGN LISTINGS Company Name ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Sector Totals Overall Totals

No of Deals 14 14

Quotation(N) 13.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 263,650 3,431,690.00 263,650 3,431,690.00

3,431

536,804,119

1,619,409,251.95

58

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

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60

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

61

NEWS

Ocean surge: Lagos seeks Fed Govt’s assistance

T

•Bello (left) and Oniru... yesterday PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

HROUGH its Commissioner for Waterfronts and Infrastructure, Prince Segun Oniru, and that of Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, the Lagos State Government yesterday sought the assistance of the Federal Government on the perennial ocean surge at the Alpha Beach on Victoria Island, Lagos.

Both commissioners addressed reporters at the weekend over the ocean surge that sacked thousands of residents from their homes.

They urged the Federal Government to assist the state to tackle the disaster.

Oniru, who blamed the disaster on the neglect by the Federal Government, said the problem would have long been solved if the Federal Government had fulfilled its promise to tackle the problem.

He said: “You will recall that we came here about three months ago with President Goodluck Jonathan to show him the enormity of the ecological disaster looming on the waterfront. From that time till now we have lost about 10 metres of our land to the ocean surge and people’s lives and property are

Three more bodies recovered Continued from page 2

According to the Minister, the 38 wounded that require admission at the National Hospital are alive and receiving treatment.

“Right now we have five people in Intensive Care Unit, one or two are quite critical, the others have been well resuscitated and even though they are really very injured, they are doing well, so far.”

He also said 104 persons with various degrees of injuries are also receiving treatment in different hospitals around Abuja.

With the death toll at 23, a UN official said the attack on UN House in Abuja is more devastating than a similar incident in Baghdad, Iraq in 2003.

“I think this is the worst the UN has recorded on any of its buildings,” he said.

Some bomb experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the UN Security Chief, Gregory Starr, yesterday began investigation into the explosion at the UN House in Abuja.

They undertook preliminary evaluation of the blast scene, including some shrapnel of the explosives.

Access to the UN building has been restricted to only

investigators, security men, officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and employees of the UN who sought to retrieve their personal effects.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the FBI investigators spent about two hours at the blast scene.

A security source at the UN House, who spoke in confidence, said: “Some FBI experts came here for preliminary investigation. Prior to their arrival, we had cordoned off the UN House and restricted movement.

“We are expecting them back later in the day for another round of inspection.

“Also, the UN Security Chief, Gregory Starr came around with some intelligence officials.”

“NEMA officials are still combing the building with anti-bomb experts in order to find out if corpses were still hidden in some parts of the building.”

The US Embassy which was about three-minute drive from the UN House has been placed under heavy security.

A security barricade has been mounted at about 200m radius to the Embassy which shares fence with an undeveloped plot of land.

Rebels reject Gaddafi’s talks offer Continued from page 2

Sirte has been heavily targeted by NATO air strikes.

An AP reporter found some 50 charred bodies in a makeshift lock-up near a military base that had been run by the Khamis Brigade, an elite unit commanded by Gaddafi’s son, Khamis.

Mabrouk Abdullah, who said he survived a massacre at the site by Gaddafi’s forces, told the AP that, on Tuesday, guards opened fired at some 130 civilian detainees in the lockup, a hangar, and fired again when prisoners tried to flee.

Abdullah said he had been crouching along a wall and was shot in his side, lifting his shirt to show his injury.

Libya’s new rulers, trying to establish control over all the country, set their sights on the coastal city of Sirte —Gaddafi’s birthplace — and two other towns controlled by his supporters, Sabha in the southwest and Jufrah in the southeast.

One commander said his forces were within 100 km (60 miles) of Sirte from the east and others were advancing from the west.

“We will continue negotiations as long as necessary. However, the liberation of these cities will take place sooner or later,” said the military spokesman of the NTC in the eastern city of Benghazi.

“Given the fact that the US Embassy is always a target of terrorists and in the light of the coming anniversary of 9/ 11, we have to beef up security at the Embassy.

“We cannot afford to take anything for granted again,” a top security chief added.

The Deputy Secretary-General of the UN who visited the bomb blast victims at the National Hospital, Abuja yesterday said: “It is a shocking incident, an attack on global peace and communities.

By Miriam Ndikanwu

constantly being threatened by the surge.

“What we need here is a permanent solution to the problem, like we did on the Bar Beach. That is why you see the whole of Ahmadu Bello Way is not flooded.

This problem is not a Lagos

problem. It is a national problem. The Federal Government should come to the aid of the state government. A huge amount of money is required for a permanent solution and the state government alone cannot finance this.”

The commissioner lamented that tourism activi-

ties had been disrupted at the beaches, saying the ocean surge destroyed tents and other property that sheltered tourists.

He said the surge had affected the state’s economy.

According to him, it is not true that the surge was caused by the building of Eko Atlantic City.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

62

FOREIGN NEWS

Hurricane Irene passes over New York O

FFICIALS warned that the storm remained dangerous - as New Yorkers breathed a sigh of relief Life in New York is returning to normal as flood waters brought by Tropical Storm Irene recede.

The feared devastation failed to materialise.

Despite being downgraded from a hurricane, the storm still battered the city with fierce winds and rain.

But the city’s mayor said evacuation orders affecting 370,000 people would end at 15:00 local time (19:00 GMT) and stock exchanges would open today.

However, air travel and the city’s subway system remain suspended.

At least 11 deaths have been linked to the powerful storm, which destroyed buildings in North Carolina and Virginia, and left millions without power.

The storm was classified

as a category three hurricane, carrying winds of more than 120mph (192km/h), when it swept through the Caribbean last week but later weakened.

Despite the downgrade, the US Hurricane Center said maximum wind speeds were still registering 60mph (105km/h) as it reached New York.

US Homeland Security

Secretary Janet Napolitano said that while there was still a way to go with Irene, the “worst of the storm has passed”, adding that the precautions taken had “dramatically decreased” the threat to lives along the eastern US. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared: “All in all, we are

in pretty good shape because of the measures we took.”

He said the subway system would remain closed until safety inspections were complete and admitted Monday’s would be a “tough commute”. Officials said air travel would remain suspended until late afternoon today at the earliest.

Bloomberg appealed for patience from those desperate to get back to homes and defended the measures taken to protect citizens.

“We’re just not going to take any risks with people’s lives. The best scenario is that you take the precautions and they’re not needed.”

New President for Singapore

S

INGAPORE’S former deputy prime minister Tony Tan has won the country’s presidential election by a narrow margin.

The result was announced after a recount between Tony Tan and fellow frontrunner Tan Cheng Bock.

Tony Tan, 71, was seen as the preferred candidate of the governing People’s Action Party, which has run Singapore since independence.

Singapore’s presidency is a largely ceremonial position.

The election was the first of its kind for 18 years.

Election officials said Tony Tan won by just 7,269 votes out of just over two million valid votes cast in Saturday’s four-way race.

The Elections Department ordered a recount after the first tally showed the two front-runners were less than two percentage points apart.

The four candidates all shared the same surname, Tan. Tony Tan’s slim margin is seen as a blow for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who had backed him in the runup to the election.

In a general election three months ago, the People’s Action Party won all but six seats, but the opposition made significant gains.

Voters expressed their an-

•Tony Tan

ger over immigration, living costs and high government salaries.

Singapore - a former British colony with a Westminster-style parliamentary system - instituted the position of president in 1965 when it became a republic.

Presidential candidates run as individuals because Singapore’s head of state is supposed to be non-partisan.

IMF chief: global economy recovery fragile

T

HE head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said the global economy is not growing at a fast enough pace and faces a number of risks to recovery.

Christine Lagarde warned a threat of global recession remained and called for coordinated policy action.

She said this should include the mandatory recapitalisation of European banks.

Ms Lagarde was speaking at a US Federal Reserve meeting at Jackson Hole, US. “Developments this summer have indicated we are in a dangerous new phase,” she said.

“The stakes are clear; we risk seeing the fragile recovery derailed - so we must act now.”

Following on from the financial crisis of 2008/09, growth in the US and Europe remains patchy, while debt worries in both continues to shake market confidence.

“The global economy continues to grow, yet not enough. Some of the main causes of the 2008 crisis have been addressed, yet not adequately,” Ms Lagarde said.

“There remains a path to recovery, but we do not have the luxury of time.”

Typhoon kills eight in Phillipines SEVERAL people died when Typhoon Nanmadol struck northern Philippines, causing severe flooding and landslides Typhoon Nanmadol has killed at least eight people in the Philippines and is heading to Taiwan, officials have said.

Fierce winds and rain caused floods and landslides, with 20 major roads blocked and several bridges collapsing, said civil defence office head Benito Ramos.

Among the dead were two children killed when a rubbish tip wall collapsed in the northern mountain city of Baguio.

Nanmadol is expected to make landfall in eastern Taiwan today, its Central Weather Bureau said.

It said the storm was packing gusts of 137 km/h (85mph) and moving north at 10 kilometres an hour.

The island has evacuated 2,500 villagers from its eastern and southern regions, with schools and offices closed, flights cancelled and public transport disrupted.

Authorities in the Philippines - where the storm raged at up to 230 km/h (145mph) - are focusing on rescue operations, with states of emergency declared in many areas.

An average of 20 storms and typhoons hit the Philippines annually, with dozens killed during the last storms - Nock-ten and Muifa - in July.

S

PUBLIC NOTICE MBORO/AJANYIM LANDOWNERS ASSOCIATION. The general public is hereby notified that the above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The Trustees Are:1. Mazi M.O. Okafor - Chairman 3. Ajah Chukwu Ajah 5. Benjamin Chukwueke 7. Charles Orieji 9. Francis Ogboke 11. Paulinus Madu

2. Chief Martin Onu Vice Chairman 4. Eze Okoro Ude 6. Paul N. Agu - Secretary 8. Amobi Ajah 10. Peter Nweni - Treasurer 12. Lucy Okoro

Aims/Objectives 1. To request, negotiate and receive royalties, benefits and all other rights accruing to the landlords from quarry operating companies.

2. To distribute same to the landowners 3. To protect their territory from interference from any quarters 4. To seek welfare of the village and members Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the office of the Registrar – General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Crescent , Miatama Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Mazi M.O. Okafor Chairman

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

63

TOMORROW IN THE NATION

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

‘In a spade of 20 months (30 December 2009-28 August 2011), the former CJN did enough to earn the legacy of judicial notoriety, if not outright anarchy, his tenure richly earned’

VOL.7, NO. 1,867

C OMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

I

T was morning in America. The day was in full flower, back home in Nigeria. The sun was up, the fury of human sweat, the profit and loss of striving had taken shape.

But for me on vacation, the day began in near-autumnal Colorado with a visit to the Internet. The ambiguous light of dawn still penciled in through the window when the computer screen beamed with the Abuja news. I could not say I could not believe it.

Given the blood-stained signature of Boko Haram in recent times, such an expression of sentiment would be naïve. Yet as poet Samuel Coleridge noted, “anticipation is more potent than surprise.” You expected a thing like this, and when it came it was as if you did not expect it.

Some reports said 16 died. Others reported 18. Yet, it was not the rubble aftermath or the internationalising of the catastrophe alone that overwhelmed me. It was the sense that, in spite of the October disaster, in spite of the police building inferno, this one could still happen.

We can bemoan the failure of security in the capital city. We may weep over the al Qaeda-like imprint in this suicidal folly. But what bothers me is that, even after this, our security apparatus will be less thorough, the intelligence forces in the country still as inept as ever.

It all boils down to the fact that our leadership has failed to treat the matter with the concentrated energy it deserves.

President Jonathan’s tenure is being defined by the day by violence. Yet, rather than focus energy on it, he decided to act like generals and rulers in history who were not content in fighting one battle, but in inventing rage that opened new battle fronts.

President Jonathan has not offered a speech or rolled out a vision to attack the scourge of Boko Haram. He merely condemns it, and promises to tackle it. He set up a panel of people to find facts. He has not held the national security adviser to account. The NSA himself has not explained to us what progress has been made, what infrastructure has been erected. We have not had warnings about any impending violence. Yet, we have SSS operatives in every local government in the country. We devote billions of Naira to security every year.

Day after day we hear of the blasts and killings. We know the geographical nexus of their operations. Yet we feel impotent about the matter. It is a failure of leadership

by President Jonathan that close to a year of this matter, we do not have a faint idea of the personalities behind the violence. We have not isolated where they meet or plot.

We do not know beyond conjecture the working of their psyche or the economics of their dynamics or their access to technology.

We have not been able to introduce what is called civic coercion, which makes it possible for the intelligence community to work with citizens to unearth the militants.

The irony is that Jonathan and his men brandish speeches of grandiloquent waste while the city burns and people die. That is not the real tragedy. The man decided to divert attention to other matters. He threw

RIPPLES GADAFFI VOWS TO FIGHT ON–News

...from HIDING?

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

omatseyesam@yahoo.com 08054501081(sms only) •Winner, Informed Commentary 2009 (D.A.M.E) •Columnist of the Year 2009 (NMMA)

Jonathan the anti-hero

•Dr. Jonathan

up the six-year, one term agenda. As if that battle front was not enough, he opened a new one in the judiciary, slugging it out with Court of Appeal President Salami. Suddenly, he is like some generals and leaders in history like Napoleon of France and the German Kaiser Wilhelm 11 who burned themselves out fighting on all fours in all fronts.

President Jonathan has become the clueless president, shorn of clear vision, energy for transformation, the charisma to drive men and women to action in a time of economic agony and infrastructure decay.

He is not fiddling because he does not suffer from the aesthetic self-deceit of Emperor Nero. He is not hectoring because he does not have an Idi Amin temperament.

He is playing no sleight of hand like his

‘Why the hurry to replace Salami? Why not assert the law by waiting for the court to take its course? Is that not the rule of law? The justices abused the temple of justice for narrow reasons, and the President decided to go to bed with them, and he says he is being neutral?’ former mentor, the crafty OBJ who dueled a fight of empty words of expired old men with IBB on the latter’s pitiful 70th birthday.

Jonathan is an anti-hero, but not the antihero of the villain tradition. In mythic and literary traditions, the anti-hero could actually be a nice guy who does nothing, or a nice guy who destroys or builds by doing nothing. But the antihero is no hero. Jonathan is the sort of anti-hero typically Nigerian.

He is the antihero who enjoys the perk of office and sees his job as president as that of surviving from day to day and standing in the way of those who would not have him enjoy the ceremonial sweetness of the throne.

HARDBALL

A

FRICA remains the world’s most blighted continent. The reasons are not far-fetched. The continent’s leaders, in spite of their sometimes fine ideological rhetoric, the so-called peer review mechanism, and deep-seated religiosity, are basically selfish, impetuous and unintelligent. These weaknesses have manifested in poor choices, poor understanding of democracy, messianic proclivity and brutal high-handedness. Last Friday, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the African Union (AU) Emergency Peace and Security Council met and took a most irresponsible and reckless decision on the revolt in Libya. First they made a bewildering suggestion that it was unhelpful to decide which faction in the Libyan war they would recognise because the two sides were still fighting. Then unbelievably, if not recklessly, they also said that rather than recognise the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC), which more than 40 countries all over the world have already recognised, the combatants should instead set up an all-inclusive transition council, including Gaddafi’s men, to oversee the affairs of the country and lay the foundation for democracy.

This was arrant nonsense, which mercifully Nigeria was not a party to. Nigeria has since sensibly recognised the Libyan NTC. How could the continent’s leaders make such a distressing suggestion after seeing the havoc the deposed Libyan leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi, wreaked on his people? Are African leaders so

OLAKUNLE ABIMBOLA

That is why he has thrown up the six-year single term issue and wants to send a silver bullet right into the chest of Salami. Both are related. Salami is the court of appeal president and he will preside over his case against Buhari. If he does not get his way in court, how can he actualise the dream of enjoying another six years in office?

President Jonathan has said it will not affect him, and that he is interested in bringing sanity to electoral experience in Nigeria. But earlier, he denied being behind it, and that it was not his idea. His speech contradicted the elaborate submissions of my friend Reuben Abati, his spokesman. It seemed that the matter had quieted, only for him to see new fillip from the uncoordinated logic of some commentators, like Professor Nwabueze. Then we learned they wanted to persuade some first-term governors to ride with them on that egregious gamble.

Suddenly the matter was back on the burner, and Abati says the president still believes in the sanctity of the idea. So the president loves it not for himself but for democracy. He will not benefit. Did he not take part in the zoning decision of the PDP? Did he not pronounce publicly that there was no such thing in the PDP constitution?

Later he brandished his right to contest like anybody.

If this six-year legislation passes, will he not appeal to his natural right? After all, the constitution will not mention his name. His lackeys and palace griots will chorus his position, and they will say if Nigerians don’t want him, let us test it at the polls. The result, we all know, will be a forgone conclusion.

Please tell, Mr. President, how can one term stop violence? Will there be no more greed for power, or no more thugs? A one-term president or governor will be an emperor.

He will have no reason to persuade anyone to vote him in again. He can buy the legislature, so no impeachment. I still want to know the logic of these one-termers.

On Salami, the President could have risen above the fray, and brokered peace between Salami and Katsina Alu. Rather, he allowed the matter to careen out of control. Now, the vacuous argument is that he was merely responding to a recommendation. Why the hurry to replace Salami? Why not assert the law by waiting for the court to take its course?

Is that not the rule of law? The justices abused the temple of justice for narrow reasons, and the President decided to go to bed with them, and he says he is being neutral?

He was embroiled in this when the first duty of government, namely security, was failing woefully. Hence he was caught napping when Boko Haram visited next door.

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

AU’s irresponsible decision on Libya insensitive that they forgot the massacre of unarmed protesters Gaddafi’s troops carried out in Benghazi? The massacres in many parts of Libya so horrified the world that even the usually sedate Arab League denounced Gaddafi, berated his army, and called for assistance for the protesters, a call rightly heeded by Qatar.

Europe was so shocked by the scale of horror that uncharacteristically the dithering and effusively diplomatic duo of France and Britain championed the fight-back. It was shocking that instead of denouncing Gaddafi for crimes against humanity, the AU kept spectrally quiet.

It would have been better if it kept its disgraceful silence than to connive at the horrific slaughter Gaddafi carried out against his people. Surely, the continent’s leaders cannot claim ignorance of Gaddafi’s brutal and repressive 42-year autocracy; nor is it reasonable of them to pretend that Libyans did not have a legitimate right to clamour for openness and democracy. It is recalled that South Africa’s Jacob Zuma led a fruitless and short-sighted shuttle diplomacy to convince Libyan rebels to have a rapprochement with Gaddafi. When that exercise collapsed, he half-heartedly attempted to persuade Gaddafi to abdicate in line with one of the options canvassed by AU. That effort also foundered, as it should. It is also recalled that

many African leaders owe certain favours to Gaddafi, and they feel they should repay him by supporting him against his people. Now, all the pussyfooting has culminated in a totally irresponsible and embarrassing refusal to recognise the Libyan TNC. If the AU had denounced Gaddafi’s repression in the early weeks of the revolt and isolated him, perhaps the war would not have been as bitter, bloody and prolonged.

If anyone seeks reasons for the continent’s backwardness, the AU approach to Libya is a good example. It shows how many African leaders have contempt for their people, how they make wrong choices based on wrong and sentimental premises, and how, in spite of stark reality, they are often conditioned against fairness and objectivity. Libya has since moved on, and Gaddafi will be defeated. The people of Libya will remember those who stood by them in their moment of distress. They will not forget AU’s ignoble role led by Zuma and other small-minded autocrats like Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe who have ruled their own people brutally for decades. Nigeria has done the right thing in Libya, far better than its giddy excitement over Cote d’Ivoire where it failed to fully appreciate France’s neo-colonial tactics.

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