The Nation July 19, 2012

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

News Ex-FEDECO chairman Ovie-Whiskey dies at 88 P57 Sports Wigan rejects Chelsea’s third bid for Eagles star Moses P24 Business Protest as Fed Govt recalls suspended SEC DG Oteh P4 www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

VOL. 7, NO. 2191 THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

N150.00

•Mandela with his family during the celebrations…yesterday

PHOTO: AFP

12million pupils sing for Mandela at 94

Why Capital Market recovery is slow, by probe panel

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From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

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HE House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Investigation into the near collapse of the Nigerian Capital Market has listed four reasons for the market’s slow recovery since 1999.

The panel also described as irregular the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank by Access Bank.

These observations are contained in the 82-page report of the committee which was submitted to the House on Tuesday.

Continued on page 2

•Speaker Aminu Tambuwal

OUTH Africans rose in salute to their legendary former president, Nelson Mandela, who turned 94 yesterday, celebrating him with “67 minutes of good deeds”.

Leading the celebrations were no fewer than 12 million school children, who sang a specially composed birthday song for Madiba as Mandela is popularly known.

Each minute of the “67 minutes of good deeds” marks each year of Mandela’s struggle against whiteminority rule. He was in prison for 27 years under the apartheid regime.

Mandela regained his freedom in 1990 and led the African National Congress (ANC) to victory in 1994 in elections that followed the post-apartheid years. He left office in 1999 after serv-

ing for one term.

Mandela marked the birthday quietly in his ancestral village of Qunu in the remote Eastern Cape province.

He spent the day with close family, friends and former United States (US) President Bill Clinton.

Clinton, accompanied by his daughter Chelsea, Continued on page 10

Reps tackle Jonathan over budget execution Begin debate today ‘Why President declined House invitation’

F •Dr. Jonathan

OUR months after its passage of the budget, the House of Representatives appears dissatisfied with its implementation.

It is expected to begin debate today on what it calls “30 per cent implementation of the budget,” which it passed along with the Senate on March 15.

From Yusuf Alli and Dele Anofi, Abuja

The House met to review the budget’s implementation at an executive (closed door) session in Abuja on Tuesday night.

At the session, members were said to have deplored what they considered “poor implementation” of the budget and may invite the Minister

of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and other key government officials to explain things.

Yesterday, the Presidency spoke on why President Goodluck Jonathan did not honour the lawmakers’ invitation to brief them on measures being taken to address the issue of insecurity.

Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said his principal was not “formally” invited.

Last March 15, the Senate and the House of Representatives passed a N4.88 trillion budget with a benchmark of $72 per barrel.

The lawmakers jacked it up from Continued on page 2

•NATIONAL ASSEMBLY GETS PIB P11 •TANKER FIRE DEATH TOLL NOW 191 P59

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

NEWS SEC employees protest Oteh’s ROTEST yesterday resumption greeted the recall of the

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•The SEC protesters in Abuja…yesterday

PHOTO: NAN

suspended Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Ms Arunma Oteh.

In spite of the large presence of security operatives around the SEC building at the Central Business District in Abuja, workers still went ahead to stage a protest.

Chanting anti-Oteh songs, they said they had uncovered a plot by Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, to return Oteh to her duty post even when the probe of her alleged financial misconduct was yet to be concluded.

Though they said they were not against her reinstatement, they insisted on due process being followed especially in respect of her indictment.

Yesterday, the Federal Government recalled her through a circular, SGF.2/S.9/C.13/

jor disaster waiting to happen.

“We observed that AMCON is further concerned with accumulation of bubbles that would explode to magnitudes that had never been imagined.

“As at date, AMCON claims to have issued bonds worth N4.5trillion, but only about N1.7 trillion is guaranteed by the Federal Government. The real challenge of the AMCON bonds is the bonds’ ability of being converted into liquid cash. A good number of the AMCON Series bond is yet to be registered at the CSCS. “Investors are currently scared that the first tranche of AMCON bonds which would mature in 3 years, and some

454 dated 17/ July, 2012 signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim.

According to him, Oteh’s recall follows the outcome of the findings of the external auditors.

The Board engaged the Price Water Coopers Limited, a renowned audit firm which exonerated her from all accusations of fraud and criminal breaches.

She was however indicted for some administrative lapses.

The circular reads: “Please refer to the decision of the Board of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to send you on compulsary leave in order to enable SEC’s external auditors-the Price Water Coopers Limited (PWC)- to examine the records of the Commission’s transactions covering SEC project 50 which you supervised.

“I am to note that Government has studied the report submitted by the external auditors and you are neither indicted for fraud nor criminal breach in any form. However, some administrative lapses were reported, particularly, in cases where administrative procedures were not thoroughly observed.

“The purpose of this letter is to recall you from your leave and to caution that you must henceforth endeavour to diligently observe all extant rules and administrative procedures in the conduct of all official transactions.”

But the workers were adamant.

Speaking to reporters at the SEC premises Mr. John Briggs,

Continued on page 57

Continued on page 61

Why Capital Market recovery is slow, by probe panel Continued from page 1

The House raised the panel, headed by Hon. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi vide Resolution HR/70/2012.

The eight-man panel was mandated to carry out an Investigative Public Hearing, to explore the factors that directly or indirectly contribute to the near collapse; and the current state of the capital market in Nigeria .

In its report, the panel identified four reasons for the crisis in the capital market.

These are: the manipulation of the market using delisted companies; regulatory failure of the financial regulators; sensitive banking reforms; investors’ ignorance; and uncoordinated shareholders’ relation with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The report said in part: “For a long time now, the Nigerian Capital Market appears to be slow in recovering. Most economies that suffered similar fate in the immediate past can at worst, if not recovered, measure how far they are from recovery.

“The exact levels of aggregate deficits in the economy are known and fully disclosed. Most of these economies have evolved measures to correct the observed flaws that usually present perpetual problems to effective capital market intermediation.

“In the case of Nigeria , it is not clear what the regulators of our capital market want to do differently, and whether the past actions and omissions of the regulators that failed to correct market infractions are now set to be

contained. “ It is also important to investigate why the regulators fuelled the pumping and dumping of shares by regulatory fiat.

“In Nigeria , the Nigerian Stock Exchange market capitalisation stood at N0.294trillion by the end of 1999. By the end of 2003, it stood at N1.302trillion; N1.93trillion by year end of 2004; and N2.521trillion by end of 2005 fiscal year. In 2006, market capitalization closed at N4.23trillion; rose to N9.98triliion in 2007, and opened with N9.98trillion in 2008.

“It rose to N12.5trillion within the first 60 days of 2008; and was N12.15trillion by the end of March, and closed at N6.08trillion by year end of December, 2008.

It fell further by closing at N5.00trillion at the end of December 2009; N7.81trillion by the end of fiscal year 2010, and closed at N6.53trillion by the end of 2011. As at March, 2012, the market capitalization stood at N6.61trillion, accounted for, mainly, by mergers and acquisitions in the banking sector.

Regarding the operation of the Assets Management Company of Nigeria( AMCON), the panel said: “It is a time-bomb; a disaster inwaiting.”

The report said: “Following the revelations and findings of this Committee, and after rigorous analyses and evaluation of oral evidence in facts during the hearing, we hereby state that the AMCON as it is currently being run is a mistake, and therefore, a ma-

From Vincent Ikuomola and Nduka Chiejina, Abuja

Reps tackle Jonathan over budget execution Continued from page 1

the N4.65 trillion proposed by the President, who subsequently assented to a N4.7trillion budget on April 13.

Sources told The Nation yesterday that the House could not understand why the Executive has so far implemented only 30 per cent of the budget.

The House, it was learnt, settled for a debate to put the issue in proper perspective for the public.

A member said: “We have noticed across party divides that things are not just working as expected. Nigerians are not feeling the impact of the budget which implementation is just about 30 per cent.

“We have decided to assess its implementation at the plenary on Thursday (today) because Nigerians are bothered.

“We will also summon all Ministers who have connection with the budget on why things have been slow.”

Another lawmaker said: “There is paucity of funds for capital projects in the 2012 budget. We are suspecting certain level of mismanagement within the Executive arm.

“They are claiming that there is no fund but the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has been claiming that oil production is at its peak and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Customs Service have been briefing the na-

‘Why President declined House invitation’

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HY did President Goodluck Jonathan not honour the House of Representatives invitation for interaction on the security situation in the country?

It is because he was not “formally invited, his spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati said yesterday.

Abati said the President is not averse to the invitation if it is properly channelled.

Abati spoke on a RayPower 100.5FM phone-in programme; Fact File, monitored by our correspondent.

He also commented on why the President has not assented to some bills passed by the National Assembly and sent to his office.

Abati said some of the bills when signed into law, would create additional bureaucracy leading to over-bloated governance that the Federal Government is trying to rationalise.

He cited the National Health Bill and the Biodiversity Bill as some of those bills.

Abati said: “The President does not have any problem with the invitation by the House of Representatives. But tion on how they have surpassed their targets.

“We want to open up the space and allow Nigerians to know the true picture of the situation. The revenue is coming but Nigerians are suffering.”

A high-ranking member, who was at the session, said fresh battle line has been drawn between the House and

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

there should be a formal letter inviting him to come and address them on the floor of the House. Something will be said on the floor of the assembly and once the President does not have a formal letter inviting him, the President cannot, on the basis of newspapers report say he has been invited.

“I am very sure that when there is a formal invitation from the National Assembly, the President will honour it.

In any case, the National Assembly is dominated by members of the President’s party.

“Mr. President often invites members of the parliament to hold meetings with him in the Villa and they honour the invitation. So, when they invite him formally, he will go especially since the issues are of mutual interest to both arms of government and of interest to Nigerians. It is a procedural thing when the lawmakers ask the President to come and address them. You will remember that every year, he addresses them when presenting the Appropriation Bill. Whenever the President goes to event in the ruling party, he briefs

the Executive.

He said: “Each time we asked for information on the budget, the Executive has not been forthcoming. It is apparent that the presidency has contempt for the legislature, especially the House.

“We are going to discuss the budget implementation and raise issues to allow Nigerians

them. When he does Presidential Media Chat, he gives reports to Nigerians.

On a daily basis, we report the activities of government online, through newspapers and other possible medium to show that this is a Presidency that is transparent and has nothing to hide. His true mandate is to serve Nigerians. It is not that the President is avoiding the legislature; it is not that the President does not want to go to the National Assembly. Both bodies work together.

“Enshrining the State of the Nation Address into the Constitution is not a problem, what they are asking for is accountability. If there is a law like that, it makes it mandatory for the President to come to the parliament from time to time to give account, that is the law. It is the duty of the President to protect the rule of law and this President has shown in many instances that he respects the rule of law. Even with the just-concluded Edo election, the success was made possible by the President.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria has commended the President who is of the Peoples Democratic Party”.

to judge the situation.

“It is our own way of crying out that the legislature is not doing well under this administration. We invited the President for interaction on the insecurity in the country, he refused to appear. We asked him to remove the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),

Ms. Arunma Oteh; he reinstated her under security siege.

We have been asking questions on the budget, nobody is ready to listen to us.

“We will put the Executive to task, debate and take appropriate action to compel the Executive arm to implement the 2012 budget.”

Contacted, Chairman of the

House Committee on Media Alhaji Zakari Mohammed, said: “Yes, it is true that we are going to hold a session on the state of budget implementation on Thursday but you should wait till after the debate before you hear from me.

“It is the House that determines what I say or tell the press and the public.”

There has been a cold war between the House and the Presidency over the implementation of the fuel subsidy probe report and Jonathan’s seeming refusal to honour the lawmakers’ invitation on insecurity in the land.

The House had sent the report, which indicted the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and several oil companies for subsidy fraud to the Presidency for execution.

Since receiving the report, nothing has been heard from the Presidency, raising fears that it may take no action.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke (SAN), who the President referred the report to, has since said that those found culpable would be tried.

The House is also not happy that the President has not honoured its invitation to address it on measures being taken to secure the country.

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failed to resolve the debacle as the House insisted that the President must honour its invitation.

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

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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NEWS VALEDICTORY SESSION FOR DANTONG

‘We’ve to ask •Tears flow at farewell session for Dantong •Mark urges warring parties to dialogue

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•From Left: Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, eldest son of the late Segun Olusola, Olujimi, Mrs Ajibulu Moniya, and Mrs. Titi Laditi during a service of songs for the late Olusola in Lagos... on Tuesday.

PHOTO: NAN

•From left: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Ms. Ann Ene-Ita, Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Odua and Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren at the conference on Aviation in Africa in Abuja...on Tuesday PHOTO: ISAAC AYODELE

•Chairperson, Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ), Adeola Azeez, Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe and Area Director, British American Tobacco West Africa Beverley Spencer-Obatoyinbo at the 2012 annual WIMBIZ CEO/Policymaker InterPHOTO: NIYI ADENIRAN active series in Lagos

• Specialist, Consumer Segment Marketing, Etisalat Nigeria, Mrs. Ugonma Akhigbe, winner of a smartphone, Mrs. Temitope Solihu and Head, Mass Market Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Idowu Adesokan at the Etisalat 9ja Free Credit Promo prize PHOTO: NIYI ADENIRAN presentation in Lagos...yesterday

IS voice cracked. It was evident he was battling not to cry. Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba asked questions, which appeared rhetorical “Where is the Jos of old? Plateau of old?

Haven of peace, melting pot of culture and religions, preferred home of all. Jos, what happened? Plateau, who replaced laughter with tears; who replaced handshakes with bullets and bombs? Who replaced tears of joy with blood? Who replaced love with hatred in a life time and why? Life has become too casual and cheap. The senseless bloodletting in our nation must stop.”

It was at a valedictory session held by the Senate for Senator Gyang Dantong, who died on July 8.

Dantong, who represented Plateau North Senatorial District, died while he was attending a mass burial of people killed in his consistency.

The solemn ceremony saw many senators shed tears in honour of their departed colleague.

Many of the senators, who spoke, eulogised the late senator in emotion laden tones.

Ndoma-Egba said the late Dantong loved humanity, peace in the Plateau, passionately worked for it and hoped for it.

He said: “He tirelessly feared rabidly the ethnic and religious divisiveness that is an uncharacteristic reality in the Plateau. His love for peace and fear of tension consumed him but he is not lost, for the Bible tells us that blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. Children of God, go to God in heaven. Senator Dantong is in heaven.

“Senator Dantong was the bridge between religions, cultures and tribes. Let his death not be in vain.

Leaders of all inter-religions and cultures owe it to themselves and Senator Dantong to terminate this culture of hate and promote reconciliation and peace that Plateau was known for.”

Senate President David Mark said it was difficult to say goodbye to a man who has been a “vital part of our lives.”

Mark described the late Dantong as a “shining example of model leadership” and a man who had “capacity to make the best out of life.”

He said: “Today, we say goodbye to Senator Gyang Dalyop Dantong.

Even in death, he continues to be a uniting factor and a shining example of model leadership. He was a man who had the capacity to make the best out of life, and he did just that.

In the brief years that he acted on life’s mortal stage, he played his roles exceedingly well.

“As a husband, father, senator, medical doctor and Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, he distinguished himself as a lover of peace, humanity, unity and progress.”

He urged warring parties in Plateau to sheath their swords and return to dialogue in honour of the late senator.

Mark added: “Nobody has borne the tragedies of Jos, particularly in the past three years, more than Dantong. As the killings continued, he became a fixed feature at burials.

For each casualty of this senseless crisis, Dantong was equally a victim.

He never stayed in the comfort of his Abuja home. Rather, every week, he went to console the families of the dead or to attend the burial of one of his constituents.

“Days before his death, he was at

‘

Where is the Jos of old? Plateau of old? Haven of peace, melting pot of culture and religions, preferred home of all. Jos, what happened? Plateau, who replaced laughter with tears; who replaced handshakes with bullets and bombs? Who replaced tears of joy with blood?

Who replaced love with hatred in a life time and why?

‘

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

the funeral of his Ward Chairman in Sharubutu, Bachit District of Riyom Local Government Area. Dantong had been a worried man in the last few years because of the mindless crisis that engulfed his beloved state.

The people he buried every week in his last years were not strangers. They were people he knew so well.

“In his close-knit community, where life revolved around agriculture and the church, at the Vom Christian Hospital, where he was medical director, he attended to some who became victims of the wanton killings in Jos. Others were his patients or parents of patients. Indeed, no one can truly know the pain he endured.

“In the end, he paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom, human dignity and peaceful coexistence in Plateau State. Having paid this supreme sacrifice, his death must not be in vain.

Peace must now return to Plateau State.

“If peace does not return to Plateau State, then his death would have been in vain. For the sake of the late Sena-

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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NEWS VALEDICTORY SESSION FOR DANTONG

God to bring peace to our country’

ntong gue

‘

•The remains of the late Dantong being carried by pallbearers after the valedictory session at the National Assembly... yesterday

Some people who are fanning the embers of the incidents are somewhere today watching and listening to us but the man who is making peace is laying outside dead.

The day of reckoning will come and everybody will pay his dues

‘

•Wife of the late Senator ,Hannatu Dantong (middle) and her children ...yesterday

•From left: Jang , Senator Victor Lar and Rep Bitrus Kaze at the valedictory session • Mark (right), Ekweremadu and Ihedioha (left) paying their last respect to the late PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE. AND NAN ...yesterday Senator,... yesterday -

tor Dantong and all those who have lost their lives in Plateau State, I urge all warring parties to sheath their swords and return to dialogue like brothers and sisters.”

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu said it was time for the nation to pray to God to avert the sor-

did incidents now bedevilling it and bring lasting peace.

He said: “I am saddened and I believe all of us are saddened. It has been a very challenging time for us as a country. A church was bombed on Christmas Day. Even on New Year Day, churches were bombed.

In Yobe, even cattle were attacked.

Children have been attacked and killed. Recently, there was a plane crash in Lagos. There was also a tanker fire incident in Rivers State, where over 100 people reportedly died.

“It has been one incident after an-

other, all on the negative side. As we mourn Dantong, we are morning all the people that died in the various incidents. We have to pray and ask God to bring peace to our country.”

He added: “Some people who are fanning the embers of the incidents are somewhere today watching and

listening to us but the man who is making peace is laying outside dead. The day of reckoning will come and everybody will pay his dues.”

Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who was represented by his deputy Emeka Ihedioha, said Dantong died in active service in pursuit for peace on the Plateau and in the nation.He said: “For us, the challenge is: what shall we remember Senator Dantong for? And I think those of us who are left behind, it calls for soul-searching that the time for politicking is gone. There comes a time when we must begin to truly address the issues of the uncertainties of our lives as a people. The challenge in this country today is very disturbing and I believe there is a lot of lip service.

“There must be solution to the problem on the Plateau and indeed the problem in Nigeria. I believe his death shall not be in vain. The death of Senator Dantong should be a wake-up call for us and should challenge all of us, lawmakers and indeed policy makers in this country that we must find a way forward, a way to give hope to the rest of our country, a way to let peace reign.”

Others, who paid glowing tributes to Dantong, include Senators George Thompson Sekibo, Ahmed Lawan, Abdul Ningi, Chris Ngige, Adegbenga Kaka, Zainab Kure, Atiku Abubakar Bagudu and Ifeanyi Okowa.

Others at the valedictory session in honour of Dantong are Governor Jonah Jang, former deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, Dan Sulieman, Dantong’s widow Mrs Hanatu and her children, wife of the Senate President, wife of Deputy Senate President and Dantong’s father.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

NEWS ANPP woos ACN, others for 2005

Govt approves $1.488b for Lagos-Ibadan rail project

• CPC in merger talks From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

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ATIONAL Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu yesterday confirmed he has begun talks with the national chair-

men of leading opposition parties towards the 2015 election.

The parties are Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) and Labour Party.

Onu, who spoke at the ANPP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, decried the attitude of members and said the leadership would strive to reposition ANPP for the challenges ahead.

He said the party has set up a six–man Inter-party Contact Committee, which will be enlarged to 20, to meet with other parties.

The ANPP national chairman called for a review of the Electoral Act making it mandatory for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that major opposition parties are involved in the award of contracts for sensitive election materials to ensure that only non–partisan organisations are entrusted with such important tasks.

The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) is optimistic of its merger talks with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Lagos State Chairman of CPC Chief Balogun Emi-Abatta told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that the discussion had remained with the leaders of the two parties.

He said the merger talk is on course and that both party leaders are involved for now.

Emi-Abatta said the partial arrangement was what enabled ACN to win in Edo. “You can see that the partial arrangement as it affects ACN’s success in Edo State; a repeat of it is bound to happen during the Ondo State election in October,’’ he said.

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HE Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved 1.488 billion dollars for the LagosIbadan double track rail line project.

Minister of Information Labaran Maku spoke with reporters on the outcome of the weekly FEC meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the approval followed a memorandum to the Council on the rail project.

The minister noted that the project was in 2006 awarded to CCECC Ltd, a Chinese firm, but could not be completed due to lack of funds.

Maku said the project would be executed in six phases to cover 2,733 kilometres.

“One major decision we made today was the modernisation of the Nigerian Rail-

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

way system. For quite a while, Mr President has given a lot of attention to the transport sector, particularly the development of the railways.

“The standard gauge line, which we approved today in the council is going to run between Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin, Minna, Kano and there would be a phase that will take off from Minna to Abuja.

“The one from Abuja to Kaduna is under construction.’’

According to him, the project, to be completed in 36 months, will generate over 5,000 jobs.

Minister of Transport Sen. Idris Umar said the project was part of the second segment of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project with a distance of

156.65 km.

FCT Minister Sen. Bala Muhammed said the Council approved a variation of the contract for the design and construction of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit project (Lots 1 and 3) from 60.67 km to 45.245 km.

He said the cost was revised from 841,645,898 dollars to 823,540,545.87 dollars.

The Council was apprised of the country’s rating on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) index, which the Minister of Trade and Investment Segun Aganga, said has improved.

He said Nigeria has improved in the FDI attraction index to the 23rd position making it a first quarter country for FDI attractiveness.

Nigeria is ranked first in the top five host economies for FDI in Africa at $8.91 billion

in 2011 compared to $6.09billion in 2010, followed by South Africa with $5.9 billion in 2011 and Ghana with $3.2 billion.

Nigeria accounted for over one-sixth of flows into Africa.

Only Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana attracted FDI inflows above $3 billion in 2011.

Nigeria has made the final list of Commonwealth Association of Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) award.

Minister of Urban Planning and Housing Development Ms Ame Pepple said the competition assesses one of the goals of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that has to do with the reduction of maternal and infant mortality.

She said this is a Federal Government programme by the ministry that employs qualified midwives. .

‘We need database for citizens abroad’

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HAIRMAN, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa has decried the lack of database for Nigerian professionals in the diaspora.

Speaking at the third Diaspora Scholars Lecture organised by the Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies, (NIALS), she said government should tap from their knowledge.

Commending NIALS on the lecture title: “Africa, International Investment Law and the 21st Century: Confronting the past, Managing the present, Reshaping the future”, Mrs Dabiri-Erewa urged the institute to send a bill to the House to address the issues of unfavourable investment treaties in the country.

A Federal High Court Judge, Justice B.I. Molokwu, said International Investment Law cannot be isolated from its socio-political environment, adding that the

By Precious Igbonwelundu

political culture from which it emerged determines its character.

The lecturer, Mrs Uche Ofodile, a law professor from the University of Arkansas in the United States of America urged the government to stop signing Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT) and other trade liberalisation treaties, insisting that they were tools of exploitation by the Western world.

“I am not saying investment is not good, in fact, foreign investment is very important for a country but Nigeria and Africa has to manage it effectively.

Mrs Ofodile noted that Africa can control its future, adding that even when the World Bank or any international institution suggests an investment procedure, Nigeria as a country can reject it on the grounds that it is not favourable.

Japan to aid Nigeria in fighting graft From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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APANESE Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. Ryuichi Shoji has said Japan would support Nigeria in fighting corruption.

He said both countries would work together to better the lot of Nigerians.

Delivering the fourth Postgraduate School lecture of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, entitled: “Democracy, Technology and Development in Africa,” Shoji said Japan is keen on the future of Nigeria.

He called on the Federal Government to develop its youths, saying the future of Nigeria depends on them.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Adeniyi Gbadegesin said Nigerian universities have greater roles to play in the technological advancement in the country.

He solicited the support of Japan in the attainment of the vision of science and technology in the university.

Ramadan: ‘Watch out for moon’

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IGERIA Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has urged Muslims to watch out for the new crescent today in preparation of the Ramadan fast.

NSCIA spoke yesterday in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Dr. AbdulLateef Adegbite.

Adegbite said the National and State Moon-Sighting Committees and all Muslims

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

should look for the new Crescent of Ramadan month.

The NSCIA Secretary said anyone Muslim who sights moon should contact the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar, Shehu of Borno, Emir of Gwandu and Emir of Kano.

Others include Emir of Bauchi, the Lamido of Adamawa and Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu.

•Former Prime Minister of Norway and keynote speaker Dr. Gro Brundtland, Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State with other speakers at the CEO Roundtable Session of the 2012 Africa on Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility at the Tinapa Business Resort, Calabar.

Nigeria may appear before ICC , says Falana

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AGOS lawyer Mr Femi Falana (SAN) yesterday said Nigeria may appear before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.

In a statement in Lagos yesterday, the rights’ activist accused the government of serial negligience and “criming breach of duty,” which caused the death of many.

He mentioned the killing of legislators in Plateau State and the death of villagers in Rivers State tanker fire.

The statement said Nigeria may be made to appear before the ICC for crimes against humanity.

It said: ‘’Not too long ago, Governor Jonah Jang claimed that he alerted the military authorities to an impending attack from some armed persons.As no precautionary steps were taken, there was a clash between two communities, which led to the killing of scores of people...

“On Thursday, July 2, 2012, there was an accident in Port Harcourt involving a tanker.

Among the people scooping fuel from the tanker, about 200 persons were roasted in the inferno. While it is convenient to blame the tragic incident on greed and poverty, the Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety

Corps and others failed to cordon off the scene and carry out rescue operation. The officials, whose criminal neglect led to the unfortunate incident were not sanctioned. ‘’Many citizens are killed daily on roads that are in states of disrepair due to the failure of governments to fix them. ‘’On Saturday, July 14, 2012, two policemen and an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) died when the rickety boat hired by the INEC to convey electoral materials to the riverine area in Edo State capsized... ‘’Following the disloyalty

of the JTF in Plateau State and the criminal negligence of the Police, FRSC etc. in Rivers State and the corrupt practices of INEC, the Federal Government must go beyond the ritual of sending condolence messages... ‘’The government must pay compensation to the families of those who were killed as a result of gross official negligence... ‘’If the Federal Government lacks the political will to prosecute the public officers engaged in the extrajudicial killing of unarmed Nigerian citizens we shall invite the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.’’

Bakassi: Reps move to nullify ICJ judgment

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HE House of Representatives has said it would nullify the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon based on the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2002.

The lawmakers have asked the Federal Government to begin the review of the ICJ judgment before October 10.

The people of Bakassi are seeking a United Nations-supervised plebiscite on its rights to self-determination.

According to the lawmakers, the judgment was not an error and it contravened Article 6 of the General Act Ber-

•Indigenes seek UN-supervised plebiscite From: Dele Anofi, Abuja

lin Conference.

The lawmakers said Nigeria can seek a revision of the judgment based on new facts in consonance with the ICJ’s Article of Status.

Their decision followed the adoption of a motion by Ekpeyong Uri (PDP, Cross Rivers), who deplored the ceding of Bakassi and the implementation of the ICJ judgment by Nigeria.

He said Nigeria can remedy the situation and cited Article 61 of the Status of the ICJ.

According to him, Nigeria would not be an exception in seeking for a review, saying, different countries have applied for the revision of the ICJ judgments.

He cited Elsavador and Honduras in 2002, the 1996 judgement between Yugoslavia and Bosnia Herzegovina in 2001 and Tunisia and Libya in 1982.

Uri said the Bakassi people wants a United Nations plebiscite where they wiould exercise their rights to self-determination.

Chairman, Committee on Business and Rules, Albert Sam-(PDP. Taraba) who, said Taraba was also affected by the judgment, emphasised the urgency in setting up the process of revision.

He said if nothing was done, the country would have lost its chances of reclaiming the Peninsula. ”If there are new facts, review can be applied for,” he added.

The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to voice vote by the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

7

NEWS Church prays for Nigeria

•GIVE US TOB ACCO CONTR OL LA W From left: Associate Director, International Communication, Campaign for Tabacco Free kids (CTFK), Yolanda Richardson, OBA CONTROL LAW Director, African Campaign, CTFK, Joshua Kyallo and Director, Corporate Accountability and Administration, Environmental Right Action (ERA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, at a meeting on tobacco control policies in Lagos… yesterday

A NON-interdenominational outreach, Mantle Prayer Ministry, yesterday began a prayer session for Nigeria.

The programme, which will run till July 21, is holding at Ewu-oliwo, Oke-Isimi, Sagamu, Ogun State.

The President of the Ministry, Pastor Isaac Olaomo, said the programme is important because the country needs prayers.

He said the theme: ‘the God of Covenant’ is to mobilise Nigerians to pray for the country in the face of the increasing socio-economic challenges.

Pastor Olaomo said God can make Nigeria triumph over its problems, if the people seek his face and walk in the path of righteousness.

EFCC arraigns Hembe, Azubuogu for alleged diversion of fund

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned the former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Markets and Institutions, Hon Herman Hembe and his deputy, Emeka Azubuogu, for alleged diversion of fund.

They are facing a two-count charge of diversion of public funds slammed against them before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.

Justice Sadiq Umar, at the last sitting, dismissed their preliminary objection to the charge.

The accused yesterday pleaded not guilty to the charge and the Judge granted them N1 million bail and with one surety in like sum each.

The sureties, according to the judge, must be resident in Abuja, while the Registrar of the court will verify compliance with the bail conditions.

Ruling on the oral bail application, Justice Sadiq held: “It is settled that bail is a constitutional right of an accused and the burden of denying accused persons bail lies with the constitution.

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

“The prosecution has not strictly led before me why the accused persons should not be granted bail…In my view, there is no justification for not allowing the accused persons to continue enjoying their administrative bail granted by the EFCC. “I hereby grant the accused persons bail in the sum of N1 million each with two sureties in like sum; the sureties must be responsible citizens living in Abuja and that must be verified by the Registrar of the court.”

Prosecuting counsel, Jeff Ojeifu, prayed the court to disregard the administrative bail granted the accused by the EFCC and remand Hembe and Ifeanyi in prison custody. This was shortly after they pleaded “not guilty” to the charge.

He urged the court “to take judicial notice of the rampancy of corruption in the country and order for their remand”, saying, “the issue of presumption of innocence does not apply at this stage of the trial.”

Hembe’s counsel, Mr. Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) and that of Azubuogu, Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), argued that the alleged of-

‘

The prosecution has not strictly led before me why the accused persons should not be granted bail…In my view, there is no justification for not allowing the accused persons to continue enjoying their administrative bail granted by the EFCC

‘

fences are bailable.

Okutepa urged the court to take judicial notice of the fact that the EFCC has granted the accused persons administrative bail without any

stringent conditions attached to it, having been convinced that they are responsible citizens and would not interfere with investigations.

The motion was brought pursuant to Sections 340 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) and Section 35 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), which presume an accused innocent until the contrary is proved.

He said: “This is a proper case for your Lordship to admit the accused persons to bail even suo motu and affirm that they should remain on bail on the same condition and terms they were allowed by the EFCC. EFCC’s prayer will be urging the court to persecute rather than prosecute and I urge the court to reject that.”

Adopting Okutepa’s argument, Ikpeazu urged the court to exercise bail discretion on the reasons that, “the nature of the offence before the court is bailable, the accused person is presumed innocent, the probability of the accused appearing for trial and the fact that there cannot be interference since investigation has been concluded.”

The EFCC called five witnesses yesterday.

The first Prosecution Witness (PW 1), who gave his name as Austin Adachi, a Senior Detective Superintendent with the EFCC, said investigation revealed that $4,095 was collected by each of the accused persons to attend a conference in Dominican Republic, which they did not attend.

He, however, added that, “available documents during investigation showed that the 1st accused person actually travelled” within the period.

Another witness, Usman Ibrahim, an Accounting Officer with SEC, told the court that the refund of unspent estacodes is not time-bound.

The two suspects allegedly converted to their own use $4095 each, about six hundred thousand Naira given to them by the SEC as traveling allowance to a conference in Dominican Republic in October, 2011.

The offence is contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The accused persons have filed a no case submission, which the court adjourned till October 8 for adoption.

Improve your service or leave, Senate tells GSM operators

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HE Senate yesterday asked the Global System of Mobile Telecommunications (GSM) operators in the country to improve their lingering poor services or leave the country.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Communications, Gilbert Nnaji, said the upper legislative house would invoke the law to either make the GSM operators perform or leave.

Nnaji said the GSM operators must be sensitive to the sufferings of Nigerians.

He spoke at the Committee’s Public Hearing on “The deteriorating service by GSM providers.”

He described as unacceptable, the claim by the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC), that of all the telecommunication service providers, it was only the MTN that is presently making profit since their commencement of operations in the country.

He said Nigerians deserved nothing short of the best in the area of telecommunications considering the huge investments the Federal Government had made in the sub-sector especially in the areas of tax holidays upon license acquisition to enable the operators deploy sufficient infrastructure.

National Communication Commission (NCC) Chief Executive, Dr. Eugene Juwah, told the committee that the Commission secured the cooperation of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to provide more telecommunication tower sites in Abuja as part of the plan to boost the quality of service within the FCT and its environs.

Juwah said based on the records

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor

made available to the regulatory body MTN was the only operator that is making profit.

The NCC boss cited the absence of commensurate infrastructure to contain the ever-increasing subscriber base and lack of enabling regulations to enforce compliance on the operators, as the major challenges facing NCC in ensuring that the service providers offer Nigerians better quality of service.

He added that some the problems were resolved in January this year when NCC procured a body of regulations upon-which it recently imposed N1.17 billion on the network providers that performed below the key performance indicators (KPI) set

by NCC. The GSM operators claimed that poor power supply, multiple taxation and regulations and insecurity of their facilities were factors militating against the attainment of a sustainable improved quality of service.

Minister for Power Prof. Barth Nnaji enumerated the efforts being made by his ministry to make steady power supply available to the public.

The minister noted that the haphazard manner the ministry was previously ran accounted for the prevailing power outage being experienced in parts of the country.

He urged the mobile operators to approach the ministry for mutual agreement on how interim special power supply could be provided for

them to enhance their operations.

The Acting Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS), Kabir Mashi, debunked the claim of multiple taxation as a hindrance to better quality of service.

He said the Constitution is explicit on the statutory taxes or levies payable by businesses to all tiers of government.

He challenged the operators to come up with evidences of any illegal demand for payment traceable to governmental agencies.

Senate President David Mark, who inaugurated the Public Hearing, decried persistent poor quality of service by the GSM firms.

Mark, who was represented by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator

•David Mark

George Akume, said the meeting was not for any other reason than an attempt to ensure that Nigerians get value for their money.

NMMA holds September 22

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HE Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA) will hold September 22, the organisers said yesterday.

The awards presentation will be preceded by other activities beginning from September 21.

The three-day Grand Award Presentation Programme is to be hosted by the Cross River State in Calabar.

About 1,279 entries were received from 854 entrants in the print, radio and television categories for this year’s awards.

In a statement by its General Administrator, Mr Eniola Ashaolu, the NMMA said the entries have been handed over to the 24-member

•1,279 entries for NMMA awards

By Chuks Udo Okonta

NMMA Panel of assessors.

He noted that this year’s submission marks the largest number of entries and entrants ever received in the history of the NMMA since inception in 1990.

He said a breakdown of the entries and entrants showed that 1,102 entries were received from 720 entrants in the print categories; 105 entries from 87 entrants in the radio categories and 72 entries were received from 47 entrants in the television categories.

Chief Administrator and member

of the NMMA Board of Trustees, Mr Yemi Akeju said: “It is also about 90 to100 per cent higher than the number of entries received last year. This confirms further the growing interest and confidence of serious media practitioners and institutions in the noble vision, objectives and achievements of the NMMA over the years.

“The almost 100 per cent increase in the number of entries and entrants, compared with the response last year, naturally means more work for the Panel of Assessors. We believe that the panel is up to the task. The credibility of the panel and its members has never been in doubt,

and this has rubbed off on the NMMA, year in, year out as shown in the wide acceptance of the NMMA list of distinguished award nominees and winners every year.”

Receiving the entries on behalf of the other members, Acting Chairman of the Panel of Assessors, Prof.

Ralph Akinfeleye, thanked the NMMA Board of Trustees for finding the members worthy to be judges of the entries.

He said: “The panel will assess each of the 1,279 entries, very well and in accordance with the Board of Trustees’ laid-down and established criteria. We would definitely not betray the confidence reposed in us.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

8

CITYBEATS Robbers kill policeman, expectant mother

Hit-and-run bus driver kills LASTMA official

By Jude Isiguzo

A POLICEMAN and a pregnant woman were killed by armed robbers in Badagry, Lagos on Tuesday.

The hoodlums were said to have hijacked a bullion van and carted away its content.

It was gathered that the van was hijacked at Mowo bus stop about 2.30pm.

Sources told The Nation that the armed robbers came in a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), which they used to block the bullion van and its accompanying vehicle.

They opened fire on them.

Policemen escorting the van responded and there was an exchange of gunfire, which reportedly lasted 10 minutes.

It was during the shooting that a policeman was killed. the pregnant woman was waiting at the bus stop at the time of the robbery.

Sources told The Nation that one of the armed robbers was also wounded by the policemen but he was whisked away by his gang.

Some other bystanders were reportedly wounded as they scampered for safety.

Police spokesperson Ngozi Braide confirmed the incident.

Man arraigned for assaulting Okotie

By Tumininu Owolabi

AN EX-PIANIST of the Household of God Church, Okiotor Dafiagbor, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate's Court, Lagos, for allegedly assaulting the General Overseer of the Church, Pastor Chris Okotie.

The 40-year-old Dafiagbor was arraigned before the court on a three-count charge of breach of public peace, assault and threats.

The prosecutor, Inspector Samson Ekikere, said Dafiagbor on July 15 at 10 a.m. stormed the church located at Oregun, Lagos and unlawfully threatened and insulted the Pastor Okotie, over the latter's alleged failure to redeem a sum of money promised him.

Ekikere told the court that the ex-pianist willfully prevented the officiating ministers from holding service and threatened them in front of the congregation while he allegedly using derogative words against the ministers.

Ekikere said Dafiagbor was shouting on all the ministers that the church allegedly owed him for the service he rendered while he was a pianist between 1995 and 2009, adding that the accused person claimed that he was supposed to be paid N20, 000 per service.

The prosecutor said the alleged offences contravened Sections 166 (1) (d), 125 126 of the Criminal Code Law, No II, Vol.44, Laws of Lagos State, 2011. Dafiagbor, however, pleaded not guilty to the three count charge of assault and breach of public peace preferred against him.

The magistrate, Mrs Taiwo Akanni granted the defendant N50,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum. Akanni held that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused. She adjourned the case to October 23.

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

A

TRAFFIC officer with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mustapha Najeem Adeleke, was allegedly killed on Tuesday by the driver of a blue Volkswagen LT Bus with registration number LSR 942XC. The incident happened while the deceased was at his duty post at Oke-Afa, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), alongside other colleagues.

A LASTMA official, who witnessed the incident, explained that the deceased was on the road controlling traffic when the bus driver, Mr. Haruna Nuru, drove against traffic from Isolo end of the road and hit the officer from behind.

By Miriam Ndikanwu

He said the deceased was among the team drafted to the area to enforce driving against traffic from Mile 2 area.

The driver having noticed that he had hit a LASTMA official ran away with the vehicle and but was apprehended at Abimbola road, Limca area by Aye Bus Stop, after Isolo Bus Stop and handed over to the police.

Mustapha was rushed to the Isolo General Hospital where he was confirmed dead. The remains has been deposited at the hospital's morgue.

LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Babatunde Edu, who confirmed the incident described it as unfortunate, adding that the

suspect had been handed over to the Police at Okota Police Station.

He commiserated with Adeleke's family and prayed that God will grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

Edu, who flayed the way residents flout traffic laws, said the government will not relent in enforcing the law.

He advised motorists to obey the law and desist from the act of attacking, maiming or assaulting traffic officers who are working hard to ensure that traffic moves seamlessly.

The late Mr Adeleke joined the Lagos State Civil Service in 2002 as a Traffic Assistant. He was aged 34 years and married with children.

•Adeleke

Edun inaugurates water project in Ikoyi •Charges community on maintenance

F

ORMER Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Olawale Edun, has inaugurated a pipe-borne water project at the Nigeria Prison Barracks, Ikoyi.

The project was inaugurated for the use of the residents of the barrack, under the Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

Edun, who was represented by the Special Senior Assistant to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Foreign Affairs, Ms Oluwatoyin CaxtonMartins, urged residents to ensure they maintain the facility.

He said: "When projects of this magnitude are done, it is imperative that members of such communities who are direct beneficiaries cooperative in sustaining it.

"I am here on my own right because this is my constituency, but I am also here as the representative of Hon. Wale Edun, who unfortunately could not be here.

This synergy between the Lagos State government, Water Corporation and the Nigeria Prison, Ikoyi is very significant. We want to state that this project would not have been possible without the residents who incidentally are part of us.

"We have to continue to ensure that every area of our existence can

•From left: Ogunshola, Ms Caxton-Martins (cutting the tape), Deputy Comptroller, Nigeria Prisons, Ikoyi, Olu Ogunkeye (right) and Superintendent Peters Akpan at the ceremony P HOTO: INNOCENT AMOMOH

By Innocent Amomoh

be given a face lift. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has made promises to this local government. What have been done at the state level cannot be denied, but I hope that the effort of the party in this locality will be appreciated, starting with this project. It has been said that ‘Water has no enemy’ for that reason, let's all try to maintain and sustain the good work that we just inaugurated. It will serve our mutual benefits.”

The Comptroller of the Nigeria Prisons, Ikoyi, represented by his deputy, Olu Ogunkeye, challenged well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the good works of Edun, who is also a leader of the ACN in the area.

He said: "When this started, we thought it was going to be a flash in

the pan. But when the Water Corporation's Technical Director Zaccheaus Ogunshola assured us of the readiness to complete this project, I heaved a sigh of relief.

"This could only be possible because of the links that exist between the government and the people. We want to thank those that provided that link. We appreciate everyone who has made this possible."

While commending Edun for his selfless service to the community, Ogunshola reaffirmed his organisation's readiness to provide all the technical support as partners of the state government.

He said: "This is part of the 10 cardinal points of Governor Fashola to alleviate the sufferings of the people. But for an individual to take

Lagos cautions banks over faulty masts •Calls for cooperation

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HE Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development (MPPUD) has called on banks to maintain their existing communications masts and towers and to pull down weak ones that are still occupying airspace in the state.

General Manager, Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit (UFRU) of the ministry, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said this at a recent stakeholders' meeting involving all banks operating in the state.

Igbokwe said the measure became necessary, following the incessant collapse of masts and towers in the state, damaging property worth billions of naira and in some cases, claiming lives of

people and leaving many in critical health conditions.

He said there was need to remind them of the letters written to them to submit the list of all their existing structure for database, and to be prepared to subject all masts and tower structure to integrity test. He further explained that it would remain illegal for any bank to build mast, towers or antennae in the Lagos metropolis without seeking permit from UFRU, the body empowered by PPUD to regulate masts and towers installation in the state. He called on the banks to corporate with UFRU, to enable Lagos government serve the banks and their customers better.

According to him, "the whole

essence of regulation is to forestall the incidence of mast collapse in the state, which has claimed lives and destroyed property worth billions of naira in the past."

Igbokwe warned that if the banks failed to pull down their weak masts and towers, UFRU, would embark on such exercise at the expense of the banks as it did in the past.

In response, majority of the banks, who were present at the stakeholders' meeting, spoke with one voice, and promised to corporate with the state government in its move to save lives and property in the state.

The Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, had last month, held a similar meeting with telecoms operators, who are also involved with masts and antennae

it upon himself to provide water for this community is commendable.

Water is life and very important to the wellbeing of the people.

"The governor is passionate about water supply in the state and he holds sessions with us on how important he takes water supply.

We want to assure the government that we will continue to play our role to support its projects.

"I want to also assure you that we will not fail in our responsibility to keep this tap flowing and the only thing we want to ask of the people is that any time they see any leakage, they should report to our Ikoyi office. If the water is not flowing as expected or if there's a burst pipe, they should report quickly and in a matter hours it will be attended to promptly.” for transmitting voice and data services.

Although telecoms operators also welcomed the development of regulating to save lives and property in the state, they however advised the state government to align with the Federal Government agencies such as National Environmental Standards, Regulatory and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and others, to avoid double regulations and multiple taxation.

Worried by the indiscriminate installation of communications masts and towers and the perceived danger they pose to environment, the Lagos State Government in May this year, established UFRU through the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, to regulate the activities of mast operators, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the area of masts and towers installations.

9

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

CITYBEATS

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

NDLEA seized N2.5b drugs at MMA in six months

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HE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it intercepted 227.055 kilogrammes of drugs at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos in the first half of the year.

The drugs, seized from 63 suspected traffickers between January and June this year, have an estimated value of N2.5 billion.

The NDLEA Airport Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar, gave the breakdown of the seized drugs as follows; cannabis, 72.350kg, methamphetamine 46.25kg, cocaine 43.505kg, heroin 33.15kg and ephedrine 31.8kg.

According to Hamza, "a total of 63 suspected drug traffickers were apprehended between January and June 2012. Male suspects are 53, while females are 10. The command also recorded two abandoned seizures within the period under review. The first was 16kg of heroin in April and 160 grammes of methamphetamine in June."

NDLEA's Chairman/Chief Executive Ahmadu Giade, said the Agency will continue to financially incapacitate drug traffickers through prompt seizures of drugs.

In his words: "The efforts of the NDLEA are better appreciated when drug seizures are computed and analysed. The cheering news

By Jude Isiguzo

is that we have taken away the sum of N2.5 billion worth of drugs from local drug barons.

In international markets, this value could be five times higher.

The Agency will continue to enhance peace and safety through regular drug seizures and prosecution of drug offenders.”

The NDLEA boss added that with improved funding, better logistics and enhanced welfare package for officers, we hope to surpass current results in the days ahead. He also appealed to members of the public to be active stakeholders in the fight to eradicate narcotics in the country.

•From left: Senior Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor on Social Welfare, Mr. Abiodun Ogunrinde, wife of the Governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola and Director, Social Development, Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development, Mr. Abdullahi Musbau, at a workshop on Substance Abuse, Addiction and Mental Illness in Lagos...

Residents, rights group condemn Makoko’s demolition

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HUMAN rights group and residents of Makoko yesterday described as unlawful the 72-hour notice given home owners before the commencement of the demolition of houses in the coastal settlement.

Executive Director, Social and Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC), Mr. Felix Morka who was in Makoko, Lagos, said the eviction notice was "wrong and in total violation of the rule of law.”

Morka said although SERAC had previously enlightened Makoko residents on the danger of building houses in unauthorised areas, giving homeowners such a short notice was unkind.

He said: "We condemn the action taken by the Lagos State Ministry of Waterfront and Infrastructure Development, it was done without proper notice.

"Giving people 72 hours to vacate their homes, under any circumstance, is difficult

and shows lack of understanding.”

He, however, called for total restructuring of the community with a view to generating revenue and turning the community into a tourist centre.

“Half of the fish that is eaten in Lagos is produced in this community, so we can make Makoko a revenue-generating place by investing here and making it a place where tourists can always visit,'' he said.

Mr. John Maotin, a Makoko community leader, said homeowners in the area on July 12, received their first eviction order which stated that the community would be used for social amenities.

According to Maotin, the notice stated that "every owner, occupier, resident of Makoko, Iwaya, Sokoro waterfront and water bodies should quit within 72 hours".

He added that for the fishing community of about

one million population, there was no alternative place where they could ply their trade.

“Our population is high, we are fishermen and there is no other place we can go to perform our work.

"We live and work on the water, we contribute largely to the development of Lagos and the nation, so we plead with the government to allow us to stay here,'' said the Makoko resident.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

10

NEWS

Students’ leader dies in Ondo

By Damisi Ojo, Akure

T

• Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (second right); Deputy Governor Segun Adesegun (second left); House of Assembly Speaker Suraj Ishola Adekunbi (left); and chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Alhaji Tajudeen Bello, at a meeting of ACN leadership with the party’s chairmanship and councillorship candidates in Abeokuta...yesterday

Why we set up Security Trust Fund, by Ajimobi O YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has said his administration set up a security trust fund to assist the police and other security agencies to maintain peace, order and security.

The fund will be launched today at the Ibadan Civic Centre at 11am.

The governor said though the state has been comparatively peaceful, the security challenge confronting other states made it imperative for his administration to take proactive steps to avert likely breaches.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, the governor noted that daily security challenges, including incessant armed robbery, burglary, rape and clashes of miscreants in adjoining states, prompted the administration to prepare for a secured environment that would make security breaches impossible.

He said: “The …Security Trust Fund is targeted at leveraging on the symbiotic relationship between the public and private sector in combating a common menace of increasing security challenge.

“Overtime, the public and private sectors and their runners have come to find out that violence, in whatever disguise - whether in the form of armed robbery or a general state of disorder - combines to shut down public peace and thus stifles business, if it doesn’t totally grinds it to a halt.”

The governor described security as a joint enterprise

Dangote, Tinubu, others for fund’s launch today

USINESS mogul and President of Dangote Group of Industries, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Mr. Oba Otudeko; and the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola Alao, are among the dignitaries expected at the launch of the Oyo State Security Trust Fund today.

Others are: the National Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; ACN National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, traditional rulers, captains of industry, bank chiefs and leaders of organisations.

The Nigerian Army, the Navy, Air Force, the police, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency

(NDLEA), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), the State Security Service (SSS), as well as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) are also expected to be represented at the occasion.

A statement yesterday in Ibadan, the state capital, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said the fund is the brainchild of the Abiola Ajimobi administration.

The statement reads: “Although Oyo State has not witnessed any major security challenge since the advent of this administration, the cases of security challenges being faced by many of the adjoining states, as recorded in the media, gave birth to this proactive inclination of the government...”

By Emmanuel Oladesu,

combating crimes. More essentially, because of this poor funding from the Federal Government and the neglect of policing over the years, provision of modern equipment has proven terse or unavailable.

“Though the task of securing the environment is at the core of police duties, equally fundamental problems beg for its attention. Chief among this is the implosion in the Nigerian

B

Deputy Political Editor

involving the government and other stakeholders. He assured that the initiative would bear good fruits.

Ajimobi said: “What further makes the idea of a Security Trust Fund imperative is the apparent paucity of funds accruable to the police and other security apparatuses from the Federal Government in

population, which calls for more sophisticated equipment and greater funding of the security of the citizens. These make the need for government and organisations of like minds to come together as a group to fund crime-combat appealing, necessary and urgent.

“The challenges of policing in society thus conspire to make the police seemingly incapable or unable to address the problem of constant security challenges that are witnessed in the society. A security trust fund will thus go a long way in safeguarding our society and putting the security apparatus in good stead to fight crimes.

“From the security survey done by the Oyo State Government, it was discovered that the challenge of the security agencies in the state is not that of incapability to deal with the menace of security challenges, but essentially paucity of equipment, as it relates to logistics, mobility, communications, kitting and allied needs.

“On the part of the state government, the fund budgeted for or available for the provision of security is also not limitless. As a government that is committed to uplift the people and has sworn to restore the lost glory of the state, and considering the meager resources at its disposal, the task of securing the environment is quite daunting, even though not surmountable.”

Pupils sing for Mandela at 94 Continued from page 1 opened a new library for the NoMoscow Primary School in Qunu, ahead of his meeting with Mr Mandela.

He told the children - believed in the future and not the past.

“When I think about Mandela I always think about someone committed to the future,” Clinton said.

US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, also paid tributes to Mr Mandela.

The US first couple hailed Mr Mandela’s “extraordinary life and steadfast commitment to the principles of democracy and reconciliation”.

Mandela’s birthday is traditionally celebrated with the poor communities receiving help from those who are more fortunate.

To celebrate the number of years Mr Mandela spent in public life, people are encouraged to spend at least 67 minutes of their time helping those who are less fortunate.

The guest list for a private lunch with Mr Mandela was kept a closely guarded secret.

South Africans celebrated with giant cakes, mass renditions of “Happy Birthday” But beyond the mawkish tributes to South Africa’s first black president, the day revealed the unseemly scramble among companies, politicians and charities for a slice of the reflected glory of “Madiba”.

The ANC released a 1,450 word eulogy to its totemic former leader, exhorting the country’s 50 million people to “continue to

build the South Africa of Madiba’s dreams”.

Yet only last week, anti-apartheid heroine and Mandela ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was accusing the ANC in a leaked letter of “shabby treatment” of the family and wanting to wheel them out only “when we have to be used for some agenda”.

The “67 minutes” Mandela Day charity push has also re-opened old wounds amid criticism it is merely a vehicle for whites and the newly rich black elite to assuage the guilt of living at the top of what remains one of the most unequal societies, even 18 years after the end of apartheid.

Leading the charge was Luther Lebelo, head of an ANC branch in Johannesburg, who wrote an article in the Sowetan newspaper suggesting the day was about “little

cosmetic charity activities” that only served to perpetuate class divisions.

The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, as the official guardians of his image are known, hit back in the same paper, taking particular exception to Lebelo’s reference to the “so-called Mandela Foundation”.

The jibe reflects a view widely held among South Africa’s overwhelming black majority that whites have managed to co-opt Mandela and his image since the first all-race elections in 1994.

The Mandela centre has also become embroiled in a commercial battle with members of his family over the selling of Mandelabranded clothing via its ‘46664’ fashion range, named after the number he was given during his 27 years in prison.

HE Vice-President of the Ondo State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Aremo Gbenga Oyebode (aka Ibile), is dead.

He was a student of the Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Owo, Owo Local Government of Ondo State.

The late Oyebode reportedly died at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo. He was among the students who were injured in last weekend’s accident on the Emure-Ile/Owo Road when they were returning from Abuja after giving Governor Olusegun Mimiko the association’s award as Best Governor.

Three of the students’ leaders died instantly. They are: Awopegba Oluwaseun, President of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA); Akintola Abiodun, President, Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Ondo; and Oyinkan Olotu of Ondo State School of Midwifery, Akure.

The Nation learnt that the late Oyebode, a native of Idepe in Okitipupa Local Government Area, died of alleged neglect.

The late students’ leader, it was learnt, lost too much blood and there was not enough fund to give him blood transfusion.

Some hours before his death, one of Oyebode’s friends, Soji Akodu Asiwaju wrote on his facebook wall: “Gbenga Oyebode (Ibile) NANS Vice President (External Affairs) needs blood urgently at FMC, Owo. “He is “O” Positive (universal donor) I am told. If you are in Owo or anywhere near, please save his life by donating blood to him. God will reward you as you do this. Please, broadcast until it gets to people that can help! Please, call 08109949294 for details.”

However, the late 400-Level English Language student reportedly died few hours later.

The FMC Public Relations Officer (PRO) Olu Yusuf said he could not give details on the death because he was not aware of the latest development.

He said: “Please, give me time to check from the ward. I will get back to you thereafter for confirmation.”

Amosun hailed for redeploying Youth Corps members From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

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HE National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) yesterday hailed the Ibikunle Amosun administration for redeploying National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from the state from serving in volatile parts of the North.

The students also hailed the state’s lawmakers for advising the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to seek a court order that would compel the NYSC authorities to pull Ogun indigenes from Jos, the Plateau State capital, and other trouble spots in the North.

Addressing reporters in Abeokuta, the state capital, NAOSS President Nurain Olatunbosun said the carnage in the North, amid Federal Government’s seemingly ineffectiveness in arresting it, is frightening.

He noted that the governor’s steps to save the young graduates should be commended.

Olatunbosun said: “The state government is being sensitive to the plight of brothers and sisters up there in the North. We, Ogun State students in tertiary institutions across the country, are worried about the violence and waste of lives in the North.

“It is in this perspective we commend the Ogun State Government for showing concern for our NYSC members in some parts of the country. No one has the right to take the life of other, especially the lives of innocent people.”

The students’ leader urged youths in the state, particularly students, to remain law-abiding and avoid being used by “selfserving politicians” to perpetrate “violence or act capable of subverting the electoral process” during the Saturday Local Government elections in Ogun State.

‘Our members still in ACN’

By Damisi Ojo, Akure

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GROUP in Ondo State, Ilaje Democratic Forum (IDF), yesterday said none of its members has defected to either the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or the ruling Labour Party (LP).

In a statement by its leaders - Nimbe Tawose, Arowolo Ebiwano, Oluyide Mekuleyi and Segun Enikanologbon – the group said its members are intact.

It described the rumour as a deliberate attempt by some disgruntled elements to cause disaffection between its members and the leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The statement said it was the unanimous decision of IDF members in the state to work for the success of ACN governorship candidate, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), in the October 20 governorship election.

It explained that some ACN members, who defected to the PDP last week, were not members of IDF. The group said it would soon begin house-to-house education of voters on why they should vote for ACN. Reaffirming its commitment to the party’s victory at the poll, the group leaders urged the residents to see ACN as the only party with genuine programmes that would liberate the state from the shackles of economic hardship.

“We have not lost any of our members in the state to either the PDP or LP. Those behind the rumour are doing so deliberately to cause a crisis between us and ACN,” the statement added.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

PHCN workers bar Ministry, TCN officials From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

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TAFF of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) yesterday prevented workers of the Ministry of Power and officials of Transition Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Manitoba Hydro of Canada from gaining access to the PHCN headquarters over alleged government’s refusal to conclude negotiations with them.

The Nation gathered that top officials from the ministry and Manitoba visited the headquarters of the PHCN, with the intention of carrying out a formal hand over of the headquarters to the new management firms, which won the bid to manage the TCN through a bidding conducted by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

TCN is one of the 18 successor companies of the PHCN in the power reform.

The workers came in their numbers to stage a protest but they met armed soldiers keeping guard.

The issues at stake, it was learnt, are the outstanding severance package for the workers, the 53 per cent salary increase, N18, 000 minimum wage, which are yet to be settled.

The workers were insisting that until the government addressed all pending issues, they would not allow any take over.

But while reacting to the issue yesterday, the Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji, said the government was working on the Power Reform and whoever was against it must stay aside.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil - $123.6/barrel Cocoa - $2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold - $1,800/troy ounce Rubber - ¢159.21pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N6.503 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -12.6% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending-22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -14.18% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $34.6b FOREX CFA 0.2958 EUR 206.9 £ 245 $ 156.4 ¥ 1.9179 SDR 241 RIYAL 40.472

You will be surprised that we have some of these tractors in this country but they are all obsolete or need refurbishment. So if we have the arrangement to provide the spare parts and workshop where the tractors can be repaired when they set spoilt, then we are making sense..

- Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture

Jonathan sends PIB to NASS P

RESIDNET Goodluck Jonathan has sent the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) 2012 to the National Assembly.

According to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani AlisonMadueke, the bill was despatched yesterday morning after what she described as “indept review”.

She spoke to State House Correspondents at the end of yesterday’s weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Jonathan.

She noted that the new bill was the outcome of the review of the former bill, adding that other versions that were said to be in circulation were fake.

Displaying the authentic hard copy to the press, the minister announced that the soft copy of the new document would be available on

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

the website of the Petroleum Ministry later on yesterday evening.

She said: “This is, therefore, the definitive petroleum industry bill and we expect that it will receive due consideration in the National Assembly.

“There is no other Petroleum Industry Bill for 2012.

We have seen various adaptations appearing in the media, particularly online, that did not come from the Federal Government of Nigeria and we are unaware of who posted them on these sites.

“There is only one Petroleum Industry Bill 2012, which has been released today for the first time to the National Assembly and will, therefore, be available on the Ministry of Petroleum Resources site by this evening for down loading.

“You will notice that inside the bill there are water marks including a signing across each page that says the Petroleum Industry Bill for 2012 and the Coat of Arms of the nation and this is the only Petroleum Industry Bill that we have produced.

“Therefore, all other versions or adaptations are not valid and have never been. I will like all Nigerians to please take note.

She said: “The Petroleum Industry Bill 2012 was forwarded by Mr President to the National Assembly this morning after indept review we have consolidated a major scope of input into what is now the petroleum industry bill. “ As I said before, we have taken into consideration what was done and put before the Sixth Assembly, but we have had to review it in

25 firms bid for six power plants, says BPE

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• Jonathan

great detail and rework the bill to reflect as much as possible the entire spectrum of what we considered will be the substantial strategic framework for the petroleum industry and the amalgamation of over 16 laws in the oil and gas sector, that will carry this nation in that sector for the years to come.”

WENTY-FIVE firms have sent technical and financial proposals to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) on the four thermal and two hydropower stations, the body said in a statement, yesterday.

BPE spokesman, Chukwuma Nwokoh, said the agency had given a July 17 deadline for the submission of bids from potential investors for the six electricity generation companies.

The power stations are Ughelli Power Plc and Sapele Power Plc in Delta State.

Others are GereguPower Plc in Kogi and Afam Power Plc in Rivers.

The hydropower firms are the Kainji Power Plc — comprising power stations in Niger and Kwara (Jebba Power plant) and Shiroro Power Plc. The statement said July 31 has been set as deadline for the next stage of the privatisation that would be the harvest of the bidders’technical and financial proposals for distribution companies.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the 11 distribution companies on sale, are located in Abuja, Benin, Enugu, Eko (Lagos), Ibadan, Ikeja, Port Harcourt, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, and Yola.

It said the technical bids would be evaluated between August 14 and 28 , while the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) would approve the final results on September 11.

Inflation rises to 12.9% • From left: Minister of Lands and Urban Development, Ms Ama Pepple; her Power counterpart, Prof Barth Nnaji and Mrs PHOTO: AKIN OLADOKUN Alison-Madueke, displaying the PIB document at the briefing ... yesterday.

T

Reps summon Okonjo-Iweala, others over $500m that the $500million HE House of Reprepayment to Transcorp plained and the interest were part of sentatives has sum-

moned the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and some agencies over $500million payment to Trans International Corporation (Transcorp).

The money was allegedly paid by the government despite the company’s failure to comply with the sale purchase agreement on the privatisation of Nigerian Telecommunication Limited (NITEL) and its Global System for Mobile Telecommunication (GSM),Mobile Telecommunication Limited (Mtel).

The agencies are Debt Management Office (DMO); Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

They are to explain the reasons for the difference in connectivity rate of N11 for private operators against N5.50 for Mtel that put it at a disadvantage.

Chairman, House Committee on Information Com-

From Dele Anofi, Abuja

munication Technology, Ibrahim Gusau, stated this at the end of a two-day public hearing on the privatisation of NITEL. The development is coming on the heels of the accusation against the Presidency by the Management of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) over its sale procedure of NITEL and Mtel.

BPE alleged that the Presidency paid $500million and the accrued interest to Transcorp despite its failure to comply with the sale purchase agreement on the privatisation of the two companies.

The lawmakers were also seeking answers for the sale of NITEL property at N1.7billion to a private company, sold to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for N17billion the following year.

While the joint Committee expressed doubts over the liquidation of NITEL and Mtel, the lawmakers deplored the sale of the companies as ‘scrap price’.

In view of this, the BPE was asked to provide documents used for payment of salaries, allowances, severance packages and other expenses to the ex-workers of both companies as well as approvals for the inclusion of the $500million into NITEL liabilities.

But, in her response, BPE’s Director-General, Bolanle Onagoruwa, said the payments were contrary to norms whereby the BPE retained initial deposit of $130million of the $1.3billion bid price by ILL and later converted to equity based on the original bid of $1.3billion for 51 per cent equity.

Furthermore, she ex-

the debts transferred to NITEL, adding that no efforts were made to recover the profit during the three years of failed operations.

Meanwhile, the BPE boss has called for an investigation into the sale of the NITEL property in Abuja and the activities of appointed NITEL liquidator(s).

She said: “I cannot defend the property behind FCDA because I don’t know the circumstances surrounding the property. You need to call the liquidator of NITEL property to order”.

According to her, the BPE intervened in the sale of NECON House with the help of the Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

She, however, said the National Council on Privatisation has given the approval to her agency to pay 10 months’ salary arrears to operational staff of NITEL.

N

IGERIA’S consumer price inflation rose marginally in June, statistics showed yesterday, supporting expectations that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will hold interest rates steady at 12 per cent next week.

Consumer price inflation rose to 12.9 per cent year-onyear in June, up from 12.7 per cent in May, while food price inflation eased to 12 per cent year-on-year from 12.9 per cent in May, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said. “(CPI) change could be partly attributable to persistent increase in the prices of some farm produce, such as yam tubers as well as the increase in the electricity tariff,” an NBS document said.

Core inflation, which excludes volatile agricultural produce, remained stubbornly high, rising to 15.2 per cent yearon-year, up from 14.9 per cent in May. The CBN wants consumer price inflation in single digits but has accepted that the headline figure is likely to peak at around 14 per cent later this year.

The regulator may keep its benchmark interest rate on hold at 12 per cent for the fourth meeting running, citing the need to balance inflationary concerns with slowing economic growth.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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BUSINESS NEWS

CBN: Banks’daily e-payment transactions hit N75b

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AILY e-payment transactions conducted through the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) has risen to N75 billion, following the introduction of the cash-less banking initiative, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said.

Speaking yesterday at the ongoing CBN Annual Workshop for Finance Correspondents and Editors in Akure, Ondo State, its Head, Shared Services, Chidi Umeano, said based on the NIBSS data obtained on July 17, this year, N155 million worth of transactions were done

By Collins Nweze, Akure

by Point of Sale (PoS) terminals; N520, 000 transactions were consummated

by Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), while the rest were executed through the NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP) platform.

He explained that a variety of benefits are expected to be delivered by various stakeholders from an increased utilisation of e-payment systems. For the Federal Government, he said the use of e-payment will translate firmer grip on monetary policy, and its

attendant effects on inflation and economic stability.

It will also translate to increased or transparent tax collection, greater financial inclusion and increased economic development among other benefits.

Umeano listed the benefits accruable to companies to include faster access to capital, reduced revenue leakage and cash handling costs. Consumers are expected to benefit from increased conveniences, more service options, reduced risk of cash-related crimes and cheaper access

to online services as well as increased access to credit.

For banks, the benefits include efficiency through electronic payment processing, reduced cost of corporation cash handling and increased banking penetration.

He explained that stakeholders are also working together to increase the alternative channel penetration, functionality and ease-of-use.

Umeano said PoS deployment has been on the increase since December 2011, adding that cumulative numbers deployed or connected to NIBSS stood at 88,622 as at July 1, this year, representing over 100 per cent above the 5,992 recorded at the end of January 2012.

He noted that the cashless initiative has tremendous benefits for the people and the economy.

“The funds saved from

cash handling charges can be ploughed into infrastructure development. It would also mean that majority of Nigerians would stop subsidising the cash handling cost of heavy cash users,” he said.

He explained that only 10 per cent of branch transactions in Nigeria are above N150, 000 and they make up about 77 per cent of the value of cash transactions in the country’s financial system.

Sanusi seeks infrastructure bank

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O bridge the infrastructure gap in Nigeria, the Federal Government should set up a bank to fund projects in the sector, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Lamido Sanusi, has said.

He spoke yesterday at the Third Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission ( I C R C ) P u b l i c PrivatePartnership (PPP) stakeholders forum in Abuja.

In a paper entitled: The role of development finance institutions in infrastructure development in Nigeria, Sanusi said: “Nigeria could pursue such a model, whereby a new governmentowned bank is created that can raise tax-free bonds to fund projects.”

The bank, he said, “could be financed from funds recovered

From Nduka Chiejina, Assistant Editor

from petrol subsidy removal and equipped with professional and qualified management recruited globally. Funding could be by way of noncallable tier-two capital, returning a decent rate of return to the Ministry of Finance.”

Sanusi pointed out that “in terms of lending, the proposed bank could lend to projects based on a selection criteria with a moratorium of up to seven years at single digit interest rates repayable over 20-30 years. The government would earn money from the interest and share of the PPP arrangements. The operating and management fees, consultancy and project manage-

ment, as well as loan loss provisioning could be covered by a minimal yet competitive spread.”

He also suggested that the government “could have a requirement where a minimum of 70 per cent of the Bank’s portfolio must be invested in hard infrastructure ( seaports, airports, railways, highway, power plants etc), while 30 per cent can be reserved for financing procurement (e.g., ships, trains, aircrafts etc).”

The CBN he said “is strongly of the opinion that without adequate infrastructure, the Nigerian Economy cannot overcome its structural challenges and achieve sustainable growth and development.”

• Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Ms Evelyn Oputu, beating a talking drum at a conference entitled: Showcasing Nigeria, at the Olympic Games in London.

Court orders CBN, NNPC, others to pay firm N3.1b debt

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LAGOS High Court has ordered four Federal Government agencies, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to defray a N3.1 billion judgment debt entered against an oil marketing firm, Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited.

The debt is owed to another firm, Brittania-U Nigeria Limited.

Justice Oludotun AdefopeOkojie, in a ruling last Friday, made absolute, an earlier garnishee order nisi made against the government agencies, who are in custody of funds belonging to the judgment debtor, Capital Oil and Gas. Other government agencies affected by the order include the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and the Debt Management Office (DMO).

By the order, the agencies are to hold and pay over to Brittania-U funds (as represented in sovereign debt notes) accruing to Capital Oil to offset its judgment debt.

By Eric Ikhilae

In justifying its order against the CBN, the court noted that the bank did not dispute the fact that the third and fourth garnishees (Petroleum Equalisation Fund (Management) Board And Debt Management Office ) issue sovereign debt notes to petroleum marketers which notes are redeemed at CBN by payment to the contractor.

The court discharged the garnishee order earlier made against the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (Management) Board on the ground that it deposed to the fact that there are no claims outstanding in favour of the judgment debtor that has been processed, approved or verified for payment.

The debt resulted from a transaction between Brittania-U and Capital Oil and Gas which saw the oil marketing firm buying two cargoes of 18,000 metric tonnes of Automative Gas Oil (AGO) and 30,711.20 metric tonnes of premium motor spirit (PMS) from

Brittania-U in 2009. Capital Oil’s bankers, Skye Bank provided an irrevocable bank guarantee covering the value of the transaction, a guarantee the bank failed to honour.

Dissatisfied, Brittania went to court, with parties later agreeing to a consent judgment in November 28, 2011. By the judgment, Capital Oil agreed to discharge its indebtedness to Brittania-U in three instalments, to be paid between November 25, 2011 and February, 29, 2012.

Capital Oil was said to have later reneged after paying N1 billion in December, 2011 leaving a balance of N3.1 billion, plus interest.

To enforce the consent judgment endorsed by Justice Adefope-Okojie, Brittania-U went back to the court initiated the garnishee proceedings and obtained the garnishee order nisi which the court made absolute on July 13, 2012 against monies accruing to Capital Oil from the four government agencies to be made payable to Brittania-U to offset the debts.

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INDUSTRY

FIIRO debunks IITA’s claim on cassava flour research

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HO conducted the research on cassava flour for use in baking bread between the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)?

IITA claimed to have conducted the research and found cassava flour invaluable for baking bread.

But on Monday in Lagos, FIIRO said it and not IITA conducted the research.

The Institute said it was not right for IITA today claim to an innovation which another institution devoted considerable time and resources to work on.

Speaking at a forum organised by the Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN), at the Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Industry,Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) House, FIIRO’s Director-General, Mrs Gloria Elemo said the institute had worked on the innovation for over three decades.

Flour millers unpatriotic, says Minister

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INISTER of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr Akinwunmi Adesina has described flour millers as unpatriotic for undermining the government’s policy on the substitution of cassava for wheat in bread making.

He said a miller travelled to the United States (US) to assure wheat growers of continued patronage despite the government’s directive that what importation be scaled Stories by Toba Agboola

FIIRO, she said had also been training prospective entrepreneurs including cassava processors on the technology of high quality cassava flour (HQCF), adding that this is being done to ensure steady

Minister canvasses patronage of made in Nigeria goods

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INISTER of State for Trade and Investment Mr Samuel Ortom has said patronage of local goods would boost the growth of indigenous industries.

According to the him, patronising local products will help generate jobs and also create wealth for Nigerians.

Ortom said: “We must begin to patronise made-in-Nigeria products. Let us begin to look inwards. Today we talk about China, we talk about America; we talk about Europe. If you go back, 30 years ago, these people had closed shop and were only looking within their country and what they could produce.

“In Nigeria, we have a lot of potential, the resources are there, and the human capacity is there to translate these things into finished products. Let’s be proud of what is produced in Nigeria.

And by doing that, we are helping ourselves, we are helping the economy and all these other challenges we are having today, be it security, unemployment, we would see that they would be gone.”

The minister, who was at the

pan-African Competitive Forum in Abuja, at the weekend asserted that the group’s initiative was timely as the government was working to boost the nonoil sector of the economy “At this time that government is trying to turn away from just oil revenue to other sectors that can develop the economy. If it takes off, it would create opportunities and generate employment and it would also create wealth for millions of Nigerians who are roaming the streets,” Ortom said.

Speaking earlier, the initiator of the forum, Director General, Raw Material Research and Development Agency (RMADC), Mr Peter Onwualu, said the aim of the group is to work towards emergence of clusters that would drive the country’s industrialisation process.

He added that to drive technology, there was need to develop the cluster process nationwide.

“What we are doing is to drive the emergence of innovative clusters in Nigeria, especially clusters of SMEs that produce goods and services that are competitive,” he said.

down.

What importation, he said, is killing the economy.

Adesina spoke at the presentation of a set of incentives to enhance cassava production to meet the 40/60 per cent cassava/wheat ratio in bread produced in the country.

He said: “Nigeria is the highest cassava producer in the world with 40 million metric tons per year but we are also the highest importer of wheat.

We spend N63 billion yearly

importing wheat from the US; whereas the cassava we produce can be used to replace wheat in bread making.”

Although, few bakers have started implementing a 20 per cent cassava bread initiative, the millers are yet to key into the policy, Adesina said.

He challenged the millers to “rise and be patriotic by supporting government policies,” and dismissed fears of the hygienic quality of bread made with cassava.

supply of high quality cassava flour to millers.

“It is worthy of note that at no time was the Ministry of Agriculture/IITA involved in the cassava flour project, though they have been present at stakeholders meeting as crop producers and researchers.”

She said FIIRO has been in the forefront of the use of cassava for food products such as gari, fufu, lafun, chips, pellets starch and composite flour as far back as the 60s.

Mrs Elemo said: “The composite

flour programme was initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in 1964. The programme was conceived as an intervention

by FAO primarily to reduce importation bills on wheat of developing countries by stimulating local production and processing of nonwheat flour(s) to be incorporated into wheat flour. Composite flour was identified and funded by various international donors and agencies. Nigeria, through some research institutes and institutions

‘It is worthy of note that at no time was the Ministry of Agriculture/IITA involved in the cassava flour project, though they have been present at stakeholders meeting as crop producers and researchers’

benefited from such intervention, one of which is the FIIRO. “FIIRO made cassava the golden crop it is today. Agitation for the use of detoxified cassava flour in composite flour production for bread and confectioneries baking began when it was discovered that the economics of production did not favour the use of cassava starch “The composite flour research work in FIIRO culminated in the first production of 10 per cent cassava/wheat bread which was presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), under the administration of former President Shehu Shagari in 1982.”

NACCIMA Director-General Mr John Isemede praised FIIRO for its efforts to help entreprenuers. He urged the Federal Government to assist the institute to carry out is mandate.

“We all know that the wheat we are using to produce bread is being imported into the country. So if we are substituting the imported wheat with the locally produced cassava, it means we are reducing the cost of importation.

“And as a result of this, the money being spent on wheat importation will go into the pockets of the local cassava farmers rather than the pockets of foreign farmers and this will eventually turn the economy around for good.

“Besides, it will also result to job creation because more people will be attracted to cassava farming due to readily available buyers.

“In all, the idea is a welcome development and we appreciate the government for this initiative and it shows that there is still hope for the small-scale farmers in the country.”

Nigeria, Pakistan to seal pact on SMEs devt

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HE Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pakistan in areas of cluster development and capacity building for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The development is a fallout of the recent D-8 Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Working Group meeting held in Abuja.

The partnership, which is being facilitated by the Pakistani High Commission in Nigeria, is in the spirit of the D-8 Group’s objective to diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations.

The Pakistani Acting High Commissioner in Nigeria, Ahmed Ali Sirohey said the pact would also afford both agencies the opportunity to cross fertilise and interface on areas that would be beneficial to SMEs in both countries.

Director- General of SMEDAN, Alhaji Muhammad Nadada

Umar, who paid a courtesy call to Sirohey, expressed delight that the Pakistani government had really lived up to expectations in the area of developing the SME sector, adding that Nigeria has a lot to learn from the experience of the Asian country.

Umar noted that the presentation of Pakistan at the D-8 meeting was an eye-opener to Nigeria.

He informed Sirohey about various achievements of SMEDAN, which include carrying out a final ratification of the SME policy, soon to be passed on to the Federal Executive Council(FEC) for approval; scripting of the One Local Government One Product (OLOP) programme, which it borrowed from the Japanese model in various parts of the country; establishing the Rural Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme (RUWEDEP); and recently, completing the compilation of a comprehensive database of MSMEs in Nigeria.

• Isemede and Mrs Elemo at the event.

FDI inflows increased by $2.82b in 2011

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OTAL Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows to Nigeria increased by $2.82billion in 2011, the 2012 World Investment Report has said.

The report prepared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development(UNCTD) showed that the figure rose from $6.1billion recorded in 2010 to $8.92billion.

It observed that though the FDI to Africa declined in 2011, investments to Nigeria increased.

It, however, noted that inflows to sub-Saharan Africa increased as opposed to total inflows to the continent.

The UNCTAD said increase in oil prices and other commodities enhanced the positive inflows to Nigeria and some other countries in the sub-African region.

It said: “Continuing rises in commodity prices and a relatively positive economic outlook for sub-Saharan Africa were among the factors contributing to the turnaround.

“The top five African recipients of FDI in 2011 were dominated by oilproducing countries led by Nigeria.”

Although the report noted that the decrease in FDI to the continent was for the third year running, it stated that the outlook for Africa was optimistic.

It also said FDI outflows from the continent were still low.

The report said, “Total Foreign Direct Investment inflows to Africa declined in 2011 for the third successive year. But the drop – to a total of

$42.7billion – was largely caused by a fall in FDI channelled to North Africa.

Inflows to Egypt and Libya, which had been major recipients of FDI, came to a halt as a result of protracted political and social instability in those countries.

“While African transnational corporations are grow ing in influence and activity, outward FDI from Africa was still limited in 2011, especially as outflows from two traditional outward investors, Egypt and Libya, were significantly reduced.”

It also said, “The region’s FDI prospects for 2012 are promising, as strong economic growth, ongoing economic reforms and high commodity prices have improved investor perceptions of the continent.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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INDUSTRY Berger Paints gets Acting MD

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ERGER Paints Nigeria Plc has named Mr Tor Nygard its Acting Managing Direc-

tor.

A statement by the company said, Nygard, a Norwegian, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from the University of South Dakota, US. It said: “He has over 30 years work experience in the manufacturing and oil & gas sectors, with considerable international exposure in the United States, Europe and Africa.”

It noted that the firm recently put a new management team in place to reposition the company for better performance.

The statement said: “At the just

•From left: Project Head, In’Genius Youth Project, Mr Oreoluwa Ogundipe; Special Adviser to Ondo State Governor on Oil & Gas, Mr Goke Adeniyi; leader of Aspire Team, which won N2.5 million prize, Mr Ibrahim Durosinmi and Director of Operations, In’Genius, Mr Emmanuel Olaiya, at the Gala Night to mark the grand finale of In’Genius project competition Version 1.0 in Lagos.

concluded AGM, it was disclosed that the company experienced series of fraud during the financial year of 2011 due to failed leadership at top management level and non compliance with laid down internal control systems in the company.

“In addition to the efforts of the board on management restructuring, the company has equally put in place new policies, which include zero tolerance on fraud, whistle blowing policy in accordance with the code of Corporate Governance, among others.”

It added that the company was already seeing the positive effect of the repositioning initiatives as evidenced in its unaudited accounts as at the end of May 2012.

Group showcases innovative ideas

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HE Nigerian global youth organisation promoting innovativeness and creativity amongst Nigerian youths gathered the crème de la crème of the society both the private and the public sectors including top Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)and government functionaries at a gala night held at the prolific Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos to showcase the top 10 ideas developed by Nigerian youths in the just concluded In’Genius Youth Project Competition Version 1.0.

The event was organised to present innovative ideas created by youths as solutions to six major sectors of the economy which are; transportation, tourism, taxation, ICT, agriculture and power. This is to

create an enabling environment for investors to tap into these ideas and translate them into tangible business ventures while also developing the nation.

In’Genius Project Head, Oreoluwa Ogundipe described the event as a melting pot and connecting platform to merge Nigerian youth with innovative ideas with Investors that can provide the much needed funding to translate the ideas into workable solutions and business ventures.

Ogundipe noted that the Competition is organised to tap into the brain power of the youth by challenging them to evolve innovative ideas to serve as catalyst and solutions to six major sectors of the economy.

Cadbury holds customer/business forum •From left: Executive Director (MOT), Mr Ade Bajomo; Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), Oscar Onyema; COS & Head Corporative Divisition (NSE), Mr Bola Adeeko and Central Security Clearing System (CSCS) (NSE), Joe Mekiluwa, at the induction of new stock brokers held in Lagos.

PHOTO: JOHN EBHOTA

ECOWAS, NEPAD seal •1m pact on training for women

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HE Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) and the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) have signed an agreement for the establishment of a •1 million business incubator for African Women Entrepreneurs (BIAWE) in the sub-region.

The facility was provided by Spain.

According to the Chairman of ECOWAS Commission, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, while speaking at the agreement signing ceremony at the African Union (AU) secretariat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the project is aimed at eradicating poverty and contributing to economic empowerment of women.

The business incubator project, he added, also seeks to provide capacity building, technical assistance and financial support to emerging rural women entrepreneurs, who face constraints that make it difficult to sustain their businesses.

“The proposed business incubator project is, therefore, a regional strat-

Stories by Toba Agboola

egy to enhance economic opportunities of rural women within ECOWAS countries,” Ouedraogo stated.

He said that the ECOWAS Commission and NEPAD Planing and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) designed the project and elaborated a two-year implementation plan to accelerate the development entrepreneurial initiatives through an array of business support resources and services to rural women in West Africa.

Hence, he said, the commission as the implementing authority for the project, would use its existing closeworking relationship with institutional structures in member-states to ensure that the business incubator not only meets a variety of economic, socio-economic and policy needs, but to also secure the commitment of the community to ensure sustainability of the project.

However, he reiterated the fact that one of the most demographic phenomena facing many countries in West Africa is the predominant representation of women in agriculture and other rural industries, with women producing more than 50 per cent of food.

He decried the continued disadvantage of women in the sub-region in spite of their contributions to business innovation diversification and investment in the region.

Ambassador of Spain in Ethiopia Miguel Fernandez-Palacios, congratulated ECOWAS and NEPAD for achieving the objective that enabled the signing of the agreement.

He said the implementation of the project is a new proof of Spanish commitment with African continent and with the empowerment of women as well as improvement of their situation in all fields to promote gender equality and increase their capacity and autonomy.

Develop Contemporary Skills aid business Strategy HAIRMAN, Lagos State chapter of Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Mrs Nkeiru Adesogan, have reiterated various areas in which human resources practitioners in the country needs to develop contemporary skill as well as increase their capacity as business strategic partners by settling the HR agenda towards realizing the human capital goal entrenched in vision 2020 She made this known while

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interacting with journalists in Lagos on the activities of the Annual Conference and 10 th anniversary of the chapter which comes up today, Thursday.

Adesogun said the theme of the conference, is :”Setting agenda , achievable goals and objectives for transformation of Nigeria economy”.

She said the renewed commitment by the last administration to position the country among the biggest economies in the world by the

year 2020 has received a great boost with the level of growth recorded within the last two years.

She said this year’s conference has added an entrepreneurship session to address the challenges faced by employees preparing for life after retirement as well as other potential entrepreneurs.

She commended the efforts of all past chairmen of the state branch especially for their vision for this year annual conference in which they are celebrating the 10 th anniversary.

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N a bid to strengthen relationship with its business partners, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, has held its 2012 Cadbury Nigeria Customer Business Partners’ Forum in Lagos.

The Customer Business Partner’s Forum which took place in Lagos last week was attended by the compnay’s business partners and members of the commercial team.

Managing Director, Cadbury Nigeria, Mr Emil Moskofian appreciated their partners for their loyalty and immense support for the business in recent years.

“Cadbury Nigeria is commit-

ted to strengthening its route-tomarket capabilities towards winning in the Nigerian market with its market leading brands,” Moskofian said.

Sales Director, Cadbury Nigeria Plc Paul Udochi, said the forum has created an opportunity to discuss matters of common interest and leverage on the mutually beneficial relationship that existed between Cadbury Nigeria and its trading partners.

He said their partners have been able to network together and better understand all planned Cadbury Nigeria’s market and trade initiatives.

‘Channel unclaimed dividends into manufacturing sector’

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HE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has advocated for the channeling of the N53 billion unclaimed dividends of shareholders into the real sector of the economy.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos, President, LCCI,Mr Goodie Ibru said this will grow the manufacturing sector.

According to him, such growth will also create job opportunities for numerous unemployed youths .

Ibru said the Federal Government should add its voice to the conversion of the unclaimed dividends which have been lying fallow for some time.

He called for deliberate incentives to the MSMEs sector such as equipment incentives, technology incentives, marketing incentives and National Award for MSMEs incentives He said the key issue now is how to make the SMEs sector achieve the desired objectives.

Ibru advocated renewed commitment by all tiers of government to drive the overall development of the sector in Nigeria, pump more funds into infrastructure development through Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement and ensure value for money.

Recently, the Director-General,

Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), Alhaji Mohammed Nadada Umar, highlighted some of the problems confronting the sector as the absence of patent right and unprotected intellectual property rights, low capacity utilisation, administrative barriers in doing business and absence of general rating scheme.

His words: “Whereas the contribution of MSME sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) averages 50 per cent in both Europe and US and 40 per cent in Asian countries; in Nigeria , the sector is yet to make the desired contribution to the economy as it accounted for about 10 per cent of GDP and a mere three per cent of exports despite its 75 per cent contribution to industrial development.

The government, realising the great roles SMEs can play in the economy, has put in a lot of interventionist measures which include the establishment of Industrial Development Centres in the 60s; establishment of National Directorate of Employment in 1989; establishment of Bank of Industry(BoI) in 2001 from the defunct Nigeria Industrial Development Bank(NIDB) and the Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry; establishment of SMEDAN in 2003.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

19

EDITORIAL/OPINION Comments

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

The governor and the colonel •The bad conduct of army officer is a fair reflection of uniformed men’s contempt for the law

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HE devil-may-care, law-be-damned irony was clear: an army staff car, with the fluttering staff flag, cruising on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) dedicated lane, with a full colonel at the wheels! The message to other lawful road users, stuck in the Lagos outer Marina early evening traffic was clear: the law be damned!

But not exactly: for the culprit, the lawless Col. Ki Yusuf, a Nigerian Army officer, met his nemesis in Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, who himself was stuck in the traffic and promptly apprehended the officer. As if to prove right the dictum that there are no bad men in the Nigerian Army, only bad officers, another Army other rank, Staff Sergeant AJ Adeomi, was also arrested indulging in the same shameful infraction.

It was a bad day for the Army as a uni-

‘The military authorities must not only discipline the two erring soldiers, they should reorient their men and women to know that laws must be obeyed and not be treated with disdain.

If the democratic polity must deliver peace and development, the military must subordinate themselves to civil authority and, in return, earn respect and affection for their onerous calling of defending the nation’

formed and disciplined force, as the apprehension of Col. Yusuf and Staff Sergeant Adeomi tended to suggest that indiscipline and impunity continue to eat at the core and soul of an institution to which discipline and obedience to law ought to be a fundament. But it was a glorious day for law and order, as Governor Fashola made it clear that the law was no respecter of any person, not the least a pair of misguided soldiers.

It would be too sweeping and a tad unfair to posit that because of the lawless conduct of this pair, the bulk of the men and women of the Nigerian Army and other uniformed forces were lawless and undisciplined. But it is certainly fair comment that the penchant to resort to impunity and lack of respect for laws is rife with uniformed people. That should be decried in the strongest terms possible.

It was not the first time Governor Fashola would apprehend military officers in needless traffic infractions. The other time, it was a Nigerian Air Force officer the governor caught and verbally warned, after driving against the traffic, at the Lekki corridor end of Lagos. On July 17, it was a pair of soldiers.

At the Cappa Junction of Fatai Atere Way, on which this newspaper’s head office in Lagos is situated, and near which there is a military facility, uniformed military men and women are a constant eye sore, driving against the traffic to connect their facility, just because their Undisciplined Majesties are too important to, from the Mushin end, drive to Bolade in Oshodi and make the proper U-turn to connect their office.

The empty conceit that has seized these

lawless lawmen, who are a blight to the tax payers’ money spent to clothe and equip them, is inexplicable. The law, in the tradition of the Social Contract, has given them certain privileges, but only for the good of the society. But they cannot in common sense and in good conscience convert these privileges, granted strictly for the public good, into brainless impunity to purport to be superior to the very law that created the disciplined institutions in which they serve and so recklessly abuse. The military authorities must ensure such outrageous behaviours cease, forthwith.

Governor Fashola did well to call that shameful two-some to order. The colonel, faced with the stark reality of the law, kept on mumbling his apologies. But if he was not face-to-face with the Lagos governor, would he have been so sober?

Yet, the law that created him as a soldier created Fashola as the governor. The only difference is that whereas the governor obeyed the law that created him, the colonel scorned the law that gave him life.

That he earned his due disgrace was appropriate comeuppance.

The military authorities must not only discipline the two erring soldiers, they should reorient their men and women to know that laws must be obeyed and not be treated with disdain. If the democratic polity must deliver peace and development, the military must subordinate themselves to civil authority and, in return, earn respect and affection for their onerous calling of defending the nation.

Fashola’s action showed the subordination of the military to civil authority.

Strategy, what strategy?

•Jonathan’s anti-corruption strategy is a cyclic journey to nowhere

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EWSPAPERS last week pointed to where President Goodluck Jonathan’s anti-corruption programme is headed – and the chances are that it is heading nowhere.

On July 10, The Nation, and other newspapers, reported the Presidency’s announcement of plans of a national strategy to fight corruption. Mohammed Adoke, SAN, the attorney-general and minister of justice, with Senator Ndoma Egba, Senate Leader, made the announcement, at the end of a joint executive-legislature-judiciary meeting on the cankerworm. The duo said that the new strategy would cut across the three arms of government, which would turn a united phalanx to battle corruption.

On that same July 10, The Guardian, with other newspapers, also reported a Bayelsa State government’s offensive against corruption. Governor Seriake Dickson told a media briefing at State House, Yenagoa,

‘So, summoning meetings to announce with fanfare what ought to be routine, and is indeed routine practice the world over, is a symptom of unserious and lax governance. It would appear therefore that the Jonathan presidency would invent any show, anything but applying the political will to cripple the menace that has all but crippled this polity’

that his government had sent a bill to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly proposing a 10-year jail term, without an option of fine, for any civil servant caught engaging in financial and sundry crimes like false declaration of ages and falsifying retirement ages.

Inasmuch as a concerted executive-legislature-judiciary strategy against corruption is desirable and should be encouraged, the question is: does the government require an especial strategy to make that a reality? In a system that works, that should be routine; for the seamless cooperation of all the three governmental arms, subject to checks and balances that separation of power entrenches in a presidential system of government, ought to be routine.

So, summoning meetings to announce with fanfare what ought to be routine, and is indeed routine practice the world over, is a symptom of unserious and lax governance. It would appear therefore that the Jonathan presidency would invent any show, anything but applying the political will to cripple the menace that has all but crippled this polity.

Besides, the government’s new pledge sounds hollow, particularly coming from the federal attorney-general. It is this same Mr. Adoke that is complicit in the abiding conspiracy to illegally keep Justice Isa Ayo Salami from his legitimate job for partisan reasons. Now, if the Jonathan presidency cannot will itself to do justice on such clear cases on the corrupt use of federal executive power, how can it be trusted to walk its talk in this new endeavour, when it is clear the bulk of those likely to be in the dock are the government’s own patrons?

In the Bayelsa case, it is a case of a bully

pouncing on someone he could trounce, and suddenly becoming hungry for a fight! Governor Seriake rails against corrupt civil servants, with all the moral outrage at his gubernatorial disposal. That is hardly a crime. But does crime and criminality stop at the civil service bureaucracy? What of the political bureaucracy that accounts for much of the visible and brazen stealing of public funds?

Besides, it is a scandal of gargantuan proportions that a government that thundered so loudly a few days ago against allegedly erring civil servants would, days later, involve itself in the brazen illegality of purporting to “promote” as “permanent secretary” in Yenagoa, Dame Patience Jonathan, the First Lady, who stays with her husband in Abuja! Meanwhile, there is hardly any proof that Mrs Jonathan is a civil servant; and even if that is established, that she is still at her job.

The Seriake government, with in-yourface-impunity, claims the “promotion” was “routine”. Yet, it purports to deal with corrupt civil servants in the same Bayelsa bureaucracy!

Let the President and his administration know: corruption is killing this polity. And there is no need for any grand strategy to rein it in, other than that good old enforcement of laws. If only President Jonathan has the political will to do the needful, he would not find himself wringing his hands and mouthing nonsensical cants about “new strategy on corruption”, whatever that means!

The President must act now – and that is starting with curbing the sycophantic excesses of the likes of Governor Seriake who has inflicted on a traumatised polity another outrage in corrupt behaviour.

Education’s pendulum: Thinkers or test takers?

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OTE learning can take a toll on building creativity in schools. The nations that can strike the right balance will gain a competitive edge.

The people of a large and mighty nation wonder why their schools can’t do more to imitate those of another large, powerful nation across the Pacific Ocean. But this time it’s not the United States seeking to emulate the schools of an Asian country — it’s China seeking to emulate ours, at least to some extent.

China is pushing for more emphasis on building creative skills and less on high-stress, high-stakes testing, according to a recent article in the New York Times. Under the existing system, a single entrance exam determines whether students attend college, and which one. Talk about teaching to the test: The last year of high school is often given over to cramming for the exam. In at least one classroom, students were placed on intravenous drips of amino acids in preparation for the test, in the belief that it would help their memories and provide an energy boost; in another sad case, a girl was not told about her father’s death for two months to avoid disrupting her studies.

The recent backlash against the tests includes complaints that students are being fed facts by rote rather than being taught to think critically and create. Two years ago, Premier Wen Jiabao lamented the failure of Chinese schools to turn out innovative thinkers with strong analytical skills. “We must encourage students to think independently, freely express themselves, get them to believe in themselves, protect and stimulate their imagination and creativity,” he said. He even quoted Albert Einstein’s famous line about imagination being more important than knowledge.

This isn’t the first time that a nation with a top-ranked education system has sought to reproduce some of the qualities that have long marked American schools. Ten years ago, Japan embarked on a series of major reforms to reduce stress, de-emphasize memorization and foster more creative thinking. It shortened the school calendar (from six days a week to five) and adopted curricula that encouraged children to create their own projects. More control was placed in local hands, a move away from centralized authority. A few years earlier, Singapore took similar steps.

The reason these nations are concerned isn’t just that they want their students to feel fulfilled and happy. The ability to innovate, and to analyze and solve problems, is seen worldwide as crucial for adapting to the fast-changing global economy. But it is all part of a long-standing tension between the need for academic rigor and the need to foster creativity.

The pendulum swing between the two has been particularly wide in the United States. During the 1990s, Americans lamented the lower academic standards here, especially when compared with nations such as Japan. The sense that American children were falling behind in the developed world — bolstered by international test results in which the United States ranked as mediocre, and given a sense of urgency by the numbers of disadvantaged and minority students who were leaving school without even basic skills — resulted in the 2001 passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, with its heavy emphasis on standardized tests and rigid benchmarks of progress.

Now, even though academic performance among U.S. students is still lagging, many parents and educators are complaining that the push toward a standard curriculum and standardized tests is bleeding lessons of liveliness, and that schools do too little to foster creativity and analytical thinking. They’re not entirely wrong. In keeping with the tests, which are mostly multiple choice, schools have assigned less writing and project work. Teachers have tried to make sure they go over every speck of material that might be on the tests, and because the approved curriculum tends toward the broad and shallow, there’s a lot of short-answer information to cover but not much depth to explore.

Aiming higher on academics shouldn’t have to mean leaving deeper or more open-ended thinking skills behind. No one in the American school reform movement ever told teachers they had to abandon their own creative instructional skills or drop criticalthinking lessons from the school day, but the relentless emphasis on covering tested material obviously pushed them in that direction.

The switch over the next few years in many states, including California, to the so-called common core standards, which emphasize learning fewer things in greater depth, should help somewhat but still falls short. State and federal officials endlessly debate the role of test scores in teacher evaluations, but they pay too little attention to enabling teachers and students to take academic risks — considered essential to building creativity — while ensuring that vital academic material is still covered. It’s not easy to figure out how schools can balance creativity with academic rigor, productive thinking with knowledge. The nations that do so will have the competitive edge in the future.

– Los Angeles Times

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

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IR: The news broke recently that the First lady of the country, Mrs. Patience Jonathan has been appointed Permanent Secretary by the Bayelsa State Government. Once again the Nigerian media whipped into a frenzy, as the age-long question of the reckless use of executive power by those in government came to the fore. This incident once again signpost the falling standard of sound and credible leadership in all spheres of our national life. In the first place, the Office of the First Lady is not a creation of Law, neither is there known any legislation which

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Dame Jonathan’s appointment as Permanent Secretary gives it executive force. Rather, it is nothing but an embarrassing convenience that tagged along with our democracy and has clung tenaciously to it like a leech.

Nonetheless, this same office continues to enjoy the allocations

of millions of naira from taxpayers hard-earned money, claimed to be targeted at all manner of frivolous and wasteful project, while the First Lady continues to tour the country from time to time like an elected

government official, flying the Presidential jet at her whims and caprices. This Nigerians have tolerated painfully and undeservedly for a long time.

As if that was not enough, we are now being told that the same

New CJN: The change we must all embrace IR: The judiciary is believed to be the hope of the common man in any society. Is this statement really true in Nigeria?

Can ordinary Nigerians whose fundamental human rights have been infringed upon by the rich and other constituted authorities ever say that justice is meant for them as well?

Testimonies abound of how public officials loot billions of naira meant for the welfare and development of the country. When they are arraigned and tried in our various courts in Nigeria, the arm of justice could not catch up with them. We see them displaying their ill-gotten wealth before us. It is not as if there are no evidences against them, nor are there no adequate provisions in our constitution to stop these act of corruption, but the judiciary that is saddled with the duty of interpreting the laws and dispensing justice has been facing a lot of challenges for years.

Therefore, let us hope that the appointment of Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar as the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) by President Goodluck Jonathan is a step in the right direction because

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of her past records in the judiciary.

I want to believe that as she has taken over from Justice Dahiru Musdapher, Nigerians can now heave a sigh of relief since it is not going to be business as usual in the judiciary.

Similarly, she has also spoken that she is going to fight corruption in the judiciary to the letter. She said she can only achieve this task

by leading by examples, and our cooperation. We hope that she will not fail us.

What Mukhtar needs is our collective prayers and supports to enable her revamp our judicial system in Nigeria by ensuring that justice is no longer delayed in our courts. Also, with all her experience in the judiciary as the first female magistrate in northern Nigeria,

first female Justice at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, there is no doubt that she will not only ensure that justice is done, but manifestly seen to have been done, thus, restoring confidence of Nigerians and the international community in our judicial system.

• Clarke Ejiro Edwin University of Lagos.

First Lady has been appointed a Permanent Secretary. Where do we locate this so-called appointment?

Do we say it one duly merited or part of the incentives of being the President’s wife? No matter which way, the matter is argued, it will still call to question the propriety and merit of the appointment.

One is increasingly bothered how those in positions of power, would find it difficult to know that this sort of appointment can be nothing but a total miscalculation and one bound to generate an unnecessary and clearly avoidable controversy. If that be the case, why then did the Bayelsa State government still decide to engage in this sort of ridiculous dance? It is either they care less about the people’s opinion on this matter, or they totally lack the required capacity and exemplary decorum that public office is significantly hinged on.

Whichever the case may be, their action leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

• Olusola Adegbite, Esq. Town Planning Way, Ile-Ife, Osun-State.

You goofed on National Productivity Centre rent editorial

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IR: Our attention was drawn to an editorial comment of The Nation newspaper of Thursday July 12, captioned “Exorbitant Rents – Federal Agencies should not pay rents enough to own building”.

In the editorial, you posited that the National Productivity Centre paid an accumulated rent of N1.2 billion in the last four years. This amounted to a yearly rent of N300m. This comment is not only false and misleading but a complete misinformation.

I want to believe that your comments must have been based a false report in the National Mirror newspaper of Thursday July 2, written

by one Tordue Salem, a National Assembly correspondent of the newspaper, who covered the oversight visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Labour Employment and Productivity on June 28.

While giving a brief on the National Productivity Centre at the visit, the Director-General of the Centre, Dr. Paul Bdliya said the net payment for the centre’s corporate headquarters accommodation was N36m per annum. This he said, eats deep into the centre’s lean resources.

In his response to this and other issues, the chairman of the House committee Hon. Essien Ayi la-

mented the non-provision of funds for agencies to either purchase or build their own properties for office use. He said and I quote “I feel sad that all the agencies under the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity in Abuja have expended over N200m to N300m over rent of office accommodation over the last four years.” He regretted that despite the rise in government revenue in the last few years, budgets for agencies continued to be slashed as the government was not showing readiness to build offices for all agencies.

At no point was it said by either the Director-General of the centre or the chairman of the House committee that the National Productivity

Centre had paid an accumulated rent of N1.2bn in the last four years; an amount that far exceeds the centre’s total overhead allocations for the last four years.

The centre wishes to commend the press, especially Labour correspondents for the coverage of its activities but would want to advise that reports on sensitive issues particularly expenditure of government funds should always be crosschecked from the centre, to ensure factual reportage.

• Kashim Akor Deputy Director, Public Relations National Productivity Centre, Abuja.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

Too many tragedies in Nigeria

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OD has been kind and He is still kind to Nigeria in many ways. We hardly have natural disasters like Tsunamis, Earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions and even when we have serious flooding as we have had this year, rarely do we have many fatalities. On the other hand, the incidence of man-made tragedies in Nigeria is just too high. Only God knows how many people die on our roads everyday because of bad roads and careless driving. The bad roads are primarily due to bad governance which allows craters to develop on our so called expressways without anybody giving a damn about how to fix them. Yet, every year, billions of naira are voted for road rehabilitation without anything to show for it. These monies are routinely stolen by those in charge of the ministries without any conscience or even fear of the consequences of their action. To make it worse, people who should not be driving are on the roads driving with or without permit; they are either bought or faked. I remember years ago, when a young man came to me looking for a job as a driver and when I gave him the car to drive, he could not move it. When I challenged him, he quickly confessed that he bought the driver’s permit and that he was planning to learn on the job. Many of the drivers routinely take drugs or alcohol while driving and kill wantonly while on the road. This is a serious matter in the country where there is no public transportation system. The railway system has collapsed and the vast majority of our people are at the mercy of drunken and crazy drivers.

In recent times, the poor condition of the roads and the crazy driving particularly truckers have now been compounded by the general insecurity on the highway. People are routinely waylaid and robbed and killed for no just

‘As if the violence in the North is not enough, we now had what can be referred to as Dante’s Inferno when a trailer laden with refined petroleum fell into the highway because of the bad road and as usual our poor people went to scoop petrol and the whole place exploded killing almost 200 people instantly’

L

ONG before Comrade Adams Oshiomhole found his way into politics , he had made his name as a labour activist. Oshiomhole was not your runof-the-mill unionist looking for something to eat, he was in it to make a difference in the lives of workers. Although he went into unionism at a tender age, Oshiomhole did not embrace the limelight until he joined the national executive council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The morning, they say, shows the day. His days of little beginning at the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) brought out the leadership quality in him and showed the kind of unionist he was going to be.

That little shop floor boy of yesterday, at the United Nigeria Textile Mill (UNTL) Kaduna, has today grown into a force to be reckoned with politically in the country. Oshiomhole's political clout derives from his days of labour activism. If Oshiomhole had not played his unionism card well, he may not be enjoying the kind of political backing he has today.

There are many who were in unionism with him, but who today cannot venture into politics because of their ignominious labour antecedents. Such people cannot join politics because they know their past will haunt them.

Every act, whether good or ill,

reason. This used to be the handiwork of armed robbers in the past, but in recent times, Fulani herdsmen have joined in robbing and killing people on the highways.

What worries me is that murders are been committed without murderers being punished. If this continues for too long, commuters and drivers on the roads may have to arm themselves at least to have a fair chance of surviving when attacked. While we all hail the decision of the new Inspector-General of police to remove road-checks on the highways, we implore the police to double their highway patrol in other to secure the lives of the travelling masses.

Two weeks ago, this country witnessed the kind of violence it had never seen before. More than one hundred people were killed on the Jos-Plateau allegedly by Boko Haram or more likely by one party or the other in the terrible and continuing fratricide on the plateau. When those who wanted to bury their relations were in the burial procession, they were again attacked by their enemies and about eighty people were killed including a serving Senator and a ranking assembly man. This shocked many Nigerians because our various cultures have respect for the dead. It is just simply unbelievable and unthinkable that this would happen in our country. I always remember with nostalgia my stay on the Plateau and particularly in Jos between 1972 and 1974, when I was one of those who went to establish the Jos Campus of the University of Ibadan which later metamorphosed into University of Jos. The place was so peaceful that I dreamt of acquiring a plot and building a retirement house in Barkin-Ladi. There is still a part of Jos known as AngloJos where the English people used to settle as Tin miners.

Jos was a favourite honeymoon spot in those days and Hills Station Hotel was known all over the country as a place to get away from everything and everybody. Jos was an idyllic place but alas, glory has departed from Israel and there is no solution to the problem in sight. It has become our own Palestinian problem of two people rightly claiming sovereignty over the same territory. Perhaps the best solution for the Jos crisis is to declare the city of Jos a Federal Territory like Abuja so that everybody would be welcomed there and the question of indigeneity and settlerism would hopefully disappear.

On a personal note, my anguish over Jos is matched by my sorrows over Maiduguri where I spent three years of my life helping to build the University of Maiduguri. I had a wonderful time also there just as I did in Jos and I love the two cities equally. I just cannot imagine the distress that has come over these two cities where people are

wantonly killed without any feelings at all. There is no suggestion as for how Maiduguri can be pacified that I can make. The problem in Maiduguri was caused by politicians who used poor people as thugs and abandoned them after winning elections and when they protested, they unleashed the police on them and from then Jide on the problem Osuntokun snow-balled and festered into rebellion of the poor against the rich under the guise of Islamic fundamentalism. The only solution one can think of is a local “Marshall plan” for the North-Eastern part of Nigeria, particularly Borno, an historically important part of this country from where civilization came to Nigeria through Islam as far back as the 7th and 8th century.

As if the violence in the North is not enough, we now had what can be referred to as Dante’s Inferno when a trailer laden with refined petroleum fell into the highway because of the bad road and as usual our poor people went to scoop petrol and the whole place exploded killing almost 200 people instantly. This is certainly a terrible tragedy as bad as the Dana Air crash and was completely avoidable. In order that this does not repeat itself, there is a need to mount a country-wide campaign about how highly inflammable petrol is. It would be unpardonable if this were to repeat itself in another part of the country. In any other clime or region of the world, this accident could have led to the downfall of the government because the government would have been blamed for it and held accountable. Both the BBC and CNN while commenting on this tragedy said it could only happen in Nigeria because life is cheap here. In order to show the world that black people are part of common humanity and that our lives are not worth less than the lives of other people in the world, we really need to take the protection of the lives of our people much more seriously than we do now.

Man of the people has a reward. Oshiomhole is reaping the political fruits of the seeds he sowed years ago as a labour activist. If as NLC leader he did not stand with the people, he would have been standing alone today as a politician.

The moral in the Oshiomhole story is that no matter the position we find ourselves, we should endeavour to leave behind a worthy legacy. It is that legacy that will speak for us in our future endeavours and when we are no longer in office. Since he left office in 2007 as NLC president to contest election as Edo State governor, Oshiomhole has enjoyed tremendous support from the people.

The interesting thing is that this support is not from his kith and kin in Edo State alone. He enjoys support nationwide and even from those not in the same party with him. This is the Oshiomhole appeal which the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) wanted him to leverage on to contest the 2007 presidential election.

But Oshiomhole preferred to start from home, in line with that ageold saying : ''charity begins at home".

Many Edolites are grateful to God today that Oshiomhole did not start his political carrer at the

‘Elections are not for the lily- livered in a country like ours. They are for people like Oshiomhole, who are lion-hearted and can take the fight to their opponents and even the electoral umpire, if need be, to ensure a level playing ground for all’

national level. If he had been president he may not have had time for his home state as he now does.

Moreover, there was no way Oshiomhole could have won the 2007 presidential poll with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the saddle. Obasanjo would have done everything to stop Oshiomhole from becoming president, if for no other reason, but to teach the comrade a lesson for ‘challenging’ constituted authority by calling out workers on strike over petrol price hike, which was a past time under Baba Iyabo.

Obasanjo never forgot this ‘slight' from Oshiomhole. He waited in the wings to pay Oshiomhole back and his time came when the comrade contested the 2007 governorship poll in Edo. Oshiomhole was rigged out of the election and then began the long drawn battle to reclaim his mandate. He got it back through the courts in November 2008. Between then and now, Edolites have seen the difference between light and darkness. Since coming to office about four years ago, Oshiomhole has transformed the state, making it a place where things work.

A state of nothing under Lucky Igbinedion, who was in office for eight years, and Oserhiemen Osunbor, who was in charge for about 18 months, has become a state of something under Oshiomhole. What two PDP governors could not do in 10 years, he has achieved in less than four years.

So, last Saturday's election was

a walk over for him. His election was a compensation for the work he has been doing since 2008.

This fresh mandate is for him to continue the good work and ensure that Edolites can hold their heads high anywhere in the country. The Oshiomhole years have been years of blessings for Edo. The people are aware of the good tidings he has brought into their lives and as such returned him to office so that the good times can continue. The election showed that he is truly on the ground and that a lot has changed since the 2007 poll when he was rigged out.

He went into last Saturday's election as if he was going to war.

He warned severally of the dire consequences of rigging the election. The people's vote, he insisted, must count. ''It must be one man one vote'', he added.

Oshiomhole knew he was up against those who would do anything to win the election, so he took the fight to them. With the people on his side, he knew he could move mountains. He implored them to be vigilant during the election and ensure that they protected their votes. Where they noticed anything untoward they should raise the alarm, he told them. Little wonder that the people were on their guard during the poll.

Elections are not for the lilylivered in a country like ours. They are for people like Oshiomhole, who are lion-hearted and can take the fight to their opponents and even the electoral umpire, if need be, to ensure a level playing ground for all. At times, you may not like the Oshiomhole approach. You may consider it as

Lawal Ogienagbon lawal.ogienagbon@thenationonlineng.net SMS ONLY: 08099400204

brash and harsh, but when confronted by a party like PDP, which has the capacity to commit electoral evil, you will be left with no choice than to commend the style.

That is the kind of language a party like PDP understands and we should thank Oshiomhole for forcing them to play by the rules during last Saturday's election.

Other politicians need to replicate the Oshiomhole style in their respective states in the interest of participatory democracy. We can only sustain this democracy if elections are free and fair. And elections can only be transparent where people's votes count and not where there are ballot stuffing and ballot snatching.

Edolites are jubilating today because last Saturday's election was devoid of manipulation. Just imagine what would have happened if the process had been manipulated. With what we saw in Edo last Saturday, it is morning yet on democracy day.

SMS ONLY: 08099400204

SMS ONLY: 08099400204

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

22

EDITORIAL/OPINION

F

OR eight years, we railed against Olusegun Obasanjo because in place of dividends of democracy he had promised, what we got was despair. The harder he fought corruption, the more the cankerworm grew. His cronies made sure there was loan arranged for him to corner a substantial share holding of Transcorp. They made mouth-watering huge donations for his private library project. He became the symbol of corruption.

In other spheres, all he touched turned sour.

His N300 billion allocation for road rehabilitation during his first term only left the nations’ road network in such a bad shape comparable only to those of war-torn countries. His identity card project designed to keep away miscreants from poverty stricken Niger, Sudan, Chad and northern Cameroons was bungled by his party members.

Obasanjo failed in spite of his heroic efforts. Yar’Adua’s failure was a tale foretold.

He was too ill to interfere in the massive looting by those who took advantage of his poor health. Jonathan’s first year in office has recorded such monumental stealing by top officials of government and insecurity that threaten our very existence as a nation.

But last week, Balarabe Musa, the second republic governor of old Kaduna states told us once again that we cannot plant cocoa yam and hope to reap yam. As long as we continue with the present system, we will get the same result. He told The News magazine, that Jonathan like any of the past leaders is not the problem: “He may be confused and incompetent, but he cannot be better than the system that produced him”. Our salvation, he says, lies in first changing our socioeconomic system that is tailored towards individual interest and greed instead of public interest.

But how did we get to this sorry state of affairs? In the first republic and all through the civil war years to the second republic, the focus was the public interest. And we have the legacies in terms of real development such as access to quality university education, quality health care system, (UCH was then adjudged among the best three teaching hospitals in the Commonwealth.) In the second republic, because the system was public interest oriented, states set up universities and strived at providing employment for their teeming youths.

T

ODAY, the Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi is 51. Because he loathes celebrations, especially when they have epicurean dimension, he would rather preach to you on the futility of presenting to him a gold wrist watch worth millions of Naira when such an amount would equally buy some computers that when donated to schools, will help in moulding the young ones.

But since the world is not guided by his own thought process, many people are bound to celebrate him according to their preferences and fancies.

His eventful life started with good education at Christ the King College, Onitsha and the University of Nigeria. He was naturally born with many faculties and he may have acquired more as could be attested to by his wit and cleverness, a ready tongue and inexhaustible and exhausting vivacity.

We cannot here recount his achievements, which he stared recording during his days in primary school, where he successfully formulated the famous egg theory, which, though beyond this piece, has to do with the recording of gains in egg business. The climax of it being that at the age of 42, he won the gubernatorial election in Anambra State, but the victory was denied him. As if Providence has always had interest in his affairs, that denial of victories, which he had always fought and came out unhurt – indeed, triumphant, was the challenges he faced that made him to become a noted name in politics in diverse ways. His fame was accentuated by the fact that Nigerians in similar circumstances either sold out or abandoned themselves to cynical pessimism.

Thus, one can say that he is a man capable of taking in his strides the natural difficulties of life.

‘Until Obi became the Governor, Anambra was a battlefield and the war plan was scripted by bedlam. There is hardly any aspect of life in the state that the touch of confusion was not aglow’

Public interest versus private greed All that changed following the emergence of Babangida in 1985 and his subsequent recruitment of economic wizards, in the likes of Chief Olu Falae and Dr.Kalu Idika Kalu.

Private interest and greed replaced public interest. State-managed economic concerns that once guaranteed jobs for young school leavers were sold at give-away prices by military administrators of the South-west geo-political zone. In the north, state jointly managed economic concerns were sold out to private interests driven only by greed. The same fate befell many other federal government firms. The substitution of public interest with private greed was completed under Obasanjo. The political class led by PDP that cared very little about legacies even sold properties inherited from the departing colonial masters to their members.

Balarabe’s message is that this system is too attractive to stop corruption. If Obasanjo was consumed by the system in spite of his well-known strong personality and heroic efforts, we will be deluding ourselves if we expect Jonathan to survive a system that consumed those who were not ‘confused and incompetent’, or to rein in those who, El Rufai, former Minister of Abuja Territory alleged, bankrolled his election.

Obasanjo in 1979 left behind four functioning refineries, thriving Nigeria Airways with 32 aircraft, as well as 3,626 kilometres of pipelines for refined petroleum products. He came

back as an elected president in 1999, exuding confidence. He ended up after eight years in office supervising the final burial of those public interest oriented projects.

In eight years, he could not start a new refinery. An attempt to revive the national carrier was sabotaged by those driven by private greed while the oil pipelines that would have proved we are developing along with the rest of civilized world were vandalized to pave way for road haulage by thousand of tankers owners.

Perhaps more telling in this regard is Obasanjo’s failed efforts of to revive.

Nigeria’s 3,557 kilometres of narrow gauge rail line. It was sabotaged by those who because of private greed want us to remain a century behind the rest of the world. In April 2006, Obasanjo signed an agreement with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to modernize Lagos –Kano rail line.

He had earlier on March 16, 2006, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with another Chinese firm to construct a revolutionary fast-rail (RFR) system Lagos-Abuja and light rail to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and from the centre of Abuja city to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The then minister for commerce announced with fanfare that government had made the sum of $2billion dollars available. The project was killed by those who want us to remain in the Stone Age be-

Peter Obi @ 51

By Valentine Obienyem Obi was the first person, who, through pertinacity of will, recovered his stolen gubernatorial victory through the courts. It was from one victory to another victory he always pursued to correct obvious injustice. This was how he ended up being the first person to come back from impeachment, to go for tenure interpretation and to get a second term to govern our great state many think ungovernable.

Beyond his trials and triumphs, at 51, he is a life worthy of Homer as the herald of his achievements and the virtues he represents.

Writing about him, one of the things that readily come to mind is the reward for hard work. In his private life, he worked so hard to reach where he was, becoming the Chairman of a bank before entering into public life. There is something about him that seems strange, he has the passion for business and making money and he has made a lot of it, yet he prefers the life of stoic simplicity. As far as he is concerned, money and material acquisition are good but cannot become the epicentre of existence, only as an instrument to solving the problems of life. Thus, buying of private jet, jetties, yachts and houses in choicest parts of the world and flaunting riches in a manner that is offensively conspicuous, do not appeal to him. However, the people he has helped through inconspicuous philanthropy are legion. He believes that money is to solve problems and not to live in a manner inconsistent with rationality. Tell him about the need to have houses in the Maitamas and Ikoyis of Nigeria, and he will remind you that one of the richest men of all times in the world, Warren Buffett has been living in the same house and driving the same vehicle for donkey years.

He has no useless taste to burden his life.

One annoying phenomenon among the Igbos is misplacement of values. Today our pristine values have all been bastardised. Looking at our people you will ask where our love for excellence has gone. Igbos cherish excellence and are known to strive to achieve that in any of their chosen endeavours even if it

means wearing themselves out. That is why he strives to be dimgba, the master wrestler; diochi, the master wine tapper; dike, the master of strength; di this and di that in many fields.

Can we say that about the Igbos today?

Things have all changed. Our people have jumped on the band wagon of those who want to record phenomenal successes through shortcuts punctuated by frauds. Today, kidnapping, 419 and other crimes, foreign to us are all here with us. Today, rather than build public wealth and contribute to the development of the state, our people prefer easy access to the common kitty. Those in government no longer see governance as public trust and a vocation, a call to serve the people. This is the society Governor Obi met in 2006, amidst fiscal chaos and administrative indolence. Today, he has done a lot trying to restore the values of our people.

At first, when he became governor and in his resolve to change the mindset of the people, he turned himself into a preacher, but the people, accustomed to the eroding morals of the time, listened to him in sceptical apathy.

Undaunted, he continued. In the 51st year of his life and seventh into his governorship, he can look at his people with happiness on the realisation that his words to them which appeared frozen are now thawing and its meanings are gradually permeating their subconscious.

Until Obi became the Governor, Anambra was a battlefield and the war plan was scripted by bedlam. There is hardly any aspect of life in the state that the touch of confusion was not aglow. At a point, the entire state was burnt down. As an Abuja based Anambrarian at that time, hardly did any good news come out of the state. I recall how we greatly felt dejected reading stories of primitive tortures by the Bakassi group. The people hailed them because they were the lesser of the many evils in the State. Though what we had was a de facto governor, but it was injurious to our sense of pride that he was slapped and buffeted. We read stories of Okija and generally, rape competed with

cause of private greed.

Government that has sold all the firms designed by our patriotic first and second republic politicians to those motivated only by greed, a government that has not in 13 years enunciated any clear cut policy on employment in spite of more than 15 million unemployed post-graduates, last year spent 72.5% on recurrent expenditure according to Nigerian Employers Consultative Association, (NECA). To add to the cynicism, Labour and Productivity Minister Chukwuemeka Wogu says government is the biggest employer of labour.

Since we all know that no fresh youths are being employed while those who once had job have lost them as a result of collapse of banking, and manufacturing sectors – the consequence of greed-driven policies of government. The 72% recurrent expenditure therefore could only have been for the satisfaction of the greed of the political class that came up with a self-serving policy of payment for life for top level public servants from former Heads of State to ex-Senate Presidents, ex-Speakers, legislators’ severance packages as well as retired judges and vice chancellors. Of course we should add the army of Nigeria retired generals.

What we need to change back private interest and greed to public interest is to create competitive economically viable federal units instead of over-centralized anarchy that merely empowers parasites. Even in the West where there are rules, a free-for-all socio economic system has failed. If China is a success story and Russia has emerged from past ruins, it is because the state has not abandoned its obligations to the people.

‘Even in the West where there are rules, a free-forall socio economic system has failed. If China is a success story and Russia has emerged from past ruins, it is because the state has not abandoned its obligations to the people’ rapine for supremacy. As a result, the state collapsed.

Today as Obi turns 51, part of the achievements that should be credited to him is the restoration of the pride among Anambra people. You need to experience a grim situation where your pride is wounded to understand this. Today, we read of our governor belonging to many federal committees, travelling with the President and parleying with development partners. The other day, after a presentation at the World Bank 2012 Spring meeting on Anambra State, the bank, impressed, sent some Oxford professors and other experts to understudy what Obi is doing in the education sector in the state with the aim of presenting it as a model to other African countries. Today, Ambassadors and investors see Anambra as a place to be. To whom do we credit all this epochal liberation of Anambra?

To Governor Obi, of course. At 51, this is his gift to Anambra State.

In terms of General development of Anambra State, Obi has unarguably done better than others. In the health sector, Anambra now have accredited health institutions and a teaching hospital. In education, he was courageous to return missionary schools taken from them for 40 years with the grant of 6 billion naira. He may not be the most desirous for a developed Anambra State, but his vision is incomparable. Thus, he remains the only Governor that takes the Millennium Development Goals into account in whatever he does.

But in spite of his giant strides he is more vilified by the people of Anambra State. But this is not surprising. As Nicollo Machiavelli said “It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out nor more doubtful of success nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of things; for the reformer has enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order; this lukewarmness arising partly from the incredulity of mankind who does not truly believe in anything new until they actually have experienced of it. “ As our Governor is 51, we thank God for his life, while reminding ourselves that any descent into barbarism will be disastrous for us as a people.

• Obienyem sent this piece from Awka

25

THE NATION

EDUCATION Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

INSIDE

'Corps members' safety not negotiable' NO. That is not a fair claim.

We want corps members to be safe, and we are doing everything possible to ensure their safety.

It is only when corps members are alive that they can render service to the country. So, their safety comes first. It is non-negotiable!

For prospective Junior Secondary School (JSS) pupils in Lagos State public schools, the honeymoon is over. It is no longer automatic admission into secondary schools. Last Saturday, they and their counterparts in private schools, sat for the placement test into JSS1.

KOFOWOROLA BELOOSAGIE, ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, MEDINAT KANABE, RAMAT MUSA and WALE AJETUNMOBI review the exercise.

email:- education@thenationonlineng.com

•Candidates writing at Oba Maroof Primary School, Ejigbo

PHOTO: MEDINAT KANABE

(Full interview) -Page 27

Mobil, Bonny to join forces MOBILE Producing Nigeria (MPN) has promised to partner with Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) in providing infrastructure for education to thrive in Bonny Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State.

-Page 39

CAMPUS LIFE •An eight-page section on campus news, people etc

Murder at students’ hostel THE Sangere Village in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State is quiet and peaceful. Given its proximity to the Moddibo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, the community is inhabited by students.

Its tranquility was shattered penultimate Wednesday when a Diploma student of Computer Science was beaten to death by nine of his colleagues, for allegedly stealing N11,000 from one of them.

-Page 29

• Candidates writing at Iloro Junior Secondary School

PHOTO: KOFOWOROLA BELLO-OSAGIE

In defence of excellence • Lagos reintroduces ‘common entrance’

A

LL was still quiet by 8am at Oba Maroof Primary School, Ejigbo, one of the 90 centres for the Lagos State placement test into Junior Secondary School (JSS) for Primary Six pupils last Saturday.

With most of the candidates yet to arrive, three pupils, who came early decided to take advantage of the time to seek divine intervention. Holding hands, they prayed fervently in Yoruba: "Oluwa je ka pass, Maje ka repeat, Oluwa je ki inu awon obi wa dun nipase idanwo yi loriwa", meaning: Lord let us pass; don't let us repeat; Lord, let our parents be happy with our results."

If they fail the examination, and a retake to be written in August, Education Commissioner Mrs Olayinka

Oladunjoye said they would not proceed to JSS1 at the beginning of the 2012/2013 session in October. They would have to got for vocational training. It is a future many of them do not contemplate.

One of the ‘prayer warriors’, Tolulope Adeboye, said: "We have read our books and right now want

to pray and leave everything in the hands of God." Mrs Oladunjoye told The Nation prior to the test that the state was making efforts to partner with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) to absorb those that do not make up to 50 per cent in English and Mathematics, and

‘

Mass promotion is satanic.There should be sorting so that the geniuses will emerge. Those who are not good enough for secondary education, instead of being under achievers will learn a vocation. The number of artisans is dwindling

’

50 per cent cumulatively in Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Aptitude and Vocational Aptitude, in the placement test into vocational centres, where they will learn various trades.

"We are partnering with WAPA to find out how we can place the pupils that do not pass into vocational centres to learn trades," she said.

The introduction of the placement test is the instrument the government is employing to stop mass promotion in public schools. Since the implementation of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) law, began in 2005, pupils, especially those attending public primary schools, have been promoted to secondary schools without writing any entrance examination.The National Common Entrance Examination conducted by the Federal Government and the versions done by the various states were stopped. It was • Continued on page 26

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

26

EDUCATION EKSU FILE

Students become Google ambassadors TWO students of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti are now Google Students Ambassador in Nigeria owing to their academic prowess in Computer Science.

They are: Master Olamide Timothy Tawose and Ibukun Omotayo Muyide both 300 level students in the Department of Mathematical Sciences with options in Computer Science.

The two ambassadors were among 170 students all over Africa that attended the Google Students Summit between June10 and June 13, 2012.

While welcoming the students to his office the Vice-Chancellor, of EKSU Prof Patrick Oladipo Aina congratulated them and urged them to continue to be role models to Nigerians students. Prof. Aina, who was with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof Olugbenga Aribasala, while commending the duo remarked that their choice as Google Ambassadors has further confirmed the strong academic status of the university among institutions of higher learning.

VC visits NUC, TETF TO move EKSU forward, the ViceChancellor Prof Patrick Oladipo Aina has visited the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Office (TETF), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) offices in Abuja.

Aina, who also visited the Distance Learning Division of the NUC and the office of Federal Minister of Agriculture, said: "The visit was to discuss issues relating to developmental programmes for transforming our university".

The Vice-Chancellor has been emphasising the restructuring of some programmes in the university to make them relevant to the needs of the people, the state and Nigeria.

Post-UTME time-table out THE EKSU management has announced that post-UTME screening for candidates who have applied for admission into the university would hold between Monday, July 30 and Saturday, August 4, 2012.

A statement by the Registrar of the University, Dr. Omojola Awosusi, stressed that the screening would be open to those candidates who made the university their first or second choice and have scored 200 and above in the 2012/2013 Post UTME. All the candidates are advised to visit the university website for further instructions.

Meanwhile, the forms for admission into the various pre-degree programmes for the 2012/2013 session are out for interested candidates.

In defence of excellence •Continued from page 25

thought that since the UBE stipulates that all school-aged children must get uninterrupted access to free and compulsory education for nine years - six in primary school, and three in JSS, there should be nothing to stop them.

Following the stoppage of the examination, public school pupils were promoted and placed in public secondary schools using continuous assessment scores submitted by their primary schools, which some teachers claimed used to be altered.Many private secondary schools, however, continued to conduct entrance examinations for pupils applying to their schools.

Complaints trailed the abrogation of the examination. Teachers, especially, lamented the poor quality of pupils admitted into JSS1 in public schools, alleging that many could barely read or write. The effect was also being felt at the end of their secondary education, where most of the candidates presented by these schools could not make the minimum five O' Level credit passes in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) required to gain admission into tertiary institutions.

Irked by the poor return on investment, especially as the government spends millions of Naira yearly on WASSCE fees for candidates in its public schools, former Deputy Governor, Sarah Sosan said in 2010 that SS3 pupils that do not make credits in five subjects, including English and Mathematics, in the Mock examination preceding the WASSCE, would not be sponsored by the government. She directed that pupils in other classes that failed to make up to 50 per cent in English and Mathematics and five other subjects, should not be promoted.

In taking the step further, Mrs Oladunjoye introduced the placement test to correct the decay in primary education, which is regarded as the foundation of education. She told parents and head teachers at a meeting, last month, that mass promotion was not helping the state to produce the right quality of pupils.

She said: "The government will not continue to pay money for children who are not ready to learn so parents must ensure their children not only stay in school, but that they are serious in their homework, study and pass their exams. No more automatic promotion in our schools.

"We intend to embark on an entrance examination for our primary six pupils who are going into JSS1 and it is our hope that after six years in primary school, the pupils should be worthy of our investment. Automatic promotion to the next class and the placement of Primary Six into JSS in the state would no longer be accepted."

During the test last Saturday, many teachers praised the exercise, saying it has restored seriousness among primary school pupils.

"There has been a level of serious-

•Prayer time

‘The government will not continue to pay for children who are not ready to learn, so parents must ensure their children not only stay in school, but that they are serious in their homework, study and pass their exams. No more automatic promotion in our schools’ ness. It improved attendance and the attention span of the pupils. It also improved their interest in education in general," said a teacher who waited patiently as his pupils wrote at Iloro Grammar School, Agege.

Another teacher, Mrs Raimot Idris from Alaworo Primary School, Ojo, admitted that her pupils became serious.

"I remember before the exam, some of them had been bothering me with questions on whether they would repeat the class if they failed, and I said yes. Since then, I've been noticing some positive changes in their approach to studying," she said.

Teachers have also worked hard to ensure the pupils pass. "On our part as teachers, we also organised a kind of coaching classes for them and the response has been positive. The parents too have been cooperative; no one wanted his or her child to fail," Mrs Idris said.

A parent, Mrs Oguugua Chibuzor, who accompanied her daughter

Chineye, to the Ijanikin centre, luved ger experience when she wrote the Common Entrance examination nearly three decades ago.

"The examination used to be a sweet experience! I remember we would all file out en masse to our respective centres. Then, it used to b e a survival of the fittest. Both the school and our parents always gave us special recognition and presents for making it to secondary school. I don't know why the government suddenly cancelled it. I felt so bad when I heard the news."

Many also praised the conduct of the examination, which they said was without malpractices. Officials attached to the various Local Government Education Authorities, Lagos State Education Districts, and

principals and teachers, monitored the examination.

A teacher from Gloryland Primary School Mr Akpan said he was happy that teachers and parents were sent out of the school premises because he had seen situations where parents influence their children's results.

He said: "I remember the last common entrance we did, that was at the St Peters Primary School, a parent came with a Sport Utility Vessel (SUV) and said his son must not fail the exam. He was saying that he would do anything to make sure his son passed. He was asking the invigilators how much they wanted.

It is better this way so that the children can test their ability."

The Special Adviser on Lagos Eko Project, Ms Ronke Azeez, who monitored the examination at the Ikeja Junior High School, Ikeja, hailed the exercise.

"It has been peaceful, well coordinated; no parental interference, adequate materials were supplied and there was no act of examination malpractices. The children are well behaved too," she said.

Mrs Darah Philomina, a parent, whose ward also wrote at Ikeja, said: ''I am here to ensure that there is nothing like paying teachers to answer the questions for the children because I had an experience of an examination where they would ask you to bring some money to show the questions to the child. I think if it will always be as organised as this, then the government should continue with this."

Teachers and parents also lauded the decision of government to send children that fail to vocational centres. Mrs Muinat Bodude, who accompanied pupils of Fadl-Llulah Nursery and Primary School, AlfaNla, Agege to the centre at Muslim Junior High School, Oyewole, Agege, said not all children are cut out for academics, as some are better off learning trades.

"If they discover that some are not academically fit, they can learn a trade. Parents may not agree, but it is the fact that not all children should go to secondary school," she said.

Education Secretary of Agege Local Education Authority, Hon Olalekan Majiyagbe, who monitored the exam at the Government College, Agege, State High School, Oyewole, Yewa Junior High School, Agege, among others, added that the introduction of the test would reduce the number of drop outs as pupils will be placed according to their competency.

"Mass promotion is satanic. There should be sorting so that the geniuses will emerge.Those who are not good enough for secondary education, instead of being underachievers will learn a vocation.The number of artisans is dwindling.Those who are not good enough for academics, if they are just promoted, would eventually drop out and become area boys because they cannot meet up.This is the best thing that can happen to Lagos State," he said.

UNN Faculty holds Golden Jubilee July 27 to, among others, to seek, teach,

By Tonia 'Diyan

•Prof. Agunwamba

T

HE Faculty of Engineering of the University of Nigeria (UNN) will be celebrating its Golden Jubilee from July 25 - 27 at its Nsukka Campus.

The theme of the year lecture is: The role of power sector in achieving Nigerian millennium goals.

The faculty was founded in 1962

and preserve truth for the restoration of the dignity of man.

At present, it has an enrolment of 2,416 students spread across its six departments: Agricultural & Bioresources; Civil Engineering; Electrical engineering; Electronics Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and, and Metallurgical & Material Engineering.

In a chat with The Nation, the Dean of the Faculty Prof Jonah Agunwamba, said: "This is an avenue where all our alumni will meet and brainstorm on how to move the faculty and the university ahead. It will also serve as a homecoming

for our members that have not met for many years."

Agunwamba, whose tenure expires t in December, added that the event would feature graduates’ forum/workshop; launch of its ultramodern maintenance workshop, and awards/honour to Agbebite, an alumnus, who has made special contributions to the growth of the faculty; among others.

"The memorial lecture will encourage being trained as an engineer. Engineering controls virtually all facets of life in any modern society, and its development is vital to the progress of any country.”

“So you want to ‘sort’ the lecturer to pass ... what next, sort for a job, promotion, marriage, and retirement?”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

27

EDUCATION Since last year’s post-election violence in some parts of the North in which some National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members were killed, there has been a clamour for the scrapping of the scheme. But in this interview with reporters, NYSC Director-General Brig.-Gen N.T. Okore-Affia insists that the scheme be retained. ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA was there.

'Corps members' safety is non-negotiable'

T

HERE is a growing concern that NYSC is more interested in deploying corps members than in ensuring their safety.

No. That is not a fair claim. We want corps members to be safe, and we are doing everything possible to ensure their safety. It is only when corps members are alive that they can render service to the country. So, their safety comes first. It is non-negotiable!

Even when our mandate is to equitably distribute corps manpower in all the states of the federation, we are not unmindful of the security challenges in some parts of the country.

And that is why we have not held orientation in both Borno and Yobe states since November last year because of the peculiar situations in those places.

But there was a recent uproar because of deployment of corps members in these states The uproar could have been occasioned by two things- the upsurge of violence in some states around the time people received their call-up letters; and the other could be due to misunderstanding. It is true that the call-up letters of some corps members read Borno and Yobe states, but it is just to ensure adherence to the law that stipulates equitable distribution of corps manpower. It does not mean that those corps members were heading for Yobe and Borno states.

The orientation for those two states will take place in Nasarawa and Benue: Borno State will hold its orientation in Benue State and Yobe State will hold its orientation in Nasarawa State. After the orientation, it is only corps members who insist on going to those states that will be posted there. That has been clarified. But we also have five additional states where we give corps members the option

to redeploy if they feel unsafe. These are Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau and Kano. We also identify some particularly volatile local government areas that we don't send corps members to for primary assignments.

Since the 2011 elections, security has been the main issue with NYSC. What else are you doing to ensure safety of corps members?

We have doubled security personnel at the orientation camps. We have increased the number of armed soldiers, mobile policemen, State Security Service (SSS) operatives and members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the orientation camps across the country.

After orientation, we give the location of the lodges of corps members to the State Police Command, SSS and NSCDC so that they would easily know where to go to in case of emergency involving corps members. We are also partnering more intensely with the state governments and they have been very responsive. We have also set up a distress call centre where corps members in distress can call in to receive help on time. We have started training corps members in self-defence, and we also issue security tips to them so that they can understand their environment, where not to go, and how to conduct themselves in a security-conscious way.

You mentioned the NYSC Distress Call Centre. How does that work?

It is Information Technology (IT)based. When corps members are deployed in primary assignment their full data such as names, state codes, places of primary assignment, and addresses of security agencies within that area are sent by the state coordinators to the headquarters. It is then uploaded into our system. One of the major pieces of information that we request from corps members is their phone numbers so that when the corps member calls with that particular number his or her data page will appear on the screen including the place of primary assignment.

Immediately, we can identify the contact of the security agency within that place and then we relay the distress call to them. The Distress Call Centre was commissioned by the former Minister of Youth Development in February this year. It has been in operation since then. Corps members have sent us complaints of the general type, but we are yet to receive any real distress call. But the facility is there to ensure that corps members who are in distress anywhere in the country can receive help and on time.

All corps members have the number.

It seems corps members are now less loved than before I won't say so because we have gone to some communities where primary health care delivery and education sectors depend solely on NYSC manpower and these communities are most appreciative of the presence of

‘NYSC is still useful and still relevant. What happened last year is regrettable... that tragedy should make us do more to guarantee the security of corps members. The fact that we have security challenges now should not make us overlook the need for national unity and integration’

corps members. Each year, we have presidential honours awards for corps member who have executed projects beneficial to their host communities nationwide. One of the criteria is that you must serve in a state other than your own for your project to be considered for presentation. This means that corps members are still doing their best to •Brig. Gen. Okore-Affia win the hearts and mind of their host communities.

A lot! We have expanded the scope After the sad events of April 2011, of our skills acquisition programme. there were calls for NYSC to be More time in the orientation timescrapped. Has the scheme not truly table is now dedicated to skills acquioutlived its usefulness? sitions and entrepreneurship develNYSC is still useful and still relevant. opment. The aim is to empower corps What happened last year is regret- members to employ themselves and table. Our hearts continue to go out others after their service year. to those who lost loved ones. But that We also have the war against povtragedy should make us do more to erty initiative, which is part of the guarantee the security of corps mem- Millennium Development Goals bers. The fact that we have security (MDGs), poverty reduction goal and challenges now should not make us we give interest-free loans to interoverlook the need for national unity ested corps members to start their and integration. More than ever be- own small scale businesses. We want fore, that need is still there. It is also to empower them to be self-reliant true that NYSC might not have been and if they start businesses that sucadapted to the changing times. This ceed, those corps members will, by calls for reform, not abolition. We extension, require extra hands and the must not be deterred by prevailing multiplier effect will pull more people circumstances to give up on the out from the unemployment market. dreams and aspirations of our foundTo also ensure that corps members ing fathers. But we are also not un- serve with dignity and contribute mindful of the peculiar moment we more to the country, we now post live in, and we cannot put any corps them to only four sectors for primary member in harm's way. We want to assignment: agriculture, education, urge Nigerians to believe that if we health and infrastructure. This poststand up as one, we can overcome this ing policy, which we started with scourge and reclaim our nation.

Batch A 2012, was designed to bring So what is being done to reform back the concept of national service NYSC? into the youth service.

Wike: Performance beyond political boundary

N

IGERIANS have yearned for general improvement in the education sector, knowing that it will positively impact on the rest of the sectors of the society.

Even in the sector, the basic education sub-sector remains the most fundamental as it forms the building block for the overall advancement of this all-important sector.

The people want to see positive changes and urgently, too, in the education sector. This is what the Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has brought to the table in the basic education sub-sector. A rare sense of dedication and commitment aimed at helping the administration achieve one of its principal policy goals, human capital development.

By Simeon Nwakaudu

He was sworn into office on July 14, 2011. Between then and now, the nation has witnessed unprecedented progress in the basic education subsector. Hardly any week passes without one form of intervention or the other targeted at re-positioning the sector. From the beginning, Wike saw his assignment of reviving the basic education sub-sector as a collaboration between the Federal Government and the states. He went to the governors through the Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF). He inter-faced with the governors on the need to pay up their counterpart funds to access the matching grants from the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC. At this time, more than 18 states

were defaulting in the payment of counterpart funds; hence they could not access their matching grants to improve on basic education facilities in their states. This meeting initiated

by Wike exposed common grounds of communication between the Federal Government and the states on the need to intensify investments in this critical area. A functional relationship has since evolved between the Federal Government and the states in the quest to put basic educate back on a sound footing.

The increased access of matching grants by states has played out in the determined efforts by different states to improve basic education in their jurisdictions, with consideration for their peculiar needs. Wike's reason for ensuring that states are carried along

•Head, POISE Graduate Finishing School, Mrs Ukinebo Dare flanked by Morris Iheanacho, an alumnus of the school, (right) and POISE co-ordinator, Niyi Omole during a press conference in Lagos PHOTO: NNEKA NWANERI

in all of the Federal Government's programmes for the basic education sub-sector is predicated that the Federal Government's investments in this sub-sector are interventionist. The bulk of the responsibilities rest with the states and local government areas. However, he is determined to provide support to states to deliver on basic education.

It will be necessary to mention some of the critical contributions that Wike has made to improve basic education. To improve the capacity of teachers at the basic education level, Wike and officials of National Teachers' Institute, UBEC and Nigerian Educational Research Development Council have ensured that over 600, 000 teachers participated in premium training programmes.

For the children in primary and junior secondary schools, about 20million instructional materials are being distributed in the country.

Critical steps have been taken to address non-formal education and mass literacy for the less privileged groups. There have been key interventions in the education of Almajiri in the country, the girl-child and the trader boy-child.

Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, during the flag off of book distribution for primary and secondary school children in the Southwest was praised the Minister of State for Education. The governor, a member of the Labour Party, congratulated President Jonathan for appointing an official, who understands the urgency required to address the challenges of basic education and has set out to carry out his functions with rare commitment and dedication.

Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, also showered similar encomiums on Wike when he defied security challenges to monitor

the Federal Government's projects in the construction of Almajiri schools in the state. The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) governor noted that the dedication of the Minister was vital to the revival of basic education in the country.

When Anambra State handed some of her schools to their missionary owners, Wike was the special guest of honour on that occasion. Governor Peter Obi, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) governor expressed gratitude to the Minister of State for Education for the critical contributions that he has made to ensure that the nation experiences growth in basic education. Zamfara State Governor Abdulazeez Yari commended the minister for the dedication he has brought to delivery of service to the basic education sector.

Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State at the Government House, Minna declared support for the interventionist’s programmes being championed by Wike to ensure education for less privileged. He stated that these efforts are a sign that the nation was heading for the right direction.

Adamawa State Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako, has appreciated the quality contributions of Wike. His state is one of the beneficiaries of the model primary schools built by the Korean government as a result of the collaboration built by the Minister of State for Education.

President of Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA), Kabiru Nuhu-Koko, in appreciation of the minister's efforts at reviving Federal Unity Colleges, visited him with his executive members and other stakeholders where they conferred a performance award on the Minister.

•Nwakandu is Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of State for Education

28

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

EDUCATION Brain drain hits LAUTECH

NUC restores Joseph Ayo Babalola Varsity licence From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

•Prof. Fajana

T

HE National Universities Commission (NUC) has lifted the suspension of the licence of the Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Ikeji-Arakeji in Osun State.

This was made public through a letter with reference number NUC/ ES/259/Vol.I/219 dated July 16, this year, which was approved by the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof Julius Okojie and addressed to the ViceChancellor of the institution, Prof

Sola Fajana.

The NUC had earlier suspended the licence of the university via a letter with reference number NUC/ES/ 259/Vol.I/211 of July 16, a development which made the university authorities to plead with NUC for understanding.

Deputy Executive Secretary, A. S. Agbaoye, said acting on his boss’ instructions the commission noted the actions taken by the university since the sanction.

The actions, he said, included the placement of a newspaper advertisement informing stakeholders of the university and confirming the willingness of the university authorities to comply with NUC directives, and the suspension of the advertised Postgraduate Programmes by the institution.

Others included the stoppage of

both the Part-time and Bridge Programmes as directed and "the presentation of all requested documents relating to above".

He said the NUC was satisfied with the actions so far taken by the university, as well as the assurances of the vice-chancellor and the pro-chancellor and chairman of Council and verification of documents.

"Consequently, I am directed to inform the vice-chancellor that the suspension of the operational licence of JABU has been lifted with effect from July 16, 2012 but the NUC would, however, continue to monitor the university's continuous implementation of the agreed actions, including full compliance with other regulatory guidelines" Agbaoye said.

When contacted, the Vice-Chairman of Council of the university who doubles as a member of the Board of Trustees, Pastor Segun Fasuyi, confirmed the development.

•ASUU laments underfunding From Bode Durojaiye, Ogbomoso

• Dr Oyegoke

U

NLESS the governments of Osun and Oyo, joint owners of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), urgently address myriads of problems confronting it, the university may sink deeper into crisis.

LAUTECH is fast losing its seasoned academics due to what is referred to as "inconducive and harsh working environment," by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Chairman LAUTECH chap-

• Senator Chukwumerije (6th right), Dr Sijubomi (5th right), Senator Tinubu (3rd right) and other members of the committtee and staff of FCE (Technical) at the college premises, Akoka.

PHOTO: ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA

ter, Dr Oyebamiji Oyegoke.

He said young lecturers and other non-academic staff use the university as a stepping stone for greener pastures. The Nation's investigations can reveal that teaching and non-teaching staff are quitting in many departments. The university is run by an acting vice-chancellor Prof Taofeek Gbadegesin, without a Governing Council.

Said Oyegoke:"The quantum of funding is not what they (owner state governments) are giving the university. LAUTECH is augmenting payment of salaries. A situation whereby you want the university to generate revenue internally, you are likely to compromise standard."

He said the university has not done anything to motivate, or assist the academics, adding that whatever breakthroughs or achievements it had were through individual sacrifices.

According to him, "Imagine a professor spending his money to build a penthouse in the institution, for the experimentation of animals. Whose responsibility is it? It will also interest you to know that LAUTECH has no pension scheme; so, where lies the future of the academics after they might have meritoriously served the institution? We are greatly losing competent and experienced academics in this institution.”

Oyegoke explained that ASUU is in support of the government's decision to appoint a new VC, adding that the dissolved Governing Council must be reinstated before anything else was done.

"We reminded the owner state governments, in our letter to them that the position of acting vice chancellor is anachronistic, and not the trend in modern day university. The right thing is for the university to be run by a robust governing council, which is yet to be in place.”

WAEC, UNILAG to explain income, expenditure to Senate

T

HE University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) have two weeks to provide details of their revenue and expenditure to the Senate Committee on Education.

The university and the examining body were among the educational institutions the committee visited in Lagos as part of its oversight functions Monday and Tuesday.

At UNILAG, where the Committee was received by the Acting ViceChancellor, Prof Rahman Bello, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Prof Jide Alo and Registrar Oluwarotimi Shodimu, it requested for details from the management on the cost implication of the proposed change of name of the university to Moshood Abiola University, Lagos (MAULAG) by the federal government.

The Senate also sought to know if there was a consultation between the university authority and federal government on the name change.

The committee also asked the university to furnish it with its Internal Generated Revenue(IGR) profile between 2005 and 2011. It also wondered why UNILAG major sources of revenue are derived from tuition instead of creative entrepreneurial engagement considering its location in Lagos, a Centre of Excellence and one of the commercial heart of the nation.

Chairman of the committee Uche Chukwumerije, said one expected that UNILAG should be earning three times better than it does if it is

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie and Adegunle Olugbamila

tapping from the opportunities offered by Lagos.

The committee, however, commended the university's aesthetic appeal and conducive learning environment.

At WAEC, the seven-member committee faulted the inadequate information provided by the body about its IGR and expenditure.

The Senators, including Prof Sola Adeyeye (Vice-Chairman), Joshua Dariye, Mazi Sony Ogwuruche, Abubakar Atiku Baguda, Ahmad Lawan, and Mrs Oluremi Tinubu also questioned why the examining body had not developed a befitting head-

quarters from its IGR. Senator Lawan described the document provided by WAEC on the performance of its budget and appropriation as not detailed enough.

"I expected you would provide the number of candidates, how much each was charged and your expenditure, and I am wondering whether the committee would not be supervised better if more details were provided," he said.

In his presentation earlier, Head of WAEC National Office (HNO), Dr Iyi Uwadiae had sought the committee's intervention in getting more funding for capital projects, the most urgent of which is the development of a befitting headquarters space, as well as provision of scanner ma-

chines for the grading of multiplechoice questions.

"Government has helped in terms of recurrent expenditure, but in the area of capital projects, we have not been assisted. This has affected some of our functions. We can release results in two weeks if we have more scanners. This building is older than most WAEC staff. If you see the outlook of the building, you will agree it is not befitting of an organisation that is 60 years old," he said.

However, responding, the senators questioned how a sister examining body, whose name was not mentioned but likely the National Examinations Council (NECO) managed to put up impressive structures at its headquarters in Minna, Niger State,

mostly from IGR. "I am very familiar with this building. In the 70s, I used to chase a lady here, and it has not changed since then. Like they said, we are wondering how a sister body was able to build its headquarters with IGR and why WAEC cannot do same," he said.

The senators also raised eyebrow on the amount the examining body spent on medical allowance, vehicle maintenance, insurance, and newspapers in 2011 and 2012.

The committee also visited the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB), Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Yaba College of Technology, and the Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry.

UNILAG Acting VC, others proffer solution to insecurity

T

HE Acting Vice-Chancellor (VC), University of Lagos, Prof Rahman Ade Bello has urged the government, the Institute of Security, Nigeria and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the threat posed by insecurity in the country.

He spoke at the Seventh Conference of the institute at the main auditorium of UNILAG, which ended Tuesday. Noting that "security is vital and this cannot be overemphasized," he said: "Until we secure our environment before we can bring in investors."

In his goodwill message, a former UNILAG VC Prof Oye Ibidapo-Obe said: "Indeed, security

By Joseph Eshanokpe

in Nigeria requires a total overhaul in order to attain effectiveness and efficiency. Making progress within the security system needs great coordinated attention for the exercise not to be in futility."

Ibidapo-Obe, who is the President, the Nigerian Academy of Science, urged security agencies to partner with the institute to get a comprehensive blue print on the security system in the country.

He suggested that the government should fund very well the building of a modern and, indeed, functional security equipment and facilities, adding that this would

guarantee the realisation of an efficient security network.

He said the Academy of Science believes that a functional security system must adopt a scientific approach to crime prevention and eradication. ''The scientific measures can be referred to increasingly sophisticated computerised mapping tools that enable security practitioners to track and analyse crime directly affecting the community,” he added.

On the choice of Revitalising security services and law enforcement for enhanced productivity and effectiveness, as theme of the conference, the institute's President, Prof Isaac

Adalemo, said: "Insecurity and threat to the maintenance of law and order has assumed a frightening and alarming dimension in Nigeria. The threat sceptre of terrorism looms large and threatens the very existence of the nation. The activities of the Boko Haram and similar militant groups easily underscore the rising stakes in respect of their destructive campaigns.”

What is the way out? He provides an answer: "Our security system must be thoroughly refurbished and strengthened ... It is about making realistic changes, which will enable us put our house in order and earn the respect of other nations."

29

Enter young literary giants

Row over students’ leaders death in road crash Page 31

*CAMPUSES *NEWS *PEOPLE *KUDOS& KNOCKS *GRANTS

Page 34

THE NATION

CAMPUS LIFE 0802-455-0354 email: ladycampus@yahoo.com THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.net

email:-campuslife@thenationonlineng.net

The Moddibo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, was thrown into mourning when some students lynched their colleague for allegedly stealing N11,000. PHILIPS OGBAJE (400-Level Information Technology) reports.

Murder at students’ hostel T

HE Sangere Village in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State is quiet and peaceful. Given its proximity to the Moddibo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, the community is inhabited by students.

Its tranquility was shattered penultimate Wednesday when a Diploma student of Computer Science was beaten to death by nine of his colleagues, for allegedly stealing N11,000 from one of them.

Emmanuel Aklahyel Shallangwa was alleged to have stolen the money from his friend whose name could not be ascertained by press time. According to an eyewitness, the late Emmanuel was said to have admitted stealing the money when he was accosted by the friend, and had agreed to pay back the money.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the owner of the money, who is now in police custody, initially agreed to the repayment terms. He was said to have later gathered his friends at 11:30pm to collect the money from Emmanuel by force.

Another eyewitness, Samuel Ikwuji, 300Level Agricultural Economics, told CAMPUSLIFE: “About 11:30pm on the fateful day, a group of students armed with knives, sticks and broken bottles stormed our hostel, Red Roof, and started beating the late Emmanuel and his host, who is also a Diploma student. They continued beating the boy until blood started dripping from his nose. This is after the late Emmanuel had produced N5, 000 and promised to pay the remaining N6, 000 the next morning.”

Samuel added that the students made their victim to do frog jump to the surprise of the hostel’s residents, who said, “we could not do anything because we were outnumbered and they were armed to the teeth.”

There are conflicting accounts of how the money was stolen and who actually stole it.

Some students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE on the condition of anonymity, said it was the late, Emmanuel’s host, who actually stole the money. “ The late Emmanuel admitted to stealing the money because he didn’t want trouble for his host. So, he offered to pay back the money to save his host from being embarrassed. Everybody knows that the late Emmanuel used to smoke and drink but he was never caught stealing anybody’s property. His parents are

•The MAUTECH gate. Inset: The late Emmanuel

not that poor and I think he planned to go home to get the money before he was killed by the students,” a student, who lives in the compound, told CAMPUSLIFE. Our correspondent gathered that after the late Emmanuel was beaten to a pulp, his assailants used his phone to call his mother to “come and take her son to the hospital”. The assailants were said to have lied to their victim’s mother that her son was “seriously sick” after he went to drink. However, when the late Emmanuel’s mother arrived and saw her son in a pool of his own blood, she immediately alerted the police and screamed for help to take him to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead.

The suspected attackers were arrested by the police but one of them, a 500-Level Microbiology student, is said to be at large. When CAMPUSLIFE visited the Girei Police Station, an officer, who pleaded for anonymity, confirmed the arrest of the students.

An officer at the university’s security unit confirmed the incident, saying since it did not happen on the campus, the matter was outside the unit’s jurisdiction.

The Dean of Student Affairs (DSA), Dr Ja’afaru Ali, described the incident as “very unfortunate”, adding that the school had officially met the family of the late Emmanuel to register its condolences.

He dismissed reports that the late

Emmanuel died in Sangere Student Village, saying he died in the hospital.

Ali said: “According to the briefing I got from the Chief Security Officer, the student whose money was stolen was actually a staff of MAUTECH Water Department. He came back from work with some money with which he bought hard drugs for four of his friends.

When the owner woke up and discovered that his money was not complete, he suspected the late Emmanuel and one other person, who had left his room earlier on the fateful night.

Then he gathered other friends to help retrieve the stolen money that night. Even after the •Continued on page 31

•Ex-Corps member donates materials-P32•UNICAL Nursing dept inducts 42-P33

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

30

CAMPUS LIFE

In the throes of failed Leadership

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HREE years ago, I listened to a lecture on leadership delivered by the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, at the Daystar Christian Centre in Lagos. In the course of that lecture, Fashola said leadership is about solving problems and not identifying them. To back up his definition, he cited a Professor of Architecture from the University of Lagos, who after repeated visits to see him was eventually granted audience. This Professor took it upon himself every weekend to go to places in Lagos with chaotic traffic situation in order to understudy them and proffer solutions, this he did and as a true academician, he packaged his findings in a document and, sought audience with the Governor.

The Governor said he was initially taken aback when the professor brought a comprehensive blueprint on how to redesign some roads in Lagos to ease traffic flow and not to request for contracts as is mainly the norm here. In essence, there were no strings attached to his presenting the document to the government, just a responsible citizen doing his bit toward uplifting society.

Fashola went on to say that at the time of delivering the lecture the government had already implemented some of the recommendations contained in the blueprint. The two he mentioned include the road linking Victoria Island from MUSON Centre through Command Officers mess and the one linking Magodo and Otedola Housing estate under the bridge on Lagos-Ibadan expressway. What I took away from that lecture is leadership being about solving problems. And talking about problems, we have myriad of them here, but this is where purposeful leadership comes in and why John Maxwell said everything rises and falls on leadership.

Leadership on all fronts is fundamental, not only in solving problems but having

Pushing Out with

Agbo Agbo 08052959489 (SMS only)

•aagboa@gmail.com the foresight to identify and address them before they surface. Whether in the home, school, workplace, religious circle and in politics, purposeful leadership is essential for harmonious living and development. Mahatma Ghandi, the world acclaimed champion of non-violence said: “When leaders exemplify the change in the world they wish to see, they win, and we all win.” The precept cuts across national boundaries regardless of how small or big the country may be. India is a huge country, Singapore is not. If you can imagine the ripple effects of Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership in India all these years, you may appreciate how the selfless leadership of Lee Kuan Yu has also changed Singapore for good. Why? The simple explanation is because the two leaders have, in different ways exemplified the change in the world they had wanted to see.

But back home we seem to have a warped view of the entire concept of leadership.

If we want to follow on from Ghandi’s statement one will ask what kind of world do Nigerian leaders want to see? Is it a world of harmonious relationships and good governance or a world of supporting and bankrolling divisive elements in the society?

Is it a world of envisioning where the nation will be in 10 years’ time and ensuring that there are plans backed with self-sacrifice to ensure it is achieved? We know all questions and they can go on and on.

But how are leaders in other countries able to exemplify Ghandi’s statement and what are some of the lessons we can draw from them?

If you discount the vision and the empowerment qualities of her founding fathers starting with George Washington, the first President of the United States and some of his successors in office like Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman to mention

‘I want to inspire greatness in women’ Aminat Abdulkadir is a 200-Level student of Microbiology at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN). The budding rapper is called Maligna by her colleagues and fans. She told HABEEB WHYTE (400-Level Law) how she combines academics with music.

HY did you choose rap as your genre of music?

I grew up listening to rap music. I love the punch lines and the use of words by international rappers. Rap is what I love doing.

Rap allows one to express himself freely. Rappers are literary-inclined. Though it is tasking, I love it.

People say hip-hop music is violent and, as a result, it died a natural death. Why do you want to venture into a dead enterprise?

If hip-hop is dead, then I would like to be part of the resurrection team. As a girl, rap for me is a vehicle to preach peace and empowerment. I want to be the first and women foremost female rapper in Nigeria, so that I can inspire others to do rap.

How do you combine your music career and academics?

Frankly, it is not easy. Sometimes, lectures clash with studio sessions, but then it has to be my education first. I won’t jeopardise my education for music because that is what is killing most young artistes today. An uneducated mind is like a man with no life. My academic work comes first and all others after.

How have you been coping on campus as an artiste?

I try as much as possible to keep everything real, simple, fresh and different. Though some people believe I am proud but I think it is a dif-

W

just a few, the country would not have been what it is today.

Such leaders can be found in every country and in other walks of life and not in politics alone. They are in the academia, in the news media and the entertainment industries, in the public and private sectors of every country. You find such leaders in the Judiciary, churches, and Mosques. Such leaders always try, as much as humanly possible; to exemplify the change in their world they wish to see. They are men of principle and conviction who passionately practice what they preach. Most of them drive themselves harder than they do their followers. They are, more often than not, men of steel and iron discipline.

The smooth transition of power from one party to another, and from one individual political leader to another, which has now become the hall mark of America today, as the World’s only super power, could be traced back to the father of the nation, George Washington who had voluntarily given up power after laying a sound foundation that the future generation of American leaders have come to view as the gold standard for leadership. George Washington has taught American leaders of his and subsequent generations to appreciate that power belongs to the people, and that if a leader has to choose between self and national interest, the choice is clear. The youngest American President and the first Catholic ever elected, J. F. Kennedy said that much, when asked, if his faith would not get in the way of his loyalty to his country. His answer was unequivocal. As far as he was concerned, America and her national interest and stability come first.

In the realm of religion, leaders and preachers, such as Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, Robert Schuler, T .D. Jakes, to mention a few, have been engaged in spreading the gospel to all the corners of the world. Billy Graham in particular has more or less become the “Pope” of Evangelicals across the world. No preacher truly represents the change in the world he wishes to see than Billy Graham. The man preaches faith and humility, even though he moves in the circle of presidents, but he has never lost his touch with God and the common man, because he, at close to 100 or more, truly represents the change in the world he wishes to see.

When leaders refuse to be the change in the world they wish to see, they not only lose, their nations lose as well. I recall with some nostalgia the exploits of leaders, such as

Musa Usman Terrang, 400-Level General Agriculture, is the immediate past president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID). He spoke on the security challenges in the state. TAIWO ISOLA (200-Level Human Anatomy) met him.

‘Nigerian people are one’

•Musa

HAT will you say are your achievements during your tenure?

We carried out many rehabilitation works in the hostels. We also renovated the building of Students’ Union parliament and students’ centre. My administration provided two new 2500KVA generators and donated 10,000 free mattresses for students’ use in the hostels.

What were the challenges you encountered during your tenure?

Security challenge came first. We always received reports of students being attacked by gunmen outside the campus. Some of our colleagues were victims of bomb blasts being carried out by Boko Haram sect. This caused us two years as we just concluded the 2010/ 2011 academic session. We were also faced with accommodation challenge as about 8,000 of the total 38,000 UNIMAID students depended on the school hostels, which can only accommodate less than 7,000. There

were also the challenges of finance and communication.

How does the insecurity in Maiduguri affect academic activities in UNIMAID? The sounds of bombs have sent shivers down our spine. It saddens our hearts reading obituaries of our colleagues especially the graduating students who were victims of explosions and sporadic shootings by gunmen. We are yet to recover from the effect UNIMAID closure last year due to incessant bomb attack. Really, it affected academic activities negatively.

What advice do you have for the students studying in the North?

We should understand our differences in culture and shun acts that can destabilise the country. Whether you are from the North or South, we are bounded by one common cause, which is Nigeria. We are one people with one mission. Let us unite and make our country great.

W •Aminat

ferent story for my intimate friends. I receive nice and annoying comments from people but I use those comments to gauge my progress.

Do you see a good future for yourself in music industry?

Yes, I believe my talent is real and will take me to places and win big awards for me. I will inspire greatness in other women. I believe consistency is the key. I will not stop trying even if I fail because, for one to be successful in life, he must be ready to face challenges.

Chairman Mao of China, Ho Chi Ming of Vietnam, Josep Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, Winston Churchill of Great Britain, Madiba Nelson Mandela and F.W De Clarke of South Africa, Nwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, and the great Martin Luther King.

If you study the lives of all these great leaders, one thing that is common to them is their willingness and conviction to truly represent the change in their country they wish to see. They not only talk the talk, they walk the walk. They truly practice what they preach and use themselves as role models.

Nigeria needs such leaders in an effort to save our country. Good leaders come to office with a mind set to solve old problems and make changes they wish to see. You have to seriously wonder about the success and competence of our leaders when you see that most of the problems we faced, some dating back to Independence and after have remained virtually unsolved. As a matter of fact, some of those problems have gotten worse. Take the issue of education.

It was the best thing going for our country when Nigeria got her independence from Britain. Today, it is a different story. The standard of education has taken a nose dive.

It is true there are many more universities, but most of them are struggling, and the caliber of graduates they produce is a far cry from what we were used to. Unemployment has become a major problem, and it is now virtually impossible for university graduates to find jobs anywhere in Nigeria, talk less of secondary school graduates.

Electricity, which is the bedrock for industralisation is worse in the last two years making it look like fixing it is rocket science. Prior to the World Cup in South Africa, the country faced power challenges, but it took the government less than six months to fix it before the tourney commenced, no committee was set up or white paper released to be screened and streamlined by yet another committee! Asking for portable water is laughable, while the roads and highways are nothing but death traps; even the skies are not safer. Of course, corruption, crime and violence have become the order of the day. Nigeria is doing much worse today, all things considered, because most of our leaders do not exemplify the change in our country they wish to see. There may, however, yet be hope. If the people of Edo State can come out to vote and defend their vote for purposeful leadership, and their celebration show it, we may have started seeing a flicker of light in a dark tunnel.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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CAMPUS LIFE The death in a road crash of three student union leaders of three higher institutions in Ondo State, last Friday, has generated controversy. The Ondo State government believes it was an act of God, but students believe the deceased were used as political sacrifice. FAITH OLANIRAN reports.

•Governor Mimiko (third right) and some officials of Ondo State government during the visit to one of the survivors at the weekend

•The mangled bus in which students travelled

Row over students’ leaders death in road crash T HEY were returning from a ceremony where Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko was honoured when they died in a road accident. Since that tragedy last Friday, tongues have been wagging over their death.

Oladapo Awopegba, Abiodun Akintola and Oyinkan Olotu, the students' union presidents of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA); Adeyemi College of Education (ACE) and Ondo State School of Midwifery, died in a crash near Emure-Ile on the OwoAkure Road.

They were returning from the “Best Governor” Award organised by a faction of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for Mimiko.

The deceased and their colleagues were travelling in a bus donated to the Ondo State axis of the Joint Campus Committee (JCC) by the governor. The bus rammed into a trailer coming from the opposite direction.

According to spokesman of the

Ondo State Police Command, Aremu Adeniran, the accident was caused by over-speeding.

Commuters told CAMPUSLIFE that the road is prone to accidents because it is dilapidated. The bodies of the students have been deposited at the State Specialist Hospital morgue in Akure. Those injured are receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo. Some politicians are accusing Mimiko of drafting the deceased into a futile adventure to massage his ego through “the Best Governor award”.

Students who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE also accused the governor of illegally buying the conscience of students by polarising NANS. They added that he planned to use the body to save his “sinking administration.”

Adeniyi Osadipe, a 200-Level FUTA student, described the death of the union leaders as unfortunate.

He said: “I don’t know why the students would go on such a misadventure when they know that

politicians, such as, Mimiko, don’t deserve any honour. It is just unfortunate that such bright minds died on the road neglected by the same people they had gone to honour.”

Deji Obileye from Adekunle Ajasin University, AkungbaAkoko (AAUA), said: “NANS has become highly politicised and its officials are ready to do the bidding of politicians. If NANS had been sensitive, why is it giving bogus awards to people whose administrations are sinking in infamy?”

Adebiyi Ikujuni, a student of Adeyemi College of Education, said: “I sympathise with the families of the victims. But they must know that their wards were killed by the politics of lies happening in Ondo State. I will advise students to focus on their primary aims on campus rather than being co-opted into politics by desperate politicians.”

FUTA students have protested the death of the union leaders.

They blocked the Akure-Benin highway during the protest.

According to the protesters, Oladapo’s death was the ninth the school would record in the three weeks. They said other FUTA students who died within the university community were alleged to have died mysteriously. The students urged the authorities to address the rising tide of mysterious deaths within the school, calling on the federal and state governments to find a lasting solution to the bad roads in Ondo State.

FUTA Vice Chancellor Prof Biyi Daramola told the protesting students that the management would look into the issue, pledging that the university would give a befitting burial to the late SUG president.

A public affairs analyst in Ondo State, Mr Tolu Babaleye, said: “Why must students’ union leaders in Ondo State be dragged into a governor’s ego-massaging trip to Abuja to receive a best-governorin-the-world award?”

The National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) debunked the claims that they were drafted by Mimiko to the award ceremony.

In a statement signed by its President, Victor Oguntoyinbo, the association said: “Dr Olusegun Mimiko did not invite us to the award programme to show his popularity among the students of Ondo State. We, however, attended the programme on the invitation of NANS.” Mimiko has condoled with the bereaved families. In his reaction on his Facebook page, the governor wrote: “My heart goes out to the families and the student community for the great loss of our loved and articulate SUG presidents of our beloved institutions in our great state. They fought for justice and equality for the students. I want to state categorically that their fight shall not be in vain. May the good Lord grant us the fortitude to bear this painful loss. May their souls rest in perfect peace.”

Essay contest for undergrads

T

•Red Roof...the hostel where the late Emmanuel was attacked

Murder at students’ hostel •Continued from page 29

late Emmanuel was beaten, the boys still slept in their rooms and called the late Emmanuel’s mother when his condition got worse.”

The DSA confirmed the arrest of suspects, but he declined to give their names and departments.

A female family member, who did not want her name in print, told CAMPUSLIFE, in tears, that losing

a son under such circumstance was painful. “No parent would be happy to see his child leave for school only to be brought back as a corpse. He had already died even before he was rushed to the hospital,” the woman said.

The president of Adamawa State Student Union (ADSSU), MAUTECH chapter, Paul Hussaini Sini, condemned the incident. He called on

security operatives to do their all in ensuring that those involved in the murder are brought to justice.

In an interview with CAMPUSLIFE, the President of MAUTECH Student Union Government, Nurudeen Saleh, said the murder was unfortunate, blaming it on excessive use of hard drugs.

The late Emmanuel, 24, hailed from Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

HENation CAMPUSLIFE, in collaboration with AfricanLiberty.org and Network for a Free Society, is calling for entries into an essay competition. Details are as follows: Topics: •The Predatory State: Its Origins and Implications for Economic Growth •Statism (State Interventionism) or Free Markets: An essential ingredient in Africa’s Economic growth?

•Protectionism or Trade: Alternatives for Africa’s economic growth Note: Applicants are expected to choose one of the topics above. The format of the text should be in MS Word and not more than 1,500 words.

Interested students should please request for the background material from Adedayo Thomas at adedayo.thomas@gmail.com and copy Wale Ajetunmobi at ladycampus@yahoo.com.

On the first page of the completed essay, please write your full names, department, year of study and name of institution. Also include your email address and GSM line.

Send your entries to adedayo.thomas@gmail.com and

copy ladycampus@yahoo.com.

Entries will be received between June and July 20, 2012.

Prizes: 1st - $1,000 and scholarship to 2012 Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy at the Catholic University in Quelimane, Mozambique from August 8- 11, 2012 2nd - $700 and scholarship to 2012 Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy at the Catholic University in Quelimane, Mozambique from August 8 to 11, 2012 3rd - $500 and scholarship to 2012 Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy at the Catholic University in Quelimane, Mozambique from August 8 to 11, 2012 4th - $300 and scholarship to 2012 Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy at the Catholic University in Quelimane, Mozambique from August 8 to 11, 2012 5th - $100 We have eight consolation prizes of $50 each.

Announcement of winners: August 2, 2012. All entries will get a free CD “Ideas for a Free Society” containing 100 textbooks on various field of studies.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

32

CAMPUS LIFE NTA College upgrades facility

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•Members of the new executive after their inauguration

Red Cross Society gets leaders

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HE University of Calabar (UNICAL) division of the Nigeria Red Cross Society (NRCS) has, elected a new leadership to oversee its affairs for the 2011/2012 academic session.

The election was conducted at the Students’ Union Government (SUG) parliamentary hall and produced Levi Mbajiaku, 500-Level

From Isaac Mensah UNICAL

Education Administration and Planning, as the president.

Other members of the executive council elected included Patricia Offiong, Vice President, George Ode, Secretary General, Ibiang Okoi, Treasurer, Egbe Obo, Direc-

tor of Projects and Victor Ntah, Director of Welfare.

Levi promised to discharge his duties with seriousness. He solicited for cooperation and support from the club members and school management to ensure that adequate first aid services are rendered to the university community when the need arises.

HE Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) is ready to meet up with the global mandate of switching from analogue to digital broadcasting.

Head of Television Engineering department, NTA Television College (TVC), Jos, Titus Doki Mazhinyi, gave the hint at the fifth Inaugural Lecture of the college which was held recently at the college auditorium.

In the lecture titled Current trends in television broadcast engineering, Mazhinyi said the broadcast industry in Nigeria had gone far in feeding the populace with up-to-date quality information through digital process of the NTA. He said digital transmission saves cost and its video quality and modulation channels are consistent through the use of less band width.

Rector of the college, Dr Ayo Fasan, who was represented by the Head of Research and Planning, Halima Bewell, assured of the

From Musliudeen Adebayo TV COLLEGE

institution’s commitment to complement government’s effort to lifting Nigeria high in the area of broadcast. He urged students and participants to always be advocates of peace in the achievement of national development through the broadcast industry. The lecture was attended by students, staff and guests from the broadcasting industry.

Meanwhile, Dr Fasan has said that the college Jos has upgraded its facility with equipment worth over N4 million. The equipment included high definition digital cameras, lighting equipment, microphones and tripod stands.

Dr. Fasan spoke through the Public Relations Officer of the college, Mr Anthony Awoseyin, who said the upgrade was necessary to meet up with practical needs of the increasing number of students.

Students plead with varsity lecturers to settle dispute

A

CADEMIC activities were disrupted last Tuesday at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), when members of the university’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) downed tools. The incident affected the conduct of the first semester exams.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the incident was consequent of the disagreement between the management and ASUU leadership who had in previous times threatened to go on a strike during examinations. The matter, described by the management as “agitation of members of staff”, has not gone down well with the students, especially those who were to write examinations on the day.

Most of the students, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, called on both parties to settle their differences.

Temitayo Fatoba, 400-Level Envi-

From Babatunde Alao AAUA

ronmental Biology and Fisheries, who was to write EBF 401 exam, said: “Students are always at the receiving end when this kind of thing happens. It is quite unfortunate. I think it is time the management and ASUU sit table and address their differences.”

Emmanuel Joseph, 200-Level Geography and Planning Science, said: “When we heard the rumour that ASUU planned to go on strike, everyone thought it was going to be after exam. I am discouraged by the development and my enthusiasm to write the exam has quenched.”

Oluwaseun Babatunde, 300-Level Computer Science, saw the scenario as rather disappointing. “This should not be happening in a university like ours. If addressed properly, the development may draw back the school’s academic calendar.”

‘When we heard the rumour that ASUU planned to go on strike, everyone thought it was going to be after exam. I am discouraged by the development and my enthusiasm to write the exam has quenched’ •Busayour moving the materials into the Corpers’ lodge

Ex-Corps member donates materials

A

N ex-Corps member, who served in Anambra State, Busayour Dada, has donated a mattress and pillows to the corpers’ lodge located in Onitsha Divisional Library, Onitsha North Local Government, Anambra State.

Busayour, who served in the library, said he donated the materials to contribute his own quota

From Michael Orodare ONITSHA

to solve the problem of accommodation been faced by Corp members serving in the area. “I was faced with similar challenge when I came here last year. My Place of Primary Assignment (PPA) refused to provide accommodation for me and I had to squat with friends. A temporary

lodge was provided for us within the library premises but there was no mattress to sleep on. So, I decided to lighten the burdens of the incoming Corps members with the donation of the materials.”

The Zonal Inspector of the NYSC in the zone, John Olugbade, thanked Dada for the materials.

Students campaign against breast cancer

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HE University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS) and Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited have organised a rally to promote breast cancer awareness among Nigerians, with view to checking the spread of the disease.

The campaign, which is sponsored by Seplat Petroleum, was part of the activities designed to commemorate the 2012 annual health week of the association. The theme of the week was Global trend in Pharmaceutical practice: Nigeria’s position.

From Tosin Adesile UNILAG

Led by their president, Ishaq Alao, the students rallied against breast cancer in Mushin, Surulere and Akoka areas of Lagos, with special focus on Mushin model Market, Randle General Hospital, Surulere Local Government and the UNILAG campus. They educated the public, especially the women on the danger of breast cancer.

General Manager, Corporate Affairs and New Business Development, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited, Dr

Chioma Nwachuku, said the programme was consistent with the vision of the company’s Corporate Social Responsility (CSR).

According to the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria, ignorance and lack of support are the most common factors contributing to the prevalence of the disease in the country. Breast cancer constitutes a major public health issue globally with over one million new cases diagnosed annually, resulting in over 400,000 annual deaths and about 4.4 million women living with the disease.

Fellowship loses members

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HE Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS), University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) chapter, has been thrown into mourning, following a road accident.

A bus conveying students for a joint conference from Gwagwalada to Kwali, which is about 10 to 15 kilometres was involved in the accident in which three members of the fellowship died.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the

From Okechukwu Ezike UNIABUJA

bus had initially conveyed a group of students to the destination on three consecutive trips. But, it had an accident on the fourth trip. The bus was said to have entered a ditch and somersaulted.

A student died on the spot. The other two students, who were girls, died at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH).

Some were critically injured; others sustained bruises.

UNIABUJA Vice-Chancellor, Prof James Adelabu settled the medical bill of the injured students.

The remains of the dead students were deposited at the hospital’s morgue.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

33

CAMPUS LIFE Yoruba students welcome freshers From Stanley Uchebu and Daniel Udoeme UNICAL

•The graduands during the induction

N

O fewer than 42 graduates of Nursing Science from the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have been inducted as members of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

The graduands were also issued with licences to practise the profession. The ceremony, which was held at the Centre for Learning and Teaching Excellence (CLTE) auditorium, is the first of its kind in the institution.

Declaring the event open, the UNICAL Vice-Chancellor, who was represented by his deputy on Administration, Prof Simeon Utsalo, noted that the oath-taking marked a turning point in the prac-

UNICAL Nursing Dept inducts 42 From Isaac Mensah and Stanley Uchegbu UNICAL

tice of nursing science in the country. Prof Utsalo advised the inductees to uphold the responsibilities that come with the oath of the profession and ensure excellence in their practice.

The Provost of the UNICAL College of Medicine, Prof Simeon Etuk, challenged the inductees to pursue nobility of character as their being inducted was a pointer to the fact that they had been found worthy

in character and learning.

The sub-Dean, Faculty of Allied Medical Science, Prof M. Etukudoh, in her goodwill message, told the inductees: “who much is given, much is expected.” She urged them to be good ambassadors of the institution, adding that the varsity graduates were noted for excellence in the labour market.

Administering the oath on the graduates, the Registrar of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Mrs Oluwakemi Olanipekun, charged the inductees to explore the best ethical

standards in the discharge of their professional duties as the council will not spare any found wanting.

Accepting the inductees, the Secretary of National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Cross River State chapter, Mr Thomas Ikpa, congratulated the graduates, describing them as the pioneer inductees of the nursing science programme.

Emmanuel Moffat, speaking on behalf of the inductees, promised to uphold the ethics of the profession.

Students urged to be disciplined

Varsity gets Registrar

From Obioma Okezie and Francis Okafor ABIA POLY

THE members of Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ), Abia State Polytechnic (ABIA POLY) chapter, have been enjoined to display a high sense of discipline in their reporting.

The advice was given by the newly-appointed Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the school, Mrs Lilian Diri, when the students paid her a courtesy visit.

Diri, a media practitioner, urged the student journalists to be upright in their dealings as their publications may make or mar them in the future.

She advised them to be good ambassadors of the school stressing that, they as student journalists, were the image of the students within and outside the school. She, therefore, urged them to be good image makers.

Mrs Diri also urged the students to support the school management led by Elder A.A. Onukaogu. “As a media person, I am convinced that there is need for us all to work towards supporting the school management in its effort in taking the school to greater heights, especially as the Rector has done so well in uplifting the standard of the school,” the PRO said.

Editor-in- Chief of UCJ, Jude Nwachukwu, said the union had come to congratulate the PRO on her new appointment and also to familiarise with her as well as tap from her wealth of experience as a media expert.

He said: “Our visit today is to show our solidarity and also seek ways of partnering with your office in projecting the good image of the school and also tap from your wealth of experience in public relations.”

THE University of Calabar (UNICAL) chapters of Oduduwa Staff Association (OSA) and the Yoruba Students Association (YOSA) have welcomed freshers for the 2011/2012 session.

The orientation was held at the UNICAL International Secondary School.

Welcoming the freshers, Dr A.T. Lawal the students to work in accordance with the school rules and regulations and to dress in a way to promote excellence in learning and character. He urged the freshers to focus on their primary assignment and do away with anything that can jeopardise their career.

The former university Librarian and Dean of Library Science, Dr Olu Lawal, congratulated the students on their admission. Speaking on The roles of library in excellence, he urged them to make use of the library, saying more books were being added to the existing collection of books.

Prof Jane Omojuwa, who spoke on Time management and resolving students’ problems through counseling, advised the freshmen to fashion out a workable time table to balance academically.

She emphasised on the need for students to stop procrastination in their academic pursuit, stating that procrastination kills initiatives and ruins the student career.

President of YOSA, Faleti Awolabi, urged the students to be good ambassadors of the association on the campus. He stressed the need for unionism and cooperation between the students and their lecturers.

From Faith Olaniran FUT MINNA

•A Corps member serving in Zamfara State, Ayomide Adeleye, with teachers and pupils of his place of primary assignment after a three-day language workshop he organised for the pupils in the school.

CBN Controller urges graduands to embrace professionalism T HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Awka Branch Controller, Mr Mazi Azubuike, has urged Nigerian graduates to build on their knowledge and skills in order to succeed in their chosen fields.

Azubuike disclosed this last Wednesday at the Delimit Lodge, Awka, Anambra State during the 2012 graduation seminar and launching of year book of Banking and Finance graduating students of St. Paul University, Awka, an affiliate to University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka.

According to him, participation in professional examinations would help young graduates to keep themselves abreast of development in their fields.

His words: “New inventions

From Ayodeji Adesina AWKA

and innovations are coming into virtually all fields of human endeavour daily, but you need to stay informed by associating and interacting with experts to be current.”

On how to handle job interviews, Azubuike said first impression was key at interview as appearance and application say a lot about the applicant.

A lecturer of the school, Ms Joy Ikilidih, urged the graduating students to learn vocations that would generate additional income for them.

Chairman of the final year

programme and year book committee, Anosike Chukwuanugo, charged his colleagues to go for the best and make use of the knowledge gained from the university.

THE Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA) has appointed Mrs Victoria Kolo as the Registrar. Mrs Kolo, the fifth Registrar, is the immediate past Deputy Registrar (Establishment) in the Registry department of the institution. She becomes the second woman who will hold the post.

She succeeded Mallam Muhammad Usman Dattijo, who retired from service. She has since resumed office.

The members of staff of the Registry department have held a valedictory session for the former Registrar. Dattijo admonished them to remain loyal to the system and avoid partisanship. This, he said, would help ensure harmony and assist the new registrar in the task ahead.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

34

CAMPUS LIFE Two students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Chinenye Okonkwo and Onyekachi Onuoha, have distinguished themselves among their peers. They wrote fictional books and poems, which have been launched in Calabar. CHARLES UDENZE and EMMANUEL AHANONU (400-Level Political Science) report.

Enter young literary giants

C

HINENYE Okonkwo, in her mid 20s, is a CAMPUSLIFE correspondent at the University of Calabar (UNICAL). She recently graduated from the Department of Education and Administration. As she was completing her studies, she received an inspiration to write a book.

Chinenye presented her fictional book entitled:The Rising Sun’ to the public penultimate week at Grace Banquet Hall, Pepperoni, Calabar, the Cross River State capital. She claimed that she had no mentor but was influenced by literary works of great Nigerian writers she had read.

“I started writing the book in 2010 after winning the Amateur Writing Award the same year. I discovered I could write imaginatively.

Though I don’t have a mentor except the inspiration from God, I was confident that I could write something fit for public consumption.

So, I took that first step and, today, it has become a reality for me. I was greatly influenced by the works of Nigerian writers, whose literary prowess made a very significant impression in my life.”

Asked how she discovered her writing ability, Chinenye said: “I started writing when I was in secondary school. I discovered I could write poems and short fictional stories. I noticed that after writing such stories, people always found it unbelievable that an SSS 1 pupil could write such fictions. So, I trudged on.

However, I started developing my writing talent in 2007 when Dr. Steve Ochang, a lecturer in Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH), saw the skill in me after reading one of my poems.

He gave me the necessary advice.

But my first publication came on October 1, 2009 on CAMPUSLIFE pages in The Nation newspaper. It was a great encouragement for me.”

Chinenye, who said she was

elated that she had deposited materials into the world’s bank of knowledge, advised youths not to take to crime but to use their Godgiven talent to make the world a better place.

Her mother, Elizabeth Okonkwo, thanked God for giving her daughter a good brain. She said Chinenye had carved a niche for herself and made her proud as a mother.

Dignitaries at the launch included Prof Ndem Ayara, the chairman on the occasion and Economic Adviser to the Governor of Cross River State; Chief E. A. Ezenwenyi, Eze Ndi Igbo in the state; Prof Miranda Dosunmu, former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) of UNICAL; Mr Andrew Onukannsi, chief launcher; Dr Ochang, the book reviewer and Dr Dave Imbua, among others.

Onyekachi Onuoha’s book launch was organised by the Calabar chapter of the Association of Nigeria Authors (ANA) and Echo Press Organisation. The event was attended by students, journalists and the academia from UNICAL. The chairman on the occasion and the Dean of Faculty of Arts, UNICAL, Prof F. U. Angrey, said being students entailed that one must have courage to research and contribute to knowledge through writing. He said Onyekachi had proven that he was endowed with exceptional knowledge and skill through the presentation of two books.

Onyekachi, 22, presented five books - The Moonlight Lady, Idara, Drops of Fascination and other Poems, The Heresy of Gossip and Aluta Struggle.

Onyekachi noted that writing books, apart from exposing the intellectual capability of the writer, also helps in bringing decadence of the society to the fore. “It is necessary to note that 21st century has trust on the youth an exceptional responsibility as a result of the challenges we face in the world, today. I write because I believe I have something

•The cover of Chinenye’s book with her picture

•Onyekachi being interviewed by a reporter

important to say to the society.”

Mr Peter Onuoha, Onyekach’s father, described his son as a wonderful child. He said: “I sponsored the work because I love education.

Writing such pieces affords Onyekachi a medium to speak out loudly. I want to use this opportunity to advise other undergraduates to focus on their studies and use

their skills to address the poverty in our nation.”

Dennis Odama, Onyekachi’s course mate, asserted: “He is an intelligent, smart and creative student. He has distinguished himself as a writer and has carved a niche for himself in the literary world. It takes hard work and resilience to do such great works.”

At the event were Dr Offiong Ani Offiong, sub-Dean of Faculty of Arts; Dr. Samuel Obute, the book presenter and Head of Linguistics and Communication Department; Dr Bassey Nkponong, an official of ANA; Dr. Tony Eyang; Mrs Frances Ganyi; Dr E. Joy; Prof Grace Okereke; Dr Alex Timothy and students.

Indigent female students at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) are given scholarships yearly by a New York-based Foundation, Carnegie Corporation. ESTHER MARK (400-Level Mass Communication) writes that this year’s scheme empowered hundreds of students.

A

T a tender age, she lost her mother. Then the family moved on with life. Later, she was admitted into the University of Jos (UNIJOS). And suddenly, her father lost his job. It was her relatives that paid the tuition fee. Then, she heard of the scheme. With pessimism, she applied and got the scholarship. Then her story changed.

Another female student was in her second year when she heard of the scheme. She desperately needed money to complement the peanuts she was getting from home. She applied for the scholarship and after rigorous interviews, she saw her name on the list of awardees.

Also, a final year female student needed money to buy a laptop for her project. Given her financial status, she could only dream of a fairly used computer. Like others, she seized the opportunity when the scheme forms were out and filled them. She waited for months and, at last, her story changed. She bought a brand new laptop.

Welcome to the world of girls

For female students only

•Some of the awardees at the event

whose fortunes were turned around by a stroke of luck. All had one thing in common: at a point in their stud-

ies, they had to depend on another source of income rather than their parents and guardians. The source:

the Female Support Initiative (FSI), a unit in the UNIJOS that caters for indigent female students.

The initiative is being funded, since nine years ago, by Carnegie Corporation, a private foundation in New York. Its founder, Andrew Carnegie, dedicated the body for educational development and research in Africa. The body supports girl-child education with a grant that runs into millions of naira. It was Prof S.O Liverpool, a lecturer in the Faculty of Natural Science, UNIJOS, who brought the organisation to Nigeria.

Under the scheme, scholarships ranging from N19,000 to N35,000 are awarded indigent students to help their academic pursuit. The scheme, which has brought succour to many indigent female students of the university, is headed by Dr Patricia Lar, a lecturer in Pharmacology Department. It operates under the banner Jos Carnegie Partnership Committee (JCPC).

During this year’s scholarship award held recently, over 2,000 students applied for the grants. 501 students were shortlisted having met •Continued on page 36

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

35

CAMPUS LIFE

Still mourning Aunty Ngozi

By Jumoke Awe

I

T was Robert Browning, a philosopher, who said: “If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing on.” In consonant with the ageless truism of Browning, the late Mrs Ngozi Agbo, had both: she had written what is worth reading and has done what is what writing about.

I still cannot stop crying given the reality Aunty Ngozi is no more.

Few years ago, she started the lifeimpacting and transforming pages

that would later become the campus gospel in higher institutions in Nigeria. Through her commitment to the belief that our university system can be better, she elicited the passion in the mind of students on various campuses. I am one of those mentored by the late Campus Life Editor.

Sometimes in September 2008, I sent a text message to Aunty that reads: “I write so well, and I want to be sending news to you from my campus.” In less than 10minutes, I got a response from her: “Why not?

You are welcome on board dear.”

The day my byline was published in The Nation newspaper, my joy knew no bounds. I was so happy that I told everyone in my class to get the copy of the newspaper. “You will see my name and the news I did there,” I told my course mates.

Yes, Aunty Ngozi gave me my first byline in a national newspaper. As she was using my stories on the pages, I never knew she was also nurturing me for a future purpose.

During one of the Campus Life workshops in the year, I met the

likes of Ayodele Obajeun, Fisayo Soyombo, Hannah Ojo and Toluwani Eniola (formerly Sunday Ogundugba) among other great minds who were making waves in their respective campuses. It will interest readers to know that Obajeun was one of the three students globally that got to the final stage in the World Bank Essay contest in 2009. Hannah Ojo has won various awards through her writing and Toluwani Eniola distinguished himself as reporter of The Nation. Aunty Ngozi made all these possibilities possible for them.

During the service of songs held for her at the Christ Our Light Chapel of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), people from different walks of lives poured encomiums on her. I was among the few privileged to share my testimony. I used to think I am a strong-hearted person until I was called upon to say my testimony. I literally lost it: I broke down in tears as I said few words. How could I have been paying tribute to a mentor who was not old enough to die?

After the burial, Pastor Iphy

Okonwo, addressed us Campus Life students (Aunty’s children), she said: “Ngozi could not have died if the doctors were to be more meticulous.”This statement sent a fluid of anger down my spine. Aunty Ngozi was a victim of a failed system. A system she fought on her Pushing Out column. Nothing works in Nigeria. The health sector that supposed to be life-saving for the citizens is in comatose. The personnel in the sector have no respect for human lives.

How many more women are going to die in the process of labour?

Pregnancy is supposed to bring about joy. In the case of Aunty Ngozi, it caused us pain but compensating us with a gift: Chima Agbo. May God keep this child alive for us Amen. We have become so used to “untimely death” and “wanton loss of human lives” in Nigeria that we always attribute to the “will of God.” Over 160 people died in the Dana air crash on June 3. We mourned and cried and asked questions and kept silent. The following day, the presi-

dent flew out of the country. Yet, this was a preventable accident had it been officials of government stuck to aviation rules. Few weeks after, we have forgotten those innocent people that were roasted on the roof of a three-storey building in IjuIshaga area.

If Aunty Ngozi were to be alive on the day the Dana plane crashed, she would have unleashed her literary weapon to write about the neglect of all sectors in Nigeria. She could have voiced her opinion on the UNILAG-MAULAG needless controversy. In fact, Farouk Lawan and Femi Otedola would not have escaped the stroke of ‘punishment’ of Aunty.

Aunty Ngozi died fulfilled. She died making impact in the lives of Nigerian youth. In death, Aunty could have asked for nothing more than to let her passion CAMPUSLIFE continue. Adieu Aunty Ngozi. Sleep well. To say we are greatly missing you does not say it all.

Jumoke, OOU Law graduate, writes in from Dubai

Entrepreneurship: The panacea for national development O James Zhan, entrepreneurs produce solutions that fly in the face of established knowledge and they always challenge the status quo. They are risktakers who pursue opportunities and others may fail to recognise or may even view as problems or threats.

In whatever dimension an entrepreneurship is perceived, it is not far from or in connection with intellectual change, creativity, innovation, knowledge and other flexibility factors that are increasingly significant source of competitiveness in an increasingly globalised world economy. It is to be a process of identifying, developing and bringing a vision to life.

This vision may be an innovative idea, an opportunity, or simply a better way of doing things. The end result of this process is the creation

T

S

YMPATHY is an essential virtue for human existence. Since life is not all beers and skittles, sympathy enables us connect with others at an emotional level and share in their pains. But a man without a head has no business wearing a cap. So, of what essence is sympathy without empathy?

What prompted this narrative is the DANA air mishap that saw humans reduced to barbecued chickens. Gorgeous men and women caught up in the wind and perished in agonizing fashion. No doubt, the nation lost its grip. Tears flew freely as the media was awash with prickly images and stirring rhetoric. But again, what happened to the victims of previous crashes? What is the emergency plan for victims of floods, bomb attacks and air crashes in Nigeria? Isn’t it comic that while the tragedy lasted, some people were busy fighting over a cow killed by a wing of the plane?

Others simply took to the scene looking for slick phones and money to cart away.

Now it’s been condolence galore.

But as I glanced through the commiseration reports, I saw a nation and hypocrisy. I saw the height of negligence and its destructive ability. I saw feigned tears and fabricated sobriety, all appealing to our emotions. Some could be genuine, no doubt. But that has been the practice for ages. Remember that an executioner at Kirikiri prisons also feels sympathetic for condemned in-mates but he goes ahead and guillotines them anyway. During the holocaust, Nazi prison guards wept bitterly as they mowed down Jewish women and children. But

By Ibrahim Akintoye

of a new venture formed under conditions of risk and considerable uncertainty.

In recent times, the Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to Human Capital Development to achieve the Vision 20:2020 of the transformation agenda of the present administration which is aimed at placing Nigeria amongst the top 20 economics of the world.

In climbing this ladder, the need to concentrate in development of the country’s economy became imperative, and this can never be more achievable without development of entrepreneurial culture.

The contributions of entrepreneurship in economic development through transforming of ideas into opportunities and its culture in eco-

nomic and social development has often been underestimated, as it brings about increase in productivity, wealth creation and income generation.

Economically, it invigorates markets, the formation of new business which leads to job creation and has multiplying effects on the economy.

Socially, however, it empowers citizens, generates innovation and changes mindsets which have the potential to uplift Nigeria into the global economy.

Globalization and Liberalisation had succeeded in creating new dynamics of production, enterprise development and international competitions. With this, Nigeria needs to formulate new enterprise development strategies that will address the multiple factors that underpin enterprise growth and its competitiveness

in the country.

The traditional constraints in entrepreneurship development in the country, such as financial limitations and lack of credibility which has set the small scale enterprise backward should be properly resolved through legislations that will not only strengthen the financial institutions in enterprise promotion and development but should also monitor discriminatory tendency between small scale enterprises and companies with large financial reserves when giving out loans.

To this end, it is pertinent to make obvious that achieving vision 20:2020 in the midst of absolute poverty in a country enriched with most natural resources benefiting only the few to the detriment of many is nearly a vision unattainable. Let’s take for example, the 2010 United Nations Hu-

and mosques. It’s not enough to pray for “brethren” whose lives are torn apart by the winds of time. The times of the biblical apostles saw an era defined by sharing and mutual concern. It’s not enough to lay hands on the poor and pronounce blessings. It makes no sense rather, giving hope to the hungry when a pittance could work the miracle.

After all, faith without work is dead.

These days, employees work round the clock and yet their quality of life shrinks. The take home pay hardly takes people home. So, they invent whatever foul measure to take the pay home just to keep up with the Joneses. Fat-cat CEOs swim in their opulence and ostentatious lifestyle. They neglect their staff who toil for their extravagance. They exploit the operating environment to feather their nests.

They neglect the same environment that allows them rake in the profits. That is not how to build a cohesive society.

We need empathy in the discharge of our daily tasks. Until we let it sink into the core of our culture, human progress is at peril. It is inhuman to fly semi-dead molues as airplanes, putting the destiny of a people at risk. It makes no sense either to accept “kick-backs” and let others die like fowls. That is the case of the DANA crash. So, somebody collected bribe to keep an entire nation mourning. That is not how to build Nigeria.

Our politics need some empathy.

Ibrahim, HND II Mass Comm., BIDA POLY

PostGraduate runs at LASU

Wells of compassion they did it anyway. We do not need this sort of sympathy. We need empathy with a moral action.

Today, we live in the darkest hour of human history. Our world is threatened by ravaging phenomena, ranging from terrorism to pestilences, food crisis, climate change, natural disasters, economic downturn and wars. We have lost our innocence. An Armageddon looms.

Firstly, we need to out-grow the vanity of self. As President Barrack Obama pointed out, “we live in a culture that discourages empathy.

A culture that too often tells us our principal goal in life is to be rich, thin, young, famous, and safe.” Let us shift our focus to the plight of the hungry, the naked, the homeless and the forsaken flocks of the society. We need to return to the communal culture of giving and collective interest. We must return to that era when a neighbour’s child was the community’s.

We need empathy in the expression of our religious beliefs. Religious extremism thrives in the absence of compassion. Love, as Martin Luther King Jr. saw it, remains the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. It amounts to an exercise in futility when our service to whatever God we profess lacks the love for others. Maybe a bit of it could dounce the flames of violence in the North.

Maybe a tad of it could lessen the political tension in the country. Yet we are enslaved by hatred.

We need empathy in our churches

man Development report which showed Nigeria’s rank as the 28th poorest country with about 60% of its citizens living below poverty level.

This undoubtedly may not be far away from the rationale behind increase in criminalities, insecurities and involvement in social vices by some citizens to earn a living.

Meanwhile, curbing this menace may not be impossible if the government increases its investment in developing entrepreneurship and an entrepreneurial culture as well as creating conducive atmosphere for small scale business enterprises to reign thereby giving room for economic diversification and engagement of citizens in the production of goods and services.

By Musediq Afolabi

I

By Gilbert Alasa We cannot continue to promote bloodbath and stark atrocities all in an attempt to gain power. We must aspire to outlive our generations by leaving behind a better world, defined by altruistic ideals.

Let’s show some love to the poor across the streets, the motorist on the next driving lane, orphans touring the streets in search for survival; those folks who need just the crumb that falls from our table.

Like Alfred Lord Tennyson noted, “all things must die”. Hence, we must seek to reap from transcendence as Abraham Maslow saw it.

Life is more than the fleeting soothe of material acquisition. We need to learn to bring the grist to others’ mill. We need some love, some wells of compassion.

Gilbert, 300-level Foreign Languages, UNIBEN

T is quite disheartening that the reputable institution, in which one has hope, is tending to be deceitful in its operations. Lagos State University (LASU) runs several programmes of post graduate in various campuses. This serves as a great opportunity for the working class in Lagos in pursuance of their career prospects. People are enrolling for various post graduate programmes with the hope of acquiring additional certificates to upgrade their status at their places of work. Unfortunately, these same people are getting the certificates through the back door by making it done with money. In the normal academic programme, the successful student of the institution is expected to be issued statement of result for presentation at work as additional academic qualification. At Agege campus of LASU, to be precise, their case is different.

The institution has never issued •Continued on page 36

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

36

CAMPUS LIFE Social networks are websites where youths engage in social activities. Do they encourage prostitution? OLANREWAJU AWE (200-Level Political Science, Ekiti State University) and OYINKANSOLA SADIQ-MABEKO (200-Level Mass Communication, Lagos State University) ask.

The other side of social media network A

SCHOOL of thought believes that relationships have improved since the advent of social network websites. This may be right because the websites make it easy for persons from different parts of the world to be friends without seeing one another.

To the youth, the essence of social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, Mozat, 2go and so on, is to socialise and network. Alas, the idea has been turned upside down.

In many countries today, social networks have been turned to obscene sites for pornography. On Nigerian campuses, the best way to see the nudity of decent and lewd students is through 2go.

For lascivious youths, 2go is a website to meet erotic partners.

Girls find new guys and vice versa. The social network is easy to be downloaded on mobile phones and computers. It also has features that make instant messages possible to be sent across and also instant pictures to be shown to other users via mobile phones.

On campuses, addicted students use most of their periods to chat with friends and lovers. In the lecture rooms, while some of their colleagues are concentrating, students who are addicted to 2go are always busy chatting and viewing nude pictures of their mates.

Through the social network websites, some decent girls have lost their innocence by free dis-

play of their private body parts for boys to see. There are cases where female students deliberately get shots of their friends in the nude in hostels and post to guys through the social network website.

CAMPUSLIFE learnt of the case of Winifred (surname withheld), who is a Law student in a university in Ekiti State. Her beauty attracted guys to her like a magnet.

Knowing that she subscribed to 2go, male students in her department wanted to be her friends. She turned down offers from the guys.

Winifred’s course mate gave his rich friend her username. She reportedly fell in love with the guy.

In no time, Winifred travelled to meet the affluent male student in his institution and reportedly had intercourse with the guy several times. However, she never knew it was a set up. The next time she visited her wealthy 2go boyfriend, she met her course mate and the 2go boyfriend displaying her nude pictures and mocking her.

This is the bad side of 2go, a social network website on which many students love to share their nudity.

At Adebola Adegunwa School of Communication, Lagos State University (LASU), 200-Level journalism students were surprised to hear their Print Media lecturer, Mr

Akintunde Akanni, compelling them to subscribe to Twitter and Skype.

According to Akanni, the world is changing and no student would grab the idea of the new communication system without subscribing to social websites. He enjoined the students to embrace the advantages of the social media.

However, do students think in this direction? Hear Omoghene Agali, a 400-Level student at Delta State University (DELSU): “2go package na im sure pass o, my brother. To nail any girl that believes that she is Mr President’s daughter, all you need is just to get her 2go username and once that is done, the mission is accomplished.”

Through the social website, Austin Omoaka, a student of University of Benin (UNIBEN), said he was dating six girls on his campus. Emmanuel Michael, who criticised the media for exposing the misdemeanour of social networks, said: “Once these girls start reading all this, show no go dey for guys again. After my exam, I already have a 2go girl that is coming from another institution to visit me. Please, no spoil my show.”

Ifes Umunna, 100-Level Mathematics student of Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), thinks social network websites aid communication and unite people, despite its bad side.

On and Off Campus By Solomon Izekor 08061522600

•One of the girls in this photograph sent it to her boyfriend through 2go

For female students only •Continued from page 34

certain requirements for the scholarship. The chosen students were then administered an oral interview after which the final list of qualified students was released. The process took months because the interviewers took time to screen each applicant.

The award for the 2012 scholarship scheme was held penultimate week at the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) secretariat in the university. The event was attended by dignitaries from within and outside the institution. Also, the awardees defied lectures to attend the ceremony.

Speaking, the UNIJOS ViceChancellor, Prof Hayward Mafuyai, said the event would continue to empower female students in the university by giving them a platform to achieve their goals.

He noted that the Carnegie Corporation has been funding the scheme for nine years, advising students not to be discouraged by the ‘token’ given to them as grant. According to him, “the scheme

will not die even if it will consume our internally-generated revenue to continue the scheme.”

Dr. Lar said the scheme had helped boost students’ performance and increased Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in the school. She advised the beneficiaries to disburse the money judiciously, saying, “the money is not to buy make-ups and do trendy hairstyles.”

Speaking on the occasion, the Mother of the Day, who is the wife of the Chancellor, Olori Abosede Adejugbe, appealed to the government to take girl-child education seriously. She said: “We don’t want the girls to roam the streets in search of peanuts; we want them to be equipped in the best possible way.”

The VC and other dignitaries donated cash to the scheme. Prof Shedrach Best, secretary to Plateau State Government, contributed N150,000 as scholarships to the students. Also, members of the university senate pledged N10,000 each.

Members of JCPC pledged

10 per cent of their annual salary to the scheme, the Advancement Office, UNIJOS, donated a mouth-watering amount, while the Student Union Government (SUG) contributed N50,000 and also pledged N10,000 each from every student’s annual due.

Lisa Oransaye, a Political Science graduate, broke down in tears as she recalled her experience before JCPC came to her aid. She said: “I appeal to you all, please and please, you won’t know the impact and importance of this scheme until years later. I plead with you to do all you can to help serious students who are challenged by finance to cope well in school.

Only God will reward you.”

Comfort Orei, 400-Level Mass Communication, said: “This is the second time I am benefitting from this scheme.

I cannot quantify its benefit to my life. May God reward you all.”

Students of the Theatre and Film Arts Department entertained guests with drama and songs after the scholarships were given to beneficiaries.

Post-Graduate runs at LASU •Continued from page 35

any result to the post graduate students. Instead, it gives them “To Whom It May Concern”. But for how long will it be valid for someone who has completed exams for over three years and has not got a statement of result?

This serves as robbery to all students.

We are making this known to the public that LASU is deceiving people in running unconvocated programmes.

This is evident in 2008 set till date. All post graduate students at all the institution’s

campuses have not received their statement of result, instead they are collecting N10,000 for the so-called “To Whom It May Concern.”

Musediq, a graduating postgraduate student of LASU, writes from Lagos

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

37

EDUCATION

Okebukola backs licence suspension

T

HE immediate past Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Peter Okebukola, has said the decision of the agency to suspend the licence of seven private universities is in order.

The private universities affected are: Lead City University, Oyo; Caritas; Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Irekeji; Tansian University, Enugu; Madonna University, Okija; Achievers University, Owo and Obong University.

Okebukola told The Nation that the regulatory body was right to have withdrawn the licence of the univer-

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

sities for failing to keep to the regulations guiding the running of the institutions.

He said the uproar that followed the news of the closure was unnecessary as students in the affcted universities would be allowed to graduate, while candidates who selected the schools would be reassigned to other institutions by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

"I don't know why people are shouting that NUC withdrew the licences. As NUC indicated, the stu-

dents already in the programme will complete their programmes.When a programme is discertified all the students enrolled will graduate and JAMB will find a way of placing those who chose the institutions in other universities," he said.

When asked how the institutions got their licences in the first place, Okebukola said there must have met the requirements for starting.

He added that there are other requirements for progressing, which if the institutions do not meet would make the agency wield its big stick.

He said further that new universities are initially issued a tempo-

rary licences for the first five years before they are certified if they meet the requirements.

"There are minimum requirements for setting up the university.

When I assumed office, there were three steps to meet to set up one.

We changed it to 13 steps. It is now 15 steps. When a university meets the minimum standard, it is issued a licence. However, there are other requirements for progressing," he said.

Defending the agency, Okebukola said as NUC boss, he closed down many programmes that were substandard.

MTNF/ MUSON churns out 28 scholars

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

B

• Mrs Fashola (left) receiving a plaque from Mrs Adeyemi.

W

Corps members may stop paying on BRT

IFE of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Abimbola Fashola has promised to help corps members serving in Lagos to get a waiver on fares on the BRT and LAG Buses.

This, she said, might be possible after she discussed the matter with her husband, Mr Babatunde Fashola on the issue.

She said this in reply to a request by a corps member, Adegbite Tunde, who sought a waiver on fares for other corps members, saying that policemen and soldiers enjoy a similar gesture.

Mrs Fashola was invited to the NYSC Orientation Camp in Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos last Friday to give a speech to the Batch 'B' corps members who are in camp.

Tunde said: "Since we are trained by soldiers and soldiers and they don’t don't pay fares, we also want to be excluded for paying fares, especially on the BRT and LAG Buses."

By Medinat Kanabe

Mrs Fashola explained to them why it might not be possible to grant the request, saying that the BRT and LAGBuses are owned and managed by two different private companies.

"Before now, I did not understand this as I was refused use of the buses by the companies in the past, but later, it was explained to me that Lagos State does not have full ownership and management of the buses. So, I am telling you that if I pass on the message and we are granted, you may stop paying fares on the buses. But we can't in anyway force other private drivers to stop collecting fares from you because we do not have the right."

Sh advised the corps members to be good leaders and make good use of

their service year. She told them that having integrity, values and role model could help them, adding that they should think of what they could do to generate funds and try to be employers.

"There are so many things you can do. You can even be housekeepers, but we think it’s degrading. The problem we have is that, we over prize ourselves thinking we are more than what we are. We must start from a humble beginning. You will tell your story one day and be proud," she said.

She responded to questionS on accommodation, placements for pregnant women and the physically challenged corps members, salaries and others.

She was entertained with dances by the Platoons Five and 10 members and presented a gift by the state Coordinator, Mrs Adenike Adeyemi.

•Ambassador Ali (left) presenting a prize to Olanrewaju with Mrs Sayanwo and Mrs Aishat Sadauki, a director of the foundation, applauding

EFORE his graduation after a two-year diploma course at the MUSON School of Music, Timothy Adesina had planned to enrol at the University of Winneba in Ghana for further studies.

Now, he has changed his mind. He will be applying to a university in Canada where he will major in piano, courtesy of the Gbadamosi family.

Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, who was the keynote speaker at the graduation and concert programme for the 2012 batch of graduates sponsored by the MTN Foundation, gave Adeshina a blank cheque to study in any university of his choice anywhere in the world.

Gbadamosi and his daughter were enamoured by the wonders Adesina performed on the keyboard during concert preceding the graduation held July 3. He commended the MUSON School of Music for the quality of training Adesina and 28 others got during their programme and expressed confidence in their talents.

"The Gbadamosi family will assist Timothy Adesina to get further education anywhere in the world. Whatever it takes for him to become a trained musician, the Gbadamosi family will pay. If a Timothy Adesina could go to the best of music schools anywhere in the world, then it would be an education Mrs Edna Sanyanwo, Mr James Adekunle and the MTNF which put down the seed money would be proud of, " said Gbadamosi, who is a member of the board of trustee of the MUSON. Adesina was not the only one pleasantly surprised at the graduation held at the Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre as many others won prizes in various areas of music. However, the cynosure of all eyes were the MTNF prizes, awarded to three of the graduands for their excellent performance academically as well as for meeting the Foundation's core values, which its Executive Secretary, Ms Nonny Ugboma said include: leadership, integrity, and innovation.

Alaba Olanrewaju, who majored in Percussion, was presented with a Yamaha digital electronic piano for being the best overall graduand. Second placed Rev Father Alabi Olusola was rewarded with a HP-Compaq laptop, while third placed Grace Olasumbo Talabi got a HP mini laptop.

In his speech, Chairman of the Foundation, Ambassador, Hamzat Ali said the MTNF with this year's graduation, the fifth since MTNF entered into a contract with MUSON to fund the training of indigent students, the Foundation has supported 133 of them. The foundation paid tuition and provided allowances for books and transportation to and from school.

Attesting to the quality of training they received, Ali added that the initiative has provided a means of livelihood to the young people.

•Prof Okebukola

UI FILE Post-UTME results out THE management of the University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan has released the 2012/2013 post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME) screening results, which held on Monday last week.

The university's Director of Public Communication, Mr Olatunji Oladejo, said in a statement that four candidates: Adedoyin Ibukunoluwa (MB BS), Shuaibu Gideon Enebojo (MB BS) and Adepoju Adekunle (Electrical/ Electronics Engineering) scored 88 per cent, being the highest mark.

Three others, Fashola Oreoluwa (MB BS), Omozojie Samson (MB BS) and Adetayo Michael Babatunde (Law) scored 87 per cent, while Dagie Blessing Ebahi (Communication and Language Arts), Adaja Aba Emmanuel (MB BS), Efebame Edeki (MB BS) and Jayeola Idris Olayiwola (Pharmacy) scored 86.

The university invited 7,237 candidates for the screening based on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board's (JAMB) criteria of Merit, Locality and Educationally Less Disadvantaged States (ELDS).

Only 2,434 (34.4 per cent) of them made up to the 50 per cent pass mark. The candidates were screened in the same subjects they wrote in the UTME with over 280 invigilators and 135 men/officers of the Campus Security Service conducting the examination.

NUC approves new department THE National Universities Commission (NUC) at its statutory meeting on November 24, 2011 approved the establishment of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences from the parent Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

"This is the first full-fledged Department of Environmental Health Sciences in Nigeria", said the University's Director of Public Communication, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo, in a statement.

He disclosed that environmental health, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), is a specialised discipline in Public Health that is responsible for the prevention of diseases and safeguarding of the health of population by ensuring and providing safe and quality environmental conditions. This discipline is thus very strategic in the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) and Sustainable Development (SD) which are key United Nations Social, Environment and Health issues.

The University spokesman further stated that to provide the required enabling environment for qualitative training of students and staff development through research and community services, the Department will hold an historic inauguration on Tuesday, July, 31, at 10.00am in the Auditorium of the College of Medicine, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

38

EDUCATION Varsity staff gets induction THE Staff of the Federal University, Wukari have been enlisted into the National Pensions and Housing schemes of the Federal Government.

At a well-attended sensitisation workshop on Social Security at the university campus on Wukari Katsina-Ala road Wukari, the Bursar, Mr Olatunji Joshua, intimated the excited staff on the benefits of the schemes.

Joshua said: "After disengagement from service, pension beneficiaries have nothing more dependable to fall on than their pension", Joshua said. The bursar urged the staff to consider it mandatory to register with one Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) in compliance with the directive of the National Pension Commission.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Registrar, Ibrahim Jalingo, expressed readiness of the university bursary to support and mediate in the relationship between the staff and pension funds administrators.

School visits ‘special pupils’ THE pupils and staff of Wellspring College in Omole, Lagos have visited the Heart of Gold Children's Hospice in Surulere; a home for children with disabilities.

During the visit, Wellspring College, a subsidiary of Management Science Centre, donated items such as food stuff, toiletries, stationery, diapers, etc. The staff and the students met and shared pleasantries with residents of the home to give them a sense of belonging.

In a staement by the school’ Public Relations Officer, Oyiye Isimoya, said the Public Relations Consultant principal of the school, Mrs Oluwayemisi Oloriade, said the school had taken it upon itself to make life more meaningful to the less-privileged as a part of its Christian calling and corporate social responsibility.

ABU PG matriculates 2,537

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HE School of Post Graduate Studies (SPGS), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has matriculated a total of 2537 Postgraduate students.

Its Vice Chancellor, Prof Abdullahi Mustapha, who presided over the ceremony held at the main auditorium of the new site of the post graduate school, congratulated the students and tasked them to work hard and be original in their academic pursuits.

In a statement by the media aide to the vice-chancellor, Waziri Isa Gwantu, said of the lot, 169 were admitted for different doctoral programmes while 1,369 and 808 were admitted for various masters’ programmes.

Mustapha advised the students to concentrate on their studies and desist from the bad and unacademic attitude of some lazy students who, after engaging in frivolities, resort to plagiarism or total cut and paste style of thesis and dissertation writing.

He warned such students that the university has software of tracking any plagiarised or cut and pasted researchs from any part of the world.

Mustapha, therefore, cautioned the students to abide by the academic and research rules of the university which are standard rules obtained in any standard university in the world.

The vice-chancellor also called on lecturers and supervisors to restrict themselves to guiding and mentoring students within acceptable limits. He warned that any lecturer or supervisor who contravenes the regulations would be sanctioned.

SCHOLARSHIPS APPROACHING DEADLINES 2012 TWAS-CAS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Developing Countries Applicants, China Postdoctoral Fellowship for Developing Countries Students in the field of the natural sciences, China- 2012 Study Subject(s):Natural sciences Course Level:Postdoctoral Scholarship Provider: TWAS-CAS Scholarship can be taken at: China Eligibility: -Applicants for these Fellowships must meet the following criteria: be a maximum age of 40 years on 31 December of the application year; -nationals of a developing country (other than China); hold a PhD degree in a field of the natural sciences; -be accepted at a CAS-listed institution participating in the scheme and provide an official acceptance letter from the host institution (see sample Acceptance Letter, page 6) to this effect; -and provide evidence of proficiency in English or Chinese.

Scholarship Open for International Students: Yes Scholarship Open for Students of Following Countries: Developing countries Scholarship Description: For young scientists from developing countries (other than China) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in China though the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.

How to Apply: By post and online Scholarship Application Deadline: 31 August 2012 2012 TWAS-CONACYT Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme for Developing Countries, Mexico

The National Council for Science and Technology (CONACyT), Mexico City, Mexico, and TWAS offer fellowships for scientists from developing countries (other than Mexico) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in the natural sciences Study Subject(s):Natural sciences Course Level:Postdoctoral Scholarship Provider: TWAS-CONACYT Scholarship can be taken at: Mexico Eligibility: Applicants for these Fellowships must meet the following criteria: Be a maximum age of 40 years on 31 December of the year of application. Be nationals of a developing country (other than Mexico). Hold a PhD degree in a field of the natural sciences. Be regularly employed in a developing country (other than Mexico) and hold a research assignment there.

Provide an official Acceptance Letter from the host institution from an eligible institution in Mexico.

Only listed higher education institutions in Mexico are eligible (see point 2 above). A sample Acceptance Letter is included in the application form which can be downloaded from the link at the bottom of the page unter "related content". Prove knowledge of Spanish or provide a certificate of proficiency in English (if these languages are not the candidate's mother tongue).

Scholarship Open for International Students: Yes Scholarship Open for Students of Following Countries: Developing Countries Scholarship Description: TWAS-CONACYT Postdoctoral Fellowships are tenable at eligible institutions of higher education and research in Mexico for a minimum period of six to a maximum period of twelve months and are awarded to young scientists from developing countries (other than Mexico) to enable them to pursue advanced research in the natural sciences and related fields. 2. A list of

research institutions in Mexico where TWASCONACYT Fellowships are tenable. 3.

CONACYT will provide a standard monthly allowance which should be used to cover living costs, such as accommodation and food. 4.

CONACYT will also provide a fixed amount for mandatory health insurance coverage. TWASCONACYT Postdoctoral Fellowships are tenable at eligible institutions of higher education and research in Mexico for a minimum period of six to a maximum period of twelve months and are awarded to young scientists from developing countries (other than Mexico) to enable them to pursue advanced research in the natural sciences and related fields. 2. A list of research institutions in Mexico where TWAS-CONACYT Fellowships are tenable. 3. CONACYT will provide a standard monthly allowance which should be used to cover living costs, such as accommodation and food. 4.

CONACYT will also provide a fixed amount for mandatory health insurance coverage. TWASCONACYT Postdoctoral Fellowships are tenable at eligible institutions of higher education and research in Mexico for a minimum period of six to a maximum period of twelve months and are awarded to young scientists from developing countries (other than Mexico) to enable them to pursue advanced research in the natural sciences and related fields. 2. A list of research institutions in Mexico where TWAS-CONACYT Fellowships are tenable. 3. CONACYT will provide a standard monthly allowance which should be used to cover living costs, such as accommodation and food. 4.

CONACYT will also provide a fixed amount for mandatory health insurance coverage.

How to Apply: By post Scholarship Application Deadline: June 30, every year

California Varsity partners Ogun on farm institute, others From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun

T

HE California State University, Fresno, United States, has expressed its readiness to partner with the Ogun State government to resuscitate the Odeda Farm Institute for the development of middle level human capital - students.

The institute located in Odeda Local Government Council of the state was established during the agricultural revolutionary years of the late

sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in the Southwest of Nigeria.

This was made known in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, by Mr Muyiwa Omololu, who led a three-man delegation to the state government.

The team of agricultural experts from California State University Fresno, had earlier signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government on agriculture.

Omololu, who with his team and state officials, also visited farm settlements in the state, disclosed further that Ogun has the potential to train agriculture manpower and feed the West African countries should it harness the opportunities within her.

He said the university in collabora-

tion with the government, is also weighing the option of setting up a Resource Centre to take care of human resource management in collaboration with international bodies.

According to him, the university will be an interface between the state and grant bodies on best management practice in order to create competition among the farmers in the state especially the young ones.

"With this, the students will see agriculture as a sustainable business and not just as a carrier; this will allow them to have interest in agriculture and to replace the aged populace of farmers in the state, "he said.

The team leader who said that they were motivated by the political will of Governor Ibikunle Amosun's administration, said the university is planning for a structured international market that will absorb the produce of the farm settlements in the state.

• Director of Finance and Administration, Ministry of Home Affairs and Culture, Mrs Awobamise Kofoworola, who represented Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; Mr Nurudeen Shodehinde, co-ordinator, Lagos State Waste Management Office, who represented Commissioner for Environment Mr Tunji Bello; Provost, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, (AOCOED), Otto/Ijanikin, Mr Wasiu Olawale Bashorun and Registrar, Mr Bola Disu, during the annual tree planting campaign at the college premises.

Also, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Ayo Oluboris assured that the government would implement recommendations of the university in line with the MoU, adding that the government will be hoping for a solid, concise and with measurable impact within a very short period of time.

Minister charges youths on change From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

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HE Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdul-Kadir, has urged youths to promote peaceful co-existence and strive to be agents of positive change.

He gave the charge in Abuja during the opening of the second sitting of the second session of the Nigerian Youth Parliament at the National Assembly.

He noted that to achieve this, programmes of the ministry would be geared towards making young people catalysts for peaceful coexistence, good governance and essential resources for sustainable socio-economic development.

Abdul-Kadir observed that young people constitute an important and significant part of the Nigerian population, noting that their significance counts less when it comes to their involvement in decision making, especially in matters that affect them directly.

He pointed out that the Youth Parliament was constituted to help address this various challenges.

The Minister explained that democracy as a norm has become the most acceptable platform, where people exercise their inalienable right to participate in the process of decision making.

He urged the young parliamentarians to deliberate on issues and make resolutions that would impact meaningfully on the youth.

39

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

EDUCATION

NPS establishes first school

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• (From left) Principal, GEC International College, Lagos, Dr Ghalib Fahad; GEC Marketing/Admin. Manager Mrs Josephine Peters (middle) and Director of Studies Theo Theodorou with the graduands during the college’s maiden graduation at the school premises.

HE wife of the ControllerGeneral (CG) Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Mrs Ruth Zakari Ibrahim, has raised an alarm that Nigeria is experiencing a decline in the standard of education, asying that this calls for urgent attention.

Mrs Ibrahim, also the National President of the Prison Officers Wives Association (PROWA), expressed sadness that there were several factors responsible for what she described as falling standards in the educational system.

Speaking in Abuja at the foundation stone laying of PROWA Academy, Mrs Ibrahim said some of the defects include: lack of adequate infrastructure for conducive learning activities, as well as competent and qualified teachers.

Her words: "You would all agree with me that our country is experiencing a decline in the standard of education being offered at various levels. There are several factors responsible for these falling standards, some of which include; lack of adequate infrastructure for conducive learning activities, competent and

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

qualified teachers just to mention a few.

"It is on the basis of these that our association (PROWA) deemed it fit to establish our own schools where we can determine the quality of education that our children receive, by giving them a conducive atmosphere and schools that would be manned by well trained qualified personnel, whose welfare will also be our concern.

“We are optimistic that the Nigerian Prisons Service through the PROWA Academy can be, not only an avenue of offering quality education to our children and other Nigerian children but also be a means of opportunities for the unemployed in our society; especially from the Prison Staff and families."

The chairperson and wife of the Minister of Interior, Mrs Jane Abba Moro, commended the development, urging the officers and men of the NPS to support the project and ensure that it's appreciated by all and sundry.

Mobil to partner Bonny on education

M

OBILE Producing Nigeria (MPN) has promised to partner with Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) to provide infrastructure for education to thrive in Bonny Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State.

The General Manager, Public and Government Affairs of MPN, Mrs Gloria Essien-Danner, said this during the third edition of the Senior Secondary Schools Quiz Competition in Bonny, organised by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)/MPN Joint Venture in collaboration with BKDC. Essien-Danner explained that the

From Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt

exercise was part of the company's community relations programmes "to uplift the falling standards of education, rekindle interest and consciousness in education and encourage reading habits among pupils."

The Chairman of the occasion, Dr Sodienye Jackmay, said the quiz competition was to restore reading habit in pupils. Jackmay advised pupils to desist from spending precious time on things that would not make any meaningful impact on their future.

The Chairman of Bonny LGA, Edward Pepple, who was represented

by Mr Samuel John, commended NNPC/MPN and the BKDC for their efforts which culminated to the quiz competition that has 'undoubtedly improved pupils' performances.'

The Chairman of Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board, Mr Allwell Nyeso, who was represented by a member of the board in charge of Science and Technology, Mr Tonye Longjohn, decried the falling standards of education, which he said has become worrisome to government.

Nyeso, who commended the sponsors and facilitators of the event, also expressed hope that it would stimulate spirit of competition amongst

participants, and impacting positively on their overall academic activities.

Earlier in his address, Dr Jude Benstowe, who represented Recreasport, the facilitator of the competition, said the organisation has procured more current textbooks for all participating schools to improve and update their libraries, high speed laptop computers and other prizes which would be given to the winners at the event for their personal use.

At the end of the competition, which featured four public and four private schools in the LGA, Spring Foundation College came tops to retain the first position, which it won in the last

edition. It scored 28 points to defeat Community Secondary School which got 27 points. Bonny National Grammar School also secured 28 points to beat Kings and Queens High School which had 19 points.

On individual performances, Master Boizy Pepple of Spring Foundation College who answered 45 questions was declared the best pupil; Master Isaac Peters of Community Secondary School got second position with 43 questions, while his counterpart at Bonny National Grammar School Master Christian Jumbo clinched third position by answering 31 questions.

'Build role models in children, build the nation'

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XECUTIVE Director, Corona School' Trust Council, Mrs Olufunto Igun, has reiterated the need for the development of worthy role models that can provide leadership for students.

She argued that such gatherings could give birth to an alumni bond and network, where students will fish out the alumni role models they would emulate.

Mrs Igun spoke at the annual Corona Alumni get together at Corona School, Gbagada,Lagos.

Her words: "We cannot over emphasise the need for many more worthy role models; we need many more of them in Nigeria.”

Mrs Igun identified virtues, such as high moral standards, ethical behaviour, integrity, commitment to excellence, which students can inculcate to be better citizens and help to develop the nation.

She commended an alumnus of Corona, Mr Okechukwu Ofili, whose efforts, Mrs Igun added, inspired the building of a database for Corona former students, including motivating his colleagues to be responsive to their alma mater.

She said Ofili's drive has grown the alumni body to where it is. She said the event was organised towards the end of the academic calendar so it can afford members the opportunity to fully participate. " We are starting with football, but in the years ahead, there are plans to include other sport that will carry everybody along and be more robust".

Mr Ofili, who is of the Corona set of 1998, pointed out that the school has been able to attract past students in and outside the country. "The goal is networking because we feel that the

• Mrs Igun (middle front row) and CSTC Corporate Affairs Manager, Mrs Adewunmi Onafowokan (3rd left) with other alumni after the event .

By Adegunle Olugbamila

closer we are, the more we can achieve as a Corona brand.

"We are working on developing a website and other forms of social networking sites that aimed towards growing the data base and social networking for members, we hope to keep in touch and update alumni about our activities," Ofilli said.

He said plans were on to roll out drums for the 20th anniversary of the Corona Secondary School, noting that the platform would afford the alumni an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the effort of their teachers whom he said are responsible for the successes of many of Corona graduates today. The high point of the event was a football match between Corona Alumni and Corona Secondary School, Agbara which the latter won five goals to four.

Bayelsa names e-library after Alagoa •As Fed Govt launches Bring back the book

B

AYELSA State Government's efforts at promoting education in the state further received a boost with the opening of an e-library and the launch of the Bring back the book project, an initiative of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Christened Prof Ebiegberi Alagoa-e-library, and named after the renowned historian and native of the state, the e-library which is for the use of children and professionals, has a proviso called Look which contains about 10, 000 books already loaded in the device, with capacity for additional 6,000 books.

In his remarks, Prof Alagoa, who was the special guest of honour,

lauded the innovation by Bayelsa State on education.

"With all these projects on education, Bayelsa State will in no distance time, be a centre of learning", noted Alagoa shortly before the inauguration.

He added that prominent writers such as Chinua Achebe, John Pepper Clark and others, all grew through the library, expressing hope that the new facilities would also produce more eggheads.

He told Governor Dickson that the project would further complement the free-education programme of in the state.

In his remark, Governor Dickson said:"It is far more important to

build the human mind because all evil thoughts are traceable to deficient education policy.

“We have no alternative, but to invest in education because the development of today is knowledge driven. We want to stop at nothing to give our young people the competitive knowledge."

Mr Oronto Douglas, Special Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy, initiator of the project, said it was facilitated by the Community Defence Law Foundation of which he is a member and volunteer.

He added that the project also received the support of the Ford Foundation, the President and some individuals.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

40

EDUCATION EDUTALK

with

Common entrance back in Lagos

T • Mrs Idris (right) handing over the keys to the Principal of the School, Mrs Akintogbin. With them is Mr Ikem

Pupils laud NB donation

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EACHERS and pupils were full of smiles at the inauguration of a block of six classrooms, eight toilets and a library at the Okesuna Senior High School, Lagos Island, which were donated by the Nigeria Breweries Plc penultimate week.

The facility was handed over to the Education Commissioner, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, who was represented by the Tutor-General/ Permanent Secretary, Education District III, Mrs Wonuola Idris, by the Managing Director of Nigeria Breweries Plc, Mr Nicolaas Vervelde who was represented by the Corporate Responsibility/ Sustainability Manager, Mr Vivian Ikem.

Vervelde said the objective of the project, funded by the Nigeria Breweries Education Trust Fund, is to address problems of infrastructural decay. He assured the teachers and pupils that the library would be stocked by the organisation.

"The project we are about to inaugurate today is one of the ways we have chosen to address the infrastructural challenges in the education sector.This block you will soon see, is fully equipped with the necessary furniture for all the classrooms and library. Plans are also under way to stock the library with relevant books as part

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

of our commitment to promoting a health reading culture among secondary students," he said.

In her address, Mrs Oladunjoye commended the firm for plugging into the Lagos State government's 'Adopt a School' initiative, which she said has gone a long way to improve facilities in the state's public schools. She, however, urged NB Plc to support other schools (Junior High School, Lafiaji Junior High School and Lafiaji Senior High School) that share premises with Okesuna as their facilities are also in a bad shape.

"This initiative was adopted because of the government propensity to gather capital for infrastructural development. Due to capital budget constraint for a mega city such as Lagos state, this partnership has brought about collaboration and has turned around education for the better through infrastructural upgrading of our schools.”

Principal of the school, Mrs. Iyabode Akintogbin , praised the organisation for speedily completing the project in three months.

"Our school is already being labeled international because of the standard we now have. They (NB) worked tirelessly to make the project a success. Considering the state of our school especially dur-

ing the raining season, we are glad for the timely intervention and I am particularly glad that my children can learn in such as environment," she said.

One of the pupils, Odueyingbo Olalekan, was impatient for the event to be over so they could start using the new building, which he said has rekindled his interest in education.

"I feel very happy that we have a new environment to learn. I am very eager to learn. It's usually very cold and dark in the old classroom especially when it rains and that use to make me afraid. Rain disturbs us a lot, there is always too much noise because of the open classroom and the large crowd makes it difficult to learn or even hear the teachers. This new classroom will ginger us to learn," he said.

Another pupil, Beauty Omoize, was especially happy about the new toilet facility, saying it would put an end to her need to go home to use the toilet during school hours.

"The school toilet was not okay, as a young girl, I never go to the old toilet because its always in a bad state but now I feel happy going to use the new toilet being provided. For me, this is one of the best gift by Nigerian Breweries," she said.

‘150,000 children are blind’

N

O fewer than 150,000 pupils are blind, reports have indicated.

However, some of them are receiving medication.

Experts disclosed this at a workshop by the Nigerian Optometric Association’s non-governmental organistion for teachers of the Education District V, Lagos.

The teachers were taught how to detect sight problems in their pupils so as to refer them to hospitals or call their parents' attention.

Speaking at the event, Dr Karachi Onwu, a member of the organisation, said at the end of the training, the teachers should possess adequate knowledge and skills necessary to conduct vision screening for their pupils, counsel them, provide relevant information, and offer eye health education within schools.

She told them about the common anatomy of the eyes and common visual problem children have.

In her speech, the chairperson of the occasion, Dr Chioma Otolorin said research have proven that what a child learns from birth till 12 years is visuals; so if a child is visually impared or have visual problems it will definitely affect the child's development, socially, emo-

By Medinat Kanabe

tionally, and academically.

Statistics have shown that there are 1.3 million blind Nigerians and a large number of that is blind from avoidable conditions. Out of this number, 150,000 are children and some of the causes would have been corrected with spectacles.

She said: “We train the teachers to be appropriate professionals to treat the children.

“Childhood blindness is the second cause of blind person after cataract. It’s being shown that globally, about 500, 000 children becomes blind every year and some of this children die within two years of becoming blind.

“We are trying to intervene early enough so that we can cut down on this tragedy. Children are the most valuable resource of families, community and the country.

“Children spend most of their wakeful hours at school so the teachers are in a better position to know if the child is struggling with his vision.”

In her keynote address, the Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary, District V, Mrs ModupeIge, who was represented by one of the Dis-

trict Directors, Mr IhimireOzeigbe, said they are very grateful to the NGO for the opportunity given to their teachers.

She said it is what the eyes see that makes impression. "A good eyesight makes pupils do well in class. Sometimes they fail exams not because they are dull but because of some other physical challenges which can be bad eyesight."

She said the teachers may not be equipped with the knowledge to identify and report the problem with the child, that is why they are having this partnership. With this workshop, our teachers'will be able to detect the problem.

She said a teacher has been selected from each school in the district to represent their school and they hope that when they go back, they would teach other teachers so that all teachers in the school would be equipped with the knowledge.

In her talk, Dr Ogechi Nwokodi told the teachers that food can improve their eyesight. She said children should be made to eat vegetables, palm oil, carrots, paw paw, green, tomatoes, and immunise, adding that for babies, breastfeeding is the best2.

HE Primary Six pupils that Kofoworola wrote the placement tests conducted by the Lagos State government last Saturday were clearly excited to be writing Kofosagie@yahoo.com a state-wide examination. I do not 08054503077 (SMS only) know the percentage of private schools that participated in the examination, but the centres I visited recorded a high number of them turning up for the examination.

Pupils were tested in English, Mathematics, Quantitative, Verbal and Vocational Aptituted, and must score up to 50 per cent to be admitted into public secondary schools.

Teachers and parents were happy about the return of a form of screening that would determine those fit for secondary schools, and I agree with them that there will return a high level of seriousness into primary education. It is hoped that this reintroduction will have a positive effect on the results that would be produced in future public examinations at the senior secondary level.

I can remember in the days of the old National Common Entrance Examination and the state versions, as well as G2, which all Primary Six pupils sat for, you could not be unserious. Teachers started breathing down your necks from Primary Four. Many pupils wrote the examination in Primary Five and Six. You had to do up 100 math questions as homework, in addition to English Language and others. You stayed behind for extra lessons, and also had weekend coaching. You had no choice but to pass.

But for up to eight years, eight sets of primary school pupils, especially those that attended public schools, graduated not knowing what common entrance examination was. They did not know what it meant to prepare for an all important examination, and wake up very early to write it on d-day, with all the accompanying tension. Worst of all, they just passed through school without appreciating the importance of meriting a promotion. As a result, many got into secondary schools not knowing how to spell their names. It is no surprise that their performance in the Senior School Certificate Examination was woeful.

I say commend the Lagos state government for introducing the examination. I commend the Education Commissioner for having the courage to make it happen. Now, I pray she would also the courage to make pupils that don’t pass to repeat and chart a whole new course for those more gifted in the use of their hands to divert to vocational schools and earn qualifications and skills that they can proudly showcase anywhere in the world.

I hope other states would borrow a leaf from Lagos and stop the practice of mass promotion. It does no good.

Belo-Osagie

Scholarship gone wrong The merit award programme organised by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) last week was a jolly event. Teachers, head teachers, pupils, administrative and junior workers who had proved themselves in the past year smiled home with beautiful gifts.

However, the part of the event that remains with me is an unfortunate story the Chairman of the board, Mrs Gbolahan Daodu related as a caution to managers of public schools.

She told of a letter written by the management of Atlantic Hall, Epe, that the school will not be sponsoring any public primary school graduate in the next academic session because none of the candidates selected by the board for the scholarship tests that would allow them undergo their secondary education at the elite school, did well enough.

They wrote that the best candidate scored 61 per cent, a result too unimpressive for the school to consider for reward.

Mrs Daodu ended her speech by admonishing public officers to do their jobs properly, and not forward names of pupils who will not do well all in the name of helping them.

How sad! I did not ask, but I believe if Lagos SUBEB is interested in investigating how the candidates emerged, they would find that they were not the cream of the pupils in Lagos public schools. We know that not all the 1001 public schools in Lagos State are in the best of shape. But this notwithstanding, I am confident that among the thousands are brains that would have met the standard Atlantic Hall sought.

I have covered similar schemes by many schools and there was not a time that public school pupils did not perform well enough to benefit from the scholarships. These schools have also reported that the scholars prove their mettle among more privileged children, graduating with excellent results in the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) and holding leadership positions.

Grace Schools, Gbagada, is one of the elite private schools with a similar scheme. Yearly, they admite outstanding public school pupils that pass their scholarship tests to study for three years of their senior secondary education. These pupils, as Mrs Tokunboh Edun, the school administrator testifies, are usually mature, focused and brilliant.

Edgewood College, Lekki, also admitted another public school pupil who has been offered a place to study at the Imperial College, United Kingdom.

The scholarship that has been lost is worth millions per pupil. Pupils attending the school pay that much to enjoy the quality of education only the very affluent can afford. And I think it is down to somebody somewhere in the board or in the schools that were asked to forward names deciding to cut corners by not presenting their very best to sit for the scholarship examination.

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

The constitution empowers the National Assembly to conduct investigations and probes into activities of government.

But, in most cases, the probes have been embroiled in controversies, defeating the objectives for which they were carried out. Assistant Editor ONYEDI OJIABOR in this piece, reports the outcome of the probes by both chambers since 1999.

Probes: Can National Assembly redeem its image?

T

HE National Assembly has been involved in endless probes of agencies, ministries and parastatals since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

Some of the investigations were well intended as they were programmed to engender positive changes in the scheme of things in the country.

Others were apparently orchestrated for the pecuniary interest of those behind them. But most have been criticised by watchers of the federal legislature as unnecessary distraction.

No doubt, the National Assembly has the constitutional power of oversight as well as to investigate activities of the executive and the judiciary.

What may be in doubt is whether the power has been exercised in the best interest of the country. Some observers say where the ploy to use some probes to attract favour fails, they become vehicles for witch-hunt.

Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution gives both chambers of the National Assembly powers to enquire into any sector with a view to exposing corruption, correcting anomalies and to make remedial recommendations.

The Section states: “Each House of the National Assembly shall have power by resolution published in its journal or in the official gazette of the government of the Federation to direct or cause to be directed an investigation into (a)any matter or thing with respect to which it has power to make laws.”

Section 89(2) goes further to empower each House to issue a warrant of arrest on anybody where necessary. But those who perceive probes by the National Assembly as a means to curry favour argue that since 1999 it has been probes, investigations and more probes by the lawmakers without much to show for the huge sums of tax payers’ money expended on them.

Available records show that the National Assembly has conducted about 31 celebrated investigations between 1999 and 2012. This number excludes probes conducted behind closed doors, ostensibly to create room for those who appeared before them to open up without encumbrance.

Interestingly, the National Assembly has more often than not, come out worse after each investigation with its image badly battered. The ongoing Farouk Lawan-Femi Otedola $620,000 bribery saga is a case in point. Who would have imagined that Lawan after his superlative public show during the House fuel subsidy probe would be entangled in a messy battle to clear his name of odious bribery allegation?

Previous probes Some of the celebrated probes conducted by both Houses include the Salisu Buhari’s certificate forgery saga, Senator Evan(s) Enwerem’s certificate brouhaha, Senator Chuba Okadigbo’s N55 million anticipatory approval probe, Senator Adolphus Wabara’s N54 million bribe-forbudget scandal, Patricia Etteh’s N628 million house renovation saga and Ndudi Elumelu’s $16 billion power sector expenditure probe.

Others were Senator Nicholas Ugbane’s N628 billion rural electrification project investigation, Herman Hembe’s Stock Exchange messy affair, Farouk Lawan’s $620,000 oil subsidy bribery saga, Dimeji Bankole’s N2.4 billion car scam probe, Bankole’s N9 billion capital budget investigation, Senator Ahmed Lawan’s BPE probe, Senator Magnus Abe’s oil subsidy investigation, Senator Aloysius Etok’s pension administration probe, Senator Abubakar Sodangi’s Federal Capital Territory land allocation probe, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation probe and Senator Hope Uzodinma/ Nkeiruka Onyejiocha’s Dana Air crash investigation, among others.

Most of the probes are known to have suffered twists and turns that put their credibility to question. Some became subjects of litigations. Because of the high wired politics surrounding some, the executive whose duty it is to implement findings and recommendations of the National Assembly, has often turned a blind eye while the lawmakers shout themselves hoarse

cried blue murder, struggled to extricate himself from the allegation, but presidential determination could not be resisted by many.

Okadigbo was accused of approving N55 million anticipatory payment for the street light project.

A flambuoyant politician, Okadigbo made spirited attempts to clear his name, but his fate was sealed without his knowing it.

The investigation panel that followed was said to have been populated by some of opponents in the Senate. The panel returned a verdict of guilt against Okadigbo and indicted him of breaching due procedure in awarding the contracts.

The indictment forced Okadigbo to resign his position as President of the Senate.

Anyim and the survival game

•Mark

over the failure of the of the executive to implement such resolutions.

The Presidency, on its part, has often hidden under the guise of following due process to treat resolutions of the National Assembly with disdain. At other times, the reluctance of the Presidency to implement National Assembly resolutions is linked to elements of bias, prejudice, partiality and unfairness allegedly exhibited in the course of the investigations.

The Salisu Buhari certificate forgery probe Salisu Buhari was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives immediately after the proclamation of the first National Assembly in 1999.

A green horn politician, he was embroiled in a certificate forgery and age falsification scandal few months after his inauguration.

The House did not hesitate to initiate investigation into the allegation. When it became obvious that the centre could no longer hold, Buhari cried profusely. What followed was his resignation letter. Some said that Buhari’s action was informed by his desire to save face than a show of sportsmanship.

Buhari’s exit paved the way for the emergence of Ghali Umar Na’Abba as Speaker of the House.

Though Na’Abba managed to complete his tenure, it was not without bruises. The Kano State born politician did not know peace throughout his tenure. The Presidency, under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, made the House literally ungovernable for Na’Abba.

While Na’Abba was being hounded by the Presidency, the House appeared to have been infiltrated and compromised to remove him. But for the support of active members of the House like Farouk Lawan and Eziuche Ubani who was Na’Abba’s media aide, the story might have been different.

Na’Abba’s sin was his insistence that the House must not be treated as an appendage of Obasanjo’s Presidency. Obasanjo thought otherwise. The President detested Na’Abba’s audacity and assembled his arsenal to promote leadership change in the House.

The attempt failed mostly because most House

•Tambuwal

members rallied behind Na’ Abba to rebuff overt and covert plots to remove him.

Enwerem must-go-campaign The Evan(s) Enwerem saga also had to do with alleged falsification of certificate. Fondly called “mature” in the Senate, Enwerem was elected Senate President in a controversial manner in 1999. Through apparent active connivance of President Obasanjo, Enwerem emerged Senate President to the distaste of some Senators who saw his emergence as an imposition by the Presidency. It was obvious that the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo who also had his eyes on the exalted seat was more popular among the Senators, especially those in the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) caucus.

Loyalists of Senator Okadigbo became the arrow heads of an Enwerem-must-go campaign.

The seed of discord planted in the Red Chamber with the election of Enwerem in place of more popular Okadigbo was soon to germinate.

Enwerem did not quite settle down when the allegation of certificate forgery was leveled against him. Was the Imo State born politician Evan or Evans? That was the knot the upper chamber attempted to untie. It was all half-hearted investigation instituted to achieve a grand design than to expose corruption. Some observers even considered the probe as nonsensical. For them, trying to differentiate between Evan and Evans was like labouring to establish the difference between six and half a dozen. The matter was not quite resolved until Enwerem was forced to step aside. Enwerem’s resignation cleared the saddle for Okadigbo to mount.

Okadigbo and the love of money Okadigbo’s tenure, like Enwerem’s, was short lived. President Obasanjo was at work again.

The soldier-turned-politician did not hide his discomfort for Okadigbo as President of the Senate.

A plot was hatched and Obasanjo’s foot soldiers in the Senate came up with an allegation of anticipatory approval of N55 million for a street light project against Okadigbo.

Popularly called Oyi by his admirers, Okadigbo

‘Available records show that the National Assembly has conducted about 31 celebrated investigations between 1999 and 2012. This number excludes probes conducted behind closed doors, ostensibly to create room for those who appeared before them to open up without encumbrance. Interestingly, the National Assembly has more often than not, come out worse after each investigation with its image badly battered’

Senator Anyim Pius Anyim took over. Curiously, before the end of the First Senate, the senators unanimously cleared Okadigbo of any wrongdoing in the contracts award. Some observers described the anticipatory payment allegation as the height of conspiracy. It was all created, it was suggested, to serve a vested interest.

Another celebrated probe was the N54 million payment for budget clearance allegation leveled against former Senate President Adolphus Wabara. Again former President Obasanjo was fingered to have orchestrated the allegation against Wabara. Sources said Wabara’s emergence as President of the Senate did not go down well with Obasanjo. He was accused of demanding N54 million from Professor Fabian Osuji, a one time Education Minister, as gratification for the Senate to pass the Education Ministry’s budget proposal for the year.

The Abia State born politician struggled to establish his innocence, but the forces at play were determined to do him in. A twist was added to the messy affair when one of the co-accused, Senator Chris Adighije, curiously pleaded guilty. The Federal Government promptly capitalised on Adighije’s admission of guilt to institute a criminal charge against Wabara, Osuji and others.

Adighije turned a star prosecution witness.

Senators opposed to the emergence of Wabara as Senate President quickly seized the momentum to ensure his removal. Once Wabara was eased out of the Senate Presidency, it was a matter of time before the case instituted against him was discontinued. The criminal case against Wabara and other accused has since been buried.

Senator Ken Nnamani who later turned Obasanjo’s nemesis took over the helms of affairs in the Senate. Some observers saw the Wabara bribery saga as another instance of the National Assembly overreaching itself.

Etteh, too, kisses the dust Perhaps Patricia Olubunmi Etteh’s N628 million house renovation saga was the most pathetic. Some described the ‘Ettehgate’ as it was tagged, as “a classical case of vendetta.”

Etteh was elected Speaker of the 6th House of Representatives to the discomfort of some influential lawmakers. About six months into her four year tenure, she was accused of using N628 million to renovate her official residence at the Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja .

The now moribund Farouk Lawan-led Integrity Group took the frontline inmobilising support for the “Etteh must go campaign”. The first female Speaker shoved and kicked, but to no avail. The House launched a probe to confirm Etteh’s culpability or otherwise. It was obvious that beyond the alleged N628 million unauthorised house renovation expenditure, those behind Etteh’s probe had other things in mind.

The jaundiced mindset of “a woman cannot be head over us” was chief among the hidden agenda. Another was the attitude that Obasanjo imposed Etteh on the House. But, the allegations, once in the public domain, were too damn•Continued on page 44

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19 2012

POLITICS

Probes: Can National Assembly redeem its image?

•Continued from page 43

ing to be ignored as public fund had evidently been mismanaged. The investigation panel returned a verdict of guilt against Etteh whiche her supporters said were at the prodding ofthe Integrity Group.

Despite spirited attempts to hold onto her office, Etteh was forced to throw in the towel. Her resignation paved the way for Dimeji Bankole, an unlikely choice, to emerge Speaker.

Interestingly, the House reversed itself on the last sitting of the 6th House.

It was a special sitting of the House with Bankole on the saddle. The House did not only clear Etteh of any wrongdoing, but also adopted a vote of confidence in her favour, apparently for emphasis.

That was not all, through a unanimous voice vote, the lawmakers expunged all records of guilt against the Osun State born Speaker and entered a no case, no guilt submission.

Etteh left the House taller than she came. One of the supporters of Etteh, Hon. Dino Melaye, did not forgive those behind Etteh’s fall.

Melaye single handedly made the House uncomfortable for Bankole.

The power sector probe The 2008 House of Representatives power sector probe was, perhaps, the most celebrated. The House instituted the investigation after a motion on the epileptic nature of power supply in the country.

It was a fact-finding investigation that turned a mission impossible.

Ndudi Elumelu, Chairman, House Committee on Power, was assigned the task of unraveling why, after pumping a whopping $16 billion into the sector by the Obasanjo government, the country has only darkness to show for it.

Loyalists of Obasanjo, in and outside the House, saw the probe as an attempt by some vested interests hiding under the House to get at Obasanjo.

Elumelu and his team set out for work, traversed the nooks and crannies of power project sites in the country, and came back to the House smoking.

Highly placed individuals were indicted in the consequent report by Elumelu’s team.

Those indicted were said to have misappropriated billions of Naira meant to upgrade the nation’s power sector. Nigerians thought that at last the country would get the power sector right. That was not to be. Before the probe panel submitted its report to the House, instigated in-fighting set in among panel members. While some members tactically disowned the report, others alleged that the Chairman of the committee received N500 million bribe to indict some people. Before long, the hunter became the hunted.

Elumelu shouted foul but it was obvious where the smoke was coming from. Those indicted allegedly felt that the only way to scuttle the report was to fragment panel members. The plot succeeded to the eternal shame of the House.

Elumelu and his team were only cleared by an in-house panel that was constituted to ascertain the veracity of the allegation. But the bribery allegation did a substantial damage to the power sector probe report.

Some members of the House, headed by the incumbent Speaker, Hon, Aminu Tambuwal, were appointed to study and reassess Elumelu’s panel report. Nigerians were made to believe that the import of the Tambuwal reassessment committee was to find a way to salvage the report. It did not fly.

When the report came back to the House, the bite was substantially reduced. Most of those indicted were left off the hook. Mission completed, the report became watery.

For the effrontery to step on some fat toes in the course of the probe, Elumelu was charged for allegedly soiling his hands with the rural electricity project funds. The Delta State

born lawmaker has since been discharged and acquitted by the court.

el-Rufai faces inquiry The land administration policy under a former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, also came under the searchlight of the Senate. It later became a personality clash between the Senate and the former minister. The upper chamber empanelled Senator Abubakar Sodangi to lead a team to look into allegations of fraudulent land allocation in the FCT by the el-Rufai administration. The committee, after days of explosive sitting, indicted the minister of what it described as “gross abuse of office/power and a crass, primitive and undue acquisition of wealth without caution or regard for society”.

The Sodangi committee did not stop there. It wrote that “all officers who abused their offices in whatever form by illegally selling a house, ejecting a person without due process or acted in defiance of an existing court order should be prosecuted by the Attorney General of the Federation.” The committee accused el-Rufai of acting outside the law when he allegedly hastily allocated 4,352 plots in less than 30 days to his exit from office.

El-Rufai did not fold his arms. He fought back like a wounded lion. He accused the committee of acting out of malice. Some claimed that the committee turned in the damning report against el-Rufai because he refused to yield to the demand to allocate choice plots of land to the lawmakers.

Pension fraud under scrutiny The pitiable plight of senior citizens in the country informed the probe of pension administration by the Senate.

The joint investigation panel headed

by Senator Aloysius Etok was mandated to examine pension administration, especially why most pensioners die without receiving their entitlements.

Members of the committee made zonal tours of the country to meet pensioners first hand. It later zeroed in on the Pension Department of the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation where heartbreaking discovery of fraud was made. After months of tours and public hearing in Abuja , the committee returned a report that indicted the Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, and others.

The Etok Committee recommended that Maina should be immediately prosecuted for alleged crime of fragrant abuse of office and embezzlement of funds running into billions.

The Senate adopted the recommendation.

Maina on his part has since dismissed the report as a hatchet job. He claimed that the committee came hard on him after being compromised by those after his head. An in-house Senate Committee is currently looking into a bribery allegation leveled against the committee members.

Rot in Bureau of Public Entreprises?

The investigation of the BPE’s privatization and commercialization exercise was another high profile probe by the Senate. Led by Senator Ahmed Lawan, the panel received the mandate to examine why privatized public enterprises remained moribund. Some observers smelt a rat as they saw the probe as a veiled, but calculated move to reverse the privatization of some public entities.

Some others went further to insinuate that the investigation was an attempt by Northern lawmakers to get at Obasanjo who they accused of short changing the North in the privatization exercise. The exercise generated a lot of public interest as the lawmakers set out to do justice to their assignment.

It did not end without allegations of

•Lawan

financial inducement against the panelists. Lawan and his team toured privatized companies and held public hearing to determine the health of the companies.

At the end of the public hearing, the committee submitted a compendium on the state of health of the companies. It included 42 recommendations of cancellation and reversal of most of the privatized companies. The Senate debated and endorsed the recommendations to the applause of some observers.

Curiously, the recommendations, including the advice to sack the Bureau’s Director General, Ms. Bola Onogoruwa, have remained largely unimplemented. The fuel subsidy probe is one investigation Nigerians may not forget in a hurry.

A motion by Senator Bukola Saraki on the expenditure of N1.2 trillion as at October 2011 above N240 billion earmarked for fuel subsidy for the year was all that the Senate needed to constitute the Senator Magnus Abe-led joint investigation panel on fuel subsidy management.

The House of Representatives also resolved to find out what went wrong with fuel subsidy payment in the country. Revelations at the sittings of both the Senate and House public hearing became the shame of a nation. Even before the two committees submitted their findings, it was clear that the subsidy regime was fraught with massive corruption.

Though the House committee headed by Farouk Lawan has since submitted its report, the Senator Magnus Abe led Senate committee is still on the job. It is expected that Abe’s report would ruffle not a few feathers.

Farouk Lawan takes the centre stage Lawan’s report, on the other hand, has been heavily tainted by bribery allegation. Businessman Femi Otedola claimed that Lawan pestered him for a bribe of $3 million to remove his company, Zenon Oil, from the list of in-

•Otedola

dicted companies. Lawan on his part asserted that he collected $500,000 from Otedola as an exhibit following persistent pressure from the latter to remove his company from the list of oil marketers indicted by his committee.

Nigerians are currently being entertained by claims and counterclaims by Otedola and Lawan. Lawan has since been removed as Chairman of the probe panel, while the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges was empanelled to investigate what actually transpired between the two men.

Unfortunately the more serious issue of oil marketers fleecing the country in the name of fuel subsidy payment has taken a back seat.

Hembe, Otteh and the capital market Another theatre of the absurd was the probe of the Capital Market by Herman Hembe led House Committee on Capital Market.

The investigation ostensibly designed to find out reasons for the crash of the capital market might have failed even before it started. Allegations of vested interest and witch-hunting trailed the investigation. Some highly placed House members were fingered to have more than a passing interest in the probe. A former Director General of the Nigeria Stock Exchange was alleed to have instigated the probe to get at the DG of Securities and Exchange Commission, Arunma Oteh.

Before Hembe started his ill-fated investigation, allegations of insider dealing abound. Classified and sensitive SEC documents were said to have been released to committee members.

Some observers claimed that rather than seek reasons for the crash of the capital market, the panelists had other things in mind as dictated by some forces lurking behind the scene. Oteh was said to be the real target of the probe.

Watchers of the House said that the uncomplimentary questions Hembe

raised about the educational qualification of Oteh at the commencement of the probe did not help matter. Oteh fought back, exposing some moral issues about how Hembe and another member of the Committee collected money from SEC to travel to Dominican Republic for a training programmes which they failed to attend.

Oteh said that the fact that the lawmakers refused to refund the money after failing to attend the training session was a moral burden on the lawmakers. Oteh further accused members of the investigative panel of demanding financial assistance from SEC to conduct the public hearing.

Other sundry allegations were also made against the committee including the allegation that Hembe made a personal demand of N5 million.

The scenario became embarrassing as tongues began to wag. Speaker Tambuwal was forced to step in to disband the committee. A new committee was hurriedly constituted to do the job.

That is not all. Security agencies moved in and promptly charged Hembe and his colleague to court for alleged unethical conduct.

Aviation sector not spared The unfortunate crash of Dana Airline in Lagos on June 3, which claimed the lives of over 153 people prompted the National Assembly to order a joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Aviation to investigate the sad incident.

Senator Hope Uzodinma and Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha’s motions in both chambers gave rise to the investigation.

The joint committee was specifically mandated to ascertain the cause(s) of the Dana crash with a view to preventing any such occurrence in future.

The committee was also briefed to ascertain the air worthiness of other operating aircraft in Nigeria and make appropriate recommendations. The committee after four days of public hearing showed sparks of seriousness in its investigation.

Apparently to demonstrate its determination to dig deep into the rot in the aviation sector, the committee veered into the use of over N300 billion Aviation Intervention Fund. The Federal Government had advanced the fund to stabilize the aviation and power sectors. Allegations of misuse of the fund were made.

One of those who lost his wife in the ill-fated Dana flight described the probe as “a blood assignment” and asked the panelists to wipe the tears of those who lost loved ones by doing the right thing.

As Nigerians await the report of the committee, only the future will tell whether Uzodinma and Onyejiocha would turn in a report that will assist government to reposition the aviation sector.

Are the probes worth the effort? Could the National Assembly redeem its image? Only the future would tell. But, for now, there is little to show for the hundreds of millions pumped into conducting the investigations.

• From left: Abia State Governor Theodore Orji, Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime and Ebonyi State Governor Martin Elechi during the NEC meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

THE NATION

NATURAL HEALTH E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

How to treat endometriosis with herbs

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NDOMETRIOSIS is an abnormal growth of cells in the lining of the uterus. It is caused by infertility. But women with endometriosis can overcome it by ensuring early diagnoses and treatment.

Managing Director, Falaki Renewed Herbs Limited, Dr Akanni Falaki, said: "Endometriosis can be easily picked up some or all symptoms, such as pelvic pain, infertility, diarrhoea, constipation, lower back pain, abdominal pain, irregular or heavy menstrual bleeding that characterise the condition are experienced and promptly reported by a woman.

"So, patients can make a major contribution to their survival and quality of life by ensuring early treatment programme. And one of the ways to cure the disease is to boost the immune system," he said.

Falaki said a woman suffering from the disease may also have intermittent pain during her menstrual cycle.

He said: "Other symptoms are painful intercourse, excessive bleeding, including the passing of large clots and shreds of tissue during the menses, nausea,vomiting and constipation during menses.

"Some may also experience dysphasia, which is difficulty in passing stools due to weak pelvic muscles and anal sphincter and dysuria pain while urinating. The most frightening thing is that it may also cause infertility."

On how to explore natural ways of curing endometriosis, Falaki said herbal therapy can be used by a practitioner.

"But it is not too good to discuss how to go about using it on the pages of the newspaper. Patients can be acquainted with how herbs, diets, stress management, can boost the immune system and exercise can be helpful.

"Herbs are used to rebalance hormones and to heal tissues. In some cases, the immune system is also strengthened. Some common herbs that are used for endometriosis include Vitex, evening primrose oil, dandelion, black cohosh, motherwort, burdock, wild yam, cramp bark, and horsetail.

Specific herbs will be prescribed to the patient depending on what symptoms she is suffering from and how severe they are."

He said: "A good diet can help to manage the symptoms of endometriosis. Fatty foods should be avoided, as well as sugary foods and caffeine.Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is important as they contain chemicals and compounds that can help to minimise the severity of endometriosis.Vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements can also be very beneficial. Magnesium can be used to control cramps for example, while vitamin B6 can help with fluid retention, bloating, and breast tenderness.

"Managing stress is very important when dealing with endometriosis. Relaxation techniques such as controlled breathing, visualisation and meditation are all very useful. Ensure that you are getting enough sleep every night so that you are not unduly tired in the day."

•Cramp-bark-fruits • Vitex

Briefly • Burdock

•Black-Cohosh

This year’s Pax Congress holds at Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre, Benin City. Arrival is by August 23 and departure is on 26. Cost of participation is N6, 500 per person.

Healthy tips

• Horsetail1

• Cramp-back fruit

He explained further: "Probably, the last thing on a woman's mind regarding help with her pain is to do exercise, but it does help. This happens because when we exercise the body produces chemicals in the brain called endorphins. Endorphins actually bring pain relief and they will surge round the body, thereby easing the pain of Endometriosis. The compounds found in endorphins are of similar structure and mimic the effects of morphine, a powerful narcotic pain reliever. Ten minutes of moderate exercise is all the body needs to start producing these safe pain relievers. For some women exercise may be too painful at times. Low impact activities may help these women.These include swimming, walking and yoga. Taking some form of exercise will help to relieve stress and tension and may reduce estrogen levels in the body.”

These symptoms, Falaki noted, arises because menstruation is naturally heavy and the sufferer has iron-deficiency anaemia.

• Wild yam

To improve physical fitness 1. Do a squat every time you pick something up. Instead of bending over in the usual way, which stresses the lower back, bend your knees and squat. This forces you to use your leg muscles and will build strength.

2. Every time you stop at a traffic light (or the bus does), tighten your thighs and butt muscles and release as many times as you can. (Don’t worry, no one will see it!) This will firm leg and buttock muscles improve blood flow — and keep you mildly amused!

3. Whenever you’re standing on a line, lift one foot a half-inch off the ground. The extra stress on your opposite foot, ankle, calf and thigh, plus your buttocks, will help firm and tone muscles. Switch feet every few minutes.

To improve stress control 1. Give your partner a hug every day before work. Studies show this simple act can help you remain calm when chaos ensues during your day, says Katz.

2. Have a good cry. It can boost your immune system, reduce levels of stress hormones, eliminate depression, and help you think more clearly.

3. Twice a day, breathe deeply for three to five minutes To improve sleep 1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water. The scent has been shown in studies to promote relaxation, which can lead to better sleep.

2. Buy a new pillow. Katz says that studies show that pillows with an indent in the centre can enhance sleep quality and reduce neck pain. Also, try a “cool” pillow — one containing either all-natural fibres or a combination of sodium sulfate and ceramic fibres that help keep your head cool.

3. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed.

You’ll be giving yourself a boost of fibre and essential fatty acids along with the amino acid tryptophan — a natural sleep-inducer.

•Source: Medicinenet.com

Coca (Erythroxylum coca) VOID use of coca leaf tea and illicit cocaine-containing products; although it is used in specific pharmaceutical preparations, cocaine produced outside of the pharmaceutical industry is illegal in most countries including the United States.

Coca leaves : Chronic chewing of coca leaves may lead to a cycle of malnutrition, tiredness, and illness, as well as dental and skin problems. Increased heart rate and blood pressure have also been noted with use of coca leaf products. Patients that have diabetes or are using diabetic drugs should use coca leaf products cautiously, as they have been reported to increase blood sugar levels. Although coca plant products have

A

Side effects, warnings been suggested as a source of nutrition, human study suggests that chronic chewing of coca leaves may cause malnutrition.

Cocaine : Heart problems are one of the most common reported side effects of longterm cocaine use or overdose. These may include irregular heartbeats, abnormally fast heart rate, heart attack, stroke, and death.

Other common reported side effects of using large amounts of cocaine include restlessness, mood swings, migraines, seizures, hallucinations, and psychosis (mental deterioration). Other problems

from long-term cocaine use may include kidney, nose, and skin problems. Patients that also use alcohol or tobacco should avoid using cocaine, because using these together has resulted in increased liver toxicity, irregular heartbeats, heart attack, heart failure, and death.

Coca leaves or cocaine : Patients that have cardiovascular (heart) or blood pressure issues, or those that use drugs that affect blood pressure should avoid using coca leaves or cocaine, as both have increased heart rate and blood pressure. Patients that

use stimulants should avoid use of coca leaves or cocaine. Patients that have a known allergy/hypersensitivity to coca ( Erythroxylum coca ), its constituents (including cocaine), or members of the Erythroxylaceae family should avoid use of coca. Patients who are pregnant should avoid using cocaine or coca leaf products, as cocaine use during pregnancy has increased the risk of birth defects, separation of the placenta from the uterus, premature labor, and death of the fetus.

Avoid cocaine or coca leaf products in lactating women, as cocaine has been found in breast milk.

Culled from www.mayoclinic.com

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

NATURAL HEALTH

Ramadan greetings to my Moslem and Christian friends

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APPILY, the Ramadan is here again. It is that month of the Islamic calendar in which moslems worldwide turn their gaze upwards, away from the trappings of the Earth, and fast for spiritual strengthening and ennoblement.They believe that, by becoming different and better persons in the process and afterwards, they become eligible for such blessings from On High which, someday, after earth sojourn, qualify them for eternal life in longed-for Paradise.

I say, Happily, the Ramadan is here again, for many reasons, none the least of which is that, hopefully, the bombings of Christians in Northern Nigeria should ease. For Islam teaches that whatever you hold against your neighbour when the sun is up, you must forgive before sunset, otherwise you labour spiritually in vain. I was born in an orthodox Christian home where it was believed only Christians would be saved on Judgment Day. But by 18 I began to wonder about what could befall us, if at the days end, other people who also held fastidiously to their faiths, were right and we were wrong. This stirring of the soul led me on a search for the Truth in other religions. Thus I came to appreciate the great Prophet Mohammed, Lao Tse, Bhunddah. And my appreciation of their teachings made me a better Christian. None of them, from my memory, advocated war in their evangelism. War became a tool in the hands of their followers who wished to deploy the influence and power of these teachers for economic and political gains. My Muslim friends tell me Islam is a religion of peace, and I agree. They tell me that, even in Mecca, the great Prophet Mohammed allowed Christians freedom of worship. When I hear this, I ask myself: why will the brains believe bombings in the North not do likewise? Or is there something irritating the Christians have done to which the bombings are a reaction? The only answer I find for that may be aggressive Christian evangelism which, I must frankly admit, is rabid and upsetting even to many Christians in many cases. You go to work all day in hurly burly Lagos and you wish to regain your God-given peace of mind and body in restful night sleep, for which reason the good Lord gave us the night as a blessing, and a loudspeaker from the next house is blaring Christian night-vigil noise into your bedroom. What kind of life is this, you ask? Is there no government in this country to protect my rights? Don't these fellows realise their rights end where mine begin? Have they forgotten that the Commandment Thou Shall Not Steal protects my right against my right to sleep and peace of mind from being stolen? If the law will not keep them in check and I have the capacity to protect my right, will I not defend it? I am still a Christian.

But not a bigot who has surrendered his soul to modern day priests who know little or nothing about God and would have us believe that He is so deaf to our prayers that, unless we shout for our voices to be heard in the corners of the earth, He would not hear us. Don't misunderstand me. I do not object to "night vigils" if they can be done in sound-proof enclosures. Everyone has a right to worship at his or her own level of understanding. For some, it isn't all the noise making and dancing that make things happen. If you don't press the right command keys on the computer, will it respond to your needs? If we have to shout and get noisier end wilder during prayers which brings nothing, isn't that sufficient instruction that the wrong keys are being pressed? Enough of that for now. But it is worth upbraiding the chicken while chasing away the fox.

ACK to my moslem friends. This Ramadan has come, as always, at the right time. It is a time for the clerics to take us back to the core teachings of Islam, which is submission to the will of Allah, which Jesus Christ, before Mohammed, conveyed to mankind (if ye call me Lord, Lord, but do not fulfill the Will of my Father, ye cannot enter the kingdom of God). All true religions speak practically the same language and merely adapt their teachings to the nature of the people those teachings were intended for. Therefore, critics of excesses in the purveyance of one religion or the other need realise that, in many cases, religion is intermingled with culture and even politics. JUDAS, the renegade Disciple of Jesus, secretly wished that his master would exploit His popularity to declare a revolt at the Passover Feast in Jerusalem. At that time, the Romans politically subverted the Jews in their own land, and they prayed earnestly for a Messiah that would free them from that bondage. To Judas and generals of the Jewish resistance movement, Jesus perfectly fitted the bill.

Thus, Judas without authorisation from Jesus, made all the arrangements for declaration of war. But Jesus was to shock, if not embarrass Judas, when He entered the temple and declared: "MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD" and, instead, preached the brotherhood of all men. The commotion that was to follow was to lead to His betrayal by Judas. Had Judas succeeded, wouldn't Christianity have had a touch of Jewish politics?

The early Christian Church was violent against "unbelievers", as author of the bombings in the north. Even Galileo, the scientist who dared to hold a contrary view that the earth was "round" when the church held it was "flat", was to be put to death for apostasy. During the INQUISITION, many people who did not measure up to Christian expectations were thrown onto red hot metals to die. And the Christian CRUSADE against "infidels" left many people wasted in Europe.

Unfortunately today, many Christians do not believe in REINCARNATION. When a soul is despatched into the beyond in terrible circumstances, the tendency, if that soul is immature and would not go its own way, forgiving, as Jesus on the Cross, is for it to seek vengeance.

In some circles, it is said this may involve a whole people, and it has been suggested that the trade in African slaves may have brought former slaves, now whites, to Southern Africa,

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make up for food deprivation during the sunny hours as they imagine. We have only one stomach, and it is a small bag. You cannot overload it without dire consequences. And it is not easy filling up when the sun is not up, when the body is not fully awake and energised. So, eating too much at dawn can be as counterproductive doing so after sunset.

Water Water is the first thing the body needs when the fast is broken.

The better if it is ALKALINE WATER. Where Dynapharm's Alkaline Water Pot (makes about 10 litres of alkaline water everyday) cannot be readily obtained, or where it is not financially possible to install an alkaline water equipment at home for unlimited supply, IONYTE or AQUALITE can be dropped in every bottle of water to alkalise it within 30 minutes. Alkaline water is the secret of why people live up to 160 years in Okinawa, near Japan, and are still physically, emotionally and sexually active. It is also the secret of life extension in anti - aging research. If the body is alkaline, it runs smoother and better, disease and pain free, and that's what everyone wants to enjoy. The alkaline materials in alkaline water neutralise acids and poisons in food, water, and aid body chemistry wastes.

Green water where many slave owners of old may have re-incarnated as blacks. This may or may not be true. But does the possibility exist? Otherwise, why are stigmatists, people who bear the wound marks of Jesus on the Cross, found here, especially in Eastern Nigeria? I have some sympathy for these arguments.

Jesus said the generation He was addressing would not pass away before His predictions about the End Time had come to pass. No doubt, that generation has died. But does it mean it has passed away? If Christians believe Jesus, that means that generation has not passed away from this earth. So, where are they? Incarnation offers a key to the clue. And it may explain some of today's events. Are victims of the Inquisition and Crusade up in arms? How can the problem be solved?

This problem is world-wide as the internet reveals. There's a man named Al-Mohammed who, from the internet, would appear to be at the head of it. He has issued a 23-page document instructing moslems to take over the government in their countries in preparation for islamising the whole world.

Groups have emerged in the United States sworn, also, to eliminate all moslems. Germany and other European countries are tackling this fundamentalism. It took sleepy Nigerians by surprise. Their security forces are infiltrateable. Ours are.

I see it all as a needless fiaso, except, of course, if the predictions of Nostradamus, the great seer, are irreversible and going to manifest in our time. He foresaw Islam and Christianity heading for a final collision in which Islamic warriors, rolling Christianity back to America, would appear to be victorious until predicted earthquake in Western America submerges that region in upsurging Atlantic waves. That would be very much akin to the Red Sea consuming Pharaoh and his warriors. American civilization, as now known, will drown, a land mass would emerge in the Atlantic, and seemingly forsaken Africa would offer new Hope to the world. At that time, a second sun, several times mightier and brighter than ours, would appear in the sky to bring about many of these Earth changes foretold by Nostradamus. The coming of the star is irreversible. And it would appear the conflict between Islam and Christianity, traversing about 200 years of Christian Crusade followed by the Islamic Jihad, is purposely sown by Lucifer to distract the adherents from approaching inevitability against which they can still enamour their souls, nay their spirits, while time still permits. The purpose of that, of course, would be mass loss of souls from Salvation against which God, in His Infinite Mercy, has led down several lifelines which, unfortunately, man has turned into opposing religions.

We have but little time and Grace on our hands. And that is why I always join my Moslem brothers and sisters during the Ramadan to strive to turn my gaze upwards as well. Christians need not ignore the Ramadan. The help for self reflection, prayer and sacrifice during the fasting is for everyone who believes in God, as the Author of all existence. We believe the message of Jesus is for everyone. So is Mohammed's. If man had stood a right, wouldn't all the teachings have formed a flight of stairs to the Throne of Grace? Fasting helps the soul to loosen itself from heavy bonding to the earth body and soar without forsaking the union. Soaring affords it the possibility to access Life at higher than it currently experiences, to derive more beautiful or refined values from there, and ennoble its earthly deeds with them as a way of turning this seemingly ugly earth to Paradise-like beauty. The Ramadan can help us achieve this.

Food supplements

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VER the years, my friends, especially Mr Aliu of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), often ask me for the food supplements they need to add to the diet at this time. We will address this a lot as the fast progresses.

Some people say they loose too much weight. Others find that their blood glucose level, for example, tends to rise. Yet others speak of Kidney stress. I guess all these result from fasting excluding some important nutrients from the diet. During the fast, food and water are not taken from sunrise to sunset. I've heard some non-Moslems say this fast is self-serving, that if you load up before sunrise and load up again after sunset you loose nothing. I ask them to experience the fast and see if it is possible to

e-mail: www. olufemikusa@yahoo.com

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FTER drinking some alkaline water, to remind the stom ach that the fast is being broken and it is about to resume work, the fast breaker may follow up with a green drink.

In the many hours of fasting during the day, the body has been given opportunity for the cells to offload their metabolic wastes and poisons into the blood for excretion through the urine or stool or sweat. In some countries, exercises are not neglected during the fast. They encourage sweating out the poisons through the skin, so that too much work load is not placed on the kidneys. In Nigeria, this is just about when physical work is at low ebb, which means the liver and the kidneys have a lot of work to do eliminating extra waste from 100 or so trillion cells. The next round of water can be filled with liquid chlorophyll. There are two major brands on the market. The one by Edmark is 100 per cent Alfalfa extract. Alfalfa is an Arab word which means "Father of All Herbs". That by Dynapharm is 50 per cent Alfalfa, 50 per cent Guarara, which energises like Ginseng. As the fast progresses, we'd talk more about chlorophyll. We can also green up water with green powder formulas. There are two great ones on the Nigerian market: SUPERIOR GREENS and BEYOND GREENS. They are made from more than 40 green plants. That means they provide a wide range of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, trace elements, hormones etc. These greens may be blended with red, blue and purple powder formulas to compliment the water colour of life as it was. Four scientists won the Noble Prize for showing that human blood and chlorophyll have the same structure except for the central atoms ... iron in the human haemoglobin and magnesium in the plant's chlorophyll.

Seeds and nuts They are filling with lot of fats and essential oils for energy that is slowly released throughout the day. Besides, they are fiber rich. The black walnut is now in season. When I see it, I remember Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte of France. When his troops used to fight with heavy mortality after drinking spells, he ordered black walnut vines cultivated and every pub to serve two walnuts free with every mug of liquor. That was because walnut was found to reduce intoxication. Modern research has found it good for the brain. Its shapes two lobes and a dividing membrane, and that of the human brain are similar.

Digestive aids Meals should not be taken without digestive supplements.

The body needs to conserve energy. Silica Complex, Papaya Enzymes, Apple Cider Vinegar, Betaine Hydrochloride, Pancreatic Enzymes, Yoghurt and Probiotics are important in this regard. They help food to digest so well that there's little or no remnant left for stomach or intestinal parasites which consume them to cause all the fermentation, gas and pain of dyspepsia.

Proteins What I do most mornings when I have not enough time for breakfast at about 10a.m is to mix scoops of FLP Aloe Lite, a green powder and coconut milk, with juice of three oranges and water, and drink. It fills me up till well past midday. I force a meal then only because I am a low sugar blood person and do not wish to have a fall in the street. Taken on a filled or halffilled stomach, it helps stabilize weight of promote gains. Proteins may also be obtained from whey protein, only fish and guinea fowl egg. I do not support poultry farm egg. But I enjoy guinea fowl egg to the fullest during its season. And, luckily, we are in its season.

Antioxidants Vitamins A, C and C, Selenium, Zinc, and CoQ10 should be added to meals. They help to reduce the impact of stress hormones, including Cortisol, which impacts especially on the kidneys during spells of semi starvation. Semi starvation can shoot blood sugar up after damaging the sugar balancing mechanism. Ginseng helps generate energy. Edmark now has a sugar-free brand of Ginseng Coffee. I suggest that GinsengCoffee be taken with an antioxidant, such as Vitamin C, and Lecithin, because coffee creates acid and uses lots of Lecithin in the brain to fire the brain cells (neurons).

We'd be talking more, I promise. Moslem brothers and sisters, share the gift and joy of the Ramadan.

If only we all know who Mohammed truly is, we would all be spiritual friends at this time and at all times.

Tel: 08034004247, 07025077303

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

THE NATION THUR SDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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e-Business With an investment of over N500million and a partnership with a leading Canadian firm, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operator O’Net is set to rejuvenate the country’s regional telecommunications space. Will it succeed? ADLINE ATILI asks

Regional telecoms: Can O’Net reshape CDMA’s future?

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ROM data provided by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) subsector is facing gradual decline in subscriber base.

Even though the number of connected CDMA lines in the country is put at 13.2million, only 3.7milllion are active. The domination of the telecoms market by the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) players further relegated the CDMA operators, threatening their bottom line.

CDMA operator O’Net is, however, not taking things lying low. The company said it had re-strategised and is poised to take a leading role in the regional telecoms space. Though a regional licence is meant for a particular region of the country as opposed to a national licence, O’Net is promising that it will give a good account of itself even while playing in the regional space. The company asserts that beyond the poor image of CDMA business in Nigeria, it remains the technology to address the recurrent poor quality of service.

CDMA is a digital cellular technology that uses spread-spectrum techniques, unlike GSM. Proponents of the technology say this spread spectrum technique enables it to consistently provide better capacity for voice and data communications than other commercial mobile technologies, allowing more subscribers to connect at any given time, and is the common platform on which 3G technologies are built.

Network congestion The company restated its commitment to providing unparalleled voice and data services to subscribers in the region in which it operates, without compromising service quality.

Head of Corporate Communications, O’Net Ms Omobola Boladale, said: “As for the telecoms sector in Nigeria, it is clear that there are serious issues with network congestion due to the high number of subscribers concentrated with the four major GSM operators. In addition, national operators are usually focused on mass market sales and thus interested in major cities and less interested in rural and less concentrated suburban areas.

“Given that O’Net is a regional player, we see ample opportunities in our region where we are able to provide services that address the socioeconomic peculiarities of the people. More so, Concave is coming in when the mistakes of the older CDMA can be reviewed and avoided. We know for instance that there is no special attraction in attempting to play at the national space when the population of the South West is arguably in excess of 35 million which is more than the population of a country like Canada.

So, if new entrants like Wind Mobile is competing aggressively with older players.

O’Net’s proposition The Telco has assured that a business model that will empower subscribers to make calls at

to the consumer that is unlikely to be met by a major national operator. We have invested more than half a billion naira so far and we are still counting.

“Our approach is to target specific areas that will allow us to provide efficient services. This includes fibre interconnection, IP-enabled microwave radios for last miles and restoration of services to Ondo State. We are now proceeding to restore services to Ekiti and Ogun State within the next few weeks.

Bailout

•A CDMA base station

the lowest rates affordable had been evolved.

Ms Boladale said: “We have evolved a business model that empowers the subscribers as against the dealers. For instance, we remain the best network for both inbound and outbound calls. We charge only eight kobo per second for on net calls and 20 kobo per second for off net calls. There is no special code to dial to migrate to this pricing regime. Our customers also receive N12 credit on every three minutes they receive from off net customers. “ The credit is directly added to customers’ balances, which can be used to make calls to any network including international. We have also learned from the mistakes of older networks that any form of congestion must be avoided. We have scoped our network to allow for growth without losing efficiency.

“We are a regional player and our products are designed specifically to meet the end users’ needs. We provide products that are made to give the consumer different choices of products and affordable prices. We are today, having the lowest prices for off net and on net calls. We are making the naira in the users pocket last longer, so we are giving something back to the consumers in the region who are indeed the owners of O’Net. ”

Enterprise solutions

O’Net does not only offer services for individual consumers, on the enterprise market, O’Net offers the following services:

Trunk E1 voice services enabling large organisations (government, banks, tertiary institutions and corporations) to operate as if they have landlines within their premises and enjoying localised numbers in each of the states we operate in. For instance, a company operating in Akure can now be offered lines with the internationally recognised ‘034’ numbering plan instead of living with the anomaly of using mobile telephone numbers as official lines.

As a national ISP licensee, the company offers dedicated broadband services to large enterprises at very competitive rates with impressive uptime record. This is in addition to Closed User Group (CUG) services to such organisations that can work in conjunction with the Trunk E1 lines to offer full connectivity under the CUG extending from the desktop all the way to the person in the field enjoying free internal calls leading to higher productivity levels combined with major savings to the organisation.

Rural telephony In order to enable rural residents in the southwest enjoy affordable telecoms services, O’Net is embarking on rural telephony projects that will avail the people of South west access to efficient telephony services.

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Mr Khalil Faouaz, said: “We are in a unique position to offer a combination of services providing value

Amid calls from industry players for bailout from the Federal Government for CDMA operators, O’Net called for a differential price fee and pricing regime for CDMA players in the country. To the Telco, regional players and CDMA operators should be allowed to operate under a different interconnect rates.

Faouaz said: “While there could be justifications for calls for bailout, we believe the word ‘bailout’ could be misinterpreted. We favour some form of differential price fees and pricing regimes as we saw in the interconnect rates differential regime put in place by NCC. Regional players and CDMA operators should be allowed to operate under a different interconnect rates.

“Much of the fees being charged by NCC should also be waived under a structured corresponding to the level of business. A network struggling to maintain 15,000 subscribers should not be paying the same amount for radio frequency as one with millions of subscribers.

We, as a regional player, are indeed even further qualified for this waiver because of the inherent disadvantages. We are approaching NCC and Federal Ministry of Finance in this regard. Foreign investors coming to revive a company with socioeconomic potentials for the people of a region really ought to be so encouraged.”

Challenges To the company, regional Telcos are playing developmental roles in the economy and should therefore be adequately appreciated by regulators.

“They cannot and should not be subject to cold economic calculus. If an owner state of O’Net is developing an agricultural project in a village and require communications infrastructure there most of our competitors will not oblige. We will consider that as part of our mandate and oblige.

“So the regulators must appreciate the challenges of having to operate in rural and suburban markets where affordability and pricing become critical. Having to deal with the same voice interconnection rates imposed on all operators is therefore a serious challenge to overcome. This is certainly an area where the NCC and the Federal Government can come in to encourage regional operators to reach these underserved areas,” the CMO said.

Globacom partners Ekiti on job creation

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LOBACOM and the Ekiti State government have entered into a partnership to create jobs for about 1,000 youths, as part of the state's poverty alleviation scheme.

As part of the deal, Globacom will provide Public Call Office (PCO) facilities, including 1,000 units of parasols, power boxes, mobile phones, tables, chairs, T-shirts, caps, hawker jackets and recharge cards for the youths.

Globacom’s Head of Public Sector Depart-

By Adline Atili ment, Mr Tunde Amunikoro, said the project is being coordinated for Ekiti by the state's Job Creation and Employment Agency.

He said provision of affordable telecoms services as well as economic empowerment of Nigerians were the driving force behind the Telco's involvement in the project.

"At Globacom, we are driven by the need

to provide affordable and quality telecoms services and we are also driven by the need to economically empower members of our operating environment,” he said.

He said the Ekiti project was part of Globacom's efforts, in partnership with state governments, aimed at nation building and people empowerment.

The company has been involved in poverty alleviation projects across the country "to get more and more Nigerian youths

off the streets into gainful employment."

Director-General of the Ekiti State Job Creation and Employment Agency, Mr Folorunsho Aluko, said the state was exploring job creation opportunities in the private sector, especially in the areas of agriculture and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

“We decided to choose Globacom as our technical partner in the ICT sector because of the good services of the operator.”

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THE NATION THUR SDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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e-Business

Stakeholders want dearth of mobile money agents addressed

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MOBILE money services expert and Director of Operations and Projects at African Centre for Mobile Financial Inclusion, Mr Emmanuel Okoegwale, has decried the shortage of mobile money agents .

He said the future of mobile money remains bleak if this challenge is not addressed.

He also lamented agents’ inadequate knowledge of the service, shortage of customer educational materials and poor agency monitoring and oversight, urging stakeholders to tackle the challenges to ensure success of the initiative.

With less than 5,000 mobile money agents in the country, Okoegwale, who doubles as Principal Associate, MobileMoneyAfrica, said the future of mobile money remains ‘miserable.’

Mobile money agents, among other functions, are responsible for new customer registration, loading cash into customers’ mobile money accounts and processing cash withdrawal requests.

Okoegwale said later this year,

Stories by Adline Atili it would be a year since mobile payment providers, comprising financial institutions and independent providers were licensed and given approval to commence commercial activities “but agents’ outlets are still difficult to locate and far in between.”

He said around Africa, mobile money is moving from alternative channel to becoming main channel of providing basic financial services and payments services for the banked and un-banked; adding that adoption is growing at an exponential rate in East Africa and some parts of Southern Africa.

He said: “Regulators and the providers erroneously believe that all services must be like Kenya’s m-Pesa, without considering the strong compelling needs of the local market and cultural and pattern of internal migration.

Despite all the sincere efforts, providers are still faced with significant challenges of accessing the access channels which are needed for mass market for mobile money to be a success.”

He noted that in all the

countries where mobile money had been a success, investments in agency network was primary, followed by technology and marketing.

“These are the top three expenditures for providers. But in Nigeria, it seems marketing is taking the largest expenditure balance, followed by technology and lastly, agency network.

“Even though this may not be in all cases, but some providers are making little investments in agency network maybe in expectation that in future, the regulator will enforce shared agency network and they don’t want to make investments that will bring benefits to competitors or they are misled about what mobile money is,” he said.

According to him, a mobile money firm, just like a remittance company, has its strength in the spread and availability of the agency network.

“This explains why international remittance providers do not try to win customers by talking about the security of their platforms. They win customers on the basis of service points’ availability which translate into the agency footprints.

NCC shuts bank over illegal frequency

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HE enforcement team of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced it shut down the New Ring Road Branch of one of First Bank of Nigeria Plc in Ibadan, Oyo State, as well as the Alagbaka branch of the same bank in Akure, Ondo State, over illegal use of the 5.40 GHz frequency band, which is licensable in Nigeria.

In a statement, the team, led by the commission’s Head of Enforcement, Mr Efosa Idehen, who stormed both branches of the bank, discovered that the frequencies were being illegally used and served their officials warrants of arrest for denying the Federal Government revenues accruable from the frequency resources.

Idehen said use of illegal frequency band by an organisation or individual is against the prescriptions of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 as “the 5.40GHz is meant for data communications and can only be issued by companies licensed by the NCC. He added that the commission had forewarned illegal transmitters on the frequency channels through public notices in the media.

While noting that banks were the major culprits in illegal use of frequencies in the 5.40 GHz spectrum band, he said the exercise was a continuous one, assuring that the commission will prosecute anyone or organisation found transmitting on the channel.

At Ibadan, officials of the bank resisted attempts by NCC to access the bank’s server room to isolate the equipment. This resulted in the arrest of the bank’s Operations Manager by policemen at the Iyaganku Police Station. However, at Akure, officials of the bank fully cooperated with the NCC. Speaking specifically on the Ibadan branch case, Idehen said the bank will remain shut until the frequency equipment are isolated and the indoor and outdoor units removed and taken to the police station.

Visafone launches new data plans

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VISAFONE has introduced new data bundled plans aimed at providing subscribers with broadband Internet access.

With the new plans, customers can get either a modem plus 1GB of data for N5,499 for one month or a modem plus 2GB of data for one month at N6,499. There is also provision for a customer to get a modem alone at N4,899.

In a statement, the company’s Head of Marketing and Strategy, Mr Clifford Onyeike said the initiative is aimed at providing Nigerians with a new Internet browsing experience in terms of affordability and access.

He said that in the age of data; mobile broadband provides the fastest and most reliable means of enabling people and countries go digital.

To him, Visafone is well placed to provide excellent data quality, “given the company’s robust data capabilities and ability to enable super fast data speed with EVDO Rev A. The initiative presents a whole new world of Internet access and experience for data users who want to surf the Internet seamlessly and at a very fast speed.”

He restated Visafone’s commitment to giving customers value for money through attractive tariffs and excellent voice and data quality.

MTN commissions HIV/AIDS centre

M •Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Eugene Juwah (right) and Director, Telecommunications Development Bureau, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Mr Brahima Sanou at an ITU event in Geneva, Switzerland.

MainOne, Tata Communications partner on video solution

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ue to increased demand for high-quality video capability into and outside Nigeria, MainOne Cable Company, in partnership with technology solutions company, Tata Communications, has introduced a video connect network, which will allow broadcast and production companies distribute live video content worldwide. The fact will also enhance international broadcasters’ reach into this key emerging region.

In a joint statement, Tata Communications’ partnership with MainOne connects its global video network to an expansive local fibre network, creating a dedicated video network connecting to key broadcasters as well as production and post-production houses in Africa.

Unlike traditional MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) or contention networks, having a dedicated video network ensures high quality and consistent video transmission needed for video broadcast, allowing media companies to be truly global.

The service offers new levels of scalability and bandwidth supported by Tata Communications’ round-theworld, wholly-owned, sub-sea fibre network and Main One’s cable between Europe and West Africa. The companies said video content transfer can be purchased on a permanent or per-hour basis, opening up new opportunities for Nigerian companies through flexible payment options.

“The Video Connect network can carry both live and file-based content. Seamless worldwide

transmission is now possible through 300+ connected media hotspots including key cable and Direct-to-Home (DTH) head ends, as well as production and postproduction houses around the world,” the statement read.

Chief Executive Officer of MainOne, Funke Opeke, said: “This ground-breaking partnership, brings new opportunities not only for Nigeria, but Africa as a whole.

MainOne’s fibre network, coupled with Tata Communications’ international expertise and global network will open up a new world of opportunities for video coming in and out of the African region, as well as create new business opportunities for studios, broadcasters, production and preproduction companies across Nigeria.”

MTN Foundation, the corporate social investment medium of MTN Nigeria, has inugurated a Youth Friendly Centre at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

According to the Telco, the centre, which is a component of the MTN Foundation Partners Against Malaria and AIDS in the Community (PAMAC) project, is aimed at fighting the scourge of HIV/AIDS in the communities, and will enable access to HIV testing and counselling within the university community.

Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr John Idoko, praised the foundation, saying: “It is very thoughtful of the MTN Foundation to provide a centre such as this to reduce the scourge of HIV/AIDS within the community. With the help of care educators, the prevalence of the disease can be reduced as well as properly managed.”

The centre houses a waiting area, equipped with informative educational materials, confidential counselling rooms and a laboratory.

“The centre will also serve as a resource centre where students can gain access to the Internet at an affordable rate, in addition to an MTN Connect service centre where customers can make enquiries on MTN services,” Executive Secretary of the foundation, Ms Nonny Ugboma, said.

Deputy Vice Chancellor (OOU), Prof. Femi Oyewo, said the university and community are grateful to the foundation for selecting the institution for the project.

“The health of our students is very important to us. Now that they have free access to this wonderful facility, they will be able to find out their HIV status and get useful counselling,” he said.

Winners emerge in Airtel promo

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WENTY-ONE subscribers have emerged star winners of N1million each in the first three draws of Airtel Free Millionaires promo, conducted in Lagos. The draws, which also produced 21 winners of Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 bundled with complimentary 200MB worth of data, were supervised by systems processes and applications audit firm, Alexander Forbes.

Airtel’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr Deepak Srivastava, said the promo was introduced to enrich more Nigerians and provide them with opportunities to realise their financial dreams.

He said: “Airtel is committed to rewarding Nigerians. The Free Millionaires promo is just another channel for us to say thank you to all our customers. We are excited that all the winners emerged through a transparent process certified by Alexander Forbes for authenticity, in compliance with global standards.”

Srivastava said that to register and participate in the promo, customers are required to send any of the three keywords: “FREE,” “BIG” or “WIN” to the code, 3030. He said participation for the first

51

THE NATION THUR SDAY, JULY 19, 2012

e-Business

GSM operators’ face-off

Matters e-Rising Segun Oruame segun@segunoruame.com

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OT a few but many in the telecoms industry had foreseen the scenario playing out today in the telecoms scene. They knew the regulator would soon use the hammer to enforce the minimum quality of service in a sector that had gained notoriety for frequent glitches that undermine customers’ total satisfaction. Operators often put the blame on Nigeria’s tough, under-infrastructure business environment. Everyone suffers but the ultimate victim remains the consumer.

When the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) finally sanctioned the four GSM operators in May, it was, for many, a forecast fulfilled. The four mobile service providers, MTN Nigeria, Globacom, Airtel and Etisalat, were cumulatively fined the sum of N1,170,000,000 (One billion, one hundred and seventy million naira) as penalty for the poor quality of services rendered to their different subscribers in the months of March and April 2012.

The operators, penalised for contravening the provisions of the Quality of Service Regulations by the NCC and their inability to meet the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), opted to protest and to pressure not to pay. The regulator stood its ground.

Operators were expected to meet 98 per cent Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), two per cent Call Drop Rate (CDR), 98 per cent HoSR, One per cent Standalone Dedicated Control Channel (SDCCH), 96 per cent Call Completion Rate (CCR) and two per cent Traffic Congestion ratings (TCH CoNG). But according to the regulator, none of the operators met its target within the period of March and April under review. It applied sanctions.

May 21, 2012 was the deadline to pay. None of

Fed Govt plans satellite network for broadband

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ROADBAND penetration, especially in the rural areas, is set to get a boost with the Federal Government’s plans to deploy a universal satellite hub evolution platform.

The government, through the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), is partnering iDirect, a US-based satellite communications technology company, on the project.

The companies said the move would enhance NIGCOMSAT’s existing Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) solutions for affordable Internet services to the military, government, education and enterprise markets.

NIGCOMSAT’s Managing Director Mr Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai said: “High-speed Internet has the potential to transform the Nigerian economy, hence our partnership with iDirect to deploy a satellite network that affordably supports increasing broadband penetration in Nigeria and the African region. “iDirect’s solutions enable us to offer a broadband service that meets the diverse requirement of multiple end users, and can grow

the operators had paid. But they finally paid in June having reasoned that not paying could be misconstrued as corporate rascality and deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the regulator. And that would be counterproductive for the operators and the industry as a whole.

An operator that has lost its fangs to bite would sooner than later be needed by those that worked against it for their own protection.

Thorns and barricades All operators complained of the difficulty of the business terrain. But some analysts would say the questions really should be in spite of all these hindrances, are they making profits? Does the earnings sufficiently mitigate the challenges as to encourage operators to remain doing business? Is there truly any market that provides higher Returns on Investment (RoIs) in Africa’s telecoms markets than, ironically, Nigeria’s under-infrastructure environment? If the returns are high and encouraging, does poor quality of service truly reflect the hindrances of the operating environment and not the non-committal attitude of operators not to spend ‘one naira more’ on good quality services to their subscribers?

True, we should not play down the operators’ complaint. They are genuine and real issues that undermine capacity of any network to deliver on service. But we also should not rule out the extreme positives of the Nigerian telecoms market particularly at this level of growth where margins for profits are still very high. The regulator knows this and has a right to insist that minimum service quality be met. It would also be proper to say that the benchmark for quality service was not imposed. The regulator has argued that the benchmark was well expressed to the operators and they were given time to work

F

to investors despite all its shortcomings.

Besides, as some analysts will argue, the sector faces what other sectors and the average Nigerian faces. Power and heightened insecurity are challenges every citizen contends with. As the records show, all the networks including Glo Mobile, an indigenous network, boast of their biggest market in Africa’s most populous country of 160 million people. In MTN’s recently posted financial performance for 2011; Nigeria remains its biggest market despite all the drawbacks and ahead of South Africa, its home country. For Bharti Airtel, Nigeria features most importantly of all its presence in Africa, to drive and sustain growth and leadership in the mobile market.

This regulator appears to have put all the indices together to insist that the KPIs must be met.

In his first interaction with the media in Lagos in 2010, the regulator said the commission will adopt a stricter approach to ensuring compliance to regulation in what would signify a potential shift from what critics have called ‘softpad’ regulation of his immediate predecessor.

His words: “In some cases, factors attributable to the harsh operating environment have put the regulator at the long end of wielding the big stick. It would therefore appear that the service providers have taken this soft approach towards enforcement and compliance to regulations for granted in the discharge of their responsibilities to the nation, the Commission and the consumers. We need to state clearly that it will no longer be business as usual. As we move into the next focus of regulation with emphasis on compliance, the Commission under us, will give a lot of emphasis on compliance monitoring and strict enforcement of extant regulations and directions.”

By Adline Atili to meet further connectivity challenges.”

Regional Vice President for iDirect in Europe, Mr Majdi Atout, said: “There is tremendous potential for growth in Africa, but much of that potential hinges on developing an infrastructure that can support high-speed data sharing and broadband Internet access. The iDirect platform offers NIGCOMSAT a high-performing and flexible solution that supports the company’s goal of building a more open and connected Africa.”

The flexibility of the iDirect Evolution platform enables NIGCOMSAT to deliver affordable and easily deployable Internet service across Nigeria and the West African sub-region for a range of applications to end users.

Additionally, iDirect’s seamless integration with fibre networks allows NIGCOMSAT to deliver broadband connectivity to remote communities, ensuring that rural users gain the economic and social benefits of broadband access. iDirect’s Evolution platform provides NIGCOMSAT with a scalable platform that can keep pace with rapid broadband growth in Nigeria.

Furthermore, NIGCOMSAT will take advantage of the performance and efficiencies of iDirect’s iDX3.0 software, which allows the company to switch between TDMA and SCPC Return channels to adjust service levels based on dynamic applications and changing traffic patterns.

Firms join forces to promote banking services INANCIAL Inclusion Network and Operations (FINO), India’s largest alternate channel for banking services and technology services provider, ZaaEdge Resources Limited, have announced a strategic partnership to enable financial inclusion of the over 46million Nigerians that lack access to financial services.

Through this partnership, FINO would be entering the Nigerian market to provide banking services to the ‘bottom of the pyramid.’ To this end, ZaaEdge would promote FINO’s banking technology solutions and services designed to address the financial needs of illiterate, poor and rural people.

Vice President and Head of International Business at FINO, Mr Shyam Rao, said: “FINO has been at the forefront of enabling financial inclusion in India through branchless banking and deploying in house developed technology for target markets. We are excited at the prospect of sharing our expertise towards Nigeria’s financial inclusion efforts. Our banking

at it.

Business means pains Operators are right. Nigerian business environment is a tough terrain. Cost of operations in the telecoms industry is high, and considerably impacts negatively on the ability of operators to provide quality services to subscribers. Networks practically run on diesel generators and the national power grid practically does not exist for all the operators. There are about 5,000 base station owned by the operators and spread out across the country. Each is powered by two generators. The cost of maintenance and fuelling is huge and in itself constitutes an entire new business spectrum operators must run outside of their core business of selling telecoms services.

In addition, each base station has security guards to safeguard the equipment, an additional cost to the business. But the aches do not end there.

The sector is contending with multiple taxations.

Because operators are considered to be spinning huge profits, they are levied by all levels of governments though the NCC is spearheading a campaign to end all that.

But it pays, ultimately The pains constitute only one part of the coin.

“When we speak of the negatives, the tendency is to paint the picture of a sector that is so unfriendly that it is the nemesis of operators. But this is not true. Figures don’t lie. The market is paying and paying handsomely. Many believe operators should be able to leverage on the positives to improve on service quality. With over 90 million subscribers and a good ARPU (Average Revenue Per User), the Nigerian telecoms market boasts of some of the best high yields for investors. It has surpassed all projections in the last eight years and has remained attractive

technology products and services will help bridge the banked-unbanked gap in a timely and affordable manner.”

Co-Founder of ZaaEdge Resources, Mr Omotayo Babatunde, said: “Many Nigerians, for several reasons, are un-banked and lack access to formal financial services. The results of the EFInA Access to Financial Services in Nigeria 2010 survey stated that 39.2 million Nigerians, representing 46.3 per cent of the adult population are financially excluded; while only 25.4 million, representing 30 per cent of the adult population are banked.

“The survey also revealed that 23.8 million adults are currently saving money at home. If 50 per cent of these people were to save N1 ,000 per month, then up to N143billion could be incorporated into the formal sector every year.

Our partnership with FINO will help in driving CBN’s initiative aimed at reducing the percentage of adult Nigerians excluded from financial services from 46.3 percent as at 2010 to 20 per cent by 2020.”

•From left: Director of Information Technology, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Tommy Victor-Udoh; Regional Enterprise Manager, Enterprise Solutions Division, MTN, Mr Auwal Abdullahi and Senior Manager, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and Regional Accounts, Mrs Omotayo Ojutalayo at the launch of MTN HyNet in Abuja.

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Govt begins demolition of illegal HE Lagos State government, through telecoms masts the Ministry of Physical Planning and

Urban Development, has commenced the demolition of masts and towers posing a threat to lives and property.

The ministry’s Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit (UFRU), established to regulate the activities of telecoms operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) on masts and towers installations, is to carry out the exercise.

To start with, a near-completed base station belonging to one of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators had been pulled down on Ago Palace Way, Okota, a suburb of Lagos.

Speaking during the demolition, UFRU General Manager, Mr Joe Igbokwe, said a ‘stop work’ order was issued to the GSM operator to stop construction at the early stage, until there was approval for such.

It was gathered that the operator failed to comply with the directive and continued with

By Ambrose Nnaji

the erection, until it was near-completion.

“We noticed that a particular GSM operator was building a base station without approval, after government’s notice that it was illegal to build base stations and towers in Lagos without permit from the ministry, through its agency, UFRU. For violating the laws of the state, it became necessary that we pull down the base station because we are not sure of its strength and its environmental impact assessment.

“It is the duty of UFRU to regulate telecoms masts and towers in the state, ensure that the location of the base station is in order, as well as supervise the materials used for the installation,” Igbokwe said.

The essence of the regulation, he said, was to avert cases of collapsed masts and towers in the state which he said had claimed several lives and property worth millions, which were destroyed in the process.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

54

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 18-7-12

Conoil lifts market with N1.7b dividend

C

ONOIL Plc would be paying N1.73 billion to shareholders as cash dividend for the financial year ended December 31, 2011.

The dividend, which was derived from a profit N4.4 billion, sent investors after Conoil’s shares, pushing up the share price by about the maximum allowable daily change of five per cent.

Conoil gained N1.07 to close at N22.63 per share, placing fifth among the top gainers that spurred the market further.

Aggregate market value of all quoted companies rose by N76 billion to N7.430 trillion as against its opening value of N7.354 trillion. The All Share Index, the benchmark index at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), rallied 1.03 per cent gain to close at 23,277.30 points compared with its index on board of 23,039.27 points.

Conoil’s dividend recommendation was contained in the audited report and accounts released yesterday by the NSE. The gross dividend recommendation implies increase in dividend per share from N2 for 2010 business year to N2.50 for the 2011 business year.

The 25 per cent increase in cash payouts was reflective of the impressive performance of the company during the year as net earnings per share rose from N4.02 to N4.25. With these, Conoil has emerged as the best-return stock in the petroleum marketing sector with current dividend yield of about 12 per cent and earnings

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

yield of about 20 per cent.

These also placed the stock within the top-bracket of dividend paying stocks on the NSE. The report showed that the company grew sales by 53 per cent from N102.88 billion to N157.51 billion . It further consolidated its profitability with profit before tax rising from N4.02 billion to N4.4 billion.

Profit after tax rose from N2.79 billion to N2.95 billion.

The report also showed a stronger balance sheet as retained earnings boosted shareholders’ funds to N16.82 billion in 2011 compared with N15.26 billion in 2010. Total assets rose by 49 per cent to N61.84 billion in 2011 as against N41.49 billion in 2010.

Market analysts said the impressive dividend and profit and loss accounts performance were in line with market’s expectations given Conoil’s consistent growth over the years.

As earnings per share increased from N2.62 in 2008 to N3.33 and N4.02 in 2009 and 2010 respectively, Conoil had increased cash dividend per share correspondingly from N1 in 2009 to N1.50 and N2 in 2009 and 2010.

Commenting on the results, Chairman, Conoil Plc, Dr. Mike Adenuga (Jnr), said the results were indicative of the commitment of the Board and Management to growing shareholders’ value irrespective of the operating challenges.

He pointed out that the

company launched far-reaching initiatives to strengthen its income base in core segments of its business particularly in retail, lubricants, aviation, gas and specialised products.

“We shall continually strive to take advantage of emerging opportunities to repay the faith and confidence that our loyal shareholders have shown in us,”Adenuga assured.

He said Conoil would continue to consolidate the progress it has made in the past years and leverage on its unique position as Nigeria’s leading oil marketer to continuously improve returns to all stakeholders.

Further analysis of the market showed that Nestle Nigeria led the advancing stocks with a gain of N5 to hit the historic N500 per share. Nigerian Breweries followed with a gain of N3.60 to close at N115.80. Flour Mills of Nigeria added N2 to close at N57 while UAC of Nigeria rose by N1.63 to close at N34.40.

On the downside, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria led the decliners with a loss of 23 kobo to close at N4.47. United Bank for Africa dropped 15 kobo to close at N4.60. Union Bank slipped by 14 kobo to N4.10. Learn Africa dropped by 11 kobo to N2.19 while Honeywell Flour Mills lost eight kobo to close at N1.99 per share.

Total turnover stood at 259.59 million shares valued at N2.21 billion in 4,184 deals.

Banking subsector remained the most active subgroup with a turnover of 185.22 million shares worth N1.32 billion in 2,433 deals.

Sterling Bank was the most active stock with a turnover of 43.85 million shares valued at N52.62 million in 66 deals.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 18-7-12

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

55

MONEY LINK

Shareholders’ suit on ‘bridge banks’ suffers setback

T

HE Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has declared that a suit instituted by the Progressive Shareholders Association against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the three bridged banks was unsustainable.

The bridged banks are Mainstreet (formerly known as Afribank); Keystone (erstwhile Bank PHB) and Enterprise Bank (the defunct Springbank).

In his ruling on July 9, this year, in Lagos, Justice Achibong upheld the preliminary objection of the CBN through its counsel, that the plaintiffs had no right of action to institute the suit

By Collins Nweze

against it and that they also lack the locus standi to institute or maintain such action.

The CBN counsel who raised the preliminary objection to the effect that having regard to the true and proper meaning of section 53(1) of the Banks and other Financial Institution Act (BOFIA), also argued that the condition precedent to the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit was not fulfilled and as such, the case was not properly started.

The Progressive Shareholders Association led by Boniface Okezie had approached the court, seeking for declaration that the action

tion of the regulators is injurious to the interests of the plaintiffs, unlawful, null and void of any effect whatsoever.

The statement of claim by the plaintiffs also sought for perpetual injunction restraining the bridge banks, NDIC and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) from further dealing in or operating the assets, businesses of the erstwhile Afribank, Bank PHB and Spring banks.

The shareholders’ group had equally sought the court’s

of the CBN and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) in purporting to transfer the assets, businesses and operations of former Afribank Plc, Bank PHB and Spring Bank to Mainstreet Bank Limited, Keystone Bank Limited and Enterprise Bank Limited respectively is a breach of the fundamental human right of the plaintiffs.

The plaintiff had argued that the CBN and NDIC action on the three banks had deprived shareholders of their freedom from compulsory acquisition of property as guaranteed under section 44(1) of the constitution.

They also averred that the ac-

U

are in the neighbourhood of 64,000.

Zaria said the draws, as usual will be witnessed by qualifying customers, journalists, officials of the National Lottery Commission, Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and other members of the public.

The bank held the first zonal draws in May, this year and the national version on June 30, at which one of the savers, Mrs Bikudamai Joura in Maiduguri

A

increased financial reporting transparency, has led to more insurers calling for a single global accounting framework.

The new survey of insurance finance executives conducted on behalf of Deloitte, by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) found that almost half of insurers want to see a convergence of the two main accounting regimes used by global insurance companies.

Also, 47 per cent of respondents said they want the United States to abandon its national accounting stan-

won one of the star prize of Hyundai Verna car. Others won motocycles, bicycles, refrigerators and similar gifts.

Explaining the rationale for the Savings Promotion, Unity Bank Executive Director, Information Technology and Operations, Mr Ahmed Yusuf, said it was the bank’s way of rewarding its customers for loyalty and to help the nation grow utilisable capital for development.

T

Turner, spoke during the opening ceremony of Sustainable Stock Exchanges Event in Rio de Janerio, Brazil about the regulatory dimension.

The dialogue summit has as theme: Sustainable Stock Ex-

By Nneka Nwaneri

provide meaningful information to stakeholders.

Vice-President, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Martin

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

Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 350m 150m 350m 138m 350m 113m

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 18-7-12 SYMBOL

O/PRICE

NESTLE NB FLOURMILL UACN CONOIL OKOMUOIL UNILEVER WAPCO FIRSTBANK GUARANTY

495.00 112.20 55.00 32.77 21.56 28.00 31.50 43.00 11.73 17.00

C/PRICE

500.00 115.80 57.00 34.40 22.63 28.52 32.00 43.50 12.17 17.40

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

O/PRICE 4.70 4.75 4.24 2.30 2.07 1.25 1.35 9.89 1.49 0.82

C/PRICE 4.47 4.60 4.10 2.19 1.99 1.19 1.30 9.85 1.45 0.79

CHANGE 0.23 0.15 0.14 0.11 0.08 0.06 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.03

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

Dec ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 12.6%

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

Date 2-7-12 27-6-12 22-6-12

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

LOSERS AS AT 18-7-12

SYMBOL CCNN UBA UBN LONGMAN HONYFLOUR STERLNBANK FIDELITYBK UAC-PROP CUSTODYINS FIDSON

Exchange Rate (N) 155.2 155.8 155.7

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

CHANGE

5.00 3.60 2.00 1.63 1.07 0.52 0.50 0.50 0.44 0.40

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m 113m

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

OBB Rate Call Rate

changes.

He said the disclosures would encourage a more holistic approach to risk management by reporting companies who do not adopt the processes of developing standard.

pleted jointly by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).

The report noted that despite significant progress, the boards have struggled to reach an agreement on all issues. This has resulted in a slip in timetable for implementation of what could be heralded as the first set of global accounting rules for insurance companies.

The survey further revealed that, given the potential consequences these rules will have on insurance companies, more than half of respondents rated the uncertainty around the timeframe for implementation of the new IFRS for insurance contracts (IFRS 4 Phase II) (51 per cent) and for financial instruments (IFRS 9) (52 per cent) as their biggest concern.

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

Sanusi

DATA BANK

Tenor

NIDF NESF

dards in favour of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). However, a complete set of IFRS rules for insurance liabilities does not exist yet and US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) on the same subject has been earmarked for a radical reform since 2008.

Already, proposals to address this situation and substantially re-write accounting standards commonly used by insurers for liabilities and investments are being com-

ACCA seeks fuller disclosures HE Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has emphasised the need for accountants to ensure that economic and Social Governance Disclosures ( ESGs)

•CBN Governor, Lamido

Deloitte advocates single accounting SURVEY by Deloitte framework for firms based on the need for

Unity Bank to reward more savers NITY Bank has assured of its readiness to reward more participants in its savings promo known as Aim, Save and Win as it holds a second round of the Zonal Draws in five different locations across the country.

Winners at the Zonal Draws will win motorcycles, plasma television sets, generators, bicycles, refrigerators and telephone handsets.

According to External Communication Manager of Unity Bank, Sani Mohammed Zaria, the zonal draws will take place in Lokoja, Kogi State, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Ibadan, Oyo State, Gombe, Gombe State and Kano in Kano State.

He said over 6,000 savers under the category of N75,000 qualified for the draws while those on the category of N5,000

order, among others, to grant the affected banks a period of six months to recapitalise or attain any requisite level of recapitalisation as determined by the court of any interference from the CBN or its Governor.

In determining the preliminary objection raised by the counsel to the defendants, the judge upheld their argument and therefore declared that on the strength of section 53(1) and (2) of the BOFI Act 2004, the action of the plaintiffs was unsustainable.

Offer Price

Bid Price

ARM AGGRESSIVE 9.17 KAKAWA GUARANTEED 1.00 STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE 122.50 AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND 105.51 LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL 0.74 BGL SAPPHIRE FUND 1.09 BGL NUBIAN FUND 0.95 NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. 1,713.35 PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND 8.95 CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST 1.39 CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST 1.87 STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY 7,642.27 THE DISCOVERY FUND 193.00 FIDELITY NIGFUND 1.67 • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

9.08 1.00 122.36 105.46 0.72 1.09 0.93 1,712.68 8.51 1.33 1.80 7,847.32 191.08 1.62

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2011

Current 07, Aug, 2011

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

56

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

57

NEWS Two police Inspectors, suspect killed in Ogun accident From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

HREE persons, including two police inspectors serving in the Ogun State Police Command and an unidentified crime suspect, were feared dead yesterday when the vehicle conveying them collided with a car on the Itori area of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

The two police officers were identified as Thomas Olorunjuwon and Ojo Johnbull.

They were riding on a Toyota Hilux van with registration number (Lagos) DF 413 AAA, which crashed into a stationary truck, a DAF with registration number (Lagos) XU 502 JJJ, at the Iyani Onigbedu, Itori, Ewekoro Local Government Area, at 10am.

A Nissan Urvan passenger bus, marked (Lagos) XM 440 BDG carrying over 16 passengers, also crashed into the police van from the rear.

All the passengers were injured.

The policemen were heading to Abeokuta, the state capital after arresting the suspects at Sango Ota. It was learnt that the policemen died at the scene of the accident while one of the two suspects died at the hospital.

The survivors were taken to Ifo General Hospital.

Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi confirmed the deaths.

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Unit Commander for Itori, Mr Fatai Bakare, also confirmed that besides the policemen, another person was killed in the accident.

Ten others were injured.

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Ibadan Poly shut From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

THE Eruwa campus of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, has been shut.

This followed a protest by students of the institution over the death of a student, whose name could not be established as at press time yesterday.

The students reportedly went on rampage to protest the alleged negligence of the school’s clinic workers, where the student was taken for treatment.

Following the alleged negligence, the students were said to have taken their colleague to a private hospital, where he died.

The clinic workers fled when the students began the protest.

But the school’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Soladoye Adewole, dismissed the students’ allegation.

He said the deceased was well treated at the health centre and even played football before his ailment relapsed.

Adewole said: “One of our students died. He took sick and was taken to our health centre.

He was okay and even played football after his treatment.

But the sickness relapsed.

Instead of bringing him to the health centre, which opens 24 hours, they took him to a private hospital. He later died.”

The spokesman commiserated with the family of the deceased.

He described the incident as sad and unfortunate.

Ajimobi’s mum dead

Ovie-Whiskey dies at 88

J

USTICE Victor OvieWhiskey, the Chairman of the defunct Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO), is dead.

He died yesterday at his country home in Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. He was 88.

Family sources said Justice Ovie-Whiskey passed on peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of

the day.

The late Justice OvieWhiskey was the Chief Judge of the defunct Bendel State when Second Republic President Shehu Shagari appointed him to head the electoral body. He presided over the 1983 general elections.

But the military truncated the Second Republic on December 31, 1983, barely three months after the election winners were sworn in. The elections were

generally seen as massively rigged in favour of the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

The former Judge, who was born on April 6, 1924, attended Kings College, Lagos, and the University College, (now University of Ibadan). He studied Law at the University of London.

He was appointed FEDECO chairman when he was the Chief Judge of the old Bendel State.

•The late Justice OvieWhiskey

•Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi (left) presenting a gift to the Ag. President/ Vice-Chancellor and Senior VicePresident, Babcock University, Prof Iheanyichukwu Okoro, during a visit to the Governor’s Office in Ado-Ekiti

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Alleged forgery: Oyo to prosecute sacked workers

HE Oyo State G o v e r n m e n t yesterday said the

3,000 workers who were recently sacked for alleged certificate and age falsification, would be prosecuted.

Though the government has set up an 11-man panel to review the cases, it said certificate forgery is a serious criminal offence that should not be treated with kid gloves.

The government spoke in Ibadan, the state capital,

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

through the Head of Service (HOS), Mr Tajudeen Aremu, at a capacity-building workshop for senior civil servants.

He said all those found guilty would be prosecuted according to the law of the land.

According to him, no amount of manipulations by any group or individual will stop Governor Abiola Ajimobi to restore, reposition and transform the state.

The workshop, entitled: Productive attitude change and excellence, was organised by the government in collaboration with The Project Pace.

Aremu said the workshop would prepare the civil servants for the government’s agenda to have attitudinal change to work among the workforce.

He said: “What kind of thought do you require for somebody who forges and falsifies certificate?

Falsification of any document anywhere in the world is a

criminal offence, which should never be tolerated.

“The civil service comprises people of high repute.

Otherwise, why is it that judges require civil servants whenever there is need to organise a bail for someone?

Why is it that they don’t ask for businessmen who are one thousand times richer than civil servants? It is because the society has respect for the civil servants a lot.

“And the society entrusts a lot of responsibility on the civil servants. We should, therefore, not tolerate anyone found culpable of this offence.”

Why Capital Market recovery is slow, by House panel Continued from page 2 Serials may mature in 7 years, making a total of 10 years. “The scooping of shareholders by making them cough out 0.3% of their balance sheet, though constraining corporate growth, does not guarantee funds availability, despite the CBN’s contribution of N50 billion, which in itself, is without parliamentary approval.”

The report also blamed AMCON for allegedly manipulating Non-Performing Loans(NPLs).

The report added: “The Committee was shocked at the way and manner that ‘non-performing loans’ were being manipulated by AMCON. The Managing Director of AMCON, Mr. Mustafa Chike –Obi was unable to explain the basis and rationale for valuing the book value of loans to the realisable

value.

“While some balances were marked at market at very ridiculous values, others were stated at values higher than their book values.

“Of all the existing deposit money banks, it is only Unity Bank that responded to the demand for information in this respect. A representative example of the findings in Unity Bank supports the feedback given to this Committee during the Investigative Public Hearing that AMCON is manipulating the process of NPL Valuations; and that AMCON is also neckdeep into the act of acquiring performing loans.

The committee described the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank by Access Bank as irregular.

It said: “The Acquisition of Intercontinental Bank plc by Access Bank was found to be irregular. Investors raised substantive questions on the standard of regulation of Capital Market resulting from this

transaction. This Committee saw merit in the position of investors.

“For instance, some members of the Board of Access Bank were found to be indebted to Intercontinental Bank prior to the acquisition.

“It was also found that the net worth of intercontinental Bank far outweighed that of Access Bank at the point of acquisition. It was further discovered that some employees of Access bank were engaged in Stock Exchange Commission on full time basis during the period of the acquisition.

“There were substantive issues of procedure found to be inconclusive as the relevant financial systems regulators, notably the CBN, AMCON and SEC appeared to have overlooked exact procedures of valuation.

“In this regard, there were numerous issues of material concern to the investor that

were not taken into account. For instance, the choice of financial advisers and consultants by the CBN who prepared the merger and acquisition documents shows that connected persons to the bank were used.

The committee also claimed that it discovered that the cost of doing business is too high in the Nigerian Capital Market.

The report said: “Findings from the investigative Hearing revealed that the cost of doing business in the Nigerian capital market is too high due mainly to high transaction fees.

Presently, the transaction fees are as high as 12 per cent (7per cent VAT, and 5per cent in Stamp duties). “This does not take into account VAT on brokerage which account for the largest proportion of transaction cost (about 52 per cent of total transaction fees).

The transaction fees in Nigerian capital market rank among the highest in the world, yet, with lowest depth and liquidity.”

THE mother of Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Alhaja Sikirat Abeje Ajimobi, is dead. She was 85.

The governor’s mother died in her home in Ibadan yesterday following an illness.

In a statement in Ibadan, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Dr Festus Adedayo said the late Alhaja Ajimobi was a prominent trader, a devout Muslim and a community leader.

She is survived by nine children.

Alhaja Ajimobi will be buried in Ibadan today at 2pm at her husband’s home at Johnson Awe Street, Apata, Ibadan.

Land: Ogun releases White Paper THE Ogun State Government yesterday released a White Paper on the second and final report of the Akinyemi-led Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Land Allocations in the state.

It is part of the plan of the government to “fully implement its land policy” to encourage industrialization and commercial activities.

The State Executive Council had deliberated on the 250-page report and the White Paper is to be gazette immediately by the Ministry of Justice.

In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, the government explained that the White Paper would restore genuine farmers, who have been dislodged by land speculators through questionable releases and excisions, back to the various government-owned farm settlements.

“It is also expected to do justice to citizens, whose lands have been wrongly appropriated in the past, as well as correct the anomalies, which have generally attended government acquisition and administration of land,” the statement said.

Members of the panel sat between September 23, last year, and April 23, this year, and received 203 petitions.

It submitted the first report on December 16, 2011 and a White Paper was issued on the report on February 9, 2012.

NURTW factions reunite From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

THE Caretaker Committee chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (aka Fele), yesterday resolved a crisis in the Ogbomoso branch of the union.

Three NURTW factions in the town and environs have been embroiled in a face-off since the state government lifted the ban on the union’s activities in the state.

Security agencies, including policemen and the State Security Service (SSS) attended the peace parley.

They cordoned off the Olomi, Ibadan, state secretariat of the union to prevent likely attacks by any of the factions.

Oyerinde urged members to strengthen the ongoing peace to sustain the good name the union now has.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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NEWS OSHIOMHOLE’S VICTORY ‘PDP is not dead in Edo’ From Osagie Otabor, Benin

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has said it is “still very vibrant, cohesive and ready to face its challenges in the state.”

It was responding to statements credited to Prof. Julius Ihonvbere that the PDP ‘s fate is sealed in the state.

The party’s Assistant Publicity Secretary,Ms Bisi Idahomi, said the PDP was ready to face “its challenges, especially after the election that was marred by irregularities.”

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

CHANGE OF NAME

I Alice Sobamowo of No. 1 Alice Ogunsona Crescent, Ikorodu, Lagos State hereby notify the general public that my personal belongings including my Primary School Leaving Certificate got burnt in a fire incident. General Public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Amidu, Kehinde Latifat, now wish to be know and addressed as Mrs. Jegede, Kehinde Latifat. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

•Oshiomhole with the Oba at the palace...yesterday

I’ll do more, says Oshiomhole

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DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday promised to modernise the Benin moat to preserve the age-long Benin heritage.

The governor, who spoke at the palace of the Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, said his administration will continue to improve on the beautification of the King’s Square and Ramat Park.

Oshiomhole, accompanied by his deputy, Pius Odubu, presented his Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Certificate of Return to the monarch.

He praised the monarch for his fatherly role to all

•Governor visits Oba From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia and Osagie Otabor, Benin

candidates during the electoral process, saying the result of the election has shown that the people are united.

His words: “I have come to present to you my certificate of return.

“I want to thank you sir for a being a father to us in our hour of need.

“You demonstrated by your words that Edo people are the same.

“Benin will receive accel-

erated development which will restore the great Benin kingdom; we have the challenge to modernising the great Benin moat.

“I fully appreciate the challenge arising from my re-election. I have a duty to deliver across the 18 local governments.

“The learning curve is over. After three and half years, we know what the challenges are and we are ready to apply ourselves to justify the confidence the people have in us.”

The Oba he has been watching the comrade gov-

ernor working and was convinced of his sincerity to deliver to Edo people.

He said: “I’m glad to publicly address you today; we’re watching what you have doing.

“You cleaned up the roads throughout the state, my chiefs are praying for you.

Thank you for the promise you have made to the people of Benin.

“The last time you were here, I prayed that you come back to complete the unfinished business and we will still pray that God and the ancestors will give you the wisdom to carry on with the development of the state, so that you can do more.”

Wada, Ogboru, NCP chairman greet Oshiomhole

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OGI State Governor Idris Wada has congratulated Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole on his re-election victory.

Wada said there was no victor, no vanquished in the election.

He hailed security agents and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a peaceful election.

The governor praised the people for the manner in which they conducted themselves before, during and after the election.

Democratic Peoples Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Delta State Great Ogboru said the victory is a reaffirmation of the human will to prevail over falsehood.

He said: “For defending your democratic right to elect your own leaders, we are proud of you, Edo people.

“For your vigilance in ensuring that your votes count, you are a beacon of hope.

Your victory is ours too.

“Indeed, we salute your courage and congratulate you for the victory.

“For our comrade governor, we have no doubt that your legacy has spoken loudly and resulted in this good victory.

•Youths, candidates too “His Excellency has our support and prayers.

“We trust that he has helped our people to find their voice through good governance.

“It is our hope that indeed Delta will join Edo to complete the freedom of our old Bendel State from the claws of bad governance.”

The commissioner representing Edo State on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Henry Okhuarobo, said the re-election victory will attract more development in the state.

Ohkuarobo said the NDDC will join the governor to take the state to the next level.

He lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, ProfAttahiru Jega, for ensuring a free and fair election devoid of electoral fraud and violence.

He appreciated the people for coming out to vote for the comrade governor.

Youths of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Lagos State, under the aegis of ACN Total Loyalty Group, said the governor justified the first mandate given to him four years ago.

In a statement, the group’s leader, Oluwatoyin Balogun, advised Oshiomhole to sustain the tempo of achievement in his second term.

He said: “Never again will people be manipulated by deceptive politicians.

“His victory is a result of hard work, commitment, diligence and prudence.”

National Chairman, National Conscience Party (NCP), Yinusa Tanko and three governorship candidates have congratulated the governor.

Tanko, who led the candidates to the Government House, Benin, to felicitate with Oshiomhole, said: “We have come to join over 30 million Edo people to rejoice with you on your overwhelming victory at the polls.”

The governorship candidates of the NCP, Paul Orumwese, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Roland Izevbuwa and Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP), Frank Ukonga, said they have accepted the result.

They called on other candidates to join hands with the governor to move the state forward.

“We accept the result and we are happy that the votes

of Edo people counted in the poll,” they added.

Oshiomhole thanked the candidates for the sportsmanship displayed during the campaigns. “ I extend my hand of fellowship to you to take the state to the next level.

“We all have a dream for our state and today we have demonstrated that it is truly the heart beat of the nation .

Edo has now emerged as the head of credible election.”

Edo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Ms Iziegbe Anita Evboumwan and Constitutional Lawyer Fred Agbaje have also congratulated Oshimhole.

Agbaje said: “Edo State and her people have been liberated from the politics of darkness, economic retrogression and stone aged politics of irresponsible godfatherism.

“It is good bye to money politics in Edo State and yes, welcome to a performing party and its governor.”

Evboumwan said: “Oshiomhole has ensured good governance and even development of the state. “ The victory of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was made possible because the people believe in his commitment to continue the good works of rendering services.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

59

NEWS Infertility linked to illegal refineries From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

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NFERTILITY in men has been linked to the effects of illegal refineries. Bayelsa State Commissioner for Lands and Survey Furoebi Akene made this known in Yenagoa, the state capital, yesterday.

He advised those involved in the business to desist. Akene warned that the business could lead to infertility in men.

“In addition, it causes adverse effects on the soil, pollutes the rivers and waterways and affects the men’s fertility.”

‘Stop using patent medicine stores’ From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

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From left: Paramount Ruler of Bakassi, Etinyin Etim Okon Edet, Member, House of Representatives, Essien Ayi and Chairman of Bakassi Local Government, Dr Ekpo Ekpo, at a briefing on Bakassi in Abuja.... yesterday.

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

30 per cent of generated energy not accounted for, says PHCN

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HE Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has said 30 per cent of energy generated in the country are not accounted for.

The company urged the Federal Government to come up with laws that will check theft in electricity supply.

Presenting a paper during a seminar organised for judges on regulation in the electric power sector in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, the Chief Executive Officer of PHCN, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, Rotimi

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

Onanuga, said electricity unlike tangible commodities is easily stolen.

Onanuga said in most cases such theft go undetected.

He described stealing as when consumers illegally connect and extract energy from the distribution network without a formal agreement.

Also, the PHCN boss said, where an agreement existed but the consumer decided to tamper with the measurement instrument installed in his premises is stealing.

Other form of theft in the sector, he said, include collusion between distribution staff and customers to drop heavily indebted accounts for new ones to avoid payment, deliberate partnership between a customer and utility staff to grossly underbill consumption.

Onanuga said the power sector had attracted enough attention from federal and state governments and that government through the enactment of the Electricity Reform Act of 2005 had demonstrated its willingness to address inadequacy in the sector by deregulation and

bringing investors into the sector.

He said: “The problem of energy theft has not been accorded the same level of attention.

“By a gross estimate, not less than 30 per cent of the total energy generated are not accounted for, this is not an attractive market for potential investors.

“It is very timely that NERC (Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission) is throwing its searchlight on this problem, which is capable of frustrating the efforts of investors if not addressed timely.”

Court orders NBC to pay N60m damages

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USTICE Emmanuel Ogbuji of the Port Harcourt High Court yesterday ordered the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) to pay N60 million as damages to Keregbe Victor Kpa and Nuka Livingstone.

Ogbuji said the compensation was for negligence, breach of care, illhealth, psychological shock, embarrassment and defamation.

He held that the men were sold contaminated drinks on May 17, 2008, which made Kpa to suffer “excessive damage” to his reputation.

The judge said the discov-

From Clarice Azuatalum, Port Harcourt

ery of contaminated drinks

by Kpa’s guests on May 18, 2008 at his daughter’s dedication made them call him derogatory names like “evil man, blood money man, money ritualist”, thus causing him aggravated embarrassment.

The judge averred that NBC was negligent and breached its duty of care to Kpa and Livingstone “when it manufactured and sold to them soft drinks contaminated with decomposing cockroach and other

harmful substances on or about May 17, 2008.”

The prosecuting counsel, Chigozirim Nwaodu, said the legal battle started in 2009 after the NBC refused to attend to his clients’ complaints on the trauma they suffered when it was discovered at the child dedication that the drinks purchased from a distributor of the company was contaminated.

According to Nwaodu, Kpa purchased seven crates of NBC-produced drinks from a distributor in Mile II, Port Harcourt on May 17, 2008 for his ceremony, which took place the next day in his

Nyokuru viilage in Khana Local Government.

“During the ceremony, it was discovered that some bottles were contaminated and Livingstone, who was a guest at the ceremony, drank some of the contaminated drink and was admitted in Opobo General Hospital, where he was treated for gastro-intestinal problem.

Kpa was also admitted in the hospital because of the trauma he suffered due to the embarrassment he suffered when his guests discovered that he served them contaminated drinks.

Police hunt for elephant poachers in Cross River

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HE police are looking for a former councillor in Akamkpa Local Area of Cross River State and three others for allegedly killing four elephants and selling the tusks to foreigners.

Commissioner in charge, North West, Cross River Forestry Commission, Arikpo Ubi Arikpo, told reporters in Calabar that the suspects are hiding in the forest.

He said: “They are hibernating in the forest after the police declared them wanted for illegally poaching four elephants in the Oban Forest Reserve.

“They killed the elephants and threw away the bodies

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

after removing their tusks, which they hauled over to their agents for onward transport to Europe for sale.’’

He said their agents reportedly came into the state through Cameroon.

Arikpo said the Forestry Commission has seized the carcass of the animals and preserved them as evidence.

The commissioner said the elephants are endangered wildlife under the protection of the commission.

He blamed the forest communities for allowing the poachers to carry out the act.

‘When arrested, the four men would be made to face the law because poaching of wildlife in that forest is banned and the natives are aware of the ban’ Arikpo said offenders would pay no less than N150,000 as fine or two years

imprisonment or both.

“The natives cannot claim ignorance of the fact that the elephants and several other wildlife species in the forest are under the protection of the commission.

“When arrested, the four men would be made to face the law because poaching of wildlife in that forest is banned and the natives are aware of the ban,’’ he said.

He called on the chiefs and people to assist in apprehending the suspects as in the forest.

Arikpo said some persons were recently arrested with 140 parrots stolen from the same forest.

HE West African College of Physicians yesterday warned Nigerians against getting prescriptions from patent medicine stores, saying doctors are the only ones recognised by law to prescribe drugs.

The Vice-President/Chairman of the Nigerian Chapter of the association, Prof. Ifeoma Egbuonu, said patients should stop the habit of using drugs without prescription.

Egbuonu was in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, for the college’s 36th Annual General and Scientific meeting with the theme: “Emerging and re-emerging diseases in Nigeria: challenges of management, with a sub-theme: “Primary health care services in Nigeria: The way forward.”

She said: “Drugs are poisons. That is why we don’t use them every time. We use them judiciously. Nigerians should stop the habit of using drugs anyhow, particularly from patent medicine stores. If you load your kidney with toxins, it will destroy you.

“The general population should know that drug is not food.

There is no drug that doesn’t have side effects. We find most of these problems happening here because of indiscipline.”

Uduaghan hails mission schools

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ELTA State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has said one of the greatest achievements of his administration is the return of schools to their former owners.

Uduaghan spoke at a valedictory and thanksgiving service for the retiring Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Oleh, Rev. Jonathan Edewor. He said the bishop was instrumental to achieving the feat.

“I strongly believe that the church should be involved in education. Bishop Edewor has helped us in achieving this success by accepting to chair the committee.

“I thank God that the he managed the committee well, for me this is one of the greatest achievements of my administration.”

First Lady to be sworn in tomorrow From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

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ENAGOA, the Bayelsa State capital, is wearing a new look as it prepares to host a cermony like no other-the swearing in of First Lady Patience Jonathan as a permanent secretary.

Her aides have started arriving Yenagoa to prepare for her arrival tomorrow.

Sources said portfolios have been allotted to the new appointees and that tomorrow’s ceremony would be a formality.

It was not clear which of the ministries would be allotted to her even though she was said to be an employee in the education ministry.

Sources in the ministry, who confirmed her as an employee, said she did not put in for a leave of absence.

Industrial court holds inaugural sitting From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

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HE National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Calabar Division, will have its inaugural court sitting tomorrow at the Permanent Court Complex on Murtala Mohammed Highway in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

A statement by the court’s Chief Registrar, Mrs Rakiya B. Haastrup, said the sitting will be presided over by the President of the Court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo.

It stated that henceforth the court shall have its sittings at the New Court Complex.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Calabar Division is to serve litigants from Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo and Delta states.

Automated payslips in Rivers

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HE Rivers State Government has announced the commencement of its automated public accounting system.

The new system would check the state’s high wage bill, simplify the payment process, and put in place a transparent remuneration system.

The Commissioner for Finance, Chamberlain Peterside, told reporters yesterday that payslips will be issued to civil servants at the end of every month.

He said: “The payslips, which will be sent to all ministries, departments and agencies through the e-mail addresses created by the government, will be printed by their heads of accounts and administration and then distributed to all employees.

“This will make for a transparent policy where civil servants are aware of their remunerations and any deductions.

“The new automated payroll system has been designed to identify and expunge ghost workers from the system while accurately aligning wages to specific employee grade-levels and salary structure.”

Peterside said the ministry will for the first time generate thegovernment’s payroll to be used for salary payment this month.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

60

NEWS

ALIMOSHO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

INVITATION TO TENDER Tenders are hereby invited from reputable contractors duly registered with Alimosho Local Government Area for the underlisted projects: 1 Construction/Surfacing of Roads 2 Construction of Culvert 3 Construction of Prototype Toilets 4 Rehabilitation of Iyana Ipaja Customary Court 5 Construction of New Administrative Block in the Council Secretariat 6 Construction of Council Staff Canteen 7 Provision of Transformers 8 Provision of Street Lights 9 Construction and Rehabilitation of Markets 10 Drilling of Boreholes 11 Construction and Rehabilitation of Motor Parks 12 Rehabilitation of Schools 13 Construction of Schools 14 Printing of Exercise Books for Schools 15 Procurement of School Uniforms 16 Construction of Library 17 Procurement of Desks and Benches 18 Construction of School Staff Room 19 Procurement of Patrol Van and other security gadgets 20 Supply of Twenty (20) Tons Tipper 21 Construction of Laboratories 22 Procurement of Ambulances 23 Construction of Health Centres 24 Beautification of the Environment 25 Procurement of 200KVA Generator for the Council Secretariat 26 Procurement of Official Vehicles REQUIREMENT Prospective Tenders should fulfil the following requirements: a.

Alimosho Local Government Area Treasury receipt for the payment of N20,000.00 (Twenty thousand naira only) being non-refundable application fee. payment should be made through Sterling Bank after a payment slip is obtained from the office of the Legal Officer. b.

Evidence of registration as a Contractor with Alimosho Local Government Area c.

Certificate of incorporation from Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and copies of Memo and Articles of Association. d.

Current Tax Clearance for the past 3 years from State Inland Revenue. e.

Verifiable evidence of past job(s) experience in similar project of interest in the last 5 years, indicating the contract value and evidence of satisfactory job performance. f.

Radio and Television Licence receipts. g.

Tenement (arrears) Rate receipt and/or Land Use Charge payment receipt (current year).

SUBMISSION OF TENDERS The Tenders documents should be waxed sealed indicating the category of contract and written in capital letters e.g.

“TENDERS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF CULVERT” at the left hand corner and addressed to: THE COUNCIL MANAGER ALIMOSHO LOCAL GOVERNMENT NO. 2-4, BADA STREET, AKOWONJO, EGBEDA LAGOS STATE. The completed Tenders should be deposited in the Tender Box in the office of the Council Manager, Alimosho Local Government, Akowonjo, Egbeda, Lagos, during the normal working hours between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, Monday-Friday not later than 10 days from the date of notice.

Specification, drawings and Tender documents in respect of the above mentioned project is available for inspection and collection at the council Engineer’s office.

The Local Government is not bound to accept any tender nor give reason for rejecting any tender.

Any Tender submitted other than in the manner prescribed above, will not be considered.

Dated this 19th day of July 2012, at Alimosho Local Government, Akowonjo, Egbeda, Lagos.

Signed: COUNCIL MANAGER Alimosho Local Government Akowonjo – Lagos.

Ahmed gives Lawal, Yekini posthumous honour K

WARA State Government yesterday named the Ilorin Golf Club and the rehabilitated Olaolu-Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Quarters road after a former Governor, the late Mohammed Lawal and Super Eagles’ striker Rashidi Yekini respectively.

Commissioner for Sports, Anthony Towoju, told reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, that the decision was made at the weekly Executive Council meeting.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold, Commissioners for Information and Communication and Education and Human Capital Development, Prince Tunji Moronfoye and Alhaji Saka Onimago, were in attendance.

Towoju said: “The late Mohammed Lawal in his life contributed to the development of golf in the state. When he assumed office in 1999, the Ilorin Golf Club was in comatose.

He did everything to rehabilitate it and raise it to international standard. By the time he

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

left, Ilorin Golf Club was second to Ibrahim Babangida Golf Club in Abuja.

“He sponsored many competitions at the state and national levels, which led to human capital development.

Therefore, Ilorin Golf Club will now be known as Mohammed Lawal Golf Club, Ilorin.

“Our legend in sports, the late Rashidi Yekini, equally merited to be honoured, and after a serious debate, the state observed that his image has rubbed off positively on the state. The newly-constructed Olaolu-Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Quarters Road has been named after Rashidi Yekini.”

The SSG used the forum to announce the redeployment of Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed Lade, currently the Commissioner for Special Duties, to the newly-created Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science

and Technology.

He added: “Mr. Yinka Aje, hitherto Special Assistant on Agric to Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed, is now the Special Adviser, Special Duties. Mr. James Kolo is appointed the Special Adviser, Revenue Mobilisation and Monitoring.

“The current Special Assistant, NEPAD, Tunde Ajaigbe, is now the Senior Special Assistant on Agric, while Olanipekun Olawale, hitherto the Special Adviser, NEPAP, is now the SA, NEPAP and NEPAD.” On education, Alhaji Gold said: “Because of the largeness of the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development and the accompanying responsibilities, the government has decided to create a Ministry called Tertiary, Science and Technology from it.

“It will have six departments and tertiary institutions are under the ministry. The scholarship board will be under it too.”

‘5,500 people displaced in Plateau attacks’ T

HE International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and the Nigeria Red Cross (NRC) have said 5,500 people were displaced, following the attacks in Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas of Plateau State.

A statement by the organisations said: “The clashes that occurred on July 7 and 8 between the Fulani and the Berom in Riyom and Barkin Ladi local governments near Jos resulted in casualties and forced more than 5,500 people to flee their homes. Over 25 villages were affected.”

The ICRC and NRC said

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

they are providing assistance to the displaced people who now take refuge in schools and community halls.

“People deserted their homes and sought refuge in schools and community halls.

They need assistance in order to survive.

“They have urgent needs in terms of food, water and household items.

“A curfew has been imposed in the affected areas to quell

further violence.

“ICRC has donated rice, beans, palm oil, groundnut oil, blankets, buckets, soaps and other essential commodities to over 2,800 displaced people.

“It has put in place 10 temporary sanitary facilities in the places where the displaced people are accommodated. It is in the process of installing two hand pumps to improve their access to water.”

“This operation is expected to continue over the next few days until all displaced people receive aid,” the head of the ICRC office in Jos, Julia Unger, said.

ABU VC gets media adviser

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HE Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, has approved the appointment of veteran journalist, Mallam Waziri Isa Gwantu, as his media adviser.

Until his appointment, Gwantu was a consultant to the Vice-Chancellor on Media Relations.

Signed by the Vice- Chancellor, the letter read: “The appointment, which takes effect from April 1, was made in recognition of your experience in both practical and the-

oretical journalism practice coupled with your interest and belief in the vision and aspirations of the university.

“It is our hope that you will bring your accumulated experience to bear in the services of the university by promoting the good image of the university to the outside world and to engage the media in proper and adequate reportage of all university activities that require publicity.

Gwantu was born on September 21, 1966 in Gwantu, Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State. He re-

ceived his primary education at Gwantu “B” Primary School between 1975 and 1980 and proceeded to Government Secondary School, Birnin Gwari in 1980. He finished in 1985.

He obtained a Diploma in Journalism and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1993 and 2004. He also has a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos and is pursuing a doctoral degree in Mass Communication in the institution.

Kogi declares three-day mourning for Attah of Igala

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OGI State Government yesterday declared a three- day mourning for the late Attah of Igala, Alhaji Aliyu Ocheja Obaje, CFR. According to a statement by Deputy Governor Yomi Awoniyi, the mourning would begin from July 18 to July 20.

The statement said during the period, flags in government establishments would fly at half mast and programmes would be conducted without fanfare.

It added that at government functions, prayers will be offered for the family of the late monarch and for peace in the state.

Governor Idris Wada described the Attah of Igala, who was the pioneer chairman of the Kogi Traditional Council,

From Mohammed Bashir, Lokoja

as a humble monarch and a man of integrity. He added that he was known for discipline and forthrightness and was devoted to the cause of

his people.

Wada noted the unblemished leadership qualities of the late monarch. He prayed that God should grant his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Nasarawa Govt House burgled From Johnny Danjuma, Lafia

T

HIEVES on Tuesday in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, broke into the Press Centre at the Government House, stealing broadcasting equipment and other items worth millions of Naira.

The press centre was built at over N70 million by the administration of Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma.

It was inaugurated by the Director-General of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Usman Megawata, on December 15, 2009.

The burglars were said to have made away with three Plasma TV sets, Sony HVD camera, HDV player, projector, DSTV decoder, apple editing suit, laptop, headphones, rechargeable batteries and chargers.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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NEWS

Death toll in Rivers tanker fire hits 191

A

GORY picture of the Rivers State tanker fire was painted yesterday.

Almost one week after the incident, decomposing bodies of victims are still being picked from the scene in Okogbe village in Ahoada West Local Government.

According to the traditional Okogbe, King Joshua Eziba 191 bodies have been recorded.

The monarch expressed regret that almost all the families in the community lost persons in the inferno.

The tanker caught fire as people were scooping petrol from it. Almost 100 people to died.

King Eziba told Rivers Commissioner for Special Duties Emeka Nwogu, and other top government officials who visited him yesterday that many of the victims

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

died in private hospitals and herbal homes where their relatives took them for treatment.

He said many non indigenes also died in the incident.

The commissioner said ascertaining the exact figure of dead persons was imperative, in view of the assistance to be offered by the government.

He said many families lost their bread winners and should be assisted.

The initial death toll was put at 143. Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Prof.

Aaron Ojule, where most of the survivors are being treated, said victims are dying daily.

Ojule is also the Chairman of the 11-member Rivers State Emergency Burns Committee, set up by the government to ensure survival and recovery of the victims in hospitals.

The CMD implored relatives of victims being treated at home and in private hospitals, to move them to the teaching hospital for free treatment. He said a ward had already been created for the victims.

Okogbe indigenes in the 26 communities will round off their seven day mourning with an interdenominational service on Sunday.

The representative of Ahoada West/Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Asita, attributed the accident to the deplorable East-West Road,

currently being dualised by the Federal Government.

Asita urged the Federal Government to be alive to responsibilities and prevail on Setraco Construction Company, to speedily complete the strategic road, to prevent further loss of lives.

An indigene of Okogbe, Mr. Christmas Ede, attributed the accident to the bad and narrow East-West road, ridden with potholes and craters.

The initial 90 victims, who were mostly burnt to ashes, were given mass burial at the scene of the disaster same day.

The tanker with registration number: Delta: XA 340 TDU, which was moving petrol from Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital to Warri in Delta state, fell at Okogbe.

SEC staff protest Oteh’s resumption

•Oteh Continued from page 2

General Secretary of SEC Union said staff were informed that Ms Oteh had already been issued with reinstatement letter but SEC staff would insist that, due process must be followed if she must be returned.

“We are trying to pacify the staff because of the information this morning that the Act-

Jonathan lifts state of emergency on Borno, Yobe, Plateau, Niger councils

T

HE Federal Government yesterday lifted the state of emergency imposed on 15 local government areas in some northern states for security reasons.

The local governments are in the Northeast and Northcentral parts of the country.

They are spread across Borno, Yobe, Plateau and Niger states.

They are: Borno State; Maidugiri Metropolitan, Gamboru Ngala, Banki Bama, Biu and Jere LGA, Yobe State; Damaturu, Geidam Potiskum, BuniyadiGujba and Gasua-Bade LGA, Plateau State; Jos North, Jos South, Barkin-Ladi and Riyom LGA and Niger State; Suleja LGA. Relying on the provisions of section 305 (1) of the 1999 Constitution the President imposed state of emergency

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

in a nationwide broadcast in the affected local government areas. The President noted that the declaration of state of emergency in the affected areas became necessary to enable security forces deal with the situation decisively, even as he described “terrorism is a war against all of us. I call on all Nigerians to join hands with government to fight these terrorists.

Announcing the lifting of the state of Emergency, Justice Minister and Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, in a statement yesterday noted that “the Federal Government after a careful review of the security situation in the affected areas, resolved to end the State of Emergency forthwith.

“This is to enable govern-

ment to put in place appropriate confidence building measures to improve security in the affected areas.

“In furtherance of the end of the proclamation, the President has accordingly directed that the implementation of the following regulations made pursuant to the proclamation of a State of Emergency in the affected Local Government Areas should cease forthwith.

“The affected laws are; Emergency Powers (General) regulations, 2012, Emergency Powers(Restriction Order) regulations, 2012; Emergency Powers (Reporting of persons) regulations.

Other are, Emergency Powers (Detention of Persons) regulations, 2012; Emergency Powers (Procession and meetings, etc,) regulation, 2012; Emergency

Powers(Curfew) regulations, 2012; Emergency Powers(Declaration of Protection places) regulations, 2012; Emergency Powers (Possession of Explosives) regulations, 2012.

The Federal Government also reiterated that “with the end of State of Emergency, the appropriate authorities at the Local and State Government levels shall be responsible for the maintenance of security, law and order in the affected areas.

Government however, assured that it would continue to work assiduously with relevant stakeholders to ensure security in the country and urged concerted efforts by all citizens to secure the country.

Chief Whip of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Timothy Golu, thanked the President for the gesture, par-

ticularly as the emergency rule did not achieve the desired result.

Golu, who represents Kanke constituency, said the solution to the security challenges in the state lay with the security agencies, especially the soldiers, who according to him should comb the bushes to flush out the perpetrators of killings and arson.

“We thank the President for his deep and committed concern for Plateau State, but the state of emergency did not achieve what he earnestly sought for.

“The only solution is for the soldiers to comb the bushes and send away mercenaries just like the Niger State governor did sometime ago which brought peace to Niger state.

“We thank the President for

ing DG was invited and asked to discontinue because Oteh is resuming. Officially, we have not been informed and we also do not say she should not come, but they should follow the normal procedure”, said Briggs.

To douse the tension, it was gathered that Acting SEC DG. Ibrahim Bolaji, convened an impromptu meeting to check the tension. A source privy to the meeting told our correspondent that he pleaded for restraint.

An interesting episode also unfolded when a youth corps member said to be working in Oteh’s office wanted to display her own solidarity for the embattled DG by displaying a solidarity placard.

She was rescued from being beaten up by the visibly angry protesters through the intervention of security personnel who immediately whisked her away from the scene.

•Adoke

saving the situation by ordering soldiers to do what they have refused to do since. Plateau people are law abiding and will not do anything to take the laws into their hands. We want peace and not war”.

62

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012

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www.thenationonlineng.net

TODAY IN THE NATION

‘‘Elections are not for the lily- livered in a country like

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

ours. They are for people like Oshiomhole, who are lionhearted and can take the fight to their opponents and even the electoral umpire, if need be, to ensure a level playing ground for all’ ’ LAWAL OGIENAGBON

VOL. 7, NO.2,191

C OMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

E

DO State Governor and candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Adams Oshiomhole has been returned to office with a landslide victory in last Saturday’s election in which, according to figures released by INEC, he won nearly 70 per cent of the votes. Of the valid votes of 630,099 cast, Oshiomhole scored 447,478 votes, winning in all the constituencies. His Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) main rival, Charles Airhiavbere, was a distant second, with only 144,235 votes, far less than half of the votes cast for Oshiomhole. He suffered a staggering defeat, losing to Oshiomhole even in his own local government as well as his voting centre.

The six other parties which also ran fared very badly.

Before the election, which was almost marred by violence, there was apprehension among the electorate regarding the fairness of the exercise. During the campaign, there had been a lot of violence leading to several deaths. Many observers and the electorate feared that the election would not be transparent, free and fair. Even the governor expressed doubts about the fairness of the exercise and the impartiality of the electoral commission. In the end, these doubts proved unnecessary as Oshiomhole won handsomely. It is a big relief that all went well with the election. So far, as I write this piece, no one, including the opposition parties, and local and foreign observers, has disputed the result of the election adjudged to have been free and fair. If it has not done so, the opposition should concede defeat graciously. It will earn some respect by doing so. It has the chance to show in the future that it is a credible opposition and an alternative government to the ACN government in the state.

Oshiomhole’s stunning electoral victory, in an election in which the stakes were very high, showed that Nigeria is capable of holding free and fair elections if the conditions are right and the votes of the electorate are made to count. The election was an important watershed in Nigeria’s electoral history which, regrettably, had for far too long been marked by widespread malpractices and fraud. Kudos are due to several people, including President Jonathan who did not appear to have overtly intervened in the electoral process, and the INEC Chairman , Prof Attahiru Jega who was manifestly fair in the conduct of the exercise. President Jonathan wanted his party, the PDP, to win very badly. But, unlike one of his predecessors who declared that elections are a ‘do or die affair’, he refrained from any open interference, or seeking to influence the outcome in favour of his party, the PDP. He has offered Oshiomhole his congratulations. He deserves some commendation for this, as well as the electoral officers for not tampering with the result.

DAPO FAFOWORA

FROM THE SUMMIT dapo.fafowora@thenationonlineng.net

The Edo election

•Oshiomhole

Any rigging would have been vigorously challenged, and could easily have led to open revolt and blood shed. That would have added to Nigeria’s security problems and the overstretching of the security forces, still battling to contain Boko Haram and other terrorist activities.

The election was hard fought by the two sides. But Governor Oshiomhole deserved and was expected to win. He has worked tirelessly for his people. He has not pandered to the rich in the state, preferring instead to focus on the misery of the poor. He campaigned very hard throughout the state, not leaving anything to chance. Despite open threats to his life, he did not relent and showed remarkable bravery and courage in his campaign. One of his senior personal aides was killed in the run up to the election and he himself twice escaped attempts to

RIPPLES NIGERIA’LL HAVE THE BEST ELECTICITY SUPPLY BY 2020–Jonathan

...and that will be VISION 2020

kill him. But he was undeterred by this open threat to his life.

In his brief period in office, he has achieved remarkable success particularly in improving the infrastructure of the state, its schools, and health care delivery services. I was in Benin, the ancient city, earlier this year and could not quite believe the transformation that has taken place there under his government. New roads are being constructed all over Benin and the rest of the state. The phenomenal progress he has achieved is clearly visible. He has responded positively to the yearnings of his people for a better life. A former Labour leader, he is a grass roots man with strong empathy for the poor and those who feel marginalised in Edo State.

This down trodden people, who suffered terribly under previous administrations, have rightly rewarded him with a resounding victory. It was their commitment to Oshiomhole and their vigilance that made his sweeping electoral victory possible. They waited patiently to ensure that their massive vote in support of Oshiomhole was not compromised in any way. It is said that eternal vigilance by the electorate is the price of freedom. The people of Edo demonstrated their vigilance in the election by frustrating any attempts to rig it. The large presence of the armed forces in the state during the campaign, the motive of which was questioned by many observers, did not make any difference to the outcome of the election.

It did not deter the people from casting their votes in favour of their candidates. If anyone had counted on rigging the election the vigilant electorate made this difficult. The electorate in other states should emulate the Edo example in future elections in their states by defending their votes vigorously.

It is the only way they can make their votes count.

Now that he has been returned to office, Governor Oshiomhole must not allow himself to slip or falter. A lot is expected of him by the people who voted for him

HARDBALL

N

IGERIA’S judiciary, the third arm of government is an anachronism.

Before Hardball is slammed for contempt outside the face of the court, there are numerous reasons to point to. For instance, members of this realm still don shibboleths even the Anglo-Saxon moderniser of this noble calling had long discarded them. Some of the laws in our statutes date back to the British Empire and some still have the imprimatur of Lord Luggard. Denizens of this 3rd Estate of the Realm still speak in a lingo that churns the innards of ordinary folks. They are paid handsome fees for their ability to make a simple matter convoluted and twisted.

When it suits them, they have the capacity and grounding to keep a cause going until the party seeking justice and redress wished he never sought judicial intervention.

This has become the norm in Nigeria where the judiciary currently sits on a wonky foundation of unfinished cases; a large number of them over 10 years old.

Nigeria today runs a heartless judicial system that has more people awaiting trial in our cells than are convicts. It is an inhumane society of learned people who

overwhelmingly across the ethnic barriers.

He should work even harder to justify the massive electoral confidence reposed in him.

Despite the remarkable progress he has achieved, there is still a lot of work to be done, particularly in the creation of jobs for the urban unemployed and the rural poor.

Edo State, with its considerable human and natural resources, should be a pace setter in economic development among the states in Nigeria. It should not be seen as lagging behind. This requires good leadership and commitment on the part of Governor Oshiomhole to the progress of the state.

In victory, the governor will be expected to be gracious and magnanimous to all the people, including his political opponents, particularly of the PDP, who have suffered a crushing defeat. Regardless of their party differences, all the political leaders of Edo State have to work together in the overall interest of the state. Nothing is to be gained by returning to the old violently partisan politics as this has been detrimental to the economic growth and harmony of the state.

The opposition must accept the fact that the old political order has changed for good and that Edo, under the new political dispensation, is on the march again. The opposition has every right to criticise the ACN government legitimately if there is a good reason to do so. But it must avoid seeking to undermine the government by violence or some other illegal means. The state belongs to all the people, and both the government and opposition must work together within the ambit of a democratic society to promote the interests of all the people without fear or favour.

Other states, particularly Ondo, facing imminent elections have a lot to learn from the Edo example; that it is possible to hold free and fair elections in our country, and that elections should be peaceful and transparent. It is the only thing that Nigeria can, at the moment, be justifiably proud of.

Whatever the political and economic challenges facing our country, these problems are better resolved through the democratic process and not through violence or the rigging of elections which is often the source of much violence in our country. If Nigeria had followed the democratic path in its postindependence history, it would have made tremendous progress and would, by now, be a far happier and more peaceful country for all its citizens. This is the significance of the Edo election. It provides a useful lesson for all our political leaders that the pervasive culture of violence in our country can be brought to an end by a full commitment to the democratic process, in which elections are free and fair, and where the leaders are fully accountable to the electorate.

• For comments, send SMS to 08054503031

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

As history makes Mukhtar keep people presumed innocent in confinement in cruel condition. If the prisons were decrepit, the court houses are equally unremitting in their wretchedness across most states of the federation. But were these the only ills of the Judiciary, Nigerians would not be overly distraught. The return of democratic rule in 1999 seemed to have done more harm than good on this arm of government, infesting ranking members of this realm with corruption of multi-billion naira magnitude.

A venerable former member, Justice Kayode Eso (may heavens bless his vanishing kind) was so troubled by this debilitating trend that he had to speak openly about it. But instead of abating, the malfeasance became viral, moving from the pristine heights of election courts down to the lowliest places. Now more than ever before, you can purchase ‘justice’ at any level if you want it badly enough.

These are the challenges the new CJN, Mariam Aloma Mukhtar is faced with today.

They are no doubt daunting. In fact, it is not

exactly an enviable job no matter how coveted the position may seem. While we congratulate her for being the first woman CJN, Hardball conjectures that history has made her so far. She has to now set about making history of her own.

There is a lacuna though: she is a bureaucrat, a thorough bred file thumber who rose through the service mills achieving numerous milestones along the way. A tenacious marathoner, a great lady prima facie but unfortunately, what the Nigerian judiciary needs sorely now is a reformer, someone who can break the mold. A radical if you like. Hardball is doubtful that it is yet morning for Nigeria’s judiciary. Responding to the matter of setting up special court for terrorism suspects, she dismissed the idea saying that two or three judges would do the trick. How has that worked so far? How many arrested terrorists have been convicted so far?

On delay in justice delivery, she shifted blame to counsels and everybody else. Not good enough. Mukhtar must break the mold lest she would go down as yet another.

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