The Nation December 31, 2012

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Governor Wada, driver ‘stable’

No more federal character in police

NEWS

•ADC buried in Kaduna

NEWS

•AIGs, CPs now on merit Page 54

Page 53

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VOL. 7, NO. 2357 MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

No fuel price hike in January, says NNPC

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ETROL price will not go up next month, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said yesterday.

It urged Nigerians to desist from panic-buying because the Federal Government has made a budget

By Emeka Ugwuanyi and John Ofikhenua, Abuja

provision for fuel subsidy in 2013.

NNPC spokesman Fidel Pepple said in Abuja that the NNPC’s vandalised Ijeododo pipeline in Ojo Local Government of Lagos State had been repaired.

He said with the restoration of the pipeline and the System 2B pipeline, which was vandalised at Arepo in Ogun State, there would be no fuel scarcity or queues at the filling stations as the corporation has sufficient premium motor spirit (petrol).

The NNPC has carried out

full restoration of the Ijeododo pipeline, which is pumping premium motor spirit to depots and tank farms in the system 2B, spanning from Atlas-Cove to Ilorin.

Pepple said: “I can affirm to you that our engineers Continued on page 2

Boko Haram kills 15 as CAN rejects dialogue We’ll defeat insurgents, says Jonathan JTF kills four ‘terrorists’

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HE Boko Haram sect ended the year on a deadly note at the weekend, with the killing of 15 people in a Borno State village.

But Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Ayo Oritsejafor has ruled out dialogue with the sect, which President Goodluck Jonathan promised to defeat.

Gunmen believed to be

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja and Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

Boko Haram men at the weekend attacked Musari village in Borno State, tying up men, women and children before slitting their throats and killing no fewer than 15 people.

The gunmen shouted “Allahu Akbar” as they ordered people to gather up into a group, said Mshelia Inusa, a primary school teacher in the

village.

Later, Inusa and others saw bodies with their hands tied behind their backs and their throats cut.

Later Friday morning, an ambulance arrived at the State Specialists Hospital in Maiduguri, accompanied by a group of military vehicles, a security guard said. Agitated soldiers ordered people away, but the guard said he counted at least

15 bodies being brought into the facility’s morgue.

Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa said five people were killed.

Christians have rejected the proposal of dialogue between the government and the Boko Haram fundamentalists.

To the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), there should be no dialogue with

the sect.

Pastor Oritsejafor said the government must battle the sect to submission because it is “wicked”.

Pastor Oritsejafor, in a statement yesterday, condemned Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim for his comments last week that the Federal Government must dialogue with Boko Haram as the only way to stop the killings and insecurity.

The cleric said Ibrahim’s insistence that the reasons for the sect’s actions are inequality, neglect and injustice should be probed and that the Senator should be held responsible for the activities of the Boko Haram sect.

Pastor Oritsejafor advised the government to deal with the sect instead of listening Continued on page 2

ACN, CNPP slam Fed Govt •Presidency, PDP: we’re doing well From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

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HE opposition yesterday challenged the government on its performance rating in the outgoing year.

The government’s New Year plan also received knocks from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP).

In separate statements, they hailed Nigerians for their courage and perseverance, but said the government’s efforts at tackling socio-economic problems have failed.

The ACN, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, accused the government of governing by deceit and phantom statistics. It said the government exaggerates its achievement, in addition to making “fake promises to Nigerians”.

The ACN slammed the President’s Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, “for making himself a purveyor of blatant lies and for having the temerity to denigrate the country’s opposition for daring to criticise a non-performing government.”

The party said the government’s claim, through Dr. Okupe, that it will generate Continued on page 2

•ALL SMILES: President Goodluck Jonathan (right) greeting children after a service at the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (aka EYN), in PHOTO: NAN Abuja…yesterday

•CITYBEATS P10 •SPORT P23 •CEO P32 •JOBS P37 •MOTORING P43•POLITICS P45

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THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

NEWS ‘No fuel price hike in January’ Continued from page 1

from the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited (PPMC) have finally fixed the Ije-Ododo pipeline that was ruptured last Monday by activities of pipeline vandals. Going forward, the good news for Nigerians is that we have resumed pumping of petroleum products through the pipeline and System 2b is equally working after the restoration of the pipeline.”

He described media reports that fuel scarcity and queues in some parts of the country may last beyond the New Year as mischievous, noting that the corporation still

maintains zero tolerance to fuel scarcity and fuel queues in filling stations. The recent fuel queues were basically due to the activities of pipeline vandals and the closure of some filling stations due to the Christmas holidays and not shortage of petroleum products.

The NNPC spokesman revealed that the corporation has product sufficiency that can sustain the country for more than a month.

Abuja and Lagos have been hit hard with fuel scarcity in the past one week, resulting in very long queues at the fuel retail outlets and increase in pump price at some stations.

We’re doing well, say Presidency, PDP •Brazilian carnival queens during the Calabar festival...at the weekend.

Opposition parties fault Fed Govt’s performance Continued from page 1

780,000 jobs in 2013 through the ‘Young Graduate Employment Scheme’ and 5,000 jobs in each of the 36 states through SURE-P is the latest example of the Administration’s lies. ‘’Our advice to the teeming young graduates who have no jobs is that they should not allow themselves to be hoodwinked by this promise. They should remember that this same Administration promised to create 10,000 jobs in each of the 36 states through SURE-P in 2012. The year is over, and all we have now are phantom jobs and more fake promises,’’ the party said.

It also urged Nigerians to ensure that their generators are in good working condition, as the government’s promise of stable electricity in 2013 is as unrealistic as it is deceitful. ‘’The Administration said it has generated an all-time high 4,500 mega watts and will increase the number to 7,000MW in 2013. What a celebration of tokenism! In the first instance, the government should be ashamed to tell Nigerians it has been able to gen-

erate only 4,500MW from a huge expenditure of 16 billion dollars! ‘’Also, no one needs a rocket scientist to know that 4,500MW cannot ensure stable electricity supply in a country of 160 million people when South Africa, with less than a third of Nigeria’s population, generates over 40,000MW!!!

There you have it, dear longsuffering Nigerians, don’t throw away your generators yet just because of an imaginary power stability promised by a government spokesman who has nothing but disdain for the truth,’’ ACN said.

The party also faulted the Administration’s claim that the bombings and killings in the north have decreased from January to December, calling it “fabricated cold comfort and a disservice to millions of our citizens who are daily being subjected to terror attacks, while President Jonathan, now a professional mourner, resorts to endless lamentation instead of decisive action”. ‘’Well, we are not surprised at the claim of reduced terror attacks by the Jonathan Administration. After all, the

same Administration claimed that global anti-corruption body Transparency International acknowledged Nigeria’s progress in fighting corruption, when nothing like that ever happened. ‘’To set the record straight, 750 people have been killed in terror attacks in the north this year, a figure higher than about 570 who were killed in 2011, and not counting the latest killings in Borno and Adamawa states,’’ it said.

The ACN advised the Jonathan Administration to level up with Nigerians by admitting its failings and rolling up its sleeves, so to say, to reverse the ‘transmogrification’ which the President’s Transformation Agenda has become, instead of relying on a hypocritical spokesman to peddle lies to citizens who are already reeling under the failure of an impotent government.

The CNPP yesterday insisted that President Jonathan is afraid of dealing with the Boko Haram sect.

The government, the CNPP said, can no longer guarantee the fundamental rights of its citizens with the state of security

abysmally poor and states in several parts of the country, particularly in a state of war.

It said President Jonathan has not visited Borno State, even if only to reassure the suffering citizens there that Nigeria has not forsaken them.

It said Dr. Jonathan has been embracing corrupt officials instead of prosecuting them.

The party faulted the National Assembly members for not being able to carry out any successful probe to gain the trust of Nigerians.

The statement in Abuja by the CNPP Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, said: “Nothing presently works in Nigeria, save for what is merely the semblance of a country to the extent that it is now a shadow of what it was before the military snatched power back in 1996 or when Nigeria joined the comity of nations as a giant of Africa in 1960.

“Considering the size of the country in all ramifications and the series of Federal government’s failed boasts to root out the insurgency by extremists in the northeast of the country, the ongoing carnage Continued on page 63

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Presidency have reacted to the criticism of poor performance of the Jonathan administration by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The ACN accused the administration of ruling Nigerians through deceit and false claims of achievements.

The PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said rather than criticism, the administration should be praised for addressing the power crisis and managing the economy well, despite reports of economic downturn and financial meltdown all over the world.

The statement reads: “President Jonathan should be commended for the manner in which he has successfully handled the economy of Nigeria and, in particular, addressing the power generation crisis in the country. We all know what the situation was when he assumed office.

Nigerians are in a better position to assess the position of things.

“On security, the President has managed the situation very well. Terrorism is alien to Nigerians, but that notwithstanding, the security agencies have done a great work in managing the chal-

From Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

lenges of insecurity in the country.”

Also, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, disagreed with the opposition on the administration’s performance.

Okupe said: “The Goodluck Jonathan administration is a God fearing administration and will not engage in falsehood to advance its level of performance and achievement. This administration will not engage in deceit as claimed by the ACN. “No amount of insult, blackmail or falsehood by any mischievous group will succeed in deterring the administration from succeeding in its obligation with the Nigerian people,” Okupe said.

The President’s aide described the criticism as “baseless, unnecessary and a failed attempt to gain cheap publicity where it does not exist; and an attempt to hoodwink Nigerians to tarnish the undisputable strides made by the Jonathan administration.

“Our achievement in power generation and distribution cannot be faulted. The Continued on page 63

Boko Haram kills 15 as CAN rejects talks with sect Continued from page 1

to the Senator.

He said the Boko Haram sect should be made to pay for all its misdeeds against Christians over the years.

Pastor Oritsejafor vowed not to accept any dialogue with Boko Haram that will not involve compensating families of Christians killed and churches bombed by the “wicked” sect.

He said elders in the North, especially those in the Northeast zone, hold the key to the cessation of violence in the region and “should begin to discuss how to end the unprovoked attacks on Christians and their churches”.

Boko Haram (western education is a sin) has claimed responsibility for killings and terrorist attacks on churches and public institutions.

In a statement in Abuja by his Special Assistant, Mr. Kenny Ashaka, the CAN President said: “Pastor Oritsejafor believes that the statement by the senator that “we can find a way really to help dialogue with this group; after all, they are all Nigerians, at least as far as we know…, is overly reckless, irresponsible and insensitive, just

We shall defeat Boko Haram, says Jonathan

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From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan dents, but the extent of attacks which is confident that Boko Haram that his administration is working assid- they planned could not be executed. insurgency will be defeated.

“Boko Haram will not push us backuously to end the security challenge.

“With your prayers, we shall defeat He noted that adequate measures had wards. If their plan is to stop governthem,” he said yesterday during a been put in place to contain the menace ment from providing the dividend of service at the Ekklisiyat Yaruwa a of the Boko Haram sect. democracy, they would not succeed beNigeria (EYN) (Church of the BrethThe President said the security plans cause 2013 will be a good year for Niren in Nigeria) in Utako, Abuja. put in place were already yielding posi- gerians and Nigeria.”

Dr. Jonathan was worshipping at tive results.

The President also expressed surthe church, which is the worst-hit by He said the strategic security arrange- prise over how terrorism and suicide the Boko Haram insurgency. No few- ment aborted the plans by the group to bombings, which were alien to the culer than 109 of its members have been launch an attack on Christmas Day. ture of any section of the country, had killed by the sect; while 50 branches He said: “The Boko Haram planned to crept in, noting that Christianity and of the church, which is predominate- carry out a lot of attacks on Christmas Islam are religions of peace and tolerly in the Northeast, have been burnt Day, but we suppressed their plans dur- ance which forbid killings and blooddown. ing the Christmas. The extent of their letting.

The Northeast states of Yobe and plans was not executed because of the He also thanked the authorities and Borno and, to a large extent, Adama- strategies put in place by the security members of the EYN nationwide for wa are the epicentre of the sect’s ac- agencies. keeping the faith and remaining calm tivities.

Continued on page 63 “Although we still recorded some inciDr. Jonathan re-assured Nigerians as it is a panacea for encourag- throne the Islamic law of jection to the laws of the land, direct consequences of the neing the increasingly violent Sharia’ah. The President of rather than treading the dan- glect of the people by those who and daring sect.

CAN advises Ibrahim not to gerous path of dialogue, which govern them, himself a two“In the first place, he says, it panic into making recommen- has always been truncated by time governor of Yobe State inis naïve for Senator Ibrahim to dations that are short-sighted harsh conditions from the sect clusive. reason that if the Federal Gov- and that as a senator of the Fed- members. According to him, “If, today, the people are ernment dialogued with Boko eral Republic of Nigeria, he Senator Ibrahim must bear a fighting biting poverty, ineHaram, the sect would limit it- should not take counsel from heavy responsibility for the spi- quality and injustice as Senaself to concessions made when only a section of a state or re- ralling violence of Boko Haram tor Ibrahim would want us to they have stated, clearly, that gion. against Christians in Yobe State believe, it is his likes that their aim is to do away with “He expects Senator Ibrahim if he now speaks of inequality, should be held responsible for western education and en- to help put the sect in strict sub- neglect and injustice, which are being the sources of their pov-

•Dr. Jonathan

erty. In that case, Boko Haram’s anger should have been directed at leaders like Senator Abba Bukar Ibrahim who have not allowed their members to take full advantages of the vast economic opporContinued on page 63

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THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

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THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

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NEWS 2012 IN REVIEW

Nigerians All of them, except one who is an exgovernor, were living overseas for years when they were for one crime or the other jailed or killed in the outgoing year •From left: Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National Auditor, Alhaji Bungudu Abdullahi, NLC Vice President, Emmanuel Njoku, Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi; NLC National President, Abdulwahed Omar; and Head of Department, Labour and Industrial Relations, of the NLC, Emmanuel Ugboaja, during a working visit by the National Executive members of the NLC to Fayemi in Ado-Ekiti...Saturday.

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun flanked on the left by his wife Olufunso and Osile of Oke-Ona, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, during the engagement ceremony between the monarch’s granddaughter, Wuraola Tejuoso and Ayodele Aina, in Lagos...weekend.

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SEZUA Osolase, 42, tricked poverty-stricken Nigerian orphans into travelling to the (United Kingdom)UK with the promise of a better life.

But the young victims were raped, sexually abused and subjected to voodoo-style rituals by a child trafficking ring.

He was jailed for 20 years on October 28.

Osolase, the linchpin of a multimillion pound global sex trafficking ring, used ‘juju’ magic (charm) to control his victims.

He told the teenage girls they would die or never bear children if they tried to escape or revealed what had happened to them.

Judge Adele Williams told Osolase: “You are arrogant and manipulative, you are devoid of conscience, devoid of any compassion to your victims. You were dealing in exploitation and misery and degradation. You have been convicted on clear and compelling evidence of trafficking two girls in and out of the •Ibori UK. Once they arrived in the UK the reality was explained to them that Cann, a corporate financier, Lamberthey were going to have to work as tus De Boer - who have all been jailed prostitutes. They were petrified that for a total of 30 years. if they spoke out they would be His fraud unravelled when the Metharmed and killed.” ropolitan Police raided the office of The charges relate to three girls aged ‘trusted servant’ Gohil, 47, who was 14, 16, and 17. One was raped and all jailed for 10 years, and found hard three endured juju rituals, including drives containing detailed records hidone conducted by Osolase himself. den in the wall behind a fire place.

One feared she was being taken to Two Nigerian fraudsters, whose gloanother country to be used as a hu- bal £2.7 million scam had deadly conman sacrifice. Osolase slashed the sequences for one family they mercilesschest of his youngest victim with a ly ripped off, were jailed December 4. razor and rubbed black powder into Police identified a total of thirteen her bleeding wounds. victims. They lost an average of £207, On the surface, Osolase was a recy- 000 each, after the duo convinced them cling worker living in a terraced house they were due for an Australian lottery in Gravesend, Kent. But his home was pay-out, inheritance, investment bena secret staging post for vulnerable efit or were sold non-existent heavy teenage orphans as they were smug- plant machinery. gled from Africa, through Britain, to binnam Nwokolo, 37, of 20 several European countries.

Chesworth Close, Erith, who Detectives discovered evidence that amassed a valuable property at least 28 victims were smuggled in portfolio in the UK and Nigeria, reand out of Britain over a 14-month ceived six years and four months and period, earning him up to £1.5 million. Uchechhukwu Onuoha, 40, of Aspen ormer Delta State Governor Green, Erith, who entered the UK on a James Ibori was sentenced to student visa, received five years and a 13- year jail term in April two months. for pocketing £50 million, which he Both pleaded guilty at Croydon splashed on a life of luxury, includ- Crown Court to conspiracy to defraud ing his own private jet. between October 1, 2008 and SeptemBut the £50 million may prove to ber 15 last year. be ‘ludicrously low’, said Judge AnOne of their victims, Betty McClellan, thony Pitts as he sentenced Ibori for 62, of Hyde Park, Los Angeles, was shot a series of offences, including fraud dead by her husband Hersey McClellan, and money laundering.

63, who then shot himself on June 20, “In the light of other matters, per- 2010 after she wired £264,000 — blowhaps that is a ludicrously low figure ing the couple’s hard-earned pension. and the figure may be in excess of £200 She transferred the funds to accounts million. It is difficult to tell,” he told controlled by fellow Nigerians Southwark Crown Court in London. Sergius Ene, 44, of 111 Rushden GarIbori’s spending included a port- dens, Ilford and Osas Odia, 33, of 15 folio of luxury houses, a £12.6 mil- Windrush Court, Chichester Wharf, lion private jet, a fleet of top-of-the- Erith, who both admitted conspiring to range cars, top UK boarding school launder criminal property. places for his children, first-class Ene, who got sixteen months impristravel and posh hotels. onment in March for a £27,000 EuroIt was heard that he tried to pay a milions lottery scam on an 83-year-old $15 million bribe to a government Northampton pensioner, was jailed for official to make the corruption in- two years and eight months for launvestigation ‘go away’. dering £342,400.

He was helped by family memessica Tata, 24, was jailed in Tex bers, including his wife - Nkoyo, sisas for abandoning young children ter - Christine Ibori-Ibie, his mistress in her day care while she went on Udoamaka Oniugbo, and a series of a shopping trip to Target. corrupt professionals - a LondonTata, who was only a few years removed based lawyer, Bhadresh Gohil, who from her teens when she started her day acted as his banker and set up a myr- care, worked alone most of the time. iad of off-shore companies, a fiduInvestigators said the February 2011 ciary agent, Daniel Benedict Mc- blaze happened when a pan of oil she

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•Governor Peter Obi (left) with Francis Cardinal Arinze at the Thanksgiving Mass in honour of the Cardinal’s 80th birthday anniversary at the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha

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•From left: Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties, Dr. Aderemi Desalu, Corporate Affairs Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Ore Famurewa, Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed and Mrs. Dosunmu, Finance Director, Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties, during the presentation of Peak Milk as relief material to internally displaced persons in Lagos

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

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NEWS 2012 IN REVIEW

jailed or killed abroad in the year

•Onyeuku

•Abimbola Thomas

•Idiabeta

had left cooking on the stove ignited while she was out shopping.

Houston jurors sentenced Tata to 80 years in prison for the death of one of the children, 16-month-old Elias Castillo. She faces charges related to the rest of the children.

Tata fled to Nigeria after the fire but was captured after about a month, returned to the U.S. in March 2011. She was born in the U.S. but has Nigerian citizenship.

A Nigerian couple who tried to claim £3.8 million in an ‘eye-watering’ benefits scam using 1,400 stolen identities were jailed in September for a total of almost 10 years. deola Thomas, 38, assisted by his partner, Abimbola Abiola, 34, managed to pocket £87,000 after submitting almost 2,500 handwritten applications for tax credits and benefits. The pair spent the money on designer clothing and electrical items, including a 50-inch plasma television.

The fraud was discovered when it was noticed the same address was being used for multiple claims, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Thomas, an illegal immigrant, was jailed for seven years while Abiola, also a Nigerian national with leave to remain in the UK, was jailed two-and-ahalf years.

Both Thomas and Abiola are to be deported at the end of their prison terms.

The pair, who carried out the scam between January 3, 2007 and October 7, 2011, tried to claim £827,000 from HMRC, securing £43,000.

They also claimed £3 million from the Department of Work and Pensions and received £44,000.

With Abiola’s help, Thomas used stolen personal details to complete 2,495 handwritten application forms, which were sent to the appropriate departments for processing.

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•Adeola Thomas

•Osolase

Investigators viewed CCTV footage showing activity outside various North London Post Office ATMs and carried out surveillance on Thomas.

He also had two mobile phones and two fraudulently completed application forms addressed to Job Centre Plus.

Mrs. Abiola, a mother-of-one, was caught on the same day with £4,125 cash in her handbag, which she claimed was child benefit payment.

Thomas, of Hackney, East London, admitted three counts of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.

She was found guilty of four counts of conspiracy to defraud, money laundering and possession of criminal property following a trial at the court in August.

He was arrested outside a cash point at Upper Clacton Post Office in Hackney, East London on October 7 where he was found to be in possession of 17 Post Office accounts.

In August, a Nigerian couple, who claimed their kids were possessed by evil spirits, was jailed for seven years each.

The Nigerian couple was found guilty after Coronation Street star Michelle Collins gave evidence against them.

They beat their children with brooms, hoovers and wires and even gave their baby a morphine overdose just days after her first birthday. The Nigerians, whose identities were not revealed, face deportation - despite pleas from their legal team that they have been ‘punished enough’ by having their children taken into care.

As they left the court they wailed: ‘We are innocent, this is a miscarriage of justice.’

Also jailed in the year were two Nigerian teens, Nelson Idiabeta and Nathaniel Okusanya. They killed an

•Arogundade

innocent 17-year-old student after mistaking him for a rival gang member.

Their victim, Kwame OfosuAsare, who was 'in the wrong place at the wrong time', was stabbed 14 times in the back in a 'cowardly and merciless' murder.

The 17-year-old was mistaken for a rival in a 'poisonous and senseless' gang war, a court heard as Idiabeta and Okusanya were jailed for life.

The pair were members of the TN1 gang - Trust No One - out to avenge one of their members who was stabbed by a rival gang member from the GAS gang - Guns and Shanks - just hours earlier.

His killers had toured housing estates in Brixton to find rival gang members and came upon the 17year-old son of a sports broadcast journalist and his friend, who had nothing to do with any gang.

Kwame and his friend with a 'sixth sense' ran away into a cul de sac where his friend's aunt lived in a desperate attempt to get to safety - but she was not at home.

His friend managed to jump over a wall but Kwame was trapped and then killed on March 2.

He shouted out he was from Catford and pleaded 'I'm not from round here, I'm not from round here' but he was murdered by the pair who had persuaded a shopper to buy them at least one substantial kitchen knife just hours before the attack.

After an Old Bailey jury found the pair guilty Idiabeta, now 18 was jailed for 19 years while Okusanya, 19, was jailed for 20 years. sther Arogundade, a 32year-old Nigerian resident in London, was attacked and killed by another Nigerian, Shola Adebiyi, a kitchen porter, in

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•Tata

•Adebiyi

•Odia

•Okusanya

her own home after she began a relationship with another man.

Adebiyi also drank oven cleaner in an attempt to kill himself and phoned Esther's new lover to say he would never see her again before confessing to the killing to a friend.

Police broke into home of a mother-of-two in Salford, Greater Manchester, and found KFC worker Esther lying dead on the kitchen floor with multiple stab wounds to her back and front.

Adebiyi was jailed at Manchester Crown Court for a minimum of 20and-a-half years after admitting killing her.

The court heard how Esther began dating Adebiyi in 2007 and that they later had a two-year-old daughter but seperated last year after a series of rows.

The prosecutor, Rob Hall, told the court: "These arguments were ignited by differences of opinion over the religion of their daughter, the defendant wanted her to convert from Christian to Islam, but Esther was a church goer.

"There were arguments about expenses, bills and childcare."

Last March Esther, who also had a nine-year-old daughter living in Nigeria from a previous relationship, began a friendship with another man named in court as Mr. Alabi.

While visiting family back home in Nigeria, Mr. Alabi received a sinister phone call from Adebiyi, claiming he would be killed if he returned to the UK. Mr. Alabi told Esther about the call and she spoke to Adebiyi but he initially denied it.

On June 26, Adebiyi cleared out his locker at work at a conference centre in Manchester, then left armed with a large kitchen knife and waited for Esther and their daughter to

come home.

Throughout that evening there were phone calls between Mr. Alabi and Esther and also a child minder who was booked for the next day.

But the following morning, Adebiyi was said to have made "frantic arrangements" to get child care for his daughter and handed her over at 9.50am along with her birth certificate and left in her push chair.

He then called Mr. Alabi, who asked about the whereabouts and welfare of Esther only to be told he would never see her again.

Adebiyi then called a friend and confessed he had killed Esther, claiming it had happened during a fight.

The friend went to the house and saw Adebiyi come out wearing a blood-stained T-shirt and holding a large black-handled knife.

He saw him throw the knife into nearby bushes. hinedu Onyeuku Also, a former Nigerian national basketball player, Chinedu Onyeuku, 29, was shot dead in a botched burglary in Texas before thanksgiving, it has been revealed.

Onyeuku was trying to break into a home in Plano on November 21 and was shot and killed by the homeowner, police say.

Onyeuku had played for the Nigerian team that qualified for this summer’s Olympic Games in London. According to the Dallas News, Onyeuku and another person allegedly tried to break into a residence on Rio Grande Street in Plano, Texas the night of November 21.

It is unclear why Onyeuku and his companion were trying to break into the residence.

•Parts of this report were culled from Daily Mail

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THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

NEWS Atiku establishes campaign body

Court restrains EFCC from seizing Sylva’s property

•Urges optimism, compassion in 2013

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ORMER Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has set up a private political body, called the Northeast Transitional Assessment and Monitoring Forum (NTAMF) to coordinate his campaign in the region.

The forum has started mapping out strategies to woo supporters for his 2015 presidential ambition.

The Coordinator of the forum, Abubakar Noma, yesterday told The Nation that the body is establishing campaign teams in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states, saying meetings would soon be held to inaugurate state bodies.

Noma said in 2015, the presidency would come to the Northeast.

He said the ex-Vice-President is the only formidable candidate that can unseat President Goodluck Jonathan.

Noma, who spoke in Bauchi, said Atiku’s presidential campaign team in the state is almost ready, as representatives from each of the 20 local governments have agreed to hold a meeting to put political structures in place.

He urged the Bauchi people to support the Atiku presidential campaign train to salvage the region from starvation, unemployment, disease and ignorance.

The coordinator enjoined other political pressure groups, women groups, stu-

A •Atiku From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi and Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

dents, corporate bodies and other politically-minded bodies in the region to join the crusade to realise the presidential ambition of the former Vice-President.

Atiku has urged Nigerians to enter the New Year with optimism and confidence that good tidings would come the way of the nation and its citizens in 2013, despite the difficulties experienced in recent times.

In a New Year message from his media office yesterday, he said 2013 offers Nigerians an opportunity for a new beginning.

“We leaders and the governed can change our ways as a people and work for the betterment and development of our country,” the statement said.

The former Vice President said: “We cannot overcome our challenges if we lose faith in our country and deride the good values that sustain its unity and progress.”

N Abuja High Court has granted an interim order, restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from tampering with the property of the former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva.

Sylva’s Media Adviser, Mr. Doifie Ola, in a statement, said Justice M.M. Kolo, gave the order last Thursday when ruling on an ex-parte motion filed in suit FCT/HC/CV/1360/12.

The property covered by the order include “Plot 262, Cadastral Zone A02, Wuse 1 District, Abuja, Plot 3192, located in the Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja, Plot 232, Cadastral Zone A07,(No. 8 Mistrata Street, Wuse II, Abuja.)”

The order is to subsist pending the determination of the substantive suit filed for the enforcement of the ex-governor’s fundamental human rights.

Joined as respondents in the suit are the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, the Chairman of the EFCC and the EFCC. Sylva, in the motion, prayed the court to order that the service of the originating process on the respondent should serve as a stay of all actions by the respondents and their agents “either by sealing off, confiscating, ejecting any person from the property, trespassing into the property or doing any other thing how ever so described relating to the said property pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

Syva averred in an affidavit supporting his application that the identified property were acquired before his election as governor of Bayelsa State.

He described as “unconstitutional, oppressive, null and void” EFCC’s attempt

to seal or seize property duly declared in his Assets Declaration Form at the assumption of office in 2007.

Ola said a few people in the present political dispensation have seen more persecution by state institutions as Chief Sylva.

“Since leaving office in January, and denied a right to re-election by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) mandarins, Sylva has faced persistent state persecution.

Even his family, friends and associates have not been spared from molestation and intimidation by the EFCC,” he said yesterday.

“In the name of a corruption prosecution, EFCC is being used to pursue Sylva’s happiness, to try to incapacitate him and render him incapable of pursuing a decent living. Just on the eve of Christmas, when the world was ready to mark the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, EFCC’s agents per-

•Sylva

fected a shady plot to seize Sylva’s property, including his current Abuja home.

The same EFCC, on December 10, invaded a property, which his wife uses as an office and arrested the manager. Before then, the EFCC had arrested and detained Sylva’s brother-in-law, Mr. Tommy Richie Imoh,” Ola said.

He urged EFCC operatives to “act within the law and not reduce the all-important institution of state to a mere tool for vindictive and political pursuits.”

NUJ chairman slams politicians on junk journalism

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HE Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has described the proliferation of media establishments in Akwa Ibom State as a good omen for the growth of journalism.

The state NUJ Chairman Joe Effiong said this yesterday during the end-of-theyear party and awards ceremony by The Pioneer Chapel of the union.

He said contrary to the beliefs in certain quarters, the presence of many media houses is good for competition, productivity and good reportage.

He attributed the upsurge in yellow journalism to the handiwork of politicians who “do not only invest in journalism but will employ their wives and associates to handle editorial matters of such newspapers or magazines.”

The NUJ boss said the junk publications and poorly packaged newspapers could not thrive without the patronage of the readers.

The General Manager/ Editor-in-chief of Akwa Ibom Newspaper Corporation (AKNC), Mr. Udo Silas, lauded the chapel for organising the ceremony and reiterated the resolve of his management to give priority to the welfare of the workers.

Silas said there was hope for The Pioneer Group of Newspapers, with the re-

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

cent procurement of a stateof-the-art Goss printing press and the award of contract for the building of a press hall by the Governor Godswill Akpabio administration.

He praised the retirees and awardees for the recognition and prayed God to bless them.

The Chairman of The Pioneer Chapel of the NUJ, Mr. Patrick Albert, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise to the AKNC with the procurement of the printing press.

He said: “As the core professional workers in the establishment, the act and other developments that the governor has effected in furtherance of our going daily have informed our deep feeling of joy and gratitude.”

•From left: Deputy Director, Social Statistics Division, National Bureau of Statistics, Mr. Muritalla Solomi; representative of the Statistician-General of the Federation, Mr. Louis Gambo; and Director, Real Sector and Household Statistics Department, Mr. George Oparaku, at the National Youth Survey 2012 Training of Trainers Workshop in Abuja.

Cement glut: Lafarge WAPCO threatens to shut down plant T

HERE are indications that Lafarge WAPCO Cement may shut down its Ewekoro 11 plant due to a glut in the cement market.

This is because the N75 billion plant, which was inaugurated this year, is producing in excess and there is no demand for the product.

Speaking with reporters during a visit to the plant at the weekend, the Plant Manager, Lakatabu 11, Mr. Lanre Opakunle, said the glut was caused by the increase in local production of

By Toba Agboola

cement and the continued importation of subsidised cement.

He said the company was experiencing low sales and high inventory, adding that over 60,000 bags of cement are waiting to be purchased.

Said he: “The market was dull during the rainy season.

The current period is supposed to be the peak of pro-

NSCDC deploys 40,000 officers

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HE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) yesterday deployed 40,000 regular and non-regular personnel across the country to maintain law and order during the New Year celebration.

The corps’ spokesman Emma Okeh, in a telephone chat, told The Nation that NSCDC has asked senior officers to be part of the assignment.

The Commandant-General of the corps, Dr. Ade Abolurin, said NSCDC would ensure a hitch free celebration, noting that the period is significant to Christians and Mus-

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

lims.

He assured of security, saying NSCDC in its friendly style of operation will not condone crime and lawlessness by anybody or group.

Abolurin urged Nigerians to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement to the appropriate authority.

He said some criminals are fond of capitalising on public holidays to perpetrate evil, adding that they would prevent this.

He wished Nigerians a prosperous 2013.

duction and demand. But the reverse is the case as there is no demand. It means something is wrong. About 220,000 tonnes of clinker are on ground not being used.

“Most of our workers are roaming. Ninety per cent of our trailers are idle. We are operating at less than 50 per cent capacity. The cost of production is high. Our plants are experiencing challenges.

The situation is terrible.

“Some of the clinkers are being moved to another place. Once the place is filled up, we have no choice but to shut down.”

Opakunle said energy cost accounts for over 35 per cent of production cost in Nigeria compared to less than 10 per cent in China.

He added that the price of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) has increased from N25 per litre in 2009 to N107.76 per litre in November, an increase of 331 per cent.

He said: “Haulage is another factor out of the con-

trol of the manufacturers. Its cost accounts for between 20 and 25 per cent of the open market price of cement. Bulk products are affected by this factor due to the deplorable condition of Nigerian roads.

“Despite this disadvantage, local cement manufacturers have kept their ex-factory prices constant, an average of N1, 450 per bag since 2009.

Input costs continue to rise.

“The manufacturers have been absorbing considerable cost, which, put differently, is a form of consistent reduction in the ex-factory price of cement, by keeping the price stable despite the rising cost of production.”

Opakunle said it was sad that despite the glut in the local market, cement importation has continued, calling to question the implementation of the backward integration policy introduced to encourage local production.

He said production in countries, such as China, is lower than in Nigeria, adding that cement plants in China use coal, which is very cheap compared to the LPFO used in Nigeria.

7

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

NEWS Tambuwal urges prayers, optimism

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PEAKER of the House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has urged Nigerians to pray for their country and be optimistic in the New Year.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, in Abuja yesterday, he said the New Year offers Nigerians a new opportunity to renew their faith in their country and offers them a new prospect to aspire for a united and progressive nation.

He said the challenges that confronted the country, especially in the last two years, would be surmounted in the

From: Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

New Year if all Nigerians unite with a common goal.

According to him, Nigeria is a beautiful country whose potential remains untapped.

“My hope and prayer is that we all experience a peaceful and prosperous New Year,” the Speaker said.

While reassuring Nigerians that the House of Representatives would continue to put the country first at all times, Tambuwal prayed to God to bless Nigeria and Nigerians in the New Year and beyond.

2013: ANPP Chair Onu urges Nigerians to pray for security

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HE National Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, yesterday urged Nigerians to pray for the country to overcome insecurity.

A statement he issued in Abuja reads: “As Nigerians join the rest of the global community to thank the Almighty God for His favours in the past year and ask for a New Year full of hope and promise, the ANPP shares with you, the legitimate expectations of a better life, which all of us desire and deserve.

“It is our conviction that our beloved country will be a better place we can all be proud of if we resolve that our democracy will be such that the will of the people remains supreme such that the vote truly counts and the voter matters in an election that is not only free and fair but also peaceful and credible.

“As we think of how to improve our lives in the New Year, we should reflect on how we can rededicate ourselves to a conscientious pursuit of those cherished at-

T

SSS faulted over journalists’ detention

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HE National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has faulted the State Security Service (SSS) for its continued detention of three Kaduna-based reporters abducted from their homes on December 24.

NHRC’s chair, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, in a statement, said the continued detention of the journalists without information as to their whereabouts, crimes for which they are detained or conditions of their detention was unconstitutional.

He said the SSS violated Section 35(4)-(5) of the constitution, which stipulates that persons arrested by security agencies must be arraigned

By Eric Ikhilae

not later than 48 hours or within “such longer period as in the circumstances may be considered by the court to be reasonable.”

The NHRC boss said under the constitution, any detention beyond 48 hours must be authorised by a court.

Odinkalu added that the constitution also requires humane treatment of detainees and suspects.

“The SSS and other security agencies in Nigeria are obligated to comply with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in carrying out their duties. As a result, they should ensure the arraignment of the Al-Mizan

reporters currently in their custody, if investigations have disclosed their complicity in any crime or release them.

“In the interim, the SSS should allow the detained journalists access to their families, legal representatives or medical attention.

“This statement also transmits a request and an offer to the SSS to allow the National Human Rights Commission access to the detained reporters to verify their state of health and conditions of detention,” he said.

Al-Mizan, a Hausa language newspaper published in Kaduna, on December 21, ran a story alleging that operatives of the Joint Task Force

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

tributes that will enable Nigeria ’s democracy and its development flourish and blossom. We must pray for Nigeria to overcome insecurity in 2013.

“The way we want our future to be will depend on the choices we make today. We enjoin our compatriots to strengthen their faith in themselves, put the interest of the nation first, reaffirm confidence in the power of a collective determination to succeed and above all, insist that never again shall we fail to do it right and get it right for the sake of today and tomorrow.

“We urge Nigerians not to despair, because after the rainfall there will be sunshine. We must continue to pray for Nigeria. Our faith in our country must remain strong. We must continue to remain courageous and resolute, knowing that success is not for the fainthearted but for the brave and unrelenting with abiding faith in the will of the Almighty God.

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (right); Commissioner for Agriculture and Co-operatives, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal (middle); and Chairman, Lagos Urban Forestry Animal Centre Initiative (LUFACI), Mr. Desmond Majekodunmi, during an inspection tour of the 20 hectares proposed site for the State Urban Forest and Animal Welfare Centre at Lekki, Lagos ...yesterday.

2013: Ojudu advises ruling class

Navy denies releasing Russian sailors

HE Navy at the weekend refuted a report

by ITAR-Tass, a news wire service, that it has released the Russian crew arrested with a vessel loaded with arms and ammunition.

ITAR-Tass had quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying that the 15 sailors, who were detained over an arms investigation for two months without charges, have been released, even as preparations are be-

By Precious Igbonwelundu

ing made for their flight back to their country.

Spokesman, Western Naval Command, Lt. Commander Jerry Omodara, said the crew members of the arrested Myre Seadiver were still with the command and would not be released until there is an authorisation from the right source.

He said: “The Nigerian Navy read with shock that

the crew members of the arrested Russian ship have been released by the Navy.

This is untrue and a figment of the reporters’ imagination.

They have failed to confirm the story.

“Nobody can pressure us into releasing that ship or its crew members who were arrested on October 19 because in the first place, it came into the country without authority.

“There was no clearance

for the ship to sail into our waters. Unless we get clearance from the right authority, the ship and its 15 crew members are going nowhere.

“Please, be informed that the ship and its crew members are still in the custody of the Nigerian Navy and will not be released until clearance by the relevant authority. Please correct the story as it is misleading and incorrect.”

S •Ojudu

NEMA recommends stiffer actions for tanker drivers, others

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HE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has decried the flagrant abuse of extant traffic laws by trucks, large, slow moving vehicles and others. It called for stiffer actions against reckless road users.

NEMA said the drivers’ indiscipline, recklessness, impatience and flagrant disobedience to traffic laws have caused accidents, leading to the death of many people.

A statement by the agency’s information officer, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, quoted the Zonal Coordinator, Southwest Zone, Mr. Iyiola Akande, as saying: “From today (Sunday) till the next five days, traffic will in-

(JTF) had arrested 86 youths in Potiskum, Yobe State. The story was also posted on its website www.almizan.info.

On December 24, two AlMizan workers, Musa Mohamed Awwal and Aliyu Saleh, were picked up and taken away by heavily armed security operatives from their homes in Kaduna to undisclosed destinations.

During the operation, both men were allegedly assaulted by the security operatives and items including mobile phones and laptops were confiscated. The newspaper’s editor, Ibrahim Musa, was also arrested later and taken to an unknown destination.

By Precious Igbonwelundu

crease, especially immediately after the New Year celebrations.

He said: “The Federal Government has been doing its best in the repairs and rehabilitation of the major highways as an essential impetus for safer road, which is part of the United Nations’ requirements for reduction of road crashes and injuries.

“From today till the next five days, traffic will increase, especially immediately after the New Year celebrations.

“This will result in oneway traffic flow. So, it is necessary for these classes of road users to be cautious, comply with traffic rules and regula-

tions against what we have observed in them, especially their reckless driving.”

According to NEMA, Highway Code Section 15 says: “It is an offence for a large and slow moving vehicle to allow smaller or fast moving vehicles queue behind it whenever the driver can pull over safely to make way for other vehicles.”

The agency lamented that there has been no compliance with the provision.

“Henceforth, we will ensure that this rule is enforced without minding whose ox is gored. This will be after the appraisal of efforts and activities of the related agencies that have the mandate to enforce traffic rules.

“NEMA has several times

met the leadership of the associations of the drivers, highlighting the observations and excessiveness of their members. Promises were made to enlighten their members on the need to obey traffic rules.

“Our appeal to the drivers is to contribute their quota to safer road as they won’t know whether their relatives, friends or family could be victims of their nonchalant attitude that are detrimental to other road users.

“Speed has been identified as a key risk factor in road traffic injuries, influencing the risk of road traffic crashes and the severity of the injuries that result from crashes.

“Road crashes create social costs for individuals, families

and society. Road traffic injuries place a heavy burden on health services and economies.

“As motorisation increases, road traffic crashes will continue to be a fast growing problem. The situation is becoming more worrisome due to the refusal of these classes of our road users to abide by the extant rule, as the efforts of the agencies to enlighten the drivers have not yielded results,” Mr. Akande said.

NEMA hailed the Ministry of Works for the implementation of Section 25 of the extant codes, which kicks against indiscriminate parking of trailers and tankers on the highways.

ENATOR Babafemi Ojudu has said 2013 is a year that the ruling class should move beyond vain promises by doing good and alleviating Nigerians’ suffering.

Ojudu, in his goodwill message on the New Year celebration, said Nigerians have suffered enough, adding that there is enough money in the country to go round.

He said he was afraid that if nothing was done in time, the poor might pounce on the rich sooner than expected.

Ojudu said the ‘victory’ displayed by some youths on the social media over the news of some governors’ death or misfortune has shown that the people are fast losing their sense of humanity, a situation that could only be caused by suffering.

He added that the ruling class may soon run into danger, if smiles are not put on the faces of the poor and the unemployed youths.

While felicitating with Nigerians on the New Year celebration, Ojudu, who represents Ekiti Central in the Senate, prayed for a better 2013.

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2012

8

NEWS

Aregbesola inaugurates N125m power station •Osun completes 77 electrification projects

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration has completed 77 electrification projects across the state.

The governor made this known in Moro, Ife North Local Government, at the weekend while inaugurating a 7.5 MVA Power Injection Station for Origbomeje Community.

He said 27 electrification projects are ongoing.

Aregbesola said they would be delivered in the next three months.

He said these were in addition to the 35 transformers given to various communities this year.

Arebesola said the past administration completed only 48 electrification projects in the seven and a half years it spent in office.

He said his administration’s performance has “clearly shown the difference” between them.

The governor said the provision of the Injection Station was a demonstration of his administration’s commit-

ment to providing stable electricity supply.

He said the state government went out of its way to provide the transformer, even though it was the responsibility of the Federal Government.

Describing the project as a reward of democracy, Aregbesola said: “In our recent past, whenever the government was mentioned, what came to the people’s minds was some far away institution.

“The reason for their negative view of the government stems from the years of poor governance they were subjected to by the previous administration. For us, government is owned by the people. It is an institution for improving their welfare. We believe the task of government is to improve the lives of the people by delivering social goods that have direct positive impacts on their daily existence.

“Our achievements in different areas so far have evidently convinced our people that we are truly in a differ-

Ondo NURTW factions clash From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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HERE was a clash between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) yesterday in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Guns boomed as a faction of the union attempted to take over leadership from the Obayoriade Olajutele-led executive.

As early as 6am, hoodlums, armed with weapons and charms, attacked themselves at various motor parks across the town and commuters ran to safety.

The mayhem spread to major streets, including the Oyemekun/ Oba-Adesida Road, causing residents to flee the streets.

People deserted the Erekesan Market, adjacent to the Deji of Akure’s palace.

Some abandoned their vehicles and sought refuge in nearby houses.

It is not certain whether the NURTW leadership was toppled, as many of the affected officers are in hiding.

Police spokesman Adeniran Aremu said: “A faction of the NURTW attempted to topple the union’s leadership through a violent clash, which threw the metropolis into chaos.”

Aremu said the police are on top of the situation.

Lawmaker denies link with posters

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OSTERS of Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele (Ado/Irepodun/ Ifelodun Federal Constituency) yesterday flooded Ado-Ekiti and other towns, announcing his “interest” in the 2014 governorship election.

The posters of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) member carried his portrait and the inscription, “Promised Land 2014”.

They were pasted at strategic spots, including the Fajuyi Park in the heart of the state capital.

News of Bamidele’s purported plan to contest the election on the Labour Party (LP) platform had been on for some months.

Bamidele said he had nothing to do with the posters.

He said: “The activities of unscrupulous elements, who indulge in pasting posters at night, announcing an imaginary governorship ambition on the LP platform to embarrass, ridicule and dent my

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

reputation have failed.

“I urge our followers and party members to disregard the posters, which are meant to sow seeds of discord in our party. I dissociate myself from the fake posters, which have caused some of our party members embarrassment.

“As a founding ACN member, I remain committed to the ideals, goals and progressive aspirations of the party. I have no intention to leave our great party for another platform. As a comitted member, I have the right to legally and legitimately pursue my political ambition in the ACN in a way that will bring hope and honour to my party and state.

“We should also be mindful of the diabolical and destabilising plans of the external forces, who are bent on destroying our platform.

I remain loyal to our great party.”

•Aregbesola inaugurating the power station...yesterday.

ent era; an era of responsible and focused government.

“This administration is one that keeps its promises to the people. Our government is one that puts the people first and keeps them in focus. We will continue to show our

people that our word to them is a sacred oath that we will continue to honour.

“We are resolved to restore the reputation of government as the government of the people, for the people and by the people.”

He said his administration’s dream of making life comfortable for the people could hardly be achieved without electricity.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural and Com-

munity Development, Mr. Kunle Ige, said the project cost N125 million.

He said many communities that had lost hope on electricity have heaved a sigh of relief, courtesy of the Aregbesola administration.

FRSC man dies on rescue mission

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N Assistant Route Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) at the Ijebu-Ode Command, Mr. Olasoji Olaleye, died yesterday on duty.

The late Olaleye and other security agents were trying to rescue some accident victims on the Ososa Bridge, near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, when a luxury bus, marked XC 373 NEN, ran into him.

The late Olaleye fell into the river and was brought out dead minutes later.

Three commuters were in-

By Tajudeen Adebanjo jured.

Ijebu-Ode FRSC Sector Commander Ayobami Omiyale said the driver of the bus, belonging to the Young Shall Grow Motors, was over speeding.

The driver was apprehended and taken to a nearby police station.

Omiyale described the late Olaleye, who hailed from Ifon in Ondo State, as “a committed officer”.

He said: “Immediately we

got information that there was an accident on the road, Olaleye and other officers left our office in Ijebu-Ode to the scene. When we saw the magnitude of the accident, we decided to divert traffic, which was as long as 500 meters, to enable us clear the road.

“Moreso, there was a lot of fuel on the road, which could cause another accident. But the driver of the bus was over speeding.

He did not obey the caution sign and hit Olaleye, who landed in the river. By the time

he was brought out of the river, he was dead.”

Zonal Commander of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) Hamzat Tommy said the first accident involved a Mazda (FQ 658 EKY), two DAF trucks (XV 514 APP and XP 987 KSF) and a Mack petrol tanker (XA 769 KNM).

Tommy said the accident occurred a few minutes to 7am.

He urged motorists to obey traffic laws.

Ekiti residents protest quarry’s location

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ESIDENTS of the Olusegun Obasanjo Estate on the AdoIkere Road at the weekend protested the citing of the Inland Quarry Nigeria Limited in the area.

On Saturday, the protesters blocked the dual carriage way, obstructing vehicular movement.

Carrying placards with inscriptions, such as “Inland stone must be relocated now” and “The quarry has to go for us to live”, among others, the residents gathered on the road as early as 8am, singing various songs.

They said the quarry’s operations expose them to health hazards and urged Governor Kayode Fayemi to intervene.

•Company: we followed safety rules From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

Chairman of the Landlords’ Association Mr. Jide Ogunluyi said: “This is not a situation a human being should try to endure. It exposes us to various health hazards. Its vibratory impact is weakening the foundation of our homes and emission from the factory is affecting our health.

“The management of the quarry failed to observe safety standards. They did not comply with the 450 metres distance to the residential area as stipulated by the authorities.”

Ogunluyi urged the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals, the

National Environmental Standard and Regulatory Agency (NESREA) and the House of Assembly to stop operations at the quarry.

A resident of Ayewa Community, which is also close to the quarry, Mr. Amuda Damilola, also complained of the company’s operations.

Both communities insisted on the quarry’s relocation.

Prof. Victor Adeloye and Mrs. Mopelola Owoeye, both residents of Obasanjo Estate, alleged that the management of the quarry did not present the true picture of the environment to the government when it obtained an operating license from the ousted administra-

tion of Mr. Segun Oni. The quarry manager, simply identified as Mr. Omotoso, dismissed the allegation that he lied about the company’s location.

He said: “We only blast once in a month or six weeks, so this constant agitation is a personal animosity against me. The place where we operate is more than 500 metres from the estate, instead of the between 350 to 400 metres required.

“We pay over N1 million salary to workers monthly and we are planning to employ more as we expand. I do not know why they are bent on forcing us to close shop, not minding the economic implications of such an action to the state.”

Governor hails ex-Chief of Defence staff Petinrin

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola at the weekend urged Nigerians to aspire to be the best wherever they find themselves.

Aregbesola spoke in IpetuIjesa at a reception in honour of the retired Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin.

Describing Petinrin as a

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

“worthy ambassador of the state, he said: “The man we are celebrating today is one of the finest officers Nigeria has produced. He is one of the best crops of men that have come out of Ijeshaland, the state and Nigeria.”

Aregbesola urged those clamouring for the creation of

more local governments to be prepared to work towards improving the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He said more local governments would accelerate development in the state.

Aregbesola said: “We would love to have more local governments and bring government closer to the people, but sadly, the IGR of the

existing local governments is far cry.

“Without the IGR, there is trouble in terms of administrative running cost for the sustenance of the existing and proposed local governments.”

Petinrin urged the people to contribute to the society’s development, instead of waiting for the government to do everything for them.

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2012

9

NEWS

•From left: Acting ACN Chairman, Ondo State, Mr. Hosea Adesoji; Akeredolu and Kolawole...yesterday.

•Some of the late Adegbonmire’s children...yesterday.

ACN, Ajimobi, Fayemi, Akeredolu others mourn Adegbonmire

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HE National Executive of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at the weekend described the death of its leader in Ondo State, Chief Wumi Adegbonmire, as “a shock”.

The party said it was not expecting the Secretary to the Ondo State Government (SSG) during the administration of the late Chief Adebayo Adefarati to die so soon.

It said the late Adegbonmire, who was the Asiwaju of Akureland, had always been active in the party.

ACN National Vice-Chairman, Southwest, Senator James Kolawole spoke during the national executive committee’s visit to the late Adegbonmire’s family in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Describing the late Afenifere leader as a principled man, Kolawole said: “We were not expecting Baba to die now because every time we visited him, he was always healthy.”

He said the late Adegbonmire’s contributions to the sustenance of the country’s democracy would remain evergreen in the memory of Nigerians, particularly, the Yoruba.

Kolawole said: “When Baba Adegbonmire was at the University of Ife, I was in Ibadan.

He was a man of principle. He was popular in the early 60s with his write ups in the national newspapers.

“He was consistent in his political association and unbiased in his political analysis. We will stand by his family because he did a very good job for the party. We have ordered the ACN in the state to set up a committee that will work with the family to ensure a successful burial ceremony for our great leader.”

The widow, Solape, said her husband spent most of his life ensuring that the legacies of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo were sustained.

She said: “I am happy that I witnessed 90 per cent of Adegbonmire’s political life. He was part of the political struggle during the military and civilian era and whatever political moves he made, he always carried the children and I along.

“I will continue to be happy because his unstained records had been opening ways for the children. Where ever they go to and mention his name, they always tell them to keep their father’s good name.

“I am also happy that my husband spent the last 24 hours of his life with Christ. He celebrated my birthday for me in the church, where he partook in the Holy Communion. The priest was even surprised when he kissed me. He died peacefully.

“When I look back at his valuable contributions, I always remain grateful to God, though I never envisaged that he would leave me so soon.”

The late Adegbonmire’s son, Demola, who spoke on behalf of his siblings, described their father as “a disciplinarian, who wanted the best for his children”.

In a statement yesterday, ACN’s National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed described the late Adegbonmire as “a po-

•Widow: my husband spent his last hours with Christ From Damisi Ojo and Leke Akeredolu, Akure

litical giant, a notable administrator and a remarkable public commentator”.

Mohammed said: “The timing of Chief Adegbonmire’s death could not have been more sobering, coming at a time our country is in dire need of men and women of integrity, discipline and unwavering commitment to progressive politics and national ideals.

“As a close associate of the progressive icon and globally-acknowledged political titan, the late Awolowo, right from his university days, and one who served his state with distinction in many capacities, the late Adegbonmire left a lasting legacy of service, which will be an inspiration for today’s generation of politicians.

“While we mourn his departure, we have no doubt that his legacy will endure and that his memory will inspire the younger generation, who may be averred to engaging in politics because of the sheer greed and selfishness of most members of today’s political class.”

He said the late Adegbonmire contributed immensely to the party’s growth in Ondo State, adding that the ACN will continue to pursue the progressive ideology for which the deceased “lived and died for”.

Mohammed expressed the party’s condolences to the family of the late politician and the people of Ondo State.

The ACN governorship candidate in the October 20 election in Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), said the late Adegbonmire lived a life worthy of emulation.

Akeredolu said: “We learnt a lot from him because he lived a good life. His contributions were beyond the ACN. All his life, he laboured for the good of his people, the state, Nigeria and, particularly, his political party.

“He transcended party politics. When you talk about Akure politics, it was one Wumi Adegbonmire and one Akure. When you talk about Ondo State politics and progressive politics, it was Adegbonmire and others.”

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi described Adegbonmire’s death as “a monumental loss to the progressive camp”.

Ajimobi, in a statement, said he received the news with shock.

He said but for the efforts of the late Adegbonmire and those of other progressives, the Southwest would have remained “under the stranglehold of the conservatives”.

Ajimobi said the late Adegbonmire’s write-ups as a columnist with the Nigerian Tribune during the First and Second Republics shaped the politics of the time and defined the role of the progressives in politics.

He said: “Omo Ekun was unsparing of the conservatives and their ill-advised poli-

‘He was consistent in his political association and unbiased in his political analysis. We will stand by his family because he did a very good job for the party.

We have ordered the ACN in the state to set up a committee that will work with the family to ensure a successful burial ceremony for our great leader.’ cies. Soaked in vitriol and unapologetic about its convictions, no study of the politics of the time, especially the way journalism shaped politics, would be complete without a mention of the contributions of the late Adegbonmire’s Omo Ekun.”

Ajimobi described the deceased as a bridge-builder and principled politician, who would stop at nothing in the pursuit of his beliefs.

He said Adegbonmire’s death has robbed the Southwest of his “wealth of experience, which is needed at this critical time to bring the zone out of its current socio-economic challenges”.

The governor urged the late Adegbonmire’s family, friends and associates to take solace in the fact that he lived a fulfilled life and did his best for his fatherland.

Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi described the deceased as “one of the pillars of democracy in the Southwest and Nigeria”.

In a statement, Fayemi said the late Adegbonmire was “one of the most reliable Awoists, who never wavered in the cause he believed in until he breathed his last”.

He said the late Adegbonmire believed in the ideology of the progressives and preached it throughout his life.

The governor said the late politician excelled in all responsibilities given to him by the party and the Adefarati administration.

He said ACN members looked up to the late Adegbonmire for counsel during the last governorship election in Ondo State.

Urging the family to be consoled by the late Adegbonmire’s “honesty and selfless service to humanity”, Fayemi said: “While we mourn the exit of this great politician, we are consoled by the good life he lived and pray that God will grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

Senator Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North District) said: “I received with sadness the news of the death of Chief Adegbonmire, our symbol of progressive politics in Ondo State.

“The late Adegbonmire, an astute administrator, writer, consistent politician and unblemished statesman, made a mark in the history of democracy, both in the state and Nigeria as a whole.

“The frontline Afenifere leader was a loyal party leader. His fidelity to the tenets of dignity and integrity, as well as marriage to the ideology of progressive politics, was steadfast like a fearless leopard, which never changes its skin.

“The staunch member of the Action Group (AG) metamorphosed with the party into its present form before death took him away from us. His contributions to national issues and his heroic role that gave us our democracy stemmed from the values of discipline, dedication and conviction.

“Pa Adegbonmire’s records while he held sway as a university librarian; Chairman of the Ondo State Investment Corporation and Secretary to the State Government (SSG) provide an enviable mentorship for the coming generation.

“I commiserate with the ACN leadership; the Elders’ Forum he led while alive; members of our party and the people of the state on the departure of the crusader of the politics of ideology.”

Activist lawyer Charles Titiloye urged the Ondo State government to immortalise the late Adegbonmire.

Speaking with reporters in Akure, the state capital, Titiloye said the late Adegbonmire was a politician worthy of emulation.

He said: “The late political leader did not believe in flirting with every government in power. He is one of the few consistent politicians in the state.

“After the tenure of the Adefarati administration ended, he remained a consistent voice in the opposition. He refused to be part of the political prostitution that was the order of the day. Politicians should emulate him so that Nigeria’s democracy and politics can grow.”

Condemning the incessant defection from one party to another by politicians since 1999, Titiloye said: “It has become ridiculous that we cannot know where they belong in terms of ideology. Some elders now carry their old caps in their hands begging for stipends from any government in power.”

The former Secretary of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Akure branch, urged Governor Olusegun Mimiko to name a befitting structure, road or institution after the late Adegbonmire.

Otunba Adegboyega Adefarati, son of former Governor Adebayo Adefarati, described the deceased as a “loyal, honest and dependable ally”.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

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CITYBEATS NDLEA detects new trafficking tricks T

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

HE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered new tricks adopted by traffickers to evade arrest, its Chairman/Chief Executive, Ahmadu Giade, said yesterday.

He made this known following the arrest of two suspected couriers who tested positive to drug ingestion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

One of them was found to have allegedly ingested narcotics while on transit

at the airport in Brazil. The second was caught going to Cameroon en-route Frankfurt.

Their arrest followed “effective proactive measures” by NDLEA, he said.

Giade said:"Drug traffickers are full of surprises, but we are prepared to counter their plans. One of the suspects ingested the drug in the toilet while on transit at the airport in Brazil and the second suspect, who was going to Germany, decided to first book his flight to Cameroon just to divert attention of officers.

“These are strategies of evading arrests, but we are poised to nip their tricks in the bud."

NDLEA Commander at the airport Mr Hamza Umar named the suspects as Dickson Daniel Chinedu (34) and Okeke Joseph Chukwunwike (30). He said: "Dickson arrived on a KLM flight from Trinidad and Tobago and tested positive to drug ingestion. He concealed 980 grammes of cocaine while Okeke ingested 1.170kg of cocaine and 335 grammes of heroin and was to board a flight to Cameroon. The total

weight of drugs found in their possession is 2.485kg."

Chinedu, who is married and has two children, said he hails from Amachala in Abia State. He claimed to have secured admission at Trinidad and Tobago. His words: "I had just been given admission into the University of Southern Caribbean. I have been working in Trinidad for the past five months. My savings were not enough for my studies and I called a friend in Brazil to help me with $2,000. He said he wanted me to stop over in

Brazil on my way to Lagos that he would give me $3,800."

He added: "In fact, he made all my travel arrangements.

When I got to Brazil while in transit, he gave me the drugs and assured me that everything would be fine. I agreed to smuggle the drugs because of my education. I could not swallow everything so he left with the remaining wraps."

Chukwunwike, an importer of auto parts from Ogidi, Anambra State, said he was under pressure because of his traditional marriage fixed for December 28.

"Three months ago, a friend duped me of N6.5 million. I gave him the money to buy goods for me and I have not seen him since then.

"His number had since been switched off. I have tried my best to recover from the loss, but to no avail and I am under pressure because my traditional marriage is on December 28. I was also instructed to first go to Cameroon that was why I took that route. I hope and pray that my spouse will pardon me" Okeke said. The suspects, NDLEA said, would soon be charged to court.

Adeboye gives scholarship to prison inmates

N

O fewer than 10 inmates of Kirikri M a x i m u m Security Prison, Apapa, Lagos have benefited from the scholarship scheme of the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

The inmates were recently admitted into the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) which has a Study Centre within the prison.

They appealed to Pastor Adeboye to assist them in paying their fees since they are financially constrained.

Pastor Adeboye, who responded to their request while ministering to them, said they should consider their request met.

He said: "I already know your request before you asked. As for the 10 students who gained admission into the National Open University of Nigeria, I understand the school fees is about N140,000 each per annum, you can

By Simeon Ebulu

consider that one done."

The inmates cheered at his pronouncement.

Adeboye promised to ensure that the Prisons' Administrative office got a facelift before his next visit. He said the last time he visited, there were about 1,700 inmates in the facility that was meant for 600 people, adding that he took the matter to the Presidency, the Lagos State government and the Judiciary and he was happy that the number has dropped by over a thousand.

Responding to another request Adeboye urged the government to pardon those who may have spent several years in confinement and others awaiting trial, saying that he would not relent until a greater number of them were freed.

He promised to embark on the crusade for pardon until everyone qualified gets it. He said inmates should work on themselves to allay government's fears that

•Pastor Adeboye inaugurates the Free Computer Education Centre. With him is Deputy Controller of Prisons, Maximum Security Prison, Kirikiri, Tinuoye Timothy

many of them are not conducting themselves well.

In his sermon, Adeboye said God would free any one in bondage, either

LAGBUS deploys 40 buses on three new routes

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O meet the growing demand for its services, LAGBUS has added 40 new buses to its fleet through franchise agreement.

Managing Director of LAGBUS Asset Management Ltd, Babatunde Disu made this known, over the weekend, at the launch of 30 buses at the organisation's Mile 2 Terminus.

He unveiled three new routes on which the buses would be deployed.

The buses would be operated by Transmodal Nigeria Limited (TNL) and Lagos Integrated Cooperative Society (LASITCOS).

Twenty of the buses, which will be operated by TNL will ply route No 203, AgbaraOkokomaiko-Mile 2; the other 10 buses will operate on route 105, Abesan-IkotunCele Express-Mile 2.

Disu said the creation of routes would serve commuters on that axis, adding that 10 buses were earlier acquired to ply the CMS-Ajah axis.

By Oziegbe Okoeki

Disu said LAGBUS management is developing better ways of serving the public to cushion the effect of traffic law restricting the operation of commercial motorcyclists, adding that more routes would soon be introduced with more buses to cater for the growing demand for LAGBUS service.

He said:"This is a continuous improvement. We will try as much as possible to get the service to more routes so that more people will benefit from our services. We will improve in areas where we have been operating.”

On efforts to curtail indiscriminate parking by LAGBUS drivers, Disu said management would soon address that problem.

"We embark on regular monitoring of the buses and each time we see drivers dropping passengers at unauthorised bus stops, we correct them and hand them over to their captains for disciplinary action"

•A cross-section of the buses

through drug addiction, or alcohol if he surrenders his life to Jesus Christ. Many of the inmates responded to the altar call.

He inaugurated the Free Computer Training Centre equipped by RCCG. The centre’s Coordinator, Chibuzor Okpata, said about

24,000 inmates had graduated from the facility, adding that many of them, who have been freed, are doing well outside.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

11

CITYBEATS

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

Foluke Daramola presents Cobweb

By Ovwe Medeme

ACTRESS Foluke Daramola is out with a new movie entitled: Cobweb. It is a story of passion and pain, which the actress said attempts to bridge the divide between self discovery and parent-imposed desires that are rife in Africa. Shot in West Africa in July, the movie, she said, has a cast of passionate and professional filmmakers.

According to Daramola, the acclaimed awardwinning director and cinematographer, Toka McBaror, played the role of Director and Çinematographer. With Dramola and McBaror as producers, the flick has Olukayode Salato as Executive Producer.

In the movie, according to Daramola, are Funsho Adeolu, Dele Odule, David Olawale and some up and coming artistes from Bosworth College International.

"Foibir Entertainment, Bosworth College International and Evolution Studio are the companies involved in the successful production of the movie. The movie will hit the Cinemas in 2013 and promises Nigerians a great watch," Daramola said.

The Nanny out tomorrow A NEW family comedy entitled: The Nanny, from the production outfit of Workerman Entertainment, will hit the screen tomorrow. The Nanny is a family friendly comedy suitable for all ages, according to its producer, Koffi Idowu-Nuel.

The actor, comedian, musician said the movie, which is his third production, is better than those before it because it's packed with more humour.

Starring Koffi IdowuNuel; Owen Gee; Funsho Adeolu; Doris Simeon; Lepacious Bose and Aisha Alli-Balogun, the two-hour comedy movie will be aired on both terrestrial and satellite cable channels.

Patience Ozokwor dedicates award DECEMBER 25 was no ordinary day for actress, Patience Ozokwor, as she clinched the Best Actress (African Collaboration) at the Ghana Movie Awards held at the Accra International Centre.

Beating Ini Edo (In The Cupboard); Rukky Sanda (The Search); Nse Ikpe-Etim (The Search); Tonto Dikeh (Lovelorn) and Mercy Johnson (Wild Target) to win the award, the actress, popularly known as Mama G, dedicated the award to her late husband, thanking her children for their support when he died.

•Oba of Ojora Kingdom, Oba Abdul Fatai Aremu Aromire, (3rd-left) cutting the tape during the commissioning of the Ultra Modern Ijora Oloye Central Mosque. Others from left are his wife, Omotolani, Chief Imam of Ojora Kingdom, Alhaji Mudashiru Faro Ojora and Alhaji Yaya Saliu, member of Ojora Royal PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH Council at Ijora Kingdom, Lagos.

AYODELE

Assembly confirms Commission's nominees

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HE Lagos State House of Assembly has confirmed the nomination of five persons as members of its Service Commission (LAHSCO).

They are Hon. Lanre Odesanya; Hon. Adejoke Adegeye, a member of the 6th Assembly; Mr. Wale Mogaji; Mr. Bayo Balogun and Mr. Bode Tawat. They will be sworn-in as Commissioners.

The House has also adopted the report of the Committee on Health Ser-

•Panel's report on cremation bill adopted

By Oziegbe Okoeki

vices for a law to provide for voluntary cremation of bodies in mortuaries.

Presenting the report, the panel Chairman, Hon. Suru Avoseh said Section 2 of the bill, stipulates that no cremation may take place except in a crematorium established by the Ministry of Health or by any other body upon the recommendation of the authority and approval by the Commissioner for

Health.

The bill, he said, is not seeking a law to cremate all bodies within the state, but voluntary cremation and for unclaimed bodies only.

The committee urged the government to encourage more individuals to go into the business of funeral services through Public Private Partnership (PPP) as done in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

Hon. Sikiru Osinowo enjoined government to provide land for those in support of cremation, saying: "Cremation is not our culture, if government cannot provide land to bury our dead, then it is a shame to humanity."

On the Certificate of Coroner Bill, Osinowo said Section 6 of the bill states: "A post-mortem examination has been made under Section 32 of the births, deaths and burials law Cap B3 Laws

of Lagos 2003 and the cause of death of the deceased person can be certified by the coroner under the provisions of the births, deaths and burials Law Cap B3 Laws of Lagos State, 2003.

“The Medical Certificate and Confirmatory Bill,” he said, also states that a Medical Certificate giving the cause of death of the deceased person may be given by a registered medical practitioner in accordance to relevant laws in the state."

Save me, kidney patient cries out

H

E retired hale and hearty three years ago. He was fit and was still thinkig of what to do on retirement when fate dealt him a cruel blow. He was fell by renal failure.

Isaac Adeyinminu, who retired as maintenance crew head at C&C Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos, lies prostrate in his 260, Murtala Mohammed Way, Yaba, Lagos Mainland residence.

Since he was struck down by the ailment last year, relatives have been wheeling him to the hospital twice a week for di-

alysis. He coughs out N70,000 weekly, that is N3.36 million per annum, to sustain his life. He said he has exhausted his savings and that of his wife.

With a puffy face and lying on a couch in his living room, Adeyinminu barely audible, said: "Doctors told me it has got to a stage where I cannot continue with dialysis because of adverse effects; that I must do kidney transplant as soon as possible."

Though he has found a donor, he now needs N6.5 million for the life saving surgery. Dr E.L Bamgboye, a Consultant

Transplant/Nephrologist at St. Nicholas, said Adeyinminu was diagnosed with "chronic kidney disease, secondary to hypertensive nephrosclerosis." The hospital spoke "on the long term management options and advised that a live donor renal transplant confers the best 'quality of life' in established end stage kidney disease."

Bamgboye said an initial deposit of N5 million is needed to cover the cost from pre-transplant investigations to post-operative admission of donor and recipient. He said N1.5 million would

•Adeyinminu

be needed for the recipient to remain on regular immuno-suppressives for the first year to prevent rejection of the graft.

"Even though not to be

deposited, the unit would seek reassurance that he would have access to these funds (N1.5 million) over the period," Bamgboye said.

Lawmaker seeks 'realistic budget' LAWMAKER representing Eti-Osa II Constituency at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Gbolahan Yishau, has called for 'a realistic budget' to grow the economy. He made the suggestion in a chat with reporters in Lagos, saying a balanced budget that meets expected pro-

A

By Oziegbe Okoeki

jection should address the economy's challenges rather than indiscriminate borrowing.

According to him, instead of borrowing from abroad the policy should be tilted in favour of borrowing from within the system. He said: "We can, for instance, borrow

from the pension fund.

With this, we can easily manage the system by ourselves. This current borrowing is a waste. We need to borrow intelligently and ensure that it is tailored to meet the projection.''

The monetary policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria's (CBN), he said,

must be revisited, noting that a situation where investors are expected to borrow at 32 per cent would not improve the real sector.

He added that high interest rate was generating market for other countries at the detriment of local businesses.

"Small scale industries

are not encouraged, we are rather transferring market to other countries,'' he said.

On voters' apathy, Yishau argued that votes count contrary to the general belief that ''the powers-that-be'' have already decided who gets into offices through the back door.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

12

NEWS ‘FMC Gusau records 1,939 births in 11 months’

Obasanjo hails Orji on security

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F

HE Head of Clinical Services at the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, Zamfara State, Dr Kabir Sada, said yesterday that 1,939 births were recorded at the hospital in the last 11 months.

Sada spoke in Gusau, the state capital, at the launch of the maiden edition of the hospital’s newsletter.

He said 93 per cent of the deliveries were successful while 367 were carried out through Caesarean method.

The doctor explained that the centre received 15,247 emergency cases during the period under review and attended to 51,000 outpatients.

Sada said 8,838 patients were admitted in the hospital within the period under review and that 513 of them died.

He added that 517 of the 2,089 patients admitted for major and minor surgeries died.

‘Don’t be deceived by merger talks’ From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

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GROUP, the Buhari Network for Change, yesterday warned General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to shun the proposed merger between his party, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

It alleged that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is sponsoring the manoeuvre to frustrate the former Head of State’s 2015 presidential ambition and rubbish his political empire.

In an interview yesterday in Kano, the group’s Chairman, Alhaji Abdulmajid Danbilki Commanda, noted that the ANPP and CPC merger cannot work.

He recalled that the ANPP dumped Buhari when it mattered most for the PDP’s Government of National Unity (GNU) when litigations over the validity of the 2007 elections were still in court.

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

•A chieftain of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and founder, Omoilu Foundation, Prince Buruji Kashamu (left), Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu and former chairman, Chief Olalekan Ojo at an empowerment programme in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State...yesterday.

Two die as Fulani, Gwari clash in Abuja • 1,500 displaced •Security strengthened in FCT

T

WO persons have died and about 1,500 others displaced following a violent clash between Fulani and indigenous Gwari in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Twenty-seven communities were affected by the crisis.

A resettlement camp on the permanent campus of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) has been set up to accommodate displaced persons.

Security has been tightened in the FCT to prevent a spillover of Fulani in the territory.

A statement by the Head of Public Relations of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Yushau Shuaib, said the military has curtailed the clash.

The statement reads: “With less than 48 hours to another year, a communal clash erupted in Gwako, under

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

Gwagwalada Local Government Area of the Federal Capital Territory this weekend. It drew the attention of NEMA and the Ministry of Capital Territory to jointly activate their search and rescue teams.

“The prompt intervention of the two agencies, including security personnel from the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the military has curtailed the escalation of the crisis, which started on Saturday because of alleged encroachment of herds of cattle into farmlands in the area.

“The NEMA Director-General, Muhammad Sani-Sidi, hailed the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Muhammad, for the promptness of his agencies and his presence on the scene of the clash. He urged the warring parties to live peace-

APGA to Anyanwu: you’re disrespectful

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T

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

constituted authorities as well as fighting in the public.”

He added: “It is on record that the senator had a similar encounter with the former Governor Ikedi Ohakim and, on another occasion, slapped Chief Innocent Nwoga, a PDP chieftain, and broke his walking stick. She also assaulted a commissioner in the state.”

Anyanwu described Okorocha as “a man too frightened to tell the truth about simple matters”.

She added: “This incident is a message to the governor. He can’t brutalise the people that he is elected to serve and protect and hide behind propaganda and lies. All lies being fabricated to mask the truth of his brutality are doing him indelible harm globally.”

In a statement by her Senior Assistant (Political), Chief Obinna Ibe, the senator alleged that Okorocha had brutalised her workers on a number of occasions.

nities, with members from response agencies and Urban Affairs Department of FCTA.” It was learnt that the Presidency has ordered tight security around the FCT to prevent a spillover of the crisis.

A top source said: “The government is worried that the FCT might be plunged into the type of conflict being witnessed in Plateau State.

“The military and the police have been directed not only to restore order but also protect life and property in the area.

“The Gwagwalada Area Council is a vital gateway to the FCT from the Southern part. To allow the crisis to fester is to create a serious security challenge in the nation’s capital.

“Already, investigation into the crisis has started. But we won’t take anything for granted.”

Anambra community to honour Ekwueme, Obi today

• Senator: governor exposed himself HE Imo State All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has berated the Senator representing Owerri Central, Mrs Chris Anyanwu, for quarrelling with Governor Rochas Okorocha.

The party accused the senator of disrespecting the Office of the Governor and other constituted authorities in the state.

APGA noted that the senator’s feud with Okorocha was not the first time she was showing disregard for constituted authorities.

It said she had a similar encounter with former Governor Ikedi Ohakim and a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Innocent Nwoga, with who she allegedly fought in public.

Addressing reporters in Owerri, the state capital, APGA Chairman Prince Okafor Anyanwu alleged that Anyanwu “has the antecedent of disrespecting her elders and

fully with one another and eschew violence as we enter a New Year.

“Sani-Sidi said two people died and 27 communities were affected. He said over 1,500 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are squatting in a temporary camp on the permanent campus of the University of Abuja in Gwagwalada.

“FCT Minister Bala Muhammad led other government agencies to assess the impact of the incident. He urged the communities to remain calm as the government would ensure that the causes of the crisis were addressed so that they could return to their homes.

“The minister had asked NEMA to provide more amenities to the victims in the camp; he also constituted an emergency team for conflict resolution and relief distribution to the affected commu-

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has hailed Abia State Governor Theodore Orji for ensuring peace and security in the state.

Obasanjo said a nation, state or community that has no security and peace is doomed because development would elude the people from such area.

The former President spoke at Amokwo Item during this year’s annual Item Day. He noted that security is important to the development of any nation.

Obasanjo was given the highest award of Ogbuzuo of Item.

He said there was a time insecurity was the major challenge in the state.

The frontline farmer hailed Orji for tackling the problem successfully.

Obasanjo explained that his visit to Item afforded him the opportunity to learn more from the people.

He said the people have done well and urged them to do more.

According to him, no government at any level can provide all the people’s needs.

Obasanjo said: “No government at any level can provide all their people’s needs. Therefore, the age grade system has been used by the people of Item to achieve and complement the efforts of the state government.”

The former President noted that the community is the closest to the people and not the local or state government.

He added: “They (communities) have a better reach to both outside and those around to attract development.

“I am a rural man; in fact, a village man. But what I have seen here shows that there are people who are better than me in this aspect.”

The President-General of Item Development Association (IDA), Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, thanked Obasanjo for his love for Item people and urged him to come back again.

• Senator Anyanwu

She said: “Barely three months after his victory, the governor instructed his men to attack one of my drivers for packing my car inside his compound.

“The governor’s police detail broke a bottle to cut the lips of the driver. Till today, the boy’s upper lip is deformed. We covered it for him then. But this time, he cannot hide behind the shield of a folk hero. He has opened himself up by his propaganda.

Now, the world is seeing the real man behind the angelic smile.”

HE people of Ihiala in Anambra State will today honour former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme and Governor Peter Obi for their contributions to the development of the town.

The honour will be the climax of the weeklong celebration of the bi-annual Ihiala Day. President-General of the Ihiala Progress Union (IPU), Mr Vin Ifeanyi Ezeaka, spoke on the honour for the distinguished Anambra leaders.

In a statement in Awka, the state capital, Ezeaka noted that Dr Ekwueme “played a critical role in the nomination of Mr Paulinus Amadike as a minister in the Second Republic and supported him in the discharge of his duties”.

The late Amadike, the community leader said, “remained the only person to have been a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) from Ihiala Local Government, which was created in 1966 when Col. Emeka Ojukwu was the military governor of the defunct Eastern Region, thus making it one of the largest and oldest local governments in the country”.

Ezeaka also said Dr Ekwueme, in 1982, chaired the FEC meeting which approved the award of a contract of a major road from Okija in Ihiala Local Government to Omoku in Rivers State.

The lawyer added that Dr Ekwueme “is being honoured for his sterling contributions to national development, especially with respect

to the decisions of the 1994/’95 Constitutional Conference where he successfully canvassed the increase of the derivation principle in sharing of national revenue from three per cent to 13 per cent, the division of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones, the rotation of the Presidency among the six zones and the rotation of the office of governor among the three senatorial districts in each state”.

For Obi, the commnuity commended him for appointing an indigene of the town, Dr Collin Ohamadike, as the Commissioner for Transport.

“This is the second time Governor Obi has appointed someone from our historic town a commissioner and member of the Anambra State Executive Council,” he said.

The first was Sir Aloysius Egwuata, who became a permanent secretary.

Ezeaka noted that the community is grateful to Obi because of “his promise to tackle decisively the awful road problem in Ihiala, which has impinged on our town’s development”.

He added: “We all know the governor as a man of his word.”

Other prominent people, who will attend the Ihiala Day celebration, include former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Prof Chukwuma Soludo, and the Catholic Bishop of the Nnewi Diocese, Dr Hilary Okeke.

The celebration will be led by the traditional ruler of Ihiala, Dr Cosmas Okechukwu, a former lecturer at the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka.

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THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

NEWS

NEITI: we’ll audit oil, gas, solid mineral firms’ books

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OW has the Federal Government applied oil revenues in the past five years?

The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) will tell Nigerians in due course, it was learnt at the weekend.

Barring any last minute change in plans, NEITI will audit the books of companies in the oil and gas sector as well as solid minerals, beginning from next month.

The audit, programmed to be completed within nine months, is to determine how revenues accruing from the oil and gas sector were applied between 2007 and 2011.

For audit are the Niger Delta Development Com-

From Nduka Chiejina Assistant Editor

mission (NDDC), the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the 13 per cent derivation revenue allocated to oil producing states.

NEITI will be signing agreements with auditing firms in the first week of next year.

Besides, the planned audit will determine how other monetary and fiscal transactions in the sectors have been conducted or utilised.

A member of the NEITI Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG), Mrs. Faith Ossai Nwadishi, who confirmed the planned audit at

Why I didn’t honour Senate Committee’s invitation, by Maina •Says he was prevented by expectant mothers

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EEKS after heallegedly spurned an invitation by the Senate ad-Hoc Committee probing Pension Administration, the Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina has said his action was not out of disrespect for the upper legislative chamber.

Maina addressed a rally in front of the National Assembly penultimate week but failed to appear before the Senator Aloysius Etokled Committee that had invited him, a development that prompted Senate President David Mark to issue a warrant for his arrest.

Maina said he held the Senate in high esteem, adding that some expectant mothers who were staging a protest rally at the National Assembly stopped him from entering the chamber.

He identified the women as wives of reteirees,who recently got their benefits.

Mark, in issuing the warrant, mandated the Inspec-

From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

tor- General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, to produce Maina before the committee.

However, neither the IGP nor Maina appeared before the committee, forcing members to adjourn indefinitely.

According to Maina, he had earlier petitioned the Senate President that the committee was allegedly biased against him.

He blamed the rift between the committee and the PPRT on “misinformation”.

Maina said: “Even the members of the Senate adHoc Committee, as individuals, they are distinguished persons who are well-respected in their various rights.

“But the fact that the misinformation had caused a breach between the PRTT and that ad-Hoc Committee is not to say that the members of the ad-Hoc Committee are not much respected.”

‘90 % illegal immigrants in Switzerland back home’

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F the claims of the Switzerland Embassy in Nigeria are anything to go by, 90 per cent of Nigerians living illegally in Switzerland voluntarily returned home this year.

The embassy said the illegal immigrants returned under the Swiss Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme (SAVRRP) – a partnership initiative with the Federal Government.

According to the 19th edition of the Swiss Gazette, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, the retunnes were paid N961, 000 each.

It also stated that in 2011, 80 per cent of such illegal immigrants benefited from the programme, while in 2010, a total of 1,969 Nigerian citizens asked for asylum in Switzerland.

The figure accounted for 13 per cent of all requests.

The Gazette also stated that under its Legal Defence

Assistance Project (LDAP), the Embassy carried out a programme tagged: “Improving handling of domestic violence’’ in six police stations in Lagos State.

It stated that nearly 300 police officers were trained on the correct handling of cases of domestic violence.

The document reads: “More than 10,000 memory cards with guidelines on how to report, record, file, and handle cases of domestic violence were printed and distributed to police officers.”

It also said 3,000 domestic violence tool kits/manuals were designed and printed.

According to the gazette, the aim of the project was to increase awareness on domestic violence and gender rights issues among police officers, as well as increase cases of domestic violence being recorded and filed, so as to provide redress for the victims.

•To sign agreement with auditors in January the weekend, said the agreement with the audit firms is to ensure that the nine-month timeline set by the Federal Government for the completion of the audit is met.

She assured of NEITI’s support for the proposed audit.

Her words: “NEITI is ready to facilitate the immediate commencement of the Fiscal Allocations and Statutory Disbursement Audit of the extractive industry from 2007 to 2011 in line with the decision of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its November 28, meeting.

“The planned audit is

part of our statutory mandates in the extractive industry. In line with the FEC decision, we are going to meet the auditors that won the contract early in January to sign the agreement.

It is an exercise we are committed to and everything is being done to ensure its success.”

Oil and gas communities have expressed support for the audit and urged NEITI to intervene in the illegal and unconstitutional payment of 13 per cent derivation to any state governments’ account.

“They (communities) have recently alleged that their state governments

have either misappropriated or misapplied N7.282 trillion being the payments for the 13 per cent derivation for 13 years,” she said.

Industry analysts Dr. Boniface Chizea, who spoke on the planned audit, endorsed the initiative even as he urged the government to ensure that the auditors’ final report, particularly their recommendations, is implemented in a way that would justify the time and resources committed to the efforts.

Speaking on the proposed audit and its implications for due process, transparency and accountability

in the extractive industries, Chizea noted that the audit appeared to be coming late, in view of the unpleasant revelations in the sectors over the past two years.

Chizea said: “I think the planned audit is coming rather late in view of what has transpired in the industries over the past years but whatever we can do to clearly demonstrate that Nigeria is committed to creating a new operational template that conforms to global best practices in the extractive industries is welcomed.”

The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Ibrahim, advised that the audit should be well funded.

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THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2012

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2012

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THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2012

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

17

NEWS

Police Commission may consider Biu’s appeal T

HE Police Service Commission yesterday said it may review the dismissal of a former Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Zakari Biu, if he files an appeal.

But some senior officers in the police are making a strong case for his retirement instead of dismissal.

Despite Biu’s dismissal, he was kept in detention for about eight months as part of the ongoing investigation of a Boko Haram coordinator, Kabiru Sokoto and the activities of the sect.

The former police chief was recently released on the order of President Goodluck Jonathan.

It was learnt that Biu was dismissed by the PSC for not

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

“providing the right leadership at the crucial time.”

But since his release, there has been agitation for Biu’s retirement since he was not directly linked with the escape of Kabiru Sokoto.

A source said: “It is true that some senior officers have been demanding the conversion of Biu’s dismissal to retirement to avoid setting a bad precedent in the police.

“Some of us believe that a CP cannot bear the responsibility for all the shortcomings of those serving under him.”

‘Immigration repatriates 16,738 in 2012’

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IXTEEN thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight illegal migrants were repatriated by the Nigeria Immigration Service in 2012, the Comptroller-General, Mrs Rose Uzoma, has said.

Mrs. Uzoma spoke at a forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

She said: “ We repatriated 16, 738 illegal immigrants, mainly of ECOWAS sub-region and let me make this clear, we did not remove these people because they are ECOWAS nationals. “ There are still many ECOWAS nationals living with us, because of the security challenge, we removed only those that did not have travel documents, to even let us know of their nationality.

“Because it is the travel document of a holder that will determine his nationality.’’

She said the persons repatriated included users of illegal routes and those, who loitered around with the tendency for criminal acts.

She noted that when parts of Nigeria’s boarders were closed earlier in the year, the service was able to stop at least 17,000 Nigerians from leaving the country through illegal routes. She said that the service had signed agreements with countries, such as Switzerland on how to resettle returnee Nigerians with a specificed amount of money to enable them re-establish themselves.

Colleagues hail Peterside

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EMBERS of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) have described their Chairman, Dakuku Peterside, as an outstanding leader.

The members, in an advertorial in this newspaper to mark Peterside’s 42nd birthday today, said he has distinguished himself in the discharge of his responsibility.

They said: “You are one of the most unique people God created. With some unmatched characteristics, unconventional personality, excellent analytical mind and hard working nature, we pray for God’s guidance and more years of service to your people as you celebrate your birthday.”

Peterside, who represents Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro federal constituency, will be marking his birthday in an orphanage in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

An aide to Peterside, Mr Sylvester Asoya , in a tribute, said:”For most young Nigerians, this representative from Rivers State holds a measure of hope for the future. In less than two decades in public sphere, Peterside has made appreciable impact with his career choices, first as an activist and later as a politician.

“Peterside’s foray into public service actually began in August 1999 when Dr. Peter Odili, the then governor of Rivers State appointed him as his Special Assistant on Student and Youth Affairs.

Shortly after, he was invited to

•Peterside

serve as Chairman, OpoboNkoro local government area in December 2002. At the LGA, he distinguished himself as an administrator per excellence.

“After his tenure as LGA chairman, Peterside was appointed Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Works. Peterside brought novelty, ingenuity and credibility to public infrastructure works.

He kept contractors on their toes and gave Rivers people value for their projects.

“In this Seventh Assembly, Peterside, though a first-timer heads a committee and has demonstrated his leadership abilities. He has also proposed a couple of bills. They include: Threat of Annihilation of Riverine Community bill, Construction Industry bill and the bill seeking the attention of the Federal Government on the plight of Oloibiri where oil was first discovered in Nigeria.”

Another source said: “Why we are concerned about Biu’s fate is that the suspect in question(Kabiru Sokoto) has not been charged with any offence by the state.

“The arraignment of the suspect would have proved to all Nigerians the culpability or otherwise of Zakari Biu.” The Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the PSC, Ms Comfort Obi, said: “So far, we have not got any letter of appeal from Biu, unless it will come in the New Year.

“If Biu files an appeal and we find merit in it, we will consider it. Let him come up with cogent reasons why his

case should be reviewed. We are statutorily empowered to look at disciplinary issues affecting Commissioners of Police and those below them in line with Section 30 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution.”

The section says: “The Police Service Commission shall have power to (a) appoint persons to offices (other than the Office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the Nigeria Police Force; and (b) dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding any office referred to in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph.”

The Christmas Day bomb-

ings at St.Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla killed 44 parishioners and others.

Sokoto was said to be one of the masterminds of the Christmas Day bombings.

Barely 48 hours in custody, he escaped in Abaji in the custody of policemen who went to search his home.

Biu was dismissed on February 22 by the PSC, following the escape of Sokoto.

The incident led to the querying and retirement of the former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim.

A former National Security Adviser, the late Gen. Owoye Azazi, also set up an investigative panel, made up of senior officials from various arms of the security agencies as well as officials of the Min-

•Biu

istry of Police Affairs.

The investigation led to Biu’s prolonged stay in custody until a presidential intervention came.

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THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2012

NEWS

•Leaders of Bauchi State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) with Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sagir Saleh (middle) during a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor in Bauchi

•Rector, Rivers State College of Arts & Science, Dr. Hillary Wordu;(left), Chief Executive, Institute for Government Research & Leadership Technology, Ambassador Moses Essien and Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Calabar, Prof John Etuk at the African product development lecture in Rivers State

•Mr Femi Osinowo, a lawyer (left), Security Manager, Delta Afrik Engineering, Mr Alexander Agbotia; Managing Director/CEO, Fountain Guards Limited, Mr Njoku Paul and Chairman, Canals Nigeria Limited, Chief Gerald Udu at the Fountain Guards end-of-the year party in Lagos PHOTO:ISAAC AYODELE

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THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

COMMENT

Damning advisory •Govt has to take the US’ security concerns seriously

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ESCRIBING the current security situation in Nigeria as remaining “fluid and unpredictable”, the United States Government’s latest travel advisory warned its citizens of the risks of travelling to 10 states, including Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Yobe, Kaduna, Bauchi, Borno and Kano states. Beyond this, the United States restricted its officials from visiting any of the 19 Northern states in Nigeria without obtaining official permission from US authorities, again because of the parlous security situation in that part of the country.

Giving detailed, specific and verifiable incidents of rampant criminality across the country throughout 2012, the latest US advisory demonstrated clearly that safety conditions have worsened in Nigeria since June 21 when the preceding advisory was issued to its citizens.

Among the many incidents of unrestrained lawlessness in most parts of Nigeria cited by the advisory are kidnappings, armed muggings, armed robberies, both at day and night time, assaults, abduction of foreign nationals from offshore and landbased facilities, attacks on communication facilities nationwide, assassinations, carjacking, extortion and, of course, the raging Boko Haram terrorist insurgency in the northern part of the country.

In the damning but incontrovertible assessment of the advisory, “Law enforcement authorities usually respond slowly or not at all and provide little or no investigative support to victims. US citizens, Nigerians and other expatriates have experienced harassment and shakedowns at checkpoints and during encounters with Nigerian law enforcement

officials…Travelling outside of major cities after dark is not recommended because of both crime and road safety concerns”.

It is thus not only Nigerians that are aware of the dangerous conditions in which they live and are thus wary and cynical of government’s unconvincing avowals to the contrary. The world has become a global village and, with modern telecommunications technology, no country can successfully hide its internal conditions from the outside world. In routinely issuing advisories to guide and protect the safety of its citizens worldwide, the American government demonstrates what should be the attitude of a responsible state to its people.

The life of every American matters to the US authorities and that is how it should be.

The reflexive reaction of the Nigerian authorities to this kind of negative foreign assessment is to live in denial and exhibit aggressive defensiveness. This is unhelpful and counterproductive, as the US advisory is predicated on verifiable facts. Indeed, if similar advisories issued in the past had motivated the Nigerian authorities to take urgent remedial action, we would have long transcended the prevalent unsavoury situation.

The response this time must be different. This must be seen as a wake- up call for decisive, result-oriented action to enhance safety throughout Nigeria. Of course, this advisory only reinforces the negative perception of Nigeria as a fast failing state; a situation which will further discourage foreign investors from channelling their resources into an unsafe and unpredictable environment. Yet, without massive foreign investment, business cannot thrive because jobs cannot be created for

the teeming number of unemployed youths in order to help mitigate the tendency towards criminality.

The Nigerian state cannot continue to pay lip service to national security. As it is, the prevalent security situation is an excuse for huge security expenditures that apparently end in private pockets. The massive corruption at all levels of government in the country has indeed become a serious and dangerous security challenge. It denies the country not only of the resources needed to provide a well motivated, equipped and efficiently organised security network, but also the direly required investment in infrastructure, social services and poverty alleviation. Without these urgent investments, insecurity can only worsen in Nigeria.

‘Indeed, if similar advisories issued in the past had motivated the Nigerian authorities to take urgent remedial action, we would have long transcended the prevalent unsavoury situation. The response this time must be different.

This must be seen as a wake- up call for decisive, result-oriented action to enhance safety throughout Nigeria’

The Lagos banger fire •We must probe this avoidable tragedy T was another day of wailing at the Idumagbo area of Lagos the day after Christmas, when a three-storey building located at 45, Ojo-Giwa Street, where firecrackers were stored, suddenly went up in flames at about 9.30 a.m. At least one person was killed and more than 14 other buildings burnt. About 40 people that were injured were rushed to various hospitals. Of course, many vehicles parked in the area, as well as other property, were destroyed.

The annoying part of it all is that the tragedy, like many other Nigerian tragedies, was avoidable. That it was caused by firecrackers is enough evidence of the

I

‘This tragedy shamefully exposed the general carelessness among us as a people, even as it is a big indictment on our security agents. If firecrackers have been banned in the country, how come we have the materials all over, with children and adults alike throwing them freely, without anyone trying to stop them?

Where were the Customs officials when the prohibited items were brought in? Now, the police say they are searching for the owners of the firecrackers, thereby barring the stable door after the stallion has escaped’

predominant role that the ubiquitous ‘Nigerian factor’ played in the disaster. It was an ample demonstration of everything wrong in and with the country. Firecrackers have been banned in Nigeria.

Yet, they are a common feature during end of the year festivities. As a matter of fact, it was as if the bangers were given out for free the way they were used in Lagos until the unfortunate incident of December 26.

Yet, just about two months ago, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State had appealed to residents to desist from the dangerous business of storing inflammable materials in homes, especially in this dry season. “The consequences are more than the gain. … But they have failed to listen to our appeals”. The failure to heed that appeal is what has caused the millions of property lost to the incident, apart from collateral damage, the cost of which we may never be able to ascertain. Now, how much profit would the importers of the bangers and those selling them have made or hoped to make that can compare to the losses incurred in the tragedy?

We sympathise with those affected by the incident even as our hearts pour out to the dead. But, beyond this, the tragedy is a wake-up call to us all to raise the alarm whenever and wherever danger looms. For sure, there were neighbours in that area who knew that such inflammable materials were stored in that place but they never bothered to inform the security agents. It is true, as Governor

Fashola observed, that “people have the right in a democratic government to decide whatever they wish to do, but they can only embark on such act when it is not injurious to others”. We all have to be more safety and security conscious because the government cannot be everywhere at all times.

This tragedy shamefully exposed the general carelessness among us as a people, even as it is a big indictment on our security agents. If firecrackers have been banned in the country, how come we have the materials all over, with children and adults alike throwing them freely, without anyone trying to stop them? Where were the Customs officials when the prohibited items were brought in? Now, the police say they are searching for the owners of the firecrackers, thereby barring the stable door after the stallion has escaped.

Were the police not aware that such items were stored and sold in the place?

The Lagos State government should begin the enforcement of the law banning the use of residential houses for commercial purposes. In the same vein, the state government should look seriously into the way houses are built so close to one another, especially on the Lagos Island. This has always hampered rescue efforts in emergencies.

Above all, we call for a thorough probe into this incident. Obviously, some people had been negligent and they should be made to face the music.

Arab awakening is only just beginning

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IDDLE East will keep monopolising world’s attention The US may be pivoting eastward in an attempt to answer the rise of China. The EU may be gazing inward in its tortured attempts to emerge from the eurozone crisis. But the Middle East – rarely more combustible than now – will not be wished away by inertia or introversion. It will continue to monopolise the firefighting capacity of world powers throughout 2013 and beyond.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is now so close to being made insoluble – at least within the two-states framework the international community set but the US declines to press on its Israeli ally – that it requires separate consideration. As of now, Syria is the most incendiary of the region’s tinderboxes.

More than 21 months after the uprising started against Bashar al-Assad, and then turned into an insurgency to counter savage repression, the regime is engaged in a rearguard action, punctuated by punitive air strikes. The rebels have momentum and tactical agility. Whether or not western powers give them the heavy weapons they need to counter the regime’s still far superior firepower, the Assads are finished.

Arming the rebels now may hasten their departure, arrest the disturbing advance of jihadi extremism and galvanise the opposition. The rebels are starting to cohere, invested with legitimacy this month by the recognition of more than 100 countries, including the US and EU member states. But as the regime enters an endgame that could get still bloodier, it is politically incoherent to mount such a diplomatic offensive while outsourcing the arming of the rebels to Gulf states.

They are enhancing the influence of Islamism far beyond what Syria’s multi-confessional society would normally tolerate. That will make stabilising Syria after the regime’s implosion even messier, especially if the Assads keep trying to spread the conflict to neighbouring countries such as Lebanon and Turkey.

The fall of the Assads will be a strategic setback to Iran and its regional allies such as Hizbollah, the Shia Islamist state within the fragile Lebanese state. But that could quickly be reversed if Israel were to carry out its threats to attack Iran’s nuclear installations, enabling Tehran’s theocrats to rally disaffected Muslims across the region and strengthen their grip at home. It is easy to imagine how such a conflict would drag in the US, disrupt the Gulf and its oil traffic, and set fire to Lebanon.

The best chance of avoiding this is if President Barack Obama is more forthright in his second term about the terms of negotiation with Tehran. The only realistic deal is to allow Iran to enrich uranium to low levels, under strict international monitoring, but draw a red line against any attempt to construct a nuclear weapon. If this does not become the settled policy of the international community, a new war in the Middle East becomes more than likely.

While that is dangerous in itself, it would also influence the still promising, if necessarily messy, process of the Arab awakening from a long era of tyranny.

The mainstream Islamists who have most profited from the toppling of dictatorships in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and now probably Syria have yet to demonstrate they understand the principles of pluralist democracy, just as their opponents have yet to show they can come up with a convincing alternative, beyond their brave but politically inchoate ability to fill public squares. Egypt is the crux.

The attempt by President Mohamed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood to impose their constitutional blueprint is convulsing a diverse society, sabotaging an already prostrate economy, holding up the rebuilding of institutions and inciting international suspicion of Egypt as it strives to regain a leading regional role.

This is dismaying, yet Egypt still has the capacity to surprise.

– Financial Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu

•Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon

•Advert Manager Robinson Osirike

•Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina •Group Political Editor Bolade Omonijo •Group Business Editor Ayodele Aminu •Abuja Bureau Chief Yomi Odunuga •Sport Editor Ade Ojeikere •Editorial Page Editor Sanya Oni

• Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •Chief Internal Auditor Toke Folorunsho •Senior Manager (sales) Akeem Shoge

•IT Manager Bolarinwa Meekness •Press Manager Udensi Chikaodi •Manager, Corporate Marketing Hameed Odejayi • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31 , 2012

20

CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: The decision by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to adopt the computerbased test method for the conduct of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, is no doubt, laudable.

While some people have argued that the nation was not ripe for the initiative due chiefly to the dearth of infrastructure, epileptic power supply and low ICT literacy level, others reasoned that the idea should be embraced.

In the United States of America, where the Computer-Based Test (CBT) or testing is widely used, it is also known as the “next frontier in testing”. Educators, testing companies and state departments find it useful in the process of transforming paper/pencil tests into technology-based formats.

It’s merits include increased accessibility to many exam sessions within a year, attractive and userfriendly interface, online timer on the display screens, access to helpfunctions during the test, among others. CBT also enhances fair and precise evaluation of a candidate’s competency, rapid turnaround of results, and more choices as to when and where to take the exam, easier registration and fortified examination security.

JAMB Registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde, said the programme would migrate candidates from the use of paper and pencil in examinations to full usage of computers and would guarantee faster release of results; within 30 minutes after taking the examination.

Before JAMB begins implementation, there a few points to ponder over. First, there has not been any evidence that the required infrastructural needs have been put

EDITOR’S MAIL BAG SEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF NOT MORE THAN 800 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS. E-mail: views@thenationonlineng.net

Before JAMB begins Computer-Based Test in place. The untold experience suffered by students in the hands of universities that adopted the similar method for admission exercise in 2012 is instructive.

It saddening that most of the candidates registering for the 2013 examination were spillover and casualties of the 2012 exercise who may be the ‘guinea pigs’ of the newly introduced method, as some of the computer assembled by affected institutions were old, erratic and malfunctioned.

There is no known statistics to

indicate that many students in public schools are now computer literate to sit for the examination as the cost of computer is still not affordable. The challenge of providing computers for over about two million candidates in a country that is still battling to provide basic food for its people must eb taken into account. Another critical issue is the availability of constant electricity.

JAMB should also ensure that the necessary security checks are put in place. Efforts should be intensified to protect candidates and officials,

who could be vulnerable to attacks.

Another factor that should be seriously considered is the peculair needs of the physically-challenged and students with disabilities.

These categories of people could be at a great disadvantage if certain things are not provided. Special provisions must be made to accommodate them.

JAMB should take seriously, the recommendation of “The Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences” (Vol. 3, No. 2, February 2012), which rec-

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• Adewale Kupoluyi Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

Makoko: the last seed of hope IR: Dwelling right next to civilisation, and concealed by the flight for survival is a segment of society that seems pushed aside. With a border of coloured water which no one – not even the government – is willing to cross.

They are disguised as the dregs of a world that used to exist; an abandoned spot on the map of development. A crooked picture of irregular pieces of wood hurriedly patched together forms the basic architecture of Makoko, Yaba.

Houses with a foundation rooted in stagnant water; a water system that caters for human and industrial waste; host of flies surround what appear to be excreta soaked

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up by sawdust. Tears threatened to trickle from my eyes - not because of overflowing emotion, but because the haze of sawdust and smoke made my sensitive eyes teary.

Obligated to honour the word I gave my friends; I followed the bus that headed to Makoko. As we packed the gifts for a people who were till now a distant memory.

Uncertainty held my mind captive, and going back suddenly seemed like a good idea. The government seemed to be the least bothered: why should a group of undergraduates – with only two graduates amongst us – be responsible for feeding a whole community? But

we were already on this journey, this is as bad as it could get. Whatever happens would have to be good enough to stop a train in motion.

It was finished before we even begun. As I sat by the corner of the returning bus, with the window for a natural screen, I witnessed a mild mob – as the children enclosed my friend in an impenetrable fence of demands. In a short flash, he was robbed of the bags he held tightly due to what was surely a miscalculation of the strength that was resident in the children. In that short event, I saw resilience and relentlessness. The will to live and the joy in waiting for the next stroke of

Ajimobi should match words with action on Oyo ACN IR: The call by the governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi on members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN), Oyo State chapter to unite was timely and divine. While commissioning some constituency projects executed

by Senator Femi Lanlehin in Ibadan recently, the governor bemoaned the existence of factions in the party.

Without mincing words, factionalisation of Oyo state chapter of ACN is real, and if care is not taken may affect the fortune of the party, particularly in Ogbomoso zone. This is why the governor’s call was timely.

ommends that examination questions prepared for CBT should be made ‘error-free’while the allocated time should also be adequate.

JAMB should embark on massive training, enlightenment and awareness strategies to get candidates and relevant stakeholders to be familiar with the complex CBT operations and clear the grey areas.

For now, the stakeholders, most especially the students, appear not to be really informed on what they stand to benefit from the innovation.

Therefore, rather than put a time frame of two years for its full implementation, it should be more flexible and give enough room for selfappraisal, assessment, restrategizing and better planning.

If the truth must be told, the ACN led government in Oyo State made the mistake of using factions to distribute appointments and patronages instead of individual contributions to the success of the party. It appears that there was no means of evaluating the contributions of loyal party members at the local government level for onward transmission to the top echelon of the party and government for appointments and patronages. This in effect had caused disaffection among party members because of winners take all attitudes of some of those who have gotten

appointment from the government.

As the governor emphasized, it would be difficult for the party to retain power in Oyo State if the disunity should continue. This is because a house divided against itself can not stand. The governor has proved his mettle as an astute administrator with vision for pacesetter state and evidences abound to prove this. Unlike in the past, people can now sleep with the two eyes closed in the state. Filthy environment in most part of the state, particularly Ibadan has given in to greenly and serene environ-

ment, new roads are springing up while old roads are being rehabilitated, workers are getting reward for their labour as and when due. This is to mention but a few. As a matter of fact, it would be suicidal if ACN should filter away the God given chance to reposition Oyo State because of personal aggrandizement.

As the leader of the party, he should be magnanimous enough to see everybody as his, and create sense of belonging in party members. This is the way to promote unity in the party.

• Adewuyi Adegbite Apake, Ogbomoso.

excitement.

Then I realised I was tired, exhausted, and full – fulfilled. Not because, we did much work, but because I was grateful to be part of this.

In what seems to be the remains of society dwelt the very last string of a hope that seemed lost. In a free flowing reminisce, faces and voices coloured my thoughts. The preconception of half-naked, pot-bellied, and malnourished children slowly dissolved as I allowed the new pictures to flood my mind: the little girl who tirelessly posed for all of the pictures we took of her, flashing her open-tooth for the camera with a ready smile. The old woman who seemed peaceful even with the thick smell that tickled her aged nose; the young wife that ran desperately so that her family’s share – of the food – was not missed; the single ladies who were ready to take pictures as long as we were ready to give them their package. The young men and husbands with their bodies covered with a powder of sawdust and sweat for the day’s bread.

They do not struggle with today, but they are confident that tomorrow cannot escape their keen watch.

They represent a hope that is not shaped by the government’s activities, but by a spirit that cannot be broken.

• Adegboye Oyindamola Mass Communication Dept University of Lagos

21

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

COMMENTS

Guns, terrorists and United Nations

S

OMETIME in September, at the UN Headquarters, in New York, Nigeria was again at the centre stage of multilateral diplomacy. The occasion was the Second UN Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs). The Conference ended on a cheerful note when 193 countries agreed to the adoption of a new UN Programme of Action on illicit small arms. Notably, in the process leading up to the Conference and its final days, our Permanent Representative to the UN, Professor Joy Ogwu, a world renowned disarmament expert was at the helms of affairs as the President of the Review Conference; and she made us proud!

In plain language andstripped of those occasionally bewildering diplomatic language, on the evening of Friday September 7, after several failed attempts spanning 10 years, the international community took concrete steps to confront the crisis of over 850 million illegal firearms in circulation around the world. It was a day the world once again said “Yes to”Gun Control”; and “No” to illicit arms in the hand of robbers, warlords, terrorists and deranged people who wreak havoc across the world. Imagine the heart rending tragedy in an elementary school in New Town, Connecticut where most innocent children were massacred at a period the world was singing joy to the world! Imagine the unacceptable terrorist activities of Boko Haram against people who are worshipping their God in their Churches or Mosques.

Somehow, the epoch making event in New York did not attract much media attention.Perhaps because New York is far and out of the radar of ordinary people preoccupied with the stress of daily living. The event also did not attract much attention due perhaps to the fact that beyond disarmament experts few people can connect a UN disarmament Program to a good night sleep and their personal safety on a daily basis. And then that misperception that the UN and its array of agencies are mere talking shops. What with civil war raging in Syria and veto being whipped up now and then in the Security Council! So of what use is another “piece of paper”

‘Really it should also be of interest to every man and woman on the street in all corners of our world which has become unacceptably violent and certainly need re-inventing. Today most people sleep with only one eye closed due to the activities of robbers, kidnappers, marauders and terrorists’

By Ayo Olukanni

and difficult history of curbing illegal arms and weapons.

This particular conference was certainly another fitting tribute to Nigeria’s diplomacy and foreign policy posture. Coming not too long after a brilliant performance as a member of the UN Security Council, the outcome of the conference was another good outing for the Nigerian Mission to the UN in New York and our team of diplomats who worked tirelessly for and must have put in sleepless nights for the success of the conference. Equally significant was the performance of our Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Joy Ogwu who demonstrated uncommon and admirable diplomatic skill to secure the endorsement of over 193 countries. It was also of course a proud moment for the leadership of our foreign ministry led by Foreign Minister Olugbenga Ashiru and the supporting team of officials from the headquarters in Abuja. We must also not forget that the successful conclusion of the small arms conference tallies with the commendable commitment of President Jonathan’s administration to tackle the security challenges at home and its foreign policy posture for enduring peace and security in the ECOWAS region which recently received the support of the Security Council in form of the approval of ECOWAS initiatives to tackle the challenge in Mali including through an intervention force.

No doubt the Programme of Action on Small Arms is another evidence that the UN as our common home and can serve humanity well if the will is there. And now that we have a Roadmap in our hands, to prevent guns from falling into the hands of robbers and terrorists, we must all rise to the challenge.That is the “heart of the matter” which must also be a “matter of the heart” for us all for that good night sleep we all deserve; and rest of mind to as we faithfully worship our God in our various churches or mosques.

from the UN – one can hear people asking. Of course the UN works. It works for us all, as a forum to proffer solutions to every conceivable issue from the depth of the ocean to outerspace. Think of child care, women development, climate change, poverty eradication, peaceful use of outer space, etc.

So when the world gathered in New York in September, to try its hand again at ridding our world of illegal firearms and emerged with an outcome document it deserves close attention of all. Really it should also be of interest to every man and woman on the street in all corners of our world which has become unacceptably violent and certainly need re-inventing. Today most people sleep with only one eye closed due to the activities of robbers, kidnappers, marauders and terrorists. Before our very eyes, Mali with an enviable history and a hitherto shining example of democracy in West Africa has been balkanized by a terrorist group armed to the teeth with lethal weapons; a development threatening to roll-back the democratic gains of immediate past decade in our sub region.

Certainly, the successful outcome of the Small Arms and Light Weapons Conference could be adjudged as one of the major events of year 2012 in the field of disarmament for one simple reason. It has implication for the common quest to reduce violence, for a more peaceful world and security at national and personal levels. The document reminds us that illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects continues to sustain conflicts, exacerbate armed violence undermine respect for international humanitarian law, aid terrorism and illegal armed group and facilitate increasing levels of transnational organised crime as well as trafficking in human, drugs. There is therefore need for a bold initiative to confront the problem through gun control.

• Amb Olukanni is Nigeria’s High Commissioner to AusAt national and international level, the programme of action called for adequate laws, regulations and administrative tralia procedures to prevent circulation of illegal arms and tighten And now that we have a Roadmap access to guns. There are recommendations for improved intelligence work and appropriate national institutions. Inter- in our hands, to prevent guns from national arms transfers are expected to come under tighter control. Customs, INTERPOL, security agencies, NGOs and falling into the hands of robbers and ordinary people are also expected to report suspicious char- terrorists, we must all rise to the acters and activities. Implicitly we all have roles to play to challenge.That is the “heart of the combat illicit trafficking of arms.

States are of course expected to lead the crusade. They have matter” which must also be a “matthe primary responsibility for preventing, combating and eradicating small arms trafficking. This is a crucial aspect of ter of the heart” for us all for that the gathering in New York in the concerted effort to wrest good night sleep we all deserve; and guns from the hand of criminals and terrorists.

As delegates rose up on that faithful evening there was a rest of mind to as we faithfully worfeeling of satisfaction that the world has finally taken a bold ship our God in our various step to come to grips with what has come to be accepted as the new weapon of mass destruction. It was a watershed in a long churches or mosques.

Goodbye 2012, welcome 2013!

E

VERY year comes with its own challenge. The outgoing year, was, without doubt, a very challenging one not only for us in Nigeria but in the world as a whole. It was a year that challenged and confounded the much touted technological conquest of the earth by man. From America to Australia, from Egypt to South Africa and from Canada to China, the world confronted diverse threats that defied technological explanations. As the Americans prepared for the 2012 national elections, it was hit by Hurricane Sandy which had devastating effects on the country. Nigerians were indeed, astounded to see Americans queuing for fuel with jerry cans at filling stations in addition to having to endure power outage for days.

In major parts of the world, the year 2012 would be remembered as a year of unprecedented and uncontrollable flooding. From China, America, Australia, Europe, to mention just a few, came horrible sights of submerged houses, cars and dislocated men who scampered for safety from the explosive fury of a menacing flooding. Here in Nigeria, we had our own share of the flooding palaver as states such as Edo, Delta, Anambra, Rivers, Kogi, Oyo, to mention just a few, groaned under the monstrous flooding that brought all activities to a standstill. People travelling on roads through Lokoja to Abuja were worse hit as most of them were stranded on the road for days. In Lagos, we were luckier as the good jobs that the government has been doing over the years in the area of environmental regeneration eventually yielded good dividends and the residents were spared the agony of another flooding experience.

In the northern part of the country, the deadly Boko Haram group continued in its murderous and dastardly acts, holding the North-East in particular to ransom through wanton destruction of lives and properties.

Till date, government is yet to find a lasting solution to the threat of this deadly gang.

Indeed, 2012 was a year when the Boko

By Lateef Ibirogba Haram elevated terrorism to another height in the country. The rate of insecurity in the country, particularly in the northern part, was a major source of concern throughout 2012. Aside from the murderous activities of Boko Haram, recent upsurge in kidnappings across the country have become a new source of worry. States such as Osun, Oyo, Ogun among others, which were hitherto no hunting grounds for kidnappers, suddenly became ‘catchment areas’ for them.

It was also a year that witnessed unprecedented rate of death in the air in Nigeria.

Though air transportation is seen as the fastest and safest of the three forms of transportation; (water, land and air), but it is not short of its disasters. Just before Sunday, June 3, when the nation was thrown into mourning again as a Dana Airlines Flight 9J 992 carrying 153 passengers on board crashed into IjuIshaga, a densely populated residential area of Lagos, killing all passengers on board, a Nigerian cargo plane, attempting to take off from the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, crashed few hours earlier on Saturday night, killing 10 people and injuring an unspecified number of others. The plane smashed through the airport’s fence before slamming into cars and a bus loaded with passengers on a nearby street.

Four months after, on October 25, the Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai and five of his aides narrowly escaped death when a Cessna 208 aircraft marked 5N-BMJ that Suntai piloted, reportedly lost contact with the Yola Control Tower 38 miles to landing, after leaving Jalingo, the state capital and crashed into a hill in Adamawa. Just when Nigerians thought they had seen an end to air crashes for 2012, the nation was jolted with the news of four persons, including Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State and former National Security Adviser to the

president, General Owoeye Azazi, who were reportedly burnt in a helicopter crash that occurred in the forest of Okoroba community in Nembe Local Government of Bayelsa State.

However, 2012 was not all about gloom and distress. In particular, for us in Lagos, the year was another in the success story of the Fashola administration. It witnessed the inauguration of several new projects across the state. As usual, the Fashola administration has continued in its trailblazing fashion in the provision of social infrastructure for the good of Lagosians.

In the area of public law and order, the recently promulgated Lagos Road Traffic law is already impacting on road safety and security of lives and property in the state.

Recent statistics from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), reveal that casualties figure have drastically reduced particularly in commercial motorcycles related accidents since the beginning of the traffic law.

The months of September to December are a critical period when higher accidents are recorded due to atmospheric condition of the time. The months of September and October recorded a total of 183 road crashes, a bit higher than 2011 rate. In the same vein, commercial motorcycle accidents, since the implementation of the traffic law, was 11 for the combined months of October and November compared to 33 in 2011. The number of persons killed in Okada accident in 2012 was three for the month of September and one for October.

This was much lower when compared to 14 deaths recorded in September and October 2011.

Similarly, it was in 2012 that Lagos hosted EKO 2012, a sports festival that has come to be regarded as the best organized in the history of the festival in the country. The event, which afforded youths across the

country a platform to display their potentials in diverse sporting areas, would continue to be a benchmark for future games in the country.

As we savour the prospect of 2013, I enjoin everyone to take advantage of the unlimited possibilities that come with the New Year. If we could work harder and prepare ourselves ahead for the challenges of the New Year, I am convinced that we won’t miss any opportunity in the New Year. As a government, we will continue to work hard to make Lagos a better place for all to live. Nevertheless, in as much as we will continue to be relentless in our commitment to the Lagos project, we implore all Lagosians to work in partnership with us to collectively achieve the Lagos of our dream.

It is only in doing this that we can all fully tap the limitless potentials buried in the womb of the New Year. May 2013 bring unto us good fortunes and glad tidings. May it be a year of peace, joy and happiness for everybody. Happy new year to you all!

• Ibirogba is Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State

‘In the area of public law and order, the recently promulgated Lagos Road Traffic law is already impacting on road safety and security of lives and property in the state. Recent statistics from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), reveal that casualties figure have drastically reduced particularly in commercial motorcycles related accidents since the beginning of the traffic law’

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

22

COMMENTS

W

HEN President Jonathan spoke last week on the goodies awaiting Nigerians in the New Year, it must have been to allay their frustrations in the inability of his regime to deliver since it came on stream. He had told his audience in Kaduna not to lose hope as the New Year will be better in all aspects of their lives. He said things will be better in 2013 and he will perform better in the New Year.

Hear him, “the New Year shall be better in terms of job creation, wealth creation and security”. For a people who have been living in utter despair on account of the daunting challenges facing the country, these new year promises must have come as a very pleasant surprise.

Coming on the eye of the New Year, these promises might as well pass as Jonathan’s New Year resolutions. It is very common in our clime for people to make resolutions on what they intend to do or not do in the New Year as part of the pact they have with their God. Most often, these resolutions come in form of a promise to turn a new leaf in the New Year as a way of atoning for the mistakes and human failings of the past. The practice draws a lot of support from religious tenets which encourage repentance with a firm promise not to fall back to ones decadent life style. If it is this religious zeal that is behind the high hopes the president reposes in the New Year, there is cause to give him

‘It will be difficult to create wealth in the face of the unbridled corruption in this country. Today, many families find it extremely difficult to eat one square meal a day. Yet they are daily treated with the embarrassing affluence of those who have had the opportunity to hold positions in government. Nobody cares to ask the source of this overnight wealth’

I

Emeka OMEIHE 08121971199 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

Jonathan’s New Year resolution

the benefit of doubt. It is to be expected that since the promises are measurable, there must be concrete issues on the ground that may not be palpable to the people that give him such hopes. We do not seem to have an alternative than to believe him and then wait for those good things to come especially as the New Year is here.

But the experiences we have had on this clime have been the relative ease with which New Year resolutions are kept in the breach.

That is why that practice seems to be on the decline today. Most of those who have been involved in such promises will confess their inability to keep faith with them. We do not expect Jonathan’s will be one of those fading New Year resolutions. And since hope plays a very vital role in sustaining life, we must not be seen to be losing hope in the prospects of the future. The future or the social dynamics of history has a way of resolving nature’s numerous problems. So we must be prospective as a people.

There is therefore very good reason for us to believe our president. Admitting that the changes might be coming slowly, he was optimistic that soon they will manifest in terms of better well-being of the people.

Jonathan further cited the slight improvements in electricity supplies, as evidence of the good things to come if Nigerians exercise some patience.

It would appear that we have no alternative than to take the president the way he has presented himself to us. After all, we have managed to live with these problems. Now we have been told that some respite is underway, we should have cause to heave a sigh

MO State is in dire straits. The state which used to be one of the most progressive and rapidly developing in the country is today, facing a serious challenge of development occasioned by directionless leadership.

As Imo and Imolites suffer retardation in every sector of the state’s economy, the Rochas Okorocha government, which elicited much enthusiasm and hope at inception, continues to pursue shadows. Like Emperor Nero of the ancient Roman Empire, the government in Owerri fiddles while Imo burns. Today, the only indication that something is happening in Imo, is the upsurge in the number of hotels and brothels which depend on free ladies from the tertiary institutions in the state.

In fact, prostitution is the biggest industry in Imo as all other sectors of the economy remain undeveloped.

Instead of delivering on its campaign promises, the government in Imo has continued to blackmail former Governor Chief Ikedi Ohakim with threats of probe.

Only recently, Governor Okorocha disclosed to Imo people that the fraud allegedly perpetrated by Ohakim was so monumental that he would not sweep it under the carpet. According to Okorocha and his aides, the loans obtained by Ohakim in the name of the state, ended up in private pockets as there is nothing on ground to show that the loans were judiciously used.

Okorocha and his men are quick to point at certain projects initiated by Ohakim, which they describe as phoney or nonexistent even though funds were said to have been allocated for them in budgets. Some of the projects include the Oguta Wonder Lake, the Oak Refinery, the Imo Boulevard, the new Government House, Mid-West Airlines among others. Ohakim was said to have procured bank bonds for these projects without executing them.

Already, Ohakim has told the world that he left about N13.5 billion in Imo State’s coffers while leaving office May 29, 2011.

His media aide, Ethelbert Okere has risen in defence of his boss, maintaining that Okorocha is simply pursuing rats while his house is burning. Similarly, the 27 Local Government Council chairmen in the state who were sacked by the governor have dragged him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions (EFCC) for alleged misappropriation of the N13.5 billion.

The council chairmen have also alleged that Governor Okorocha used the allocations due to local councils in the state as collateral to borrow N45 billion and another N28 billion from two separate new generation banks.

The truth of the matter is that the Okorocha government has betrayed the hope the Imo people had in it when it came on board in 2011.

Most of the projects which Okorocha claims he has executed are bogus and have no direct economic benefits to Imo people.

of relief.

The issues Jonathan touched on hinge on the survival of this country and its people.

Unemployment is so grave today that something urgent has to be done to remedy the situation. It is a matter of grave concern that with the astronomical increase in the number of universities, not much has been done to create jobs for the products of those institutions.

This is so despite the huge resources which mother nature has bountifully endowed this nation. In the face of this, much of our resources are filtered away in bogus projects that have little impact on the lives of the people. Added to this is the embarrassing corruption in official quarters. Despite all the grandstanding on the fight against corruption, the facts on the ground indicate that not much progress has been recorded in this direction.

It will be difficult to create wealth in the face of the unbridled corruption in this country. Today, many families find it extremely difficult to eat one square meal a day. Yet they are daily treated with the embarrassing affluence of those who have had the opportunity to hold positions in government. Nobody cares to ask the source of this overnight wealth. But the many scandals involving politicians, sundry businessmen and critical institutions of government have tended to give out the sources of the questionable wealth. We have heard of the payment of billions of dollars to phoney companies as fuel subsidy without a litre of the commodity brought into our shores.

It is good a thing that efforts are being made

to put a stop to that scandal. Such efforts should be sustained to free the nation’s resources from the stronghold of sundry buccaneers masquerading as politicians and businessmen. Without confronting corruption in high places it will be neigh impossible to create wealth for a broad segment of the population. It is sad that recent ratings of the nation in the corruption index have made a mess of all the pontifications on the fight against the malaise. Today, politics has become the most profitable business drawing into its fold all manner of characters and charlatans. The lure of politics stems from the fact that it has become the quickest source of easy wealth.

So it is not enough to raise the expectations of the people on the good things that will come their way this year. By this time last year Nigerians were treated with fuel price increase that precipitated riots in many parts of the country. Since after those protests, it has now dawned on our people that fuel subsidy payments have turned out the biggest scandal of our time. Yet we are being told at the slightest opportunity that the only solution to the abuse of the subsidy regime is its complete removal. The purport of this constant reminder is that we should be prepared for another round of fuel price increase. That is why the government has failed to implement those palliatives which it promised would come with the increase.

It is therefore important that the current prosecution of those implicated in the malfeasance should be dutifully pursued. We are desirous in seeing the successful prosecution and conviction of some of the accused as evidence that government is seriously committed to the mater. The cases of former governors standing trial for corruption do not give hope that there is no official plan to cover up these cases through poor prosecution.

Perhaps, the greatest challenge which Jonathan should convince our people that he has a handle to is the issue of insecurity. Even as he was promising that we should hope for the better in that direction, the killing of several people inside a church by religious fundamentalists on the eve of Christmas casts a serious slur on the promise. Insecurity, the type posed by the Boko Haram threat is one challenge that can undo this country. Yet we want to share in the president’s optimism of a brighter and more prospective New Year.

As humans we must be optimistic that the New Year will put smiles on the faces of Nigerians. After all, Jonathan is not one of the new generation prophets that win coverts by giving them false hopes.

Ohakim probe: How far can Okorocha go?

By James Okoroma They include the Ojukwu Square, all the street gates in Owerri, abandoned hospital buildings which were started with local government funds, the perimeter fence along Wethedral Road and the grading of roads without actual construction.

Before the Okorocha admnistration came on board, each of the 27 local government areas had a General Hospital built by past administrations in the state. It is worrisome that these hospitals lack equipment and medicaments required for effective health care delivery. Most of these hospitals lack beds, qualified nurses and good sanitation. The few doctors who have agreed to work in them are poorly-motivated. Instead of the state government to equip these hospitals to enable them function well, it chose to construct new ones. Even the new hospital buildings under construction have been abandoned.

Okorocha has destroyed the local government administration system in Imo. Despite several court verdicts directing him to allow elected council chairmen to run the affairs of the councils, Okorocha has crippled the councils in his bid to destroy Ohakim’s legacies.

The councils are now being run by Directors of Administration and General Services (DAGS) in total violation of court orders while the chairmen elected under Ohakim are barred from even entering council headquarters.

Granted that the Ohakim administration had its own shortcomings, these are not enough to prevent Governor Okorocha from performing. Okorocha’s fourth tier government, which includes traditional rulers and Town Union Presidents in local administration, is another primitive and retrogressive policy that has further crippled the local councils and created unnecessary rifts in the villages. Cases of assassination, kidnapping, rape and arson have become daily occurrences in communities that were hitherto peaceful. The introduction of partisan politics in village unions has destroyed the brotherhood, communal harmony and cohesion which were hallmarks of the traditional Igbo society.

After over one year in office, Governor Okorocha has nothing to his name apart from unnecessary village controversies which are counter –productive. His so-called free education policy is a sham. His decision to give primary school pupils One Hundred Naira (N100.00) monthly is a mercantilist approach, which is eroding the Igbo value system anchored on hard work. It is regrettable that Okorocha is forcing Imo children to develop a taste for money not earned through handwork. Igbo children are encouraged to imbibe the virtue of

delayed gratification which is predicated on the philosophy that work must come before pleasure.

The Imo University which is a timeless legacy left by the Sam Mbakwe administration is now a shadow of its former self. Within one year, Okorocha has changed three Vice-Chancellors of the university. This is antithetical to academic culture and freedom. His decision to make Imo University a purely commercial venture, while propagating free education, is deceptive and inimical to the dreams of the founding fathers of the university. It is clumsy and primitive to ask university undergraduates to go to their rural communities to collect cheques from their traditional rulers. Most of the traditional rulers have said that the governor should have allowed them enjoy their peace instead of dragging them into his politics of free education. Nobody has seen the cheques which have been advertised in national newspapers.

It is annoying that the government in Owerri excavated most of the roads in the state without asphalting them. The rains have destroyed the roads, rendering them impassable and worse than they were when Okorocha assumed power.

The fraudulent recruitment of contractors without mobilization and payment violates the Procurement Act. It is saddening when a government decides to deceive those it is ruling.

It is even more saddening when the strategies for deceit are deliberately designed and executed by the government and its functionaries.

Okorocha should tell the world how many roads he has constructed from start to finish since he came to power. It is clear that the infrastructural base of the state has collapsed.

Owerri is a failed city already. Education which is the greatest legacy any government can leave for posterity is being ridiculed as the government continues to play politics with everything.

Ohakim has dared Okorocha to probe him. Let the probe begin if this will make Okorocha perform.

• Dr. Okoroma wrote from Owerri.

‘After over one year in office, Governor Okorocha has nothing to his name apart from unnecessary village controversies which are counter –productive. His so-called free education policy is a sham’

I

COUNTDOWN TO AFCON 2013...COUNTDOWN TO AFCON 2013...

Don’t be distracted, Ekpo urges Keshi

Pg. 24

You betrayed me ,

Pg. 41

Osaze accuses Keshi

Sport Monday, December 31, 2012

PAGE 23

•Eminike

•Musa

Emenike, Musa, 2 others

•Arrival deadline remains January 5

hit camp for

Catalonia

41

NATIONSPORT MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

24

NATION SPORT NATION SPORT COUNTDOWN TO AFCON 2013...COUNTDOWN TO AFCON 2013...COUNTDOWN TO AFCON 2013...COUNTDOWN TO AFCON 2013...COUNTDOWN TO AFCON 2013...COUNTDOWN TO AFCON 2013...

Yobo sets AFCON Don’t be distracted, target with Eagles Ekpo urges Keshi

You betrayed me , Osaze accuses Keshi From Patrick Ngwaogu

S

KIPPER Joseph Yobo has declared Nigeria are gunning for a third continental trophy at the AFCON in South Africa.

Yobo also talked about his charity in this chat with MTNFootball.com

•Ekpo

AMEOBI’S RELEASE

AFCON 2013:

•Keshi

NFF demands FIFA’s

Eagles final list

ready Jan. 8 •Keshi keeps mum on Mikel, Moses •Insists on January 5th deadline

By Innocent Amomoh

intervention

T

HE Shola Ameobi African Nations fiasco has taken another twist.

Nigeria are now threatening to bring FIFA in if they don’t get their man.

Chris Green, a committee member of the Nigerian Football Federation, said; “It’s a big joke, our position hasn’t changed.

We have a pre-tournament camp where everyone selected must turn up.

If any clubs are bent on holding on to the players then we will have no choice but to report them to FIFA. Then the appropriate sanctions can be taken”.

The public ‘debate’ had seen Alan Pardew originally announce; “Shola won’t be going. The national team manager knows the reasons, which I am keeping to myself”.

Only to be met with the following from Stephen Keshi, Nigeria’s coach; “I never entered into any deal with any manager and will not because the two (Daniel Shittu of Millwall is the other player where there is a dispute) players in question are international stars and the rules are very clear about when they should be released for international assignments if their country so desires them”.

The one thing that cannot be disputed is that surely Newcastle United should have sorted this out long ago with Nigeria, allowing them to plan accordingly.

•Ameobi

Onigando commends Glo Soccer Academy

Siasia targets Kenya post

Warri Wolves labels Agbim ingrate From, Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

•Yobo

•Siasia

25

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

JOBS Fed Govt urged to impose tariffs on imported cement THE Federal Government should impose the maximum tariffs and levies on imported cement to discourage imports, President of the Cement Producers Association of Nigeria Joseph Mokoju has said.

- Page 26

A year of strikes FOR the Labour movement, 2012 was turbulent. It was full of activism. Picketing, mass rallies, protests, strikes were the order of the day.

The year opened with struggles. Labour resisted some government’s policies - winning some, losing others.

- Dr Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Trade and Investment

T‘Why HE CEO sustainable power

200,000 agent banking jobs likely? - P. 37 News Briefing

All over the world, there is legal meteorology which ensure that what you buy is accurate and legal. If you look at the NEITI report, there is a lot of leakage in the oil and gas industry, either because the meters are not working or they are not installed at the right places.

supply is still elusive’ - P. 32

MfBs’ deadline to recapitalise ends today

M

ANY microfinance banks (MfBs) are yet to close their branches and cash centres in defiance of the recapitalisation deadline set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) The apex bank gave today as the last day for MFBs fo recapitalise or close shop.

Sources said some of the banks want to make more revenue, hence their decision not to close their branches.

They said the development

By Akinola Ajibade

runs contrary to the provisions of the Revised Microfinance Policy Frameworks of CBN, which stipulates that certain category of banks must close their branches before recapitalisation. The issue, they said, attracts sanctions depending on the level of recapitalisation required A Director, Other Financial Institutions Department (OFID), CBN, Mr Olufemi Fabanwo, said failure of the

banks to comply with the provisions of the revised guidelines would attract punishment.

Citing the guidelines, Fabanwo said erring banks would be penalised.

He said: ”It is also pertinent to know that the penalty for operating a branch or cash centre without prior approval of the CBN, as stipulated in Section 13.1(b) of the Revised Guidelines for MfB is N250,000, N500,000 per branch for a unit and state MfB, and

N1million for a national Mfb.“ He said the apex bank would not entertain a waiver, a reduction of penalty or extension of compliance deadline.

Chairman, National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMBs), Southwest Region, Mr Olufemi Babajide, said the banks have been trying to abide with the CBN’s directives.

However, Babajide said the banks are law-abiding, and would not like to incur

the wrath of the CBN, adding that the operators know that they are bound by the CBN rules. He assured that they would comply with the CBN’s directive.

Babajide’s predecessor, Mr Mathias Umeh, said the banks are trying to abide by the guidelines, adding that the banks have begun merger talks as an option to get the required capital base.

He said the aim is to meet the deadline to avoid sanctions fromthe apex.

1

- Page 39

‘Why we can’t get oil, gas accounts’ NSURANCE brokersare groaning under the weight of hurdles placed on their path for oil and gas accounts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

- Page 40

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$107/barrel Cocoa -$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,800/troy ounce Rubber -¢159.21pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N7.560 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion

RATES Inflation 11.9% Treasury Bills 7.08% Maximum lending-22.42% Prime lending - 15.87% Savings rate 2% 91-day NTB 15% Time Deposit 5.49% MPR 12% Foreign Reserve $35.8b FOREX CFA 0.2958 EUR 206.9 £ 242.1 $ 156 ¥ 1.9179 SDR 238 RIYAL 40.472

• From left: Group Head, e-Business, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Abdul-Fattah Amoo; winners of Sterling Bank/Money Gram Promo, Mr Abel Oluwole Owoeye; Mr Alominle Olakunle; Mr Tale Adedoyin and an official of the bank's Corporate Development Department; Mrs. Kate Edoho, during the presentation of gifts to winners in Lagos.

‘Why Nigeria may miss Vision 20:2020, MDGs’targets’

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F the nation fails to ad dress the problems of weak industrialisation strategy and weak standard enforcement, the Vision 20:2020 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will remain a mirage, the Director-General, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr Umar Bindir, has warned.

Other obstacles identified by the helmsman are weak technological transfer strategy and dearth of risk capital.

He further warned that if these challenges are not addressed, joining the league of 20 leading economies in the world by 2020 and reducing poverty level in the country would remain a mirage.

Bindir, who spoke to The Nation at a workshop for reporters on science and technology in Lagos, lamented that most research results from universities and research institutes “end in the valley of death’” without getting to the market or being developed into proto-

By Lucas Ajanaku

types or finished products.

He said instead of setting long term targets, such as Vision 20:2020, Nigeria should set a yearly target.

He said: “We are not confident about Vison 20:2020.

We are cynically waiting for it to come. We have to be innovative.”

According to him, a whopping N6 trillion was spent on MDGs’ office, saying: ”We are yet to score a goal despite these huge expenditure on pursuing the MDGs.” He said Nigeria’s desire to advance technologically would remain a dream because “our science is not focusing on appropriate technology’.

He lamented that, despite that the country has the largest number of universities and mono/polytechnics in Africa, it has nothing to show for it.

He said: “There is a poor linkage between research products and marketing and most of our research materials have ended in the valley

of death.”

He advocated for the creation of strong linkages between scientists and policy makers, urging scientists to speak the language understood by the political class on how science, innovation and technology was linked to societal needs, such as job

creation and human capital development.

On which way to go for Nigeria, he said, “Nigeria can acquire technology by transferring it from the various places they have been perfected. Stealing technology is an arrogant demonstration that you have the

capcity and capability to replicate what other persons have done. Nigeria has a fantastic platform. We have already acquired a lot of technologies. The challenge now is to move the acquired technology to the next level, to the market where they are needed.”

EU okays Qatar stake in UK airport PANISH infrastrucure in Heathrow Airport operator firm Ferrovial has said Holdings Ltd has declined to

S

its deal to sell 10.62 per cent of Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd, formerly BAA Ltd, to Qatar Holding for £478million ($769million) has been completed after obtaining approval from the European Union’s competition authorities.

The deal, announced in August, was pending authorisation by the competition authorities but has now been given the nod after ascertaining that the trasaction complied with EU legislation on mergers and acquisitions.

Inigo Meiras, Chief executive Officer, Ferrovial,

said in a statement: “This transaction fulfills two objectives for us: it allows us to maintain our position as the principal shareholder and industrial partner of Heathrow Airport Holdings, and it further strengthens our liquidity situation.”

As part of this same transaction, Qatar Holding also acquired stakes of 5.63 percent of FGP Topco from Britannia Airport Partners and 3.75 per cent from GIC. Qatar now owns 20 percent of Heathrow Airport Holdings in a deal worth a total of £900million.

Ferrovial’s indirect stake

33.65 per cent.

Qatar Holding will join the boards of FGP Topco Ltd and Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd after the regulator approval.

At the time of the deal announcement, Qatar Holding said it maintained its view that the United Kingdom remains an “attractive investment destination and there is longterm fundamental strength in the British economy”.

A consortium including Ferrovial acquired Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd, then called BAA, in June 2006.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

26

BUSINESS NEWS Flight Schedule MONDAY - FRIDAY LAGOS – ABUJA Departure Arrival 1. Aero 06.50 08.10 2. Associated 07.00 09.30 3. Air Nigeria 07.00 08.20 4. IRS 07.00 08.20 7. Arik 07.15 08.15 7. Chanchangi 07.15 9. Air Nigeria 08.15 09.35 10. Aero 08.45 10.05 11. Arik 09.15 10.15 12. Chanchangi 10.00 11.00 13. IRS 11.15 12.35 14. Aero 12.20 13.30 15. Air Nigeria 13.25 14.45 16. Chanchangi 13.30 14.30 17. Arik 13.45 14.45 18. IRS 14.00 15.20 19. Aero 14.10 15.30 20. Air Nigeria 14.50 16.10 21. Chanchangi 15.30 16.30 22. Arik 15.50 16.50 23. Aero 16.00 17.20 24. IRS 16.30 17.50 25. Arik 16.50 17.50 26. Chanchangi 17.30 18.30 27. Air Nigeria 17.35 18.55 29. Air Nigeria (T/TH) 18.30 19.50 20. Arik 18.45 19.45 31. Aero 19.20 20.40

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LAGOS – BENIN Arik 07.30 Associated 08.30 Aero 10.50 Arik 11.45 Associated 13.00 Aero 14.25 Arik 15.30 Associated 16.00 Arik Aero Arik Aero

1. Arik 2. Aero 1.

2.

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LAGOS – CALABAR 07.30 11.20 12.50 16.00 LAGOS – JOS 10.55 11.15

LAGOS – KADUNA Aero 08.00 Chanchangi 10.00 Arik 10.00 Arik 15.10

08.30 09.10 11.50 12.45 13.40 15.20 16.30 16.40 08.50 12.40 14.10 17.20 12.15 12.45 09.10 11.00 11.10 16.20

LAGOS – PORT HARCOURT (CIVIL) 1. Aero 07.15 08.35 2. Arik 07.15 08.35 3. Arik 09.00 10.20 4. Aero 10.50 12.30 5. Arik 11.40 13.00 6. Air Nigeria 12.00 13.10 7. IRS 13.30 15.00 8. Arik 14.00 15.20 9. Air Nigeria 16.00 17.10 10 Arik 16.10 17.30 11. Aero 16.15 17.30 12. Arik 17.10 18.30 1.

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LAGOS – OWERRI Aero 07.30 Arik 07.30 Air Nigeria 13.40 Arik 14.00 Arik 16.30

08.40 08.40 14.55 15.10 17.40

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LAGOS – WARRI 08.15 11.50 11.55 14.55

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LAGOS – KANO Air Nigeria 07.10 IRS 08.00 Arik 12.20 IRS 14.00 IRS 18.15

08.50 09.45 14.00 15.45 19.55

LAGOS – OWERRI 07.20 14.00 16.30

08.30 15.10 17.40

1. Arik 2. Arik 3. Arik

LAGOS – MAIDUGURI 1. IRS 11.15 13.15 2. Arik 15.50 18.00 LAGOS – ILORIN 1. Overland 07.15 2. Arik (M/T/TH/F) 17.30

08.00 18.00

LAGOS – ABUJA SAT/SUN Arik 7.15; 10.20; 2.20; 5.20pm – 7.30; 9.15; 10.20; 2.20; 4.50; 6.45 Aero 07.30; 09.35; 13.10; 14.50; 20.20 – 07.30; 09.35; 13.10; 14.50; 20.20 Air Nigeria 08.15; 14.30; 17.15; 18.30 – 08.15; 13.30; 14.30; 17.15; 18.30

• From left: Specialist, Retail Communication, Edekong Uyoh; Country Manager, Huawei Nigeria Device, Mr Maxim Zhang; Etisalat Geek, Ms. Oluwatoyin Olaleye and Director, Product & Services, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr Lucas Dada, at the Etisalat-Huawei Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Week, in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Fed Govt urged to impose tariffs on imported cement

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HE Federal Government should impose the maxi mum tariffs and levies on imported cement to discourage imports, President of the Cement Producers Association of Nigeria Joseph Mokoju, has said.

He spoke during an inspection of Dangote Cement plants in Gboko, Benue State and Obajana in Kogi State.

He said this is one major way the government can encourage and protect local producers and save the country millions of naira in foreign exchange that would have been used to create jobs in other countriess.

Mokoju, who is also Special Adviser to the President of Dangote Group, said there have been drastic decline in demand for cement as a result of increased importation of the product. This, he said, has compelled local manufacturers including Dangote to shut its

By Toba Agboola

Gboko plant, which produces three tons of cement per annum.

Few workers were seen working on the expansion project of the plant.

Lafarge, The Nation, also learnt, has closed one of its units.

Conducting reporters round the Gboko plant, which has tons of unsold cement, Makoju said local investors are unhappy because they want protection for the huge investments they have made in the sector.

He said: “Instead of grinding and selling, we are now stocking and this has forced members to shut some of their production units because revenue is no longer coming in. Importation of cement has been at the detriment of local economy.

In fact, cement importation has been very attractive because it comes with paltry duty of 20 per cent and

levy of 15 per cent and clinker at 10 per cent, a development that makes the landing cost of imported cement to be very cheap with a bag going as low as $35 per ton.”

"Local manufacturers are faced with many challenges, such as bad roads, haulage, energy cost. Energy cost alone accounts for over 35 per cent of production cost compared with less than 10 per cent in China.

Besides, in Nigeria, the price of LPF0 has jumped from N25 per litre in 2009 to N107.76 per litre as at November, 2012, an increase of 331 per cent.”

Despite these disadvantages, local cement manufacturers, he said, have kept their ex-factory prices constant at an average of N1,450 per bag since 2009 while input costs continue to rise.

He said it was difficult for the manufacturers to control what happens to the cement once they are loaded out of their plants.

Discount Houses, others’ assets hit N557b

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OTAL assets and liabilities of five discount houses and the microfinance banks (MfBs) stand at N557.1 billion, The Nation’s findings have shown.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) report on the state of assets in the sector showed that at the end of June 2012, assets of five discount houses increased by 30.7per cent to N361 billion, compared with N276.2 billion recorded, in the corresponding period of 2011.

Also, assets of the MfBs stood at N196.5 billion, representing an increase of three per cent above the level at the end of December 2011.

The report said aggregate reserves

By Collins Nweze

decreased from N2 billion to negative N1.6 billion while investible funds amounted to N53.3 billion.

For the discount houses, the total funds sourced amounted to N46.2 billion, compared with N12.9 billion last year.

The funds were sourced from claims on Federal Government which amounted to N38.3 billion; increase in borrowings, N3.5 billion and other liabilities, N4.4 billion.

“Discount houses investments in Federal Government securities of less than 91 days maturity

amounted to N70.8 billion at end of June 2012, representing 25.5 per cent of their total deposit liabilities. This was 34.5 percentage points below the prescribed minimum of 60 per cent for fiscal 2012,” it said.

In the MfBs subsector, the funds, which were sourced from increase in deposit liabilities amounted to N18.1 billion; reduction in placements with banks, N15.1 billion and other liabilities were worth N12.7billion.

Funds used to redeem placements from banks amounted to N19.4 billion, increase loans/advances cost N18.9 billion and short-term investments, N5.4 billion.

Gulf set to see $32b energy projects in 2013

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FRESH flow of GCC con struction contractor awards for new power and water projects are on the grid and expected to be worth $32.4billion in 2013, according to new research by Ventures Middle East.

After a lull in 2011 amid uncertain economic conditions and political apprehensions across the wider MENA region, the power and water sector is back on track, as GCC annual electricity demand grows from 10-15 percent annually and regional governments scramble to catch up, it said.

With power demand in the region set to triple over the next 25 years, infrastructure develop-

ments backed by governments and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are surging ahead, the research added.

According to Venture’s report, most of the power and water project activity for 2013 is expected in Saudi Arabia, which will see $17bn worth of new contracts awarded.

The Gulf kingdom will be followed by the UAE and Kuwait, which are both expected to sign off on brand new contracts totaling $4.2bn each.

In Qatar, power and water contracts worth $3.2billion are expected in 2013, tailed closely by Oman with $2.7billion worth of contracts, with Bahrain rounding

off the figures with $1.1bn of fresh contract awards for the year.

The research comes ahead of Middle East Electricity, which takes place in Dubai in February.

More than 1,000 exhibitors from 58 countries involved in the power, lighting, renewable and nuclear sectors are expected to attend the three-day event.

Anita Mathews, exhibition director of Middle East Electricity, said: “The GCC region will require an additional 60 Gigawatts of power capacity by 2015, and the coming years are likely to witness a substantial improvement in the development of regional utility infrastructure.”

‘Why manufacturers are operating below capacity’

By Daniel Essiet

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ANY companies are operating below capacity because of unstable power supply, inadequate funds and high labour costs, the National President Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Mr Chuku Wachuku, has said.

This has made many firms to shut down or relocated to neighbouring countries, he added.

As a result, it has increased businesses’ expenses, reduced productivity and hampered economic growth.

He said the manufacturing sector is facing challenges in the face of the economic crisis that has accentuated the loss of competitiveness against manufactured products from China.

He said a comprehensive strategy is needed to strengthen the local firms to compete in global markets to boost short-term recovery and long-term prosperity.

For watchers, the blackouts are blows to the economy, which is grappling with a combination of slowing growth, a weak currency, high inflation and the effect of flooding that is expected to drive up food prices.

Etisalat, Huawei hold OEM week

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TISALAT Nigeria has hosted its customers at its ongoing Etisalat-Huawei Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Week, targeted at reaching old and prospective subscribers who bought or made enquiries about Etisalat products manufactured

by Huawei.

The initiative organised by Etisalat’s Geek Force is designed for Etisalat Experience Centres to create greater emphasis on selected original equipment manufacturers (OEM) products and offerings while also encouraging customers to purchase original devices at authorised dealer outlets like the Etisalat experience centers nationwide.

Director, Products & Services, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr Lucas Dada, said the firm will not relent in satisfying the needs of its customers. “As a brand that is always attuned to the needs of its customers, Etisalat has shown over the years that it takes customer satisfaction serious. The Etisalat OEM week is one of the innovative ways we at Etisalat seek to enhance our subscribers’ experience using our products and services,” he said.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

27

ISSUES

•Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) building. Inset: IFRS Academy building

IFRS: Promoting accounting integrity International Finance Reporting Standard (IFRS) comes with laudable objectives. It is a concept meant to sanitise accounting practice in order to achieve corporate goals. To ensure that companies comply with IFRS, which has already been embraced abroad, the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria says auditors must play a major role, writes AKINOLA AJIBADE

28

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

ISSUES

IFRS: Promoting accounting integrity •Continued from page 27

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CROSS the world, countries are stepping up efforts in adopting and implementing the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

The concept is all about full disclosure of information in companies checking fraudulent practices; correcting means by which firms formulate and present their financial statements to shareholders and the regulatory authorities.

IFRS also assists in checking the excesses of the Board of Directors to ensure financial probityand good corporate governance.

It is a catalyst for economic growth as companies that have embraced it get good ratings, compete favourably at the international level and attract investment.

Little wonder that countries and corporate bodies are increasingly signing on to IFRS by enacting laws for implementation. The United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Germany and Canada are among developed countries that have keyed into the concept.

Abroad, those that infringed on IFRS provisions have been sanctioned and fined, in addition to losing their licences.

Those that compiled with the requirements are reaping the benefits of balance sheets.

To achieve similar goals, the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), formerly known as the National Accounting Standard Board (NASB), said it would leave no stone unturned in it efforts at sanitising accounting practice in Nigeria. The body said the development became necessary to enable companies to improve on their accounting process and further implement IFRS programmes.

Being the only body, vested with the powers to issues accounting, actuarial, valuation and auditing standards that would be used in preparing financial statements of companies, the IFRC said it has power to enforce compliance of IFRS's provisions. It said it does not expect anything short of full compliance from firms, adding that everybody would be accountable for his misdeeds.

According to the body, every entity that is involved in issues relating to accounting or taxation will be expected to engage in full disclosure of information.

It said failure to do so would attract penalty as part of efforts to improve accounting practice and further make them operative in line with global standards.

Sanctions for auditors The Chief Executive Officer, Financial Reporting Council, Jim Obazee, said Sections 61 and 62 of the Constitution confers powers on the body to review the activities of external auditors and see whether there are grey areas in them. He said such auditors would be sanctioned depending on the gravity of the offence.

Speaking at a seminar in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Obazee said there is no hiding place for auditors (internal and external) with questionable conducts.

He explained that under the IFRS rules, auditors are required to affix their names against any accounts they oversee, saying any violator of the rules would

•Director-General Nigerian Stock Exchange, Oscar Onyema

be sanctioned.

The implementation, he said, is that such persons would cease to be practitioners, or members of their professional bodies.

He said the IFRC is only a secondary regulator and is not taking over the responsibility of primary regulators. It has the right to reassess the performance of auditors in companies after they have been certified okayed by other regulatory agencies, adding that the aim is to ensure that the rules of IFRS are adhered to.

Said he: "The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), for instance, is the primary regulator of banks.

IFRC has the power to re-regulate the accounting processes of banks. By this, IFRC will re-appraise the works of the external auditors, after they have been certified okay by certain relevant agencies. Whenever errors are discovered in the reports of auditors, such auditors will be invited for investigation. He or she would be sanctioned, based on the outcome of the investigations."

On corporate bodies, Obazee said there is going to be financial probity in corporate bodies as part of efforts to sanitise the accounting practice in Nigeria.

ANAN position on IFRS The Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) has advised the Federal Government to set up machinery that would guarantee the IFRC's independence.

ANAN said the development is in accordance with the Council's Act, adding that it would help the council's resolve to improve accounting practices and the auditors in particular.

It said the constitution of the council is vital to the realisation of the IFRS objectives.

• ICAN President, Adedoyin Owolabi

The former President, ANAN, Dr Samuel Nzekwe, said the adoption of IFRS is a good omen for the country because it would help in sanitising the accounting practices, and further prevent people that are not competent to engage in auditing. Nzekwe said the issue of sanitising the accounting practice is germane to the growth of the economy, adding that the financial reporting council has started in the right direction. He urged companies that have not fully implemented IFRS to do, arguing that such companies stand the risk of losing credibility in the country.

Capital market perceptives According to capital market operators, IFRS has become a catalyst for growth across the world. They said this is the era of globalisation, arguing that Nigeria cannot be isolated from the wind of changes that is sweeping the world. They said the international financial reporting standards have brought some changes in the way financial statements are being processed.

The Vice-Chairman, Anchoria Investment and Securities Limited, Chief Olusola Dada, advised quoted firms to see IFRS only from the point of bringing fundamental changes to their operations.

Olusola said institutions abroad have implementedIFRS because they are going to derive some objectives from it. He said this is the period companies want to compete globally, arguing that those that cannot put in place good corporate governance would find it difficult to attract foreign investments.

“For Nigeria to improve its level of Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) and Portfolio Investment,

•Mr Obazee

the listed and non-listed firms must have a sound corporate governance programme in place.

They can only win the confidence of foreign investors and further get good rating from recognised agencies, when their financial statements are prepared in the line with the provisions of IFRS. A capital market analyst, Mr Tayo Bello, said the implementation of IFRS is serious, urging the Financial Reporting Council to attach more seriousness to it.

He said there are irregularities in the ways companies prepare their financial statements, arguing that auditors are guilty of this offence. He said when sanctions are imposed by institutions like the FRC, the level of infractions was bound to reduce in Nigeria.

He said when an auditor loses his membership for committing an offence,others would be careful. He said experience has shown that the best way to clean a system is to use some people as scapegoats.

"I think the only way to minimise accounting errors is to bring some people to book. The use of International financial Reporting Standards need not be handled with kid gloves, if meaningful achievement is going to be recorded in this area. In any profession, there are codes of ethical standards that must be followed to achieve success. In some professions, rules are relaxed for one reason or the other. But in accounting, the rules must be abide with to forestall financial management. When the auditors are made to comply with rules guiding their jobs, the better for the accounting profession.”

In a related development, Nzekwe said the collapse of the capital market was due to actions of the bank executives to divert money and buy shares in the

‘I think the only way to minimise accounting errors is to bring some people to book. The use of International Financial Reporting Standards need not be handled with kid gloves, if meaningful achievement is going to be recorded in this area. In any profession, there are codes of ethical standards that must be followed to achieve success. In some professions, rules are relaxed for one reason or the other’

same bank to finance their subsidiaries. He said many of bank managers borrowed money from the banks and used them to buy stocks of their subsidiaries and converted them to personal use.

He said many banks failed to become mega banks because of the lack of capacity to give long term loans to customers and failure to finance their foreign subsidiaries effectively. He said some bankers have shown that they are not ready to follow due process, arguing that the development causes a lot of problems to firms auditing their accounts.

The former ANAN chief said it's not only auditors that should be blamed for accounting errors, adding that everybody involved in the cost management in an organisation must be held accountable for the errors. He said once this happens, getting the right manpower to implement the international financial reporting standards would not be a problem.

Arguments against adoption of IFRS Opponents of IFRS have argued that the idea is complex and unattainable for developing countries that have a lot of infrastructural problems. They said the conversion to IFRS is highly technical, time consuming and uneconomical. This, they said, is evident by the different regulatory frameworks that the government must provide before the standards work.

Instead, they advocated what they described as Nigerian GAPP (the Generally Acceptable Accounting Principles). This a common set of accounting principles, standards and procedures that companies use to compile their financial statements. It is a combination of authoritative standards (set by policy boards) and simply the commonly acceptable ways of recording and reporting accounting information.

According to them, IFRS is a global GAPP that countries are trying to implement for growth.

“There is nothing wrong in having a Nigerian version of GAPP, which means that various aspects of GAPP must be domesticated to suit the purpose of local companies and further stimulate their growth. Inability to do so means that the country will be grappling with implementing IFRS,” they said.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

29

BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL

Japan PM pushes for more spending P

OOR Japanese manufacturing data has given new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe more ammunition to push for big spending and easy money to salvage the world’s third-largest economy from decades of deflation and its fourth recession since 2000.

Japanese voters and the financial markets have welcomed the Abe government’s aggressive stance on pumping cash into the economy, pushing the benchmark Nikkei share average on Friday to its highest level since the March 2011 tsunami, despite the worse-than-expected drop in factory output.

Opinion polls published by major newspapers on Friday showed half to two-thirds of the public supported Mr Abe’s conservative government, with the stagnant economy the top priority.

Top officials of the new govern-

ment, sworn in just two days ago after a landslide election victory, say Mr Abe’s administration is under pressure to achieve quick results. “(Public support) will drop if speculation mounts that we are unable to deliver,” Akira Amari, the minister in charge of reviving the economy, told a news conference after a Friday cabinet meeting.

But many economists warn that Mr. Abe’s emphasis on stimulus, rather than structural reforms to boost competitiveness, may have only short-term effects and could worsen Japan’s bloated public debt, the worst among the industrial nations.

The government is keeping up pressure on the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to step up its monetary stimulus, even after it loosened policy in December for the third time in four

months.

Mr. Abe has threatened to change the law which guarantees the central bank’s independence if it does not pursue more aggressive easing and has called for a doubling of its inflation target to 2 per cent.

Finance Minister Taro Aso said he was paid a courtesy visit by BOJ Governor Masaaki Shirakawa on Friday in which the two agreed to hold talks on issues including coordinating policy.

Mr Aso later told reporters the government wanted to firm up by next month, before the central bank’s next policy meeting, its position on a joint policy accord it aims to forge with the BOJ on how they will tackle Japan’s entrenched deflation.

The government has not yet tipped its hand on what specifics might be in the accord but the BOJ

has already signalled it may set a higher inflation target at its January 21-22 meeting, even while market participants express doubt that it has the means to achieve it.

Mr Aso also warned that the government stood ready to intervene in the currency markets against sharp speculator-driven moves that would hurt the economy, although Abe’s monetary easing campaign has in recent weeks eased some of the persistent yen strength that has battered Japan’s exporters.

“If excessive rises or falls in the yen due to speculation cause trouble for a lot of people, intervention would be a powerful tool, so there’s no reason why we would not use it,” Mr Aso said.

US housing, factory data show economic momentum

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•Chinese using the Internet: They will now be monitored by the government.

China tightens Internet controls

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HINA’s government has tightened controls on Internet users by enacting rules requiring them to register their names.

The new rules follow online postings about graft and abuses that rattled the ruling party.

The country’s rubber-stamp legislature approved the Internet measures at a closing meeting of a fiveday session.

Real-name registration will curtail the Web’s status as a freewheeling forum to complain, often anonymously, about corruption and official abuses.

The government says the latest regulation is aimed at protecting Web surfers’ personal information and

cracking down on abuses such as junk e-mail.

The measure will “ensure Internet information security, safeguard the lawful rights and interests of citizens, legal entities or other organisations and safeguard national security and social public interests,” the official Xinhua News Agency cited the regulation as stating.

The measure would require network service providers to ask users to provide their real names and other identifying information to allow users to post information publicly or when signing agreements for access to the Internet, fixed telephone lines or mobile phones, Xinhua said.

Beijing promotes Internet use for business and education but bans ma-

terial deemed subversive or obscene and blocks access to many websites.

The main ruling party newspaper, People’s Daily, has called in recent weeks for tighter Internet controls, saying rumours spread online have harmed the public. In one case, it said stories about a chemical plant explosion resulted in the deaths of four people in a car accident as they fled the area.

Until recently, Web surfers could post comments online or on microblog services without leaving their names, giving ordinary Chinese a unique opportunity to express themselves to a public audience in a society where newspapers, television and other media are state-controlled.

Euro zone crisis almost over, says German ERMANY’S Finance Minis- Finance minister ter Wolfgang Schaeuble

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has said the worst of euro area’s debt crisis appears to be over after three years of worries over Greece and other members of the group of 17 European Union countries that use the single currency.

Schaeuble was quoted as telling the Bild newspaper: “I think we have the worst behind us.”

Mr Schaeuble said Greece and others have recognised that they can only overcome the crisis by implementing reforms and that the Greek government — which has received two bailouts — “knows

that it cannot financially overburden the other euro states”.

Some in Germany have expressed concern about the economy of neighbouring France.But Mr Schaeuble says the government there “knows very well that every country must constantly conduct reforms to remain competitive.

Meanwhile, the central banks of Germany and Austria last week forecast barely any economic growth in 2013, with the Bundesbank flagging risks of a recession in the euro zone’s biggest economy as the debt crisis hits the

bloc’s core.

The Bundesbank expects Germany’s economy to grow just 0.4 per cent next year, down from a June forecast of 1.6 per cent. The new projection is marked by “a high degree of uncertainty”, it added, and “the balance of risks is on the downside”.

Austria’s central bank cut its 2013 growth forecast for the country’s export-dependent economy to 0.5 per cent from the 1.7 per cent it had expected in June, due to the global downturn, weak investment and sluggish consumer spending.

Asked whether Japan’s efforts to ease monetary policy and weaken the yen may lead to competitive currency devaluations, he added: “It’s wrong to say Japan is intervening unreasonably.”

Weak factory output data on Friday, which fell a steeper than expected 1.7 per cent in November, more than triple the median market forecast for a 0.5-per-cent drop, should bolster Abe’s hand in urging more easing.

Japanese manufacturing activity also put in a bleak performance in Friday’s Markit/JMMA Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for December, which declined at its fastest pace in more than three years.

ONTRACTS for United States’ home resales hit a two- and a half-year high last month and factory activity in the Midwest expanded December , suggesting some strength in the economy despite the threat of tighter fiscal policy.

The National Association of Realtors said last week at its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed last month, increased 1.7 per cent to 106.4 – the highest level since April 2010 when the homebuyer tax credit expired.

Signed contracts, which become sales after a month or two, increased five per cent in October. November marked the third straight month of gains.

A separate report showed the Institute for Supply Management-Chicago business barometer rose to 51.6 in December from 50.4 in November. A reading above 50 indicates expansion in the regional economy and the second straight month of growth was driven by a rebound in orders.

The reports suggested some of the growth momentum from the third quarter carried into the final three

months of 2012, even as businesses and households braced for sharp cuts in government spending and higher taxes in the new year.

There are fears that currently stalled budget talks in Washington will fail to steer clear of a $600-billion “fiscal cliff” of less government spending and higher taxes, which could tip the economy back into recession.

“The very early indications do not point to a slowdown in economic activity ahead of the fiscal cliff,” said John Ryding, chief economist at RDQ Economics in New York.

The economy grew at a 3.1 per cent annual rate in the third quarter. The latest Reuters survey of economists put fourth quarter gross domestic product at a 1.2 per cent rate.

The pending home sales report pointed to a strengthening in the housing market recovery. Contracts were up 9.8 per cent in the 12 months through November.

The housing market has turned the corner after a dramatic collapse, which dragged the economy through its worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

US jobless claims fall to near five-year low

T

HE number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment aid fell last week to nearly its lowest level in 4 1/2 years, a possible sign that employers have picked up the pace of hiring.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 350,000, the Labor Department said last week..

The prior week’s figure was revised to show 1,000 more applications than previously reported.

After spiking in the wake of a mammoth storm that ravaged the East Coast in late October, the weekly levels of new claims have now dropped to their lowest levels since the early days of the 200709 recession. The four-week moving average fell 11,250 last week to 356,750, the lowest since March 2008.

The claims data for last week has no direct relation to the Labor Department’s monthly employment report, but suggests the surge in layoffs since the recession has at least run its course.

Companies in recent months have been adding to their payrolls at a lackluster pace, and analysts expect the monthly employment report due on Jan. 4 will show 143,000 jobs created in December, down from 146,000 in November.

Recent claims data could point to a stronger pace of hiring, but many analysts are cautious about extrapolating from the weekly data.

“There is usually a high margin

of error in predicting the monthly payroll number,” said Michelle Meyer, senior economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch at New York. “That’s even more the case this month from the residual effects of the hurricane and year-end seasonal adjustments,” she said.

U.S. stock index futures edged higher, putting the S&P 500 on track to snap a three-day skid, as U.S. President Barack Obama returned to Washington to restart negotiations to avert some $600-billion in tax hikes and government spending cuts due to begin in early January.

Going over this so-called “fiscal cliff” would likely put the U.S. economy back into recession.

While the report on jobless claims had a positive tone, it also included a caveat, at least for the latest week.

President Obama declared Monday a holiday for federal workers and many state offices followed suit and were unable to provide complete data for last week’s jobless claims. Data for 19 states was estimated, a Labor Department official said.

Fourteen of those states, including Texas and California, submitted their own estimates, which tend to be fairly accurate because the state officials work with a significant amount of data, the Labor Department official said.

Besides the federal holiday, there were no special factors influencing week’s claims data, the department official said.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

30

MONEY LINK Naira strengthens on Diaspora inflows

‘Diamond Bank breaches Capital Adequacy Ratio’

D

IAMOND Bank Plc was in breach of Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) benchmark set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the first quarter of 2012, Renaissance Capital, an investment and research firm has said.

Diamond Bank’s CAR was 12 per cent, which is below 15 per cent benchmark stipulated by the CBN Monetary, Credit, Foreign Trade and Exchange Policy Guidelines for 2012 to 2013.

In an emailed report obtained

by The Nation, the investment firm said the minimum capital adequacy ratio for Nigerian banks with international operations was raised to 15 per cent from 10 per cent by the CBN. The bank is also tipped to lower its dividend payout ratio and

.May cut dividend payout Stories by Collins Nweze

capitalise the bulk of fiscal year 2012 earnings.

Diamond Bank currently operates in Benin Republic.

Diamond Bank recently concluded a $70 million convertible tier two capital raising from the International Finance Corporation (IFC). This is a seven-year fully convertible paper that forms part of the bank’s overall capital-raising drive of $750 million over the next two years to fund growth and business expansion.

The report with theme: “Diamond Bank Plc - At last, In Comes the Capital’ said: “This

T

implied that Diamond Bank was in breach, as its CAR in first quarter 2012 was 12 per cent. The bank consequently increased the size of its planned tier two capitalraising programme to $750 million from $200 million”.

According to the firm, the lender had said its CAR plans are three-pronged. Firstly, to raise capital from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), and the lender has raised $100 million in second quarter from AFREXIM seven per cent. The bank also more recently, it raised $70 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) at six per cent.

RenCap also said the bank is also planning to raise capital from

•Diamond Bank CEO Alex Otti

commercial banks, a plan which is still ongoing. It said that with these borrowings, the potential for significant dilution of existing shareholders is high.

CBN reaffirms N145 to dollar rate for pilgrims

P

ILGRIMS travelling for this year’s pilgrimage will obtain a concessionary rate of N145 to a dollar exchange rate, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reaffirmed. The apex bank also yesterday, approved additional list for 21 Anambra State pilgrims traveling to Israel.

In a statement to all designated banks and stakeholders by CBN Director, Trade and Exchange, Musa Batari, had said the Federal Government approved the commencement of the 2012 Christian Pilgrimage operations from October 25 and has also approved a concessionary exchange rate of N145 to the dollar for purchase of pilgrims travelling allowance (PTA) of $750 and $1,000.

The pilgrims that will benefit

from the first batch of the exercise are Cross River, Ekiti, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, and Nasarawa states.

Others are Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Taraba and Kwara states.

Batari said that each pilgrims travelling to Israel is entitled to a maximum $750 while those going to Israel/Rome are entitled to a maximum of $1,000 as PTA. The statement also directed all designated banks to only sell the permissible amount of the PTA to intending pilgrims whose names and passport numbers are included in the pilgrims’ master list.

It said pilgrims should not be denied the travel allowance on the ground that he has no tax clearance certificate. Also, in view of the time constraint associated

approved list and valid passport of the pilgrims listed against his name.

The designated banks are also expected to contact the Director, Currency Operations at the CBN for details on the purchase of the PTA.

with pilgrimage exercise, the Chairman of the Secretary of each State Pilgrim’s Board, after due identification, may be allowed to sign for and collect the PTA on behalf of the intending pilgrims in their state on presentation of the

World Bank releases International Debt report The report said the downturn was partially offset by inflows from commercial banks, sustained access to international bond markets and a rise in foreign direct investment.

“These international debt statistics are a vital input for experts working to improve the management of capital flows around the world and having the data open to all is a welcome development,” says

T

HE World Bank has inaugurated International Debt Statistics 2013. In a statement, the bank said net external debt inflows and aggregate net capital inflows, including debt and equity, to developing countries fell in 2011.

It said there was contraction in net inflows from official creditors and a collapse of portfolio equity flows.

FGN BONDS Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 350m 150m 350m 138m 350m 113m

MANAGED FUNDS

NIDF NESF

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2012 “ 14-04-2012

GAINERS AS AT 31-12-12 SYMBOL

NASCON UAC-PROP CUSTODYINS OKOMUOIL BOCGAS ETERNA FCMB NPFMCRFBK LIVESTOCK RTBRISCOE

O/PRICE

7.49 11.00 1.25 39.90 5.96 1.90 3.30 1.13 1.37 1.44

C/PRICE

8.10 11.80 1.33 41.89 6.25 1.99 3.45 1.18 1.43 1.50

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change (S/N) Parallel Market

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

153.0000

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

NESTLE DANGSUGAR STERLNBANK UTC FIDELITYBK ZENITHBANK NEM FBNH UBA PRESCO

O/PRICE 700.01 5.99 1.69 0.73 2.27 18.64 0.57 15.70 4.50 16.60

C/PRICE 700.00 5.98 1.68 0.72 2.26 18.63 0.55 15.62 4.41 16.40

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 11.8%

CHANGE 0.00 -0.17 -0.59 -1.37 -0.44 -0.05 -3.51 -0.51 -2.00 -1.20

Date 2-7-12 27-6-12 22-6-12

7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 132.65 125.53 0.80 1.13 0.92 100.00 1,000.00 1,763.58 11.31 1.39 1.87 9,270.16

9.08 1.00 132.34 124.60 0.77 1.13 0.91 100.00 1,000.00 1,754.53 10.75 1.80 10.75 9,029.05

ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

NIBOR Tenor

NSE CAP Index

Name

LOSERS AS AT 31-12-12

SYMBOL

Exchange Rate (N) 155.2 155.8 155.7

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

CHANGE

8.14 7.27 6.40 4.99 4.87 4.74 4.55 4.42 4.38 4.17

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m 113m

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

OBB Rate Call Rate

Ibrahim Levent, Senior Information Officer in the Bank’s Data Group and part of the team that produced the report.

In a statement, the World Bank said the combined stock of developing countries’ external debt increased by $464 billion to $4.9 trillion at end 2011, but at an average of 22 per cent, remained moderate in relation to Gross National Income (GNI), and to exports, an average of 69 per cent.

DATA BANK

Tenor

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

HE n a i r a s t r e n g t h e n e d for a second day, reaching the highest in more than two months, as citizens living abroad returned for the holiday period, increasing the supply of dollars.

The naira appreciated 0.6 per cent to 156 a dollar and has risen four per cent this year, the second-best performer in Africa, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

“Many Nigerians in the Diaspora have come home with dollars, which has increased the supply,” Pabina Yinkere, head of research at Vetiva Capital Management Ltd., said.

Remittances to sub-Saharan African countries from citizens abroad are forecast to increase 6.3 per cent to $24 billion, the World Bank said in June.

Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, Senegal and South Africa are the largest recipients of remittances in subSaharan Africa, with about 69 per cent of the funds in 2010 from migrants in the U.S. and Western Europe, according to the bank.

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

31

EQUITIES WATCH

Email: taofad2000@yahoo.co.uk

With a year-to-date return of more than 70 per cent, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc is closing 2012 as one of the best-return stocks. But most analysts still hold that the capital gain this year, though significant, belies the inherent value and potential of the bank. Taofik Salako explores how ongoing unbundling of the UBA Group into four companies would unlock greater values for all stakeholders

T

HE Nigerian stock market is closing 2012 on a momentous. With its most cheery performance in half a decade, the year-to-date return of 34.42 per cent at the stock market represents not only the value of about N2 trillion earned by investors, but also a major signal on the muchawaited recovery of the capital market. Now, most analysts are optimistic that the primary market, which usually takes cue from the secondary market, will see a robust rebound from 2013, putting the capital market on full recovery mode. While the overall market recovery has been driven by widespread gains across several stocks and sectors, the market performance still substantially reflect impressive performances by certain sectors, groups and stocks. These include the banking subsector, the consumer goods sector and the top 30 most capitalised stocks.

In 2012, impressive earnings reports and subsequent upward revaluations of banking stocks infused confidence into the overall market trend. Banking stocks largely lived up to pundits’ expectations of stocks to watch out for. They will remain major drivers of market situation in 2013, although reclassification of mainly banking groups into other financial institutions subsector may tend to underestimate the impact of banking stocks.

UBA has been one of the main market-determinant stocks this year, with returns more than double of average return by the general market. The All Share Index (ASI)-a common value- based index that tracks price changes of all quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), opens the last trading day for 2012 with a year-to-date return of 34.42 per cent. Compared with returns by several advanced and emerging markets, the Nigerian return represents exceedingly competitive return. Besides being the benchmark index for the stock market, ASI doubles as the country index for Nigeria and the broad measure of its stock market performance within the global context.

UBA’s price-on-board of N4.41 indicates year-to-date return of 70.3 per cent, 55 per cent more than the average stock market return. UBA’s return ranked within the top four returns in the banking subsector. Several other banking stocks including First City Monument Bank, Unity Bank, Union Bank of Nigeria and Wema Bank recorded negative returns while two others- Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) and Skye Bank fell below average. Stanbic IBTC Holding almost mirrored the average market performance.

One-for-four deal Besides significant capital gain, the unbundling of the UBA Group under the current restructuring exercise is expected to unlock substantial values for shareholders. Following the new financial regulatory regime by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), shareholders of UBA had earlier this month signed on restructuring of the banking group into a monoline commercial bank alongside spinoff of non-commercial banking and nonbanking subsidiaries. CBN’s Scope of Banking Activities and Ancillary Matters No 3,

What values in UBA’s restructuring?

By Taofik Salako

2010 requires banks to fully concentrate on core banking functions. The new model requires banks to either sell all non-core banking businesses or form a holding company to hold such non-core banking businesses including activities such as insurance, asset management and capital market operations. Five banks including FCMB, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, UBA and Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc have opted to keep their subsidiaries while other banks including Access Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc, Skye Bank Plc, Sterling Bank, Zenith Bank and Wema Bank among others are pursuing divestments from nonbanking subsidiaries. While three of the five banks- FCMB, First Bank and Stanbic IBTC, have opted for holding company structure that in all intent retained the status quo ante of the banks, UBA is implementing a highly value-driven innovative restructuring that will not only retain the existing values for shareholders but create new companies from their other assets.

Under the UBA arrangement, all noncommercial banking businesses with the exception of Afriland Properties Plc and African Prudential Registrars Plc shall be consolidated in UBA Capital and spun off to the existing shareholders. In addition to UBA Plc, the three emergent companies will be listed thereafter on the NSE, bringing to four the quoted companies that will replace the current listing on the NSE. UBA Plc will thus operate as a monoline commercial bank while its non-commercial banking and non-banking businesses would be held separately by its shareholders. UBA Plc will remain the parent bank holding company for all its commercial banking activities in Nigeria, Africa and other international operations. It will also be parent company for UBA Pension Custodian Limited and UBA FX Mart Limited.

African Prudential Registrars Plc, formerly UBA Registrars, is one of the largest share registration companies and its listing will mark a milestone for that industry. Afriland Properties Plc, formerly UBA Properties Plc, will join UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) on the main board at the NSE. UPDC had also been spun off by UAC of Nigeria and it has so far proved a successful means of unlocking locked-in values in real estate asset. The post-scheme UBA Capital Plc is an investment banking company that will hold the consolidated non-commercial bank subsidiaries of UBA Plc including UBA Asset Management Limited, which currently owns UBA Trustees Limited and UBA Nominees Limited, and UBA Metropolitan Life Insurance.

Each eligible UBA shareholder will receive one ordinary share in African Pru-

dential Registrars Plc; one ordinary share in Afriland Properties and four ordinary shares in UBA Capital Plc for every 33 shares held as at the terminal date. Altogether, one billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each would be issued to shareholders for Afriland Properties, another one billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each would be issued for Africa Prudential while 4.0 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each would be issued for UBA Capital. The ongoing processes are expected to culminate in the listing of the spun off companies by mid next month.

Creating new values The restructuring implies that shareholders would now receive dividends from four companies just as capital gains will accrue from four different valuations. Such spin-offs

by UACN have markedly enhanced returns to the conglomerate’s shareholders. While UACN is currently valued at N67.23 billion, its spun-off quoted companies-CAP Plc and UPDC, are valued at N15.68 billion and N16.22 billion respectively, giving the conglomerate’s shareholders total value of N99.13 billion. The healthy competition and synergies created by the unbundling have also enhanced cash dividends to shareholders, with each stock striving to maintain good yield and return.

Group managing director, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, underscored this potential for multiple returns and new value creation.

According to him, while the assets of the commercial banking businesses in Nigeria and elsewhere would be ring-fenced from the other businesses, the restructuring would lead to shareholder value maximization as the spun-off entities would be able to compete and grow their businesses through efficient asset utilization and strategic focus independent of the bank.

Analysts at Afrinvest West Africa and BGL Plc also agreed that the restructuring would impact positively on the values of the bank and the spun-off subsidiaries. They noted that the post-scheme UBA would be able to apply its full resources and focus on its core competence of commercial banking while leveraging on its extensive domestic, regional and international networks.

“Separated entities will be able to attract new capital targeted at the specific opportunities and strategic requirements of the respective businesses. Restructured entities will potentially result in unlocking value as investors will gain a deeper understanding of the independent businesses. Accordingly, analysts and investors will be better able to ascribe values that match the earnings and growth profiles of these businesses,” analysts stated.

Still upside potential Analysts are also optimistic on the future performance of UBA Plc. Recent report on the prospects of Nigerian banks by the global securities firm, Renaissance Capital, indicated

•Philip Uduoza, MD UBA

that UBA still has significant upside potential. In an industry-wide earnings’ review and projections, analysts at Renaissance Capital said interim earnings reports so far by banks provided relatively reliable window to preview possible earnings and returns for the full year and beyond.

Renaissance Capital singled out UBA as the most attractive banking stock with the highest potential for capital appreciation, based on the strong fundamentals recorded so far.

While the report noted the generally positive earnings outlook for banks, it zeroed on three banks including UBA, Zenith Bank and Skye Bank. UBA was rated with the highest possible capital appreciation, followed by Skye Bank and Zenith Bank respectively.

“This has been a year of continual upgrades for UBA. We placed a buy rating on this stock beginning of the year under very conservative assumptions, in our view. At each reporting period the bank has outperformed our expectations. The nine-month profit before tax of N45 billion and profit after tax of N38 billion represented 91 per cent and 100 per cent of our full year 2012 forecasts, respectively,” Renaissance Capital stated in reference to the bank’s third quarter performance.

According to analysts, UBA has fared well in terms of cost management citing both the operating costs and impairment costs.

“What it has done very well, in our view, is to reduce costs. We applaud the closure of excess branches and the slowdown in the rate of expansion in some of its African subsidiaries. The clean-out of the book has also been a boost this year – despite a 10 per cent provision on the Air Nigeria loan, UBA’s impairment charges are still running well below average, at 0.42 per cent,” analysts said.

With these, Renaissance Capital upgraded its 2012 full-year forecasts for UBA by 22 per cent and followed this with increase of 19 per cent for 2013. Even with the upgrade, analysts said they believed UBA could still beat their full-year forecasts for 2012 if it successful resolves the indebtedness of Air Nigeria in the fourth quarter.

“UBA has been the best-performing Tier-1 bank in our universe in terms of share-price performance, rebounding from a poor year in full-year 2011. We retain our buy rating,” the report stated.

Analysts said they now expected UBA to post profit before tax of about N56 billion and profit after tax of N46 billion for 2012.

With these, they raised target price for UBA from previous target of N5.7 to N7.5 per share. At the opening price of N4.41 per share today, the previous target price implies upside potential of 29.3 per cent while the new target price indicates possible gain of 70.1 per cent. Invariably, UBA can still double its current year-to-date return in the period ahead.

With shareholders getting equities in three spun-off companies, the upside potential of UBA Plc further underlines substantial values for shareholders.

32

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

THE CEO

• Onafowokan

‘Why sustainable power supply is still elusive’ Can uninterrupted power supply be achieved without adequate gas reserves? An expert, Bimbo Onafowokan, answers this question in the negative. Onafowokan, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Power Systems Limited, in this interview with AMBROSE NNAJI, speaks on the importance of gas to stable electricity. Excerpts:

W

HAT do you think should be done to address power problems in the country?

The importance of power generation in the development of any nation cannot be over emphasised. It is important for our development. Also, it is vital for its sustainability.

One school of thought said the privatisation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) would solve the problem.That is already being achieved. Everything must be done to ensure that by 2020, Nigeria is at least 50 per cent power sufficient, and not allow individuals to provide their own electricity in the most expensive way which we are doing at the moment.

To what extent has your firm been a solution?

We were born out of the deficiency in the power sector. The company was actually created to provide solutions in this area and in providing solutions. We have over time been selling generators. But at a time, we felt the need to do something different. We have gone into solar power and also into Direct Current in AC generators, popularly called inverters.

Why solar?

Solar is very well-recognised across the

world. First, it is environment friendly, because there is no emission; there is no carbon in solar generation. And because we are in the tropics, the sun comes out at least sixseven months in a year.We have sunshine.We cannot continue to waste that sunshine. We convert this to energy and store them in batteries and use it to power our facilities at night. So, these are the ways we are deploying power technologically.

Recently, we have gone into the metering of power to support the privatisation pro-

gramme of the Federal Government and that Lagos State, which has also gone into power production to meter for them. These are areas that we are trying to help develop our capacity to provide solutions to the government.

What informed your interest in metering?

Every business opportunity comes out of deficiency. When you see that there is a deficiency somewhere, it’s an opportunity for a market. The deficiency of pre-paid meter in the country is an opportunity. There are a

‘Our target in the open market is between N20,000 and N23,000 for a single phase meter. Now, we are moving from what we want to what it is that we need to do to get to this price. We want the people to partner with our meters. We want PHCN themselves to buy the meters and to make sure that the materials are locally made. The materials that form the major part of that meter are available so you will not have problems with fluctuations as much’

lot of investments in the country, so there are opportunities. The meters will not only be used for electronic power, they will also be used for gas. The two inter-phases will use the same metering for gas and also for electricity. So, you have what is called the flow-meter.

As the gas is flowing, it is sending signals to the meter, as well as counting your electricity consumption in kilowatt per hour. As you draw the power, there is a calibrator that records what you draw as you are using the kilowatt per hour. That calibrator also sends information to the meter and on the same payment that you have made. You will draw payment to the power company and to the gas company. You will only pay once.You don’t need to go and pay to the gas company or to the electricity company.

Currently, what we have is estimated billings. Most of the meters we have are analog.

So, what the PHCN does is give an estimated bill for the month even when there is no light at all. That will stop when you have a pre-paid meter because you only pay for what you consume. You are able to keep data of your consumption.

•Continued on page 38

33

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

THE CEO

‘Why sustainable power supply is still elusive’ •Continued from page 37

Overseas they have what is called peak and off peak rates. Peak rate is night rate, day time is low rate. So, if you need to do certain things that will demand a lot of power, you can do them during the day than in the night, you do those things that don’t demand much power because rates are higher in the nights.

How far have you progressed?

The first thing is research. We are in Research and Development. We try to find out what Nigerians need; what the problems of the ones that are in the market are; what the cost for us to develop a unit of meter.

Our target in the open market is between N20, 000 and N23, 000 for a single phase meter. Now, we are moving from what we want to what it is that we need to do to get to this price. We want the people to partner with our meters. We want PHCN themselves to buy the meters and to make sure that the materials are locally made. The materials that form the major part of that meter are available, so you will not have problems with fluctuations as much. These are the things we are researching on. Once we are able to install those meters and the distributing companies are able to pay for them and spread the cost to customers, it becomes self funding.

The Organised Private Sector (OPS) has predicted that the industrial sector may be in serious problem due to rising cost of energy. What do you think should be done to avert the crisis?

It is affecting us. For instance, 20 per cent of our turnover in this organisation is for providing alternative power, buying diesel to maintain generator. When you spend 20 per cent of your profit, that’s very huge. It’s a waste of resources that cuts across the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and the OPS. These is money that you can use to provide very cheap power.

It affects the OPS because they have to provide their own power. And they provide it to make goods that are competing with those coming from across West Africa, Africa and across the world at cheaper prices because they don’t have to provide their own power, they don’t have to buy generating plants, they don’t have to buy diesel at a very high price, because their government is providing them power at very affordable prices and you bring the goods into the same market and the Nigerian goods are more expensive.

Take, for instance, in the cable industry, Nigerian cables are much more expensive than the cables that are coming from China, India and if we do not make laws to protect such industries, they would have folded up by now. So that prediction is certainly possible if we do not find solution to power problem in the country.

We have several alternatives to generate power. We have the thermal, which uses water and we also have coal as a raw material to generate power, and there is a lot of coal in the east, but it is not being explored because people are saying it is not environmental friendly. If you look at America, more than 40 per cent of their power is generated from coal. Coal is still one of the most reliable power generating technology in the world. So, these are the things we need to put in place.

The government has to change because some of the generating plants built by NIPP do not have power supply, and we are not building enough storage for gas so that if there is a problem in the pipelines, there is something to bank on. These are the areas we really need to improve on; these are the areas the government should support the organised private sector. We need to access cheap fund to build excess gas reserves. What we should be having is gas storage tanks spread across the country through where power is generated so that when they run out of gas, they can see an alternative supplier of gas to keep their plants running.

What are the opportunities in the gas sector?

The opportunities are enormous. Unfortunately, gas is not cheap. Managing gas is a lot of money because gas, as you know, is

• Onafowokan

‘We have several alternatives to generating power. We have the thermal, which uses water and we also have coal as a raw material to generate power. There is a lot of coal in the east, but it is not being explored because people are saying it is not environmental friendly. If you look at America, more than 40 per cent of their power is generated from coal’

• Onafowokan

like air. It has to be compressed. It has to be under certain pressure so that it can be managed properly. Accessing funds in the local market to build such facility is costly.

A lot of people are afraid that they may be working for the banks or they may have to lose their efforts overtime if the funding is cut, because you can start a gas pipeline and then you will project that within the next one year, you will complete the pipeline at a certain cost, and when you start that because of cost of pipes that would have gone up in the market, you have to access more

funds and if you don’t get those funds, you can’t recover your investment. So, these are the fears that they have. But there are opportunities in the gas business in this country.

Nigeria’s main sources of power are thermal and hydro. Is the restriction of power sources to these two the main cause of power problem?

It may not be the main cause, but it is one of the causes. Why people go into producing power is because of drought, because when there is enough rain, then we use thermal to support or you use coal to support

and that’s what we should be doing. Having different and employing different technologies in producing power so that we can be power sufficient is important If the country should diversify its sources of power generation and supply, which other sources do you think will serve the nation better and why?

I have said in different fora why we are not exploring coal. Why is the government not supporting coal mining in the country. We need to mine coal; we need to have enough coal reserves to encourage the organised private sector to employ forms to generate power using coal. We need to develop capacity; let’s do it the primitive way. Left to me, we need to have locomotives which we had ages back in the ‘60s and ‘70s. We did away with them because the mechanical way of driving engine came. We should have kept them going. We would have developed capacity to improve on them. We would have developed capacity to even use coal to generate power now. That is much needed; that is very important.

The government is insisting on privatising the power sector, do you think that is the best option of achieving stable power supply?

It is not the best option. I have always differed that is the best option. It’s just an option. And it’s an option that if it fails, it’s going to be colossal for the country. It is unlike what you have in the power sector where you have powers conveying transmission lines that are huge in size. If you privatise PHCN and it fails, the repercussion would be unbearable for the country.

So, I usually will say that rather than privatise it, let’s run it on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis; that is the private sector basis to keep it alive while allowing the organised private sector access to good funding to build plants and begin to compete with that from generation through transmission to distribution. We should allow the private sector cheap affordable funding that would allow them to build capacity in generation, in transmission and in distribution to compete with power holding company.

Inadequate gas supply has been identified as a major setback to optimising generation from the thermal plants, what is your take on this?

To me, the major problem is to develop the capacity to convert sea water to drinking water. The same applies; we have a lot of gas that is being flared across the Niger Delta and rather than channelling this gas for domestic use, more than 50 per cent of this same gas is exported successfully by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) and they are not folding up. The Brass Liquefied Natural Gas is also exporting gas daily. So, we are exporting gas and the country is making money from it, but locally, there’s something wrong and the government knows what is wrong. We need to be very serious about local use.

I remember the government of President Yar’Adua actually said he was going to stop export unless they developed and allowed gas for domestic use first and domestically sufficient before they would export. And I think if that policy had been followed up by subsequent governments, there would have been a transformation by now. The woman roasting plantain on the road would have been using gas rather than kerosene and the problem of kerosene scarcity and not having enough aviation fuel would have been a thing of the past.

Most people living in the rural areas don’t have access to electricity. Do you support that government appropriates more funds for rural electrification?

The rural people certainly deserve to be supplied power. They deserve to be supplied power at a cost and they must pay for it.

Power cannot be supplied for nothing. It has to be paid for. They deserve to be supplied power, but the productive sector itself, which is the productive sector of the economy, which is creates jobs for the people in the rural area, who are migrating to the urban areas to get jobs if they are not having power to keep employment, then consider people in the rural area - that is, placing the cat before the horse.

But it is only necessary if the country develops enough capacity to produce power to take care of the industrial areas first, take care of the essential areas where a lot of employment is being generated. Because you will privatise when you supply power; supplying power to those who are wasting it and not converting it to something that is productive and generate money for the country and companies around is a waste of resources.

34

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 28-12-12

NSE lists FBN mutual funds •Index rallies by 2%

T

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has listed FBN MONEY MARKET FUND17,984,400 units of N100 each at par and FBN Fixed Income Fund- 1,752,200 units of N1,000 at par on its official list under the memorandum quotations.

Also, the NSE-ASI gained 464.46 absolute points, representing 1.69 per cent growths to reverse prior week down trend.

On the other hand, market capitalisation gained N151.36 billion representing a growth of 1.73 per cent.

It would be recalled that both benchmark indices declined by 1.02 per cent in the previous week.

All but one of the sectorial indices appreciated; the Bloomberg NSE 30, Bloomberg NSE Consumer Goods, Bloomberg NSE Banking, Bloomberg NSE Insurance, and NSE Lotus II appreciated by 1.41 per cent (+43.37 per cent YTD), 0.83 per cent (+41.28 per cent YTD), 0.41 per cent (+21.19 per cent YTD), 3.38 per cent (-17.35 per cent YTD) and 1.75 per cent (44.41 per cent YTD) .

However,the Bloomberg

By Tonia Osundolire

NSE Oil/Gas index depreciated by 0.41 per cent (-30.68 per cent YTD).

However, the market recorded a turnover of 571.077 million shares worth N5.246 billion in 7,579 deals in contrast to a total of 1.293 billion shares valued at N13.725 that exchanged hands the previous week in 20,499 deals.

The stock market opened for only three days as Tuesday and Wednesday were declared Public Holidays to celebrate the Christmas and Boxing Day. The Financial Services sector was the most active during the week with 387.860 million shares worth N3.163 billion across 4,454 deals. Volume in the sector was largely driven by activity in the shares of UBA Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, FBN Holdings Plc and First City Monument Bank Plc. Trading in the shares of the four Banks accounted for 202.626 million shares, representing 52.24 per cent and 35.48 per cent of the sector turnover and total turnover traded during the weekly.

TheConglomerates sector boosted by activity in the shares of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc followed on the week’s activity chart with a turnover of 94.154 million shares valued at N107.592 million in 271 deals.

The Consumers Goods sector was third with 35.693 million shares valued at N1.494 billion traded in 1,578 deals. The top three sectors accounted for 517.708 million shares valued at N4.765 billion traded in 6,303 deals, thus accounting for 83.16 per cent, 90.65 per cent and 90.82 per cent, of the volume, value and number of deals.

Also traded during the week were 213 units of NewGold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) valued at N539.090 million exchanged hands in 2 deals in contrast to a total of 638 units valued at N1.636 million transacted last week in four deals.

There were no transactions through the stock market in the FGN Bonds, State/Local Government Bonds and Corporate Bonds/ Debentures sectors.

In the bond sector, a turnover of 113,423 million units valued at N126.041 billion in 515 deals were recorded in contrast to 98.989 million units worth N107.738 billion in 637 deals recorded in the preceding week which ended December 21, 2012.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 28-12-12

35

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

MONEY MARKET REPORT

NEXIM recapitalisation to drive loans’ growth HE Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) has said it is targeting N250 billion capital base to enable it to enhance its lending roles in the economy.

Its Managing Director, Robert Orya, said such additional capital base would assist the lender in financing key real sector projects that would boost the economy.

According to Orya, the bank, which has N50 billion capital base, was targeting N250 billion capitalisation to enable it prospect trade growth in Nigeria and Africa, adding that such capital base would also make impact in the non-oil sector and the economy.

He gave this indication during the facility tour by the House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency to Beloxxi Industries in Agbara, Ogun State.

NEXIM boss maintained that what industrialists in the country needed was long term funding at low cost. He said the bank was, however, also making efforts to access funding from the international export agencies, noting that “NEXIM is in a vantage position to be able to get those kind of funds and utilise them.”

The Federal Government has also called for the recapitalsation of the Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).

Government said the move to recapitalise DFIs was not to only to improve their capacity to fund the country’s industrial sector, but to also align their operational practices with international best practices.

Orya said there is need for NEXIM to expand its operations in Africa adding that the lender remains a profit-making organisation as well as a DFI with two shareholders –Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Federal Ministry of Finance.

Apart from getting equity contributions from these two shareholders, the bank also uses its balance sheet, to avail commercial lines of credits from other export import banks in the world.

T

Funded projects President, Beloxxi Industries Limited, Obi Ezeude said NEXIM extended take-off loan worth $3 million to the firm. He said the bank has also facilitated another fresh loan from Skye Bank which has assisted the firm in growing its operations. He called for banks to continually advance long term funds to industrialists for by so doing, the economy will be better for it. “What industrialists in Nigeria need is long term funding at low cost and I think that is what is required for us to jumpstart our industrialisation. I believe that NEXIM is in a very vantage position to be able to get those kind of funds and be able to do more than what we are doing,” he said.

Orya has also tasked northern business men to brace up to the economic challenges facing the region by cultivating the culture of cordial relationship with financial instructions so as to enable them access facilities and subvention from banks.

Shipping line West Africa’s desire to get its own subregional shipping line came a step closer to realisation with the incorporation of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) known as the Sealink Promotional Company Limited in the country.

Before the incorporation of the SPV in Nigeria, NEXIM had supported the initiative with $250,000 which the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FEWACCI) will manage and run until it transforms into the shipping line. $60 million is required for the three ships that the shipping line will commence business with and this is to be financed by shareholders.

The total project cost is estimated at $60 million with $36 million to be used to purchase vessels, equipment, office space and other infrastructure, while $24 million will be for working capital to cover general and administrative expenses.

To ensure the successful operation of the SPV before it dove-tails into the shipping line, the FEWACCI approached the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for a grant of $1.5 million.

NEXIM Act The NEXIM Act, is also being reviewed

FGN Expenditure (N’b)

By Collins Nweze

by the National Assembly. It has passed second reading. Chairman, Committee on Banking, Federal House of Representatives, Jones Chukwudi Onyereri said the legislators will be looking at structure and issues of legislative oversight in amending the Act. Speaking during a facility tour in Ogun State, he said that before now, government had issues with previous managements of NEXIM Bank because of large amount of nonperforming loans.

Also, there was issue of lack of visibility of the bank. “In our legislative agenda, our primary responsibility is to make sure that issues of the past do not reoccur. In other to forestall such reoccurrences, it became important that we should follow up with issues of intervention, loans and others,” he said.

Debt growth trend

Foreign debt There is grave danger in accumulating excessive debt as such would place undue burden on future generations, CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has warned. He said danger lies ahead for the economy should the existing level of borrowing from big nations continue.

Speaking at the Honorary International Investments Council (HIIC) conference in London, he warned of a great danger ahead if the nation continues to live above its realistic means.

He said if such development goes unchecked, it would amount to an unmitigated hardship for the population.

He urged the government not to allow the present and unborn generations inherit the heavy burden of foreign debts cautioning that Nigeria, under the suppressing weight of the heavy burden of foreign debts is in great danger.

“We are borrowing more money today at a higher interest rate while leaving the heavy debt burden for our children and grandchildren. For example, if you receive your salary and every day the money is not enough, you have two options to adjust yourself; Either check your expenditure or check your wages,” he said.

SWF The legality of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) is still being challenged by some state governments even as the project takes off in March 2013, Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) Limited said in its December Economic Review.

FDC CEO, Bismarck Rewane said the SWF has a $1 billion start-up capital. He said that Nigeria will also borrow in 2013 to support its infrastructural and other capital projects.

He said the monetary policy stance of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been tightening in spite of rising inflation while projecting that reserves heading to $47 billion in first quarter of 2013.

The Monetary Policy Rate, the benchmark rate by which the CBN determines interest rate, has remained at 12 per cent since October 2011 when it was increased from 9.25 representing 275 basis points raise. Beside, the CBN was advised to sustain its efforts at finding other innovative ways to unlock the credit market and stimulate the economy.

TBs/bonds Strong investor demand in the fixed-income space, especially for treasury bills and bonds, continued last week and could strengthen naira exchange rate, FBN Capi-

•Sources: Debt Management Office (DMO); FBN Capital Research

tal, an investment and research firm has said.

At the monthly auction of Federal Government of Nigeria bonds about two weeks ago, the total bid of N144 billion was the highest since August and comfortably exceeded the Debt Management Office’s sales target of N77 billion.

The CBN raised N138 billion from the sale of TBs. The total bid amounted to N299 billion, including N180 billion for the 364bill alone. Also, a sizeable offshore bid at both auctions has supported the naira exchange rate. The inclusion of three FGN bonds in the JP Morgan government index has attracted investors who may have been previously wary of the market. “The headline inflation story is also compelling. We can see a single-digit level as soon as January, and the CBN projects 7.2 per cent year to year for March 2013,” it said.

MfBs, PMBs The December 31, 2012 and April 30, 2013 recapitalisation deadlines for the microfinance banks (MfBs) and Primary Mortgage Institutions (PMIs) are sacrosanct, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said.

In a circular to banks, Director, Other Financial Institutions, CBN, O.A. Fabamwo, said it was exigent to remind directors and shareholders of all PMBs on the impending deadline of 30th April, 2013 for compliance with the Revised Guidelines for PMBs and provides additional information and guidance to all affected PMBs. He said that all affected PMBs of the available options to meet the prescribed capital requirements of N5 billion for National PMBs and N2.5 billion for State PMBs and

‘

We are borrowing more money today at a higher interest rate while leaving the heavy debt burden for our children and grandchildren. For example, if you receive your salary and every day the money is not enough, you have two options to adjust yourself; either check your expenditure or check your wages

’

the documentation requirements to obtain regulatory approval for each option. He said that the PMBs could raise funds from the capital market, right issue, private placement, public offer, business combination, mergers and acquisition among other options.

Agric earnings World Bank report says the continent would also generate an extra $20 billion in yearly earnings if African leaders can agree to dismantle trade barriers that blunt more regional dynamism. The report was released on the eve of an African Union (AU) ministerial summit in Addis Ababa on agriculture and trade.

In a statement, the bank says Africa’s farmers can potentially grow enough food to feed the continent and avert future food crises if countries remove cross-border restrictions on the food trade within the region.

The report urges African leaders to improve trade so that food can move more freely between countries and from fertile areas to those where communities are suffering food shortages. “The World Bank expects demand for food in Africa to double by the year 2020 as people increasingly leave the countryside and move to the continent’s cities,” it said.

Bank to bank report Shareholders of Wema Bank PLC, has approved the plan of the bank to raise its capital base to N35 billion.

The approval came during the bank’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, where the shareholders also ratified the appointment of four new Non-Executive Director. They are Mr Adeyinka Asekun, Mrs Tina Vukor’Quarshie, Mr Samuel Durojaye and Chief Ayodele Awodeyi.

The bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Segun Oloketuyi, said the bank intends to expand its operations and grow organically into areas that present strong business opportunities.

Keystone Bank Limited has sacked 145 of its staff and promoted 20 others in a move aimed at repositioning the bank. Formerly known as Bank PHB Plc, Keystone Bank Limited, one the financial institutions that ran into trouble during the global recession, was nationalised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

36

BUSINESS AFRICA

IMF praises Mozambique’s performance T

HE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has praised Mozambique’s “remarkable” economic performance this year, which “built on a track record of strong economic policies that effectively supported growth, while bringing down inflation and strengthening international reserves”.

In a statement announcing the conclusion of the fifth review of the Mozambican economy under the three-year Policy Support Instrument (PSI), the IMF Executive Board noted: “Real GDP growth for 2012 is set to reach 7.5 per cent, benefiting from a robust

performance in the services sector and a stronger-thanexpected contribution from the nascent coal industry.

“While global risks are sizeable”, it continued, “the increase in coal extraction will continue to lead Mozambique’s economic growth, and Mozambique’s economic stability and prudent policy mix over the past few years should help the economy weather the global slowdown” The staement added: “The gradual easing of monetary policy in 2012 has supported private sector credit growth

while preserving a low inflation environment. The prudent execution of the 2012 budget has contributed to a judicious policy mix that has fostered economic stability despite global uncertainty”.

All assessment criteria set by the IMF under the PSI for the first half of the year were met, “except for a temporary breach of the ceiling on net credit to the government”, and “there was broadly satisfactory progress in structural reforms, despite some delays”.

Mozambique’s economic programme under the PSI, the staement adds, “will continue to

emphasise preserving economic stability and debt sustainability while promoting economic and social development. Monetary policy will be geared toward private sector credit expansion, while remaining committed to the medium-term inflation target.

“Fiscal policy, through a prudent 2013 budget”, it continues, “will aim to utilise the available fiscal space to close the infrastructure gap and support an expansion of social safety nets to foster inclusive growth, consistent with the authorities’ four-

Kenya shilling falls after holidays

T

• Zimbabweans working at a mine to meet new government’s regulations of slashing mining fees.

South African firm Lonmin seeks new CEO S OUTH African miner Lonmin (LMIL) is searching for a new chief executive (CEO) to revive its fortunes after a torrid 2012 as Ian Farmer, who is being treated for a serious illness, officially stepped aside at the weekend.

The absence of a CEO has been a major concern cited by investors seeking a strategy from the company after months of financial pressure, weak platinum prices and a wave of deadly strikes at South African mines.

Chief Financial Officer Simon Scott had ruled himself out of the

job, Lonmin said, but he would continue to fill the role until a replacement was found.

Farmer was admitted to hospital in August, coinciding with a wave of unrest at the group’s Marikana mine that left 46 people dead and paralysed operations.

The strikes increased pressure on a company that was already being squeezed by high costs and weak platinum prices.

It was forced to turn to investors last month to raise $817 million to avoid breaching lending terms.

Its biggest shareholder, miner Xstrata (XTA.L), which holds a 25 per cent stake, supported the rights issue but it said it wanted management changes.

Lonmin Chairman Roger Phillimore said the group would miss Farmer’s ability, commitment and drive at the company, where he worked for more than 26 years, including four as chief executive.

Shares in Lonmin were trading down 1.79 per cent at 280.4 pence.

Zambia president mulls maize price controls

Z

AMBIA is considering the reintroduction of price controls on its staple maize meal to protect consumers from food inflation, its President Michael Sata has said.

The price of maize meal has almost doubled to 80,000 kwacha ($15.41) per 25 kg bag from 45,000 kwacha ($8.67) two months ago and the government says the sharp increase is unjustifiable.

Sata said the government would bring back price controls it abolished in 1991 if millers maintained high prices, the state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation reported.

“As government, we can re-introduce price controls if they (millers) don’t stop exploiting people,” Sata said, according to the station.

The southern African country subsidises maize production and

buys the produce, which it then cheaply supplies to millers in times of shortage to keep maize meal prices affordable.

Agriculture Minister Emmanuel Chenda said the high maize meal price was unjustified after the government offloaded 112,000 tonnes of maize on the local market.

Chenda said some millers who received subsidised maize from the government were selling maize meal to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) instead of supplying the local market.

Maize meal is the staple of the Zambian diet that sustains poor households, so curbs on its price could be have wide political support.

Zambia’s inflation rate accelerated to 7.3 per cent year-on-year

in December from 6.9 per cent in November, partly because of rising food prices.

year poverty reduction strategy (2011–2014)”.

The IMF also backed what it calls “prudent use” of commercial loans to meet Mozambique’s infrastructure needs, in the face of declining foreign aid.

A PSI is an agreement reached with the IMF by low-income countries that are not asking for IMF loans, but seek endorsement from the IMF for their policies.

Without such endorsement it might prove difficult to obtain loans or grants from other sources.

HE Kenyan shilling fell for the second straight session as oil importers bought dollars to make end-month purchases, while shares were steady.

The shilling traded at 86.00/20 per dollar, 0.2 per cent weaker than Thursday’s close of 85.85/ 86.05.

“There are some energy and oil sector guys in the market buying dollars,” said Dickson Magecha, a trader at Standard Chartered Bank.

He added that dollar demand may tick up next week as corporate clients return after the holidays, and that might weigh on the shilling.

The shilling is poised to close the year by one per cent against the dollar, a better performance than 2011 when it hit a record low of 107 to the dollar as inflation soared and closed the year 4.8 per cent weaker against the US currency.

The local currency has been well supported this year by the central bank, which kept its key lending rate high for the first half of the year and regularly soaked up shillings from the market via repurchase agreements.

Policymakers embarked on an easing cycle in July, however, cut-

ting the central bank rate by 700 basis points to 11 per cent in November. The bank will have another rate setting meeting on January 10, which analysts expect could be used to cut the official rates further after inflation fell for the 13 straight months.

In stocks, the main NSE-20 Share Index was barely changed, slipping 0.01 per cent to 4,122.22 points in low volumes. Shares in leading telecoms provider Safaricom, shed its previous session gains, falling one percent to 5.05 shillings.

“Some investors could be liquidating Safaricom shares after this year’s gains,” said Ronald Lugalia, an analyst at Afrika Investment Bank.

Safaricom shares have gained 73 per cent this year, outperforming the market average, helped by an improved performance outlook.

The Nairobi bourse is the thirdbest performer in Africa this year, with the benchmark share index up 27 per cent year-to-date, after Uganda’s and Nigeria’s.

In the debt market, government and corporate bonds worth 2.6 billion shillings ($30.3 million) were traded, up from 2.4 billion shillings.

VMK launches 'first African' smartphone, tablet

A

SMARTPHONE and tablet said to be the first designed by an African company have been launched.

The products, designed by Congolese entrepreneur Verone Mankou, are manufactured in China.

His company VMK's devices run Google's Android software. They will retail at $170 (£105) for the smartphone and $300 (£185) for the tablet.

“Only Africans can know what Africa needs,” said Mr Mankou at the Tech4Africa conference in Johannesburg.

“Apple is huge in the US,

Samsung is huge in Asia, and we want VMK to be huge in Africa.”

Technology blog Smartplanet reports that the tablet offers wi-fi connectivity and four gigabytes of internal storage. Its name, Way-C, means “the light of the stars” in the local Lingala language.

The smartphone has rear and forward facing cameras and a 3.5in (8.9cm) screen.

There are plans to sell the devices in 10 other West African countries as well as Belgium, France and India.

Mr Mankou said he hoped to launch a cheaper tablet for students next year.

17,000 ex-miners sue S/Africa gold firms for negligence

A

SOUTH African lawyer has moved to file a class action suit against over 30 gold firms on behalf of 17,000 former miners who say they contracted silicosis, a debilitating lung disease, due to negligence in health and safety.

The companies include third-largest global bullion producer AngloGold Ashanti, fourth-largest Gold Fields and Harmony Gold. Also named is Anglo American’s South African unit, which owed gold assets in the past but no longer produces it.

Attorney Richard Spoor said he had filed for class certification for an action for damages in the South Gauteng

High Court in Johannesburg.

“We need to ask the court for permission to proceed on a class action basis. We filed the papers last week, and that matter will have to be argued in the court if it’s opposed,” Spoor said.

He expected the matter to be heard in April or May of next year.

The damages sought in what could be Africa’s biggest ever class action suit have not been disclosed but could be huge at a time when South Africa’s mining industry is battling with soaring power costs and wage costs as well as violent labour militancy.

Spoor has signed up 17,000 plaintiffs so far from South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho, the landlocked kingdom that has provided hundreds of thousands of migrant workers to South Africa’s gold mines over the past century, he said.

Spoor said the number of plaintiffs was growing by about 500 a month.

The planned suit, which has little precedent in South African law, has its roots in a landmark ruling by the Constitutional Court that for the first time allowed lung-diseased miners to sue their employers for damages.

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THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

37

• CBN headquarters, Abuja

The prayers of the unemployed may be answered in the New Year, which begins tomorrow, as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduces agent banking. The initiative is expected to create 200,000 jobs as a way of boosting the economy. AKINOLA AJIBADE writes.

200,000 agent banking jobs likely T

HE New Year begins tomorrow, with a lot of hope for the unem ployed. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is introducing tomorrowAgent Banking, a scheme which holds a lot of promise in job creation. About 200,000 jobs are expected to be created under the scheme. It is coming under the CBN’s Financial Inclusion Strategy (FIS).

Launched in Abuja in October, the strategy comes with various concepts aimed at increasing banking penetration and growth.

At the launch, CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said concepts under the strategy include mobile money and agent banking. Mobile money has since been

introduced under the cash-less policy. It is now the turn of agent banking.

Agent banking is a system whereby a postal outlet is contracted by a financial institution, or a mobile network operator, to process clients’transactions. Rather than a branch outlet, it is the owner or an employee of the retail outlet that conducts the transactions.

The agent banker performs banking function. Clients can deposit, withdraw, transfer funds, pay their bills, inquire about their balances, receive government benefits, or a direct deposit from their employers at an agent banking outlet.

It can be operated in supermarkets, petrol stations, gas stations, stores, laundry shops, post offices, cybercafes and eateries, among

others. As such, people are employed to provide an array of services.

Agent banking has helped to improve access to financial services, as well as create jobs for people in places, such as Kenya.

In its framework, the CBN described agent banking as a catalyst for growth because it has the potential to provide jobs.

The CBN said outlets would be created nationwide for agent banking operations. It said rural areas, perceived by the conventional banks as unprofitable, would benefit through employment creation.

Experts lauded the idea, saying it has potential of providing jobs for the people.

They said about 200,000 jobs would be created in the first two years of the scheme’s

implementation. More jobs, they said, would be created, if things work according to plans. Noting that Nigeria has an estimated 50,000 villages, they said each village would have at least two or three agent banks to provide financial services for people. They said no fewer than four people are required to work in each bank, adding that the figure would increase as the system becomes acceptable.

According to them, agent banks are equipped with a combination of Point-ofSale (PoS) card reader, mobile phone, barcode scanner to scan bills for bill payment transactions, Personal Identification •Continued on page 38

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

38

JOBS

200,000 agent banking jobs likely •Continued from page 37 Number (PIN) pads, and sometimes personal computers that connect with the bank’s server using a personal dial-up or other data connection that may be required.

The scheme, they said, has provided opportunities for people to work as back-office operators, system programmers, credit application, verification officers and security.

Speaking during the second retail banking series of Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA’s) in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, Top Image, Ms Jennifer Barassa, said agent banking enables delivery of financial services at affordable costs across a wide range of income segments of the society, and provide opportunities for employment generation.

Ms. Barassa, a mobile money transfer expert, said the idea would provide opportunities for middle-income earners.

Citing Kenya, she said the system is a tool for jobs creation because it has helped in providing employment for people in other places.

Chief Executive Officer, Mobile Money Africa,Mr Emmanuel Okwogale, said the strategy comprises concepts that can easily create jobs and further grow the economy.

He said: “Be it mobile money banking, microfinance banking, or agent banking system, there i s no limit to their employment generation capacity. Research has shown that each concept has the ability to improve banking penetration, and generate employment opportunities. Given the size of the Nigerian population, the system is going to provide a lot of jobs for people.”

He said mobile and agent banking systems have different structures, adding that they achieve common goals of reducing the number of the unbanked population.

Okwogale said last year CBN implemented mobile banking frameworks by licensing 16 firms to provide the service, adding that at the moment it is developing the guidelines for the implementation of the banking system. He said more job opportunities would be created, when agent banking starts in 2013.

Okwogale said: “Agent banking

• Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

operates through different outlets, such as supermarkets, cybercafes, petrol stations, laundry shops, among others. These outlets are going to be run by people. This implies that people would be em-

• Sanusi

ployed to work in these outlets.

When you look at Nigeria from the geographical point of view, you would observe that the country is large. This shows that agent banking has a lot of prospect for the un-

‘Be it mobile money banking, microfinance banking, or agent banking system, there is no limit to their employment generation capacity. Research has shown that each concept has the ability to improve banking penetration, and generate employment opportunities. Given the size of the Nigerian population, the system is going to provide a lot of jobs for people’

employed.

“Given the right policies and implementation procedures, agent banking, among other concepts, introduced to drive the financial inclusion strategy would create jobs for Nigerians.”

When people are equipped with the right skills, they would work in any aspect of the industry, he added.

A financial market analyst, Mr Dayo Adeosun, advised CBN to implement the guidelines on agent banking well, arguing that many policies have become a flash in the pan in Nigeria.

He agreed that the idea has prospect to create jobs, urging the apex bank to implement it.

CAREER MANAGEMENT

Y

EAR 2012 will soon expire.

You will be counting your first on your second or additional New Year’s Day as an unemployed graduate.

We will use the remaining Mondays and some of the early 2013 to run do quick run of what may be doing wrong in your quest for the dream job. Or what you are supposed to be doing but that you are not at all.

Whatever is written below, I am happy to inform you that the the book JobSearchGuru’s JOB-HUNTING MANUAL- Strategies and Tactic for effective Search in Nigeria Competitive Job Market is now in the bookshops. This is the comprehensive tool-box for jobhunters.

See www.jobsearchhow.com.ng for more info. Now to the business of the week.

Sometimes the simplest matters make all the difference in the potential joining together of an employer and a job searcher.These opportunities to fail occur before the first phone call is ever exchanged.

If you’re a job seeker, simply rectifying simple mistakes can keep your resume out of the ‘no’/trash pile.They can help you find a marriage with the employer of your dreams. Here are 10 things that job seekers do that relegate their applications to the slush pile.

Fail to follow the employer’s directions about how to apply By following the employer’s requested application method: email, fax, mail, you brand yourself as a cooperative person who can follow directions. Also, consider the possibility that the employer is routing all applications that come via email, as an exam-

How not to get employed

By Olu Oyeniran

ple, into a recruiting folder. Other applications may be missed. Delivery of your resume via mail is still acceptable, however, fewer applications come in the mail these days; they are a paper management nightmare.

Send resumes or cover letters with typos, unforced errors Typos brand you as a careless person who didn’t take the time to proof read your resume and cover letter. Employers judge the quality of your future work, by the quality of the documents that introduce you. Many managers use typos, inexcusable grammatical errors, etc as a screen to eliminate candidates from contention.

Choose to leave out requested salary information Many candidates are positive that once an employer sees their credentials, and meets them, salary won’t be an issue. Their credentials will knock the socks off the employer. Don’t believe it.

The employer has a budget. When you don’t submit your salary as requested, your resume will likely be rejected. Minimally, you cause the employer to make a screening phone call. Neither you nor the employer need to waste time in an impossible situation.

Fail to send a customised cover letter with the resume A customised cover letter does

not mean changing the lead paragraph to mention the employer’s company name. It means drawing the employer’s attention, point by point, to how well your credentials match the employer’s stated needs. A generic introduction is already available via your resume.

Use the cover letter as your place to shine. Demonstrate what’s important to you – and to the employer. Connect the dots for the employer and you’ll likely get a call for an interview.

Leave large gaps in their employment – unexplained The first scan of a resume will reveal gaps in your employment history. Trust me. The employer always wants to know why. You took three years off to raise your child? Tell the employer upfront in the cover letter. Otherwise, the employer will often reject your application.You risk the employer wondering why you have trouble finding a job.You appear undependable or, at worst, a mystery. It’s hard to find great candidates. Don’t eliminate yourself from the review.

Tell what the job searcher did - not what was accomplished You answered a multiline phone, provided excellent customer service, and ran the photocopy machine. Does the employer care?

Not likely. The employer wants to know that you improved customer service by 120 per cent. The descriptions on your resume must focus on accomplishments – you

were promoted three times in five years. And, make sure you label the bullet points as accomplishments or key achievements. Otherwise, your resume won’t pass the 30 second glance test.

Apply for jobs for which they are way over-qualified – or under-qualified The employer has described the skills and experiences required for the position. A job description and a salary range exist. If you are way over qualified, or under-qualified, your application is suspect and is filed under “no”. It doesn’t take long to see that a high school grad is applying for a position that requires a degree and one to two years of experience. You’ve wasted your time applying.

You’ve wasted the employer’s time, too – although I guarantee not much time.

Exhibit problems with grammar and sentence construction Your image is you. Application materials that demonstrate you are challenged to produce a sentence won’t serve you well. Grammatical errors are noticed and telegraph several messages. You can’t write very well. You lack attention to detail. Your ability to interact with customers is limited by your skills. Is this the message you are trying to send your potential employer? I think not. Remember, when the employer stumbles over mistakes, they rule you out.

Use out-of-the-ordinary tactics and gimmicks to draw attention to your resume They do, but I guarantee the attention isn’t positive. Employers have enough problems without viewing your resume picture, except when required. Stuffing your resume envelope with confetti isn’t a good idea either, even if you’re applying as a creative.

Sending your life history and every training certificate you’ve ever obtained won’t earn you any points. Save these until you’ve, at least, spent some time together.

Skip the rest.

Skip human resources and apply to the hiring manager or the CEO for advertised position Job searching books persist in making this recommendation, and maybe it was a good one, once upon a time. It’s still good when you are introducing yourself and making a professional contact. But, when applying for an advertised position, it’s the death knell for your application. You tick off the HR people, who are the monitors and caretakers of the hiring process. They build the pool of candidates that managers interview.

They schedule the interviews.

And, believe it or not, respected HR people have a serious influence on who gets hired.

•Oyeniran is the Lead Consultant, EkiniConsult & Assoiciates & Author. Author Jobsearchguru’s Job-Hunting Manual. Website: Jobsearchhow.com,ng Tel 08083843230 (SMS Only).

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

39

LABOUR

A year of strikes In the Labour circle, 2012 started with a strike and ended with it, reports DUPE OLAOYEOSINKOLU

F

OR the Labour movement, 2012 was turbulent. It was full of activism. Picketing, mass rallies, protests, strikes were the order of the day.

The year opened with struggles.

Labour resisted some government’s policies - winning some, losing others.

Its first struggle was the resistance against fuel price increase. The Federal Government had announced an increase in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N65 to N141 per litre on January 1. This incurred Labour’s wrath. The disagreement between Labour and the government over the issue snowballed into a weeklong strike and protest that paralysed economic activities in the country.

The strike, due to the parties’ inability to reach an agreement on the fuel subsidy removal, started on Monday, January 9. It was coordinated by the Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO). Its enforcement was with mass action in workplaces, markets, schools, neighbourhoods and major link roads.

The Lagos rally took off at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Secretariat and moved to Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, which became a temporary home to many people. Some brought their mats, pillows, kerosene stoves to the venue.

There was no boring moment throughout the strike, as musicians stationed a giant generator to supply power to the venue, where people took turns to entertain free.

Labour wanted a reversal of PMS price from the announced N141to N65 per litre, but the government refused.

When the crowd kept on increasin, singing anti-government songs, and protesting daily from 7am till 6pm, the Federal Government , at the end of the first week, deployed soldiers to the streets of Lagos and Abuja, to prevent the movement of the people.

The issue was, however, resolved when President Goodluck Jonathan met with the two labour unions before announcing a new price of N97 per litre. A lot of dust was raised by the reduction because Labour claimed it was unilaterally done by the government, while its civil society allies alleged dishonesty, saying the mandate of N65 was not adhered to.

The reduction was counted as a plus for Labour. Having achieved a partial victory in the struggle, Labour rolled out conditions that the Federal Government needed to

T

HE National Union of Postal and Telecommunication Employees (NUPTE) has urged the Federal Government to prevail on private operators to respect labour laws.

National President of the union, Comrade Sunday Alhassan in a telephone conversation with The Nation lamented that the workers in the private sector operate in an undignified environment, which is below international standard.

He, therefore, charged the supervising ministries - Labour and

• Protesting workers in Lagos.

meet, to end the rot in the oil sector.

This later led to the Farouk Lawan Adhoc Committee that started, according to many, on a good note.

Even Labour commended and encouraged the Committee. Then, the unexpected happened. The assumed righteous Committee Chairman was indicted by an oil magnate, Femi Otedola, for alleging collecting a bribe of $620,000. In the face of the crisis, Labour held on to its position in the report already submitted by the Adhoc Committee on Oil Subsidy. It called for its implementation, saying those found guilty must be brought to book. But the report saw the light of day.

Now that the court has stopped the Federal Government from implementing the Farouk Committee Report, Labour may, expectedly, dust it.

The National Minimum Wage is another issue that took centre stage this year. Many state governments battled to maintain peace in their domain as workers kept threatening to down tools should the government fail to meet their ultimatums. Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Borno, Ekiti, Edo, Plateau state workers, among others, protested the non-implementation of the new national minimum wage.

Some of the state governments wriggled out of the crisis, but Plateau was not that lucky. The strike embarked upon by the state workers is still ongoing. The bone of contention? Plateau Government did not want to implement the wage in full.

Labour and the state government later settled for 55 per cent of the minimum wage, but the workers rejected the insistence by the government that it would only pay for the period the workers were at work.

Governor Jonah Jang then claimed that he was relying on a United Nations resolution that no worker should be paid for the period he deliberately stayed out of office. The labour leaders, however, argued that the law could not

be applied in Nigeria since it has not been domesticated in the nation’s statute books.

The Labour Minister intervened on December 20. His intervention has led to the suspension of the strike, on the condition that the Plateau Government pay the striking local government workers their salaries from June 2012 with 55 per cent implementation.

The National Minimum Wage Act stipulates that the least paid worker should receive N18000.

Some governors said it would be easier for them to implement only if the Federal Government increased the monthly revenue allocation accruing to their states.

Only few states have implemented the Wage Act to the letter.

Labour has spent one year, struggling with such state governments.

In Abia, the Governor sacked non-indigenes in the civil service, saying that was the only way for the state to pay the new wage. Indigenes who married “outsiders” were affected.

Local government workers are arguing that the joint account system being operated by state and local government is delaying the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage to council employees.

President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Ibrahim Khaleel said deductions for the joint accounts have affected the councils as they cannot meet their financial obligations.

He argued that if the statutory allocations to local government areas got into the councils’coffers, the councils would not have remained in the current situation where they could not implement the payment of the national minimum wage.

While Labour struggles for implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage, many workers kissed their jobs goodbye due to no fault of theirs. Employers in many of the sectors of the economy reduced staff strength due to economic imbalance.

Workers in the manufacturing,

textile and banking sectors were part of the job losses. In the banking sector alone, about 1.7 million jobs were lost in the period under review.

In the private sector, stakeholders tried to proffer solution. President of the National Union of Chemical Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE), Comrade Boniface Isok, said some policies of the government affected some industries in the chemical sector.

He explained that the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to bank debtors to pay up was part of the reasons for factory closures and redundancy of workers.

As Labour grappled with increasing job casualties, it was roused by a bill sponsored by Senator Heineken Lokpobori (PDP, Bayelsa West) meant to amend the Labour law to make it mandatory for unions to vote before embarking on strike. There was uproar.

Trade unions said the bill was aimed at muzzling them.

Senator Ayogu Eze, while supporting the bill, said it was meant to ensure that the unions did not mix labour dispute with politics.

The bill died as there was opposition against it.

Beside, in the second quarter of the year, Imo State workers protested the creation of a fourth tier of government, which empowered traditional rulers to pay civil servants in their domain. The workers alleged that the governor imposed the tier on them. The state House of Assembly okayed the bill for the establishment of the fourth tier of government in the state.

In the health sector, Lagos State Government effected a mass sack of doctors in the second quarter of the year. The action generated a lot of controversy, as the government tried to evict the affected doctors from their official quarters.

The state has explained that it sacked 788 doctors in its employ because they failed to respond to queries issued to them for embarking on “an illegal strike’’.

About 316 doctors of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and 472 of the other hospitals were affected by the government action.

The state government earlier queried them for embarking on a threeday warning strike from April 11 to April 13.

Federal health workers also engaged the Federal Government over promotion of health professionals from CONHESS 14 to 15 and implementation of the Presidential Committee Report on harmony in the health sector.

In the outgoing year, there was was a pension scam. Public servants enriched themselves at the expense of retired workers. The Senate has vowed to get the culprits. Some public servants are, however, being tried in courts of law. Even in the last quarter of the year, more discoveries were made.

The Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, was fingered in a N195 billion pension fraud. He, however, did not honour the Senate’s invitation to defend himself.

The Joint Committee on Establishment, Public Service and Local Government Administration was mandated by the Senate to investigate pension administration from 1999.

The Senate President, David Mark, also directed the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, to compel Mr Maina to appear before the Joint committee.

Maina, however, disagreed with the lawmakers over pilfered funds meant for the payment of pensions to retirees.

He denied the allegations, saying that the legislators had connived with his detractors who were uncomfortable with the reforms.

Workers are wary of the contributory pension scheme. The National Pension Commission (PenCom) is allaying their fear that the scam was perpetrated in the old pension system, which had been in existence before the Pension Act 2004.

Fed Govt tasked on telcoms operators Communication Technology - to regulate the operators to avoid confrontation with the union.

He said workers should be alowed to do he called “ decent work” .

He said the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has set decent work for all as the goal for its work; while the four pillars of decent work include, employment opportunities, workers rights,social pro-

tection and representations.

“Workers in the private sector especially in majority of Nigeria’s private telecoms and courier companies are suffering from the absence of any mechanism for the guarantee or protection of workers’ rights of organising and representation.

“This is mainly because of the nature or mode of employment in the private telecoms sector, which is

characterised by outsourcing, casualisation, time specific employment etc,” he said.

He said though most of these private firms in Nigeria comply with the labour laws in their home countries and as a result allow workers to organise and unionise in their parent companies, the situation was different here in Nigeria.

According to him, “Here in Nigeria,these companies deliber-

ately breach our labour laws as they operate with impunity with clear anti labour policies that are neither practiced nor tolerated in their home countries.

“As a result of this obvious unfair labour practices,workers in the private sector in Nigeria are caught up in conditions that defile decency at work and rather work in conditions that are deficit in dignity.”

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

40

INSURANCE

‘Why we can’t get oil, gas accounts’ I

NSURANCE brokersare groaning under the weight of hurdles placed on their path for oil and gas accounts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

A source, who preferred not to be named, said the hurdle, restrains insurers from qualifying for risks allotted to local brokers by the Nigerian Content Policy.

The source said 34 brokers were engaged for the NNPC lucrative account last year, but the number was reduced to 14 this year. The number may also go down next year, it was learnt.

President, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mrs Laide Osijo, said the corporation has subjected brokers to enormous demands.

She said the operators are wor-

• Firms blame NNPC for blocking them

By Uyoatta Eshiet

ried because they thought they would acquire more knowledge as they grow on the business, but regretted that the reverse is the case now, as they are not given the opportunity to improve their knowledge on the job.

She said: “Honestly, in the area of oil and gas, the Nigerian Content Policy made provision for local operators to be trained, so that the business could be handed over to us. But what the oil and gas operators are doing is contrary to what is expected.

“What they are asking for was never envisaged when the law was provided.The NNPC is really

putting more demand on brokers.

We are worried because we thought we would acquire more knowledge as we grow in the business, but reverse is the case.

“We have undertaken oil and gas training at home and abroad, but with the restrain by the oil and gas operators, we can never put to test what we learnt. With the things they are asking for, hardly can 10 brokers or even five qualify for the business. If they are doing it intentionally, where do we then put the local content law?”

She said the operators were supposed to be trained so that the foreigners would hand over the businesses to them, adding that if the operators are not given the prac-

tical training and exposure, how they would learn.

“The oil and gas operators have been unfair, but we will continue to strive until we get there. The first time they did it we had 34 brokers engaged, and the next one we had 14. We thought after getting 34, we would have higher rate, but they went and reduced it.

This year, they put so many conditions and at the end only few brokers will also be engaged.

“It is unfair to the local content law. The local content law is there to protect us and put food on our table, but the way they are asking

for some many things, it is really disturbing. We will continue to strive to meet their demands.’’

Laide further said: “Honestly, the brokers are complaining. They are not happy about it; most of them have paid so much to certified many documents. Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) gave us certification, but NNPC still want us to recertify it and they would give us short notice within which they want us to implement these things”.

She noted that many brokers have written petitions to her office about the roadblocks placed by the NNPC for qualification, adding that the corporation is not given brokers fair treatment.

Sovereign Trust restructures

S

OVEREIGN Trust Insurance Plc has changed its structure to boost its performance and increase its market share in the industry.

In a statement, its spokesperson, Mr Segun Bankole, said the new model is also designed to harness the opportunities in insurance as well as explore untapped market in the industry.

He said: ”Under the new business model, the activities of the underwriting firm will be anchored on three divisions namely, Retail and Business Development, Operations and Finance and Administration.

Chairman of Establishment, Governance and Business Development Committee of the firm, Sir Ogala Osoka, said it is imperative that business models are periodically reviewed to ensure that the opportunities in the market space are adequately addressed in

taking a vantage position.

Mr Olaotan Soyinka, Mr Kayode Adigun and Mr Ugochi Odemelam were appointed to drive the new initiatives of the company.

Soyinka, the erstwhile Head of Energy Division has been moved to Operations, which has under it Energy, Technical and Branch operations.

Adigun is to oversee the new Finance and Administration Division includes Finance and Investments, Corporate Services, Human Resources, General Internal Services and Legal services.

Odemelam formerly head of Marketing & Relationship Management Division has been deployed to Retail & Business Development Division of the company, which has Direct Marketing, Agency Network, e-business and Product Development & Research.

Athene to acquire Aviva’s US annuity, life business •From left: Commissioner/CEO Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) Capt. Muthtar Usman; Legal Adviser, Mrs. Maureen Tsenongo and Head Public Affairs Mr Tunji Oketunbi at a workshop for aviation correspondents in Lagos.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE.

Only 5.4m workers are registered for pension, says Ahmad

W

ITH a workforce of 40million, only 5.4 million and registered under the National Pension Scheme, former Director-General of the National Pension Commission (NPC) Mohammed Ahmad has said.

He said there were to pension assets stand at about N3 trillion.

The commission, he said, was working to ensure that small employers in the private sector embraced the scheme, adding that getting such employers, inadequate education and enlightenment remained a great challenge to the industry’s growth.

He noted that to encourage more

people to embrace the scheme, the commission hopes to introduce customers service index, which would ensure that customers get better services from PenCom and operators.

Ahmad said the commission has continued with its regulatory and supervisory philosophy, which is risk-based and consultative, adding that investment regulation that would allow multiple fund is being reviewed.

He said the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) transfer clearing system application that would be used to coordinate the processes relating to the transfer of retirement savings

accounts is being developed and tested to ensure that it meets the capacity and robustness required.

“As part of the implementation of the opening the transfer window, the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs), who are key stakeholders on the pensions industry, would participate in the various workshops geared towards ensuring their full understanding and participation in the transfer process, before the window opens.

Ahmad noted that the commission would collaborate with state governments in the scheme in the states.

A

THENE Holding Ltd., a Bermuda-based insurance holding company has announced that it will acquire Aviva Plc’s United States annuity and life insurance operations (“Aviva USA”), including Aviva Life and Annuity Company, based in Iowa, and Aviva Life and Annuity Company of New York.

Athene will acquire Aviva USA, which has about $56 billion of statutory admitted assets as of September 30, 2012, for a purchase price of $1.55 billion.

The transaction is expected to close in 2013, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals.

Upon closing, the combination of Aviva USA and Athene Holding’s primary US operating subsidiary, Athene Annuity & Life Assurance Company, a Delaware-domiciled insurer focused on retail fixed and indexed annuity sales and reinsurance (“Athene Annuity”), will result in the second largest issuer of fixed indexed annuities in the US.

Aviva USA, to be renamed Athene USA, will be the parent for Athene’s US operations and will be headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. Athene is committed to retaining a substantial employee base in Des Moines as the centerpiece of Athene USA’s nationwide operations.

“With this acquisition, Athene is a leader in the fixed annuity space,” said James R. Belardi, CEO of Athene. “The purchase of Aviva’s US annuity business will add significant scale to our retail sales and reinsurance operations and provides Athene with best in class operational capabilities.”

Athene recently received a $621 million capital infusion in anticipation of the transaction and expects to have over $3.5 billion of combined statutory capital within its insurance company subsidiaries following the transaction.

Athene, which is focused on becoming the leading US fixed annuity company, is evaluating strategic options on Aviva USA’s life insurance operations.

NAICOM may review MDRI programme

T

HE National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) may review the Market Development and Restructuring Initiative (MDRI) designed to enhance the industry’s growth, The Nation has learnt.

The Commissioner for Insurance Fola Daniel, who disclosed this in a telephone interview, said NAICOM will next year review the guidelines of the initiative to align it for better performance.

He said the review is one of the

commission’s programmes for the new year.

It was learnt that the review became necessary due to the failure of the industry to achieve projections envisaged for it in the first phase where a target of N 1 trillion premium income was to be attained.

Managing Director RiskguardAfrica Nigeria Limited Yemi Soladoye said delay in the implementation of the initiatives affected the projections set to be

achieved, adding that the programme was meant to start in 2009, but never took-off until 2011.

He noted that to recover the lost period, there should be a shift in the deliverables to make-up for the difference between the time of the strategy crafting and implementation. He said the N1 trillion premium income projection was to be achieved with a four-year strategic plan, adding that there is no way the target would be achieved, with the commencement of imple-

mentation of the initiative a year to the set deadline.

He said: “Most people are reading the strategy document and not relating it to when implementation took off. If there is a projection that in four years we will get N1 trillion premium and from the implementation document, we were to start in 2009, we had what we are to achieve in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. So, N1 trillion is in four years.

If implementation started in 2011, it will be a case of shifting the

deliverables forward based on the difference on the ground between the strategy crafting and the implementation”.

He said the initiative is remarkable in the history of the industry.

He noted that the initiative cannot be wished away as it has brought about many developments adding that efforts by NAICOM to reposition the industry through micro-insurance, takaful and more are strategic plans stated in the MDRI document.

Ex France captain Marcel Desailly insisting Togo will be eliminated from AFCON 2013 in the first round.

42

Monday, December 31, 2012

Real Madrid •Wenger

Wenger rules out Henry’s loan return to Arsenal

in £22m record move for De Gea

•De Gea

Falcao will decide future in summer, says Marin

•Falcao

2013 AFRICA NATIONS CUP...2013 AFRICA NATIONS CUP...2013 AFRICA NATIONS CUP

Dasailly predicts early exit for Togo

Akaminko

Algeria puts faith in coach Halilhodzic

fit after accident

•Akaminko

Ethiopia pips Niger in AFCON warm-up

•Halilhodzic •Dasailly

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

43

MOTORING

Passengers pass night along Lagos-Ibadan expressway

T

HOUSANDS of passengers were forced to pass the night along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway last Thursday as a result of gridlock caused by an accident involving two articulated vehicles.

The Sagamu Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Lasisi Ogundele, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the accident

T

By Tajudeen Adebanjo occurred at about 10.30 p.m. last Wednesday. According to him, the accident, which claimed two lives, occurred when a pay loader marked Lagos KJA 894 XB pierced an articulated vehicle conveying fuel with registration LAGOS 270 SD. “The pay loader was trying to overtake the tanker, in the process, it pierced it and the

content (PMS) started gushing out, five persons were involved in the accident.

“Three persons were seriously burnt beyond recognition and one of them died on the spot, while another died in the hospital, the third person is in critical condition,’’ he said.

Ogundele, who attributed the cause to dangerous over taking, disclosed that officials of the corps passed the night at the scene trying to control

traffic in the area. “You know it was late; we could not get a crane to the scene by that time to move the vehicles, that is the reason for the delay till this morning.”

NAN, however, observed that the two vehicles had been taken off the road as at 10 a m. on Friday. The combined efforts of FRSC, Ogun Traffic Compliance Agency (TRACE), Police, soldiers and NSCDC had reduced the gridlock at

about 10.30 a.m., especially for those going to Ibadan from Lagos. Speaking on the development, the South West Public Relations Officer of the National Emergency Maintenance Agency (NEMA), Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, told NAN that “it is unfortunate that this kind of incident is repeating itself on this corridor. “There is an existing traffic law which stipulates how an articulated vehicle

Toyota records 27% growth

OYOTA (Nigeria) Limited (TNL) has announced a record of 27 per cent growth this year compared to its performance last year.

TNL Managing Director, Mr. Chandra Thampy said this during the quarterly media briefing at its office in Lekki, Lagos.

Thampy said Toyota’s import volume rose despite drop in the national vehicle imports.

“There is a seven per cent

drop in import volume in the auto industry, from 47,267 in January to November 2011 to 44,027 in January to November 2012. Our import volume, between January and November 2012 was 18,123 as against 14,237 within the same period under review in 2011; this is a 27 per cent improvement from the previous year with a difference of 3,886 units.

He noted that the company widens its market

share for 2012 by nine per cent, hitting 40 per cent.

Toyota’s market share of new vehicles performance last year stood at 31 per cent, which still offered it a comfortable lead.

Thampy, however, said that the firm did not meet its expectation for the period, attributing the general poor performance to oil crisis, naira fall and delay in release of budget by the government.

Accoding to him, the year 2012 started on a ‘turbulent‘note with the fuel subsidy removal strike, which slowed down business activities.

“Market activities slowed down particularly after the first half of the year with no significant signs of improvement thereafter.

This was partly due to reduced spend by government as a result of the 2012 budget, which was not fully implemented,” he said.

He added that government and corporate purchases became dull, just as businesses continued to experience hiccup as access to credit facilities from banks was difficult.

Currency fluctuation during the early parts of the year, he said, also adversely affected the industry.

He, however, expressed happiness that the company won three international awards in the year from Interbrand, an international organisation.

should move and over take while on this type of road.’’

Farinloye promised that the agency would collaborate with traffic officials on federal highways to ensure compliance of the law in order to reduce carnage.

Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Mr Ikemefuna Okoye, who was also at the scene, said the police would ensure that the situation did not degenerate.

“We are here to ensure that hoodlums do not hijack the process and turn it into something else, a lot of people are travelling and you know what that means. We have a duty to protect lives and property until this road is totally free, my men are not leaving here at all, ’’ he said.

Some of the passengers, who spoke with NAN on condition of anonymity, regretted that they embarked on the journey that had lasted for more than 15 hours.

Chinedu Uzoh, who was on his way to Imo, pleaded with the government to make a law that would reduce or ban the movement of articulated vehicles during the Yuletide.

Council chair turns traffic warden

F

•Oba of Lagos Oba Rilwan Akiolu assisted by Secretary to the State Government, Dr Oluranti Adebule; Lagos Island Council Chairman Hon Wasiu Eshilokun (left) and his Lagos Island East counterpart Comrade Kamal Salau-Bashua during the flag off of Lagos Island Municipal Transport Services (LMTS) in Lagos.

OLLOWING the incessant traffic snarl along some major roads in Oshodi/ Isolo Local Government Area, the council Chairman, Bolaji MuseAriyoh has embarked on a traffic control exercise in the council.

The exercise, according to the council boss, was meant to check and control the human cause of the traffic.

Muse-Ariyoh, who noted that the traffic is caused by the ongoing repairs of roads and disobedience by road users, promised to curtail the snarl by speeding up work on the roads and sensitising the people on

FRSC records 52 accidents, 21 deaths in FCT

T

HE FEDERAL Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said 21 people died in 52 accidents recorded in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs between December 20 and 28.

The FCT Sector Commander of the commission, Mr Fanola Kayode, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that 129 people sustained various degrees of injuries in the crashes, involving 393 people.

Kayode attributed the major cause of the accidents to over speeding and overloading, adding that most of the accidents happened along the Yangoji-Abaji route on the Abuja-Lokoja highway.

He said: “Over speeding is the major cause of the accidents because the ongoing expansion of the

roads along those routes is almost completed. And the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has amended areas where there are pot

holes, so the major problem is over speeding.

We also had few cases of over loaded trucks that fell across some roads.”

He said during the

period under review, 100 motorists were booked and charged to mobile courts stationed at Gwagwalada and Abaji in the FCT for violating

various traffic rules.

He urged motorists to obey rules and regulations and not to take advantage of the light traffic in the territory to over speed.

Train arrives Lagos from Zaria in less than 26 hours

T

HE Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has conveyed 450 newly recruited soldiers from Zaria to Lagos in less than 26 hours, Mr Adekunle Ayeni, Northern District Manager, NRC, has said.

Ayeni told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria last Friday that the train has successfully conveyed the new recruits in less than 26 hours.

The train left Zaria on Wednesday at about 1.15 p.m. and arrived in Lagos at about 1.00 p.m. on Thursday.

He appealed to Nigerians to trust the NRC, saying it was back to provide efficient and effective services to the nation.

Ayeni assured Nigerians that

the corporation had been repositioned to render quality and reliable services.

The district manager noted that the weekly rail services from

Kano to Lagos aimed at ameliorating the transport difficulties being experienced in the country had already commenced.

He, therefore, called for patronage from all to enable the corporation to actualise its dream.

Ogun to check Lagos-Ibadan gridlock

T

HE Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) has announced the closure of all illegal openings on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway to disallow motorists from driving against traffic on the highway.

Mr Ayodele Sangofadeji, the Corps Commander of TRACE, who made this known on Thursday in Abeokuta, said the

closure was part of measures to ensure free flow of traffic on the highway.

Sangofadeji said officers had earlier embarked on advocacy campaigns urging motorists to comply with driving regulations in order to ensure safety on the highways.

“The advocacy campaigns on road safety took place on major roads across the state to enlighten

all road users, particularly those travelling in and outside the state.

“We enlightened them and gave them first hand information on road safety consciousness,” he said.

He said this was necessitated by the large number of vehicles that were expected to pass through the state during the festive period.

Sangofadeji, however, urged drivers to be patient and be considerate while relating with other road users.

By Amidu Arije

the need to obey traffic rules.

He said his cabinet members will also join him to control the traffic and deplore more traffic warders to the area to ensure free traffic in the area.

He lamented that the traffic slow down business.

“I noticed that during the whole day, there are some areas around our community that we have traffic, namely Apapa – Oshodi Expressway, Owoseni junction and Oshodi Road. These are places that people use to come in and go out of Oshodi. We understand Oshodi is one of the biggest business commercial areas in Lagos but we need to help the police to reduce the stress,” he said.

The council boss promised to continue with the exercise for a week to ensure free flow of traffic.

“We are going to do this for a week, we will make sure we put all our security agencies around all black spots, we will make sure we enforce the people to obey traffic rules,” he said.

“We understand that apart from motorists not obeying traffic rules, we have some bad roads belonging to the Federal Government roads. As you can see, the ones for the local government are intact; work is going on in Oshodi every day to fix the roads.

Notwithstanding, if the people can obey traffic rule, the traffic will be minimal,” he added.

44

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2012

MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

45

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Before the Senate went on Christmas and New Year break, two crucial bills - the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and the Anti-Terrorism Bill - came before it. In this report, SANNI ONOGU examines the significance of the two bills. He reports the politics that attended the presentation, contributions and likely drama on resumption of plenary in 2013.

2013: What fate for PIB, other bills?

O

F the various bills considered by the Senate before its break in December 2012, three stood out.

The first was the Appropriation Bill, which was meant to correct the lopsided budget cycle in the country. The second and third were the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and the AntiTerrorism Bill. The oil bill is uppermost because of the alleged plundering of the nation’s oil resources by oil majors and internal collaborators in the sector. Also, while the anti-terror bill is equally sacrosanct due to the present level of insecurity across the nation.

Observers have said these bills will test the integrity, resolve and commitment of the Senate in its law making role for the good governance of the country.

For the Senate, passing the PIB in 2013 appears to be an uphill task. No sooner was the bill slated for second reading than was it shot down. Most senators, especially, of northern extraction, are bent on not touching the bill with a long pole. Let it stay in the cooler, they seem to be saying.

The PIB was the culmination of plans by the Executive to reform the petroleum sector. The process began with the setting up of the Oil and Gas Sector Reform Implementation Committee in 2000. The bill was first presented to the National Assembly (NASS) in 2008. But it suffered still birth in the Sixth National Assembly for lack of executive cooperation. Also, there were too many versions of the bill in circulation.

The Executive Bill entitled a “Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of a legal, fiscal and regulatory framework for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria and for other related matters” was reintroduced by President Goodluck Jonathan in July, when the senators were about to observe their annual recess.

It was read for the first time in September. But opposition to the passage of the PIB, seen in many quarters as representative of the ideal in the petroleum industry, reared its head in the Senate on Tuesday, December 18, 2012. Lawmakers suspended the consideration of the bill, despite spirited efforts by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, to ensure that it was read for the second time.

Ndoma-Egba had barely risen to his feet for the lead debate on the PIB, when the chamber turned rowdy. Majority of the senators insisted that the debate should be postponed indefinitely.

Efforts by the Leader to make his colleagues see the need and urgency to start the debate were unsuccessful. The senators wanted the debate on the PIB deferred in view of the “mood of the nation” regarding the death of former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Andrew Owoye Azazi; former Governor of Kaduna State Patrick Yakowa and four others in a Navy helicopter crash in Bayelsa State.

Ndoma-Egba’s lead debate was meant to signpost the second reading of the bill. He reminded his colleagues of its importance, especially the fact that people have expressed fears that the National Assembly was not disposed to considering it. He also told his colleagues that the Senate, through its chairman on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang had told Nigerians that the bill would be debated that fateful day. He warned that not taking the debate on the PIB on its first allotted day would send the wrong signal to Nigerians who may see the Senate as not committed to its passage. The PIB, he said, is the key to to realization of the much sought reforms by Nigerians in the oil and gas sector.

The pleading by Ndoma-Egba fell on deaf ears. To many observers, the stiff opposition by a section of the Senate has been interpreted as prelude to the fate that may eventually befall the PIB when the Senate resumes in January next year.

Apart from the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) as exemplified by the stance of the northern lawmakers, there are apprehensions that what is at play is comparable to the proverbial ‘voice of Jacob and the hands of Esau’.

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, urged Ndoma-Egba to step down the debate to the next legislative day. But while seconding the motion moved by Ndoma Egba, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima emphasised that the bill be stepped down to another legislative day. But, the bill did not appear on the order paper the next day.

The question on the lips of many observers of the development in the Senate is why northern governors and lawmakers are against the passage of the PIB? It was learnt that the governors had engaged consultants to dissect the bill so as to make informed contribution to the bill. The consultants allegedly returned a damning verdict that passing the PIB in its current form would be detrimental to the region. They allegedly concluded that it will end up pumping more resources to the Niger Delta from the Federation Account. And that if the political elite from the region are not wary of the bill, it could lead to a 10 per cent increase in the resources of the states from the Niger Delta in addition to the 13 per cent derivation being enjoyed by oil producing states.

The report allegedly advised the NGF to thoroughly scrutinise the bill, since it was sent to the National Assembly without the input of the federating units. The report indicated that the

• Senate President Mark

• Mrs Allison-Madueke

‘What we want is a united Nigeria where all the federating units will have equal stake. The padding of the PIB to guarantee more revenue for oilproducing states should not have been when a Southsouth leader is in charge’ Niger Delta would add other allocations to the existing 13 per cent derivation fund, coupled with funding of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the amnesty programme.

It was also gathered that the north is angry that the PIB did not prioritise gas supply to the region, just as it was uncomfortable that revenue accruing to four states - Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and River’s is more than that of 19 states of the North combined.

The region also criticised some sections of the bill which makes provision for the Petroleum Host Communities Fund (PHCF).

Section 116 and 117 of the bill reads: “There is established a fund known as the Petroleum Host Communities Fund. The PHC Fund shall be utilized for the development of the economic and social infrastructure of the communities within the petroleum producing area.”

Another major provision of the bill, which the North is opposed to, has to do with what it called apparent divestment moves through the establishment of a National Oil Company, the National Gas Company and the National Petroleum Assets Management Corporation in the bill.

The consultants commissioned by the NGF reported that “on top of the 13.5 per cent statutory derivation from the Federation Account, the mandatory Federal budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Niger Delta, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) levy of 3% of oil operations and the massive amount of Federal funds being spent on the Niger Delta Amnesty programme, the new PIB is adding 10% of the profit of all oil and gas companies to the Niger Delta states and communities.

“Currently, without this new addition, four states (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers) earn more than the 19 northern states combined. One wonders what kind of federation we would end up with, if this situation is escalated by the new PIB. In any case, what really is the constitutional standing of this particular provision in the bill?

“These and many more other issues in the Petroleum Industry Bill need very close scrutiny by the Northern Governors Forum.

Without this exercise, it is very possible for the states in the region to be legally short-changed through the process of legislation, despite having the majority membership in the two chambers of the National Assembly.”

A senator from the region, who spoke on the matter on condition of anonymity said: “The PIB is a booby-trap for the North.

We have all resolved to oppose the passage of the Bill into law

and we are at a comfortable advantage because we have the majority in the two chambers.

“Our main grouse borders on the establishment of Host Community Fund which we want removed from the bill because that will indirectly shoot up the derivation from 13.5 per cent to 45 to 50 per cent for oil producing states. We have commissioned a study and done our calculations.

“Going by what is computed in the PIB, oil states and communities will enjoy about 29.5 per cent derivation. But we know that there are other inherent advantages which cumulatively could lead to 45 to 50 per cent derivation for oil-producing states.

“What has assisted us is that we have the backing of our colleagues from the Southwest and some from the Southeast. When cocoa, groundnuts, palm oil and other commodity products were fetching revenue for the nation, nobody spoke of host community fund.”

Another ranking lawmaker said: “What is painful is that the present 13.5 per cent derivation being enjoyed by oil-producing states was put in place by past northern heads of state. So, no one can accuse the North of gang-up against Southsouth or oil producing states’ interests.

“What we want is a united Nigeria where all the federating units will have equal stake. The padding of the PIB to guarantee more revenue for oil-producing states should not have been when a Southsouth leader is in charge and when another Southsouth citizen is manning the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.”

On plans to divest equity in the proposed new National Oil Company and the National Gas Company, the northern leaders said there is “no provision for safety net to protect the interest of the region.”

They said the PIB ought to protect the north’s right to invest in these two companies because of its low participation in the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The report added: “The plan to divest equity in the new National Oil Company and the National Gas Company is not in itself an issue; the problem is to implement this provision of the law without any safeguards for equity and national spread.

“The communities and businesses in the northern states are not very active players the Nigerian Stock Exchange. In this regard, simply off loading the equity of these national assets on the stock market could lock the people of the region out of ownership of these critical resources.

“The region must therefore, insist on legislating guarantees for equity and national spread on whatever divestment plans there are for oil and gas assets.”

It is not only the north that is opposed to the passage of the PIB. The International Oil Companies (IOCs) want the status quo to remain and because they are uncomfortable with it, they will readily align with any opposition force to scuttle its passage into law for selfish interests.

The oil majors, it was learnt, are of the view that the new 2012 draft PIB submitted to the Parliament in July, if passed as it is, will make it unprofitable for new investments worth $108 billion to go ahead.

Mark Ward, who is chairman and Managing Director of ExxonMobil Nigeria and the President of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce, which includes Royal Dutch Shell, Total, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Agip, said at a recent workshop organized in Lagos by Ernst & Young that tax terms in the bill are “so uncompetitive, thus rendering offshore oil and gas projects unviable, and could halt investments.”

The $108 billion is the sum of the planned capital expenditure of all the oil majors from 2012 to 2025, Ward said.

Already, the Federal Government is said to have lubricated its lobbying machine to get the northern senators and members of the House of Representatives from the region to see reason and pass the bill. But how far the government can go against this whirlwind of opposition and perceived backdoor resource grabbing schemes through the Bill for the oil-producing region is yet unclear.

Also, the proceedings of the Senate on the anti-terrorism bill were stalled shortly before it took a break. The storm arose first, when some members of the Conference Committee did not sign the bill, prompting it to be stood down. Also many questioned the wisdom of conferring on the National Security Adviser (NSA) the powers to coordinate security agencies’ activities in the fight against terrorism.

Specifically, the committee recommended that the office of the National Security Adviser shall be the coordinating body for all security and enforcement agencies and shall provide support to all relevant security, intelligence, law enforcement agencies and military services to prevent and combat acts of terrorism in Nigeria and ensure the effective formulation and implementation of a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy for Nigeria.

But the chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang rejected the recommendation, arguing that, in the first place, the NSA’s office is not known to law and •Continued on page 46

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

46

POLITICS Princess Kehinde Daramola, widow of the slain World Bank consultant and politician Dr. Ayo Daramola, is the Political Adviser in Ekiti State Deputy Governor’s Office. The retired banker and businesswoman, who clocked 50 recently, spoke with Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU on her husband’s assassination, involvement in Ekiti politics and governance in the state.

‘Ekiti will vote for continuity’ Y

OU did not like politics, but you are now in government. How are you adjusting?

Yes, I didn’t like politics, but I’m there now. I thank God for this present administration for remembering us and asking me to come and serve. I believe in the governor. He has so many things in common with my husband. I see Governor John Kayode Fayemi achieving Otunba (Dr) Ayodeji Daramola’s vision in Ekiti State. I see him working towards it. I see him actualising it.

What are the challenges facing Ekiti State government at present?

Well, maybe with the education sector, the teachers. We want them to do the DTNA test. The students are not doing very well. Their results are very poor. It has a little political undertone.

There are some people behind them.

May be, they have brain washed them not to do the test. With the test, you will know where to start from. I know God will give to the governor knowledge, wisdom and understanding to resolve the challenge.

Do you support the idea of giving more slots in government to women?

Yes, I do. I have been there for two years now. Women in the cabinet are really working hard. More or less, we have done a four-year job at the moment in Ekiti within two years.

The administration has very good cabinet members. The women there are workaholic; very truthful, transparent, and have passion to turn Ekiti around. Gone are the days when women would only come out to vote only and go back. Women should be more involved. If you train a man, you train a person, but if you train a woman, you are training a nation.

Look at the home. The women are the ones making the home. If you see a settled, successful home, it is the woman there. That can be transferred to governance. So, we need more women in government in Ekiti.

How has it been working with the deputy governor who is a woman?

Mrs. Funmilayo Adunni Olayinka is an excellent woman. She is my immediate boss. I have been working with her now for two years. She is very articulate; hardworking, a nononsense woman. She is upright and intelligent. She has the brain and beauty. She is somebody you can make a role model. I give her credit for hard work.

If you are to assess the administration critically, would you say that Ekiti governor deserves a second term?

Why not? What do you mean? He deserves it because of what we have seen so far in two years. If somebody in two years has done what he has done, you can imagine what he would do in eight years. Look at Lagos State. We want Ekiti to be like Lagos State. We want to be like Dubai.

We are on that path. Between the time Otunba Niyi Adebayo left office and Dr. John Kayode Fayemi came in, PDP had nothing to offer Ekiti. But go to Ekiti today. You will see good roads, newly renovated schools. The schools were bad before and they were not conducive to learning. The motivation would not even be there, if you are going to learn in a terrible environment. We have the social security programme, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria. Look at the EDF programme of Erelu Bisi Fayemi and how women are being assisted in

What fate awaits PIB, other bills?

•Continued from page 45

therefore, it will be wrong and inappropriate for the National Assembly to confer such a sensitive responsibility on such an office which, according to him, is merely advisory.

During the debate, Senate President David Mark had noted that the Senate could not amend the report because it was prepared by the conference committee of both chambers.

“Our committee went there and agreed that the House of Representatives’ version on the issue be adopted,” Mark said.

The session became heated when Mark put the question twice for the adoption of the report as the voice vote sounded equal between the ‘ayes’ and the ‘nays’.

Mark called for the suspension of the debate, following the apparent tie. He said: “The way we normally express our views is either yes or no.

But since this is too close to each other, I will call on the Senate Leader to move a motion for me to suspend the debate on it.”

Also pending before the Senate is the arrest warrant issued against the Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Alhaji

Abdulrasheed Maina, following his refusal to appear before the Senator Aloysius Etok-led probe panel on the mismanagement of pension funds in the country. The Senate, observers say, would not allow its word fall to the ground without accomplishing that for which it was meant. So, it is left to be seen, if Maina and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), who was mandated to arrest him, would have the last laugh against the institution of the National Assembly.

The Anti-Terrorism Bill and PIB are expected to generate intense heat and inflame passion in the New Year. But having underscored the PIB as the Bible of the oil industry in Nigeria, the Seventh Senate cannot but rise to the challenge of putting the nation first by enacting this law for good governance profitable. It is left to be seen if the National Assembly would at this time bow before the powerful cabal in the oil industry and the northern oligarchy presently arrayed against the PIB. Many Nigerians expect the National Assembly to show resolve, tenacity and commitment to the course of the nation and future generations by passing the crucial bills into law, no matter whose ox is gored

• Mrs Daramola

many ways. There is sensitisation on gender violence. There is a law in Ekiti now that forbids you from beating your wife. It is the first of its kind.

I agree some women also beat their husbands. We are really doing well.

With that, there should be continuity so that the governor can take Ekiti to the next level. Before this administration came in, there were some places without water. Today, they enjoy water. There is a lot of investment on dams. Go to Ikogosi. The government is turning it around. It is now a very beautiful tourist centre.

Are you saying the administration is not threatened by moves by the PDP to bounce back and displace it?

No. PDP is no more on ground in Ekiti. We are no more in the era of ‘chop and chop’. So, they want to come again and chop? What did they do in the last few years when they were there? They are no more on ground. They are in disarray.

In the next two years, which area do you expect this administration to focus on?

In 2013, government will focus on health. We are ready to renovate all the general hospitals, health centres and equip them with standard medical facilities.

Recently, you clocked 50 years.

How do you feel at 50?

I give God the glory because I never thought I could clock 50. So, it is a very great thing to be 50. On the day I clocked 50, I was very excited. I screamed. Some of my mates have passed on; even, some younger ones too. For having a good health; no medical challenge; so it is a very great thing to be 50. I thank God for it.

How have you been coping since the death of your husband?

I will say that t is not my doing. It is the grace of God. Indirectly, the heavenly father had prepared me for today. When my husband was alive, I supported him with the children in the house, morally, spiritually and financially. I didn’t know then that the heavenly father was preparing me directly for today. So, I have been coping very well. It is by the grace of God. It is not by my own doing. I thank God. I give God the glory for that.

When you were young, what were the goals you set for yourself and how far have you been able to meet them?

If you look at my resume then, I said I wanted to be a member of a board of directors in a bank because I studied Banking and Finance. I had that goal. I didn’t become a director of a bank. But I am a director in my own home, and with my own finances. When I left banking, I set up my company, Kanfol Investment, which grew to have a Kanfol BDC. To the glory of God, we attained excellence in that field and we thank God for it.

Could you recall those happy moments of your life?

They were so many. I could remember my graduation. When I graduated, I said, ‘yes, I made it.’ It was a big day to me then. I went to Howard University, Washington DC. And when I had my first son, I remember I was on the hospital bed. I woke up that afternoon. I had the baby in the morning. In the afternoon, I woke up.

I touched my stomach and realised my stomach was flat. I thanked God for it.

How did you meet your husband?

I met Otunba (Dr) Ayodeji Daramola in the United States through a family friend, through the Okes. They are from Ijero-Ekiti. They were my parents’ family friends and business partners. They introduced me to my husband. He was a little bit older than me, about 10 years. We went to the same school, Howard University. Ayo did his first, second and third degrees in that university.

He bagged Ph.D from the school. We did not meet in the school. We met outside the school through the Okes.

With his age, I knew he was mature enough and he should be able to take care of me and we should be able to work it out together. Apart from that, when I started considering dating or relationship, I approached God. I said, heavenly father, I wanted to marry somebody from a lower background; I didn’t want to marry from a rich family. The reason was what I have seen in the past. Two couples from a rich family, the marriage may not last. Well, I don’t have the statistics, but from the few I saw when I was growing up, it used to be so. I told God what I wanted. Fortunately, I met my husband. We were able to grow up together to make a home. It was a lovely wedding.

So, you didn’t consider those things they say about an Ijebu marrying an Ekiti?

I remember when we were in the United States, when we started the relationship, I asked Ayo, has anybody married an Ijebu from your family? He said ‘yes’, his uncle married an Ijebu. Apparently, the uncle married an Abeokuta woman. That was the late Boye Ilori of blessed memory. I asked him about the marriage. Was there any acceptance from the family? He said ‘yes’. And when I got back to Nigeria, I met them. It was a nice couple. We got married in Nigeria, not in America. Thereafter, many members of his family started to marry Ijebu. Even, the last born of his mother married an Ijebu.

How would you describe your husband?

He was very hardworking and aggressive. Ayo had a passion for Ekiti.

He loved his people. Otunba (Dr) Ayodeji Daramola was a very passionate person; very loving, not just to his immediate family, but to everyone around him. He believed in Ekiti people, not just Ijan. Ayo was ready to help anybody from Ekiti.

Outside that, he was ready to help any Nigerian, but mostly Ekiti people.

When he meets you, he would ask, ‘what are you doing? Where are you working’? If that person couldn’t give him any concrete answer, Ayo would do anything within his power to place him somewhere.

You were young when he passed on suddenly. Others in your shoes would have thought of re-marrying.

Why do you still stay as you are?

You can see, I am still wearing my ring. I did not see the basis for remarrying. I have my children to look after. In the future, they will get married and go away. But for now, I do not see the basis for me to re-marry. I love my husband. Yes, he has gone, but his people love me. So, if I am to leave this family, and I go and start another family, it can’t be the same.

Ayo’s family, his uncles, cousins, nephews, niece show me love in Ekiti.

They show me love in Ekiti and that is why I am still with them. So, to remarry? No. Let the will of God be done, but I don’t see myself re-marrying.

Is it not confounding to you that many years after the murder, the killers are still at large?

I know. It has been an issue of concern to me. I remember, at the early stage, I was actually following the case with my mind. But at one point, there was a turning point. With the way the case was going, I didn’t see the possibility of arresting these people. They know who these people are. They are out there. They know them. But I just decided to let it go. I still feel the pain in my heart. The present administration has promised to look at it. When we did the fifth year remembrance service, Governor John Kayode Fayemi said he would look into it. I pray that the heavenly father will give him the grace to look into it. I pray he will be able to open up the case again so that these people can be put where they belong.

•From right: Abia State Governor Theodore Orji being received by Chief Onyema Ugochukwu to his country home, Umule Ohuhu, Umuahia, for the traditional wedding of his daughter, Uzoamaka Ugochukwu...at weekend.

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2012

47

COUNTRY CROSSWORD

With ekpoita :funtreatsvilla@yahoo.com / 08077706130

ACROSS 1.German City (6) 3.South American Country (4) 5. Top European City (6) 8. Republic, formerly of Denmark (7) 10. Country, SE of Europe (7) 13. World Power, abbrv.(3) 14. W/A Country (6) 15. Sovereign Entity (5) 16. First Capital of Nigeria (7) 17. Eastern Nigerian City (3)

DOWN 1.Western Nigerian City (5) 2.Where Julius Caesar Reigned (4) 4.Nigerian State (3) 5.Nigeria’s Commercial Capital (5) 6. Central American Country (9) 7. Fmr. US Colony (6) 9. Coca Growing Country (8) 10. Fmr. Unit of USSR (6) 11. Spanish City (6) 12. French W/A Territory (5)

WORDWHEEL Form as many words as you can with the letters in the wheel below.Proper nouns and 2-letter words are not allowed. Every word must use the letter ‘E’.There is a 9-letter word with an ‘orbicular’ meaning hidden in the grid. This is the star word.

SANDS OF TIME Venus Williams’ gorgeous rose dress pop eyes at U.S. Open

poetry Smile If you're feeling down, turn your frown upside down.

Put a smile on your face, take the world in your embrace.

Ask for a little help from the man up above.

And remember you have your best friends love.

JUMBLE WORD

-Jessica R. Dillinger

Success The road to success is not straight There is a curve called Failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, and caution lights called Family But if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, and a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success!!

Niderah

UNSCRAMBLE THE WORD JUMBLED UP IN THE GRID BELOWTO REVEAL A 10-LETTER WORD MEANING “INVIGORATE”

E T E N HS G N R T

HUMOUR Sense of Responsibility.

Venus Williams was a vision in rose recently wearing a beautiful self-designed dress during a first-round rout of Bethanie Mattek-Sands at the U.S. Open The dress is beautiful from afar, but hardly an impressionist painting up close. It’s designed with red and black roses with background stem lines and “love” written all over in script.

To say it’s the best looking of Venus’ self-designed eleVen dresses could be damning it with faint praise.

She’s dressed like a can-can dancer and fireworks display in recent years, so it’s not as if it’s a high bar to clear. This is a step in a different direction. It’s not the best Venus has looked in years; it’s the best anyone has looked.

“It’s pretty fun for me to design this and actually wear it,” she told reporters after the match. “So it’s great.”

For once, Venus didn’t have the most interesting outfit on the court. Her opponent, American Bethanie MattekSands, had her typical tight tank top, wrist bands, high compression socks and eye black. This time, she added red hightops to the kit.

A man goes into library and asks for a book on suicide.

Librarian looks him and says, Who will return the book back!

MINI-SUDOKU

Fill in the missing numbers in the grid to ensure that every row, column and 2 by 3 box contains the numbers 1 - 6.

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Real Estate Salesman “This house,” said the real estate salesman, “has both its good points and its bad points. To show you I’m honest, I’m going to tell you about both.

“The disadvantages are that there is a chemical plant one block south and a slaughterhouse a block north.”

“What are the advantages?” inquired the prospective buyer.

“The advantage is that you can always tell which way the wind is blowing.”

Chess Playing Dog A man went to visit a friend and was amazed to find him playing chess with his dog. He watched the game in astonishment for a while. “I can hardly believe my eyes!” he exclaimed. “That’s the smartest dog I’ve ever seen.”

“Nah, he’s not so smart,” the friend replied. “I’ve beaten him three games out of five.”

3 5

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BRAIN TEASER How can you throw a ball as hard as you can and have it come back to you, even if it doesn't bounce off anything? There is nothing attached to it, and no one else catches or throws it back to you.

To conquer oneself is the best and noblest victory; to be vanquished by one’s own Pep Talk nature is the worst and most ignoble defeat. Plato

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2012

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With ekpoita :funtreatsvilla@yahoo.com / 08077706130

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS

DOWN

1.Create (4) 4.Fence (4) 8. Metric Unit of Measure (3) 10. Contest (3) 11. Pig’s pen (3) 12. Poem (3) 13. Range of Vision (4) 14. Lode of Ore (4) 16. Throw (4) 19. Circle (3) 22. Aposite (4) 24. Toilet (3) 25. Era (3) 26. Try (4) 27. Cease (4)

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HUMOUR sHoWBlITzz Fleetwood Mac announces 2013 concert tour

People & Culture VIETNAMESE PEOPLE

1.Conceal (4) 2.Skill (3) 3.Vital (3) 5.Confess (4) 6. Cover (3) 7. Look Slyly (4) 9. Unvarying (7) 13. Examine Thoroughly (3) 15. Seasoning (4) 17. Ejected Saliva from Mouth (4) 18. Unit of Movement (4) 20.Eggs (3) 21.Lettuce (3) 23. Gone by (3)

HUMOUR pastor and a church sister were Being Intimate

under a tree,not knowing,a smoker was up on the tree hiding & smoking. After the act,the sister asked the pastor, did u use condom?

Pastor: no!!!! why?

Girl: supposing i get pregnant who will take care of the baby?

The pastor replied,“let’s leave it to the one above.

Suddenly the smoker jumped down and shouted, U DEY CRAZE? LEAVE WETIN 4 WHO? NA ME bleep AM?

An American, an English man, and a Nigerian were on a ship. Suddenly the Devil appeared and said, “Drop anything in the sea, if I find it I will eat u, If I can’t, I will be your slave!” The American dropped a pin, the Devil found it and ate him. The English man dropped a coin, the Devil found it and ate him too.

The Nigerian opened a bottle of water, poured it in the sea and said, “Na today be today, go find am!”.

Rock band Fleetwood Mac is to kick off its 34-city U.S. concert tour April 4 in Columbus, Ohio, Live Nation has announced.

Tickets go on sale Dec. 14.

The “Fleetwood Mac Live 2013” arena tour will include stops in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees last took their show on the road in 2009 with the sold-out “Unleashed” concert tour, Live Nation said.

The new tour also marks the 35th anniversary of the release of their classic “Rumours” album, which has sold more than 40 million copies.

“Having started Fleetwood Mac with John McVie in 1967, it has always been so gratifying that despite the various incarnations, the band has survived.

Throughout the years, though, the one thing that has remained constant is our fans. I am looking forward to getting back behind the kit, reconnecting with the fans and sharing the stage with my fellow band members,” Mick Fleetwood said in a statement Monday.

“After spending four days at Lindsey’s house working on music and one really fun day doing a crazy photo session, I am quite excited about next year. Everything seems to be falling into place. 2013 looks like the year of Fleetwood Mac,” Stevie Nicks said

Pep Talk

The culture and people of Vietnam are very hard to describe unless you have actually experienced them.

As I am not Vietnamese, and although I am interested in Vietnam, have never been there, I had to keep these reports on the people and culture to the facts I found in numerous references. If you wish to get a more personal view of culture and life in Vietnam, please go to our Viewpoints section.

The people of Vietnam have a unique and fascinating culture that has been shaped by thousands of years of history. Their culture has been influenced by many other civilizations: the ancient peoples that once inhabited the land, the Chinese, the French, and most recently, the Americans and Russians. From all these outside influences, and centuries of war, oppression, and hardship, they have formed, and maintained their culture. The people of Vietnam are hard working and feel strong ties to their families. They are well versed in the arts, and have made several contributions to the world of literature. Aside from their painful history, the Vietnamese people have a culture and many customs, all their own.

*A Nigerian man fainted outside Mr. Biggs (an eatery). Soon a crowd gathered around him and someone suggested, “Give him some water, it will help.” Hearing this, the man opened one eye and said, “Commot from here, if na water I wan drink, I for go faint for water board…” (Translation: “Get lost! If I needed water, I would faint in front of a water facility) *A man sits on the balcony having drinks with his wife, and he says, “I love you!” She asks, “Is that you or the beer talking?” He replies, “It’s me… talking to the beer.” *A husband comes home from Church, greets his wife, lifts her up and carries her around the house.

The wife is so surprised and excited! She asked with smiles, “Did the Pastor preach on being romantic?”

Out of breath the husband replies, “No, he said we must carry our cross.”

A man brought his elderly father on visit to Lagos from the village for the first time. After dinner, the son asked the father: Son: “Father, should I bring you Coca-Cola?”

Father: (not knowing what Coca-Cola means), “You can bring the Kola now, but as for the Coca, you can keep it till later.”

Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks. – Johann Gottfried Von Herder

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NEWS Bauchi ‘thugs’ attack vigilance group From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

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USPECTED thugs, called Sara Suka in Bauchi State, yesterday attacked a vigilance group in Karofi Ward of Bauchi, the Bauchi State capital.

The Chairman of the MajinDadi B community of the local security outfit, Aminu Gambo, spoke in Bauchi when he led a delegation to sympathise with the injured members of the outfit at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.

Gambo explained that the community set up an office in the area to ensure the security of life and property of the residents.

He said: “When the vigilantes manned various strategic locations, they left two people in their offices.

The Sara Suka thugs attacked them. One of them, Sai’du Ibrahim, was beaten till he became unconscious. He was found in his pool of blood.

The thugs stabbed him in his head, hands, stomach and his neck.”

The chairman said the communities have settled the medical bill of the victims and donated money and food to their families.

The brother of a victim, Shehu Abubakar, received the donation on behalf of the victims.

Kwara spends N100m on disaster victims From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

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HE Kwara State Government said it spent over N100million on materials for victims of natural disasters this year.

The Special Adviser on Emergency and Relief Services to the Governor, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, when he distributed materials donated by some government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The donor agencies include the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the MTN Foundation, Unifoam, Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation and Students of Sociology of Education Department, Kwara State University, Malete.

Abdullahi said 25,000 got materials across the state.

He explained that 32 hectares of farmland with rice, millet, guinea corn, maize and others, worth over N85million, were submerged in floods in some local governments.

The governor’s aide said the state emergency management agency has trained over 50 students on disaster management.

Abdullahi said the emergency relief committee in 2012 worked with other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to clear drainages.

He warned the residents against doing anything that can cause disasters.

Gombe lawmaker abducted

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NIDENTIFIED persons yesterday kidnapped a member of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Alhaji Jalo Ganga (PDP-Gombe North), in his home.

A source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the kidnappers arrived the lawmaker’s home on a motorcycle.

They reportedly abducted him around 5am when he was going for his morning (Subuhi) prayers.

The source said the lawmaker shouted for help but to no avail.

Ganga was said to have been taken to an unknown destination.

Police Commissioner Mohammed Sule confirmed the incident.

He said: We just heard this morning that some hoodlums came with a motorcycle while he was going to pray. He was accosted and they took him on a motorcycle. It seemed a vehicle was parked close to his house, because people said

they heard the sound of a vehicle zooming off.”

The police chief explained that the kidnappers abandoned their motorcycle with no number plate.

He assured that the police would rescue the lawmaker.

Sule said: “My investigators and intelligence officers are already working to trace his whereabouts and the motive behind his kidnap.”

The police commissioner said the lawmaker’s two mobile phones were abandoned.

He wondered if a ransom

was the motive for the kidnap.

The State Director of the State Security Services (SSS), Mr Bitrus Asher, also confirmed the incident.

House of Assembly Speaker Inuwa Garba said: “We are making some efforts, please. I don’t want to say anything about it now.”.

NAN reports that Ganga is the Chairman of House Committee on Finance.

The lawmaker was at the Seventh Annual Cultural Festival, organised by the Tangale ethnic group on Saturday.

. The Eze-Dunu, traditional ruler of Ifite-Dunu community, Igwe Chukwuemeka Ilouno (second right), doing the Offala dance to mark his third Offala Festival at Dunukofia lga, Anambra State...yesterday

Wada responding to treatment, says doctor

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CONSULTANT heamatologist, Dr Attah Ahmed, yesterday said Kogi State Governor Idris Wada has been responding well to treatment.

The governor, his aide-decamp (ADC) Idris Mohammed and driver were involved in a car accident on the Ajaokuta-Lokoja highway at the weekend.

Mohammed died while Wada and his driver were seriously injured.

Addressing reporters in Lokoja, the state capital, Dr Ahmed said the governor and his driver are stable.

He said: “The driver is in a very stable condition. He is healing rapidly. He even ate today. There is no problem at all.”

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Jacob Edi, has said sympathisers have been trooping in to wish the governor well.

Edi told The Nation that Wada is responding to treatment and that he speaks and chats with his visitors.

The governor’s late ADC, Mohammed, has been buried in his home town Zaria, Kaduna State.

The 42-year-old is survived by a wife, five children and an aged mother, Hajia Amina Mohammed.

The late ADC attended AlHuda College, Zaria, where he obtained a secondary school certificate.

He also attended the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, where he obtained a National Diploma.

Mohammed enlisted into the Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State, for Cadet Inspector Course.

Following his promotion to the rank of an Assistant Super-

•Governor’s ADC buried North’s governors sympathise with Wada, mourn ADC • Oshiomhole wishes governor quick recovery

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HE Northern States’ Governors’ Forum (NSGF) yesterday mourned Kogi State Governor Idris Wada’s aide-de-camp (ADC), Idris Mohammed, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), in an accident last Friday at Emi-Woro village near Lokoja, the state capital.

The forum urged Nigerians to pray for the governor’s quick recovery.

In a statement in Minna, the Niger State capital, by its Chairman and Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, the forum urged everyone to pray for Wada to enable him recover fast and fulfil his vision of a great Kogi State.

The statement by Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Mallam Danladi Ndayebo, described the death of Wada’s ADC as a big loss to Kaduna State and Nigeria.

The forum noted that the incident occurred barely two weeks after Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State died in an air crash in Bayelsa State.

The forum prayed God to grant Mohammed’s soul eternal rest and his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has sent a get-well-soon message to his Kogi State From Muhammad Bashir, Lokoja

intendent of Police (ASP), Mohammed was posted to Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), where he worked with the current chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, when he was Head of Operations.

Mohammed was deployed to Wada as his ADC eight months ago.

One of the deceased’s relations, Usman Usman, described him as “quiet, humble and caring”.

He said the family received the news of the death of the ADC with shock, adding that

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

counterpart, Idris Wada.

The Kogi State governor is receiving treatment at a private hospital following an accident last Friday on the Ajaokuta-Lokoja Expressway.

In a message by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Peter Okhiria, the comrade governor described the accident as unfortunate.

The message reads: “On behalf of the people and Government of Edo State, I wish my brother governor, Captain Idris Wada, speedy recovery from the unfortunate accident which claimed the life of his ADC. “Even as we thank God for sparing the life of the governor, we spare a thought for his ADC, who died in the accident. Losing such a close and trusted aide could be harrowing. However, our hearts are with you, the immediate family of the departed and indeed the entire good people of Kogi State at this difficult period.

“As you recuperate on the hospital bed, we pray God to grant you the grace to come out stronger in body and spirit to lead your state to the desired destination.

“We also pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of your ADC and for God to grant the family of the departed the fortitude to bear the loss.”

it was an act of God no one can contest.

Also, the Commissioner for Information, Yabagi Bology, has decried speculations about the govenor’s health.

He urged reporters to cross-check when they hear rumours to know the truth before publishing..

Bology referred to a story on the governor’s accident which said eight persons were injured.

He said: “We issued an official statement on the true picture of the accident where we said the governor, the driver and the late ADC were only involved in the accident.

•Wada

We said the ADC died instantly while the governor and the driver sustained injuries.

NMA hails Wada From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

THE Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) yesterday hailed the injured Kogi State Governor Idris Wada for taking medical treatment on his fractured femur in Nigeria.

In a statement by its President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, the NMA noted that the decision not to travel abroad for further treatment is patriotic.

The statement reads: “We proudly salute Governor Wada for patriotically opting to receive medical treatment for his fractured femur in Nigeria, rather than being flown abroad, as is currently the norm among top political and public office holders in Nigeria.

“We are convinced that if this faith in Nigerian doctors and health facilities is emulated by others, Nigeria will soon become a destination point for medical tourism.

“We wish to commend the doctors/medical team of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital that promptly attended to Governor Wada and the other injured victim (the governor’s driver) in Lokoja.

We also commend the medical team currently managing the Governor in Abuja.

“The commitment shown by them is heartwarming and exemplary. While we pray God to comfort and strengthen the family of the deceased ADC and grant his gentle soul eternal and peaceful rest, we fervently pray God to grant Governor Wada and his driver quick recovery and perfect healing, to enable the governor continue his progressive agenda for Kogi State.

“We wish all Nigerians an accident-free transition to 2013.”

Kwara schools ‘need grants’ From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

THE abolition of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) and payment of education levies by pupils of Kwara State public schools have constrained the running of such schools, the Principal, Government Secondary School, Omu-Aran, Mr. Olusegun Abifarin, has said.

The head teacher urged the government to match its recent free education policy with the commensurate release of grants to the schools.

Abifarin spoke in OmuAran, headquarters of Irepodun Local Government, at a fund-raising dinner organised by the school’s Old Boys’ Association.

He said: “Even when schools were allowed to collect the approved levies, it was a great challenge sponsoring teachers to professional association meetings/workshops. We also could not buy educational materials for our teachers.

“While we await government subvention, we plead with the old boys to help the school with money to take care of our everyday expenses.

“I have ensured that our pupils are exposed to most experiences that will make them all-round scholars, in spite of the financial handicaps.”

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NEWS Suspect’s absence stalls lawyer’s trial

Itsekiri woman leader rejects govt’s gifts

From Shola O’Neil, Warri

•Unhappy with state of affairs in Delta

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TSEKIRI woman leader Mrs. Rita Lori Ogbebor has rejected Christmas gifts sent to her by the Delta State Government.

She described them as “Greek gifts”.

Mrs. Ogbebor, in letter to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, entitled: “Return of cow, rice and other Christmas gifts” dated December 28, said the Christmas gifts were sent to her house in Warri.

Her words: “I saw the cow, rice, hamper and other Christmas gifts deposited in my house on December 24, from the Delta State Government.

“But I am sorry I have to decline the gifts.

“I was astonished to see that you deposited a cow and other gifts in my compound in Warri, when your word to Itsekiri people has not been your bond.

“I therefore reject with all that is in me your gifts.

“By now, you already know my stand on the way you run the administration of Delta State.

“I feel unhappy and depressed to see the state, Itsekiri land, particularly, declining from the time you have been in government.”

Citing other reasons, the Itsekiri woman leader said she spoke to the governor about the poor situation in Itsekiri land, especially the decline in education and economy of the people.

“You have not used your position to bring peace to this very important Itsekiri town.

“What we have are cases of Itsekiri sons killing one another. And you are also an Itsekiri.

“It is sad to know that when people are saying we have a governor as a son, a place like Ugborodo, which people know as the terminal for Nigerian oil, can boast of nothing but mud and water.

“There are no infrastructure, no houses, no roads, schools or hospitals,”she stressed.

Ogbebor who is also the Igba of Warri, recalled that without consultation or due process, the governor took over the Okere land and started construction of a cultural centre despite appeal by the Okere people for the government to leave the land.

“You caused the matter (land) to be brought to my house in Lagos, where you discussed with Okere people, and promised to leave the land for them.”

She said the governor did the opposite of his promise.

“Today, the Okere people have gone to court against your government.

“Where then lies the trust between you and the people who voted you into power?”

She requested Uduaghan to acknowledge receipt of the gifts returned.

•Uduaghan (left), his wife, Roli and the Olu of Warri at the thanksgiving...yesterday.

Uduaghan warns kidnappers, robbers

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ELTA State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan yesterday warned that kidnappers, robbers and other criminals would no longer be treated with kid’s gloves in the state.

He said the state and security operatives are prepared to take drastic steps to tackle crime.

The governor warned that individuals and communities implicated in such crimes would face dire consequences.

He spoke at the annual Iwere Kingdom thanksgiving service of the Itsekiri nation at the palace of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II yesterday.

“This is a warning to everyone involved in one criminal activity or the other; enough is enough.

From Shola O’Neil, Warri

“You are giving the state a bad image and we cannot take it any longer.

“It is our responsibility to protect life and property and we are going to do that. We may hurt some persons and some communities, but we will do whatever we have to do to protect life and property,” he stated.

The governor’s riot act came against the backdrop of several high-profile kidnap in the state, particularly the abduction of Prof. Kamena Okonjo, mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Although the police in the state claimed that the victim, who is the wife of a traditional ruler in the state, was released

without the payment of ransom, there were reports that close to N100 million was paid for her freedom.

His words: “You know I took an oath to protect lives and properties and I would not sit back and watch other people terrorise other members of the society.

“All those engaged in one form of criminality or the other, such as armed robbery and kidnapping in Delta State, should stop their nefarious acts and retrace their steps.

“In the coming year, we are going to take security more seriously and anyone caught would be made to face the law.”

According to him, commu-

nities have been known to harbor such criminal elements giving them a playing field to perfect their nefarious acts.

Speaking on other issues, Dr. Uduaghan said his administration was focusing on improving educational infrastructure, training and motivation of teachers so that Delta State would maintain an enviable position in Nigeria’s education sector.

He noted that the scholarship award to first class students of Delta State origin was designed to prepare the ground for a crop of academics who would move Delta State forward.

Uduaghan hailed the Itsekiri Education Trust Fund initiated by the Olu of Warri and promised to support the vision.

Firm to train indigenes

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HE Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is to train 100 Akwa Ibom indigenes in specialised skills and crafts, including lawyer’s wigs and art works.

Speaking with reporters in Uyo, the state capital, the Zonal Controller, George Enyiekpon, said the programme, which will take many months, would commence from January.

According to Enyiekpon, the programme would be funded by the Council to build the capacity of Akwa Ibom indigenes.

Enyiekpon said: “This is a special programme that will make the product meet international standard for export. We hope to

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

give them little start up facilities to be able to compete with.

“We are looking at 50 to 100 people and it depends on the kind of enthusiasm we get from the public because since it’s a specialised programme, we will concentrate on those we can possibly train to the standard we want within a short time.

“We will not start from the grassroots but will begin with those that already have the experience in this sector and by the time we treat those ones at that level, they will be able to train others.”

PSC stops use of Federal Character in appointment of AIGs, CPs, others From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

•Obi

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HE Police Service Commission has stopped blanket use of Federal Character in appointing officers as Assistant InspectorsGeneral of Police, Commissioners of Police and ranks below that grade.

All appointments will now be based on merit and performance.

It was learnt that the latest disciplinary step is designed to ensure efficiency in the Police.

The Commission said it might look into the comments may be retired Plateau Commissioner of Police Mr. Dipo Ayeni against the police management.

The PSC said it would be open in its attitude the issues raised by Ayeni to find out if there is merit or not in his comments.

Ayeni, who had condemned

the police for rewarding parochial loyalists. He spoke during his pull-out parade in Jos. He has been queried by the Police management for alleged misconduct.

The Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the Police Service Commission, Ms. Comfort Obi, who spoke exclusively with our correspondent on the new policy, said police officers will now be elevated on merit.

Obi said: “This PSC headed

by DIG Parry Osayande has put a new policy in place which says that at the recruitment stage, the Principle of Federal Character will be observed to the letter to ensure fairness and equity for all the states.

“But after recruitment, all police officers and others are now left to their fate. They will now be promoted based on merit, performance/service, diligence, training and continuing education and excellence.

“We inherited a system in which undeserving police officers and men were promoted above their peers based on quota or Federal Character. We had cases where good officers and men were made to serve as jun-

iors to their mates because of blanket adoption of Federal Character principle. But we have stopped such injustice.

“It is now left to officers and men to merit their promotion.

We hope that the new system will promote efficiency and reduce tension in the Force.”

She however said the exception to the new rule is the appointment of the InspectorGeneral of Police.

She said IGP’s appointment is at the discretion of the President and the Nigeria Police Council and not the responsibility of the Police Service Commission.

On the choice of Deputy Inspectors-General of Police , she clarified that the commission is mandated to ensure that it is in line with the Federal Character Principle to reflect the six geopolitical zones in the country.

Ms Obi added: “The only position the PSC cannot handle is that of the IGP. As for the DIGs, we are mandated to reflect the Federal Character.

“If in a zone, the highest ranking officer is a CP, he or she has to be elevated to a DIG to fill the slot meant for the zone.”

Concerning the querying of a retired Commissioner of Police for Plateau State, Mr. Dipo Ayeni, over allegations against the police management, Ms Obi said: “.I think the Force Headqurters must have been very disappointed with what Ayeni said. If he was not getting job satisfaction, he ought to have quit the Force “I don’t know why Ayeni had some grudges which the present PSC and police management did not know.

“We have not got a copy of the query but if we get it from the Force Headquarters, we will treat it on merit.

“If we see any merit in what he said, we will take appropriate action; if he was wronged by the police, we will look into it. But if he was not wronged and he decided to level such allegations, we will also invoke necessary disciplinary action.

“But if he was not misquoted, I think the pronouncements were unfortunate. This PSC management has tried its best to address injustice in promotion and it has restored merit system.”

Ayeni ran into trouble with his comments at the Farewell/ Passing Out Parade in Jos on December 10.

HE trial of a human rights’ lawyer, Casely Omon-Irabor, at the Magistrate Court I, Warri, Delta State, assumed a new twist at the weekend when the magistrate issued a bench warrant for the second accused, Mrs. Patience Akpokona.

Omon-Irabor and his counterpart are on trial for perversion of justice and assisting a kidnap suspect.

But Mrs. Akpokona failed to show up in court at the resumed hearing, prompting Magistrate Ena-Ojugo to order her arrest and that of her surety.

Omon-Irabor was arrested on December 13 by the police after he allegedly offered N700,000 bribe to a policeman to facilitate the release of a kidnap suspect.

Omon-Irabor’s defence team was led by K. O Obasogie, a lawyer who was brought in from Benin, following the alleged refusal of lawyers in Warri to get involved in the matter.

The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Warri Branch, had earlier resolved not to defend kidnap suspects.

The Branch Chairman, Ben Oji, affirmed that its members are barred from defending the embattled lawyer.

But Oghenejabor Ikimi, a member of the defence team, told our reporter that his office had filed a motion urging the court to quash the three-count charge against the lawyer.

He lamented that the team could not pursue their motion because of the second accused’s absence on Friday.

“The prosecutor was asked to reach the second accused before the next adjourned date, which is January 4,” Ikimi said.

Man electrocuted in Delta From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Warri

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MIDDLE aged man was at the weekend electrocuted in Ughelli, Delta State, in an attempt to rectify an electrical fault from a bank to his building.

It was gathered that the deceased sold the land to the bank and was granted permission by the bank to ‘tap’ electricity.

A source said the deceased had passed the cables under the ground to his residence, which was directly behind the bank’s building.

PUBLIC NOTICE

I, Mr Abed Allouch, a Lebanese National residing in Nigeria at No. 30 CCP New Station Layout in Umuahia, Abia State hereby declare that I lost my visa International Passport in transit in Umuahia, Abia State in November, 2012.

The Passport was issued on 28th November 2011. Any one who finds it should return it to the above address or the Nearest Police Station.

PUBLIC NOTICE INYANG I formerly known and addressed as Miss Inyang Komommoh now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ephraim Komommoh. All former documents remain valid.

The Nigerian Police Force and general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

AINA I formerly known and addressed as Miss Matti Nosimot Aina now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Matti-Sulaimon Nosimot Aina. All former documents remain valid.

Lagos State Civil Cervice Commission and general public take note.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

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FOREIGN NEWS

Delhi rape victim cremated •Suspects charged with murder •Ban condoles with family

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YOUNG Indian woman who died after being gang-raped on a bus has been cremated in the capital, Delhi.

The ceremony came hours after a plane chartered by the Indian government brought her body back to the city.

The 23-year-old medical student died in a Singapore hospital where she was being treated for severe injuries.

The attack sparked two weeks of protests about gender attitudes in India, and calls for changes to laws on rape and violence against women.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the head of India’s governing Congress party Sonia Gandhi were at the airport when the plane landed at about 04:15 (22:45 GMT).

A convoy carrying a goldcoloured coffin and the victim’s parents then drove towards the Janakpuri district of Delhi where she had been living.

The private funeral was held amid tight security.

The BBC’s Andrew North in Delhi says the government has been heavily criticised for its response to the attack and remains anxious about a backlash, with police still cordoning off the heart of the capital to prevent demonstrations.

Mrs Gandhi has promised to fight what she called India’s shameful social mindsets that

lie behind such crimes.

Six men arrested for the 16 December rape have been charged with murder. If convicted, they face the death penalty.

On Saturday evening, candlelit vigils were held across India to mourn the woman and express anger and sorrow at her death.

Large areas of Delhi were sealed off and hundreds of armed police and riot troops deployed as news of the victim’s death spread.

Protests continued in Delhi yesterday, with a peaceful demonstration where people painted slogans and tributes on a large white canvas.

“This incident should open our eyes to the fact that we need to raise our children right, we need to raise the people right,” said protester and social worker Murphy John.

He said he did not agree with calls for the death penalty for convicted rapists, fearing it would encourage murder so victims could not report crimes.

The Mount Elizabeth hospital in Singapore said the woman “passed away peacefully” early on Saturday.

Hospital chief executive Kelvin Loh said she had suffered severe organ failure, following serious injuries to her body and brain.

•Protesters hold candles and placards during a rally in New Delhi

Singh said he was “very saddened” by the woman’s death, and that the angry public reaction was “perfectly understandable”.

He called on politicians and the public to set aside “narrow sectional interest” and work together to make India “a demonstrably better and safer place for women to live in”.

The woman - a medical student whose identity has not been released - and her friend had been to see a film when they boarded the bus in the Munirka area of Delhi, intend-

ing to travel to Dwarka in the south-west of the city.

Friends told the AFP news agency the couple were in a relationship and had been planning to marry in the next few weeks.

“They had made all the wedding preparations and had planned a wedding party in Delhi,” said her neighbour, Meera Rai. According to the reports, the couple were attacked after the man objected to another group of men taunting her.

Police said the woman was

PHOTO:AFP

raped for nearly an hour. Both she and her companion were beaten with iron bars, then thrown out of the moving bus into the street.

The assault sparked angry protests about the general conditions for women in India, and about what is seen as an inadequate police response to rape allegations.

According to official figures, a woman is raped in Delhi every 14 hours, while women across the country say they

are frequently subjected to sexual intimidation and violence.

UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon offered his condolences to the woman’s family, saying in a statement that he “utterly condemns this brutal crime”.

“Violence against women must never be accepted, never excused, never tolerated,” the statement said.

“Every girl and woman has the right to be respected, valued and protected.”

Syrian govt forces retake Homs

S

YRIAN government forces have pushed rebel forces out of the Deir Baalbeh district of the city of Homs after several days of fierce fighting.

One activist group said more than 200 civilians were killed by regime forces after the fighting, but the claim cannot be independently verified.

The death toll across Syria on Saturday was reported to be as high as 400.

The strategically important city of Homs has seen much of the heaviest fighting in Syria’s 21-month conflict.

A

Residents of Deir Baalbeh were rounded up and forced into a petrochemical plant where they were summarily executed, according to the Local Coordination Committees (LCC), an opposition group based in Syria.

Women and children were among the dead, according to the LCC. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UKbased activist group, reported violence across Syria on Saturday, including in suburbs of the capital Damascus which have seen persistent

clashes in recent weeks as the government attempts to wipe out the rebels’ presence there.

The SOHR said it had not been able to get through to Deir Baalbeh to document the deaths there.

The latest violence comes after United Nations peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi warned on Saturday of “hell” for Syria if no political solution was negotiated to the crisis.

Brahimi, speaking after talks with the Russian foreign minister, said the conflict had become more militarised and

sectarian.

It also risked bringing chaos to the region with neighbouring Lebanon and Jordan overrun by refugees, he said.

Brahimi arrived in Cairo on yesterday for talks with the Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.

Opposition groups say more than 44,000 people have been killed since protests against Syria’s government began in March 2011.

Earlier this month the UN’s refugee agency said more than half a million Syrians had fled to neighbouring countries.

19 Pakistani pilgrims killed

SUICIDE bomber driving a vehicle packed with explosives rammed into a bus carrying Shiite Muslim pilgrims in southwest Pakistan yesterday, killing 19 people, a government official and eyewitnesses said.

Earlier yesterday, 21 tribal policemen believed to have been kidnapped by the Taliban were found shot dead in Pakistan’s troubled northwest tribal region, government officials said.

Pakistan has experienced a spike in killings over the last year by radical Sunni Muslims targeting Shiites who they consider heretics. The violence has been especially pronounced in Baluchistan province, where the latest attack occurred.

In addition to the 19 people killed in the bombing in Baluchistan’s Mastung district, 25 others were wounded, many

of them critically, said Tufail Ahmed, a local political official. The blast completely destroyed the bus that was hit and damaged a second bus carrying Shiites that was close by.

An eyewitness who was traveling in the second bus told Pakistan’s Geo TV that first bus contained over 40 pilgrims headed to neighboring Iran, a majority Shiite

country that is a popular religious tourism destination.

A second eyewitness said the bomber rushed by in a pick-up truck, swerved in front of the first bus and slammed on the brakes. The bus slammed into the pickup truck and then a big explosion occurred.

Neither of the eyewitnesses provided their names while

being interviewed on TV. Shiites make up around 15 percent of Pakistan’s 190 million people. They are scattered around the country, but the province of Baluchistan has the largest community, mainly made up of ethnic Hazaras, easily identified by their facial features which resemble those of Central Asians.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Egypt opens Gaza border

E

GYPT has allowed a shipment of construction materials to enter the Gaza Strip from its territory for the first time since

2007.

A convoy of trucks carrying thousands of tonnes of supplies donated by the Gulf state of Qatar entered Gaza via the Rafah border crossing on Saturday.

Egypt had previously followed import restrictions imposed by Israel.

However, Israel has eased its blockade as part of last month’s ceasefire deal with the Islamist

group Hamas.

Many goods are smuggled from Egypt through a network of underground tunnels into Gaza, which is governed by Hamas.

An Egyptian security official quoted by AP news agency said the shipment had been made in consultation with Israeli officials who were in Cairo on Thursday.

Qatar has pledged more than $400m (£250m) to finance reconstruction in Gaza and improve crumbling housing, schools, a hospital and roads.

A Hamas official said it was a positive step.

OLUSHOLA TEMENU CWAY Nigeria Drinking Water Science & Tech. Co. Ltd is notifying all her clients and customers that the above named person is no longer a marketing staff of CWAY. Anyone who does business with him on behalf of the company, does so at his/her own risk.

Signed: MANAGEMENT

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

56

FOREIGN NEWS Seven die in South Sfrica

CAR leader promises unity govt C ENTRAL African Republic (CAR) leader Francois Bozize has said he is ready to form a national unity government with rebels, as they continue their advance towards the capital Bangui.

Bozize’s remarks came after a meeting with African Union (AU) chairman Thomas Boni Yayi.

He said he would hold peace talks with rebels in Gabon, and would step down when his term ended in 2016.

The rebels told the BBC they would consider the president’s offer.

They had pledged to depose Bozize unless he negotiated with them, but have also said that it is not their aim to enter government themselves.

Government troops have reportedly pulled back to Damara, 75km from the capital, in the face of a rebel advance, but rebel spokesman Eric Massi told the BBC they would not march on Bangui itself before seeing the outcome of the talks.

BBC Africa editor Mary Harper says they are insisting that they do not want to take over, but rather are seeking a peaceful democratic transition.

But such a transition is unlikely, and meanwhile President Bozize is growing weaker both politically and militarily by the minute, our editor adds.

“I am ready to form a government of national unity with Seleka to run the country together, because I am a democrat,” Bozize said at a news conference after his meeting

Spanish police arrest 17

S

PAIN’S Interior Ministry says police have arrested 17 people on suspicion of smuggling Nigerian women into Spain and forcing them into prostitution using threats including claims they would cast Voodoo spells on them if they didn’t comply.

An investigation began when police detected in January that around 10 women had been brought into the country illegally using a small boat.

Police said that following an investigation its raids seized computer equipment, mobile phones, false identity and work permit documents, as well as objects which detectives said were allegedly used in “Voodoo rituals.”

Officers tracked down the suspected pimps in cities throughout Spain and arrested 16 Nigerian nationals and one Ugandan citizen, a statement released Sunday said. It was not clear when the arrests took place.

P

with Boni Yayi, quoted by Reuters.

He said he was ready to attend the Gabon talks “without condition and without delay”.

Earlier, the Seleka rebel alliance entered the central city of Sibut after the army withdrew on Friday evening.

More troops from the Central African Multinational Force (Fomac) arrived in CAR on Saturday to reinforce a contingent already there.

More than 100 French paratroopers have also been sent in.

However, France insists they are only there to secure its nationals - not to save the regime.

A senior UN official told the BBC that all its international staff had been evacuated to neighbouring Cameroon.

The US has also evacuated its embassy in Bangui.

BBC West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy says there was no fighting when rebels entered Sibut on Saturday.

The city is about 150km (95 miles) from Bangui.

Government troops and Chadian soldiers deployed as a buffer force had left their position hours before and a rebel spokesman said they took over the city because it was abandoned.

The government is reported to have fallen back to Damara, the last major town on the

S

OUTH African media say provincial authorities are investigating the deaths of seven job-seekers who collapsed in the heat while undergoing a fitness test for positions as traffic officers.

The chief transport official for KwaZulu-Natal province, Willies Mchunu, has suspended further test in the meantime.

The state-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation reported that several tens of thousands of people took the fitness test late last week, even though only 90 jobs were available.

They were required to run four kilometers (2.5 miles) in temperatures of more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), and many collapsed from dehydration and heat exhaustion. Some received hospital treatment.

Thatcher leaves hospital

B •Bozize (left) greets Boni at the airport in Bangui....yesterday

road to the capital.

Seleka - an alliance of three separate groups - accuses Bozize of failing to honour a 2007 peace deal under which fighters who laid down their arms were meant to be paid.

They began their campaign a month ago and have taken several key towns and cities including Bambari and the diamond centre of Bria in their push towards the capital.

On Saturday, government

PHOTO:AFP

officials confirmed that their forces’ attempt to retake Bambari on Friday had been beaten back.

In Bangui, residents have reported sharp rises in staple food prices as the rebels draw closer.

Obama pressurises Republicans

U

NITED States President Barack Obama has increased pressure on Republicans to accept a deal aimed at stopping the country going over a “fiscal cliff”.

Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, he blamed Republicans for the deadlock, saying their “overriding theme” was protecting tax breaks for the wealthy.

Congress must reach a deal by the end of the year to stop steep spending cuts and tax rises from taking effect.

If they fail, taxes will significantly rise for most Americans.

This has raised fears that their reduced consumer spending could trigger a US economic slowdown, which in turn could damage the global economy.

The current stand-off has its roots in a failed 2011 attempt to tackle the government debt limit and budget deficit. Republicans and Democrats agreed then to postpone difficult decisions on spending until the end of 2012, and imposed a threat of compulsory cuts if no deal was reached by 31 December.

•It’s on you, says President FISCAL CLIFF: THE DETAILS •On January 1, tax increases and huge spending cuts are due to come into force - the so-called fiscal cliff •Deadline was put in place in 2011 to force president and Congress to agree ways to save money over the next 10 years • Date coincides with expiry of Bush-era tax cuts, which would affect all income groups and many businesses •Fear is that raising taxes while massively cutting spending will have a huge impact on households and businesses •Experts believe it could push the US into recession, and have a global impact on growth That is also the date that tax cuts introduced by former President George W Bush are due to expire, though both parties want them extended for most Americans.

Analysts say that even if a deal is reached on the fiscal cliff, it will do little to reduce the original problem of the deficit and government debt limit, raising the prospect of further political in-fighting early next year.

Democrat Senate leader Harry Reid and his Republican counterpart Mitch McConnell have been locked in negotia-

tions over the weekend.

According to the Washington Post, they have set themselves a deadline of 15:00 local time (20:00 GMT) to reach a compromise agreement, after which they will convene caucus meetings of their members and decide whether the measure has enough support to be put to a vote.

The Senate could then vote on the measure and allow the House of Representatives enough time today to consider it, said the paper.

In his interview, recorded on Saturday and broadcast yes-

terday, Obama said the priority was to ensure taxes do not rise for middle-class families, saying that would “hurt our economy badly”.

“That’s something we all agree on. If we can get that done, that takes a big bite out of the ‘fiscal cliff’,” he said.

But Republican and Democratic leaders remain divided over core ideological issues about tax and government funding.

There is also debate over where to set the threshold for tax rises. Democrats say the Bush era tax cuts should be extended for all Americans except the richest - those with annual earnings of more than $250,000 (£155,000).

Republicans - some of whom have pledged never to vote for increased taxes - say the deficit is a consequence of excessive government spending.

They want the tax threshold set higher, at around $400,000, and for revenue to be raised by economic growth and cuts in social security and other services states are legally bound to provide.

Woman arrested for alleged hate crime in New York

OLICE in New York have arrested a woman in connection with the death of a man pushed in front of a subway train.

Prosecutors said Erika Menendez, 31, was charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime.

She is alleged to have said that she hates Hindus and Muslims.

The victim, 46-year-old Sunando Sen, originally came from India. Witnesses said he was standing on a platform at a Queens subway station

when a woman shoved him on to the tracks.

Mr Sen was a resident of Queens and ran a printing business on the Upper West Side.

Prosecutors said in a statement that Ms Menendez, from the Bronx, admitted pushing the victim, saying: “I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers I’ve been beating them up.”

Queens District Attorney

Richard A Brown said that, according to the charges, Ms Menendez was seen talking to herself while seated on a bench at the subway station and was also seen pacing on the platform and muttering to herself.

“The defendant is accused of committing what is every subway commuter’s worst nightmare - being suddenly and senselessly pushed into the path of an oncoming train,” he said.

“The victim was allegedly shoved from behind and had

no chance to defend himself.

Beyond that, the hateful remarks allegedly made by the defendant and which precipitated the defendant’s actions can never be tolerated by a civilised society.”

Sen’s death on Thursday was the second such killing this month.

Naeem Davis was charged with murder in early December after allegedly pushing a passenger to his death in the Times Square subway station at the beginning of December.

New York’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, said such attacks were rare.

“You can say it’s only two out of the three or four million people who ride the subway every day, but two is two too many,” he told a press conference.

RITISH media are reporting that former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has left the hospital after an operation to remove a bladder growth.

The 87-year-old former Conservative leader was admitted to the hospital last week to have the operation.

The BBC and Sky News said Thatcher was doing well and left the hospital on Saturday to “convalesce privately.” Her spokesman did not immediately return calls seeking confirmation.

Thatcher, Britain’s first female prime minister, has been in fragile health since she suffered a series of small strokes more than a decade ago.

She served as prime minister from May 1979 until her resignation in November 1990.

Israeli President criticised

I

SRAEL’S president and prime minister are trading charges over making peace with the Palestinians.

President Shimon Peres told a summit of international ambassadors and diplomats yesterday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is a reliable peace partner. He said Israeli diplomacy must change “from an aggressive approach to a moderate approach of dialogue.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party and his hawkish election partner released a statement calling the Israeli president out of touch and labeling the Palestinian president a “peace rejecter.”

Peres won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

Netanyahu is expected to win January 22 elections, and the hard-line bloc maintains a lead over dovish parties. The statement from Netanyahu’s party said Peres’ remarks in front of a diplomatic audience represent a political stance that encourages international condemnation of Israel.

TODAY IN HISTORY

1999: Putin takes over as Yeltsin resigns Boris Yeltsin has resigned as Russian president and says Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will take over immediately.

57

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

SPORT EXTRA

Tabarez: Football is becoming more global T HERE is no doubt that Uruguay boss Oscar Washington Tabarez has played a major role in the revival of his country’s footballing fortunes. The results he has achieved attest to that, even taking into account La Celeste’s recent setbacks in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying.

The man known as El Maestro has also won innumerable awards over his career – the latest handed to him by the Uruguayan Football Coaches Association (AUDEF) in December. Having also held the reins at clubs of the calibre of Penarol, Boca Juniors and AC Milan, the respected coach is now preparing for a new challenge: Uruguay’s second FIFA Confederations Cup campaign.

In the first part of an exclusive interview with FIFA.com, Tabarez discussed the task ahead at the 2013 showpiece, changing trends in modern football and Uruguay’s long-standing footballing rivalry with Brazil.

Oscar, can you tell us your expectations ahead of Uruguay’s first ever appearance at the FIFA Confederations Cup? Oscar Washington Tabarez: Our objective, first and foremost, is to enjoy it.

Every time an international competition featuring such important teams comes around, you hold out hopes of going as far as possible. A continental or global tournament, like the Confederations Cup, certainly falls into that category. It also shows how far we’ve come when you look back at what we went through when we first started this project [at the Uruguay helm]. It was so difficult for us to arrange an international game against top-class teams! It was a very long time, 17 years, since we’d last won the Copa America [Editors’ note: it was a 16-year gap between La Celeste’s victories at Uruguay 1995 and Argentina 2011]. That’s why, now we’ve earned the right to take part in this Cup, the first thing we need to say is how pleased we are to be involved. After that, with professionalism and a sense of responsibility, we’ll prepare to do as well as we possibly can.

You’ve been drawn in Group B alongside Spain, Tahiti and the yet-tobe-crowned 2013 African champions.

What’s your verdict on this section?

We’re well aware that we’re going to face some great teams. Spain are currently setting the standard: they’re winning the biggest tournaments of them all; the way they play is the envy of everyone else and they’re having a big influence on the game at the moment.

Whichever African team makes it will be a powerful side. And Tahiti deserve plenty of respect and will provoke a lot of curiosity too – let’s see what role they’ll play. It’ll come down to being wellprepared, but of course we’ll only know how well we’ve done after each match is over. And we’ve got a bit of experience of

working like that: we mustn’t either get too carried away or be too negative before the competition has even started. I know that and so do this group of players.

Footballing issues aside, how else could this competition prove useful?

We’ll be going into a tournament with tradition that, even above its own importance, is also a precursor to the World Cup. And it’s not just about being able to see some of the teams that might be at [Brazil] 2014, but also getting an idea of the infrastructure in place for the World Cup. This is about logistics: we’ve already collected info about the work that’s being done, the training pitches and the various stadiums. We’ve already got a certain idea [of how things will be], but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We’re hoping to reach the World Cup but it’s not certain yet. The qualifying phase is very tough and, after a good start, our recent bad results have made things even trickier. If our chances of qualifying are looking clearer by then [at the Confederations Cup], then yes, it will be the time to think about where we’re going to stay and train come the following year.

You can’t win all the time, what’s more Brazil have won more global competitions than anyone else!

Oscar Tabarez on the high expectations facing FIFA World Cup hosts Brazil Being drawn in a different group to A Seleção should at least delay media questions about El Maracanazo, when Uruguay clinched the 1950 FIFA World Cup by beating Brazil in the Maracana.

Does the constant talk of repeating that feat bother you?

It doesn’t bother me, but I’m well aware how much football has evolved since then. There are things that happened at certain moments because, particularly during that era, the teams were on a par, strength-wise. What makes the Uruguay side of 1950 so special are the circumstances they won in, not because they weren’t as good a football team as Brazil. It’s not like that anymore, things have changed.

Could you explain a bit further?

Uruguay always seem to up their game against Brazil, don’t they?

Brazil are a superpower in terms of player numbers, infrastructure and sporting organisation. We don’t have the

Brazil are a superpower in terms of player numbers, infrastructure and sporting organisation. We don’t have the same quantity of elite footballers, though we do have some, and that means we’re always that much more up for it when we play against Brazil.

It doesn’t mean we’re any more certain of getting a result, but our motivation levels are always high against such powerful opponents.

And that’ll keep being the case.

But we’ve also proven and shown at both the [2010] World Cup and the [2011] Copa America that, with the qualities we have, we can give any opponent a tough time – providing we’re well-organised and well-prepared. same quantity of elite footballers, though we do have some, and that means we’re always that much more up for it when we play against Brazil.

It doesn’t mean we’re any more certain of getting a result, but our motivation levels are always high against such powerful opponents. And that’ll keep being the case. But we’ve also proven and shown at both the [2010] World Cup and the [2011] Copa America that, with the qualities we have, we can give any opponent a tough time – providing we’re well-organised and well-prepared.

Prior to the draw, we saw you enjoying a very friendly chat with newly appointed Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. What do you think his return can bring to A Seleção?

Essentially, he brings the coaching ability he’s already proven on many occasions. And what’s more, he offers both wide-ranging experience and specific knowledge of the national team, which is a very unusual environment. It’s a difficult enough job as it is, but Brazil is where I think it’s hardest. I’ll give you an example: in the press conference, the local journalists were asking me questions

about how “Brazilian football was going nowhere”. And inside I was shocked, though out of respect I didn’t show it, but I thought “no, your expectations are just too high”. You can’t win all the time, what’s more Brazil have won more global competitions than anyone else! Of course that level of supremacy can’t be maintained indefinitely, but that’s not the same as going nowhere.

Turning to the prevailing trends in the modern game, what do they depend on?

Football is becoming more global all the time, which is why other influences emerge that are linked to organisational factors. These could be economic reasons, youth-development systems or lengthy projects whose roots go back many years.

Barcelona are a clear example of that.

We’re all spellbound by how expressive their football is, which is the best I’ve ever seen. But it didn’t come about in two or three years, did it? Playing football like Barcelona isn’t as simple as seeing a suit you like in a shop window, going inside and buying it. Football’s not like that. In football you have to find the right material, the buttons and the right tailor, then you have the suit made and it still might not look the same [as in the shop window].

That process takes a lot of time, knowledge and preparation. I don’t know what Scolari is going to do, but I think he’ll try and get the team playing in a way that stays true to the historical roots of Brazilian football.

Do you think it’s possible to get a national team playing the same way as Barça?

Every coach has his own style and every federation their own strategy, which all stem from their own views on the game. I even think it’s good we don’t all try and copy Barcelona because, if it could be done, it’d make football boring. The fact there are different ways of playing and different schools of thought is a good thing, so we can take advantage of major tournaments like this to pit them against each other in the sporting arena and see what happens. It’s not about establishing who’s the best in the world or the best of all time, which is more of a media obsession than real life. It’s about having great footballing fiestas once in a while, such as the Confederations Cup and, it goes without saying, the World Cup.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

58

EUROPEAN FOOTBALL Leverkusen admits interest in Bayern starlets

SPORT EXTRA

Zanetti to stay on as coach B T

HE 39-year-old fullback is still going strong for the Nerazzurri having featured in all but one of their 18 games in Serie A this season.

But when Zanetti, who has been with Inter since 1995, finally decides to bring the curtain down on a glittering career, he will remain at the San Siro in a coaching capacity.

The Argentina international intends to stay in Italy and will only return

to his homeland for charity work.

"The club has given me a lot.

My life is now in Italy and when I stop playing I will coach at Inter," he told Ole. "It is all settled, I was good for the club all these years and that will continue in a new role. I will remain in Milan with my family."

Zanetti added: "I often return to Argentina, but only for events or activities related to the Fondacion Pupi. And so it will continue to be."

Illgner puzzled by Casillas axing •Zanetti

Liverpool table bid for Sneijder L

IVERPOOL are the latest club to be linked with a move for out-offavour Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder amid claims they have already tabled a bid for the Dutchman.

Sneijder, 28, is widely expected to leave the Giuseppe Meazza in the new year after being jettisoned from the first-team squad this season following a bitter contract dispute.

Reports that Sneijder had agreed personal terms with Tottenham surfaced on Christmas Day, only for his agent to deny that he was on his way to White Hart Lane.

"There is nothing, absolutely nothing true about that," Sneijder's representative told Dutch paper Algemeen Dagblad.

It is now claimed, though, that Sneijder is on his way to England after all with Milan daily Gazzetta dello Sport claiming Liverpool have moved ahead in the race for his signature by

•Sneijder

tabling a £9.5million deal.

Sneijder is keen to end his Inter nightmare and admitted this past week that it would be "best for everyone" if he left the club in January. Those remarks came after his wife hinted that a move was in the offing by saying she was prepared to "emigrate" after three years in Italy.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has made no secret of his desire to bolster his squad in the upcoming transfer window, with attacking reinforcements his No1 priority.

Rodgers himself revealed last week that he was hoping to do his business early in the window with Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge widely tipped to arrive as is Blackpool's England Under 21 star Tom Ince.

But it is the possible signature of Sneijder that will really capture the Kop's imagination with the Dutchman regarded as a genuine world class talent.

For so long tipped as Paul Scholes' natural successor at Manchester United, Sneijder would represent a real coup for Liverpool who still harbour ambitions of gatecrashing the Champions League places this season despite their inconsisent form.

Sneijder's wage demands could yet prove problematic for the Reds, but with the player opening seeking an escape route from Milan and Liverpool crying out for a box office signing to galvanise their young squad, it's a deal that would make perfect sense. On paper at least.

F

ORMER Real Madrid goalkeeper Bodo Illgner says he saw no reason why Iker Casillas should have been dropped against Malaga.

Real coach Jose Mourinho stole the pre-match headlines when he left out the club captain for the 3-2 defeat, with the Spain skipper's predecessor Illgner as shocked as anyone by the decision.

"I was very surprised when he didn't start," Illgner told Marca.

"It marked the end of an era, because nobody, including myself, expected it after seeing him in goal for 10 years. It's always tough for a keeper. Only one player can play between the sticks. That's the worst thing about our position.

"Initially, it's a very hard pill to swallow. I'm sure he found it hard, but I'm sure that as the days pass he'll

•Illgner(l) Casillas

have taken some positives from it. If he tried to take something positive, he'll come back stronger. Iker is experienced and is surely prepared for things like this.

"I've seen almost every Madrid game and I think that he's played fine. He's saved the team in some games, against Rayo (Vallecano), in the Champions League, games that were won thanks to his saves. I've seen no reason to bench him.

"I don't think it was performance-related. It would seem there was some unknown little problem. If he's lowered his guard a little - although I don't know if he did – maybe it was just a warning, one which will make him stronger."

Real are desperate to lay hands on a record 10th Champions League title this season, and Illgner believes it will be difficult to discount them if they are able to rediscover their team spirit of last term.

"I think that Madrid has to improve if the team wants to reach the Champions League final. Take it a game at a time, regain form … If that happens, you can't rule them out," he said.

"There has been some attitude in recent games. It's true that one of Mou (Mourinho)'s secrets is team unity and they have to regain that unity. Some players also need to regain the form they showed last season."

Barton considers extending Marseille stay

J

OEY BARTON could extend his stay at Marseille beyond the end of this season, with QPR ready to let him make his deal permanent.

Rangers allowed Barton to join Marseille on loan for a

season in the summer but Rangers chiefs have now told the former Manchester City and Newcastle midfielder that they will not stand in his way if he wants to negotiate a long-term deal.

•Barton

AYER LEVERKUSEN have confirmed they are in negotiations to sign Bayern Munich duo Emre Can and Mitchell Weiser.

The two clubs have long ago established excellent relationship, with Toni Kroos the latest Bayern player to profit from a loan spell at Bay Arena.

Bayer Leverkusen are now showing interest in youngsters Mitchell Weiser and Emre Can, who could both join die Werkself on a six-month loan in the January transfer window.

“There are two young players who are very interesting to us,” Leverkusen chief told Express.

“They match our philosophy and our profile.

We are working to see whether we can reach an agreement with Bayern.”

Emre Can, 18, is a defensive midfielder who was handed a first team debut in the DFB Pokal at the start of the season, although

he has already made 25 appearances for Bayern’s reserve team.

Mitchell Weiser, on the other hand, plays on the right wing and he joined the Bavarians from Koln in the summer of 2012.

Both players have also impressed playing for Germany youth sides and they featured alongside each other at the Under 17 World Cup in Mexico.

•Emre Can

Galatasaray can beat Schalke, insists Muslera

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HE Uruguay shotstopper feels the two sides are well matched heading into the clash in February, but considers the draw to be more favourable than it

•Muslera

might have been The Turkish giants secured qualification from Group H with a 2-1 win over Braga on the final matchday, and have been rewarded with a tie against Jens Keller's Bundesliga side.

Although Muslera insists there are no easy games at this stage of the tournament, the 26-year-old feels progression to the quarterfinals is well within his side's capabilities as the two teams are evenly matched.

He told TRT Spor: "Our priority was to qualify from the group stage. We drew an easier team compared to the other teams like Barcelona.

"Of course it is still a hard game. But the teams are head-to-head I think."

Galatasaray progressed to the last 16 after they finished in second place in Group H behind Manchester United.

Mourinho tips Juve for Champions League

R

EAL MADRID boss Jose Mourinho has high hopes for Juventus in 2013. “They remind me of my Porto side and can win the Champions League.”

The Bianconeri were drawn against Celtic in the Second Round, while Real Madrid will face Manchester United.

“I’ll be honest, I don’t like Juventus because I fear them,” Mourinho told Tuttosport newspaper.

“I say they can win the Champions League. They represent an extremely compact collective, like an almost unsinkable vessel.

“It actually helps them that they lack a ‘top player.’ The fact you don’t see a Juve man at the top of the scorers’ charts just means a goal can come from anywhere. It doesn’t matter if they don’t have a Karim Benzema or Gonzalo Higuain when they are so well-structured.

“This Juve really reminds

me of my Porto side in 2004.

If someone had forgotten, let me remind them that Porto won the Champions League that year.”

Mou won The Treble with Inter and is now targeting another historic achievement.

“I have declared my objective is to win the Champions League with three different clubs.

Nobody has ever managed that before. It would also be the 10th European Cup for Real Madrid, the first side to reach double figures.”

Yet Mourinho has been under pressure in Spain with talks of a potential sacking after falling behind Barcelona in La Liga and benching captain Iker Casillas.

“I reply with a quote from Sir Alex Ferguson: ‘I am too old to retire.’ And, if you’ll allow me this addition, I am also too ‘young’ to retire.”

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

59

OTHER SPORTS

SPORT EXTRA

•Khan

I do not want a sad end like Ricky!

Khan vows to quit in three years, aged only 29 A

MIR KHAN is mapping out a sixfight finish to his career, determined he will not emulate Ricky Hatton's 'sad' exit from the ring.

Khan bounced back from two straight defeats with a comprehensive stoppage of the previously unbeaten Carlos Molina in Los Angeles at the weekend, putting himself on course for a rematch with Danny Garcia and then, hopefully, Floyd Mayweather Jnr in 2014.

But after seeing Hatton's comeback after a three-year absence end with a crushing stoppage defeat to Ukraine's Vyacheslav Senchenko last month, the 26-year-old Bolton fighter wants to make sure he has fulfilled all his ambitions in the sport before quitting for good.

'It was very sad,' said Khan. 'People asked me what I thought about him coming back and I said he shouldn't. He wanted to prove a point. He's a trier but at least now it will never be in the back of his mind.'

Khan added: 'I never want to be in that position where you retire and then come back after three years.

'When I retire it will be because I want to retire and I don't want to achieve anything

more from boxing. 'It's important to leave the sport as you walked into it - being healthy and being a champion.

'I know a lot of fighters when they retire want to go back in because they have unfinished business. I don't want to go that way. If I have unfinished business, I wouldn't retire.

'I will know myself when to call it a day.

I will let my body make the decision. And when the time is right to retire, I will.'

Khan believes that will be in three years' time. He wants another go at Garcia, who took his WBA light-welterweight title in July, towards the end of next year and then plans to step up to face Mayweather Jnr in 2014.

'At 28 or 29 I will call it a day,' he added.

'I'm 26 years old now and I think in three years I can have six fights - and they can be six big fights. But I'm in no rush.

Mayweather wants to fight for a couple more years.'

Khan added: 'In my career, I think we will definitely have a Mayweather fight. 'I want to fight in April but that won't be against Garcia because he is fighting in February against Zab Judah.

'I'm getting married in May, then I have a break because of Ramadan so I will fight at the end of the year. 'Two fights next year, and one of them will be Danny Garcia.'

The end of Khan's career could have arrived a lot sooner had he not dispatched Molina in impressive fashion, forcing the outclassed American to quit on his stool at the end of the 10th round.

It was viewed as a make-or-break fight for Khan after those defeats to Lamont Peterson and Garcia, and a third successive loss would have permanently damaged his reputation - with Khan unsure that he could have accepted the consequences.

'It would have made me an undercard fighter,' he added. 'I would not have packed it in, but it would have been very hard for me to come back.

'Confidence-wise, not being top of the bill, the main attraction, would be hard, especially because from day one coming from the amateurs I went to being the top of the bill. It would have been totally different, that's what I meant.

'I have been in the position where it was nearly over. That has motivated me and

makes me train harder. I never want to be in that position again.'

Khan is already looking to the future in his role as co-owner and co-promoter of Golden Boy UK with Oscar de la Hoya, an offshoot of his American promoters.

His first aim is to recruit some of Great Britain's boxing medallists from London 2012, including Luke Campbell, Anthony Joshua, Fred Evans and Anthony Agogo and he has not ruled out trying to sign up Nicola Adams, the winner of the first women's Olympic boxing gold medal, as well.

'Definitely,' he said. 'I think it would be a great idea to get a girl to turn pro because we've never had a professional like that with Olympic pedigree. It's something for the future.

'But I want to keep it exclusive. I want the Olympians. 'Maybe the heavyweight and some of the lighter weights - the middleweight, the welterweight. 'My brother Haroon is going to be part of it.

You don't want too many fighters. You want the right fighters and the ones that will be good for us. I won't rush into it and sign everyone, I will just pick the best.'

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

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PREMIERSHIP

SPORT EXTRA

Vaz Te holds hands up after miss

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•Debuchy

Debuchy heading to Newcastle N

EWCASTLE have agreed a deal to sign France international defender Mathieu Debuchy from LillPress Association Sport understands the

Magpies have finally reached an agreement with the Ligue 1 side on a six million euros transfer after failing to land the player despite protracted talks during the summer.

Nani won't leave Man Utd

M

ANCHESTER UNITED manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists Nani will not be sold during the January transfer window.

There have been suggestions that the Portuguese winger could be on his way out of Old Trafford after failing to command a regular starting place this season.

Arsenal have been linked with the 26-year-old, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring problem, but Ferguson has dashed their hopes.

"We won't be letting him go.

We need a Nani," said the Scot.

"His contract isn't up for a year and a half. He offers something different from the other players. He's an incredible talent, the boy.

"Unfortunately, he's injured at the moment. We have sent him over to Dubai for a break, to help him in his recovery.

"He's not far away but he's far enough away. I don't think I will get him until the middle of January.

"He's got a future here. Why would I want to let him go?"

The 27-year-old, a former team-mate of midfielder Yohan Cabaye, has made no secret of his desire to head for Tyneside, and a resolution to the long-running saga would come as a huge relief to manager Alan Pardew.

Sources in France have indicated that could now happen with the transfer window due to open on Tuesday, and that would come as a timely boost for Pardew after a difficult festive programme.

The 51-year-old side saw his team score three times at Manchester United on Boxing Day and on a further three

A

•Wenger

new deal, and Davide Santon facing little genuine challenge for their places in the team.

Debuchy's addition to the squad would put a player of international quality at Pardew's disposal.

He appeared in all four of his country's games at the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine last summer and now has 13 senior caps to his name.

Should the Magpies push home their interest in Debuchy, he is unlikely to be their last defensive target and they retain an interest in FC Twente's Douglas, a man they also chased last summer.

Hill: Join the fight or leave

Q •Nani

PR defender Clint Hill has told his teammates they should leave the club next month if they not "up for the fight".

Two successive defeats have left Rangers at the foot of the table, six points adrift of safety, ahead of Sunday's game against Liverpool.

Hill, who has started all six matches under Harry

Wenger: 'The club loves Theo' RSENAL manager Arsene Wenger reiterated his desire to keep Theo Walcott at the club

occasions at Arsenal on Saturday, yet leave emptyhanded having conceded a total of 11 times.

Newcastle's lack of depth has been cruelly exposed by injuries and suspensions in recent weeks and they headed for the Emirates Stadium with only one specialist central defender, skipper Fabricio Coloccini, with Steven Taylor on the long-term casualty list and Mike Williamson suspended.

They have little cover either at full-back, with Danny Simpson, who is out of contract at the end of the season and is yet to agree a

following the forward's hattrick in the stunning 7-3 win over Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger once again insisted after the game that Walcott will not be leaving during the January transfer window and remains hopeful he will sign an extension to his contract, which expires at the end of the season.

"The club loves Theo, Theo loves the club and trust me reciprocal love is difficult to find," said Wenger.

"He was man of the match, but the intensity of my desire is the same as it would have been if he had had a disastrous game: I want him to extend his contract and I'm hopeful he will.

"Theo showed what he can do, but there was also a new determination about him and a desire to run into the box.

"I know he can only get stronger. He is an intelligent player and because of that intelligence, he will continue to improve."

Walcott has scored four goals and won one decisive penalty in the three games he has started up front - a position he has asked to play in - and he now has 14 goals for the season.

"I hope something will be sorted soon," he said. "I enjoy playing in whatever position but it was just telling the manager to give me the opportunities to play up front.

Redknapp, questioned whether some of the foreign players recruited by former manager Mark Hughes during the summer have the desire to keep the club in the top flight.

Full-back Jose Bosingwa has emerged as the main villain following his refusal to sit on the bench for the 2-1 victory over Fulham two weeks ago.

Hill said: "It's different cultures and the ways the foreigners have been brought up is different. Do they get taught that losing is hard to accept? I don't know.

"It's a different mentality. It hurts and it should hurt everyone no matter what culture or country you're from.

"As much as I can I've spoken to those players. I'm 34, I've played most of my career in the lower leagues and we are talking about Champions League winners, people who have won Premier Leagues, FA Cups.

"You hope there is a desire within them. To win those kind of medals there must have been. We need that as a team, we need it as a unit.

"The message is simple: you have to be together and be up for the fight. If you don't fancy it then January is around the

EST HAM forward Ricardo Vaz Te admits his glaring miss in the closing stages of Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Reading has left him feeling responsible for the loss.

The 26-year-old was introduced from the bench by Hammers boss Sam Allardyce with 23 minutes remaining at the Madejski Stadium as the visitors chased an equaliser to Pavel Pogrebnyak's fifthminute strike.

But Vaz Te, who was making his first appearance since dislocating a shoulder against Arsenal on October 6, will remember his comeback for all the wrong reasons after heading Matt Jarvis' cross wide of the post from just four yards out.

"I felt like I should have done better and I should have scored, there was no excuse for that," he told West Ham TV. "I'm just very disappointed with the result, especially after coming on and having a great chance to score.

"I'm just really disappointed I couldn't make it for the lads...I felt like I let everybody down and I'm just going to try to do better next time."

corner. If you don't fancy it then off you pop, simple as that.

"Our first-half report has been pretty horrendous. Look at the papers - it's everywhere.

You can't be a proud man to look at a paper or look at Sky Sports News and see you're bottom of the league. If there's any time for action, it's now."

Boswingwa was fined two weeks' wages for his actions and has yet to figure in Redknapp's plans since with the QPR boss incensed by his attitude.

•Hill

•Vaz Te

Mancini hails his champions

M

ANCHESTER CITY manager Roberto Mancini believes his side showed the character of champions after securing what could prove a crucial 4-3 victory with 10-men in a sevengoal thriller at Norwich.

The Blues bounced back from their defeat at Sunderland on Boxing Day to record a third win in the last four and keep leaders Manchester United within striking distance.

City got off to the best possible start at Carrow Road, with a quickfire brace from recalled Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko which put them 2-0 up inside four minutes.

A deflected free-kick from Anthony Pilkington halved the deficit, before midfielder Samir Nasri was shown a red card for pushing his head into Norwich defender Sebastien Bassong as the pair squared up on the touchline.

City, though, did not buckle and extended their lead at the start of the second half with a well-taken effort from Sergio Aguero and then twice withstood Norwich's threatened comeback to close out the result.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

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SPORT EXTRA

CATALONIA FRIENDLY

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Yobo expected today

UPER EAGLES’ captain Joseph Yobo is still being expected in the Eagles camp today in far away Faro, Portugal ahead of the friendly against Catalonia on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Fernabache defender was seen on

• Kalu Uche, Dike arrive 6pm Sunday

By Innocent Amomoh Saturday in Lagos visiting the less privilege and giving out gifts.

Information at

NationSport’s disposal states that, Turkey based Kalu Uche and Bright Dike arrived on Sunday,as the former Everton strongman is being expected by the technical crew for the team's trip on Tuesday for the cracker.

Media Officer of the Eagles Ben Alaiya further informed that though not all the foreign based were invited for the tie, Yobo and Villareal’s prolific scorer, Ikechukwu Uche will be

leading the few foreign based stars invited for the match.

He hinted that others listed in the 32-man provisional list of Coach Stephen Keshi are expected to join the other players before the January 5 deadline.

The match against the Catalonians is one of those lined up to prepare the Eagles ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations billed for South Africa from January 19 to February 10, 2013.

LEAGUE KICK OFF

Committee gives clubs time to meet demands prominent member

• Kalu Uche

A

of the newly inaugurated Premier League Management Committee who is also the Commissioner for Commerce in Kano State, Abubakar Nuhu Danburan has disclosed reasons why the Committee chose the February 16th 2013 League’s kick off date instead of earlier date of January as being suggested by the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari during the inauguration of the Committee at the NFF’s office on Friday.

According to Danburan, "We have been able to come up with important decisions that will help the league in the country and we have critically looked at issues that affect the welfare of the players who are the major actors.

"I will also say that we arrived at the February 16th kick off of the Premier because

Laloko charges NFF on development

V

ETERAN Coach, Kashimawo Laloko has rated the Nigerian football fairly good in the outgoing year 2012.

The Pepsi Academy boss was making a critical assessment of the Nigerian football under the tutelage of the Nigeria Football Federation for the year 2012 and bluntly told NationSport that football was fairly good in the year that ends today.

"So far it's fairly good to me because our national team the Super Eagles have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. But we need to beef up the technical team of our female senior national team because the team ought to have surpassed the stage they got to at the last Africa Women's Championship hosted and won by Equatorial Guinea this year.

"We are happy that the Flying Eagles and the Golden Eaglets have qualified for the African Championships and we hope they excel in the completions so also the Super Eagles.

"With all these I think the football has scored a fairly good mark despite the fact that Nigeria has not won any trophy yet during the year in question (2012)”, Laloko observed.

He, however, hoped that the year 2013 would be better in development and

• Scores football high in 2012 From Segun Ogunjimi, Abuja performance of the game. He urged the NFF to work more on the development of the game and upgrading of coaches who makes and fine tunes the skills and talents of football players.

"So we are hoping that the U-17, U-20 national teams and the Super Eagles would win Trophies and make

Nigerians laugh in the coming year. That is the way I see it. I think it's fair enough. We should work more in the year 2013 to better whatever achievements we might have had in the year 2012.

We need to dwell more on the development of the game which is fundamental to any success a nation craves to have”, Laloko summed up.

From Segun Ogunjimi, Abuja Clubs need enough time to meet the Committee's demands and requirements prescribed to make the league better.", Abubakar disclosed in Abuja.

He stated further that, "Club needs time to prepare and get the N50 million Bank Guarantee required to be able to participate in the 2012/2013 league season. We are aware of the fact that for every match that a club plays, ordinarily such club must spend about N2.5 million. If you multiply this by 38 matches amounts to over N90 million. So N50 million I think is a good start.

"We also looked at the issue of medical. It is a critical thing and it is one thing that CAF and FIFA are very serious and particular about interms of ensuring the good health of players and guide against the prevalent cadio related issues like cardiac arrest. Any player that fail the test will not participate in the league.

"Also seminars would be conducted for medicals and administrations in Kano between January 9th and 13th, 2013.

As regards the issue of sponsorship we have already said that we are going to look all contractual obligations as regards to the issue of the league. We have already have a subcommittee that is looking at that. We are going to look at it and do everything possible to resolve this knotty issue" the former Fin Bank executive disclosed.

National U-17 Games begin in 2013

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ETERMINED to discover talented athletes that can be trained to become world beaters in their early twenties, the National Sports Commission (NSC) will from next year organise an annual national U-17 Games.

According to Julius Ogunro, SA Media to the Honourable Minister of Sports and Chairman NSC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the national U-17 Games ‘’will lead to the early discovery of new and budding talents in Nigeria. The National Sports Festival (NSF) has not played this role effectively. The average age of medallists at the NSF is 24, while the average age and entry point

for athletes in international sporting competitions is 1920, depending on the discipline. At 24, the athletes discovered at NSF are at a disadvantage because of their age and may not have many ‘sporting years’ left’’ Ogunro revealed that the National Under-17 Games will be an annual event with the first games starting next year (2013).

The Games will be organised by the NSC in a state to be announced soon, said Ogunro, “It will be fully funded by the Commission.

Accommodation, transportation and feeding of the athletes will be the responsibility of the Commission’’

The recently reconstituted Nigeria Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM) headed by Yemi Idowu, the son of late doyen of professional football in Nigeria, late Chief Nathaniel Idowu, will take the lead in the organization of the games. They will work with other organisations like Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF) and Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) to organise qualifying games in states and zones which will culminate in the National Under-17 Games.

Ogunro said the games will help with the early discovery of new talents who will then be groomed for elite sporting

Maigari: NFF to consolidate on 2012

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IGERIA Football Federation (NFF) President Aminu Maigari has revealed exclusively to NationSport that the target of the football house in 2013 is to consolidate on the gains of 2012 and ensure that the game moves forward.

According to the former Bauchi State FA Chairman, “it is wrong for anybody to say that we did not perform well in 2012. The outgoing year was an eventful one for us.

Though we did not make it to the 2012 Africa Nations Cup, but we had an almost 100 percent qualification results in the 2013 edition. Also the Super Eagles are on course to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. At present, we are topping our group. The Flying Eagles (U-20) male team also had a 100 percent qualification results for the Africa U-20 Youth Championship to be held in Algeria later next year, same to the Golden Eaglets (U-17) male team. They also posted a 100 percent qualification results in their own cadre to qualify for the Africa U-17 Youth Championship holding in Morocco in April next year.

In the Female category, it was not also a bad result, as the Flamingoes ( U-17) female team played up to the quarter finals of the U-17 World Cup in Azjabazan , while the Falconets (U-20) female team played up to the semi-finals in their own category in Japan. It was only the Falcons (Senior ) female national team that performed below average in the Africa Women Championship in Equatorial Guinea. In all we had a good outing in the year 2012. The Beach soccer team crowned it all by retaining the COPA Beach soccer trophy towards the end of the year”.

From Patrick Ngwaogu, Abuja Projecting into the year 2013, Maigari said “we are going to consolidate on these achievements in the new year. We are going to kick start the year with the Super Eagles campaign in the Africa nations Cup holding in South Africa. I am not entertaining any fears that the team would do well. We gave the technical crew all the free hand to rebuild the team, and everyone is now happy that a new Eagles is gradually evolving. We would see them more in South Africa, and by the special grace of God, they would make Nigerians smile at the end of the day. We would also ensure that the team qualifies for the 2014 World Cup slated for Brazil.

The other qualifying matches would be played in the new year. So we would motivate the team properly to ensure that they pick one of the Africa’s ticket. Both the U-17 and U-20 male teams would be supported to ensure that they qualify for their various competitions at the world level. We would also support the rebuilding process in the senior women team, to ensure that they reclaim their lost title in Africa, same to the all the junior women team, and the Beach soccer team.

However, these things would not be realized without adequate funding. We need all the financial assistance from the Federal Government and the corporate bodies to achieve these feats in 2013” he concluded.

He was full of praises to the Federal government for the enabling environment given to the Federation, while appealing for the support of all soccer loving Nigerians in the New Year.

Rushing Belt wins 2nd BRF Wrestlemania A

FTER three days of hostilities, Elijah Ekeweme, whose ring name is Rushing Belt, was the last man standing in the Royale Rumble contest that was used to decide the overall winner of the 2nd BRF Wrestlemania at the Molade Okoya Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos Saturday night.

The grudge contest, which involved 28 wrestlers at the same time, saw Rushing Belt and Rocky Johnson remaining in the ring, but with his doggedness and determination coupled with skills, Rushing Belt was able to defeat Rocky Johnson and was declared the winner of the competition staged to honour Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola for his contributions to sports development in Lagos State.

In other bouts of the night Scatter beat Big Fish, Hot Tempo defeated Sharpman. Flying Danco took Masked Terror to the cleaner; the Tac Team bout was won by the trio of Mr. Kick, Atom Ant and Mighty Man. They defeated the Batters’ brothers and Vigeo Lee. Coordinator and Initiator of the BRF Wrestlemania, Prince Hammed Olanrewaju Mohammed said that the organisers discovered 25 local wrestlers that will represent

Nigeria at the 2013 Intercontinental World Wrestling Championship, which will be staged at three senatorial districts in Lagos State in May. “We have been able to discover about 25 Nigerians wrestlers from the just concluded 2nd BRF Wrestlemania. These wrestlers will represent Nigeria at the world championship coming up in Lagos in 2013.

“Four wrestlers in the Super Heavyweight, six in the Heavyweight, six in the Cruiserweight, four in the Light Heavyweight, two in the ladies’ category, while the last four are in the Middleweight.

“These wrestlers are ready to take on their counterparts from other continents at the world championship. The plan of the Local Organising Committee, LOC and the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, NWF, is to have these Nigerians have warm up championships in Vienna, Aberdeen, Scotland, Berlin Germany and the last one in the home of Hulk Hogan in Florida, USA at the semi world wrestling championship, which will hold from 15-18 April, 2013 before the Lagos championship in May,” said Prince Mohammed, who is also the President of the NWF.

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SPORT EXTRA

AFCON: Nigeria to play Cape Verde January 9 T

HE Super Eagles will trade tackles with Nations Cup debutants Cape Verde in an exhibition match at the St Louis Stadium in Faro, Portugal. The game is scheduled for January 9th and will kick off at 8 pm local time.

The friendly match is one of the tune up games that has been lined up by the Cape Verdean Football Federation (FCF) to prepare The Blue Sharks for their maiden appearance at the African Cup of Nations, billed to be staged next year in South Africa from

January 19 - February 10.

On January 6, Cape Verde National Team and officials will leave Praia for their training camp in Algarve, Portugal, where they will stay for 5 days. According to the schedule released on Saturday, two days after the friendly

against Nigeria, the squad will leave for Johannesburg via Luanda.

Cape Verde, who are ranked 69th in the world (regional ranking of 15th), will play South Africa, Morocco and Angola in Group A of the Nations Cup.

• Joel Obi

Ahmedu calls for basketball development in Nigeria

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ETIRED Col. Sam Ahmedu, ,the Proprietor of Dodan Warriors Basketball Club, on Saturday in Otukpo, Benue emphasised the need for the development of Nigeria’s local league through proper administration and planning. Ahmedu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the lack of proper administration and planning had left Nigeria’s basketball at an infancy stage. He said, `` for the game to move forward, there must be an improvement on the local league, players should be well paid to enhance the game. “Basketball in Nigeria is still at the infant stage, we ought to have gone farther than where we are now but due to lack of proper administration and planning, we are still very backward. “We are just developing, I am talking more about the local league, our leagues are not well developed, players are not well paid, that is why some of our players are in abroad “So, if we have a developed league like Angola, if a Nigerian player can earn 150,000 dollars a year, there will be no need for them to go to Europe. So we need to

get our league to that level,” Ahmedu said. He said the game lacked infrastructure and as such the government and private individuals should sponsor it by building standard gyms and courts for future growth. Meanwhile ,Coach Adoka Daudu, a former U-18 National Basketball Team Coach, has expressed appreciation to Igoche Mark for initiating ‘Mark D Ball Championship’. He described the competition as an avenue for discovering talents. Daudu said all coaches present at the 12th edition of the Mark D Ball tournament came to give back to the community what the community gave them. “One of the biggest things we must do is to run clinics like this all over the federation. ``Let the children play the game every holiday; the game should be developed in every community in the country.

“We have three basic holidays in Nigeria, we have the Easter holiday, the summer holiday and the Christmas holiday.

These holidays should be used to run championships all around the country, this is the only way the child can improve,” Daudu said. Mark, the initiator of the championship, said they would improve on it annually in order to raise the standard of the game in Nigeria.

EKO 2012 FALLOUT

Afe Babalola rewards Oyo athletes

Sunderland wants Joel Obi NGLISH Barclays Premier League club, Sunderland is reportedly swooping for Inter Milan midfielder, Joel Obi. Obi, 21, valued at •5 million, is now a subject of a January transfer move from The Black

E

Cats, according to Football Italia.

However, Sunderland could also consider an option to take the youngster on loan till the end of the season.

It is believed that Sunderland manager, Martin O'Neill, is looking at adding the

Lampard rescues Chelsea in 2-1 win at Everton

NSF plans all female squash competition

F

RANK LAMPARD proved his enduring worth to Chelsea by scoring twice in a hard-fought 2-1 win at Everton on Sunday, keeping his team on the fringes of the Premier League title race.

Having fallen behind to Steven Pienaar's goal after 63 seconds, Chelsea had the 34year-old Lampard to thank for securing a fourth straight win to maintain the momentum under interim manager Rafa Benitez.

The England midfielder, who has yet to be offered an extension to a contract that expires in June, headed in a 42nd-minute equaliser from Ramires' cross and grabbed the winner in the 72nd by turning the ball high into the net from close range.

Everton lost its unbeaten home record this season but deserved at least a point, with Nikica Jelavic twice hitting the goal frame.

PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS Everton 1 - 2 Chelsea QPR 0 - 3 Liverpool

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HE Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF) says it will organise an all female squash competition to entice female players to the sport. The federation’s Secretary, Evelyn Fabunmi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos that the federation would need the support of sponsors to execute the programme. She said that if the federation had a viable sponsor, it would be able to pursue its talent hunt

Nigerian international to his team owing to versatility.

The youngster has had to endure a slow start to the season with Inter Milan owing to an injury.

A departure from Italy could offer the Super Eagles'

programme in secondary schools. ``We want to ensure that we have good replacement for our senior female team and we intend to breed young players that would understudy the senior ones. ``We want a situation, whereby the senior players can mentor the young ones, as they strive to the pinnacle to represent the country at international competitions,’’ he said. She told NAN that the federation would augment the talents it

midfielder, who missed out on Nigeria's Africa Cup of Nations provisional squad, a lifeline to his career.

Obi has made just one Serie A appearance for the Nerazzurri this term.

had discovered at the 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) with secondary school talents to achieve a perfect blend. ``We discovered quite a number of talents at the festival, but we want more so that we can get the best of the best from these players. ``We need sponsors to come and partner with the federation so that we can catch these children young and groom them through the right type of competitions to stardom.’’

T

HE Ibadan based legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has hosted the Oyo State’s outstanding athlete at the recently concluded 18th National Sports Festival, Durogbade Adejoke who won 2 Gold and 1 silver medals in cycling event.

The Ekiti High Chief who is Grand Patron and principal financier of the sports outfit, NITO sports that discovered and groomed Durogbade rewarded the athlete financially while urging athletes to combine their sporting careers with education to enable them tackle future challenges.

“One of the main elements I think can positively aids sports is education and ability to combine this would be a catalyst for athletes’ good future. “You must strive to combine your sporting career with education in a way that allows you to achieve your potential in the both”, the legal icon advised the athlete.

City Of David grabs first win

C

ITY Of David (COD) United grabbed their first full points of the Nigeria National League (NNL) season by beating Abia Warriors by a goal in Lagos.

But the Lagos-based club had to endure a torrid spell in the last 35 minutes of the game as they were put on the back foot at the Agege Stadium with ten men after centre-back, Buchi Ogwu, got a straight red card for professional foul.

COD United's winning goal came on the half hour mark through right-back, Felix Adeworishe, who scored directly from a corner kick.

Head coach of COD United, Olabode Awakan, expressed

happiness with his side's win but called the officiating into question.

"It's good we won to take the maximum points. The officiating here (at the Agege Stadium) was poor. Some of the calls by the referee were questionable," said Awakan.

On Matchday 1, COD United opened their campaign with a 01 loss at Crown FC. In Jos, Ibrahim Hassan's double was enough to propel Mighty Jets to a two-nil win over DSS. Bolowotan FC were close to an away win at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa with minutes left to regulation time before Divine Warriors (formerly Ocean Boys) squared at 2-2 through Gift Ibibor.

He, however, appealed to corporate bodies, spirited individuals and government at all levels to support the development of sport in Nigeria and exploit sport as a tool for curbing crime in the country, while urging Oyo State Government to support NITO Sport who had being in the vanguard of raising sports men and women from the grassroots for quite some times in the State by considering the firm as an organ that is complimenting the efforts of the state’ government in the area of sports development.

Debo Adeoye the CEO of NITO Sports who accompaniedthe athlete to Emmanuel Chambers, the law firm of Afe Babalola in his reaction described Aare Afe Babalola as a maker of men and a sports philanthropist par excellence.

“I prayed God to allow Baba many gratifying years of making a difference in the lives of others. “He makes another person's life worthy of living, therefore deserves more than award but thunderous applause by all”, Adeoye noted.

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS

Celtic prepares Ambrose's replacement

S •Ambrose

COTTISH giants Glasgow Celtic want to strengthen their defense in the January transfer window.

Efe Ambrose has been named in Nigeria's provisional African Cup of Nations roster. According to the Scottish Daily Record, to fill the gap created by Efe's absence, coach Neil Lennon has beamed his searchlight on 24 year - old Israel international Rami Gershon, who plays for

Standard Liege. ''We are looking at adding one or two players to strengthen the squad,'' Lennon told dailyrecord.co.uk Presumably, Ambrose will miss games in the SPL against Heart of Midlothian, Kilmarnock and Inverness CT if Nigeria qualifies for the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations.

A summer arrival from MS Ashdod, Ambrose has since played 15 games (1 goal) for the SPL champions.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012

63

NEWS Opposition parties fault Fed Govt’s performance Continued from page 2

is a massive tragedy of international proportion.

What has led to this descent into hell is the blessing and curse of resources which churned out corruption of unfathomable magnitude. This has permeated everywhere from the top to the bottom.

Whether pretext or genuine, the President is making a show of coming to terms with the reality on ground but his actions throughout 2012 told Nigerians of a man who will rather groom corruption to thrive to get whatever reprieve he seeks for himself.

“He continues to surround himself with questionable characters, with most of those around him being neck deep in sleaze from Ministers, Special Advisers to heads of extra-ministerial departments.

He himself admitted that some directors are richer than governors. A known ex-con-

vict struts the corridors of the Presidential Villa.

“The National Assembly, which should have been representative of the people, is at the epicentre of the corruption in the land. Virtually, everyone with a seat there is on the take and bent on impoverishing the country by appropriating national resources to themselves as recurrent expenditure and allowances. Any probe they conducted in the outgoing year was soon mired in controversy as they tried to benefit at the expense of the populace. Their actions and inaction birthed the dreaded Boko Haram and other militia groups that they are now scared to even address.

Unfortunately, this resulting state of insecurity is further excuse for them to increase the looting of the country with nearly 25% of the national budget devoted to security without result because the real purpose of this money is to create a slush

ernment officials and known associates especially those who have been indicted by the police, EFCC or other anti-corruption agencies; freeze and or closure of questionable international bank accounts, especially those in Switzerland, Cayman Island, Dubai, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina, the US and UK; and vetting of all international businesses that require specified amount of transfers.

“We believe these measures would bring significant improvement in the situation of the country when taken promptly. We urge Nigerians to discard their docility, leave it behind in the outgone year and engage the ruling class in 2013 since the populace are the ones who do not have money stashed away to flee the country in the event of a meltdown.”

We’re doing well, say Presidency, PDP Continued from page 2

revelation in the agricultural sector is an open secret for all to see and this has been recognised internationally.

“The position by the ACN that the achievements of the Jonathan administration are full of deceit is laughable and can only come from a derided mind”, he empha-

sised.

Okupe urged the ACN to continue to administer the southwest that “it won by mistake”, as the electorate have seen the lights and will not vote for the party again.

He insisted that there is a great level of containment in the bombings and insecurity in the North.

‘We shall defeat Boko Haram’ Continued from page 2

in the face of provocation.

Rev. Mbaya said EYN, predominantly in the Northeastern region is the worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency.

He praised Dr. Jonathan for being the first President to worship in any branch of the Church since its inception.

The president was accompanied by his mother, Madam Eunice Jonathan, his Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, Sen. Philip Aduda (PDP-FCT), Executive Secretary, Christians Pilgrims Board, John Kennedy-Opara and some other aides.

Boko Haram kills 15 as CAN rejects talks with sect

Continued from page 2 mail from any quarters on ac-

tunities that exist in Northern Nigeria .

“It is hypocritical for Senator Ibrahim to now make the country and her citizens to pay a heavy price for their ineptitude.

In fact, apart from the extremist ideology of Boko Haram, I am tempted to believe that Senator Ibrahim’s statement is also a confirmation that the increasing violence in the North is a sponsored revolt to pressure the Federal Government into making huge regional concessions. The Federal Government should, therefore, not succumb to black-

fund for the 2015 elections.

“With the judiciary on the gravy train as well, the hope of Nigerians was finally dashed in 2012. From the Supreme Court to the High Courts, most judges are on the take. The result is deficient, putrid and stale governance.

Nigeria is dying and only the activation of existing international protocols, laws and conventions can save the situation at this stage. The international community and agencies cannot stand by and watch this plotted disintegration of the country.

“It is on this note we urge nations of earth and the international community to strongly consider: International sanctions against corrupt Nigerian leaders, similar to those imposed on South Africa during the apartheid era, until the country’s corruption perception index improves; travel bans on politicians, high gov-

count of the Boko Haram issue but should remain focused in dealing with the sect members in accordance with the laws of the land.

“It is worrisome that a senator of the status of Ibrahim, rather than pursue a secularist ideology on which the survival and stability of this country depend, is giving an advice that favours Boko Haram, a sect that has killed many Christians, bombed and burnt churches. I am shocked that Senator Ibrahim is not worried by the growing killings of Christians in his home

state, Yobe, where five Christians, including their pastor were killed on Christmas day. Few days after these killings and burning of 20 houses, Senator Ibrahim is only concerned with government’s dialogue with the sect members. What a shameful act.

“Let me state that any dialogue that ignores the issue of compensation for the families of Christians killed and churches bombed or burnt, businesses destroyed, would be unacceptable to the Christian Association of Nigeria.”

In Makurdi, a retired Police

Commissioner, Abubakar Tsav, said North’s leaders can’t speak openly against the sect because they are afraid of being attacked.

Tsav said during the Niger Delta militants bombings and destruction of pipelines, none of the leaders in that region spoke out against the activities of the group.

“From our finding so far, the northern leaders are not speaking openly against the activities of Boko Haram for fear of being attacked, just as the Federal Government is not doing enough.”

He explained that while the late President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua , a northerner, was able to tackle the crisis in the Niger Delta, President Goodluck Jonathan has not been able to address the Boko Haram insurgency.

The former Lagos State police commissioner noted that northern leaders are worried that they have been left alone to suffer destruction and the Federal Government seems not to be worried about the situation in the region where the economy is affected.

Tsav said the recent killing of

General Muhammed Shuwa,a war hero, in the presence of armed soldiers in his house, should be probed.

“Nobody has set up a committee of inquiry to probe the brutal murder of Gen. Shuwa,who was not involved in politics. He was not even known as a public commentator and some people just walked into his house and shot him dead in the presence of military guards, and you want us to believe it is Boko Haram?” Tsav asked.

He said the government has failed Nigerians as there are no jobs and no security.

092

31-12-12

TODAY IN THE NATION

‘It will be difficult to create wealth in the face of the unbridled corruption in this country. Today, many families find it extremely difficult to eat one square meal a day.’

MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL 7 NO 2,357

C OMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

W

HEN I contemplate Nigeria these days I focus on the vulture. The bird preys on carcasses but Nigeria, in spite of its fascination with death, has defied the day of the vulture.

Some analysts think oil is the reason, and the fluid of life will sustain this country afloat over the stormy waters of ethnic and sectarian malice and the failures of the state to convert hope to joy for the teeming masses.

Some say Nigeria is too interwoven in culture and history to cave in under superficial fisticuffs of cousins.

But whatever it is, Nigeria has dared the vultures for long.

The past year that ends today encapsulates how a country lives dangerously and still carries on as though immune from the temptations of the devil.

The country has been flogged by Boko Haram, harassed by flood, whipped by kidnapping, boxed in by inelegant electoral jousting, jousted by corruption, pockmarked by robbers, grinded by poverty, immobilised by impotent leaders, steamrolled by road accidents, gutted by air crashes, pin-fallen by failed institutions and knocked out by despair.

Yet Nigeria sleeps through all these and wakes up as though to a day of great expectations. It is like the character Nostromo in Joseph Conrad’s novel of that name. The character, a glorious thief just like Nigeria, has carted away great volumes of silver, and sleeps afterwards in a forest glade for over 12 hours. He wakes up to the presence of a vulture glowering greedily at him. But the thief stands up in his full masculine glory and exclaims to the disappointed bird, “I am not dead yet.”

We can say same of this country. We never die, we just live, hoping and clutching at an existence of false peace and majesty.

We see all the evils and the low moments.

But we live with them. The problem with Nigeria is that it does not want to die and be born again. We want to live, even if imperfectly, if with corruption, if with probes without answers, if with bad roads comingling with deaths, if with the poor dying daily of preventable diseases, if and when we can have free and fair elections, if we can turn Boko Haram boys to assets of development.

This thought crossed my mind when I attended the launching of Wole Soyinka’s new book, Harmattan Haze on an African Spring.

The famous poem Abiku written by the Nobel laureate was advanced as a metaphor for Nigeria, with respect to corruption.

Those who looked at the point included Soyinka, Pat Utomi, Oby Ezekwesili and they agreed that corruption was an Abiku and it keeps coming over and over again.

EMEKA OMEIHE

aggressions. We need to let them die. But for them to die, the whole system giving them life must die with them. We are not ready for that sacrifice. For corruption to die, we must have rule of law. For education malaise to go, we must insist on standards. To have these virtues all those persons and practices that allow them must go. But they will not.

“To be born again, first you have to die.”

Those are the opening words of Salman Rushdie’s controversial novel Satanic Verses.

So we do not have Abiku yet.

Boko Haram is festering in the North because we did not address what gave birth to the sect. On the surface, it is religious inferno.

At bottom though, it is poverty. It is the result of the absence of government. A government that allows an alternative society to breed under its very glare.

President Jonathan set up an al majiri school as though that will create a new set of educated young in the North. What that kind of school will breed is alienation. They will be branded the al majiri graduates, and rather than integrate them, they will become outsiders.

In the Niger Delta and the Southeast, we have had kidnapping, so much so that the Christmas was celebrated there mainly by the humble who had nothing to offer the greed of the rampaging goons.

Primary education is at an all-time low, but billions of Naira goes to the purchase of primary school books. Most of the schools don’t have them.

Roads are in permanent disarray; power in spite of the low boasts of the Jonathan administration is still epileptic. Something needs to give way.

The oil subsidy debate raged through the

year. We saw strikes, and then probes and then reports. In the end, the Nigerian was duped by the Jonathan administration. The money they collected in the name of subsidy was never accounted for in terms of revamping the infrastructure and education and health sectors.

Rather, President Jonathan is seeking more subsidy removal while his finance minister is asking for another loan. This is the same minister asking for us not to spend money in a nation where spending will ease the infrastructure deficit plaguing us.

The fuel scarcity is on us because the government that guarantees marketers to import fuel will not pay them. So they would not supply.

So what happened to the fuel subsidy money fleeced from the fuel consumer all year?

We also saw tragedies in high places. The air and road crashes that affected the mighty tell us that those in the marble places of power cannot avoid the tragedies their policies inflict on the poor.

As I write this piece, four governors who were in the saddle when the year began are not fully in charge as the New Year dawns.

One is dead tragically through an air crash, another is hospitalised over an avoidable air crash, one is mysteriously ill in an overseas hospital and the fourth is in the hospital over a road mishap.

Never in our history have we had this sort of executive paralysis, except during the Gowon era when governors left the country on flimsy alibis.

In spite of all these, the nation walks as though in a swagger. How long shall we push our luck and think, like Conrad’s Nostromo, we can always wake up to a disappointed vulture?

We need the sort of leadership that wants to kill things in order to birth things anew.

The Bible says: “Except a corn of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it abides alone. But when it dies, it brings forth new fruits.”

In Soyinka’s Abiku, also J.P. Clark’s poem of the same title, the child dies first before it comes back to life.

We cannot live a life of life-support. We must be willing to let the vermin go.

Many of them are half alive, half dead. The education sector, the oil sector, infrastructure, are all half dead. So the vultures hover, waiting for the time of the vanquisher.

In Chinua Achebe’s poem, The Vultures, he sees the bird Perching high on broken Bone of a dead tree All these sectors are bleeding on broken bones. Let them die so as to be reborn. This New Year, we can start that process.

RIPPLES

HARDBALL

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

2012 HAS BEEN A REWARDING YEAR FOR NIGERIANS–Senator

Why not Obasanjo for Man of the Year?

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

intouchsam@yahoo.com 08054501081(sms only) •NMMA Columnist of the Year

Disappointed Vultures

•President Goodluck Jonathan

I did not get the chance to rebut their position.

Corruption, like many of the vices and institutional stumbles of our history, has not encountered the Abiku syndrome. The vices never die, they just come in different guises.

They are more chameleons than carcasses.

They have not witnessed the vulture visit.

Can we say poverty has ever died, or educational malaise or corruption has ever died?

They just come in new colours and

T

Yes...for those in GOVERNMENT

HIS column cannot recall any newspaper or broadcast medium in Nigeria ever making Chief Olusegun Obasanjo its Man of the Year. He was military head of state in the 1970s, was once a distinguished prisoner of conscience, was a two-term president, is an author of no mean repute, and is an intrepid polemicist who takes no prisoner nor regards his opponent’s logic kindly. These qualities and many more stand him out. It is, therefore difficult to understand why he has been omitted in repeated considerations for that great prize? Indeed, Obasanjo should by now have been Man of the Year at least twice – once for concluding the transition programme begun by his predecessor, Gen Murtala Mohammed, and handing over the reins of office to Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1979, and a second time for leaving prison to become a two-term president between 1999 and 2007.

Perhaps the media are afraid that it requires nuanced understanding to appreciate that the choice for Man of the Year does not necessarily have to be a person who has affected his country positively. The prize, everyone knows, could also go to a man who has affected his country negatively. In a country where everything is presumed bought or sold, including

honours, a brave newspaper making Obasanjo its choice could be accused of merchandising that esteemed honour. There was in fact a time in the late 1980s and early 1990s when it was harmful to its finances for a newspaper or magazine to publish the picture of Military President Ibrahim Babangida on the front page. Anytime an editor succumbed to that indiscretion during the said period, he instantly knew his paper would sell fewer copies. Perhaps, newspapers suspect that to make Obasanjo Man of the Year would send them spiralling into the abyss of total rejection. And discretion, it is said, is the better part of valour.

But here is a good case for Obasanjo to be made Man of the Year, and a brave newspaper to bite the bullet and publish and be damned.

In addition to having handed over power to civilians in 1979, albeit extremely reluctantly, as Gen TY Danjuma said a few years ago in the heat of the former president’s scheming for third term, Obasanjo has also sustained his reputation as a one-man NGO dedicated to sanctimoniously pressuring the governments of the day to do right by the people. More, since the Second Republic, he has been the only president re-elected into office, even if the polls were spurious and despicable. Cu-

mulatively, Obasanjo holds the record of the longest serving Nigerian ruler, having ruled for more than eleven years. Importantly too, and doubtless controversially, he has managed to mould Nigeria in his image, a country structured to fail, underperform, remain fractious, and seethe uncontrollably in what Chief Audu Ogbeh once described as moral/political corruption.

It is curious that newspapers find it tough going every year to select one person who has affected Nigeria for good or bad, when there is one ready material, a hardy perennial, who has affected, and continues to affect, his country in a way no one has done since independence. That hardy perennial is the incomparable Obasanjo, from whose spectral shadow the country is yet to emerge. If not Obasanjo, then perhaps the media should consider President Goodluck Jonathan, at least for his beguiling and quizzical extemporaneousness. Jonathan makes the most down-to-earth speeches any president could make, speeches so replete with sweet nothings and boyish optimism that they fail to inspire the deep as much as they have remained outrightly impracticable even for the frivolous. How could newspapers continue to omit these two eminent gentlemen in selecting their Person of the Year?

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