The Nation June 21 2011

Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

Police recover details of suicide bomber’s car •Ringim meets police chiefs today

NEWS

15 banks record N65.4b profit

BUSINESS

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•25% rise over last year’s

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VOL. 6, NO. 1797 TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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•AGONY: Women queue up for kerosene at a filling station in Pankshin Local Government Council of Plateau State ... yesterday. The scene is common in many states.

PHOTO: NAN

Cabinet: Okonjo-Iweala accepts Jonathan’s offer Umar declines PDP chair, 13 others screened Governors’ nominees dropped

F

ORMER Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala may have decided to join President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet, it was learnt last night.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala was to be screened alongside 13 others yesterday in Abuja.

A source said she was actually in Abuja, but The Nation could not confirm this.

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation, Abuja

Some other candidates are the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Mohammed Haliru Bello; a nominee from Edo State and Mike Onolememen, former Minister of Transport, Yusuf Suleiman as well as former Minister of State for the FCT, Caleb Olubolade.

The nominees were

screened between 10am and 10.30am by security agencies.

Fourteen nominees went through the rigorous security routine before being ushered into the screening venue.

A source said: “About 15 ministerial nominees were screened today by security agencies.

“The final checks on nominees will be concluded on or before Wednesday.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “I think Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has decided to accept the ministerial appointment as a mark of honour to serve her country again.”

But, as the nation awaits the list of ministerial nominees, many governors, former governors and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are uncomfortable that

their nominees were rejected

by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The radical former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar Dangiwa, has declined the offer to be a minister. He wants to concentrate on his farm, a source said.

The State Security Services (SSS) screened the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr.

Mohammed Haliru Bello, a former Minister of Communication.

But there is anxiety in government over the President’s delay of the appointment of his Chief of Staff and other key aides.

Investigation by our correspondent showed that most PDP governors and Continued on page 2

Boko Haram kills six policemen in Katsina, Kano

I •Ringim

SLAMIC fundamentalist group Boko Haram struck again yesterday, killing six policemen and a civilian.

They followed up their last Thursday’s suicide bomb attack at the Police Headquarters in Abuja, hitting at policemen in Kankara in Katsina State in Kano.

Five policemen were killed in Kankara – a town 100 kilometres from Katsina, capital of Katsina

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

State and one in Kano.

The civilian was allegedly killed in error after the Boko Haram raided a bank in Kankara.

An eyewitness told reporters that the Boko Haram men invaded the Kankara police station, killed three policemen, including the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), before storming to the armoury where they

hauled out arms and ammunition.

They reportedly proceeded to a bank PHB branch in the town where they allegedly detonated an explosive which damaged the bank’s vault, which they allegedly emptied.

They killed two policemen on guard at the bank.

The Boko Haram men reportedly threw money into the air as they escaped in two vehicles.

One of the vehicles drove on the

Kankara-Shema road; the other escaped through the Kankara-Katsina road.

A DPO, Umar Sufi, was reportedly shot dead at about 5p.m. yesterday in Gundowawa, Dakata in the Kano metropolis.

Sources said there was confusion when some unidentified people started attacking people, forcing them to run Continued on page 2

•KIDNAPPED ‘NYSC 5’ REGAIN FREEDON IN PORT HARCOURT P10

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

NEWS

•President Goodluck Jonathan (fourth from left); Vice President Namadi Sambo (third from left) and other family members of the late former Prime Minister AbubakarTafawa Balewa who visited him PHOTO: AKIN OLADOKUN at the Presidential Villa, Abuja ... yesterday. From left are Zainab; Alhaji Muktahir; Alhaji Yakubu; Hafsat and Alhaji Sadiq.

Security agents screen Okonjo-Iweala, PDP chair, others Continued from page 1

ex-governors were unhappy that their recommended nominees were sidelined.

Some of the governors are Niger, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Oyo and Osun.

It was learnt that the Governor of Niger State, Aliyu Babangida, was jolted by the choice of one of the coordinators of Jonathan/ Sambo Campaign Organisation, Mr. Nuhu Zagbayi (a former Deputy Governor) that he made desperate calls to the party’s national secretariat on the implications of the President’s decision.

A source said: “The governor is from Zone B and the ministerial nominee (Zagbayi) from Niger State is also from the same zone, contrary to the existing power sharing formula in the state.

“The governor had recommended four candidates from Zone A. They are a former Chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Abdurrahman Enagi; the immediate past Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Hon. Umar Maali; the immediate past Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Baba Shehu Agaie, and a former Minister of Sports, Sani Ndanusa.

“But, none of the candidates from Zone A, which is the largest voting zone, has been nomi-

nated. This is about Nupe Kingdom and for Zone A to have been abandoned; it will be a grave error.”

As for Rivers State, the nominee of the governor, Nelson Wike, is yet to be short listed.

A top official of the state added: “So far, two nominees are in the public domain. They are Tonye Cole and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odein Ajumogobia (SAN).

“If the President goes ahead to choose Cole and Ajumogobia, he will be picking these nominees from the same town called Abonema. Is that tidy?”

In the case of Benue State, the governor and PDP leaders appear to have favoured the National Auditor of PDP, Dr. Samuel Ortom from Tiv land, but the President of the Senate is rooting for his Campaign Coordinator, Abba Moro, and a former Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Sam Ode. “There are fears that the Senate President may end up having his way. This has caused tension in the state between Tiv and Idoma.”

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom is believed to have recommended the former Minister of Housing and Lands, Hon. Nduese Essien, but the President opted for Prof. Bassey Ewah in what was described as “shocking” to stakeholders in the state.

In Oyo State, the leader of the PDP, former Governor

Adebayo Alao-Akala, and other leaders of the party recommended, in order of importance, a former Deputy Chief of Staff in the state, Alhaji AbdulRazak Gbadegesin, Ms. Jumoke Akinjide the daughter of former Attorney-General and Justice Minister, Chief Richard Akinjide and former minister Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.

But the President decided to choose Ms. Jumoke Akinjide leaving party leaders dejected.

They had thought that Gbadegesin would get the slot.

In Delta State, apart from the automatic choice of a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who is believed to be the President’s candidate, the second nominee from the state has been conceded to a Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark.

It was learnt that Clark may return his “godson”, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, a former Minister of State for Education, as his candidate.

The development has shut out Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan from the exercise.

On Edo State, a consensus was built around Arc. Mike Onolememen, who appeared for screening yesterday.

But a source in the Presidency said: “The governors and the party leaders were asked to nominate between three and 10 candidates out of which the President could choose.

“So, you cannot blame the

President for choosing a nominee from the long list submitted by the governors and state chapters of the PDP. “The President has made it known from the outset that he will not accept imposition of candidates on him by anybody.”

It was gathered that a former military Governor of the old Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar Dangiwa (rtd), turned down the invitation to join the cabinet.

The radical former military chief was said to have rejected the offer “in order to be able to attend to his ostrich farm”.

A source said: “Dangiwa has told the Presidency that he wants to concentrate on his ostrich farm. He actually did not decline because of insinuations that he hates Jonathan’s government.

“Dangiwa has been relating with the President during and after the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s tenure. But the former governor does not believe in jumping to serve the government. Instead, he wants to focus on ostrich farming.

But there is anxiety in government and in the public over Jonathan’s delay in constituting his cabinet and in appointing key aides, such as Chief of Staff, Principal Secretary and other advisers.

A source said: “As a matter of fact, the President, through his aides, actually promised to

Customs intercept $110,060 at Lagos Port

By Oluwakemi Dauda

BAG filled with $20 and $50 denominations of United States dollars valued at $110, 060.00 (about N16 million) was intercepted yesterday at the Tin-can Island by men of the Nigerian Customs.

The money was shipped illegally into the country from the United States in container no MSKU 966291/ 0 on board MV Maersk Dunedin brought in by Safemarine shipping.

The container also had used vehicles and personal effects.

Customs Comptroller Austin Warikoru told reporters last night at the Enforcement Unit of the Tin-

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put the cabinet in place within two weeks of his inauguration. The nation has been waiting endlessly for him to announce his team which may be a yardstick to judge his plans for the country.

“There is also confusion even in the Presidency over the delay in the appointment of the Chief of Staff, Principal Secretary and advisers.

“The situation at the Villa is such that no one knows who is the Chief of Staff between a former occupant of the office, Sir Mike Oghiadome and a Federal Permanent Secretary, Dr. Godknows Igali, who has been acting as the COS. “The staff in the Villa do not know who to report to of the two competing candidates.

It was learnt that although the President does not want to reappoint Oghiadome, but Southsouth leaders are raising eyebrows over his preference for an Ijaw man.

The source added: “This time around, some Southsouth leaders are the one querying the rationale behind the choice of an Ijaw man as the Chief of Staff, in view of the fact that there are already many key aides of the President who are Ijaw.

“They are asking whether there is no other Southsouth candidate who can be a Chief of Staff outside the Ijaw. Since Oghiadhome is from Edo, the President could look for a new COS from such Southsouth states like Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ondo and Rivers.”

Police recover engine, chassis number of suicide bomber’s car

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HE Police have recovered the engine and chassis number of the car suspected to have been used by a suicide bomber to detonate explosives at their Louis Edet House headquarters, Abuja last week.

The Commissioner of Police in charge of Police Forensic Laboratory in Lagos, Dr Vincent Okaa, submitted the details to the investigating team last Friday after analysing some of the data collected from the charred and shattered remains of the car believed to have been used for the explosion. The Boko Haram Islamic sect has claimed responsibility for the attack.

It was learnt that other items recovered from the scene of the explosion were still being analysed.

It was learnt that the car used by the suicide bomber was the eighth vehicle that came into the police headquarters after the InspectorGeneral’s convoy had passed - based on the analyses of the CCTV footage of the movement of the lone bomber.

There were, however, doubts over whether the bomber accidentally died in the blast or had the intention

From Sanni Ologun, Abuja

to commit suicide as now widely believed.

Sources said the bomber had all the time to escape after parking his car parallel to the Inspector-General Hafiz Ringim’s car, but for his interception by some officers in the police chief’s escort team who ordered him to remove his car.

The source said the bomber may have run out of time since the bomb may have been timed or he deliberately detonated it to prevent being discovered and arrested.

According to a source, the police have about 60 forensic experts, some of who are now working with the investigators.

Ringim is to meet with senior police officers in Abuja today. They are to fashion out ways of curbing the growing insecurity in the country.

A source said the meeting with Commissioners of Police, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Deputy Inspectors-General of Police is would review the operational modalities adopted so far with a view to tightening loose ends.

Force spokesman Olusola Amore, in a statement in Abuja, did not disclose the agenda for the meeting.

Boko Haram kills six policemen Continued from page 1 •Customs officers counting the money at the enforcement unit, Tin-Can Port ... yesterday.

PHOTO: OLUWAKEMI DAUDA

can Command that the money was shipped into the country by the importer who violated all laws regarding money transfer.

Warikoru said Customs

men seized the money after a routine examination of the cargo. He said the money was concealed in a bag as personal effect.

The agent who handled

the clearing of the container has been detained.

The agent told reporters that the job was sublet to him by another clearing agent, who is now at large.

helter skelter.

The Kano Police Deputy Commissioner confirmed the killing of the policeman but said it was a robbery incident. Boko Haram (Western education is sin), as recently stepped up its deadly activities.

It has also widened its scope of operatives from Borno State and some parts of the Northwest to other parts of the North and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

As a result of their activities, President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to restructure the nation’s security.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

NEWS

• From left: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Water Resources, Ambassador Godknows Igali; Enugu State Deputy Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi; Senator Ayogu Eze, and Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Chief Vita Abba at the flag-off of Adada River Dam project at Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State… yesterday PHOTO: NAN

For years, men of the underworld used the out-of-use drainage channel on the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway as their hideout. But the terror unleashed on travellers on the dilapidated road last Thursday signalled the expiration of their tenancy, reports Adimike George

‘How Onitsha’s tunnel of death T was discovered’

HERE were more facts yesterday on how the ‘Tunnel of Death’ was discovered in the heart of the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State by the Task Force on Security and Crime control.

The tunnel, discovered at the foot of a mobile telephone company mast, within the ever-busy Upper Iweka has sent security operatives back to the drawing board, with the hierarchy of the police pointing accusing fingers at reporters, who they alleged over-blew the number of bodies found in the tunnel.

Though the police claim that the only body found around the mast had been evacuated by council officials, a member of the task force, who pleaded for anonymity told The Nation that three bodies were discovered in a bush surrounding the tunnel. The source maintained that the bodies were not recovered from the tunnel.

The tunnel, which was supposed to be a drainage channel, had been out of use because of the deplorable nature of the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, forcing the flood to find other channels.

A security guard alleged that the remains of one of the body, still at the scene of horror as at the time of filing this report were that of a mad man who died under a flyover bridge.

A member of the task force listed three benches, a crate of soft drink, loaves of bread and clothing materials among other personal belong-

From Adimike George, Onitsha

ings as the items found inside the tunnel.

He said a gallon of acid, some arms and ammunition concealed in a polythene bag and recovered by the task force have all been handed over to the Okpoko Police Division.

Explaining why and how they raided the hideout, the task force official said on many occasions, armed robbers had attacked passersby around the area and whenever they were chased, they would run into the bush and disappear.

He said even after cordoning off the area, their raid had never produced the desired result, until the robbery of last Thursday night, which triggered their resolve to have the bush cleared the following morning.

“So,” continued the source, “when they started clearing the bush, they heard some movement inside the tunnel and found out that some hoodlums were inside. Before they could catch up with them from the exit point near Ogbaru Main Market, the hoodlums had disappeared. But they succeeded in arresting a suspect at that exit point and handed him over to the police”.

The source said the police forced

motor cyclists and passersby to join in clearing the bush, adding that it was while clearing the bush that some decomposing bodies and arms and ammunition were discovered.

He said the army and the police were attracted to the scene by the mammoth crowd that came out to see things for themselves.

The source called on the state’s environmental sanitation agency to start from where the task force stopped and ensure that bushes around major roads, especially those around the upper Iweka area, are regularly cleared.

He also urged the government to fulfill its promise of beautifying the area with street lights as it would discourage hoodlums who operate under the cover of darkness.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) yesterday hailed the dismantling of the hideout.

Its Chairman Emeka Umeagbalasi, said the development confirmed the accuracy and incontrovertibility of the group’s prediction. It had cited in its memo to the government, the activities of the hoodlums at the Onitsha Upper Iweka, which include pick-pocketing, bag-snatching, car-jacking, robbery and armed robbery, feefraud, rape, forceful discharge of

passengers and offloading of goods and extortion, abduction, unlawful killings as well as illegal police operations.

The group said in a statement: “We have, again, been vindicated! We reiterate our earlier demand contained in the memo with respect to the above subject matter that the worsening security situations in the area should be brought under control.

“The successful operation so carried out is not good enough. it is only a scratch on the surface. Other parts of the area should be routinely combed by a crack team of detectives.

“There should also be a proper investigation into the discovery and recovery of the dead bodies and the instruments responsible for their death, including human and material instruments.

“This has also brought to bear the need to have Anambra State’s outdated Coroner Law reformed and upgraded urgently, so as to incorporate the modern tools of criminal investigation into the criminal inquiries over this type of unnatural deaths.

“The state ministries of the environment and works should visit the area with a view to ascertaining why such big gutter is not in use.

“If it is blocked elsewhere, they should find out why it is blocked with a view to re-opening it and rid it of further use by violent criminals.”

Presidential Tribunal reserves ruling on HDP application From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

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FEW weeks after it withdrew its petition against President Goodluck Jonathan, the Hope Democraic Party (HDP) yesterday asked the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja to re-list its petition.

The tribunal had struck out the petition seeking to nullify Jonathan’s victory in the April 16 election upon its withdrawal by the party.

But yesterday, the HDP came back asking for its resurrection.

Its counsel Emeka Onyemi, who moved the application argued that the order of May 27 was obtained by fraud and blackmail, adding that its former counsel, Tochukwu Alozor lied to the court probably acting under influence.

He prayed the court to re-list the HDP’s petition on the court’s list.

Counsel to Jonathan and his running mate, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Mr. Damian Dodo (SAN) urged the court to dismiss the application, saying the Tribunal cannot sit as an appeal on its order.

Also, counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) prayed the court to dismiss the application, stating that it would be wrong for the applicant to invite the court to re-visit the petition as it would amount to the court sitting over its own appeal.

After hearing the argument of all parties, the tribunal reserved ruling, promising to get the date across to their counsel.

No more amnesty programme, says Fed Govt

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HE Federal Government may have foreclosed amnesty for regional or community agitators. It also announced that the door has been shut against the expansion of the on-going Niger Delta amnesty programme after admitting the second batch of 6, 166 ex-militants from the region.

Since its proclamation in October 2009 by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, 26, 358 youths have been registered for amnesty with 16,000 having gone through demobilisation at Obubra Camp in Cross

From Dele Anofi, Abuja

River State and going through various skill acquisition programmes within and outside the country.

To drive home the import of the declaration, it affirmed yesterday that agitators pushing for Federal Government amnesty programme from any part of the country would not be accepted.

Saying that the government recognises individual’s right to agitate for amnesty, the government ex-

plained that it was time state governments; stakeholders and philanthropists begin to buy into the programme of empowering youths in their communities.

Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty Programme Mr. Kingsley Kuku spoke while addressing 34 Niger Delta youths due for Israel on a three-month agricultural training. He said the clamour for amnesty by others was because the programme has been very effective in addressing the Niger Delta problem.

Kuku said the amnesty proclamation was a success borne out of necessity to address special problem adding, “it’s a special programme. That programme can never be politicised. It can never be mixed up with any other issues at all. It is a special programme meant to address a special problem. That has been done”.

He said even Niger Delta amnesty programme has ended, “the government has taken a position and the position is very clear. There is nothing like third or fourth phase in this

amnesty because if we have that, there will be fifth and tenth phase.

So, we will never accept these, this amnesty programme has ended.

“Anywhere in this country even if today, youths in my town-Arogbo-rise up to say they want amnesty, they are no longer going to be accepted because it was a special programme.

“The solution is simple. It’s not by pushing those agitators to Federal Government amnesty programme because we are not going to accept them.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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NEWS President to restructure ministries, departments From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

THERE are indications that the Presidency has begun the restructuring of the functions of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs. But the exercise when concluded, rather than reduce the number of existing of ministries, it may may increase them. In the new dispensation, the office of the minister of state will stop from playing subordinate roles in the cabinet.

A presidential source said the restructuring will ensure a “clear-cut duties for appointees in order to avoid duplication of functions”.

The source said ministers of state will be directly answerable to the president and not their fellow ministers in the new structure, against the practice in the past.

The issue of senior and junior minister has caused bickering among ministers in the past.

The President, it was also learnt, is personally supervising the work of the group planning the new organogram.

With the restructuring, the office of the Principal Secretary to the President might likely give way, with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff restored.

As expected, the duties and functions of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) are now to be well spelt out to avoid a clash with the duties of principal aides to the President.

Salami’s associate sues Oni, newspaper

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N associate of Court of Appeal President Justice Isa Ayo Salami, Tunji Ijaya, yesterday instituted a N1.5 billion suit against former Ekiti State Governor Segun Oni and a newspaper based in Ogun State. He is asking for the amount as damages over what he claimed to have suffered from an allegedly defamatory publication in the newspaper on February 22.

Ijaya, an engineer and a retired civil servant in Ilorin,

•Seeks N1.5b as general damages

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

who is also the Otun Tayese of Offa, filed the suit at the Kwara State High Court.

Oni was said to have portrayed Ijaya as a courier of money between the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), some officers of the party and Justice Salami.

When the case came up yesterday, the former Ekiti

State governor was absent, but Mr. Abdulrazaq Daibu stood in as his counsel. Mr. Daibu held brief for Lekan Olatawura. The newspaper was however not represented.

In Ijaya’s statement of claim, he noted: “I claim from the defendants both jointly and severally as follows; as against first defendant, N500million as general damages as against the sec-

ond defendant, I am claiming N1,000,000,000 as general damages; an order directing the defendants to publish unreserved public apology in a manner and terms acceptable to me in four reputable daily newspapers to be decided by the court three times each and an order of injunction restraining the defendants each by themselves, their servants, agents, privies, representatives or otherwise howsoev-

CPC candidate returns to ACN

By Emmanuel Oladesu Deputy Political Editor

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•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola cutting the tape to inaugurate 100 compactors bought on lease by the government through Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) for Priave Sector Operators at Olusosun Landfull... yesterday. With him are Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Enviroment Mrs. Titi Anibaba (left) Managing Director /CEO of Stanbic IBTC Mrs. Sola David Borhan, President of AWAM Mr. Adegboyega Adepitan and Managing Director, LAWMA, Mr. Ola Oresanya

Muslim Society urges dialogue THE Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria yesterday urged socio-cultural and religious groups in the country to use dialogue to settle their differences.

The society’s President, Alhaji Lateef Okunnu (SAN), in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said anything short of dialogue was anti-people.

Okunnu condemned those responsible for the bombing of the Police Headquarters at Abuja last Thursday, describing them as “a sect with immodest and inhuman ambitions.

Ngwuta, Odili’s wife join Supreme Court From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of two justices for the Supreme Court.

They are: Justices Nwali Ngwuta and Mary PeterOdili of the Court of Appeal.

Their appointments were announced in a statement by the deputy director, Information, National Judicial Council (NJC) Mr. Soji Oye. Oye said the two justices will be sworn-in by the Chief Justice and Chairman of the NJC, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu on June 23 at the Supreme Court.

er from further publication of the said offensive words, or any of them, or similar words or words of the effect against or concerning me.”

Ijaya’s counsel Abeni Mohammed, prayed for an adjournment to enable him file an application before the court for judgment “since they have no interest to contest the case or they have no defence of whatever reason the case has to go on.”

Justice Sikiru Oyinloye adjourned the case till July 21 .

HE Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)House of Representatives candidate in Agege Federal Constituency, Lagos, Otunba Oyeniyi Raheem has returned to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Raheem defected to the CPC to realise his National Assembly ambition in the April general elections. Last month, a prominent women leader, ‘Mama Awori’, accompanied him to the home of ACN leaders, where he apologised for his anti-party activities.

When he defected to CPC, many of his supporters frowned at the move and stayed back in the ACN. ACN Publicity Secretary, Comrade Joe Igbokwe said “he is welcome back home,” adding however, that “he must show remorse and convince us that he will not decamp again next time, if he doesn’t get what he wants.”

Igbokwe said that the party is very accommodating, stressing that the doors of its leadership are open to all progressives.

Raheem told reporters in his former campaign office that “ the leadership quality of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is too irresistible for me.”

Electricity workers oppose Nnaji as minister From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos •The trucks

PHOTOS:JOHN EBHOTA AND OMOSEHIN MOSES

Seadogs advise govts to name streets after slain Corps members T HE National Association of Seadogs International yesterday called for a law mandating each state government to provide security for Corps members serving in their states.

It also demanded that major streets where NYSC members died be named after them.

The association’s Zone-E chapter, which marched on major streets of Enugu, the Enugu State capital, to honour the fallen heroes at the weekend, rejected the call for the scrapping of the scheme. They urged the Federal Government to guarantee the life and safety of every Nigerian on national youth service.

The Seadogs advised the government to strengthen the scheme as a veritable instrument for national unity, providing for life insurance covering the period of service, in-

From Chris Oji, Enugu

surance against theft or destruction of property, as well as accidents occasioning injury.

The association, popularly known as Pyrates Confraternity, urged the newly elected political office holders to always be reminded of the innocent blood that was spilled for their sake and to act at all times in the best interest of the country.

In a statement read at the end of the march at the Okpara Square, by the Capone, Mr. Mbachu Uzochukwu, an engineer, the Seadogs resolved: “Never again shall we sit and watch whilst any member of the NYSC is assaulted, kidnapped or murdered in the

performance of his/her national service.

“It behoves on all of us to protect our Corps members and not kill them; we hereby sound resolute that the perpetrators of these acts of cowardice be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

The association recalled that soon after the civil war that witnessed terrible destructions of life and property, the NYSC was inaugurated to foster the spirit of unity in Nigeria, “but here we are mourning the gruesome murder of members of the programme.”

“These young men and women in whose honour we gathered here were patriotic Nigerians who like their colleagues before them answered a national call to duty, only for

their lives to be cut short in a most wicked manner and in the prime of the lives.

“In the hours preceding their deaths, these young men and women sought for safety that did not come; they were failed by the federal government, they were failed by the governor of the states in which they were killed; they were failed by the country they served in truth; they were failed by all of us.’

“The travails suffered by NYSC members should not be swept under the carpet; the female corps allegedly raped by an Oba; the female member brutally raped and murdered in Borno; the five corps members recently kidnapped; the apathy towards the welfare of corps member should agitate our minds and spur us towards a resolution to stand for our tomorrow.”

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HE Northeast zone of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), has warned the Federal Government against appointing former Presidential Adviser on Power Prof Barth Nnaji as Minister of Power.

The union’s Zonal Organising Secretary, Augustine Sule told reporters in Jos, the Plateau State capital yesterday that, “the union is disturbed by the moves by President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint Prof. Nnaji as power minister.

Sule said: “The union will not cooperate with Prof. Nnaji if he is eventually appointed

by President Jonathan.

“The current poor power generating situation in the country is a good example to the poor handling of the sector by Prof. Nnaji.

The Presidential Task Force on Power and all the personnel saddled with the responsibility of managing the power sector should apologise to Nigerians over the current situation in the country.

ELECTIONS 2011

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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NEWS Lagos Assembly approves N700m for 10 APCs

By Oziegbe Okoeki

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O strengthen security in Lagos State, the House of Assembly yesterday approved N700 million for the purchase of 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) for the police.

The decision was taken after deliberations on a letter from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Bayo Sodade, requesting the House’s approval to remove the fund for the purchase of the APCs from the Local Government Intervention Fund (LGIF).

Sodade said Governor Babatunde Fashola has approved the purchase of the APCs, which he said are necessary to enhance security in the state.

The lawmakers suggested that “instead of taking the fund from the LGIF, it should be sourced from the State Security Trust Fund.”

Mudashiru Obasa (Agege 1) said: “If the fund is taken from the LGIF, it will affect development in the local governments.”

Bisi Yusuf (Alimosho 1) said: “The LGIF is meant for the development of local governments. So if you take money from it and use it to procure APCs and the roads are bad, it is as good as useless. The APCs will have no access to our places.

We can’t deduct from money meant for the development of infrastructure.”

Lanre Oshun (Lagos Mainland 2) and Wahab Alawiye-King (Lagos Island) differed from others, maintaining that security is paramount ain view of the incessant bomb blasts allegedly sponsored by the Boko Haram sect.

Deputy Speaker Taiwo Kolawole said: “Due to the security situation in the country, I think we should allow this to go, but we must prevent a future recurrence.”

Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji said: “The approval by the governor should be seen as a donation to the police to protect lives and property of the citizens. It is an intervention by the state government.

“In the spirit of one secured Lagos, I will suggest that since this is the first request from the executive arm and due to the promise we made that we will support the arm, we approve the money.”

I won’t surrender to Oyo CP, says Tokyo ANTED Chairman

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of the National

Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyo State chapter, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola, a.k.a. Tokyo, yesterday told The Nation that his life is not safe in Police Commissioner Adisa Bolanta’s custody.

“With Bolanta sitting atop the state’s Police Command, my life is in danger. He has shown enough bias for Mukaila Lamidi, a.k.a. Auxiliary; that is why his order for Auxiliary’s arrest has not been implemented by his officers.

We have enough evidences that Auxiliary is walking freely on the streets, yet, Bolanta is trying to deceive the populace by placing a ransom on both of us,” he said.

Tokyo alleged that Bolanta is working for former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala to foment trouble in the state.

“Bolanta is behind that cri-

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

sis. We took over the leadership of the union nine days before the crisis. He and Auxiliary are working for AlaoAkala. Even residents are saying once Bolanta is removed, peace and normalcy would return to the state,” he said.

Tokyo alleged that instead of obeying the court order that reinstated him as Chairman of the union, Bolanta collided with Alao-Akala to intimidate his supporters.

He said he has confidence in the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor Abiola Ajimobi to investigate causes of the bloody crises among members of the union and will appear before it, if invited.

The commission, headed by a retired Acting Chief Judge of the state, Olagoke Ige, has eight weeks to complete its job.

Tinubu is a political colossus in Southwest, says Akande CHIEFTAIN of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Lagos State, Chief Ayo Akande, has said the party’s national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is a political pillar without equal in the Southwest.

He made the remark in Lagos while appraising the party’s performance in the April polls.

Akande, who attributed the party’s achievements to Tinubu’s leadership qualities, said without his dogged determination, “the zone would not have been liberated from the oppressive grip of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

He said the parochial nature of the traditional politics of the region did not make

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many people realise Tinubu’s potentiality and commitment to the welfare of the ordinary Nigerian, hence, he was underrated as an ordinary National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) agitator.

Akande said: “Asiwaju Tinubu will remain an unequalled leader in the political history of Nigeria, who, by dint of hard work, commitment and determination, in conjunction with his colleagues in the struggle, flushed out the conservative and oppressive PDP leadership in the Southwest.”

He said some political sycophants in the Southwest, who pretended to be progressives, never believed the PDP could lose grip of Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Edo states to the ACN.

•Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi (left) discussing with Osun State Deputy Governor Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori after a meeting at the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan, to resolve the crisis at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso ...yesterday

Seven die in Ibadan road crash •Residents urge government to repair bridge EVEN persons, including two children, died yesterday in an accident on the LagosIbadan Expressway.

About 16 others were injured.

It was gathered that a commercial bus, with registration number Jigawa XB 633 DUT, which was conveying the victims, fell off a bridge in Soka, Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State, into the Ogunpa

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From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

River.

Sources said the accident, which might have occurred around midnight, was discovered by people going to work around 6.35am yesterday.

The driver was said to be on danger list at a nearby hospital. The river bank was littered with belongings of the victims.

A combined rescue team of

officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and men of the Oyo State Police Command were at the scene.

One of the survivors, simply identified as Ahmadu, said they were on their way to Lagos from Kano.

He said he could not identify any of the victims as they came from different places and met in the bus.

It was learnt that the bodies of the deceased had been deposited at the University

College Hospital (UCH), Adeoyo General Hospital and Beloved Hospital,Ibadan, mortuaries.

FRSC Sector Commander Godwin Ogagaoghene said the accident was caused by over speeding.

Residents appealed to the Federal Government to repair the bridge, which has lost its railings on both sides, lamenting that it has claimed no fewer than 50 lives.

Mimiko denies plan to demolish Ajasin’s house •Activist condemns alleged N100b bond by govt

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HE ONDO State Government has debunked the allegation that it is planning to demolish the country home of Pa Adekunle Ajasin, a former governor of the state and leader of the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere.

In a statement yesterday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi, described the allegation as baseless.

It reads: “The truth is that to make Ondo State a modern city and bring about rapid transformation, Governor Olusegun Mimiko decided to carry out the beautification and dualisation of Owo major roads.

“In line with our Caring Heart policy, enumeration of houses to be affected by the road project was carried out and compensations were paid to the affected owners.

The people of Owo are very happy and have been praising the government for the unprecedented development, which is the first in the town to be done by any government.

“In the case of the building of Pa Adekunle Ajasin, the truth is that even the family of the late elder statesman are aware of this development and it is gratifying to note that Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, the daughter of Pa Ajasin met with officials of the Ministry of Works on behalf of the family and requested that

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

they be given a concession of 15 metres as setback, instead of the required 10 metres and it was conceded.

“To put the record straight, it is only the outer fence of Ajasin’s house that would be affected and this will be reconstructed and painted at the government’s expense, ditto for Adeolu Nursery and Primary school, owned by the wife of the late sage, Mama Obafunke Ajasin, which is opposite the building. So it would be wrong for anybody to insinuate that we intend to pull down the whole building.

“The whole world remembers that Afenifere was founded in the ancient town of Owo and Pa Ajasin would be proud wherever he is now that we decided to make the town a truly modern one.

What is being done in the town is unprecedented in the annals of the ancient city.

“People should not play politics of bitterness. Our actions in the last two years and four months have shown that we are set to transform the state into a modern one.

“We advise politicians to be cautious in their speech. The state belongs to all of us and all hands must be on deck to lift it up.”

Also yesterday, activist lawyer Tunji Abayomi faulted the plan by the government to source for N100 billion bond to execute some capital projects.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftain had, few weeks ago, raised the alarm over a loan of N30 billion authorised by the House of Assembly.

He alleged that the Labour Party (LP)-led administration was planning to increase the loan from N30 billion to N100 billion.

In a statement, Abayomi warned that any attempt to jerk up the loan would cause

•Mimiko

a setback in the state’s economy.

Commissioner for Information Mr. Ranti Akerele said the government was only planning to source for N30 billion and denied any plan to increase the loan.

He said: “All over the world, it is no news that government sources for loans to complete capital projects.

“Even Lagos State went to the Stock Exchange to source for over N100 billion to fund some of its gigantic projects.

“It is the duty of the government to ensure that meaningful projects are done to better the lots of the people and in a situation where government does not have enough funds, it has to look elsewhere.”

Pharmacists seek fairness in ministerial post

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HE NATIONAL President of the Nigeria Union of Pharmacists, Medical Technologists and Professionals Allied to Medicine (NUPMTAM), Mr. Felix Faniran, has stressed the need for equality in the appointment of managers for the medical sector.

Faniran decried the policy of appointing only doctors to

Gbenga Aderanti

manage the affairs of the sector, while other professionals are relegated to the background.

He advised the Minister of Health to invite all stakeholders for deliberations.

Faniran said: “No amount of money pumped into the system will yield any result

if the managerial sector is not properly constituted.

“The composition of the board of directors is made up of nine doctors and one other representative. Where is the fairness in that? Any policy created in this vein will be jaundiced, if it does not fully represent the interest of other professionals in the health sector.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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NEWS ‘Police headquarters bombing act of sabotage’ THE suicide bombing at the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja was an act of sabotage against the Federal Government and the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP), a group, Police Assistance Committee (PAC), has said.

Two people were reportedly killed in the blast and over 50 vehicles damaged.

In a statement yesterday in Lagos by its Director-General, Dr Martins Oni, PAC berated those blaming the IGP Hafiz Ringim for the incident, alleging that some insiders within the Police Force were sabotaging the efforts of the Police chief.

PAC said the way the convoy of the IGP was infiltrated by the bombers was an indication that some people were bent on portraying Ringim as incapable of heading the Police Force.

The group noted that Ringim led the same Police to the April elections in which his men performed well in curtailing violence and electoral malpractices.

PAC noted that Ringim could only rely on the support and cooperation of his officers and men to carry out his duties diligently, adding that any attempt to sabotage him by such officers and men would be a great disservice to the nation.

Police Inspector, six others killed in Nasarawa Fulani, Tiv clash S IX persons, including a Police Inspector, were yesterday said to have been killed in a renewed clash between Fulani herdsmen and Tiv tribesmen in Kadarako, Nasarawa State.

There was an allegation that the Police were dropping bodies in Kadaroko, but Police Commissioner Emmanuel Obiako denied the allegation.

The fighting in Dooga, Antsa and Dooshima, near Kadarako, in Keana Local Government Area, has escalated in the past four days, resulting in the exodus of

From Johnny Danjuma, Lafia

large members of the communities.

As fighting spread early yesterday, the residents alleged that the Police were dumping bodies on the road side.

A resident of Kardako, Ibrahim Bibo said: “We don’t know why they did so.

They just came here and dumped the bodies beside the road and drove off. We

wanted to stop them; we wanted them to remove them to avoid more trouble here, but they drove off.”

Another resident, who declined giving his name, told The Nation in Kadarko that sporadic shootings were going on in the villages, adding that the residents fled from their homes for fear of being killed.

Though Obiakor confirmed the recovery of some bodies from the scene of the

clash, he denied knowledge of dumping any on the road side.

He said there was renewed hostility in the communities after the Saturday clash in which six people reportedly died.

Obiakor said: “I don’t know anything about fresh deaths. I am yet to confirm anything.”

Residents of Kadarko, a town of about 30 kilometres from Lafia, the state capital, have been fleeing, with many of them seen carrying their mattresses and other household belongings.

Traders protest ‘plot to kill’ their leader

By Miriam Ndikanwu

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Yakowa quiet over minimum wage From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

KADUNA State Governor Patrick Yakowa has kept the civil servants in the dark over the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage recently approved by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He has not made any pronouncement on whether or not the state will implement the pay rise.

But at a public lecture to mark this year’s Civil Service Week, Yakowa said the government was taking proactive measure towards the implementation of the new wage.

The governor was he was awaiting a final resolution on the resolution of obstacles on the N18,000 minimum wage implementaion.

The Acting Head of Service (HOS), Hanatu Ugah, had said last week the government was awaiting guidelines for the implementation.

But the workers said they expected Yakowa to announce the government position on the issue at the Civil Service Week.

The governor reassured the workers of government’s resolve to enhance their welfare, adding that in the last one year, the administration had implemented worker-friendly policies.

He said the government had implemented 30 per cent pay rise for civil servants through the Harmonised Public Service Salary (HAPSS) in the 23 local governments and the Local Education Authorities; and implemented 90 per cent of the Federal Government Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for doctors.

Secretary of Miyetti Allah, a cattle herdsmen’s group, Mohammed Hussaini, and the President of Tiv Youth Organisation, Peter Agbache said they were aware of the fighting and were being updated on it.

But either of both sides claimed it was attacked by the other.

Hussaini said when the clash was brought to his attention, the group reported to the Police Commissioner with some Tiv people.

He said the Police immediately deployed their men around the trouble areas.

•Anambra State Governor Peter Obi (right) receiving a plaque from the President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mr ‘Laoye Jaiyeola (left) after his investiture as an honorary fellow of the institute at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, at the weekend. Watching are other members of the council.

Fed Govt begins work on N3b Adada Dam

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HE Federal Government yesterday began work on the N3 billion Adada River Dam at Nkologu, in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The flag-off ceremony was jointly performed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Amb. Godknows Igali; Enugu State Deputy Governor Sunday Onyebuchi; and the Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District, Ayogu

Eze. Igali said the dam would supply 33 million metric litres of safe water, yearly.

Eze was the initiator of the dam as his constituency project.

He said the dam was the first of its kind, promising to ensure its completion, as scheduled, within two years.

Eze said the major focus of the project was to supply potable water to Nsukka and environs, preparatory to making of Nsukka the

capital of proposed Adada State.

The senator listed other benefits of the project as provision of electricity to some communities; irrigation of farms; employment generation; among others.

He urged the host communities to provide security for the project and cooperate with the contractor.

Eze said the dam was one of the products of his first mandate in representing his people, pledging to ensure a

better representation of his constituency in the new dispensation.

He said: “There are many other things coming to Nsukka zone in, 2011, but we shall discuss those in our town hall meeting.”

Assuring on the delivery of the project, Igali said: “The contractor is one of the best in Nigeria and will deliver as expected in the next 24 months. This is just one of the ways to Nigeria’s greatness.”

Family urges IGP to probe suspect’s death in police custody

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HE Adewuyi family in Ile-Ife, Osun State, has written the InspectorGeneral of Police Hafiz Ringim to take over the investigation of the alleged death of one of its members, Prince Siyanbola Adewuyi, at Ife prison custody.

The family said the Police Commissioner invited the late Siyanbola to Osogbo, the state capital, on the death of a man said to be a member of a group terrorising the people in Ile-Ife and environs.

The invitation was said to be on the instruction of some Ile-Ife chiefs.

The Police reportedly interrogated at Osogbo, where “no offence was found to have been committed by him and was later released on

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

bail”.

The letter by the family’s counsel, Victor Kolade and Co, said: “We write in respect of the untimely death of Prince Siyanbola Adewuyi, a native of Ile-Ife, Osun State. The dispute that led to the death of the prince arose from a large piece of land lying being and situated at Arode Village, about five kilometres to Agbonbiti Village in Ile-Ife. “A petition was later written by the said chiefs in IleIfe to the Police Zone II against the deceased and Oba Iteade Adewuyi, the Alagbon of Agbonbiti, in respect of the death of a member of the Great Ife Group.

“The deceased was arrested and released again on bail when no cogent evidence was found linking him with the death of the man.”

The Adewuyi family said the deceased got an invitation on May 12, from Police Zone II, Osogbo, and was detained when he got there. He was reportedly taken to Ife Magistrate’s Court where a murder case was levied against him.

The letter said the magistrate ordered that the deceased and five others be remanded in prison custody at Ife when the matter was adjourned till July 6.

“At Ife prison, precisely on May 16, around 1am, Prince Siyanbola Adewuyi died at the age of 69 years. His body has since been deposited at

•Ringim

the Ile-Ife General Hospital by the Prison authorities,” the letter said.

The family urged the Police to probe the death and bring the killer(s) to justice.

“It is not in doubt that the Osun State Police have turned itselfto a willing tool in the hands of these chiefs,” the letter added.

cores of traders at Aguiyi Ironsi International Market in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State yesterday protested an alleged assassination attempt on their president, Mr. Jonathan Okolie.

The traders carried placards, which read: Please, Governor Babatunde Fashola, we need your help; Sherifat Faponda Disu, leave Aguiyi traders alone; Who is behind the assassination plot against our president? among others.

The traders said they had carried on their businesses peacefully until recently when some groups allegedly connived with the family of Paramount Ventures, the private developer that leased the property to the traders.

They alleged that the groups wanted to hijack the market leadership from the union.

Addressing reporters during the protest at the market premises, Okoli said he was going home last Friday at 6pm when his vehicle was ambushed by some armed men.

He said: “I was on my way home when a Toyota Hilux vehicle, with no registration number, double-crossed me.

They asked me to come down from my vehicle, but I asked them who they were and they hit my vehicle and then started shooting “I came down from my car and told them that if it had to do with the market leadership, that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) had directed Zone II Headquarters to handle the matter.

“I showed them a copy of the letter from the IGP. They ignored my explanation and opened fire on my vehicle.

Their sporadic shootings left the traders running in panic and one of the stray bullets hit a panel beater and he died on his way to the hospital.

“Some of our traders were also injured and are presently being treated at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.”

Okoli alleged that the attempt on his life was the handiwork of the ex-wife of the late developer, a top police officer.

According to him, the woman has been fighting to frustrate his reign as president of the market.

He accused the Mushin Local Government of fueling the crisis in the market, alleging that the council had attempted to close it over unpaid dues.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

NEWS Plateau Assembly approves N86.5b Appropriation From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

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LATEAU State House of Assembly yesterday passed N86.5 billion as this year’s budget estimate.

The Speaker, John Clark Dabwan, announced the approved figure at the end of the Assembly’s fourth sitting since inauguration.

Governor Jonah Jang presented the appropriation to the lawmakers last December but it was not passed by the former Assembly before it wounded up early this month.

Members of the new Assembly gave the appropriation bill accelerated hearing.

After adopting 10 of the 16 recommendations submitted by the Assembly’s Appropriation Committee, Dabwan said: “Following the unanimous adoption of the various recommendations of the Appropriation Bill, it was agreed that N86.5 billion be approved as the state’s 2011 appropriation. The bill has passed through due process and it is hereby passed.”

The Speaker directed the Clerk of the Assembly to make a copy of the approved estimate for Jang to sign it into law.

Dabwan urged his colleagues to use their oversight functions on the appropriation when the governro signs it into law.

Chairman, House Committee on Information said: “The approved figure was sliced downward by about N70million from the original figure presented to the House last year by the Governor Jang.”

Jang seeks peace among Plateau ethnic groups From Marie-Therese Peter, Jos

•Jang

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LATEAU State Governor Jonah Jang yesterday urged the residents to unite and live in peace to enable his administration deliver dividends of democracy to them.

The governor spoke at Kwata Zawan in Jos South Local Government during the last lap of his ‘thank you tour’ to the three senatorial zones of the state.

He said the unity of the state was paramount on his agenda, promising to mend the cracks in the walls of relationship among the ethnic groups.

He said: “I thank the people of the state for giving me their mandate; we will do our best to everyone and work together for the progress of the state. We will follow all the ethnic groups in all local government areas in the state to amend the broken fences and ensure development

before we leave office.”

Jang said he would ensure that the ethnic groups avoid further bloodletting, adding that the government would strengthen the state security outfit, Operation Rainbow, to reinforce peace and entrench stability.

The governor urged traditional rulers to control the consumption of illicit intoxicant, locally called goskolo, saying it was prevalent among the youths.

Jang said: “This does not encourage productivity and good sense of reasoning. As we are preparing the youths to take over in 2015, every youth must have a sense of direction to partake in building and developing the state.”

Chairman of Jos South Local Government Moses Dalyop read the goodwill messages received from the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Dr. Haruna Dabin; the senator representing Plateau North, Senator Gyang Dantong; and the member of the House of Representatives for Riyom/Barkin Ladi Federal Constituency, Simon Mwankwon.

Thetour had taken Jang to Bassa, Shendam, Langtang, Mangu and Pankshin local governments.

•Abia State Governor Theodore Orji inaugurating the newly procured waste disposal trucks for the State Environmental Protection Agency at Micheal Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.

Man jailed for issuing N255m dud cheque, stealing A LAGOS High Court, Ikeja, has jailed a businessman, who issued dud cheques worth N255million to a company that supplied him five million litres of diesel.

Justice Olubunmi Oyewole found Mr Ifeanyi Paddy Eke and his company, Black Berry Nigeria Limited, guilty of two counts of issuing dud cheques and stealing.

He sentenced Eke to two years imprisonment on the first count and six years on the second. Both are to run concurrently.

Eke was alleged to have issued a dud United Mortgage Limited/Diamond Bank Plc cheque, numbered 51 and dated July 9, 2008, for N255million to Petrostar Nigeria Limited.

The money was the outstanding on five million litres of diesel supplied Black Berry by Petrostar. Eke had agreed to pay the money within one month, but instead attempted to bribe a worker of the supplier.

The worker, whose name was simply given as Mr Ogunka, reported the matter to the Police, which asked him to play along and ensure a controlled delivery of the bribe.

Eke was arrested but he jumped bail. He was traced to Abuja and arrested again.

Justice Oyewole said he did not agree with Eke that he issued the cheque because he was expecting funds from

Blame political leaders for bombings, says group

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HE Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum (YRLF) has blamed the nation’s political leaders for the spate of bombings in parts of Nigeria.

In a statement by its Secretary-General, Mr. Akin Malaolu, the YRLF said: “Except we want to indulge in our regular artificiality in administrative boastfulness, the activities

of militants have gained weight and now taken to dangerous level.

“Today, the seriousness with which our youths embrace militant activities, arising from socio-economic and educational deprivations, calls for concern.

“It is a known fact that decades of stunted growth in any nation would result in

ferocious crimes, as we are witnessing. There is no nation that thrives on greed and corruption, which would not reap bountifully the social consequences.

“For the avoidance of doubt, only less than 10,000 political leaders in a nation of 150 million people have held the nation to ransom for decades, ravaging the treasuries and

rejoicing over their ill-gotten loots without any iota of fear for financial crimes agencies.

Only recently, the Presidential jets purchased with billions of naira were rendered useless without a whimper from the powers-that-be and a further confirmation of our act of deceit in asking for details and lack of punishment for deliberate misinformation.”

Vigilance groups, Police vow to rid Anambra of criminals

Benue election tribunal gets new chair From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

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HE Benue State Governorship Election Tribunal has a new chairman, Justice Mummir Ladan.

He will, today, preside over the pre-hearing notice on the petition filed the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) governorship candidate, Prof. Daniel Saror, against the election of Governor Gabriel Suswam, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The first tribunal Chairman, Justice Daisy Okocha, resigned before the beginning of the hearing of the two petitions against the election of Suswam.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate, Prof Torkuma Ugba, also filed a petition at the tribunal against the election of Suswam.

There was confusion when Justice Okocha threw in the towel for alleged insecurity.

This led to the deflation of her vehicle’s tyres at Royal Choice Hotel, Makurdi, by some unknown persons.

By Joseph Jibueze

When the firm presented the cheque for payment the next day, it was dishonoured on the ground that the account on which the cheque was drawn had insufficient funds.

He was also alleged to have fraudulently converted the money, property of Petrostar, to his personal use with intent to defraud.

The offences contravene Sections 1 (1) (b) and 2 of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, Cap D11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; and Section 390 (8) (b) and (9) of the Criminal Code Laws, Cap C17, Vol.2, Laws of Lagos State, 2003.

another transaction that would have been enough to pay the debt.

“In the circumstance, I hold that the prosecution has established this count beyond reasonable doubt. I accordingly find each of the defendants guilty as charged,” Justice Oyewole said.

On stealing, the judge held: “From the overwhelming evidence adduced by the prosecution, including farreaching admissions made by the defendants on oath before the court, I hold that Count Two of stealing has been proved beyond reasonable doubt against the defendants.

“I find each of the defendants guilty as charged and I hereby convict each of them accordingly.”

•Anambra Governor Peter Obi

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EADERS of over 500 vigilance groups in Anambra State and the Police

Command yesterday vowed to flush out armed robbers and kidnappers from the state.

In a statement after their joint meeting with the Police Commissioner Muhtari Ibrahim in Awka, the state capital, area commanders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), the vigilance groups said they would fish out hoodlums from their hideouts.

The statement was signed by the Chairman, Anambra

Vigilante Chairmen Association, Emeka Anyaegbu, and Secretary-General, Chief E.S.K Edokwe.

They regretted that the relative peace and security, which had prevailed in the state for some time, was recently punctured by the resurgence in the activities of the hoodlums.

The vigilante leaders directed heads of units to rid their areas of criminals to enable economic and social activities to thrive again in Anambra.

They expressed confidence

in the leadership of their coordinator and Police Consultant on Vigilance Matters, Chief Kenneth Okonkwo, saying he introduced innovations that had impacted positively on the area units.

They said: “His wealth of experience in security business is an asset to the state vigilantes. They must effectively take advantage of this to enhance their productivity in their security duties.”

The vigilantes praised the Police Commissioner for ensuring the security of lives and property in Anambra.

ELECTIONS 2011

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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NEWS Abuja bomb blast: Gambari calls for urgent action to prevent internal war

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•Deputy Director, Nutrition, Ministry of Health, Dr. Abimbola Ajayi and the Managing Director, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Martin Woolnough, presenting a certificate of the 2011 ‘Cook for Mama’ winner from Government Secondary School, Byszhin, Abuja, Miss Ochonoyor Deborah Adaeze, in Lagos...yesterday PHOTO:JOHN EBHOTA

‘I won’t reject PDPs chairman offer’

Two arraigned for stealing Aregbesola’s phone

From Sanni Ologun, Abuja and Barnabas Manyam, Yola

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HAIRMAN of African Business Round Table Alhaji Bamanga Tukur yesterday said he won’t reject the national chairmanship position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if it is offered to him.

The northern PDP governors have resolved to back Tukur for the post.

Tukur confirmed that there was pressure on him to accept the offer to be PDP’s national chairman.

“If the stakeholders want me as they said, I will not reject.

There are many issues to resolve in Nigeria at the moment and such requires wisdom and experience. If we reject such offer at this crucial time, it means we don’t love this country,” he said.

The post of PDP’s national chairman has been re-zoned to Northeast following the resolve by the House to elect Emeka Ihedioha as Deputy Speaker to take the slot earlier reserved for the North-east.

The Adamawa state wing of the PDP has disowned Alh. Dr. Hassan Adamu, Wakilin Adamawa, one of those angling to become the National Chairman of the Party for anti party practices.

Shed no blood, Katsina CAN urges Nigerians

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HE Katsina State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday urged religious tolerance among the two main religions of Christianity and Islam.

Chairman of the State chapter of CAN Dr. Adewale Oluwasegun Adediran made the call during the its annual executive council meeting at the weekend.

In his speech delivered to the council he quoted from Eccl.

3: 5-4, 8.

He reminded the people of a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance and a time for war and a time for peace.

IGERIA’S former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, yesterday called for a joint effort to combat the activities of the Boko Haram sect in the North, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the Southwest and similar crises across the country.

He said the violent activities, which he identified as the consequences of absence of dialogue, could create the Sudanese situation where a good portion of the country’s population would be displaced.

The don-turned diplomat made the call in his lecture marking the World Refugee Day. The lecture was organised

PRISON warder, who works with the Dog Section of Nigeria Prison Service, Kirikiri, Lagos, Babatunde Ogunjobi (32) and Abdulgafar Oluwarinu Yusuf (24), were yesterday arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate for stealing the mobile telephone of Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

According to the charge sheet, the duo with others at large, on November 27 at about 4.30 pm, conspired to commit a felony by stealing the Sony Ericsson phone handset of the governor

A

T

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

with GSM number 08039404966.

The charge sheet further stated that the suspects committed the offence during the inauguration of Aregbesola as governor and using the handset to defraud the public. They are said to have thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 516A of the Criminal Code Cap. 34 Laws of Osun State 2002.

The charge sheet reads: “That Babatunde Ogunjobi

on June 3 conspired with an inmate at Ikoyi Prison yard, Kelvin Ighodalo, by using the phone to defraud Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran of N500,000, which they asked him to pay into a bank account and also used the phone to defraud unsuspecting members of the public to the tune of N300,000.”

The suspects were said to have used the stolen phone to defraud Shenge Rahman on May 24 by pretending to be Governor Aregbesola, thereby causing the victim

to pay N200,000 with deposit slip No 5834989 into Diamond Bank account number 0541050010086 belonging to Babatunde Ogunjobi.

Also, the charge sheet stated that the suspects, who pretended to be Governor Aregbesola used the phone on June 3 to cause the Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland to pay N500,000 into an Intercontinental Bank account number 1007440399, belonging to Abdulgafar Oluwarinu Yusuf from which they withdrew N495,000 at a Lagos branch of Intercontinental Bank.

DPO, three others feared dead in bloody clash on Snake Island

HREE persons, including a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) were feared dead, following a clash yesterday between the workers and policemen at Niger Dock, Snake Island, Lagos.

Trouble started when policemen attached to the Snake Island Police post arrested one of the workers in Niger Dock. The workers were said to have attacked a police officer identified as Inspector Ojo. The cop allegedly shot three of his attackers and fled.

His action triggered fresh anger as the mob went straight to the Police post on Snake Island, hijacked a rifle and shot at the DPO, an assistant superintendent of police (ASP), who was eventually rushed to the hospi-

By Titilayo Banjoko

tal.

It took the joint effort of Naval personnel on the Island and Policemen from the Lagos State police command to retrieve the rifles.

Employees of Niger Dock ran away when the situation went out-ofhand. The rampaging workers went after any policeman in the area, thereby making policemen on the Island to board the next available speed boat to flee the Island.

Snake Island is located at the Atlantic Ocean, few kilometres away from the Tin Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos.

‘In self-defence, he opened fire and ran for his life and three of those hoodlums were shot’ Spokesman for the Nigeria Police Force Ports Authority police Command of the police, Mr. Siraju Mada, a Deputy Superintendent of police (DSP) said trouble started when the inspector went to arrest one of the workers in the place.

“Our officer, an inspector went to Niger Dock to ef-

fect an arrest when some hoodlums attacked him. In self-defence, he opened fire and ran for his life and three of those hoodlums were shot. They did not die; they were rushed to the hospital.

The hoodlums went on the rampage and shot the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Snake Island Police station, an Assistant Superintendent of Police. The DPO has also been rushed to the hospital.

“So far, calm has returned to the area, but we are not going to carry out any arrest on those who snatched our rifle because we want tension to calm down. Joint effort of Navy and police has helped us to retrieve our rifle that was snatched by the rampaging hoodlums.”

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

by the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CEPACS), University of Ibadan.

Gambari, who is the head of the joint African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) Mission (UNAMID) in Dafur, Sudan, said the country must learn from Sudan, because of the many similarities in the two countries.

According to him, about 1.7 million Sudanese have Nigerian origin that the two countries are only separated

by Chad Republic.

Speaking on the theme: “The Challenges of Refugee and Internally Displaced Persons in Peace Processes and in Rapidly Changing Times: The Case of Darfurs’ Gambari said in as much as the nation’s intervention is needed in the war-torn Darfur, the Federal Government must put ‘its house in order’ to prevent the country from suffering a similar fate.

He said: “There are seven million Sudanese of Nigeria origin in Sudan, the only

$300b lost to cancer in 2010' From Olukorede Yishau,

Assistant Editor in New York

A

PROFESSOR of Economics and Demography, Harvard School of Public Health David Bloom yesterday said $300 billion was lost last year to the treatment of new cancer cases worldwide last year.

He spoke at a news conference at the United Nations (UN) Headquatres in New York, United States.

Bloom said the figure came from a World Economic Forum NonCommunicable Diseases (NCD) Report due for release in July.

He said the economic burden of cancer and other noncommunicable diseases are enormous and require urgent attention so that the funds being wasted on treating these diseases could be spent on other areas.

Speaking at the briefing, Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society (ACS) John Seffrin the NCDs are responsible for 60 per cent of global deaths.

He said majority of those affected are in Africa.

Seffrin said the trend underscored the UN highlevel meeting slated for September. He said the fight against cancer and other NCDs must be given the needed political will.

Drama as Almakura swears in SSG, HoS

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OLICEMEN in Lafia, Nasarawa State, yesterday barred reporters and the Chairman of the Correspondent Chapel, Ahmed Abubakar, from entering the venue of the swearing-in of the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Head of Service(HOS).

Even after introducing themselves as reporters,

From Johnny Danjuma

uniddentified security operatives manning the entrance of the Township Hall on Shendam road, where the occasion took place, prevented them from entering the complex.

A reporter with the Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS) attached to the House of Assembly, Moses

John, was beaten by security operatives during the inauguration of the Fourth Assembly by Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura.

Governor Almakura, during the swearing in of the SSG and HOS, said the choice of Hamza Elayo(SSG) and Amos Akawo(HOS) was in line with his promise to put in place an efficient, dynamic and selfless public service as

a pre- requisite for the effective implementation of the policies and programmes of his administration.

While urging them to consider their appointment as a call to selfless service, he urged them to be alive to their responsibilities.

He advised them to “eschew parochial, self serving and unethical tendencies in the performance of your respon-

sibilities.

“As from this moment, you are expected to regard the entire state as your constituency. The governor enjoined the people to support the appointees.

You should also serve as links between government and the people towards creating a mutually beneficial relationship for the growth of and development of the state.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

NEWS Ogoni call for withdrawal of soldiers

ACN candidate alleges threat From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

THE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate for Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency in Bayelsa State has alleged a threat to his life.

Solomon Seimiebo, in a statement in Yenagoa, alleged that shortly after the tribunal sitting on Thursday, he was trailed by unknown gunmen.

He said the suspicious movement spurred him to drive to a police station to report the incident.

Seimiebo said the threat might not be unconnected with his petition challenging the Southern Ijaw result.

He is contesting the results declared by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the grounds that the process was marred by his opponent, Henry Daniel Ofongo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

My election intact, says Speaker’ From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

SPEAKER of the Delta State House of Assembly Victor Ochei has said his status as Speaker remains unchanged.

An Appeal Court voided his election into the Assembly from 2007 to 2011.

But a statement yesterday in Asaba by Warri lawyer Dr Akpo Mudiaga-Odje said the tenure in contention had elapsed.

Odje said since Ochei’s tenure commenced in June 2007 and expired in June 2011, the judgment is of no effect.

His words: “ Ochei’s tenure commenced in June 2007 during the first sitting of the Delta State House of Assembly and ended last month, when the maiden session of 2011-2015 was held.

“Consequently what the court nullified was an expired mandate leaving the judgment unenforceable and merely academic.”

According to him, the position of the Speaker’s status is strengthened by Section 105 of the 1999 Constitution.

From Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt

W

•Wife of Rivers State Governor Judith Amaechi (left) with the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Ms. Evelyn Oputu, when Ms Oputu visited the Government House, Port Harcourt

Court grants Igbinedion’s T brother, aide bail HE Federal High Court in Benin has granted bail to the younger brother of former Edo State Governor Lucky Igbinedion, Michael and Patrick Eboigbodin.

They are standing trial for alleged money laundering preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

They were Igbinedion’s aides when he was governor from 1999 to 2007.

Both are being accused with four private companies of allegedly laundering billions of naira belonging to the state.

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Justice Adamu Hobon granted the accused bail in the sum of N10million each and sureties in same amount.

Justice Hobon ordered that the sureties must deposit the money in a bank and must produce a Certificate of Occupancy valued not less than N100 million.

The judge also ruled that the sureties must be persons living in their own houses with clear residential and

business addresses.

He ordered the accused to submit their international passports with the EFCC. They are also to write an undertaking not to travel outside the country during the trial.

Justice Hobon said the charges against the accused were grave but were less capital in nature.

He said the fact that the accused escaped from trial in Enugu whittled down their application for bail.

The judge said the accused had not behaved in a manner to suggest they would jump bail since the trial began.

The court ordered that the verification of the conditions for bail should be done by the EFCC within one week.

The matter was adjourned till July 21.

EFCC lawyer Rotimi Jacobs had opposed the bail application, stating that the accused persons escaped trial in Enugu.

Kidnapped ‘NYSC 5’ regain freedom

T

HE five Youth Corps members kidnapped in Rivers State have been released, 13 days after they were snatched by unknown gunmen.

But security agents are yet to arrest their abductors.

The corps members kidnapped on June 7 are Mr. Olumide Yusuf, Mrs. Funmilayo Fase, Mr. Chinonye Ejiogu, Miss

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt and Bukola Amusan, Abuja

Nkechi Nweze and Miss Vivian Okwuanya.

They were handed over to the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-General Maharazu Tsiga. Even though they were believed to be in a good state of health, they were moved to Abuja for medical examination at the National Hospital.

Tsiga relocated to Rivers State shortly after the kidnap and was co-ordinating the rescue efforts along with the Rivers Co-ordinator of the NYSC, Mrs. Esther Wogbo; the police; military and State Security Service (SSS) operatives.

It was not clear last night whether any ransom was paid by the government before the youths were released on Sunday night.

The kidnappers last Wednesday reduced the N100 million ransom earlier demanded to N10 million. But Rivers State Commissioner of Police Mr. Suleiman Abba insisted he would not negotiate with criminals.

Rivers Police spokesman Ben Ugwuegbulam confirmed the release of the corps members, but declined comments on whether any ransom was paid or not.

Explaining how the corps members were released, Ugwuegbulam said: “Police

SOS (Swift Operation Squad) and Anti-Kidnapping Teams, supported by the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) of Omoku (headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of Rivers state) made efforts to rescue the mother of Chief Okoroma, kidnapped last Friday at Obrikom.

“The efforts, not only led to the rescue of the old woman around 3 pm last Sunday at Ama, Omoku, it also added to the pressure sustained on the kidnappers of the corps members by the police, the SSS and the military.

“Around 7:30 pm on Sunday, the corps members were sighted and rescued by riot policemen, conducting stop and search at Omerenu, along the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road. The victims have been handed over to the highly delighted Director-General of the NYSC, in good health. Investigation to arrest the culprits continues.”

The police chief had said on Sunday night that his men would not leave the bush, until the kidnapped corps members regained their freedom.

Amaechi, at last Thursday’s passing out of the 2010 Batch ‘B’ Corps members at the Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt, said everything possible was being done to facilitate the release of the youths.

It will be recalled that the corps members were kidnapped around 7:30 pm at Omademe, along the Port

Harcourt International Airport Road, near Igwuruta, in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

The youths, driving in a car, were on their way from Omademe, where they went to inspect a library they built for the Community Secondary School, as part of their community development projects, before they were snatched and moved to an unknown destination.

Tsiga told reporters in Abuja yesterday that no ransom was paid to secure their release “This is an act that should be condemned in its totality by all those involved. I want to appeal to the youths that if we can make it, they too can make it. It does not mean that they should be used by politicians to be committing such atrocities in order to get blood money,” he said, adding: “We went there; we used the security agencies particularly the SSS, Police and the Army to make sure that we rescued these corps members.

“There was nothing that we paid in terms of ransom, they were rescued, and we were also able to rescue other kidnapped people in the jungle.

My Corps members came out alive, healthy.”

While urging corps members to take their personal security serious, the DG said the corps members had been handed over to their families.

ORRIED about the intimidating presence of soldiers on their land, the Ogoni people have called on the Federal Government to withdraw all the soldiers deployed to their land due to alleged “unabated violation of human rights” of the people.

In a statement by the Information Officer of Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Bari-ara Kpalap, in Port Harcourt yesterday, the people said they “unanimously rejected any acquisition of land for proposed agricultural purpose” and they would want all survey activities and “immediate withdrawal of the surveyors from our farmlands.”

The group said the forceful surveying of farmlands in the area for a military barracks must equally stop.

The statement also said “the Ogoni people have not been consulted neither has it reached any agreement relating to oil production in Ogoni with any company or the government.”

They further warned that any attempt to extract Ogoni oil without the approval of the people would be resisted peacefully and non-violently.

IG sued over killing of exmilitant From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

F

OLLOWING the alleged extra judicial killing of ex-militant leader by the Police in Bayelsa State, a civil rights group has sued the Inspector-General of Police and Commissioner of Police.

The group is demanding N500 million as compensation for the deceased’s family.

Besides the compensation, the applicants also want the court to declare that the alleged killing by the first and second respondents without an order of court is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

Keniwenimo Nweigha, alias Daddy Ken, died in police custody shortly after the then Commissioner of Police had paraded him before reporters at the Police Command headquarters, Yenagoa two years ago.

He was arrested on May 25, 2009 and he reportedly died the following day.

Appeal tribunal for council polls From Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt

I

N line with the Rivers State Local Government Appeal Tribunal Law of

2002, the Chief Judge, Justice Iche Ndu, has set up the local government elections appeal tribunal.

This followed the inauguration of the local government election tribunal last week in Port Harcourt.

In a statement from the Chief Registrar, High Court, Charles Wali, the appeal tribunal would be inaugurated this week.

Justices E. N. Ogbuji, Adolphus Enebeli and Godspower Agumagu were appointed chairman and members.

11

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Rescued banks’ shares rise on loans purchase

B

ANKS bailed out by the Central Bank of Nige ria (CBN) in 2009 climbed after The Nation said Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) the agency set up to buy debts from banks, has bought 9,000 non- performing loans, or 30 percent to 40 percent of total assets in the industry.

Afribank Plc rose for a second day, gaining 4.8 per cent to N1.10 naira by 1:50 p.m. in Lagos. Oceanic Bank Intercontinental Bank Plc rallied 4.5 per cent to N1.16 naira, heading for the strongest close since June 10. Bank PHB Plc snapped 11 days of declines, adding 4.4 per cent to 71 kobo, while Intercontinental Bank Plc increased for a fourth day, the longest streak since April 14, rising 3.1 per cent to 99 kobo.

AMCON will start to recover bad debts it has bought from banks after Sept. 30, The Nation reported today, citing AMCON Chief Executive Officer Mustafa Chike-Obi. A Federal High Court in Lagos on June 14 dismissed a case brought by former Intercontinental Managing Director Erastus Akingbola challenging the memorandum of understanding for a combination signed by Access Bank Plc and Intercontinental.

“AMCON’s comment is having a positive impact on the demand for the rescued banks’ stocks, just like the judgment on Intercontinental that cleared the way for all of them to be recapitalised,” chief executive officer of Lambeth Trust & Investment Co., David Adonri, a Lagosbased brokerage, said by phone to Bloomberg yesterday. That judgement “indicates that recapitalisation of the banks can now be pursued to its logical conclusion” and has created “new optimism.”

COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$112.3/barrel Cocoa - $2,856/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢78.07.pound Gold -$1,161/troy ounce Rubber - ¢146.37/pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N8.1 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion

RATES Inflation -11.3% Treasury Bills -2.64% Normal lending -24% Prime lending -18% Savings rate -3% 91-day NTB -6.99% Time Deposit - 6% MPR -7.50% Foreign Reserve -$32.5bn FOREX CFA 0.281 • 220.9 £ 253.5 $ 153.59 ¥ 1.5652 SDR 245.85 RIYAL 39.3

In business as in life, sometimes bad things happen to good people, and sometimes good things happen to bad people. But over time, if you play long enough, everybody gets what he deserves.. good and bad.

- Jeffrey Immelt

to sell Founding director divests from Nigeria first Islamic bonds, says CBN Resort Savings and Loans N A

FOUNDING director of Resort Savings and Loans Plc,Mr Femi Ekundayo, may have started divesting his shares in the company to protest “alleged irregularities in the management of the company.”

A source close to the company told The Nation that some new investors were changing the rules of the institution and the founding shareholder was protesting.

“As at last week, a founding member of the organisation said he is not too comfortable with the way the company is being run and said the recent AGM was the last he will be part

By Tonia Osundolire

of. He said he is getting out of the company,” the source said.

Contacted yesterday, Ekundayo, who was one of the past presidents of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), neither denied nor accepted that the he was divesting from the company.

He said: “What you are saying to me is news. When I talk to my brokers, I will find out and get back to you.”

The huge volume traded in Resort Savings and Loans was the major driver of the unusual appearance of the

mortgage sector as the most active sector last Friday. The sector recorded 817.992 million shares worth N609.063 million in 135 deals with Resort Savings and Loans accounting for 800.700 million shares or 97.89 per cent of the total volume - believed to be a sell-off from the founding member of the company.

Market operators said the turnover on Resort Savings and Loans was significant and unusual since there was no news indicating any strategic move by the company.

The trading pattern showed the company did not record any transaction penultimate Monday and

merely posted a turnover of 400.100 million shares worth N200.050 million in three deals last Tuesday. It recorded a turnover of 600,000 units worth N300,000 in one deal on Thursday while on Friday it traded 400 million shares worth N200 million in two deals.

The company as at June 7, 2011 had not submitted its full year financial results for the year ended December 31, 2010 to the NSE. Resort Savings and Loans’ authorised share capital is N10 billion, while paid up is N6.788 billion.

• From Left: Brand and Public Relations Manager Procter and Gamble Nigeria Limited (P&G), Ngozi Coker; Head External Relations, Patricia Obozuwa; Business Director Insight Communications, Sarah Agha and Procter & Gamble’s Pampers Brand Manager, Cletus Onyebuoha, at the Launch of Pampers Premium Care held in Lagos at the weekend.

Q1 2011: 15 banks record N65.4b profit

T

HE reforms embarked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) appears to be yielding positive fruits as 15 banks recorded a profit after tax of N65.4 billion for the unaudited first quarter ended March 31, 2011 as against N53.6billion recorded during the same period of 2010.

This indicates an increase of N11.7billion (22 per cent) over the profit recorded in 2010.

The banks include First Bank Plc; Sterling Bank Plc; First City Monument Bank Plc; Fidelity Bank Plc; Wema Bank Plc; Spring Bank Plc; Unity Bank Plc

By Akinola Ajibade

and United Bank for Africa Plc. Others are Zenith Bank Plc; Oceanic International Plc; Skye Bank Plc; Access Bank Plc; Ecobank Nigeria Plc; Stanbic/ IBTC Plc; and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. First Bank posted a profit after tax of N12.5billion in 2011 as against N12.3billion in 2010; Sterling Bank recorded N1.1billion in 2011 compared with N1.2billion in 2010); FCMB made a post-tax profit of N2.6billion in 2011 as gainst N903million in 2010, while Fi-

delity Bank recorded N1.4billion in 2011 compared with N1.5billion in 2010.

Spring Bank recorded N936million in 2011 as against N613million in 2010; Wema Bank posted a post-tax profit of N887million in 2011 compared with N675million in 2010; Oceanic recorded N1.9billion in 2011 as against N1.6billion in 2010; Skye Bank posted N3.3billion in 2011 compared with N2.6billion in 2010; Zenith Bank recorded N15.0billion in 2011 as against N9.5billion in 2010 and Ecobank made a post-tax profit

of N432million in 2011 compared with N1.0billion in 2010.

Access Bank posted N4.1billion in 2011 as against N4.0billion in 2010; Unity Bank recorded N657, 444million in 2011 compared with N2.5billion in 2010, while GTBank made a post-tax profit of N13.6billion in 2011 compared with N10.7billion in 2010.

Stanbic IBTC on the other hand posted N2.5billion in 2011 compared with N2.5 in 2010, while UBA recorded N3.8billion in 2011 compared with N1.5billion in 2010.

Power generation from Egbin increases to1000mw

C

HIEF Executive of Egbin Thermal Sta tion in Lagos, Mr Mike Uzoigwe, said power generation from the station has increased to about 1,000 mega watts.

Uzoigwe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos yesterday that four out of the station’s six units were now working at full capac-

ity due to adequate gas supply to the turbines.

He said power generation from the station dropped to 500 mega watts two weeks ago due to shortage of gas.

Uzoigwe said the fifth unit would be operating as soon as the station received gas supply yesterday.

He said he expected the country’s power generation

to have increased because there had been enough gas supply to some power generating stations.

“We are sure that before the end of the week, we are going to hit 1, 200 mega watts because of the available gas supply.

“For now, Egbin power generation has bounced back to about 1,000 mega

watts from about 500 mega watts it was in the last two weeks due to poor gas supply and low water level,’’ he said.

Uzoigwe said the station would reach its installed capacity of 1,320 before the end of fourth quarter of the year when the sixth unit, which is currently down, was fully repaired.

IGERIA plans to sell its first sukuk (Is lamic bonds) within 18 months, Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Lamido Sanusi said yesterday.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) is working on policies to be able to enact the sale of the Islamic bonds, Sanusi told reporters on the sidelines of a conference on Islamic finance in Dakar, Senegal, yesterday.

The banking watchdog was said to have issued a “no objection” response to the proposal by a group of Nigerian investors to promote the nation’s premier Islamic bank, Jaiz International Bank.

The bank had planned to raise a total sum of N23.5 billion in two phases. The first was through a private placement of N10.5 billion, while the second (N13 billion) was billed to be a public offering.

The bank already had N2.5 billion in its kitty from its Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2003. The private placement and public offer, according to the promoters, was to enable the bank raise additional capital to comply with the stipulated Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) minimum shareholders’ fund of N25 billion as well as drive its expansion plans.

The promoters of Jaiz Bank have established an alliance with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2004.

Directors of Jaiz Bank include Mutallab (Chairman); Bintube (MD); Dr. Aminu Alhassan Dantata; Alhaji Abdullateef Adegbite; Engineer Bunu Sheriff; Mallam Falalu Bello; Alhaji Abdulazeez Ude; Dr. Rilwan Lukman and a host of other influential Nigerians.

NNPC to take over Shell’s fields

T

HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corpora tion (NNPC) said it will take over operator rights at each of the four licences where Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) is selling its interests.

NNPC will operate the licensces, said Levi Ajuonuma, the corporations’ spokesman.

SacOil Holdings Ltd., the South African explorer that failed to win a joint bid for Shell’s interest in the OML 42 licence, said last week that Nigeria’s decision to take over the operatorship added an extra risk for investors.

“Clearly that raises issues for the buyers because you are not in control of the asset,” SacOil’s Chief Executive Officer Robin Vela said last Friday in an interview in London. “It adds another layer of risk to the transaction.”

Kulczyk Oil Ventures Inc. (KOV) said last month it won the bid for OML 42 with a local partner and will acquire the 45 per cent interest held jointly by Shell, Total SA (FP) and a unit of Eni SpA. (ENI) NNPC holds the remaining 55 per cent.

12

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

BUSINESS NEWS Marketers to get kerosene this week’

Flight Schedule MONDAY - FRIDAY LAGOS – ABUJA Departure Arrival 1. Aero 06.50 08.10 2. Associated 07.00 09.30 3. Air Nigeria 07.00 08.20 4. IRS 07.00 08.20 5. Dana 07.02 08.22 6. Arik 07.15 08.15 7. Chanchangi 07.15 8. Air Nigeria 08.15 09.35 9. Dana 08.10 09.20 10. Aero 08.45 10.05 11. Arik 09.15 10.15 12. Chanchangi 10.00 11.00 13. IRS 11.15 12.35 14. Dana 12.06 12.26 15. Aero 12.20 13.30 16. Air Nigeria 13.25 14.45 17. Chanchangi 13.30 14.30 18. Arik 13.45 14.45 19. IRS 14.00 15.20 20. Aero 14.10 15.30 21. Air Nigeria 14.50 16.10 22. Dana 15.30 16.50 23. Chanchangi 15.30 16.30 24. Arik 15.50 16.50 25. Aero 16.00 17.20 26. IRS 16.30 17.50 27. Arik 16.50 17.50 28. Dana 17.10 18.30 29. Chanchangi 17.30 18.30 30. Air Nigeria 17.35 18.55 31. Air Nigeria (T/TH) 18.30 19.50 32. Arik 18.45 19.45 33. Aero 19.20 20.40 1.

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LAGOS – BENIN Arik 07.30 Associated 08.30 Aero 10.50 Arik 11.45 Associated 13.00 Aero 14.25 Arik 15.30 Associated 16.00

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Arik Aero Arik Aero

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LAGOS – CALABAR 07.30 11.20 12.50 16.00 LAGOS – JOS 10.55 11.15

LAGOS – KADUNA Aero 08.00 Chanchangi 10.00 Arik 10.00 Arik 15.10

08.30 09.10 11.50 12.45 13.40 15.20 16.30 16.40 08.50 12.40 14.10 17.20 12.15 12.45 09.10 11.00 11.10 16.20

LAGOS – PORT HARCOURT (CIVIL) 1. Aero 07.15 08.35 2. Arik 07.15 08.35 3. Arik 09.00 10.20 4. Dana 09.27 10.40 5. Aero 10.50 12.30 6. Arik 11.40 13.00 7. Air Nigeria 12.00 13.10 8. IRS 13.30 15.00 9. Arik 14.00 15.20 10. Dana 15.03 16.20 11. Air Nigeria 16.00 17.10 12. Arik 16.10 17.30 13. Aero 16.15 17.30 14. Arik 17.10 18.30 1.

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LAGOS – OWERRI Aero 07.30 Arik 07.30 Air Nigeria 13.40 14.00 Arik Arik 16.30

08.40 08.40 14.55 15.10 17.40

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Arik Aero Arik Aero

LAGOS – WARRI 08.15 11.50 11.55 14.55

09.1 12.50 12.55 15.55

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5.

6.

LAGOS – KANO Air Nigeria 07.10 IRS 08.00 Dana 08.10 Arik 12.20 IRS 14.00 IRS 18.15

08.50 09.45 09.40 14.00 15.45 19.55

LAGOS – OWERRI 07.20 14.00 16.30

08.30 15.10 17.40

LAGOS – UYO 10.35

11.35

1. Arik 2. Arik 3. Arik 1. Dana 1. IRS 2. Arik

LAGOS – MAIDUGURI 11.15 13.15 15.50 18.00

LAGOS – ILORIN 1. Overland 07.15 2. Arik (M/T/TH/F) 17.30

08.00 18.00

LAGOS – ABUJA SAT/SUN Arik 7.15; 10.20; 2.20; 5.20pm – 7.30; 9.15; 10.20; 2.20; 4.50; 6.45 Aero 07.30; 09.35; 13.10; 14.50; 20.20 – 07.30; 09.35; 13.10; 14.50; 20.20 Air Nigeria 08.15; 14.30; 17.15; 18.30 – 08.15; 13.30; 14.30; 17.15; 18.30

G

• From left: Richard Arorote, Sales Specialist; Mr Nnaemeka Okwuchukwu, Pre-sales Engineer; Mr Jide Agbaje, General Manager, Microsoft Solutions; Olayinka Edmond, Marketing and Communications Manager and Mr David Isibor, Sales Specialist all of Dimension Data, during the workshop by Dimension Data’s Unified communication for Nigeria Businesses held for clients and the media on Thursday in Lagos.

Inflation risks still high, says CBN

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OVERNOR of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said yesterday that inflation risks in Africa’s most populous state remained high and that there was no choice but to focus on tightening monetary policy.

“I think that the indications are that ... we have to look at the money supply situation very closely,” he told Reuters during a visit to Dakar, Senegal’s capital.

Just last Friday, Sanusi said monetary tightening alone won’t address accelerating inflation in the country.

The rising cost of imported food and unsubsidised fuel products in-

By Collins Nweze with agency report

dicate the risks to inflation are still on the upside, Sanusi said.

“The reason we tightened policy at the last monetary policy committee meeting was partly because we believed the underlying fundamentals continue to point to inflation risks,” Sanusi had told Bloomberg. “We think it will help up to a point.”

Nigeria’s inflation rate rose to 12.4 per cent in May from 11.3 percent the month earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said last week.

With inflation above the 10 per cent target, the CBN raised its key rate

for the third time this year in May by half a percentage point to eight per cent. It also doubled the reserve requirement for banks.

Rising prices “would always be a problem through the import channel, especially with pressure on the naira even against a weakening dollar,” Sanusi said.

He had previously warned that rising government expenditure may push up inflation in the country.

President Goodluck Jonathan signed a revised 2011 budget on May 27 after lawmakers agreed to reduce spending plans to N4.48 trillion ($26.8 billion) from their previous proposal of N4.972 trillion.

Lekki-Epe road completion not likely this year, says concessionaire

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HE construction and expan sion of the Lekki-Epe Express way will not be completed this year, the Lekki Concession Company Ltd. (LCC), financiers of the project, said yesterday.

The LCC Managing Director, Opuiyo Oforiokuma, stated this in Lagos in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Oforiokuma, explained that the delay is due to certain significant changes introduced into the project in recent times by the Lagos State Government.

He listed the changes to include the major redesign of parts of the carriageway alignment and other key features of the road.

“We now have to revisit and reconsider the timelines for completing the 49.5 km expressway project.

“The road project reappraisal process is not yet complete. It is highly unlikely that we will be able to complete the project by the end of this year as previously envisaged.

“The various changes and how to deal with them are the subject of ongoing dialogue with the Lagos State Government,’’ Oforiokuma said.

He, however, assured the public that the construction was progressing as the carriageway upgrade had already gone beyond Chevron Roundabout.

According to him, the six-lane car-

riageway, which is more than an asphalt surface, would last at least 30 years when completed.

“We are in the process of constructing the new Falomo On-Ramp near Caverton Heliport on Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, which was inaugurated in March 2011,’’ he said.

Oforiokuma said work had been completed on the Admiralty Circle Toll Plaza and the new fully-electronic 22-lane Toll Plaza at the Oniru Estate while work was ongoing on another toll plaza near Chevron.

He said the company has been implementing a 24-hour complementary Incident Management Services that had assisted over 5,000 road users in distress situations.

NERFUND gives plastic manufacturers N49m loan

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HE National Economic Recon struction Fund (NERFUND) has given N49 million loan to 16 members of the Eastern Plastic Manufacturers Union in Onitsha, Anambra.

The Managing Director of the Fund, Baba Maina Gimba, presented the cheques to the beneficiaries in Onitsha yesterday.

Gimba, said each of the 16 entrepreneurs got N3 million to acquire machines and other “logistics” for their firms.

He said the single-digit interest loan would be repaid between three and six years without any collateral from the entrepreneurs.

The NERFUND boss said that some entrepreneurs in Aba would also benefit from the loan scheme.

“Before now our loans were for small and medium-scale enterprises.

“But realising the difficulties confronting micro investors and the

growing army of young graduates who want to go into their own businesses and generate employment, we scaled down our loans to the entrepreneurs whose businesses are not more than N5million,’’ he said.

He said the disbursement of the loan was just the beginning of good things to come for the manufacturers, adding that more applications would soon be approved “We are discussing with the Nigerian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Banjul Chamber of Commerce to establish Independent Power Pant (IPP) for the cluster.

“Once we are through and the result is successful, the manufacturers will get IPP. “President Goodluck Jonathan is interested in reducing poverty and unemployment.

“Therefore, the President has approved the money through the Federal Ministry of Finance and

directed that it be directly disbursed to the beneficiaries,’’ he said.

Mr Johnson Okoro, Chairman of union, commended the Fund and the Federal Government for the “big aid” to the union as well as other micro-investors within the country.

“For the first time in Africa, credit facility of up to N5million is disbursed without collateral and at a single-digit interest rate.

“For the first time the poorest of the poor is accessing money in millions to set up their own small industries.

“In today’s Nigeria, there is a tiny minority in extreme wealth while vast majority are in want and members of our union belongs to those in want.

“But today the elusive and elitist soft credit facility has spread to us, we are grateful to President Goodluck Jonathan,’’ Okoro said.

ROUP General Manager, Pub lic Affairs Division of the Ni gerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Levi Ajuonuma, has said independent marketers would receive their allocation of kerosene this week Ajuonuma told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos that the price of kerosene at independent marketers’ stations was high because only major marketers had received supply.

“Independent marketers have not received their quota. They buy from third party. That’s the reason for the hike, but we hope before the end of the week, we will allocate kerosene to them,” he said.

When told that most of the major marketers had run out of kerosene, Ajuonuma said he was aware of that situation.

“We allocated 30,000 metric tonnes to major marketers because we have allocated kerosene to them, which we hope it will get to the common Nigerian.

Executive Secretary of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr Obafemi Olawore, also said that an additional 15,000 metric tonnes of kerosene had been received by marketers.

Olawore confirmed yesterday that the product would be discharged at Apapa jetty.

The secretary, however, assured that kerosene would get to every part of the country now that additional kerosene had been allocated top them.

“We have totally received 25,000 metric tonnes of kerosene out of the 30,000 metric tonnes till date from NNPC. “Now that kerosene is being discharged, we will ensure it is distributed to every retail outlet of the major marketers in the country,’’ he said.

Biggest banks face new capital clampdown

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LOBAL regulators are poised to set a new regime of additional capital requirements for about 30 of the world’s biggest banks, in the latest effort to ensure the next financial crisis can be contained.

The regulators plan to place each institution into a “bucket” carrying a particular surcharge based on bank size, global reach, structural complexity and whether other banks could absorb its business. Banks could move between categories as their size, structure and risk appetite change.

At least eight banks – three from the US and five from Europe – are being targeted for capital surcharges of 2.5 per cent of their assets, adjusted for risk, on top of the “Basel III” minimum of 7 per cent set by global regulators last year. The list is an informal effort to forge a global compromise and has not been formally circulated.

If the ideas are adopted, Citigroup, JP Morgan, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, BNP Paribas, Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays would have to maintain core tier one capital ratios of 9.5 per cent, according tog three people briefed on the discussions.

Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, UBS and Credit Suisse would be in the next category fown, facing a surcharge of 2 per cent and total minimum ratio of 9 per cent.

Another 10 to 15 banks are likely to face surcharges ranging from 0.5 to 2 per cent as part of the effort to make “global systemically important financial. These banks are considered so big and important to the global economy that they would probably have to be rescued by taxpayers if they got into trouble.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

14

MARITIME

Operators urge Jonathan to unveil seafarers’ scheme

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PERATORS have urged President Goodluck Jonathan to unveil a job creation programme that will engage the youth through adequate seafarering training as the country joins other maritime nations to mark the World Seafarers’ Day this week.

Long years of military rule, the operators said, contributed to the failure to develop the seaferers programme.

Seafarers, operators said, are very important to the economy saying the youths should be trained to take up the job locally and internationally.

The country, the operators said, has nothing to celebrate since it needs over 40,000 seafarers to man vessels operating on Cabotage and urged the President to develop manpower and the nation’s capacity in the maritime industry.

The President, they said, must ensure that youths are trained to take up these jobs.

Speaking at a stakeholders forum in preparation for the World Seafarers’ Day, Captain Adewale Ishola, a master mariner urged the Federal Government to ensure that enough fund is injected into seafarers training to promote the maritime industry, provide employment, reduce poverty and stem the cycle of criminalities in the country.

Ishola pointed out that by injecting enough funds into the industry, it would help reposition the economy by building a strong transport sector, especially through the shipping industry based on its critical nature to national development.

But the country, he said, is inadvertently trading the future of millions of youths because virtually everything going on in the maritime industry is in the hands of foreigners.

He urged the Federal Government to show more seriousness about the shipping industry so that many jobless youths could be employed through the sector.

By Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

Based on inadequate training, Ishola, said foreign seafafarers are working on the nation’s territorial waters and making billions of dollars annually.

The management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), he said, needs to be assisted by training the youths on seafarering. He urged the government to support the agency in manpower development.

Contributing, the National President, Merchant Navy, Captain Thomas Kemewerigha, said government has neglected seafarers training.

Kemewerigha observed that up till today, the country transports its crude oil with foreign vessels, imports the refined products with foreign ships, stressing that the ships are also manned by foreigners, which he said leaves little or nothing for the jobless youths.

Kemewerigha said during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, some bills were signed for the maritime sector, but regretted that the Acts have not positively affected the economy, operators and lives of the people.

The maritime sector, he said, started well but was not happy that the country could not boast of any national shipping line, which according to him is a minus to successive governments.

Speaking on the issue, the Executive Director, Ships and Ports Communication, Bolaji Akinola, said since the liquidation of the Nigerian National Shipping Line in 1995, the maritime industry has suffered a generational vacuum in the area of seafarers training.

NIMASA, Akiola said, need the Federal Government’s support to achieve its objectives.

He said the quality of a country’s maritime institutions, the number of its qualified seaofficer as well as the ability to supply crew members for other flag vessels, deter-

•R-L: Assitant Director, Capacity Building, NIMASA, Mrs Irene Macfoy and Ishola at the event.

PHOTO: OLUWAKEMI DAUDA

mines the level at which the International Maritime Organisation places any nation.

The vacuum created by the lack of training, he said, has created an opportunity for foreigners to exploit.

Akinola said in the 70s, there was yearly intake of cadets for training to institutions in the United Kingdom, Canada, Egypt and Singapore, stressing that there was also a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to train Nigeria’s deck officers and marine engineers at the regional academy in Ghana, which according to him is no longer obtainable.

Akiola urged the Federal Government to support the Dirctor-General of NIMASA, Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi, to acquire training vessels, simulators and training equipment to accelerate comple-

tion of mandatory components of seafarers programme, saying that the agency should develop seafarers’ internship programme on commercial vessels.

Speaking with The Nation in his office on the issue, a university don and maritime lawyer, Mr Dipo Alaka pointed out that even before the creation of the then National Maritime Authority, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) was training cadets through the Ministry of Transportation, maintaining that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) also trained cadets but did not take care of them.

Some of them, Alaka said, graduated to master level and first class engineers but there was no job provided for them and most of them, he said, had to go outside the country to get jobs.

The lawyer said because of lack

of vessels to train cadets there were not enough hands to fill the existing vacancies in the oil and gas sector, foreigners, Alaka said, are now sharing the available jobs with few Nigerians available because there were no trained personnel to replace the aging population.

“For the maritime operator, the dearth of manpower is bad news and shows sign of a failed state. The maritime industry being the second largest revenue generating industry has not fared well in terms of empowering the indigenous operators and development of human skills and capacity, especially the training of seafarers as obtainable in other maritime countries of the world.”

The Nigerian Association of Master Marina in collaboration with other stakeholders are organising an event to mark the seafarers Day in the country this Saturday.

Stakeholders happy over cargo increase

By Oluwakemi Dauda and Uyoatta Eshiet

• Suleiman

S

TAKEHOLDERS in the maritime industry said they are happy that the cargo throughput in the nation’s sea ports has increased from 18,096,399 metric tonnes last year to 20,272,500 metric tonnes this year, indicating a 12 per cent increase.

They said the increase in cargo throughput witnessed in the quarter under review is the result of the regular dredging and maintenance of the channels embarked upon by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in conjunction with the authority’s Joint venture partners.

Speaking with reporters on behalf of other stakeholders in Lagos last week, the Executive Director, Shipping and Oil, Adebola Adekoya said this development,

allowed for bigger draught vessels with large volume of cargo to visit the nation’s sea ports.

He urged the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Omar Suleiman not to relent in his efforts in keeping the channels safe for navigation.

Adekoya said available statistics from NPA shows that Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipment in the quarter under review stood at 5,121,877 metric tonnes a growth of 24.47 per cent over figure in the first quarter 2010.

His words: ‘‘Based on the figure released by NPA, general cargo shipment in the first quarter 2010 increased from 3,473,488 metric tonnes to 3,557,303 metric tonnes in the first quarter 2011 reflecting a 2.4 increase. The Dry Bulk Cargo increased from 2,827,514 metric tonnes in first quarter 2010 to 3,340,019 metric tonnes in the quarter under review representing an 18.1 per centincrease. ‘‘The total Refined Petroleum Shipment was 5,135,167 metric tonnes in first quarter 2011 an increase of 8.6 per cent over the first quarter 2010 figure of 4,726,452 metric tons. ‘‘The Laden Container throughput was 198,694 TEU’s in 2011 first quarter a growth of 42.6 per cent as against the figure in the same period in 2010. While empty container throughput stood at 135,543 TEU’s

an increase of 35.5 per cent over the first quarter 2010 figure. Vehicle traffic stood at 45,077 units, a rise of 11.2 per cent over the 2010 figure ‘‘Crude oil shipment in the first quarter 2011 stood at 25,022,343 metric tons an increase of 5.8 per cent over the 23,639,573 metric tons figure of the first quarter 2010.’’

Adekoya said.

In a re3lated development, the Managing Director NPA, Suleiman is pushing for the implementation of the master plan to develop deep sea Port terminals and to expand existing port infrastructures in order to support the ever increasing inflow of cargo.

He regretted that in the past, the functions of the Authority in facilitation of trade and movement of goods across the country were threatened because of the seeming neglect of the authority. He enthused that the ports are strategic to the success of the transformation agenda of government to which his management is wholly and irrevocably committed in ensuring the realisation of the dream of Mr. President.

He said a high level consultation has commenced between NPA and the government of Akwa Ibom State on the development of the first deep sea port in the SouthSouth region. The port, according

to him, would be sited in Ibaka.

NPA, he said, has made a formal request to the Governor of the state, Chief Godswill Akpabio for a 5, 138 hectares of land for the development of deep sea port in the area.

Speaking at a meeting with the Governor, the NPA boss said: ‘‘NPA will partner with you to ensure the success of this laudable project. And our support for this project is not only for the state but for the country as a whole. It is a Nigerian project and all Nigerians should therefore support it,’’ The Governor assured NPA that the state government will do its best and would be happy to recive NPA’s delegation in the state.

Pirates attack MT Endurance

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VESSEL, MV Endurance was attacked by pirates on the Calabar-Limbe Inland waterways. They made away with N32 million.

According to one of the victims, Mr. Kalu Mathew, the incident occurred when a gang of pirates attacked and over-powered the passenger vessel.

He alleged that when the police was contacted while the attack was going on, the security agents did not come to their rescue until after the pirates had finished their operation.

Mathew blamed the laxity of the

By Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

navy and marine police for the upsurge in the activities of pirates in recent times.

“On that fateful day, a gang of pirates, who had laid in ambush, shot sporadically on one of the windows of the captain. This was after making a futile attempt to order the captain of the vessel to halt the ship.

“Realising that the captain was unwilling to take orders from the leader, the bandits opened fire on the captain’s window.

“Consequently, they over-pow-

ered the vessel and robbed the passengers, carting away N32m from the crew and passengers.”

The victim, who claimed that he often travels from Nigeria to Cameroon, said before the increase in the criminal activities of the pirates, voyage to and from both countries through the waterways used to be easy and enjoyable.

“This is wickedness. We were tormented for over 50 minutes by these miscreants and when we called the security operatives, they couldn’t even show up until we were robbed of our possessions,” he added.

15

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

MARITIME

Hope rises as Customs breaks new grounds at ports Since his appointment, Comptroller-General (CG) of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko has left no one in doubt about his determination to turn the Service around and stop the harsh comments about its activities.

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ANY importers dread the nation’s ports. Their fears stem from the long delay in clearing of cargoes because of what is termed “bureaucratic bottlenecks” by the numerous government agencies at the ports.

Not a few Nigerians are quick to blame the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) even when the facts do not support their position, for the delay.

To arrest the situation, several measures have been put in place by successive Comptrollers-General of Customs but with limited success.

However, the coming of Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko as the Comptroller-General (CG) in August 2009 has changed things for the better; especially in terms of service delivery and public perception.

Top of the bill of his rebranding effort is the planned 48-hour clearance of goods at the ports which surely would gladden the hearts of importers.

In April 2011, Dikko revealed that nothing favours the nation’s economy primarily, and the officers and men of the service especially, more than the possibilities the 48-hour cargo clearance presents. Dikko said: “What a lot of stakeholders on the imports and clearing of cargoes in the country do not fully realise is that, it is indeed in the best interest of Customs officials for the 48 hours cargo clearance time frame to work.

“We will even be happier if we can do it in 24 hours because it simply means higher remuneration for us.

The more cargoes we are able to release in 48 hours or even less, the higher our take home is likely to be.”

Dikko is equally breaking new grounds in the area of re-orientation, training and retraining of Customs officers and men towards improved service delivery.

When Dikko became CG, many Nigerians did not give him a chance. Twenty-two months after his appoint-

By Yomi Olomofe

ment, Dikko has demonstrated that he has the capacity for the job.

Not at any other time in the history of Customs had there been such good efforts in the core areas of operations of the Service.

Presently, no fewer than 43 Public Relations Officers (PROs) are under going intensive refresher course.

They are going through this exercise for the second time in less than four years!

The Customs boss also made it known on various occasions that today’s Customs official can hold his head high as much has been on training and human capacity development. At the last count, there is no cadre of the service – clerks/typists through valuation, intelligence, information communication technology, Automated System for Customs Data (AYSCUDA), antiterrorism, international trade facilitation, leadership and, management - that has not undergone specialis ation courses in the last 22 months.

The basis for efficient service delivery is training, provision of conducive work environment and motivation.

Dikko must be lauded for his commitment to the implementation of his six-point agenda for turning the Service around. All of these in the face of (sometimes) quite absurd allegations and baseless criticisms.

A pointer to the commitment of some of the highly motivated operatives he appointed to man key commands is inherent in the records of these commands.

Between January and June, last year, the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ Lagos, seized about 1070 prohibited items with a total duty paid value of about N1.1 billion.

However, with the appointment of Deputy Controller (DC) Victor Dimka as head of the command, FOU zone ‘A’ has performed even much better. The DC swung into action immediately after his

•Dikko

appointment with the aim of stamping out smuggling. Between December last year and June 10, the command, under his watch made an astounding nine convictions in 1,659 seizures. When computed, the total duty paid value of these seizures stood at about N1.5 billion.

If the achievements of Dimka and his men appear breath taking, Dikko is leaving no stone unturned in providing adequate work environment and tools of work. Towards this end, 10 brand new patrol vans have just been added to the fleet to enhance effective policing of the areas of coverage of the zone which span Ogun, Oyo, and Lagos states.

Richard Oteri, another Deputy Comptroller of Customs, is the acting Area Comptroller for Ogun State.

He assumed duties around February 2011 at the command. In four months, not only has the revenue profile of Ogun command shot up by over 370 per cent when compared with that of last year, the enforcement activities of the command have forced even dare devil smugglers to abandon their illicit trade.

It was an elated Oteri, who informed allies recently of the “over 150 vehicle duty certification” issued by his command to operators, who voluntarily came forward to declare their vehicles and present the documents for duty processing. “Our broth-

ers who clear vehicles here are finally beginning to see the light, imagine that in only one week here, we have issued duty certificates for over 150 vehicles,” he said.

At the Tin Can Island Customs Command, the out-going Customs Comptroller, Austen Warikoru had in the past one year stretched himself beyond limit. From a very turbulent beginning as CAC, Warikoru in the face of oppositions from operators who would rather “do business as usual,” painstaking identified, and went on to plug nearly every area of revenue leakage in the nation’s (even west coast’s) second busiest port. This instantly pitched him against “established forces of Tin Can”.

But undeterred, Warikoru took the revenue profile of Tin Can Island from a monthly average of N11 billion, first to N14 billion and ultimately to the present nearly N16 billion monthly.

A cursory perusal of activities across all of the four zones and 43-command structure of the Service presently reflects a quantum leap in service delivery. Dikko had made it known to all his men that it is time to “sit up and perform or ship out”. As an administrator, the CG is making eloquent statement about his mission and vision for the Customs. In his words: ‘’The whole essence of the massive training programmes and altitudinal re-orientation of the officers and men of the Customs is to have a world class service, peopled by men of high personal and professional integrity imbued with the core values of best practices. We have set an unusually high moral and professional grounds for ourselves, we have requested for and have been granted a wide latitude by the Federal Government, I intend to deliver with a view to justifying the confidence reposed in our capabilities by the President.”

Yomi Olomofe wrote from Lagos.

CRFFN inaugurates forum to improve profession

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HE Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in the country has inaugurated a consultative forum to improve the profession. The law that set up CRFFN provides for the setting up of a consultative body to be known as, ‘Freight Forwarders Consultative Forum (FFCF).

The Chairman of the new body who also doubles as the vice chairman of the governing council of CRFFN, Dr. Sam Onyemelukwe, said the

By Uyoatta Eshiet

consultative body is an advisory body to the Council and can be said to be the senate of the Council of Freight Forwarders in the country.

Onyemelukwe stated that the Forum is to articulate the issues affecting freight forwarders and freight forwarding in Nigeria, bring it forward and make projections to the council. categorising the forum into groups, the chairman said the reason was that as prob-

lems come, the body would know where to turn to for solutions.

The Forum, after the inauguration went to work and created five “Work Groups”.

The groups created were: Enlightenment and Publicity headed by Dr. Frank Ukor; Conflict Management and Resolution with its leader as Mr. Val Usifor; Contact and Mobilisation headed by Rev. Jonathan Nicoa.

Others were: Compliance, Ethics and Privileges and Technical Matters with Bar-

rister Emma Osonwa and Barrister Raymond Onyimba as their leaders, respectively.

Other urgent issues deliberated upon by the forum were: The registered freight forwarders’ standard trading condition (STC); categorisation of freight forwarders; the freight forwarders’ tariff as well as freight forwarders’ standard.

The essence, according to the chairman, was to meet up with the standard obtained internationally.

Maritime Watch Crack-down on truck drivers Stories by Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

RECALCITRANT truck drivers, who find the Tin-Can -Island Port Complex (TCIPC) in Lagos a safe haven, will soon face stiff disciplinary measures as the consequences of their disorderliness.

The TCIPC Port Manager, Mr Efioita Ephraim, who told The Nation in Lagos, said the major challenge faced by the port borders on indiscipline and unruly conducts by some truck operators who find it convenient to use the port access road as a garage or parking lot.

Ephraim, who acknowledged that significant success has so far been recorded by his port in eliminating congestion on the port access road, identified lack of discipline on the part of truck drivers as the major obstacle to the free flow of traffic in and around the port.

“This port was constructed in 1977 and despite the fact that cargo throughput has grown over 10 times what we had thirty years ago; the type of chaos we experience sometimes can be totally eliminated if every stakeholder complies with his responsibility,” the Port Manager stated, even as he argued that his management has identified three major reasons why trucks clog the port access road.

One of the main reasons, according to him, is the inordinate tendencies of truck drivers to shunt the process of returning empty containers to the various terminals.

Investigation revealed that rather than return empty containers to the holding bays provided by shipping companies, many truck owners will rather go through a shortcut by bringing such empty containers to the port.

“The truck drivers often do this because they do not want to travel the distance to the holding bays provided by the shipping companies to save themselves cost even when they have been paid to do so. Many a times, the shipping companies also encourage this untoward tendency by the truck drivers because that way, they save themselves the cost, of having to transport the empties to the port by themselves.

“You now find out that when the truck drivers arrive with the empties and they are not allowed into the port because such empty containers have not been scheduled to be received by the terminal operator, the truck drivers stay on the road thereby causing congestion,” he said.

Book on shipping careers THE management of Ships and Ports Communication Company, is set to release a new book entitled Career and Business Opportunities in the Maritime Industry.

The Executive Director of the company, Mr Bolaji Akinola told The Nation that the 112-page book is scheduled for release in the first week of July.

“The book will serve as a guide to the discerning mind on the various opportunities in the shipping sector while it will also serve as a source of reference for existing practitioners”, Akinola said.

The CEO said the book is to complement his company’s effort aimed at encouraging Nigerians take keen interest in the shipping sector. He said in the last five years, his firm has been in the forefront of encouraging Nigerians develop rewarding careers in the shipping sector through its Annual Shipping Career Summit and its Quarterly Ships & Ports Career Guide.

He disclosed that over 1,000 Nigerians have so far benefitted from the career events which started in July 2006.

Akinola said his company’s determination to propagate opportunities in the shipping sector to Nigerians is predicated on its belief that Nigeria’s maritime sector is endowed with enormous natural resources which provide great potentials and ample opportunities necessary to achieve sustainable growth and development.

The book, according to the Ships & Ports boss, “is our modest contribution to educate and enlighten Nigerians about the numerous opportunities in the sector; career and investment opportunities which if taken advantage of by Nigerians will substantially reduce poverty and unemployment in our society.”

He said the book will not be launched but quietly released into the market because according to him; “this is not a money-making venture.”

Shipping seminar THE Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in conjunction with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is organising a one–day seminar on shipping and trade facilitation.

The seminar will examine shipping regulations and other challenges the industry is going through as well what the NSC as the regulator is doing towards the enhancement of shipping trade in the country.

The event would take place on Thursday, at Daktad Suites & Events Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State and it would be chaired by President of Ogun State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Alhaji Sakirudeen Labode.

The keynote address would be presented by Captain Adamu Biu, Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Shippers’ Council.

The following topical issues: Cargo Defence Fund: Successes and Impediments; Indices for The Regulation of Local Charges; and Shippers Council and The Challenges of Curbing Shipping Companies High Charges, will be discussed by shipping experts drawn from the industry.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

16

AVIATION

Ensuring survival of domestic airlines D IRECTOR-GENERAL, Nige ria Civil Aviation Author ity (NCAA) Dr Harold Demuren has called on the Federal Government to put in place enabling policies that will sustain domestic.

Demuren said until operating cost for airlines are reduced, it will be difficult for a Carriers to make profit.

He said the revenue carriers earn will be deployed into the costs of aircraft maintenance.

The NCAA boss, who spoke while declaring open a customer service workshop for Arik Air personnel, identified the huge cost of doing aviation business in Nigeria as one of the reasons why many domestic carriers cannot get their aircraft filled despite the acquisition of modern aircraft and excellent crew.

He said the government has a critical role to play by providing intervention funds, from where the

Stories by Kelvin Osa-Okunbor Aviation Correspondent

airlines could access funds to boost their operations.

Demuren said the oscillating exchange rate has not helped matters as airlines have to pay more naira for the dollar denominated charges; a development he said continues to put a huge gap in the pockets of the airlines.

The NCAA boss explained that if nothing is done to bring down the operating costs for domestic airlines, after paying for fuel and the cost of aircraft maintenance the carriers may have no funds to attend to other segments of their operations.

He said apart from improvement on the delivery of services by airlines, the NCAA was working out a framework, where operators would be liable for failure in service, even as he affirmed that airlines are not the only parties re-

sponsible for factors that contribute to flight delays and cancellation.

He urged aviation agencies to improve on both airport and air navigation facilities that will facilitate on time departure of aircraft to its destination.

Said Demuren: “All domestic airlines must work hard to improve their service delivery, else it will be difficult to attract passengers to fly them as carriers of choice. It is for this reason that the NCAA is working on a framework that will enable us hold airlines responsible for their actions. We think the issue of aviation fuel price increase needs to be seriously looked into, so that airlines could survive.

“That is why the issue of the high cost of aircraft maintenance is key.

For now the government needs to assist Arik Air with the provision of land to enable them build a hangar, where aircraft maintenance

could be done locally to reduce capital flight out of the country.”

In his paper entitled: Being the best all round and staying ahead always, Demuren explained that the rise of Arik Air could be attributed to its strategic thinking, the deployment of cutting edge technology as well as access to the very best of available technical training.

He said: “The singular most important factor in rating airlines is not just their safety and technical capabilities, but by far the reaction of their passengers and their flying experience. The dominant or prevailing model is to focus on customer satisfaction to not only remain in business but to remain ahead of others.

“This continuing development has seen worldwide airlines dedicating increasingly larger resource, time and people to providing services and incentives that are customer centered.

• Demuren

“The good news is that only the best airlines will survive and it will primarily be because of how they treat people not because their fleet is made up of Boeing or Airbus. In this industry Arik is number one and must work hard to stay ahead.”

NAHCO budgets $13m for equipment

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• Ojo flanked by Executive Director, Business Development, Mr Gordon Gofwan (right) and head of Corporate Communications, Mr Sanya Onayoade, during a press briefing on the activities of the company at its corporate PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE. headquarters, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

HE Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCo) Aviance, said it has budgeted $13 million for the purchase of state-of-the-art ground handling equipment that will put the company at par with other leading companies in the world.

This comes just as the company has finalised plans to source N5 billion bond from the capital market as part of efforts to enhance capital for it’s operations.

The new Managing Director, Mr Kayode Ojo, who disclosed this while speaking to journalists at the company’s corporate headquarters at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, said this year’s budget is higher compared to 2009 and 2010, which was $8 million.

On the N5 billion bonds, the managing director said the process is 95 per cent completed, explaining that the essence is to tell

Global leaders to discuss challenges of aviation in Africa

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LOBAL leaders in the air transport and allied indus try will in August converge on Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania to discuss the challenges of aviation in Africa as well as steps to be taken by players in the public and private sector.

The organisers of the conference, Aviation & Allied Business Publications last week announced that the 17th edition of the Aviation & Allied Business Leadership Conference will hold from August 28 to 30 at the Kilimanjaro Kempinski Hotel, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The theme of this year’s conference is Air Transport In Africa: Strengthening Leadership: Sustaining Growth. The conference is being organised by the Aviation & Allied Business Journal, Africa’s leading publication on air transport devel-

opment in partnership with the Tanzanian government.

The conference, one of the biggest air transport events in Africa, will be driven by high-level industry experts and leaders, including African Air Transport Ministers, Directors-General of African Civil Aviation Authorities, Chief Executive Officers of Airports, Airlines and Air Navigation Services Providers (ANSPs), as well as representatives from the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO), International Air Transport Association (IATA), United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), among other multinational aviation organisations.

Some of the speakers confirmed for the conference include Mr Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Ex-

ecutive Officer, Ethiopian Airlines; Mr Alphonse Kioko, CEO, Precision Air; Mr Alexander Manakos, Partner, Lufthansa Consulting; and Mr Kenneth Horhammer, Market Manager, Vaisala. Others include Mr Mark Tierney, MD, CrabTree; Mr Miguel Santos, Sales Director, International Sales, Boeing; Mr Mtesigwa Maugo, Executive Director, CASSOA; Mr Sanjeev Gadhia, Chief Executive Officer, Astral Aviation; and Dr. Rama Makuza, Managing Director, Civil Aviation Authority Uganda. Some of the Session Chairmen confirmed include Dr Olumuyiwa Babatunde Aliu, Nigeria’s representative on International Civil Aviation Organisation Council; Mr Michael Shirima, Chairman, Precision Air; and Mr Patrick Chilambe, Chief Executive Officer, Air Malawi.

The 17th edition of the Aviation & Allied Business Leadership Conference is sequel to the 16th Leadership Conference held last year in Gaborone, Botswana, with the theme: Air Transport In Africa: The Challenge of Leadership.

The conference is held on a rotational basis among African countries and has previously held in Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and Botswana.

The conference, which will be attended by about 250 delegates from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia as well as North and South America, will gauge the progress of Africa’s aviation industry, global industry trends, and bolster efforts to re-instate the industry on a more effective growth path.

the world that the company is serious.

He said: “We are about 95 per cent through with the process of bond issue. The issue is for N5 billion and it was approved in 2009 by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The question is why are we doing it now? We had to go through very rigorous third party verification.

We have to submit our projection for the next five years to a reputable account firm;, KPMG, who reviewed the five-year forecast. We had to also submit ourselves to two rating agencies, which is necessary if you want the bond to be. And I am happy to say that those two agencies – CGR and Augustos – have given us investment ratings.

“Some of our equipment are as old as the company itself and of course, that has an impact on the efficiency of our staff. So, we took a deliberate decision by retooling the equipment. In 2009 and 2010, we spent $8 on equipment and in 2011, we are spending $13m on acquisition of equipment. So, with these equipment, what else?”

Ojo also told journalists that the budget for this year’s training is 10 times higher than the previous years, adding that NAHCo had to increase the budget for training because it has to train workers efficiently and face present challenges.

He said 65 per cent of the workers that have benefited from the training are those in the junior level, adding that with this training, workers are now capable of withstanding challenges in their area of operation.

“In 2011, our budget for training is almost 10 times of our budget for 2010 and that is because the industry we are is a dynamic one and you need to up the scale and ensure safe, secure and speed services,” Ojo said.

New British Airways’ £340m terminal 5C opens to customers

B

RITISH Airways customers flying through Terminal 5 at Heathrow are now benefiting from even more space and improved facilities following the opening of a new £340 million third part of the terminal.

The new satellite terminal, known as “T5 C”, provides additional capacity and will help to make sure customers have an even

smoother start or end to their journeys.

More than 70 million customers on over 500,000 flights have used Terminal 5 since it opened in March 2008 and the facility has helped British Airways achieve record levels of punctuality, baggage performance and the airline’s highest ever customer satisfaction scores.

With the opening of T5 C, an extra three million customers each year will be able to walk directly on or off their aircraft by using a covered “air bridge” linked to the terminal building, rather than having to use a bus.

The new satellite terminal has 12 boarding gates, of which eight are triple bridges designed to cater for the new 12 strong fleet of

Airbus A380 aircraft joining British Airways from early 2013.

Situated closer to the other terminals at Heathrow, T5 C will give British Airways greater flexibility in how it manages its 4,000 flights a week at the world’s busiest international airport. A new dedicated transfer baggage tunnel linking T5 C and Terminal 3, due to open in 2012

will further improve baggage performance for all airlines at the airport.

The T5C satellite is linked to the rest of Terminal 5 by the existing underground transit system, with journeys taking just over a minute.

The building also has a range of shops for last minute purchases before customers board their aircraft.

, 2011

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

17

AVIATION

SAHCOL boss laments poor airport infrastructure T

HE Managing Director of Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL), Isaac Orulagbagbe, has decried the poor infrastructure across airports.

Speaking in his office at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, while hosting the newly-elected members of the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC), Orulagbagbe said facilities at the airports were overdue for replacement.

According to the SAHCOL boss, the facilities, especially at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, are

D

Stories by Kelvin OsaOkunbor Aviation Correspondent

overstretched. He called for their expansion, adding that there is no growth without a good airport as it drives the economy of any nation.

Describing the airport environment as very difficult to operate in, Orulagbagbe said: “The government should look at the infrastructure across airports, especially the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. It is taking ten times the capacity it was made to carry.”

Orulagbagbe explained that the company was pass-

ing through a difficult period as it was still trying to reposition after the purchase of the company. He lamented a drop in revenue and increase in cost of production.

He said N4.5 billion was spent to acquire the company and another N4 billion on equipment, lamenting the high interest rates by the banks.

The SAHCOL boss commended the media and urged them to take advantage of the Freedom of Information Law to build a better society.

Earlier, the chairman of the League of Airports and

Aviation correspondents, Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo, had decried the poor infrastructure at airports and called for urgent arrest of the situation to give the airports a face-lift.

Iwelunmo commended the management of SAHCOL for keeping the company afloat.

He stressed the need to work assiduously to move the aviation industry forward and sustain the Category One status.

Mr Iwelunmo appealed to the management of SAHCOL not to hoard information in order not to give rooms for rumours.

Emirates creates ‘summer smiles’ for Nigerian passengers

UBAI will be more affordable than ever this summer with the Emirates Airline global ‘Summer Smiles’ campaign.

It will run till September 30.

The promotion coincides with Dubai’s ‘Global Kids Go Free in Dubai’ campaign and Dubai Summer Surprises, when Dubai stores have summer sales.

Up to two children under age 12, travelling with an accompanying adult, are eligible to receive complimentary accommodation (minimum three night stay), meals in participating hotels, plus airfare discounted 50 per cent off the adult fare.

Families will have a choice of over 50 hotels and apartments in Dubai, ranging from two-to-five-star, with city or beach locations, to meet every family’s need.

Also included in the promotion are the Meet & Assist service at the Dubai airport, airport transfers, free entry to a wide range of attractions, hotel room taxes and service charges.

In addition, for guests who

require visas to enter Dubai, Emirates will provide complimentary 96 hour visas for up to two children under the age of 12.

Paulos Legesse, Emirates’ Country Manager Nigeria said: “Emirates continues to offer its passengers in Nigeria attractive travel opportunities which represent real value for money. We’re delighted to offer another excellent promotion that helps families come together to experience Dubai. We hope that this promotion will encourage even more families to visit Dubai during this exciting time.”

Emirates is partnering with the Dubai Mall to offer exclusive packages including access to the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Sega Republic and Dubai Ice Rink at the facility.

A complimentary book of discount vouchers for use at the Dubai Mall is also avail-

able when tickets are purchased on Emirates, making fun-filled days of excitement and adventure even more affordable for families.

The package also includes free entrance activities for up to two children under the age of 12 at some of Dubai’s premiere attractions; including, the Bateaux Dhow Dinner Cruise, the Big Bus Tour, Wild Wadi Water Park, Aquaventure & Lost Chambers at Atlantis, Ski Dubai, Soccer Circus, iFLYDubai indoor skydiving, the Dubai Dolphinarium and many more.

For golf enthusiasts, activities include special discounts and free offers at the Arabian Ranches Golf Club, The Address, the Montgomerie Dubai, and at Ernie Els’ signature golf course, The Els Club. With Summer Smiles it’s possible to tailor each trip to Dubai to the traveller’s specific interests – the only limitation will be

trying to decide between the great selections.

“Dubai is the ultimate leisure destination for families, with so many affordable attractions for all ages,” said Russell Sheldon, Senior Vice President Network Passenger Sales Development, Emirates.

“Our promotion offers incentives and savings for families to spend their summer vacation in Dubai.

The journey begins onboard an Emirates flight, with special meals for children, plus more than 600 channels of entertainment including movies, television, audio and interactive games, and the fun continues the minute you touch down and begin experiencing Dubai.”

Summer Smiles packages and information can be found through Emirates offices, travel agents, and online at emirates.com/ dubaisummersmiles. All passengers, regardless of airfare or class of travel, are eligible to purchase the packages.

Briefs Aero launches business class promotional fare AERO, West Africa’s leading e-airline, has announced the launch of an exciting one way promotional fare of N26,000 for Business Class travellers on all her domestic routes.

This special offer, which provides huge savings and an added incentive to customers, is only accessible when passengers book and pay online at www.flyaero.com. Ticket sales began on June 8 for flights from June 20, 2011; this will enable passengers to purchase numerous business class seats for the duration of 60 days.

Customers can book and purchase tickets online using cash cards or ATM cards. However, interested passengers without a debit card can book-on-hold via the website or call centre and pay at any bank nationwide. For bookings via the call centre, customers can dial 07003592376 or 016284140 and follow the voice prompt.

Announcing the promotional fare, Aero’s Managing Director, Capt J. Akin George said: “We are proud to offer this amazing fare to our customers. This fare exposes our passengers to a wider opportunity to travel in Nigeria and in style.”

“We introduced this value for money fare on our Business Cabin to appreciate and further encourage Nigerians to fly more often. With the reduction to N26, 000, which represents the best business class fare for a one-way domestic route ticket in the market, coupled with the online booking and payment options, more people will be able to fly more and pay less. This gesture demonstrates Aero’s commitment to its customers, which is aimed at encouraging more people to experience Aero’s innovative products.”

ICAO announces runway safety measures ABOUT one third of all aviation accidents reported to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in the past five years have been linked to runway operations.

According to ICAO, 18 per cent of the reported accidents were as a result of incursions or excursions.

Incursions involve the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the protected area of a surface designated for landing and take-off of aircraft. Excursions occur when aircraft veer off or overrun the runway surface.

In order to curb the incursion into the runway, ICAO has rolled out several new measures which were announced at the end of last month, following the first Global Runway Safety Symposium hosted by ICAO. Among the initiatives are a series of runway safety seminars to develop regional action plans and promote the establishment of collaborative runway safety teams involving airlines, airports and air navigation service providers.

ICAO and its industry partners have committed to deliver seminars in Miami (US), New Delhi (India), Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Cape Town (South Africa). All regions of the world will eventually be covered over the next three years.

Also included are the compilation and further development of best practices and the greater sharing of information among ICAO member states and industry.

Development of common definitions, metrics and analysis methods will facilitate information sharing, along with improved reporting of hazards that are encountered in the operational environment.

To further enhance runway safety, ICAO and partner organisations will also develop multidisciplinary guidance material and develop training workshops for relevant personnel in flight operations, air traffic management and airport operational areas.

Singapore Air, Virgin Australia sign partnership

• L-R: Chief Finance Officer, Mrs Bose Owolabi; Project Development Officer, Mr Olubumi Olasumbo, Head, General Service, Mr Wale Soneye, at a press briefing on the latest development on Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Maevis concesPHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE. sion held at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

SINGAPORE Airlines has formed an alliance with Virgin Australia under a deal which will allow the two airlines to sell tickets and seats on each other’s international and domestic flights, Virgin said last week.

Virgin, Australia’s second-largest carrier said on Tuesday the airlines planned to code-share on flights and offer reciprocal frequent flyer benefits and lounge access.

Virgin had been looking for a partner in Asia after forming alliances and partnerships with Delta Airlines, Etihad and Air New Zealand.

The alliance is aimed at connecting Singapore Airlines’ international network with Virgin’s routes within Australia and in the Pacific.

“With regulatory approval, the partnership will enable us to offer even more choice for domestic and international air travel,” Singapore Airlines’ chief executive Goh Choon Phong said in a statement.

The alliance is subject to approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Asia is one of the fastest growing markets for air travel globally and a key battleground for airlines in the region.

Australia’s biggest airline Qantas Airways is looking at a range of options to strengthen its international operations, including the possibility of basing a new premium airline in Singapore, according to sources. Qantas already has a low-cost subsidiary Jetstar Asia which operates out of Singapore.

Virgin Australia was previously known as Virgin Blue until it rebranded itself last month as part of efforts to increase its share of the Australian business market off Qantas.

18

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has continued to wallow in political storms that have affected its oneness, following its crushing defeat in the last election. How prepared is its leadership to survive the tempest or is it bedtime? Assistant Editor DADA ALADELOKUN asks.

What future awaits Osun PDP?

• Aregbesola

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HE situation is akin to spilt milk. The fear is thick in the air: That it may take more than sheer miracle for its stakeholders, especially members, to see the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) survive its current malaise. Indeed, the political rheumatism, so protracted, has continued to exacerbate as times roll by.

It all started since the dawn of the current era, specifically on the special day in November last year, when the current governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola reclaimed his ‘stolen’ mandate after spiritedly fought legal battles.

Before then, both the so-called gladiators and the minors among members of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had boasted aloud: PDP will rule Nigeria for 60 years.

Yes, not only in the state and Southwest! In fact, it was at the height of the party’s much-battered reign.

Even moments after Aregbesola left ex-Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola (an ex-soldier at that) writhing in pains on the canvass after the total knock-out at the Appeal Court, the restless mouth of the PDP men remained in action, obviously refusing to align with the reality that PDP had almost become a has-been in the state, nay Southwest.

However, they knew better during the last legislative election held in April. Of course, prior to the election, the PDP incurable optimists would have affirmed within them: ‘We are going to bounce back at the April poll.’ But they got it all wrong. The unsettling outcome of the poll turned the proverbial last straw that broke the camel’s back. Literally, their candidates were beaten black and blue at the poll where the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) made a clean sweep.

What appeared the last window of opportunity opened for them some days ago when, in line with the trend of postpresidential election events, state had to make nominations to the federal government for possible appointment as ministers.

Those who were oblivious of the fact that the factionalisation in the party in the state had graduated into a malignant tumour knew better as four sets of nomination lists were sent from Osun State alone. Yes, so a source hinted.

Keen watchers of the dramatic developments within the PDP in the state were more than taken aback when the names of Oyinlola and Senator Iyiola Omisore not only featured, but topped the lists.

The development infuriated one of the party’s former governorship aspirants who spoke with The Nation under anonymity. Hear him: “It is sad that those who should cover their faces and bury their heads in shame after losing at the polls are those who made the lists. If credibility is prime among the criteria for considering who to be chosen as ministers by Mr. President, then none of those on the lists will scale the hurdle. They can only have their ways if mediocrity and electoral failure are among the factors to be considered.

• Oyinlola

• Omisore

“It beat me hollow when I saw newspapers parading names like Omisore and Oyinlola among other on Osun State lists. I could not but ask myself what any of them was going to offer the nation when they failed to offer their party anything at the polls. Both of them belong to different factions in the party; that was why the lists were arranged that way. But they won’t help the party at the end of the day.”

The aspirant therefore reasoned that with the situation of things, the ex-Minister of Youth Affairs and Social Development, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, who hails from the state, might likely be returned as minister owing largely to the festering factionalisation in the party.

Asked to talk about the situation of PDP in the state, another stalwart of the party who preferred to be anonymous told The Nation: “We must not deceive ourselves; PDP is virtually dead in this state. The factionalisation of the party really did terrible damage to its fortune at the last polls and as things stand, only God knows when the party will recover from its present misfortune.”

How unlucky the party is in the state! Whatever effort might have been made to resuscitate the party and get it back on its feet has not been helped by the widely lauded performance of the Aregbesola-led administration in the state.

Even before Aregbesola assumed office, it was crystal clear that the state and its people were about saying final bye to the old bad days when people woke up and went to bed in anger over obvious deprivations, no thanks to the perceived ineptitude of the Oyinlola-led government.

Ranging from job creation to people’s empowerment among other goodies of governance, the Aregbesola administration has since its inception, told Osun people in practical language, that governance is a serious business of people-oriented socio-economic re-engineering.

Today, the more the reigning governor and his coterie of aides swim in ocean of accolades for being their people’s

genuine servants, the more the PDP members bite their fingers in agony over their party’s fallen ‘glory.’

Ask most PDP supporters in the state today, they would most readily beat their chest that the party would bounce back in the next round of election and re-discover its lost grip on the state. But to Chief Rotimi Makinde, a chieftain of ACN in the state and member of the House of Representatives, such PDP supporters would be day-dreaming.

“From the bottom of the hearts of PDP people in Osun today, they know clearly that the party is dead and buried never to rise again. By the time the current administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola finish its first term in people-oriented service delivery, it will be clear to them beyond any iota of doubt that their days are over in the state,” Makinde, now House of Representatives member-elect from Ife Federal Constituency in Osun State maintained during a recent chat with The Nation.

As things stand for the PDP in the state, there seems to be no solution to the widening cracks in the party. Reliable sources told The Nation that most of the aspirants from the party who failed at the polls, including some party leaders are now scheming for various appointments at the federal level, rather than seek ways of getting the bedridden party off the sick bed.

But to Acting Chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Sunday Ojo-Williams, all that fear or insinuation is sheer balderdash.

He evinced incredible confidence while he spoke in a telephone conversation with The Nation on the issue.

Hear him: “Whoever thinks PDP is dead or is dying in Osun does not knows what is going on. He is either ignorant or unrealistic. That Aregbesola is there today does not mean we won’t bounce back. What has he been doing since he got there?

We will definitely bounce back in Osun and even other states.

Who ever expected us to win the state in 2003? So the question of PDP losing grip in the state forever is nonsensical. We are intact, no matter whatever differences some might have their minds on.”

Speaking further, Ojo-Williams said: “Unlike other parties which are trying to take us back into the regional politics days of 1964, PDP is keying into politics of national integration which we all desire to move the nation forward. We won the Presidency and our President was sworn in at the Eagle Square, Abuja. Where did they swear in the governors? So, we are not playing micro politics in PDP. I believe now is the time for every key political player in the country to see reason with our party and the Presidency and join us to truly move the nation forward in the overall interest of the people.”

Of course, political battle is not always for the sweetest talker.

Whether or not the PDP is on the brink of political Golgotha, especially in Osun State, will be seen in a matter of time.

‘We must not deceive ourselves; PDP is virtually dead in this state.

The factionalisation of the party really did terrible damage to its fortune at the last polls and as things stand, only God knows when the party will recover from its present misfortune’

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

19

EDITORIAL/OPINION COMMENT

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

Can Justice be bought?

N2.2 trillion for the road As usual, another roadmap promises to deliver magic

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HE report that the Federal Government will spend about N2.2 trillion to boost the transport sector in the next three years deserves attention. This is because that sector like most others in the country needs revolutionary measures to stem the several decades of neglect. So we welcome the plan under the auspices of the ‘Federal Government’s investment plan for the development of the transport Sector’, in earnest hope that it is based on a rigorous research of the needs across the country. According to the report, the money will be spent to develop the infrastructure for roads, railways, inland waterways, ports and airports across the country. The amount will cover the needed investment for the years 2011 to 2013 and government is hoping to partner with the private

Let us hope that the present document will be implemented, unlike the ones in the past. But we hasten to add that if truly the plan will be implemented as stated, then Nigerians and foreign investors will need to be availed of the finer details of the program and the benchmarks immediately

sector to achieve its objectives. The idea, according to the report is to develop a model transport network system that will link major gateways in Nigeria through road, air, sea and the rail. The document explains that such transportation model is necessary if Nigeria hopes to become one of the 20 largest economies in the world by the year 2020. These are all laudable ideas, but we caution that similar roadmaps have been bandied before, though regrettably nothing came out it. Again we note that many government officials have also used such commissioned reports to siphon scarce foreign exchange usually expended to prepare the reports, and when the fanfare of a new report dies down, the document is left to gather dust. That is probably why despite several development cycles in our national history, we are still drawing fresh roadmaps. Let us hope that the present document will be implemented, unlike the ones in the past. But we hasten to add that if truly the plan will be implemented as stated, then Nigerians and foreign investors will need to be availed of the finer details of the program and the benchmarks immediately. It will also help the public and interested organizations monitor the implementation of the development agenda. This is because there is the urgent need to leapfrog our national economy into a mod-

ern economy, and the way to go is to start the needed transformation immediately. The plan should also include details of opportunities available to investors, and how extant laws, rules and regulations will be amended to make it realizable. We also contend the need for constitutional amendment to remove from the exclusive list, laws that impede our development agenda. Such archaic laws that unduly restrict investment in railways, airports, inland waterways as exclusive preserve of the federal government inhibit growth. While giving state and private enterprises access to develop these infrastructures, the federal authorities could retain regulatory powers to set standards. There is also the need to put a world class investment climate in place. Corruption in national agencies like customs, immigration, judiciary, police and other security agencies are hindrances towards the realization of many of our development goals. Government officials must remember that foreign investors take into consideration the gamut investment climate before venturing into any country. The promises of a single day clearing at the ports, the avoidable delay in registration of business, tardiness in our justice system, and the similar tendencies must be eliminated for the transport agenda to be realizable.

No half measures •New capital base for microfinance banks good, but not enough

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is said to be working on a new capital base for Microfinance Banks (MFBs). The rationale, according to the apex bank, is that the banks as presently structured lack the financial muscle to play effectively the finance intermediation role they were established to perform.

We agree that developments in the financial sector not only make the quest appropriate, an up-ward review of the capital base of the Micro-finance Banks has become imperative in the current time. With the rate of inflation and the fluctuating value of Naira, the current capital base of the MFBs has become unrealistic.

The antecedents of the micro-finance and community banks in this country have hardly been encouraging in terms of achieving the prime objective of meeting the needs of the active poor in Nigeria. Whereas one of the specific objectives of the microfinance policy is to make financial services accessible to a large segment of the potentially productive Nigerian population, which otherwise would have little or no access to financial services, it has more often than not, operated as competitor to the banks. It was therefore inevitable that they had to suffer the fate which befell the banks.

We recall that the CBN revoked the operating licences of 224 MFBs out of the 820 operating in the country last year for being “terminally dis-

tressed and technically insolvent.”

This year, 178 of the MFBs were said to be technically insolvent; 46 others terminally distressed and had closed operations for six months.

Having said that, we must equally note that the planned upward review of capital base of Microfinance banks, though desirable, isn’t necessarily the cure-all for the multifarious problems besetting the sub-sector. Clearly, no one pill can deal with the sector’s malaises. Moreover, the CBN itself has long admitted that the factors which contributed to the unsoundness of the MFBs are manifold. They include high levels of non-performing loans which had impaired the capital, gross undercapitalisation in relation to level of operations, poor corporate governance and incompetent boards.

The resolution of capital adequacy issue is critical – and there can be no question about that. But then, we have little or no doubts that the sub-sector will inevitably run into stormy waters without requisite attention paid to corporate governance issues that have exacerbated the crisis facing the subsector. This is where regulation/supervision comes in. How has the apex bank fared in the supervision of the MFBs in the last three years? The CBN, we recall, promised to outsource the supervision of these banks in 2009; how far has this gone and how successful?

The reality in the financial environment makes the chances of capital issues certainly formidable enough.

This is more so that regular commercial banks are still struggling to meet the CBN prescribed target re-capitalisation date of September 2011. Would it not amount to an apex bank biting more than it can chew by taking on the problems of the MFBs to its portfolio at this time?

We have said it before – it is not a question of whether or not the nation needs the microfinance banks.

The nation can certainly do with many more. That there are thousands of informal networks of savings societies outside of regulatory oversight are clear pointers to the potentials of the sub-sector as largely under-explored territory. The issue however, is whether the hundreds of anaemic finance houses sitting on poor corporate governance structures can be properly described as MFBs. As a final point, our preference is that the proposed capital base would come as part of a new, comprehensive microfinance strategy. That way, the CBN would have killed two birds with one stone.

That there are thousands of informal networks of savings societies outside of regulatory oversight are clear pointers to the potentials of the subsector as largely underexplored territory.

T

WO years ago, the Supreme Court tried to bolster public trust in the nation’s justice system by disqualifying a state judge in West Virginia from a case that involved a coal company executive who had spent more than $3 million to help get the judge elected.

At a time when torrents of special interest campaign spending is threatening the appearance and reality of judicial impartiality, the ruling in Caperton v. Massey drove home the need for states to adopt more rigorous rules for recusal. The message has largely gone unheeded.

For the most part, state courts set their own recusal rules. According to New York University’s Brennan Centre for Justice and Justice at Stake Campaign, so far, courts in nine states — Arizona, California, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, Utah and Washington State — have made recusal mandatory when contributions by a party or attorney exceed a certain threshold amount or create a question about the judge’s impartiality.

Courts in two other states are considering similar proposals. But several other states have rejected stronger rules — or have actually weakened them.

In 2009, Nevada’s top court rejected a reform commission’s modest proposal to make recusal mandatory when a judge received contributions totalling $50,000 or more from a party or lawyer over the previous six years.

Last year, in Wisconsin — home to some of the nastiest big-money judicial races — the State Supreme Court rejected proposals to trigger recusal at $1,000 or $10,000 contribution levels. Then the court weakened the recusal standard, adopting a new rule that campaign donations or expenditures can never be the sole basis for a judge’s disqualification.

The remaining states, including epicentres of special-interest-dominated contests like Illinois and Pennsylvania, have done nothing to keep campaign cash from tainting the courtroom. The Supreme Court has ensured the money problem will get worse with its 2010 ruling allowing unlimited special interest spending in all campaigns.

Many judges wrongly view mandatory disqualification rules involving election money as a personal insult and a threat to judicial independence.

The real threat to independence lies in doing nothing to protect judicial integrity in the face of obvious conflicts.

The American Bar Association should be leading the way here. In an encouraging step, the group’s president, Stephen Zack, has seen to it that the issue will be taken up at the August meeting of the association’s House of Delegates. By adding a strong recusal provision to its influential model code of judicial conduct, the bar association would provide needed guidance to state judiciaries and help goad them to do the right thing.

A good rule would have four basic elements. It should explicitly recognize that recusal may be necessary because of campaign spending by litigants or their lawyers. It should specify that the final decision about whether a judge’s impartiality can reasonably be questioned not be left to the challenged judge. It should require that decisions on recusal requests be in writing. Finally, litigants and attorneys must be required to disclose any campaign spending relating to a judge or judges hearing their case.

A version of this editorial appeared in print on June 16, 2011, on page A34 of the New York edition with the headline: Can Justice Be Bought?

Soaring spending on judicial elections requires tighter rules for disqualifying judges.

–New York Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

20

EDITORIAL/OPINION

S

IR: DISCOURSE on the relevance of the National Youth Service Corps has continued to generate mix feelings since the sad episode of post-election violence in which several lives and properties were lost.

Call for the scrapping of the scheme has been louder after the condemnable, cold murder of 10 corps members in the northern parts of the country following the violent eruptions that engulfed the nation when results of the presidential poll were announced.

The main argument of the protagonists for the abrogation of the scheme is that the corpers are the targets during political crises and because they are vulnerable, these young Nigerians should be prevented from taking part in the scheme.

The General Yakubu Gowon administration established the NYSC, through Decree 24 of 1973 (As replaced by Decree 51 of 1993), to help rebuild, reconstruct, reconcile and reorientate the people after the devastating civil war that plagued the nation. It was meant to help “develop a sense of corporate existence and common destiny of the people of Nigeria”.

The NYSC scheme is, therefore, designed to promote national unity, integration and cohesion through the activities of our youths. No doubt, the programme has been able to record some successes. These include the promotion of cultural integration. For instance, many corpers are known to have married other citizens from various parts of the country.

Additionally, the scheme, in the last 38 years of its existence has fostered the establishment of bilateral and multilateral linkages - international collaboration on staff development with notable organizations like the International Institute for

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

Still on NYSC Sustainable Development (HSD) on participatory process for sustainable development, John Hopkins University on Good Governance and Reproductive Health, United Nations’ International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) on HIV/ AIDS - as well as formal relations with other anti-graft and human rights agencies, among others. Recent involvement of NYSC members in the electoral process has further lent credence to the strategic role these patriotic Nigerians can play in the life of the nation. The

corpers did us proud by rendering worthy services to their fatherland.

A more pragmatic approach should be deployed to resolve the immediate and remote causes of the onslaught on corpers, innocent Nigerians and strive to prevent future occurrences. First, we need to tackle the genesis of the violence that claimed the lives of the nation’s future leaders. Since they were fallout of political indifferences, politicians should be made to realize, at all cost that politics should not be a do-or-die affair. Election los-

ers should not see defeat as the end of the world in such a way that their venom of anger would be meted out on others.

Culprits of such violent clashes and their sponsors should be apprehended and be made to face the full wrath of the law. Our security agencies must wake up from their inertia, be apolitical and be decisive in performing their statutory duties of detecting, preventing and curbing criminalities.

The Act, establishing the NYSC should be amended without delay.

The scheme should be well funded, supervised, revamped reviewed and strengthened to meet up with the present day challenges. The present meagre monthly allowances payable to corps members should be increased.

Host communities, religious leaders and traditional rulers should by law, be made to be committed to what happens to corpers serving in their domains.Corps members should be better grilled and be exposed to adequate training in the art of self defence and crisis management. Introduction of insurance covers for them, to serve as a form of social security is not going to be a bad idea.

Therefore, scrapping of NYSC should not be answer for resolving the nagging national question.

• Adewale Kupoluyi writes from the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Alabata. adewalekupoluyi@yahoo.co.uk.

President Jonathan and burden of good governance

S

IR: “The time for lamentation is over. This is the era of transformation. This is the time of action ….” With these words, President Jonathan assumed the mantle of leadership as the sixth elected president of Nigeria. This was after he had been successfully elected in the April general elections considered by many to be fairly credible.

Everything seems to be working in his favour considering the circumstances he became the President.

He was first acting President and then became the substantive president after the demise of the late president Umaru Yar’adua.

Now that President Jonathan is now at the helms of affairs for the

next four years, He would be judged not on the sentiment he enjoyed during the election, but on how he is able to impact positively on the lives of Nigerians who have declared their preference for him in the hope that he would not let them down.

It must be noted that Nigerians voted for President Jonathan not because of the love they have for him but because of the faith in his leadership credential to lead the country out of the valley of misgovernance that has lived in the country for years.

Mr. President must make good his electoral promises now that he has achieved power. A radical infrastructural development, especially electricity must occupy the front burner in his administration.

Unemployment is yet another problem that must be tackled by the President with all the nerves in his body as this would serve as panacea to insecurity and restiveness in the country. As we all know, an idle hand is the devil’s workshop.

Another issue that Mr. President must not treat with kid gloves is federalism, especially Fiscal federalism, and ensure that every State of the federation is entitled to an equitable share from the federal purse. In other words, the present ‘almajiri’ system where States go cap in hand should be discarded and true federalism both in letters and spirit should be strictly adhered to.

What Nigerians need is not just the good intention of President Jonathan, but the manifestation of

such intent with an overt acts that can be seen, heard and perceived by every right thinking Nigerians and not hangers on, sycophants or professional praise singers. That is, the mental element (good intention) must be accompanied with the physical element (overt acts), for, these are the essential elements of good governance.

In the end, President Jonathan would be remembered not for the amount of rhetoric’s or squabbles within his party but by what he was able to achieve while in the office.

• Alatise Taofeeq Nasir, Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin.

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THE NATION TUESDAY,JUNE 21, 2011

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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was the point in my piece you didn’t get. Anyway, it is your choice!

Ogbonna: In a plural society like ours, you BUZOR: Be sure to note the get what comes your way to avoid being an fans you have lost, as you all-round loser, as you are weeping already. continue blindly to supRipples: Weeping? Don’t bet on it! You see, port the so-called zoning as against there are some gifts you don’t take, to mainthe ideals Nigerians are requesting. tain your self-worth and make a point. But I – Elder Obuzor, Port Harcourt, guess we are different peoples. Stay well!

Olakunle +2348037104965.

Ogbonna: SFG is a humble take from the Ripples: What ideals? What Nigepool of small, middle and big takes in our Abimbola lordbeek@yahoo.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) rian? What blindness? Be well society. I love your write-up. guarded and advised: public comDespite the arm-twisting tactics of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hierarchy, the mentary is no popularity contest. So, I don’t know rebels in the House of Representatives had what you mean by “fan”. If you enjoy reading my their way. Me too, I dey laugh o! – Francis piece, you are welcome and I appreciate you. But please Somnazu, Asaba, +2348026201736. don’t ever develop the conceit that because you are a Otega: What hefty price? You call the loss of reader, the writer is hostage to your own thinking; the Speakership by the South West a “hefty just as a public commentator must resist the conceit price” paid by the president? What is his busiof being all-knowing. If we must part on what I Today’s is a furious debate with citizen readers. In the blue corner ness if the South West fades from mainstream believe in, then let us! But be sure you are on solid ground because the zoning you so much want to is Ripples, challenged to defend the audacity of his piece, “Jona, politics – after all, they are used to hiding in hypocritically banish from your consciousness will now win the peace!” In the red corner are furious citizens, Obuzor, their region like Hobessian cavemen. As for President Jonathan, he can continue till 2018, sooner than later come to hurt everyone, starting with the House of Representatives Speakership. Will Adeniyi , Ogbonna and Otega, sworn to putting Ripples’ nose out now that zoning is dead. So, who dey laugh?

– Francis Otega, Kano, +2348069362121. always be here, God’s willing, to tell you: I told you so of joint. The bell goes – and only the strongest will survive this Ripples: Zoning is dead? It indeed is! But its – fan or no fan! literary slugfest! apparition is alive and well! So, don’t you laugh too soon, for Obuzor: I want you to know that the man hatefully referred to as “Jona” is the best gift ever for Nigeria, zoning Federal Government. The Government of the Federation is the you might just be in the beginning of a long and agonising grimace when the full impact of the “dead zoning” hits this master! Listen carefully to the unfolding drama.

Federal Government plus state governments. But the SFG, At- polity!

Ripples: Sarcasm, not hatred. As to the claim that Jonathan is torney/Accountant-General are employees of the Federal GovDo you really think zoning is for temporary benefit? What the “best gift ever for Nigeria”, I pray with all my heart that ernment. So, please don’t be taken in by the legalistic fraud. SFG about the supremacy of our Constitution, and the right of every you are right! was deliberately used in my piece to underscore this point. Nigerian to go for a leader of his or her choice? - +2348056019892.

Adeniyi: SGF is Secretary to the Government of the Federa- Thanks for reading The Nation.

Ripples: But that same Constitution provides for federal chartion and not Secretary to the Federal Government. Bimbo, Adeniyi: It is noted but I will do more enquiries from those acter and balancing. In any case, if the right of Nigerians to pick please note the difference. – Bayo Adeniyi, +2348066258546. who are more versed than myself to confirm the correctness of leaders of their “choice” was absolute, why all the hoopla over Ripples: No, it is not and there is no difference to note. The your position, cheers! zoning the Speakership to the South West? Should it not have term Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), just Ogbonna: SFG is not to serve tea but to influence the location like Attorney-General/Accountant-General of the Federation of projects. South West has lost everything because of its one- gone to whoever the Representatives preferred, rather than (AGF) is an illegal military imposition in the 1999 Constitu- party behaviour – Patricia Etteh, Dimeji Bankole, Olusegun being determined by party zoning – party zoning that “died” tion. Both are secretary, chief lawyer/chief accountant to the Obasanjo, what legacy? South West should lick its wounds qui- before the presidential election, but that jerked awake before the election of National Assembly principal officers? The bane etly. – Elvis Ogbonna, +2348054645519. of double standard and twisted principle!

Ripples: Are you saying Ojukwu did not make that statement ‘Otega:President Jonathan can continue Between Bankole and Esho (14 June 2011) or are you reversing the statement of the Ezeigbo gburugburu? O, Thank you. The Nigerian media are wont to roast people on till 2018, now that zoning is dead. doesn’t Anyim know how to make and serve tea? South West their pages, even before the courts have heard the cases. Kai! has lost out?

Big deal, I’m weeping!

Ripples: Zoning is dead? It indeed is! But +2348035767546.

To serve tea by Ojukwu was a statement of refusal.

Did you also see how serious we are in Nigeria? Bankole its apparition is alive and well! So, don’t It Ogbonna: was not used to be derogatory, to mean out of place or useless. suddenly became an issue. He did not only fool the country, you laugh too soon, for you might just be in Ripples: So you admit Ojukwu indeed propounded the SFG tea he showcased our docility as a people. I hate to say this: but I I commend you for your honesty. But if Ojukwu refused think we might just be doomed. Truth is GEJ [Goodluck Ebele the beginning of a long and agonising grim- theory? in 1993, what has changed in 2011 that SFG is now acceptable? Jonathan] is lost and confused. He cannot and will never perace when the full impact of the “dead zon- The Igbo should have insisted on the Speakership with their form until the masses get serious by kicking out the PDP. performance for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April Until then, we will remain caged. – Dave Blankson, ing” hits this polity!’

2011 elections, instead of stomaching blatant injustice. And that +2348122912388.

Jona, now win the peace!

(7 June 2011)

O

epublican ipples

Rippling fireworks Feedback

W

ITH anarchy set upon the nation by the orchestrated scarcity and the attendant hikes in prices of cement and kerosene – two foremost essential commodities in the national menu – the federal government, quite true to its character, has gone on chasing shadows instead of confronting the rapacious band holding the nation by the jugular.

While bemused citizens witnessed the spectacle of officials lying through their teeth and their principals taking turns to sell garbled stories of phantom hiccups along product supply chains of the two essential commodities, conveniently left out is the ignoble role of a powerful cartel in the regime of market distortion in what is now an embarrassing scandal of criminal collusion – involving our government on one hand and a band of special interests on the other.

Nigeria obviously does not pretend to be anything other than a nation of great novelties. But then, there are things that are simply incomprehensible. Take for instance, the cement scarcity and the Presidential decree ordering manufacturers to reduce prices at the risk of unspecified sanctions.

How does that fit into a liberalised manufacturing and marketing regime in which government assumes little or no role?

Wasn’t the action by President Goodluck Jonathan, an acknowledgment of sorts, a case of giving out more than his administration was ready to admit publicly, of the role of non-economic forces in the entire saga? Imagine the President handing the manufacturers the command to bring the prices down to which the group promptly acceded!

Talk of presidential forces being more powerful than market forces!

By my last check – last week actually – cement prices were already going down. Down to N1,800 from an alltime high of N2,400 a month ago. I have tried to do some finding out to see whether indeed operational dynamics have played to the advantage of the manufacturers to warrant the drastic price reductions. Honestly, I find none. The diesel price which the manufacturers complained of remains prohibitively high. So also has the environment not improved by any chance. The magic, to my mind goes beyond the efficacy of moral suasion.

But that still leaves hanging, the question of what was responsible for the hikes in the first place. What we had of course was a one-sided blame game–the powerful producers’ cartel pointing an accusing finger at the hapless distributors while the four remaining proverbial fingers pointed squarely to its own complicity. In the meantime, the conniving government opted to play the decoy game

Policy Sanya Oni sanyaoni@yahoo.co.uk 08051101841

Jonathan and the cartel even when the word in street corners was that the hikes was a ploy by those in power to raise funds to finance the elections!

What was special about the decreed price reduction anyway? The election was after all, over; moreover, the rainy season has begun – in which case, the forces of nature have taken over from where the cartel left off! What then is there to decree about?

As for the current crisis in the kerosene supply chain – what do we know? Pretty little else aside what the ordinary Nigerians already know. For the ordinary Nigerian forced to shell out N250 for a litre of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) which NNPC offers to its club of dealers at N49. 90k a litre, nothing but a monumental abdication by government can explain how a product on which government allegedly pays subsidies would sell for N400 a litre!

But then, what have we not heard? That there are enough products to go round? That it was some fifth columnists that put the distribution network - the socalled system 2B out of action? Add that to the official claims that the country has a 40-day buffer stock far and beyond the reach of those for whom the products were meant. Of course, none of the myths are anything new.

They are stuffs of the Nigeria wonder.

The truth of course is that our officials would bandy any rationalisation to save their skins and to cover the sins of their comrades-in-perfidy – the industry barracudas – whose stock in trade is to profit from the misery of the ordinary citizen.

Even if it was true that such a thing as a 40-day stock availability exists, who does not know that it only exists

for those feeding fat from the opaque regime of product importation, the merchants who hawk products at far above pump prices only to recycle the papers to claim subsidies from the national treasury? When did the cartel start going on sabbatical?

One of liberalisation’s selling points is the possibility of many players coming on board to bring in competition to drive down prices. We have heard that liberalisation of the product supply chain holds the key to the downstream sector. But then, as the example of the cement cartel does show, liberalisation alone offers no iron-cast guarantees for true competition as there remains the possibility of collusion without some restraining hands of regulation. Of course, ethically-challenged players would always attempt to manipulate the rules to their advantage. The same applies to monopoly; it breeds lethargy, stifles innovation in addition to encouraging corruption and wastes.

So what to do? Let the government marry the famed efficiency of the market system with the guided hand of regulation to deliver products at the pump to Nigerians at the price they can afford. That seems the ultimate test of liberalisation.

So, I have a few words of advice for President Jonathan as he makes those tough choices in the days ahead. He needs to keep a close watch on the cartel. It seems understandable that some powerful groups would want to redeem political IOUs pledged in the course of electioneering battles. However, there is great danger in succumbing to the fatal embrace of a group whose interests are diametrically opposed to the welfare of the ordinary citizens. While no-one dares to argue about their contributions to the making of his Presidency, the danger is not to recognise where the sovereign power resides.

‘It seems understandable that some powerful groups would want to redeem political IOUs pledged in the course of electioneering battles. However, there is great danger in succumbing to the fatal embrace of a group whose interests are diametrically opposed to the welfare of the ordinary citizens’

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

22

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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RESIDENT Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is indeed a lucky man. But the man from Bayelsa State seems to be running his luck too far. Since he ascended the presidency some one and half years or so ago, a lot of things have happened particularly bordering on the nation’s security, and his reaction to them have raised questions about the competence and capability of the CommanderIn-Chief to ‘chiefly command well’; apologies to that great court jester, Professor Jerry Gana.

When the peace of Abuja was shattered by a series of coordinated bomb attacks on October 1 last year as Nigeria prepared to celebrate her golden jubilee, killing no fewer than 13 people and leaving many more maimed, the president was quick to exonerate the most likely suspect; the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), though he didn’t tell us who was responsible.

MEND was to later claim responsibility. How did he know who was and who was not responsible within such a short time? Only he could tell.

While condemning the bomb blasts, former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida reportedly berated the president for not giving the right interpretation to security reports or not getting the right interpretation to security reports. Most Nigerians saw this as either a punch below the belt by the former military dictator or outright mischief by the general. Subsequent similar events between then and now have however shown that Babangida may be right after all. We’ll come to that later.

Jonathan promised to get to the root of the Independence Day bombings and bring the perpetrators to book. I am sure he is still digging; we are still waiting for the result.

Before the October 1 incident, MEND had left no one in doubt about its capabilities and determination to strike terror into the nation at will, anywhere, anytime, unhindered.

Remember the Atlas Cove bombing in Lagos.

In spite of the Federal Government’s amnesty programme in the Niger Delta, MEND has not fully given up on armed struggle to achieve its objectives.

And as the Commander-In-Chief battled hard to contain the MEND threat, some evil men from the North East, masquerading as defenders of Islamic values and tradition but with a clear hatred for western education, launched attacks against the State, leaving in their trail, sorrows, tears and blood. The men,

A

S President Obama's July deadline to begin drawing down troops from Afghanistan approaches, the debate in Washington is focused almost exclusively on how rapidly the U.S. military presence should be reduced. But the emphasis on troop levels ignores the more important question of what the administration's political strategy should be for ending the war.

There is no question that the U.S. must leave Afghanistan eventually. But withdrawal must be done in a way that prevents chaos and ensures that America's interests in the region are protected. Current U.S. military tactics, however, are often operating at cross-purposes to the establishment of an effective political strategy for ending the war — a political strategy that to date has been poorly constructed.

Supporters of the current approach argue that the military campaign is putting increased pressure on the Taliban, and that with just a little more force, we can push insurgents to the negotiating table. But this is a dubious assumption, and the U.S. does not have the luxury to see if it's correct.

Although the Taliban presence has lessened in certain areas of the country, its members still enjoy protection in havens across the border in Pakistan. It remains a resilient fighting force able to launch sophisticated military operations, and the predatory behaviour of the Afghan government continues to push a steady stream of recruits into the arms of the insurgency. Meanwhile, the Afghan army and police are nowhere near ready to inde-

‘Fighting must continue, but talking and engagement are even more urgent. Although recent exploratory talks with credible Taliban leaders represent an encouraging breakthrough, these openings could be for naught if the military campaign is not waged in concert with this political initiative’

Jonathan! Jonathan!!

Are you still there? operating under the aegis of a group known as Boko Haram, has not relented since and claimed their biggest victory to date last Thursday with the bombing of the headquarters of the Nigeria Police in Abuja.

Add to these bombings, the Jos killings, the incessant cases of armed robbery across the land, kidnapping for ransom, assassinations, both political and otherwise, and you have a picture of a Commander-In-Chief who is either bereft of ideas or doesn’t know how to use the power given to him.

Not until these security challenges came up again, I, like most Nigerians, used to take peace and security for granted. I remember Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari at that time claiming the maintenance of peace and security as the major achievement of his administration. What the hell was he talking about? I used to say then. But the Maitastine religious riots of the 80s in Kano and similar uprising in Bulunkutu, I think in this same Maiduguri, Borno State, brought home vividly the message of the importance of peace and security.

Shagari, to most Nigerians, was a weak leader and a bad Commander-In-Chief. Just as Jonathan is relying on the police to tackle the Boko Haram problem, he entrusted the police with the task of bringing down the Maitastine religious uprising and they failed woefully. It took the intervention of the Nigerian Army to wipe out the dangerous sect and its leader, who incidentally was not even a Nigerian. He was reluctant to unleash the full arsenal at his disposal as C-In-C on these terrorists, the same thing Jonathan is doing now, and the nation suffered, just as she is suffering. Is there a lesson to be learnt here

on why it’s not good to give power to someone who never wanted it? Shagari and Jonathan, we all know, never planned to be Nigeria’s president ab initio, but then, having found themselves in power, one would have expected that they would rise to the occasion.

Shagari didn’t and Jonathan seems to be toeing the same line.

When Cameroun violated Nigeria’s territorial integrity in the 80s, Shagari chose to turn the other chick. Chad tried the same thing and rumour had it that it took the courage of then General Officer Commanding, 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army, Jos, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, yes, the same Buhari, to send the Chadians packing even without recourse to army headquarters.

Praise him or blame him, Buhari got the job done, may be he knew he had a lily livered C-In-C. Are we having another Shagari in Jonathan? A reluctant leader who doesn’t know what to do with power? All we hear from our president after each of these bombings and similar atrocities is that no stone will be left unturned to fish out and punish the perpetrators of these crimes, yet no stone, so to speak, has been turned. Shagari as president, traveled to India as the tallest building in Nigeria, the NECOM on Marina in Lagos was burning. Jonathan hasn’t done anything like that yet, but don’t bet on him not making a similar mistake.

Returning to Babangida’s reported comment, the simplest interpretation is that Jonathan does not know or have what it takes to be a Commander-in-Chief. If you stretch it further, it could also mean that all presidents without military background might not be

A sensible way forward for the U.S. in Afghanistan

By Michael A. Cohen pendently take over security responsibilities.

Each of these strategic impediments means that the military's recent gains on the battlefield are simply not sustainable. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus has noted that the situation in Afghanistan cannot be resolved by military might alone. Yet the U.S. military remains committed to a policy that relies far too heavily on the stick rather than on the carrot.

Even though the administration has reportedly initiated secret, serious high-level contacts with representatives of the Taliban and has touted nuanced shifts in diplomatic language (such as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's February speech that seemed to discard preconditions for negotiations with the Taliban), far less consideration has been given to how the United States can encourage a shift in the Taliban's perceptions and behaviour. For too long the U.S. has acted as if force is the only effective means for communicating with the Taliban.

Fighting must continue, but talking and engagement are even more urgent. Although recent exploratory talks with credible Taliban leaders represent an encouraging breakthrough, these openings could be for naught if the military campaign is not waged in concert with this political initiative.

Recent contacts made through official and unofficial channels suggest that there is genuine interest among some portion of the insurgency in a negotiated settlement. However, like any political movement, the Taliban will have to sell de-escalation and potential compromise to its own fighters and constituencies. Right now, the United States is offering little to convince Taliban followers that a political approach could achieve a realization of any of their core goals. Moreover, continued harsh military offensives hold the possibility of future ruin, as they risk devastating the

ranks of potential interlocutors and radicalizing a younger generation of rising Taliban leaders.

The United States should take steps to build confidence with the Taliban, including such things as instituting local cease fires, de-targeting certain Taliban leaders and initiating selective prisoner releases. The goal would be to encourage the Taliban to reciprocate with such measures as ending attacks on civilian targets and curtailing suicide bombings, with the aim of building a modicum of trust. But the United States, as the superior military force, must take the first steps to shift from a military-driven approach to one that prioritizes political ends.

Confidence-building measures must also be coordinated with corresponding diplomatic steps. This process could be facilitated with the appointment of a neutral third party that can reach out to all sides, including to the Pakistanis, whose role in negotiations will be critical. Such an appointment is also important in light of the deterioration of trust and the potential divergence of interests between the United States and President Karzai.

Even a sincere and well-constructed political effort might end in failure, and one that seems to succeed initially could be disappointing in the long run. That's why the United States and its allies must be prepared for the possibility of a non negotiated outcome that would necessitate a residual longterm presence in the country. This appears to be the intent of the Obama administration in negotiating a strategic partnership agreement with Kabul, a process that is unfolding without sufficient public scrutiny. In fact, the possibility of an extended but vastly reduced American military presence should be used as a negotiating chit, making it clear that while the United States is eager to leave, it will not do so short of a negotiated solution

good C-In-C. This is a very slippery and dangerous road to travel. But then it is not strange to hear such comments, and such is not peculiar to the Nigerian environment. All the leader in question has to do is to prove his capabilities and competence to deliver decisively as expected when the time comes.

The Democrats in the United States are rightly or wrongly perceived by most Americans, especially Republicans, as soft on security, and that explains why there appears to be more retired military men, generals in particular, among Republicans than Democrats. The Veterans almost always voted Republicans at each election. But then the Democrats have always rejected this characterization and when the opportunity to act tough presented itself to a Democrat in the White House, the hammer was brought down heavily, not just to prove a point but to also assure Americans that nothing is ruled out in the duty of their government to protect both the homeland and the citizens.

Then President Clinton went after Al Qaeda in full force, after the bombing of the war ship USS Cole in Yemen. And just recently President Obama approved the military operation that finally killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after series of near misses by previous US administrations including the one ran by Republican George Bush.

This is an opportunity for Jonathan to prove he can bring peace and security to this country. Even if he delivers one million megawatts of electricity, it won’t make much meaning in the face of constant threat to our unity as a nation. The vision 20:2020 will remain just a vision even beyond the year 2020 if things continue like this. The President must not allow Nigeria fall into the hands of terrorists, never. We are waiting for him to act now and decisively too, even if it means sending the soldiers after Boko Haram. I hope President Jonathan is listening.

‘Add to these bombings, the Jos killings, the incessant cases of armed robbery across the land, kidnapping for ransom, assassinations, both political and otherwise, and you have a picture of a Commander-In-Chief who is either bereft of ideas or doesn’t know how to use the power given to him’ or a full security transition to the government of Afghanistan.

The death of Osama bin Laden has provided the Obama administration with a dramatic inflection point that could allow all sides to begin the process of grappling with what are unpalatable, but essential, steps toward political resolution. For this opportunity not to be wasted, the United States must fully commit to a political strategy and ensure that its military might is employed in service of the essential goal of ending this war.

• Michael A. Cohen is a senior fellow at the American Security Project and Michael Wahid Hanna is a fellow and program officer at the Century Foundation.

Obama

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2010

23

NATION SPORT

Osaze’s terms stall Arsenal move

O

SAZE ODEMWINGIE is apparently not impressed with the personal terms offered by Arsenal.

The Gunners have reportedly agreed to a deal with West Brom for the

services of the Nigerian striker but has fallen short of his personal demands.

A source who spent holidays with Osaze recently has told MTNFootball.com that the 29-year-old striker believes that he has done

enough to get a good deal at any top club, be it Arsenal or any other club keen to sign him.

“I know there has been some kind of approach for Osaze from Arsenal. It would most certainly be a dream come true at least for Osaze’s father, who is a die-hard Arsenal fan, should he move there,” the top source informed MTNFootball.com.

“But the player is not happy that while the London Gunners are willing to meet West Brom’s transfer fee, there will not be much change in the player’s personal terms, rather they are proposing what he considers peanuts for him.

“He won’t fall for the glamour associated with playing at the Emirates for a top club like Arsenal because he wants the right cash to go with it.”

Osaze, who spent part of his holidays in South Africa with his sister who is nursing her ailing son, is presently on holidays in the United States of America.

He has also been contacted by Arsenal’s bitter city rivals Tottenham Hotspur as well as top Italian club Juventus.

“Everything is still very much in the air as regards Osaze’s future and it will be only be much clearer later during this transfer season,” another source told MTNFootball.com.

“But it will be something of a miracle if West Brom hold on to him because the player is very ambitious and wants to win things.

“And at 29, he knows that he has to make the most of a great campaign that saw him bang in 15 goals in only his first season in the English Premier League.”

Though no figures were divulged, it is believed that Osaze took a massive pay cut so as to make his way to the EPL from big-spending Locomotiv Moscow in Russia and now that he has made a success of his first season in England, he believes he needs to be adequately compensated.

Next season will be tougher –Iniesta BARCELONA midfielder Andres Iniesta has voiced his opinion that the Spanish champions face an uphill task to better their performance next year after an impressive 2010-11 campaign.

Iniesta ended the 2009-10 season by netting the winner in the World Cup final, and has since collected the Spanish Supercup, Primera Division and Champions League. The Catalans will be hopeful of achieving more success next term, but the 27-yearold conceded that it will not be easy to improve on a special year.

“It has been a very good year after winning the World Cup. It has been a special and very nice season with several trophies,” Iniesta was quoted as saying by reporters, added that he won his biggest prize off the pitch.

“Personally, the highlight of the season was the birth of my daughter.

It will be a tough year to beat, but we will give it a try.”

Siasia recommends Aneke, Durojaiye for Dream Team V

N

•Osaze

IGERIAN coach Samson Siasia has recommended Chuks Aneke of Arsenal and Olumide Durojaiye from Tottenham to join the country’s U23 team.

Siasia told MTNFootball.com:

FALLOUT OF NIGERIA/TANZANIA CLASH

We lost so many chances –Eguavoen

N

IGERIA Olympic team coach Austin Eguavoen rued missed chances against Tanzania, saying his team ought to have won at least 5-0 in Benin City.

Dream Team V defeated Tanzania 30 Sunday to reach the final qualifying tournament for next year’s Olympics in London on a 3-1 aggregate.

Team officials lamented the fact that the team failed to make hay from the host of chances they created in the first leg in Tanzania, where they lost 1-0 a fortnight ago.

The team’s less than clinical finishing was again on display at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Sunday.

“It was not an easy game, but we should have won by at least five goals, if only our strikers had converted the chances that came our way,” said Eguavoen.

“All the same, I must commend my boys for putting up a good show of themselves. As you all witnessed the

boys were always rushing to the touch line to have a change of footwear because the pitch was very hot, but with all this they brought forth the desired result.”

Eguavoen’s team got off to a bright start as early as the third minute of the second leg when Warri Wolves striker Ekigho Ehiosun headed home a perfect cross from captain Lukman Haruna.

All efforts by the Dream Team to increase the tally hit the brick wall of the Vijana Stars defence led by their inspirational goal keeper, Self Juma.

After several missed chances at the second half by Ahmed Musa, Ehiosun and Nnamdi Oduamadi, the pressure from the Dream Team V paid off in the 55th minute, when Ganiyu Oseni slotted home a timed cross from Ehiosun.

Super Eagles speedy winger, Ahmed Musa, who was guilty of throwing away several chances, finally kept his cool in the 90th

minute when he rounded off two defenders before slotting pass goal keeper Jackson Williams who came in for injured Juma.

The Dream Team V will now switch attention to this weekend’s first-leg All Africa Games qualifier against Ghana, also in Benin City.

Fenerbahce losing patience over Yobo T URKISH champions Fenerbahce are losing their patience with Everton over a permanent deal for Nigeria defender Joseph Yobo and have scheduled showdown talks with the Premier League club on Tuesday.

Negotiations for the services of the Nigeria captain have stalled on the differing valuations by both clubs, with Everton's 4.5m euro price at least a million higher than what Fenerbahce are prepared to pay.

The Nigeria captain joined Fenerbahce on loan from Everton in January with the option of a permanent deal which

COUNTDOWN TO WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP

Flying Eagles to leave for Faro, Portugal July

T

HE Nigeria U-20 team, otherwise called the Flying Eagles will proceed to Faro, Portugal for the final part of their preparation for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia in the first week of July NationSport can exclusively report.

The acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) Barrister Musa Amadu made this disclosure to NationSport in an exclusive interview on Monday morning on telephone.

Barr.

Amadu told our correspondent that the NFF was not given anything to chance in the Flying Eagles’ quest to go far in the Under-20 World Cup which starts, July 29th in Colombia and owing that fact, the Football House had concluded arrangement to airlift the country’s contingent to Faro, Portugal to further intensify

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri their preparation for the competition in that state-of-the-artfacilities which abound in Faro before the team travels to Colombia for the World tourney.

“The Under-20 will be travelling in the first week of July to Faro, Portugal and we have concluded plans to ensure that. NFF is not leaving any stone unturned in its bid to ensure that the Flying Eagles give very qualitative representation in Colombia.”

The team is expected to train in Portugal for some weeks before finally departing for Bogota, Colombia the venue of the championship which holds between July 29th and August 20th, 2011.

Nigeria is grouped alongside modest teams like Croatia, Saudi Arabia and Guatemala in Pool D

“Aneke has been doing very well in the colours of Arsenal and he is rated highly in England, although he did not participate in the camping due to injury, but he would be a quality addition to the U-23 national team.

“Durojaiye too really surprised me and I am sure he will be good acquisition for the Dream team V.” Siasia forwarded the names of the two players to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) before he left London for United States of America on holidays.

This recommendation by Siasia came after a two-day training camp for British-born Nigerian players in London on June 15 and 16.

The Eagles coach supervised the players in London along with his assistant, Simon Kalika.

and should fancy a berth in the second round after the team emerged victorious in the African Youth Championship (AYC)- the qualifier for the World Youth Championship early May this year.

The Flying Eagles had played Saudi Arabia before at this competition in 1989 when the then Flying Eagles handed a 2-1 defeat to hosts, Saudi Arabia in the opening match of that championship from where they got to the final before losing 2-0 to Luis Figo inspired Portuguese. Nigeria has not met both Croatia and Guatemala before in the Under 20 World Cup. Nigeria had played twice in the final of the Under 20 Cup with the recent being the Samson Siasia led Under 20 which was beaten in the final by the then emerging Lionel Messi in 2005 when Holland the world.

the Turkish club are looking to exercise.

But they have baulked at Everton's 4.5m euro price and are looking to pay no more than 3 million Euros.

With time running out before preseason, Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim has declared that they would be exploring other options if a deal is not reached by this week.

Sources close to the player have told KickOffNigeria.com that Yobo is getting increasingly frustrated at Everton's bullishness and, if forced to return, would sit out the remainder of his contract in the reserves, costing Everton hugely in wages.

Yobo himself says Everton would be 'last resort'.

"I am enjoying myself here in Turkey," he said. "I love the club, the fans and the thrill of competing for trophies every season and the chance to play in Europe every season.

"I enjoyed my time at Everton, and I love the fans and the club, but now it's time to move on. I want to play at a club that is competing for trophies every season.

"Returning to Everton would be the very last resort for me."

•Yobo

•Iniesta

Chelsea makes a renewed £25m bid for Modric CHELSEA are believed to have made a £25 million bid to acquire the services of wantaway Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric.

The Croatian was one of the standout players in the Premier League last season, but his side managed to miss out on securing Champions League football as Manchester City beat them to a spot in the top four.

The 25-year-old admitted he would like to make a move away from Spurs, hinting at the possibility of a move to Stamford Bridge after insisting that he would like to remain in London - and play in the Champions League.

However, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy hit back, insisting that the former Dinamo Zagreb man would not be sold to any club at any price.

Park Ji-Sung ready for Man United exit MANCHESTER United's Korean midfielder Park Ji-Sung says he believes he doesn't have long left with the Red Devils, in the wake of links with Spanish La Liga duo Sevilla and Atletico Madrid.

The 30-year-old Red Devil, who retired from international football after the 2011 Asian Cup, comes out of contract at Old Trafford at the end of the 2011-12 season.

Mirror Football reports Park is attracting interest from the Spanish duo and added Atletico will have money to spend with Sergio Aguero and David de Gea set to be sold by the club.

Earlier this month, The Telegraph reported Park is likely to sign an extension with United when he returns to the club for their preseason tour of the United States in August.

However, Park told reporters ahead of his charity match in Vietnam he was open to the idea of moving to another club before retirement.

"I won't be able to show my best after one or two years. I don't know how long I can stay at Manchester," said Park.

24

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

NATION SPORT

ENGLISH PREMIER TRANSFER

Redknapp doubts Defoe’s departure H

ARRY Redknapp has rejected suggestions that striker Jermain Defoe could leave Tottenham

for bitter rivals Arsenal.

The England striker has been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane this

Larsson set for Sunderland deal

S

UNDERLAND will complete a move for Seb Larsson when the two parties agree on the length of contract, his father has confirmed.

As revealed by skysports.com earlier this week, the Black Cats are set to win the race to sign the Sweden international midfielder after his contract with Birmingham expired.

A number of clubs were keen to secure Larsson's services, with Arsenal, Blackburn, Aston Villa and Fulham all understood to be keen.

But the 26-year-old has elected to join up again with Steve Bruce, having played under the Wearside boss during his time at the St Andrews helm.

Svante Larsson stated that the majority of formalities over a deal for his son had been completed, with only the number of years on the terms to be agreed.

"Sunderland have been on really hard since January. Steve Bruce has done much to bring about a deal and been very active," Larsson senior told Sport Folket.

"Sebastian along the way pointed out Sunderland as a distinct possibility. We have turned every stone and weighed the pros and cons. "[The] Parties agree on the economic conditions and what remains is to agree on the length of the contract.

"They want a little longer and we want less. But I think there will be no problems."

summer, with local foes the Gunners reported as one possible destination.

But Redknapp does not believe the diminutive frontman would make the short journey across North London to Emirates Stadium.

"I didn't see that," Redknapp said of such speculation. "I couldn't see that one happening."

Defoe missed a chunk of last season after suffering an ankle injury on international duty with England against Switzerland in September.

The former West Ham and Portsmouth player still managed to bag 12 goals in all competitions but was unable to help Spurs secure a second season of Champions League football.

Newcastle eyes Rodriguez

N

EWCASTLE, Swansea and Blackburn Rovers are understood to be interested in veteran Valencia winger Vicente Rodriguez.

The 29-year-old left-sided star is leaving Valencia when his contract expires next month after eleven seasons at the Mestalla Stadium.

Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias has suggested the 38-times capped Spanish international as a potential free transfer signing to boss Alan Pardew.

The player's agent has been busy getting his name circulated to other clubs and Swansea and Blackburn have also shown some

interest in a player who recently admitted he turned down Real Madrid on two separate occasions.

Vicente told Cadena Ser : "They have twice tried to sign me. The first time when I was only 16.

The second time was after we had just won La Liga and the UEFA Cup with Valencia.

"Real Madrid made a 36 million euros offer for me, but Valencia turned the bid down. That was the end of the Madrid links."

Fulham moves for Dons starlet F

ULHAM have made a bid for Aberdeen starlet Fraser Fyvie, who is also interesting Blackburn and Newcastle, according to reports on Sky Sports.

Fyvie is regarded as one of the best young talents to emerge in Scotland in recent years after breaking into the Aberdeen side as a 16-yearold.

The likes of Blackburn and Newcastle have been linked Fyvie in the past, but Fulham are hoping to steal a march

Samba wants Arsenal switch

B

LACKBURN are keen to keep Chris Samba for at least another season despite the defender's desire to join Arsenal.

The Gunners have been credited with a long-standing interest in the giant centreback as they look to bolster their defensive ranks.

Congo powerhouse Samba looked set to leave Ewood Park in the wake of Sam Allardyce's sacking but was eventually persuaded to put pen to paper on a fresh deal by new boss Steve Kean.

The 27-year-old, who is now under contract at Ewood Park until the summer of 2015, was targeted by the Gunners during the January transfer window without success.

Emirates Stadium boss Arsene Wenger is expected to return with another offer in the summer as he aims to improve a backline which proved leaky at times last term in another season without silverware.

Anuradha Desai, chairperson of the Venkys group who own Blackburn, admitted that Samba was keen on a move to North London but Rovers are eager to keep him for at least another 12 months.

"We don't want to let Chris go," Desai told the Mail on Sunday. "I'm confident that we can keep him and I hope he'll stay.

"I know he has an ambition to play for Arsenal but I hope we can keep him for another year at least and prove our own ambition."

•Fyvie

G

ENK director Dirk Degraen insists that Kevin de Bruyne will not be allowed to be loaned out to another Belgian club should he join Chelsea.

Recent reports suggested that the 19-year-old midfielder could be transferred to the west London club and then go straight back on loan to Genk's rivals Anderlecht as a part of a potential deal for Romelu Lukaku.

For his part, De Bruyne confirmed on Friday that he is looking forward to making the

move to Stamford Bridge.

However, Degraen is resolute in his stance and hopes to prevent the midfielder from playing for

•Bruyne

a rival Jupiler Pro League outfit.

But he is willing to accept an arrangement whereby the youngster continues playing for Genk on loan from the Blues.

"We have spoken with Chelsea about Kevin de Bruyne and it could be a possibility they loan him back out to us," he told VRT. "They will have to sign a clause that he could not be loaned out to Anderlecht or any other Belgian club."

He added: "In my opinion he can't develop at Anderlecht. We have proven to be at least on the same level [as them]."

on their rivals by luring him to Craven Cottage.

Fulham have held a longterm interest in the 18-yearold and have now firmed up their interest with an offer.

Fyvie, who has recovered from a cruciate knee ligament injury that blighted his season last term, holds the record for the youngester ever goalscorer in a SPL match.

Aberdeen are reluctant to lose Fyvie, but know they will struggle to reject a sizeable offer for the midfielder.

Rovers: United illegally approached Jones

B

Genk sets De Bruyne-to-Chelsea conditions •Samba

•Defoe

LACKBURN Rovers have claimed that they "have reasons to believe" that Manchester United may have contacted Phil Jones before they were given permission to do so.

The young defender recently sealed a deal worth £20.5 million with add-ons, and switched his allegiance to the Old Trafford outfit.

Now Rovers' owner, Venky's chairperson Anuradha Desai, has hit out at the Red Devils, insisting that her club could have lodged an official complaint to the Premier League.

But after holding talks with manager Steve Kean, Rovers decided that it would have been unfair if the struggle that could potentially have ensued had impacted on the 19-year-old's career.

"We have reasons to believe

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2011 PAGE 16, 17, 48 & 49

that the player's agent and maybe the player had been in touch [with United] for two to three months before permission was granted," Desai told The Mail on Sunday.

"I was ready to take Manchester United on, ready to go to a tribunal if that's what it led to.

But we spoke at length to Steve Kean and we knew Phil wanted to go to United.

"We concluded that the person who would be most damaged by a delay and legal action was Phil. That wasn't fair on him.

There was a release clause for £16.5m and the total deal was £4m more with the add-ons. We wish Phil well.

"Phil is an outstanding young English player and I'm proud of the role Blackburn played in developing him. We made him an enormous offer to stay with us and we wanted to keep him."

25

PROPERTY

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

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

* The Environment * Mortgage * Apartments * Security * Homes *Real Estate

email:- property@thenationonlineng.net

With the coming of the rains, there is disquiet among residents of River View Estate, Isheri, Ogun State, who suffered devastating flooding last year when the Oyan Dam overshot its banks. They are asking the government to put the infrastructure that will check such a surge in place, reports OKWY IROEGBU.

Flood threatens N1b River View Estate

•One of the houses under threat at River View Estate, Isheri.

PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU

•STORY ON PAGE 26

•Nigeria, South Africa partner •‘Nigeria faces challenging •LAWMA organises environmental problems’ workshop for supervisors on Boutique Hotels - PAGE 26

- PAGE 28

- PAGE 28

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

26

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Nigeria, South Africa partner on Boutique Hotels N IGERIAN and South African investors are to partner to bring the first five-star boutique hotel to Nigeria. The partnership is between Mantis of South Africa and Grand Tower Group of Nigeria.

The hotel will open for business on October 1, in Katampe, the centre of Abuja and also that of Nigeria. The partnership will also see the establishment of the hotel brand across the country in five years, and 12 states in the next two years.

Addressing journalists on the partnership, Grand Tower Chairman Mr. Chidi Duru disclosed that the hotel will be in every state capital in five years.

He stated that “as each hotel is completed, the Mantis Group will market and manage the property, making use of its global sales, marketing and PR offices in the key source markets of the world, such as the UK, US and Europe”.

The philosophy guiding the partnership is to empower locals, bring foreign exchange, respect the environment and conserve energy as well as engage in the recycling of materials.

Duru disclosed that Grand Towers Plc and Mantis Group plan to develop over a dozen luxurious boutique properties starting with Abuja then Lagos and other frequently visited cities and locations within the country. Each boutique hotel will have its own individual charm and atmosphere.

Former Minister of Information and a member of the board of the company that is packaging the partnership, Mr. Frank Nweke, described the partnership as being significant for the number of jobs it will create, considering that he is also the chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG).

He described the partnership as

From Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor)

good for Nigeria, stressing that when the hotels roll out, “it will challenge the existing concept of five-star hotel rating in Nigeria”.

Nweke added that international hotel certifiers will be in the country yearly to certify the true star rating of the boutique hotel in Nigeria, stressing that “this will create value for those who can pay for it”.

The Managing Director of Mantis West Africa and the General Manager of the Grand Tower Boutique Hotel, Mr. Patrick Shorten, thanked Nigerians for opening up to the Mantis experience of hospitality. Mantis as the managing partner of the boutique hotel, which he said has been in that specialised line of hospitality for 20 years.

Mantis manages boutique hotels and game reserves in four continents and 40 countries and its operation in Nigeria is the first in

•From left: Patrick Shorten, Frank Nweke, Chidi Duru and Laurie Ward, at the event.

West Africa and the last frontier left for the brand to penetrate.

Funding for the 30-room hotel project has been secured and all parties involved have assured that the hotel will start operation on

the October 1. Currently, the managers of the hotel are recruiting and training staff in line with the local content policy of the government.

The hotel is planning to recruit

60 Nigerians but the Mantis boss stated that the ratio of staff to guests will be higher than in regular hotels to maintain the rating of a five- star boutique hotel of international standing.

Lagos to celebrate World Environment Day today

T

HE Lagos State Government will join the rest of the world in celebrating the World Environment Day today. Activities marking the day will hold in the five divisions of the state simultaneously.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Environment, signed by the Press/Public Relations Officer, Mr. Adesegun Ogundeji, activities include lectures on the theme of this year’s celebration Forest: Nature at your Service. It will be delivered by erudite scholars in the divisions.

By Okwy Iroegbu Asst. Editor

Prof. Musiliu Onilude will deliver a lecture at the Blue Roof, venue of Ikeja Division celebration where the governor will also deliver keynote address and present a book titled State of the Environment to the public”.

Part of the activities marking the celebration was a bicycle ride last Saturday to encourage the people to trek short distances and use non- motorised mode of transport to cut down on vehicular emission which is contrib-

uting in no small measure to greenhouse gas emission.

Also there will be a broadcast to the people of Lagos State to be read by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Mrs. Titi Anibaba.

The Governor, Raji Fashola, will be represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, in Ikorodu Town Hall where the lecture will be delivered by Prof. Toyin Ogundipe.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu will hold forte at Onikan Stadium with Prof. S. O. Bada giving the lecture while Sena-

tor Ganiyu Solomon will lead in Badagry Grammar School with Prof.

Labode Popoola delivering a paper.

Senator Olugbenga Ashafa will represent the Governor at Epe Recreation Centre while Dr. S.O Omoseyindemi will deliver the lecture.

The various venues are expected to have large audience made up of people from all strata of human callings who will take home the message that a lot of advantages abound in the conservation and protection of our forests.

Flood threatens N1b River View Estate •Continued from page 26

T

HE residents of River View Estate, Isheri, on the LagosIbadan Expressway, fear a repeat of last year’s devastation caused by the release of water from the Oyan dam.

Their concern emanates from the fact that no remedial step has been taken, despite government’s assurances that it would address the situation.

Last year’s devastation attracted the attention of President Goodluck Jonathan, who on his visit to the affected areas, promised relief measures which barely addressed the problem.

When The Nation visited the estate, the residents, through their spokesman, Aboyomi Akinde, said the government has failed to deliver on its promise to tackle the infrastructure challenges of the estate. He stressed that it was the assurance by the state to address the issues that made them to take possession of the estate in the first intance. The failure of government to act, Akinde claimed, has made the residents to incur expenses, running into millions of naira, in attempts to mitigate the effects of the flood on lives and properties.

He lamented that the residents have been inundated with warning messages from the National Emergency Management (NEMA), Nigeria Meteorological Society and other agencies of impending deluge of floodwater.

Akinde said their fear stemmed from the poor policy implementation and structural maintenance of the Oyan Dam which overshot its

banks last year, leaving a massive destruction of lives and properties in its wake.

He said: “Regular maintenance is not taking place to de-silt the dam, consequently, soft sand deposit is gradually taking over the dam’s storage capacity by an estimated 70 per cent, thus seriously reducing its ability to store and retain water during periods of heavy rainfall.”

Akinde regretted that the Ogun State government has failed to

check the dumping of garbage in the river, which has polluted and reduced its depth and width.

He stated that squatter communities along the river bank have blocked its path with refuse, garbage and unapproved structures.

He accused the Federal and Ogun State governments of complicity in the perennial flooding due to uncontrolled development against Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies carried out in the 70s and 80s, which delineated

•Akinde (middle) and other residents last Thursday.

areas occupied by the River View Estate, OPIC, Sparklight Estate and others as wetlands and flood plains to be protected and kept at a balance in the ecosystem.

He regretted that in contravention of known principles, the area has witnessed construction of all sorts in the last 20 years, with streams blocked and diverted from their courses.

On mitigating measures so far by the government, Akinde said: “Various interventions by gov-

PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU

ernments to alleviate the problems have not yielded results.

Bridges have been built to allow water pass on to dry land in some areas, and mini-channels constructed to keep the water along a defined path. But, probably, as a result of inadequate studies or non-utilisation of requisite tools, these measures have solved little.”

Disclosing what the residents have done to alleviate their losses, Akinde explained: “When previous governments’ efforts proved to be half-hearted, ineffective and inadequate, we, the residents, decided to embark on life-saving measures to save our investment from going down the drain.

“We have diverted the relief funds paid to us to create embankments, levees and dykes, and also embarked on a pitiable attempt at dredging to force the water along a pre-determined path. This has cost us millions of naira but our collective efforts are, at best, pathetic”.

He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to come to their aid before they are swept away by flood, considering the expected torrents this year due to global warming and climate change.

Akinde also questioned the rationale behind the N1.3 billion ecological funds given to other states living out Ogun in the intervention.

He accused past governments in the state of short-changing the residents of the estate by starving them of necessary infrastructure, despite that they pay tax.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

27

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

28

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT Building Issues

Nigerians and the ‘BQ’ mentality

By Kola Akomolede CLIENT wanted to buy a flat at the 1004 Estates recently and I took him to into retain their drivers unless they spect the estate. are ready to pay through their He said he would not buy because noses. the flats have no Boys Quarters Why, because most of the driv(BQ). ers have to live too far away resultAnother was to buy a duplex at ing in spending too much as transLekki but declined because it has portation and other inconveniences only one room BQ. like getting home too late and still All these reminded me of anhave to leave home too early in the other client who wanted to buy a mornings. house in Central London. His reIf our housing estates had been quest was for a three or four bedplanned in such a way that the rich room house with two rooms BQ. I and the poor can exist together, this tried to explain to him that houses problem could have been avoided. in London do not usually have BQs Then these necessary hands could but he would not understand. live in their houses and come and Nigerians have become so accuswork in their ogas house and go back tomed to having BQs that they will home to their own families. want to have it even in London or Our housing estates are still New York. planned as if the low income do not What is a BQ and what is the orimatter. Whereas our own lives are gin? The word BQ is an abbrevianot complete without them! They tion for Boys Quarters or Servants not only serve us in Quarters as it now the houses, they also houses house maids ‘The rich canserve in our offices as as well as house not exist with- office attendants, boys. It is one of the cleaners and colonial creations in out the poor as clerks, guards. Some of Africa! You will not they depend on them live too far find it in the UK or from their the US. Our colonial them for serv- away work places so much masters who lived in exclusive areas ices which are that half of their salaries is spent on transcalled GRA. (Govessential to portation. In addiernment Reservation Areas), needed their good liv- tion, because of the long and tortuous the services of Nigeing. We can transportation, they rians as cooks or get to work already stewards; but would only do withexhausted having not live in the same out BQs when jumped from one bus house with the black another. You do man! we address the to not expect such a perTherefore, a sepahousing needs son to give his best rate building, usuat work. There is ally built at a disof the poor also no concentration tance from the main along with that in the few hours behouse, is put up at a fore closing. corner at the far rear of the rich’ He is anxious to end of the plot to ac-

A

•LAWMA Supervisors after the workshop on Wednesday.

PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU

LAWMA organises workshop for supervisors T HE Lagos State Waste Man agement Authority (LAWMA) has organised a workshop for its supervisors. At the event, which was held at City Hall last Wednesday, the Managing Director of the agency, Mr Ola Oresanya, said the aim is to train supervisors who are the link between the authority and the service providers to ensure improved operational ethics and practices.

Oresanya said the workshop is expected to enhance the general performance of street cleaners in relation to their responsibility in ensuring the cleanliness of the environment. He praised the performance of some supervisors who he acknowledged to have shown commitment and zeal to the success of waste management service in the state.

He promised to sponsor supervisors who distinguish themselves in the workshop. They would undergo a two- week exchange programme in United Kingdom to study more on litter control and city cleaning practices in line with

•Sweepers seek civil service integration

By Okwy Iroegbu, Asst Editor

the vision of the state to be the cleanest city in Africa by 2012.

The LAWMA boss said the agency has stepped up its activities with the coming on stream of the Olushosun Nylon manufacturing plant that produces the nylon used in disposing waste from homes and offices.

A supervisor with the agency, Mr Olalekan Idowu, while commending the authority for the workshop, narrated their challenges as that of silt and filth occasioned by irresponsible behaviours of some Lagosians.

He accused some other agencies who he said collude with traders to sell at unapproved places thereby littering the place with filth and garbage.

He said: “ In Yaba for instance,

traders refuse to remove their wares from the street to allow us do our work. They also avoid using the public toilet because it is paid for. The prefer to use the gutters and any available space thereby making our jobs very difficult and challenging.”

On other challenges faced by his colleagues, he said they are at the mercy of dangerous drivers who care little about their safety.

He asked the government to investigate his claims and that of his colleagues and address them effectively.

On remuneration, Oresanya regretted that there is no uniform remuneration for the supervisors except the sweepers whose takehome is N10,000.

He urged the government to improve on their welfare by integrating them into the state civil service.

‘Nigeria faces challenging environmental problems’

N

IGERIA is said to be among countries facing the most challenging environmental problems.

Elder statesman and renowned environmentalist Chief Philip Asiodu said this at the Joseph Ayo Babalola University Environment Day symposium.

Asiodu, who delivered a lecture on Forest resources; our environment and us said Nigeria faces with all the acute environmental problems identified by World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WF) regarding species, forests, marine and fresh water ecosystems, toxics and climate change.

All these are compounded by the vicious circle linking poverty with environmental degradation.

According to the President of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), there are many basic facts not commonly known about the environment.

First is the pressure of population on available land. Nigeria’s population is about 149 million and it is growing at about 2.8 per cent per annum.

Already, Nigeria has 20 per cent of the population of Africa. Our land space is, however, only 924000 sq km which is only 3.1 per cent of the area of the African continent.

The population is projected to

By Okwy Iroegbu Asst. Editor

reach 210 million by 2020 and if the growth rate is not drastically reduced some United Nations (UN) projections would put it at over 400 million by the end of this century.

“The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommend that at least 25 per cent of a country should be under forest cover. Forest cover in Nigeria is now less than four per cent compared with about 30 per cent at Independence.

“Nigerian cities and towns are shameful examples of squalor and ecological degradation. Pyramids of solid waste impede traffic in Lagos and other cities and the situation grows worse by the day”.

He said beyond our cities and towns, the country is severely afflicted by the problems of deforestation and desertification; erosion, destruction of wildlife habitats and biodiversity, destruction of watersheds, the siltation of rivers and lakes and the degradation of other forms of marine resources.

According to him, mining wastelands have been created in Jos Nassarawa, Ilesha and Enugu.

There is serious industrial pollution in Lagos and several other cities, with the possible exception of

Calabar.

There is shameful evidence of inability to control and manage municipal waste generation.

“We all know the direct consequences of deforestation – the loss of soil through erosion, sheet and gully erosion, the reduction in soil fertility and the productivity of farms. It has been estimated that over 13 million tonnes of soil are washed away into the sea annually.

This of course aggravates poverty in the rural areas.”

Animals that have disappeared from Nigeria in recent times include the cheetah, pygmy hippopotamus, giraffes, the black rhinoceros.

An estimated 484 plant species in 112 families, including many medicinal and fruit trees, are also threatened with extinction because of habitat destruction and deforestation.

Asiodu called on the leadership and the elite in Nigeria to adopt and energetically implement a comprehensive Agenda for Environment – perhaps a new 2020 agenda which would only require a minor updating of the Environment Chapter of the abandoned Vision 2010.

It has to be a long-term agenda with properly sequenced measures to implement from now on for two decades or more.

commodate the black man.

He would be summoned by a bell to come to the main house whenever his services were needed.

Sometimes he has his own entrance by which he could go in and out of the BQ without going through the main compound.

Our black brothers, who took over from the colonial masters, inherited these houses and continued with the practice. Hence, when such people wanted to build their own houses even outside the GRA, they insisted that the design must have a BQ. This is how gradually BQ became a permanent and usual part of our design of houses! Consequently, every house even in the villages must have a BQ otherwise, it is not complete.

Talk to a typical Nigerian about a house not having a BQ, his answer is where will the house maid, the driver, the cook, the steward, etc, stay if you do not have a BQ? But what is wrong with these people staying inside the house? Unlike the white man who would not live with a black man under the same roof, why can’t we do away with this colonial mentality and treat domestic servants as brothers and sisters?

This matter is one of the fall outs of our housing policies. Why must the domestic servants live with you? The answer is simple. The rich or big man who requires the services of these people live in areas very far from any accommodation that the poor can afford! For example, where in Ikoyi, Victoria Island or Lekki can they get accommodation near their bosses if there are no BQs? For this reason, a lot of these people are finding it difficult

leave early and the thought of the trauma he will go through on the way home is a source of serious distraction. You do not expect any concentration at work during those hours!

Even in Abuja, there is no provision for the low income! Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse and Garki are exclusively for the rich. The poor are therefore, forced to live in the satellite villages which are far away with no train services or any good bus service as you will find alsewhere. This is why a BQ is a necessity in all houses in those areas.

There is the need to review our housing estate plans to take into account these challenges. The rich cannot exist without the poor as they depend on them for services which are essential to their good living. We can only do without BQs when we address the housing needs of the poor along with that of the rich.

The problem is even becoming more serious with the policy of the Federal Government in the last 12 years to leave housing entirely in the hands of the private sector. We all know that housing for the poor or low income is not a profitable venture and, therefore, not attractive to the private sector that is profit driven.

They have, therefore, concentrated on building for the rich only to the detriment of the poor! President Goodluck Jonathan must, therefore, address this area by finding a solution to the problems of housing for poor in this society.

Chief Kola Akomolede Chairman, Faculty of Housing, NIESV.

•Contributions, questions? e-mail: quichi3cities@yahoo.com

29

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

•National Assembly

Elections: Why National Assembly restored tribunals’ powers Shortly before the last elections, the National Assembly voided the constitutional powers of the tribunals to declare election winners. It has reversed itself, following its lawyer’s acceptance that his client acted in ‘error’. ERIC IKHILAE reports.

F

OR the election tribunals there is no longer any hinderance to the exercise of their powers under the Constitution.

The National Assembly, which earlier voided their powers to order the winner of poll petition as the duly elected candidate, reversed itself.

The legislature was, on June 8, compelled to soft-pedal following pressure from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Labour Party (LP), a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation(AGF), Mohammed Adoke (SAN) and, perhaps, the altruistic opinion of its lawyer, Sebastine Hon (SAN) .

The Assembly stirred up the hornet’s nest when it withheld the tribunal’s constitutional power in its last amendment to the Electoral Act. In the amendment, it tinkered with sections 140(2) and 141.

Critics argued that the provisions were informed by the desperation of the legislators to prevent a repeat of what happened at the tribunals after the 2007 elections, where politicians lost their positions following their verdicts.

The legislators betrayed their motive when the Senate President David Mark and former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole, spoke happily about the provisions

Soyinka to speak at lawyers’ conference

– P.30

during the last electioneering campaigns.

They gleefully said the Assembly had taken away the tribunal’s power to declare winners in disputed elections. The best they expected tribunals and courts to do was to order rerun elections.

These provisions, and a strange one contained in Section 87(8), drew criticisms from members of the opposition who viewed them as unconstitutional. They argued that the Assembly lacked the powers to make such laws under the Constitution.

Determined to contain the Assembly in what they perceived was an arbitrary exercise of its powers, the Action Congress of

Ukachukwu’s petition abuses court process, says Uba - P.31

Nigeria (ACN) and the Labour Party (LP) went to court on the issue. They filed different suits at the Abuja and Lagos divisions of the Federal High Court.

The LP’s suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja, was directed at sections 140(2) and 141; ACN’s filed in the court’s Lagos Division, was targeted at both sections, in addition to Section 87(8).

Section 87(8) provides: “no political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of nominat•Continued on page 31

Benefits of Freedom of Information Act

– P.32

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

31

LAW COVER CONT’D

Elections: Why National Assembly restored tribunals’ powers •Continued from page 29

ing candidates for any elections.”

Section 140 (2) stipulates: “Where an election tribunal or court nullifies an election on the ground that the person who obtained the highest votes at the election was not qualified to contest the election or that the election was marred by substantial irregularities or non compliance with the provision of this act, the election tribunal or court shall not declare the person with the second highest votes or any other person as elected, but shall order a fresh election.”

Section 141 provides that “an election tribunal or court shall not under any circumstance declare any person a winner at an election in which such a person has not fully participated in all the stages of the said election.”

It was the contention of the plaintiffs that the said provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) were at variance with the provisions of the Constitution in relation to the powers of the court or tribunal as contained in sections 4 (8), 6 (1) and (2), 6 (6) (a) and (b), 40, 239 (1), 246 and 285.

The AGF, who was named as a defendant in both cases, stunned all when, at the hearing of the LP’s case, sided with the plaintiff.

He argued that sections 140(2) of the Electoral Act, derogated from the provisions of sections 239 and 285 of the Constitution which imbued tribunals with the powers to hear and determine election petitions and make declarations as to the rightful winners of such elections without reservation.

Represented by Ms Olufunke Aboyade, the AGF urged the court to take judicial notice of Section 1(3) of the Constitution. He argued that both sections 140(2) and 141 of the Electoral Act appeared to directly contravene the provisions of Section 4(8) of the Constitution which subjects the exercise of legislative powers to the jurisdiction of the courts.

LP had in its originating summons, urged the court to void the said sections 140(2) and 141 on the ground that they were at variance with the provisions of sections 6(6a), 134, 179, 285 of the Constitution.

The ACN, on its part, argued that the Constitution did not only confer on the courts or tribunals the jurisdiction to determine if any person or candidate has been validly elected to office, it also empowered an electoral tribunal or court to provide appropriate redress for injuries and wrongs to aggrieved persons, subject to its jurisdiction.

It further argued that the NA acts ultra vires its powers where it enacts a statute to circumvent the jurisdiction or powers conferred by the Constitution. The party stressed that by enacting the said sections 140(2) and 141 the NA acted in contravention of the Constitution.

As regards Section 87(8), the ACN contended that that its provision, which seeks to limit the fundamental right of party’s members to associate, as guaranteed in chapter four of the constitution, contravenes section 40 of the constitution.

On June 8, when the case by the ACN came up before Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, everyone had anticipated legal fireworks only for the

•Senate President David Mark

•Speaker of House of Reps Aminu Tambuwal

•Osinbajo (SAN)

•Hon (SAN)

plaintiff’s lawyer, Mrs. Victoria Alonge, to inform the court that the NA has agreed with her client’s position that Section 140(2) of the Act was unconstitutional.

Mrs. Alonge, from the law firm of SimmonsCooper Partners, headed by former Attorney General of Lagos State, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, stated that the decision of the NA to change its mind as regard Section 140(2)

may have been informed by the combined arguments by the ACN, LP and the AGF on the unconstitutionality of the section.

She also announced that her client has equally conceded to the defendant’s argument that the provision of Section 141 is constitutional and should be retained.

Mrs. Alonge, at whose instance the court removed the AGF as a defendant in the case,

urged the court to declare Section 140(2) unconstitutional and retain Section 141 as being valid.

Mrs. Alonge also urged the court to void Section 87(8) on the ground that it offends the provision of Section 40 of the Constitution. She added that the section is unconstitutional because it purportedly limits the exercise of a right under Chapter 4 of the Constitution.

She stated in her written address that the prohibition by Section 87 (8) of members of political parties who hold public appointment, from exercising their associational rights in the party’s nomination process derogates from the Constitution.

In response to the defendant’s argument that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to challenge the NA in the rightful exercise of its powers in relation to the provision of Section 87(8), Mrs. Alonge, relying on the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Fawehinmi and the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria (2007) 14 NWLR Part 1054 page 275 at 303, 334-335, said locus standi does not apply when the issue in contention is constitutional.

Hon, who conceded that his client acted in error in enacting Section 140(2), confirmed the said concession by the NA. Hon, in his written submission, argued that the constitutional power granted the National Assembly to enact Electoral Law or Act is distinguishable from its competence to purport to oust the judicial powers vested in the court and election tribunals by the Constitution.

“It is in that light that I must concede, as a senior counsel, that I find it extremely difficult to defend the provisions of section 140 (2) of the Electoral Act. “I fail to see why the National Assembly can purport to divest the tribunals or courts of jurisdiction to make certain necessary orders in deserving circumstances, but will go ahead to vest the same tribunals and courts with the same jurisdiction under section 140(3) of the same Act, “ he said.

On Section 141, he argued that his client acted in good faith and in accordance with its powers. He explained that the section was informed by the need to end the controversy generated by the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Rotimi Amaechi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reported in (2008) All FWLR (Pt.407) 1.

“The National Assembly, acting pursuant to section 22 of part1 of the 2nd Schedule, read together with section 4(1) and (2) of the Constitution, decided to promulgate section 141 of the Electoral Act 2010(as amended) with the mischief of putting an end to the scholarly disputation on whether or not the Supreme Court was right in its decision in Amaechi’s case.”

As regard the ACN’s challenge of section 87(8), Hon queried the plaintiff’s locus standing to initiate the suit and urged the court to hold that the provisions of Section 87(8) and 141 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) are regular and constitutional.

Parties are now to await a formal pronouncement by the court, on all issues canvassed, as Justice Okeke has scheduled judgment for June 30.

Ukachukwu’s petition abuses court process, says Andy Uba

S

ENATOR Andy Uba, who represents Anambra South Senatorial District, has filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection to the petition brought by Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu against his election.

Ukachukwu filed a petition at the National Assembly Election Tribunal at Awka, Anambra State capital. He said he is the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the election, and not Uba. But Uba said Ukachukwu’s petition is incompetent because it is based on matters bordering on pre-election disputes.

He said the matters the petitioner raised did not qualify as grounds specified in the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the 1999 Constitution (as amended) for questioning the validity of an election.

According to him, the tribunal lacks the jurisdiction to adjudicate over the matters on which the petition is predicated, which is about who was the candidate of the PDP in the April 9 election in the Anambra South Senatorial District.

Besides, Ukachukwu failed to join the Returning Officer for the election, Uba said.

“The petition is an abuse of court process and the relief being claimed by the petitioner is not maintainable in an election petition,” Uba

•Petitioner insists he’s PDP candidate

By John Austin Unachukwu

added.

In his reply to Ukachukwu’s petition, Uba said the petitioner was not a candidate at the Senatorial election for Anambra South Senatorial District held on April 9 and does not have a right to be returned at the said election.

He said the PDP did not field Ukachukwu as its candidate in the election, nor did the petitioner contest the election or score any vote and therefore does not have any claim whatsoever to the Senate seat for the district as the winner of the election.

“The first respondent (Uba) is the only candidate of the PDP fielded for the election,” Uba said.

According to Uba, Ukachukwu did not go through the process of primary elections in accordance with PDP Constitution.

He said the PDP constitution provides that it is the local government area congress in Anambra State Chapter that has the right to elect national and state assembly candidates of the party.

“The National Executive Committee (NEC)

and/or the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP had purported to set up a panel which they tagged as Waku Panel contrary to the constitution of the party and to impede the Anambra State Executive Committee from participating and/or overseeing the election of the National/State Assembly candidates for the party,” Uba said.

Uba claimed that the Waku Panel was set up “as a way of frittering away” the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja delivered on October 6, 2010, adjudging the Benji Udeozor-led executive as the existing state Executive Committee of the PDP in Anambra.

According to him, Ukachukwu did not partake in the primaries, and that ward delegates actively participated in the primaries in which he (Uba) was elected.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having received the list of candidates containing the names of the first respondent could not accept any other list of candidates for the same elective positions,” Uba said.

But Ukachukwu claimed that INEC, which is the second respondent, has no authority to

refuse to accept him as the duly sponsored candidate of the PDP at the election.

For him, it was wrong for INEC to give the Certificate of Return to Uba, who according to the petitioner, was not sponsored by the PDP. Ukachukwu said he was elected the party’s candidate in a primary election organised by PDP’s NEC in line with its constitution and the Electoral Act. According to him, the state chapter of the PDP ought not to select, elect or nominate a candidate.

The petitioner said the primaries, which INEC claimed it monitored, in which Uba was elected, was not the act of the PDP as a legal body within the context of its constitution and guidelines.

“The state Chairman has no vires to submit any list of candidate for National Assembly Election to INEC. INEC has no authority to question the functions of the NWC of the PDP or to otherwise interpret the PDP’s constitution for it.

“Therefore INEC lacked the authority to declare the primaries conducted at the aegis of the NEC of the PDP and the NWC of the party unconstitutional,” the petitioner said.

Ukachukwu said his petition is competent and not based on matters bothering on preelection disputes as Uba claimed.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

32

LEGAL OPINION LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

•From left: Prof Chidi Odinkalu, Dr Sam Amadi, Mr Bamidele Aturu and Dr Omanu Edighegi at a gala night in Abuja to mark the passage of Freedom of Information Act

President Jonathan and our past ways

T Benefits of Freedom

T

of Information Act

HE last few days have been spent getting the record straight on Nigeria’s newly passed Freedom of Information Act (FoIA). Supporters have set out to identify its key features, elucidate the Act’s storied history, and even debunk popular myths. What remains to be told, however, is how the FoIA will positively affect the lives of the average Nigerian and the boon it will provide to our country as it seeks its place as a modern democracy and economy on the world stage.

The Right to Know Initiative (R2K) sums up the benefits of the FoIA in one sentence: “Your life depends on it!” This is one way of saying that the quality of life of anyone and of any society depends on the frontiers of their knowledge. There are many benefits in the FoIA for governance, leadership values, citizenship, and professional groups.

The Act will constrain abuse of power, compel a more professional media, kinetise national development, potentially create a new practice area for legal professionals and business consultancies, and underpin a new set of values for public life in Nigeria.

In a nutshell, the FoIA allows any person, for any reason, to access information that is in the custody of any public official or institution one week from the date requested whether or not it is contained in written form. In the interest of the State, however, some exceptions exist, such as information relating to defence or the conduct of Nigeria’s international relations.

In addition certain information such as descriptions of organizational responsibilities and employee salaries must be proactively published and made available to the public. When information is improperly denied, the Act also allows for recourse in court to compel the public agency or official to comply with the order.

Although new to Nigeria, freedom of information legislation has been used around the world for centuries.

The first was passed in Sweden in 1766. When implemented successfully, it is a tried and true avenue towards transparent government and an active and informed citizenry.

One only needs to look at our counterparts in Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the United States for evidence.

Even a few African countries, including Liberia, Uganda, and South Africa have passed parallel legislation even though their attempts at implementation have been somewhat unevenly. The truth of the matter is that the Act is long overdue: Nigeria’s historical governance deficit and stark corruption made our country a perfect candidate for the

By Adeola Olagunju

Act decades ago.

As other nations have experienced, the benefits of the FoIA are far-reaching —both singularly and collectively. Singularly in the sense that the newly accessible information will allow individuals to access and interact with government in a way not fathomed before.

The benefits are collective to civil society, businesses, and government in the sense that freedom of information is a fundamental marker on the road towards economic development and progress, anticorruption, civic engagement, and a properly functioning democracy.

On an individual level, the FoIA enables every citizen with the right to know what our government is doing and how it is spending public funds. This means that all government spending, with a few exceptions, now falls within the purview of public scrutiny.

Such accountability will amongst other things, force government officials to keep tidier records and disincentivize graft, yet the everyday implications for Nigerians are much more far-reaching. Armed with the right to know, Nigerians will no longer have to ask questions such as who is in charge of repairing their local roads and where the money for such projects have disappeared to.

The FoIA now puts this type of data at the public’s disposal. Access to such information will be available to all who seek it and the methods for doing so will be widely publicized.

As a result, business owners will be able to assess risks and operate their businesses more efficiently as they gain an understanding of foreign and domestic state investments; students will have access to legitimate government records when conducting important research; healthcare workers can track where funds in the health budget have been allocated and how much has actually been spent, and so forth.

Clearly, the opportunities for citizens to benefit from this in their commercial, educational, civic, and personal capacities are endless.

The Freedom of Information Act is good for society as a whole for an innumerable amount of reasons; the overarching theme, however, is that FoIA is good for democracy. Freedom of information laws in general, and the Nigerian FoIA in particular instigate key democratic functioning by forcing government to operate more efficiently and transparently while simultaneously inspiring citizens to become active participants in the civic process.

Clearly, freedom of information is good for society because it increases

civic participation by empowering citizens. Here, the mantra “knowledge is power” bears real fruit. Citizens who know what their government is supposed to provide and how are in a much better position to advocate for and communicate their needs. Secondly, it is an informed citizenry that makes an informed electorate. I n turn, a government under the watchful eye of an engaged public will be forced to clean house or face the consequences at the polls. This should translate into more informed decision-making, more transparent elections, a more responsive leadership and more efficient public institutions; including a legislature that will be better equipped to write effective laws based upon more accurate record keeping.

In addition to the more obvious benefit of accountability, the FoIA will decrease government opacity and secrecy. Government transparency is key to a democratic and healthy society, both of which Nigeria is taking steps to become. In the wake of a new administration, setting off the next term with “open government” policies will be key to its success in ushering in true democracy and countering endemic corruption.

Lastly, the FoIA will serve as an important complement to anticorruption measures. This will make doing business in Nigeria easier by removing the stigma of risk that is associated with Nigerian investments.

The passage of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act in 2000 was a symbolic commitment to anti-corruption, but access to information can breathe new life to its objective.

It is impossible to hold corrupt officials accountable when corruption and embezzlement are commonplace if no one outside of government is privy to budgetary and other documentation. By making these documents accessible to all, the fight against corruption becomes one in which all can competently participate.

In sum, effective execution of the newly passed Freedom of Information Act in Nigeria might just be the entry point to public efficiency and accountability that Nigeria has been for so long waiting. It is for all of the reasons stated above that public support for and attention to the Act must not wane but grow even more vigilante as the true work of implementation and compliance begins.

•Olagunju is a law student at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., and legal intern at the Open Society Justice Initiative- Abuja office.

HE recent presidential directives ordering a reduction in the excessive price of kerosene and cement, reminded me of our better forgotten past.

That past when the presidency was strongly believed to be trading in the misery of the Nigerian people, while at the same time managing to give the impression of a compassionate and a caring federal authority. It was an era when double standards and double dealing was elevated to statecraft with respect to the prices and availability of petroleum products. It was worse during General Abacha’s era.

So, when the price of kerosene rose steeply to more than 300 per cent of the previous cost, many Nigerians had wondered if we were not back to the uncertain era of the past. As if determined to play out that era’s script, the presidency after several weeks of clear exploitation of the poor started the meaningless propaganda that necessary directives have been given to bring down the price of kerosene. The question remains who gave the original directive to hike the price? Otherwise who was responsible for the procured scarcity that saw a litre of kerosene sell three times the cost of fuel? Furthermore, who was responsible for the weeks of inertia on the part of the Federal Government agencies, as if to say nobody is responsible for monitoring the availability and prices of such essential commodities.

With regards to cement, the President apparently felt he needed the media mileage from a direct directive to cement manufacturers, and he made the best of it. He called together the cement oligopoly and ordered them to crash the prices, within a time frame. Interestingly, a leading member of the group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has, however, answered the President; that Nigerians should stop the trend of making cement a political commodity. I think the business mogul was right in more ways, than he explained. For reasons that can only be political, cement production in the Southeast for instance has been stalled through subterfuge, while cement production as a free enterprise was reserved for a selected few. So, when a directive is given, l get the sneaky feeling that it is all politics and not economics; and that is not good for the less politically privileged Nigerian entrepreneurs.

The same better forgotten tactics is playing out with respect to electricity production and availability. President Jonathan had raised our hope that electricity production was on the rebound, after the contrived lull during his predecessor’s era. The issue was a campaign matter, and many Nigerians started investing hope that the road map has been finally designed, with all the assurances of increased production. Then just as the President departed to the United States penultimate week, electricity also departed from the transformers. We were back to less than 2,000 Mega Watts of electricity for 150 million Nigerians, despite the billions of dollars spent and mountains of hope raised by the President’s men.

The worst of the past nightmares is also here; the bombs. While it never fully went away, the era of bomb blasts as a political tool has taken a completely fearsome level with the bomb blast at the police headquarters last week. It is the birth of the suicide bomber, which is scary. Like many Nigerians l think our leaders must realise that unless quickly nipped in the bud, Armageddon may just be by our gates. What can we do to check such a huge menace when our security capacities may probably be one of the worst in Africa? I am sure many Nigerians have been waiting to hear briefing from the police headquarters on the progress being made to apprehend the masterminds of an attempt to harm the head of police at the police headquarters. The head office, many will think, should ordinarily be one of the safest places in the country, and a sacred place to attempt a crime.

Now, if the police chief is attacked at the police headquarters and the biggest manhunt in history is not immediately underway, then the rest of us ordinary folks are in trouble. But you may ask, who are the attackers, though we have been told it is the increasingly amorphous group, called Boko Haram. If the police claim that the group is responsible is correct, then the group must be a bigger threat than the authorities had ever imagined. Initially localised in Borno State, the sect may have decided to export their terror to match the threat by the police to end their reign of terror in the state.

What the latest bomb blast shows is that the terror fronts have expanded and are now less identifiable. And for reasons which the perpetrators have not stated, Abuja has suddenly acquired a soft spot to detonate bombs. Just last October, bombs went off close to where a presidential ceremony was taking place as Nigeria was marking her independence anniversary. Not long before then, it was targeted at a ceremony in Delta State attended by former governors. In that remote past, allegedly contrived bomb blasts were introduced mainly in Lagos State to heighten the political crisis then.

While all the previous bomb blasts were scary enough, none was by a suicide bomber. So, the introduction of the bomber who is ready to die in order to deliver his wares to a determined destination is even more dangerous. The expectation of Nigerians is that our security agencies will rise up to the challenge this time, and apprehend the perpetrators. Many also hope that necessary political dialogue will be introduced to stem the new tide, assuming that those responsible are politically aggrieved and will be willing to resolve the differences via dialogue.

‘If the police chief is attacked at the police headquarters and the biggest manhunt in history is not immediately underway, then the rest of us ordinary folks are in trouble. But you may ask, who are the attackers, though we have been told it is the increasingly amorphous group, called Boko Haram’

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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LAW & SOCIETY NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (NEC) MEETING OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION (NBA) HELD AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, ABUJA

•Justice Gbola Adeniyi (left) and S. I. Ameh (SAN)

•Sitting: Chief Judge, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Justice L. H. Gumi (left) and NBA President Joseph Daudu (SAN). Standing: General Secretary, NBA, Olumuyiwa Akinboro and National Publicity Secretary, NBA, Emeka Obegolu

•From left: Adekunle Adeyemi, Dotun Adetunji, Tokunbo Soremi and Anozie Obi

•From left: Welfare Secretary, NBA, Sule Usman; Adeola Olagunju; and Prof Chidi Odinkalu •Chief Linus Ezeofor (left) and Chief Chris Uche (SAN)

•From left: Obi Okwusogu (SAN); Jude Nnodum (SAN) and Okey Wali (SAN)

•Mrs Funmi Roberts and former NBA President, Lanke Odogiyan

•From left: NBA Third Vice-President, Dr Ipkeze Ogugua; former NBA President, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN); Mrs Nella Andem Rabana (SAN); former General Secretary, NBA, Lawal Rafiu Rabana (SAN); NBA Assistant Financial Secretary, Mrs Chinwe Nwadike and NBA Millennium President, O. C. J. Okocha (SAN) PHOTOS: JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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LAW & SOCIETY DIASPORA SCHOLARS LECTURE ORGANISED BY NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED LEGAL STUDIES (NIALS) AT ITS UNILAG, AKOKA, LAGOS CAMPUS

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•Chairman of the occasion, Justice Binta Murtala Nyako and Director-General, NIALS, Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN)

•Prof Eunice Uzodike; guest lecturer, Prof Obiora Chinedu Okafor and former Vice-Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University (AAU) Prof Akin Oyebode

•Justice Stephen Adah (left) and Institute Secretary James Bathnna

•Rotimi Oyeniyi (left) and Director of Research, NIALS Prof Bolaji Owasanye

•From left: Prof Lanre Fagbohun, Prof Paul Idornigie and Prof Clement Dakas

•Prof Ayo Atsenuwa and former institute’s Librarian, Chief Theophilus Dada

•From left: Head, Department of Public Law, UNILAG Prof Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) and Prof Nnamdi Aduba (NIALS)

•Prof Peter Fogam and Dean, Faculty of Law, UNILAG Prof Oyelowo Oyewo

•Dr Chinyere Ani and Dr Tochi Okwor

•From left: Fidelis Ibhagbosoria and Elvis Obaseki PHOTOS: JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

ENERGY THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Ikeja distribution firm restores burnt facility

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

• Akamnonu

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USTOMERS of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) under the network of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, have heaved sigh of relief following the restoration of a major facility that got burnt recently and threw thousands of electricity consumers into darkness.

The management of the company has also set up a six-member panel to investigate the cause of the incident and their report is expected to be turned in before end of this week.

The fire outbreak, which occurred last Tuesday at the company’s Maryland injection substation, the second of such occurrence, affected the switching equipment and consequently three many areas including, Maryland and Alausa area, Secretariat, Wasimi, Ketu, Ikosi

GRA and some parts of Ikeja GRA, Allen Avenue, Ikeja Cantonment, Bank Anthony Way and Awolowo Way, among others.

The company has in the last few days begun to restore power supply to the affected areas and promised to be able to bring on stream all affected areas by end of yesterday.

Speaking on the development, the Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Chris Okaa Akamnonu, an engineer, said the power failure was as a result of a fire outbreak, which affected the switching equipment at Maryland Injection Substation but efforts are being made to complete an on-going installation of new equipment meant to replace the affected ones in a couple of days.

He said: “Some customers showed great understanding. They sent text messages and letters encouraging us and appreciating the efforts we were making to restore power supply. We did everything possible to assure our customers that we are taking them for granted.

“When the incident occurred on Tuesday I was emphatic that within few days supply would be back.

Although the damage was extensive, we were confident that we would bring supply back to customers by last weekend. We have actually started restoring supply.

We have restored supply to Maryland and Alausa area, Secretariat, Wasimi and Ketu, some parts of Ikeja GRA, Allen Avenue, Ikeja Cantonment, Bank Anthony Way and Awolowo Way. “We are working relentlessly

even with the inclement weather lately to see that in keeping with our promise we begin to bring in customers that are on 11kv line.

Members of staff work under the rain to see we meet our promise to the customers. More customers’ supply would be continuously restored. We hope that by Monday (yesterday), all would be back on our network.

“Our customers have suffered great loss and I will want to say to

ment we lost was already due for retirement. It is 38-years old but it doesn’t mean that if you want to retire equipment, they must get burnt.

Before the end of this week, the team set up to investigate the incident could have been ready with their report. I don’t want to put cost on equipment that is 38 years old but I can say that the cost of replacement of equipment we installed there is about N120 million. The equipment was brought into service on Saturday.”

• Control room

IPMAN western zone threatens secession

INSIDE •Engineers decry Nigeria’s 22.74w per capita consumption

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•••Page 38

•Customers owe Ikeja electricity coy N12b •••Page 39

•‘Training, education key to oil, gas development’

•••Page 40

HE Western Zone of the Inde pendent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigerian (IPMAN), has threatened to pull out from the national body should the two conflicting factions fail to resolve their differences amicably.

The Chairman, Western Zone of IPMAN, Mr. Olumide Ogunmade, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) made this known in a media briefing in Lagos shortly after the zone’s meeting on the way forward to put lasting solution to the crisis rocking the national body.

Ogunmade said that both the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) took advantage of the crisis rocking the national body to deny the group of its due benefits.

He said that all the southwest members have been advised that if the two

fractions at the national level fail to resolve their differences on or before June 30, they would pull out and be on their own. Ogunmade said if the two factions fail to put their differences behind and forge ahead, the western zone will have no choice than to withdraw their support and chart a new course.

He said: “The crisis between the two factions at the national level of IPMAN has grossly contributed to fewer allocations of products to our members

by NNPC. We would not have any choice than to pull out of the association if the factions fail to resolve their differences within the stipulated date,” he said.

A faction of IPMAN led by its National President, Alhaji Musa Felande Mohammed, had some months ago formally pulled out from its jointly owned company, Nigerian Independent Petroleum Company (NIPCO)

OIL PRICES JUNE 10 - JUNE17

Light Crude

Source: Rigzone.com

them that indeed we are unhappy with what happened. We want to appreciate them. I want to assure the customers that better days are ahead.”

On the cost of replacement of the burnt facility and measures put in place to guard against reoccurrence, Akamnonu said: “We have actually commissioned a six-member panel to look into the incident, it is an engineering team working to find out what exactly went wrong. The equip-

Brent Crude

and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Capital Oil and Gas Limited.

With the MoU, the group said that all petroleum products allocations meant for the independent marketers from the PPMC, a subsidiary of NNPC and other transactions with the association, will be channeled through Capital Oil facilities in Lagos.

The association’s national executive members as well as zonal executives from the six geopolitical zones in the country led by the National President, Alhaji Musa Felande Mohammed, were present at the agreement signing meeting.

Mohammed said that the objectives of formation of NIPCO as a company, which include receipt of IPMAN’s allocations and loading of such products for distribution across the country, have failed.

But the leader of another faction led

by its National President, Alhaji Abdulkadir Aminu, reacting to the development, said IPMAN still remains the promoter and a joint owner of NIPCO. Aminu said it was not possible for NIPCO / IPMAN to be talking of MoU now because the relationship between the two bodies have been made strong over the years, which is like a composite wall. Aminu said it was pertinent to note that there were only two major shareholders of NIPCO Plc, which include subscribing members of IPMAN and Messrs Purebond of United Kingdom Ogunmade, however, urged NNPC and PPMC to ensure that allocation of products given to members is published and made known to them all, adding that any attempt to exclude IPMAN members from the new distribution arrangement will fail.

Oil price down by 6.3% last week

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RUDE oil for July delivery lost $1.94 to settle at $93.01 a barrel Friday. Since June 10, oil futures have fallen 6.3 percent said Dow Jones Newswire.

Pessimism about the US economic outlook and its implications for oil demand contributed to Friday’s selloff.

A source of this negative investor sentiment was the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which last Friday observed that global economic activity is slowing down “temporarily.” In addition, the IMF lowered its 2011 economic growth

forecast for the U.S. by three percentage points to 2.5 percent.

Providing a cushion to falling oil futures, however, was a stronger euro.

Priced in dollars, crude oil becomes more attractive to investors holding other currencies when the greenback weakens. The euro rose 1.25 percent against the US dollar Friday as the prospects brightened for a resolution to the Greek debt crisis.

The leaders of European Union heavyweights France and Germany presented a more unified front Friday in working toward a plan to help Greece restructure its crushing national debt.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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ENERGY

Engineers decry 22.74w per capita consumption

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HE Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE) has lamented the poor electricity generation and supply in the country, which it puts at per capita of 22.74 watts.

The institution’s officials at a press conference held in Lagos told reporters that Nigerians are most deprived of electricity in the world.

“Nigeria’s over 150 million people are the most deprived of electricity. With just over 3,600 megawatts of available power generation, the country is one of the least served in the world with per capita of electricity generation at 22.74w per person, compared to South Africa’s 890w,” the group said.

They said that if Nigeria aims to become an industrial nation, the minimum per capita power consumption per person should be 500w. To actualise Vision 2020, the said Nigeria needs power generation of 75,000mw.

The engineers attributed the inability of the power sector to function to expectations to

Stories by Emeka Ugwuanyi

government’s choice of non professional as the minister of power.

They said that government has politicised the power sector noting that the power ministry has had the highest number of ministers.

The group said that if the government doesn’t take a drastic action against the power problem, it would be difficult to attain its industrial aspiration and achievement of Vision 2020.

“There is no strategic action to improve the current situation; therefore, a lot of work needs to be done.

Nigeria’s power industry is not properly funded. What percentage of the budget is spent on power? Very insignificant when compared with the enormity of issues on ground and targets expected to be achieved.

The Vice-chairman, NIEEE, Mr. Adekunle Makinde, an engineer, said over the years those appointed as ministers of power are not core power engineering professionals which have affected the growth of the industry.

Barclays sees an increased crude oil supply gap in Q3

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N the shorter term, oil fundamentals remain in tightening mode, with sharp reductions in the prospects for non-OPEC supply and resilient global demand indicating the likelihood of an increased supply gap in third quarter in a world with a declining inventory cover and spare capacity, said Barclays in a report.

Quoting Barclays, Commodity Online said: “Absent a severe recession, oil demand dynamics look set to outpace the additions to supply in our view, keeping the pressure on prices largely intact.”

Further, the backdrop of the oil market remains extremely politically charged, with events in the Middle East remaining a constant threat to oil supplies. In the past 10 days, four bombs were planted inside Iraq’s second largest refinery, and while little damage was done, it could have taken as much as a 75 percent of the refinery offline, which has a capacity of 210,000 barrels per day (bpd).

Indeed, al-Qaeda has also been seen to target the Iraqi oil sector and, as we have warned previously, Iraq remains a key potential geopolitical risk to the oil market.

Following the sharp moves lower last week, oil prices were fairly stable and rangebound staying around a $2 range, as July WTI closed up 14 cents at $94.95/bbl and August Brent closed up $1 to settle at $114.02/bbl.

The WTI Brent spread continues to

draw the markets attention, with the weakness in WTI caused by expectations of a domestic glut forming in the US Midwest and Canadian volumes finding their way to Cushing, while the tightness in the North Sea market has further accentuated the strength in Brent.

The scale of the spread is unjustifiable, in our view, but the underlying drivers of the dislocation look set to become entrenched.

Further, besides the infrastructure issue in the US Midwest, WTI has increasingly become a tool for expressing views on the US economy, in our view, creating a further layer of dislocation with the global oil market.

Yet, outside the benchmark intricacies and sovereign debt concerns and general macroeconomic unease, strong oil market fundamentals were further underlined with several data releases and reports this week.

Notably, non-Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) oil demand continues to remain on a strong growth path while the trajectory taken by OECD demand has remained far more benign than in 2008.

Indeed, the same sentiment was shared in the IEA’s medium-term oil market report, where the agency sees higher and stronger global oil demand into the middle of the decade, even in an expected environment of higher prices.

• From left: Taofik Basanya, Treasurer; Olafemi Olaniyan, Immediate Past Chairman; Sunday Adekunle Makinde, Vice Chairman; and Emmanuel Akinwole, Fellow Nigerian Society of Engineers, all engineers and of Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE) after a press briefing in Lagos

OPEC: IEA seeks more production

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HE International Energy Agency (IEA) heightened the concerns of energy consumers when it warned that in either the short or medium term, there is clear need for more Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil this year and raised its five-year oil price forecast by $19 (Dh69.78) a barrel, citing in both cases oil demand that will rise higher than previously expected in a supply-constrained market.

According to Dow Jones Newswire, this represents a more bullish take on the oil market than previous forecasts from the IEA, which represents major energy consuming countries and whose views have considerable sway in the oil market. The price of benchmark August Brent crude was up $1.72 at $114.73 a barrel.

In prior editions of its monthly

A

gust is expected to remain higher than June’s level of 1.4 million bpd, which according to Reuters data is expected to be the lowest in more than four years.

Exports of Plutonio crude will return to a normal level of five cargoes in August after being reduced to one to two cargoes in May and June following maintenance work at the field operated by BP Plc. Angola is a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and has rarely complied with its OPEC supply target of 1.52 million bpd set in December 2008, according to Reuters estimates.

This position gives clear support to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries that split away from OPEC at its Vienna meeting last week, after the rest of the group blocked a production increase.

The Gulf countries argued that OPEC should raise output to meet substantially higher demand in the second half of the year. The opposing faction, led by Iran and Venezuela, warned economic growth was weak and oil demand could falter, leaving the market over supplied.

The meeting failed to reach a consensus and ended in acrimony, leaving output unchanged despite forecasts from both the IEA and OPEC that, in the third quarter this year, the world will need an extra 1.5 million barrels a day from the exporters group, compared with most recent production figures.

‘...to cut supply in seven weeks’

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HE Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will cut oil shipments by the end of the month for the first time in seven weeks as summer demand for driving fuel in the northern hemisphere is set to pass its peak, according to tanker-tracker Oil Movements.

OPEC, according to Bloomberg, will ship 22.81 million barrels a day in the four weeks to July 2, down 0.7 per cent from the period to June 4, the consultant said in a report.

The data exclude Ecuador and Angola. It’s the first decline reported

by Oil Movements since the month

Angola’s August oil exports drops 120,000 bpd NGOLA is scheduled to ex port 1.58 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil in August, provisional exports schedules from trade sources showed.

The shipments include one of Palanca crude and exclude Gimboa, which typically provides one or no cargoes each month. Exports will be lower than the 1.70 million bpd scheduled for export in July.

Angola, which as recently as 2009 was rivaling Nigeria as Africa’s largest oil exporter, has since struggled to maintain its output due to a combination of natural decline and technical problems at oilfields says Reuters.

Even so, Angola’s supply in Au-

and medium-term market reports, the agency had taken a more cautious approach to economic and oil demand growth, but now says it expects both to be stronger even in the face of high oil prices.

Furthermore, it said the current cushion of spare oil production capacity will remain “uncomfortably thin” for several years, in large part because Libyan oil production may not return to pre-war levels until 2014.

In the short term, the IEA warned there is a danger of “overheating in prices” resulting in economic damage this year if the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) doesn’t pump extra oil. The promise from Saudi Arabia to pump up to an extra one million barrels a day this month and next would bring “welcome relief,” it said.

• Oil platform

to May 14.

“It’s the tail-end of quite a big surge in volumes,” Roy Mason, the founder of Oil Movements, said by telephone from Halifax, England. Westbound sailings from the Gulf are falling quite sharply. The summer season for sour crude in the Atlantic basin is, although not over, the first leg of it has been taken care of.”

OPEC, responsible for about 40 percent of global oil supplies, failed to agree an output target when it met on June 8. Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi pledged that day the kingdom would keep markets adequately supplied in the absence of

an accord by the 12-member group.

Shipments from Middle Eastern producers, including non-OPEC members Oman and Yemen, will drop 1.2 per cent to 17.56 million barrels a day in the period, the report showed.

Crude on board tankers will average 494.2 million barrels in the four weeks, up 3.4 per cent from 478 million barrels in the period to June 4, Oil Movements said.

Oil Movements calculates shipments by keeping a tally of tankerrental agreements. Its figures exclude crude held on board ships as floating storage.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

39

ENERGY

Customers owe Ikeja electricity coy N12b

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HE management of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company is owed over N12 billion by its various customers as at end of last month.

The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Chris Okaa Akamnonu, an engineer, who disclosed this said the debt profile is an issue that bothers the company because it needs money to improve its service delivery.

Akamnonu said the company was doing all it could to ensure that electricity supply improves but some customers refuse to reciprocate the good gesture by paying their bills.

He listed some of the activities including purchase and installation of new transformers, and other accessories as well as vehicles for prompt clearing of faults.

He said the company has em-

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

barked on extensive supply and installation of prepaid meters to customers, which is currently above 3000 meters per month adding that new customers that pay for such meters would have them installed within two weeks.

He said: “Much as customers expect us to improve on service delivery, we expect commensurate cooperation by way of payment of bills but that is not coming. We understand the economy might be hard but there is no justification for not paying for services received.

“Sometime last year, response from our customers was quite commendable but we have recorded a drop recently in customer response. Every month we know customer response by measuring the number of those who paid out of

the number of customers that received their bills.

“There has been a drop recently and I want to believe that the customers need to encourage us because we cannot go a borrowing to improve service delivery. We have mobilised quickly to respond to the emergency that recently happened at Maryland. We are deploying more transformers, changing small size conductors to bigger size conductors, constructing new substations, all these require funding.

“We are buying vehicles, new tools and equipment for prompt response to customers’ call. We need money to provide all these.

We need customers’ cooperaton. I don’t like the idea of sending my staff out to go disconnecting customers. Yes people may have reasons for refusing to pay saying that their bills are estimated but we try

as much as possible to carry out reconciliation if there are complaints.

“Reconciliation of bills that are adjudged overestimated but we believe that with the step up of metering, over time, there will be no need for estimating customers.

But even then some customers who are metered refuse to pay.

“We have recently observed high rate of tampering with our prepaid metering. It is very disturbing but we are making effort to see that we discourage those who are inclined to that behaviour.”

He pointed out the need for Nigerians to learn to pay for services rendered by utility companies.

In an effort to improve service delivery, Akamnonu said the company has been deploying prepaid meters extensively.

He said: “Between February and

end of last month we have deployed over 10,000 meters and that rate of deployment is quite high, an average of 3000 in a month and we are hoping to increase it. In fact, by the end of this month we hope to achieve about 4000, in other words, from this month we should be doing close to 4000 meters in a month and the rate of growth of our new customers is about 2000, that means if we do 4000 in a month and have 2000 new customers, it means we are doing 2000 backlog.

“We want to assure our customers that much as we are doing the backlog we want to ensure that anybody who pays for meter now gets metered within two weeks. We are working on this programme and I can confidently say we are making progress. We had challenges in the past but we have overcome those challenges.”

Total says high oil prices raise projects development cost

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OTAL - French oil giant and Europe’s third-biggest oil company said the costs of developing energy projects are being dragged higher by oil prices.

“We see a trend for an increase in costs but it’s only a trend for the time being and I hope it won’t be confirmed,” Yves-Louis Darricarrere, head of exploration and production at the Paris-based company, said in an interview in St. Petersburg, Russia yesterday.

“We see it in many areas, it’s general, it’s linked to the price of oil.”

According to Bloomberg, in a bid to boost output, Total plans to making final investment decisions on the Ichthys LNG project off Australia, Egina in Nigeria and the Shtokman gas field in Russia’s Barents Sea by the end of the year.

The French oil company has said it may raise investment to about $23 billion annually in the next few years from about $20 billion to pay for the new, expensive oil and natural gas projects.

Gazprom, Statoil and Total are in talks with suppliers on the development amid rising costs, Andre Goffart, deputy chief executive officer of Shtokman Development AG, said at a conference in Paris last month. Shtokman may hold enough gas to meet world demand for more than a year.

The prospect of even higher prices next year for equipment and work required at the site favours a decision being made in 2011, Goffart said.

Firm farms out 8% stake in Nigeria’s offshore asset

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SHERXINO, an exploration and production oil firm, has executed formal documents with a leading international oil service company for $10,000,000 in relation to the farm-out of an eight percent working interest in its Nigeria offshore concession.

This transaction follows an additional farm-out for $7,500,000.

AsherXino had previously entered into a farm-in agreement for a 40 per cent working interest in the Nigeria offshore concession, upon payment of a required signature bonus of $12,500,000 to the government. The remaining 60 per cent of the concession is held by the Nigeria local partner in compliance with the Nigeria local content law.

• From left: Mr. Beks Dagogo-Jack, member of Presidential Taskforce on Power, Mr. James Olotu, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) and Mr. Femi Oladele, former Senior Special Assistant on Project Monitoring and Implementation to the Vice President during the inspection of Alaoji Power Station by the NDPHC boss recently.

Siemens records milestone in power plant

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EN years after launching the ambitious innovation programme for a new generation of its H- class gas turbine, Siemens has now achieved a new world record in power plant efficiency with the SGT5-8000H gas turbine at the Irsching 4 plant.

Siemens’ Head of Corporate Communications in Nigeria, Olusegun Akinlabi, said with an output of more than 578 megawatts (MW) and an efficiency level of 60.75 percent (net), Siemens has surpassed the targeted efficiency mark of more than 60 percent during the test phase, making history in the field of power plant technology.

The new Siemens gas turbine is designed for 400 MW in simple cycle duty and for 600 MW in combined cycle duty. “These are historic dimensions and world record levels,” declared Michael Suess, Chief Executive Officer of Siemens Energy Sector.

Siemens not only left all current records with regard to output and efficiency far behind, but also raised the bar for operating flexibility.

“In particular with more wind and solar plants providing a steadily increasing percentage of

fluctuating power in-feed to the grid, rapidly reacting large-scale power plants that can compensate for weatherdependent in-feed fluctuations are a decisive factor for maintaining grid stability,” Suess added.

The new H class plant can quickly react to the demands for additional or reduced output.

Siemens tested a number of corresponding load gradients for this. As an example, more than 500 MW can be put online in the space of only 30 minutes and stable load gradients of 35 MW/ minute can be run. “These are absolutely exceptional figures,” emphasized Suess.

This top-notch performance is

made possible by the perfect interaction between innovative gas turbine technology and the key components of the overall plant, which are optimized for high temperatures and pressure.

Suess said: “Our trail-blazing power plant with this gas turbine in the highest efficiency class impressively shows that climate protection and low-cost power generation using fossil fuels can go hand in hand. The new generation of our combined cycle power plants, for example, consumes one-third less natural gas per kilowatt-hour generated than the average for the combined cycle plants currently installed worldwide. At the same time, CO2 emissions also

drop by a third.”

“The Irsching 4 power plant is a prime example of ecofriendly, flexible power supply for the future,” said Chief Operating Officer of E.ON, Klaus Hammer, with responsibility for combined cycle power plants. “High efficiency, flexible gas turbine power plants like Irsching 4 and the Irsching 5 plant, which went on line in 2010, significantly help to compensate the increasingly pronounced fluctuations in the feeding of renewables-based power and thus make an important contribution toward assured power supply in Germany,” added Hammer.

Niger begins oil production in Q1 next year

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IGER Republic will produce its first barrel of oil in the first quarter of 2012 and will build a pipeline linking the ChadCameroon pipeline to enable it to export its surplus production, Niger’s prime minister said.

The West African nation, already one of the world’s biggest suppliers of uranium, according to Reuters, will start production at its estimated 650

million barrels reserves under a $5 billion deal with China’s CNPC at the Agadem block and plans to also construct a refinery.

“The first barrel of the Agadem block will be produced in the first quarter of 2012. Construction of the refinery and a 462.5 km pipeline will be completed by the end of 2011,” Prime Minister Brigi Raffini said in parliament.

The 20,000 barrels per day capacity refinery will largely meet the local demand for 7,000 barrels per day, while the rest will be exported via Chad, the prime minister said.

It is expected that wealth from oil production will enable Niger, one of the world’s poorest nations despite its uranium, to deal with the perennial problem of severe food shortages and famine.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

40

ENERGY

‘Training, education key to oil, gas development’

R

EGULAR and consistent training and education of manpower has been described as the surest way to preparing the workforce for the job challenges in the oil and gas industry.

The Managing Director, Festo Automation Nigeria Limited, Peter Sengpiel stated this in an interview with The Nation at the just con-

By Bidemi Bakare

cluded Nigeria Oil and Gas Technology (NOGTech) 2011 in Lagos.

He noted that even if the country continues to build infrastructural capacity without a corresponding improvement in human capacity, no significant progress would be made in the industry.

Sengpiel said the training would

help in transferring technology for the country to boost the industry as well as generate more employment for its citizens.

He praised the amnesty initiative of the government meant to rehabilitate the militants and the jobless youth in the Niger Delta. He said a lot still needs to be done in the area of training and education of the beneficiaries of the initia-

tive.

Commenting on the readiness of his company to boosting capacity, he said Festo as a global leader in training and education is poised to assist the government in enhancing the amnesty programme through training and education.

“We acknowledge and appreciate what the government is doing with the amnesty programme.

Infact, we want to do something with the government in the area of training and education.We want to collaborate with the government and the ministries to have training facilities to train these young people and give them a chance to have certificates.

“We want to put in place state of the art facilities so that there can be training from the basic level to the advanced level.We beleieve the training would help them have an idea of what is happening in the industry”he said.

He said the company is also interested in aiding the universities and the technical colleges to provide quality training for their students, adding that the technical training centre established by the company is meant to boost capac-

ity as well.

He said:”We are ready to contribute to manpower development by boosting the capacity of Nigerian universities and technical colleges.

Apart from that, we have established training centre to also take care of capacity building. We are infact working closely with the Nigeria University Commission (NUC) to establish other training centers around the country.

The technical traing centre is to provide students with highly modular trainig system.We are going to be training the trainers so that they can be able to generate their own incomes. So, I can say categorically that when there is any need for assistance or support we would be ready to help them.

“We think by transfering our knowlege and innovation to the nigerian market through training and education we would have made our mark in boosting local content”.

Sengpiel said the company in its CSR drive has been involved in many activities towards giving back to the society and the community where it is operating.

FTZ 2011 conference holds this month

• Left: Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, Group General manager, Group Public Affairs, NNPC and Comrade Achese Igwe, President, NUPENG during the inspection of the vessel that brought the kerosene for major marketers in Apapa, Lagos at the weekend.

Shell begins development of multi-billion dollar GoM discovery

S

HELL says it has deployed a significant, multi-billion dol lar investment to develop its major Cardamom oil and gas field in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM).

The Cardamom project is expected to produce 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) a day at peak production and more than 140 million boe over its lifetime.

“Technological advances in seismic imaging and drilling have allowed us to both discover and access this new field,” said Marvin Odum, Shell Upstream Americas Director.

“This is another sizeable deepwater investment by Shell that strengthens energy supplies to the USA. It will also secure employment for more offshore workers.”

Shell’s rigorous global safety standards underpin our approach to deepwater exploration and production. Our exploration plan for Cardamom (Shell interest 100

percent) was the first to receive approval since the lifting of the US government moratorium on drilling in the GoM. As a result of this final investment decision, Shell will move ahead with further development drilling and installing undersea equipment.

Shell discovered the Cardamom reservoir in 2010 using advanced seismic technology that was able to produce improved images versus traditional seismic methods.

The discovery was confirmed by drilling a well from Shell’s Auger platform that broke records for length and depth. The exploration wells were drilled more than 6.4 kilometres (four miles) below the seabed.

Production from Cardamom will flow through the Auger platform, minimising the offshore footprint by using existing infrastructure.

“The development of the Cardamom field is the latest step in Shell’s deep-water energy pro-

duction activities in the GoM. Perdido, the world’s deepest offshore production facility, came on stream in 2010. Later that year Shell announced the decision to go ahead with a second platform in our Mars B field in the GoM. “Today’s final investment decision for Cardamom is in line with Shell’s continued drive to increase global oil and gas production. The rapid progress from discovery of the reservoir to the launch of development plans represents Shell’s ability to move forward with projects of major value,” the company said.

The Cardamom discovery is located in Garden Banks Block 427, approximately 362 kilometres (225 miles) south-west of New Orleans, Louisiana, in water more than 800 metres (2,720 feet) deep.

The completed subsea system will include five well expandable manifolds, a dual 20-centimetre (8inch) flowline, and eight well umbilicals.

PMS

AGO

DPK

Conoil

65.00

160.00

140.00

AP

65.00

160.00

140.00

Total

65.00

160.00

140.00

Oando

65.00

160.00

140.00

Mobil

65.00

160.00

140.00

Texaco

65.00

160.00

140.00

INDIGENOUS Energy

65.00

160.00

140.00

Fagbems

65.00

160.00

140.00

Nipco

65.00

160.00

140.00

Energy & Oil Prices OIL ($/bbl) PRICE* Nymex Crude Future 93.01 Dated Brent Spot 113.49 WTI Cushing Spot 93.01 OIL (¢/gal) PRICE* Nymex Heating Oil Future 298.33 Nymex RBOB Gasoline Future 294.60 NATURAL GAS ($/MMBtu) CHANGE TIME Nymex Henry Hub Future 4.33 Henry Hub Spot 4.39 New York City Gate Spot 4.63 ELECTRICITY ($/megawatt hour) PRICE* Mid-Columbia, firm onpeak, spot 29.60 Palo Verde, firm on-peak, spot 39.03 BLOOMBERG, FIRM ONPEAK, DAY AHEAD SPOT/ ERCOT HOUSTON 55.00 Source: Bloomberg.com

financing in the free trade, border and export processing zones in the country.

According OdusolaStevenson, the event will attract over 20 leadership experts, including captains of industry, ministers, academics, researchers and international experts, who have confirmed to make presentations. The event will hold on June 28 and 29 at the Lagoon Restaurant, Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island.

Speakers at the event include the CEO of Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority, Sina Agboluaje, the Executive Chairman of Lagos Deep Offshore Logistic Base, Ladi Jadesimi, CEO of Olokola Free Trade Zone, Frans Visser, CEO of Nigerian Ports Authority, Omar Suleiman, CEO of Lekki Free Trade Zone, Chen Xiaoxing, Managing Director/ CEO,Oil & Gas Free Trade Zone Authority, Onne, Noble Abe and the GMD/CEO of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Bisi Onasanya, among others.

Petrobras acquires oil blocks offshore Gabon

P

ETROBRAS, has acquired, by means of its whollyowned subsidiary Petrobras Participaciones S.L.

Energy prices

Domestic prices of petroleum products Companies

THE Free Trade Zones (FTZ 2011) conference and exhibi-tion with the theme Oil and Gas: Promoting shared prosperity through free trade zones is scheduled to hold this month.

The spokesman of the organisers of the event, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, said with governments agenda to optimise sources of economic growth that would bring about increased productivity and competitiveness, the oil and gas free zone at Onne, Rivers State, which is the largest growing dedicated oil and gas free zone and oil service centre in the world, is a unique vision that requires consolidation for the sustainability of the nations shared prosperity.

He said some of the industry’s most remarkable stakeholders would come together to discuss, debate and gain insights needed to make oil and gas free trade zones a profitable investment environment in Nigeria and explore the opportunities of agriculture, refineries and fertilizer plants including manufacturing

CHANGE -1.94 -0.84 -1.94

% CHANGE -2.04% -0.74% -2.04%

TIME 06/17 06/17 06/17

CHANGE -2.05

% CHANGE -0.68%

TIME 06/17

-0.34 PRICE*

-0.12% CHANGE

06/17 %

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-1.97% -3.09% -2.73%

06/17 06/17 06/17

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

9.50

47.26%

06/17

-2.86

-6.83%

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0.75

1.38%

06/17

(PPSL), 50 percent of the stakes in the Ntsina Marin and Mbeli Marin Blocks, located in the Coastal Basin of Gabon, offshore the Gabonese Republic, on the Western Coast of Africa.

The region has geological structures that are considered comparable to the areas developed in Brazil.

The blocks were purchased from Ophir Energy, which is headquartered in the UK and will keep the remaining 50 percent of the interests. The deal was completed today and is pending final approval by the Government of Gabon.

The two blocks covers an area of 6,683 square kilometres, in water depths ranging from shallow to up to 2,400 meters. Petrobras commits to carry out a minimum programme, which includes 2,000 square kilometres of 3D seismics until March 2012.

After this stage, Petrobras has the right to assess whether or not it will remain in the next phase of the exploration programme, which includes drilling wells.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

NATION SPORT

41

EUROPEAN TRANSFER...EUROPEAN TRANSFER...EUROPEAN TRANSFER...

Dramani linked with French move

Bojan nearing Roma switch

•Bojan

B

ARCELONA's director of sport Walter Sabatini has revealed that upand-coming striker Bojan could complete a move to Roma within the next week.

Bojan appears to be eager to move away from Camp Nou this European summer after a proposed swap deal for Alexis Sanchez, which involved

Bojan moving to Udinese, infuriated the Spain international.

The 20-year-old now looks set to join Roma for a reported £8.8million, after Sabatini confirmed they are the front runners for his signature.

"It's true and I confirm this is a very realistic hypothesis, even if it has not been perfected yet," Sabatini told Rete Sport.

"We hope to complete the signing of Bojan in the next few days."

Meanwhile, Barca are in the hunt for young Argentine winger Ricky Alvarez of Velez Sarsfield.

"Ricky Alvarez is a very strong and versatile player," Sabatini added. "We are monitoring him, as with other players.

"You may have noticed a sort of paralysis in the transfer market, but we expect a domino effect once the first move goes through."

G

•Aguero

Maradona: 'Aguero won't join Juve'

J

UVENTUS have been told Sergio Aguero won’t be joining them by his fatherin-law: Diego Armando Maradona.

Atletico Madrid striker Aguero is one of the main Bianconeri transfer targets and is married to Maradona’s daughter.

“He will remain in Madrid, whether it’s Atletico or Real,” Maradona told Conexion

Samanta en cuatro.

“The fans love him in Spain and will continue to do so. The Maradona family will be grateful to Spain for the rest of our lives.”

Juventus are eager to snap up ‘Kun’ Aguero this summer, but Real Madrid have an advantage with their 30m euros proposal.

There is also the issue that the Bianconeri are not even in the Europa League this season.

Draxler stays at Schalke until 2016

•Piatti

F

Benfica tables 7m euros offer for Piatti

B

ENFICA could be set to capture Almeria playmaker Pablo Piatti after tabling a 7m euros for the Argentine, according to O Jogo.

Despite Almeria's relegation from La Liga last season, the 22-year-old impressed for the Andalucian club, scoring a total of eight league goals in 35 appearances.

Reports from Portugal state that Benfica coach Jorge Jesus has identified Piatti as a possible replacement for Javier Saviola, who has been linked

with a move to the UAE. O Jogo comment that Almeria will not accept any offer under 10m euros as doing so would mean the club would incur a loss on the 7m euros Almeria paidd for Piatti two years ago, due to his former club Estudiantes earning 25 per cent of any future sale.

Piatti is attracting interest from other European sides, including Serie A club Udinese, who have qualified for next season's Champions League.

Zauri wants Lazio stay

L

UCIANO Zauri has returned to Lazio after a year on loan to Sampdoria and “will stay if Edy Reja considers me important.”

The full-back was not part of Reja’s plans last season and had a disappointing campaign at Samp, failing to help them

•Zauri

avoid relegation.

“Rome is the ideal city for me,” Zauri told Radio Sei. “I would love to stay here, but only in the right conditions and I do believe those exist now.

“My contract expires in 2013 and I’d like to stay to the end of the deal. My loan to Sampdoria was purely an economic problem. I didn’t consider Lazio’s offer to be fair, while the Blucerchiati met my personal terms.

“I have always had a good rapport with Reja and he wanted me to stay with the Biancocelesti. I didn’t reach an agreement with the President, so I left, but I will 100 per cent stay if Reja considers me important.

“Lazio are a great squad and need to be more competitive now they are in the Europa League.”

C Schalke 04 have extended the contract of midfielder Julian Draxler until 2016.

Executive director Horst Heldt announced the news at the club's annual general meeting on Sunday, 19 June.

Draxler made his Bundesliga debut for Schalke on 15 January 2011 as an 83rdminute substitute in a 1-0 defeat to Hamburger SV. The 17-year-old had tongues wagging ten days later when he came on as a 116th-minute substitute in the DFB Cup quarter finals against Nürnberg, scoring a spectacular winning goal three minutes later to put die Knappen into the semis.

The precocious talent again netted in the final of that competition, which Schalke

•Draxler

won convincingly with a 5-0 victory over MSV Duisburg in Berlin.

Kiko nears Barcelona transfer ceremony in Alicante, the 20-

M

I D F I E L D E R Francisco ''Kiko'' Femenia has revealed that his transfer to Barcelona is very close to being completed, but added that should there be any hitch in his dream move, he insists he will have no qualms about playing for Hercules for an extra season.

Speaking to the media at a

•Kiko

year-old admitted: "The truth is that the transfer is near. Barca is my dream and of course I will go there soon. Hopefully everything is resolved soon.''

In case an agreement might not be reached between the parties, the youngster explained that he would have no issues featuring for Hercules next year, but added that his move to Camp Nou represents an unmissable chance.

"If I have to, I will stay here without any problems. What happened is that I have been presented an incredible opportunity for my career and it's time for a change. After seven years at the club I have reached the end of a cycle,'' he added gratefully.

The winger has represented Spain at youth level and should he complete a deal to move to the European champions, he will likely spend next season in the club's B team or go out on loan to another La Liga side.

HANA midfielder Haminu Dramani has been linked with a move to French top-flight side Lorient as his contract in Russia will expire this month.

The winger opted not to extend his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow as his contract runs out at the end of June.

GHANAsoccernet.com deep investigations have revealed that he is agent has started talks with Lorient over the move by next month.

When confronted with the evidence of talks with Lorient, a surprised Dramani refused to confirm or deny the report.

“Ei Ghanasoccernet – I am shocked you got this information. Who told you?,” a surprised Haminu replied when GHANAsoccernet.com asked him for the details.

“I can’t say anything for now so let’s wait and see what happens in the coming days,” the recently-married player added.

The 2006 World Cup star in January threatened not to extend his stay with Lokomotiv Moscow after witnessing several racist attacks in the country.

•Dramani

Rennes confirms interest in Park Chu-Young

R

ENNES' general director Pierre Dreossi has confirmed the club are interested in striker Park Chu-Young and Hamburg winger Jonathan Pitroipa.

The club, who finished sixth in Ligue 1 last season, have lost three players already this summer with Nicolas Douchez joining Paris SaintGermain, Sylvain Marveaux leaving for Newcastle United while veteran playmaker Jerome Leroy is also due to depart on the Bosman ruling.

Dreossi has stated that he will focus on bringing in new names, with Park Chu-Young and Pitroipa both being linked with the side, but insisted that he will not break the bank when it comes to offering salaries.

"Park is of interest.

Concerning wages, this is a problem at Stade Rennais because we want to stay balanced. There are many clubs in big trouble now," Dreossi told RMC Sport.

"He's [Pitroipa] a player on our list. But for now, our focus is to find a player who can play up front. We only really have Victor Montano. But yes, he is a player of interest."

Dreossi was also keen to state that the club will be looking to hold onto their star players, with Yann M'Vila and Kader Mangane both

attracting interest from abroad.

"We will improve our team and keep our best players.

Yann M'Vila and Kader Mangane will stay at Rennes.

We are looking to strengthen in numbers, around four or five players. We are not forced to sell," he added.

Park Chu-Young is a player in demand with reports stating that the South Korean has received offers from PSG, Lille and Premier League clubs such as Liverpool, Tottenham and Bolton, after leaving Monaco.

•Chu-Young

Marseille set to sign Lorient's Morel

F

RENCH giants Marseille are set to sign defender Jeremy Morel from Ligue 1 rivals Lorient the buying club announced on Sunday.

The 27-year-old - who would be the second player from the club to sign for Marseille with Morgan Amalfitano having joined earlier this month - will sign a four year contract for a reported fee of •2.5million.

Morel has made over 200 appearances for Lorient, having come though the youth system with the Brittany club.

He will be the third player to quit Lorient since the end of the season, with aside from Amalfitano, leading striker

Kevin Gameiro having been sold to Paris Saint-Germain for a reported fee of •11million.

•Morel

SLIDING TACKLE

“I must admit this is the best away match we have played since the commencement of the league. The boys played as if their lives depended on it and the entire management is very happy with the team,”

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

42

NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...

N

IGERIA Premier League (NPL) leaders, Sunshine Stars, surrendered all points in 0 – 2 loss to Warri Wolves in Sunday’s big clash on Matchday 28th.

Though centre referee, Ibrahim Shehu, made some controversial calls, the two teams produced end-to-end football and key battles all over the park as expected.

Michael Okoyoh and ThankGod Ike got the goals for Wolves in each half at the Warri City Stadium to earn all points in this game between first and second placed sides on the log.

In a game that was not

Sunshine Stars tops despiteloss toWolves lacking top performers in the league this season, Sunshine Stars thought they had got a dream start in the match on 12 minutes when Ukeyima Akombo nodded past Ambrose Vanzekin in goal for Wolves.

The goal was correctly ruled

off by the match officials as the replay on television suggested.

On 26 minutes, the ref awarded Wolves a penalty to the amazement of the away team and Okoyoh’s first attempt is punched into his path by goalkeeper Moses

•Ofem Ineh of Sunshines

Ocheje, and the midfielder smashed home from a rebound to give the home side a 1 – 0 lead.

Eight minutes later, Oke Akpoveta thought he had scored from the right channel of Sunshine Stars’ goal area after his low shot squeezed past a scrambling Ocheje.

But the goal was ruled offside by the match officials and Sunshine Stars saved the blushes of going two down before half time.

With Wolves’ head coach, Paul Aigbogun deploying Michael Egbeta and Akpoveta as wide men on both channels of the opposition’s half Sunshine Stars’ full-backs usually noted for overlapping were pegged back.

Just on the stroke of half time, a shout for a Wolves’ penalty was ignored by the referee after Ifeanyi Okoye was clearly felled in the box, as he cut inside of his marker to make space for himself to shoot at goal.

The restart got off to a cagey note, as both sides battled to claim superiority in the midfield.

And 19 minutes into the second half, Wolves got their second of the game when centre-back, Ike, stormed forward to nod home the ball past Ocheje off a corner kick.

Wolves then sat back while Sunshine Stars orchestrated some of their attacks with leading league scorer, Ibrahim Ajani in the thick of his side’s moves without success.

The home side formed a unit in front of their goal area to protect their lead comfortably.

Right-back Ofem Inah almost got Sunshine Stars back in the game 14 minutes before time through a curling free kick that forced Vanzekin into a onehanded save.

Inah’s attempt was Sunshine’s best in the last minutes of the game as Wolves close the gap on the leaders to five points.

Picking away draw at Port Harcourt against Sharks, 3SC manager Mutiu Adepoju attributing the starling performance of his boys as ‘best game’ so far.

WAFU CUP CLUB COMPETITION FALLOUT

Dike praises Mighty Barrolle

D

ESPITE posting a 5-0 win over Mighty Barrolle of Liberia in the first-leg of their West African Football Union WAFU Club Cup Competition, the technical adviser of the victorious Enugu Rangers has stated that their opponents actually gave a good account of themselves but were undone by the awesome form of his players.

Flying Eagles’ striker, Uche Innocent Nwofor went goal berseck as he plundered a hat trick while Kabiru Isa and Ifeanyi Egwin got a goal each to help the Flying Antelopes course and a place in the next round almost assured with the second leg tie to spare.

In an interview with Enugu Rangers technical adviser, Alphonsus Dike the coach disclosed that all hands would be on deck to ensure that the team comes out smoking in the return leg in Monrovia in a fortnight despite the healthy goals advantage between them and their foes.

“We won the match and we are thankful to God about that.

We are not going to rest on our oars and feel we have secured a

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri berth in the next round. We will go to Monrovia as if it was goalless here in Enugu. Mighty Barrolle are a very good side. If not that my boys were in their element the result would have been a difficult one. Owing to that, we are not going to underrate them at all.” Dike said.

Also speaking with NationSport was three goal hero, Uche Nwofor, “ I feel elated and happy that I was able to score goals that helped my team. It was a difficult match because football is not predictable. I am happy to score three and I believe more will still come. I am on my way to the Under-20 camp and as much as I will like to play in the Oriental Derby against Enyimba of Aba over the weekend I have to go and team up with the Flying Eagles because my service to my country comes first.”

Meanwhile, Rangers will continue their quest to win a double today as they file out against Flash Flamingoes at the Oghara Township Stadium, Delta State in the Round of 32 of the Federation Cup.

Adepoju hails 3SC for ‘best game’

S

HOOTING Stars general manager Mutiu Adepoju has saluted the team for picking a draw at Sharks, saying this was their best performance yet.

“I must admit this is the best away match we have played since the commencement of the league. The boys played as if their lives depended on it and the entire management is very happy with the team,” Adepoju told MTNFootball.com shortly after the Ibadan club drew 1-1 with Sharks in Port Harcourt.

“The draw is very valuable to us since we lost at home to Rangers in Abeokuta last weekend. The boys (players) were aware of the importance of getting a result in this match since we lost valuable three points at home only last weekend.

“I am very happy that they rose to the occasion. I can assure we will do everything possible to ensure 3SC finish well on the table.”

Shooting Stars won the reverse tie 2-0 in Abeokuta.

It was only the second point the Oluyole Warriors have won on the roads this season. The other point was garnered away to Zamfara United in Kano in the first round of the campaign when they were forced to a 2-2 draw.

Sharks drew the first blood in the first minute through striker Bright Ejike but 3SC’s Babatunde Yusuf equalised in the 49th minute for an injury-ravaged Shooting Stars who would also lose Festus Iyoma in the 65th minute through a red card.

Sharks piled on the pressure on the visitors with ceaseless raids but goalkeeper Segun Oluwaniyi stood between goals with daring saves till the end of the match.

Shooting Stars are 12th in the standings with 35 points from 28 matches.

They host Gombe next weekend in continuation of the NPL.

W I M B L E D O N O P E N ...W I M B L E D O N O P E N ...W I M B L E D O N O P E N ...W I M B L E D O N O P E N ...W I M B L E D O N O P E N ...

Venus cruises in Wimbledon opener VENUS Williams opened the 2011 Wimbledon Championships with a straightset win on Monday.

The five-time champion at the All England Club made short work of Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova with a 6-3, 6-1 rout. Williams, seeded just 23rd this year, spent only an hour on the court and blasted seven aces with four breaks of serve.

The American star is playing just her second tournament since the Australian Open. She injured her hip during the first Grand Slam event of the year and didn't return until last week's Wimbledon tuneup in Eastbourne.

Next up for Williams will be Japanese veteran Kimiko DateKrumm, who also had a fairly easy test in the first round

Monday with a 6-0, 7-5 triumph over Britain's Katie O'Brien.

Other early winners Monday included Russia's Elena Vesnina and Frenchwoman Pauline Parmentier. Vesnina thumped Spain's Laura Pous-Tio, 6-4, 6-3, while Parmentier cruised past Romania's Sorana Cirstea, 6-1, 6-3.

•Venus

Murray: I won't lose my head Li Na talks down chances THE world number four starts his campaign against Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain on Monday, and puts his careerbest semi-final appearance in the French Open and Queen's Club triumph down to his improved self-control on court.

The Briton said: "A lot of times, people think if I shout something in the direction of my box that I'm shouting at them. But if you listen to what I'm saying a lot of the time I'm upset at myself.

"But it's something I need to get better at. At Queen's I did it very well, and at the French Open it was better than it had been, so it's improved."

Six-times champion Roger Federer does not play his firstround match until Tuesday, but

already feels completely at home on his beloved grass courts.

"It was funny the first time I hit here on Monday very easily, right away after 10 minutes it feels so natural for me to play on grass, and I hope that feeling's going to pay off by going deep and hopefully winning the tournament."

•Murray

FRENCH Open champion Li Na said her clay title counts for little as she makes the transition to grass at Wimbledon this week.

Li heads to the All England Club looking to better her result from last season, where she fell in the quarter-finals to eventual champion Serena Williams.

This year, the women's field is wide open given the absence of Kim Clijsters and the injuryinterrupted preparations of multiple Wimbledon winners Serena and sister Venus Williams.

In the search for a favourite, some have pointed in the direction of the Chinese world number four, after she defeated Francesca Schiavone to capture her maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros earlier this

month.

But Li is not buying it, saying her form on clay is irrelevant as she prepares for a first-round meeting with Alla Kudryavtseva.

'I am feeling confident but this is a different surface,' Li said.

•Li Na

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011 A

43

HEALTH THE NATION

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

Scientists brainstorm on non-communicable diseases

T

HE Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Lagos Chapter, has said it is ready to expose the causes of the four non-communicable diseases.

The diseases are: cardiovascular disease (e.g hypertension, anaemia), diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.

A non-communicable disease is caused by something other than a pathogen. It might result from hereditary problems, improper diet, smoking, or other factors.

According to the Chairman, AMLSN, Mr Olawale Oladubu, there is the need for the association to enlighten the public about the causes and prevention of the diseases.

Oladubu spoke at the association’s annual conference/ medical laboratory science, with the theme Quartet of non-communicable diseases: the panacea.

By Wale Adepoju Oladubu said it was necessary to improve the knowledge of health care professionals on the diseases’ diagnosis and management, and expressed concern over Nigeria’s poor health indices.

“We shall also carry out free screening exercise on members of the public across Lagos State as part of the association’s quota to realise the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Vision 2020. It is the association’s desire to have a vibrant, effective and responsive health care system that would be accessible, available acceptable and affordable,” he said.

According to him, the association will actualise this through continuous medical laboratory education and full application of Act 11 of 2003, prompting objective relationship in the health sector and facilitating public health awareness.

His words, “We expect the government at all levels to comply with the recommendations in the Alma mata declaration, discourage overdependence on foreign donors to fund health programmes, sustain political will for improving the social determinants of health, establish commensurate remuneration and conducive working conditions, encourage research in herbal/ traditional/ alternative medicine with proper regulation and standardisation of the practice.”

He urged the President Goodluck Jonathan to critically and objectively pursue and examine the National Health Bill with due diligence, “Especially as it affects the roles of respective health regulatory bodies, to avoid its conflict with existing laws and thereby causing disharmony, anarchy and inefficiency in the health industry.

Nordica offers couples free IVF treatment

T

•From left: Mrs Olele; Negm and Mrs Femi-Oyekan, at the event.

Pfizer, media to battle counterfeit drugs

“C

OUNTERFEIT medicine kills!

Don’t be a victim. Take a closer look at that drug before consumption! Spread the word!” This was the message sent to Nigerians by Pfizer Nigeria to herald the 2011 World Anti-counterfeiting Day as part of efforts to check the menace of counterfeit drugs and medicines.

Pfizer Nigeria, which is collaborating with the Health Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) and other stakeholders to map out a blueprint for tackling counterfeiting in Nigeria, is utilising the short messages service (SMS) platform to drive home the message on anti-counterfeiting through the media, and Pfizer and Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).

Speaking in Lagos, the Communication Director, Pfizer for Africa and Middle East, Mr. Ahmed Negm, said: “Counterfeiting is a sophisticated market, even in the UK, we are still running advertisements. It’s a global issue, and we cannot afford to relent.”

He said the idea is about letting people know what counterfeits are and why they need to take a closer look. “It is the beginning of a major project and we are looking at driving it,” he noted.

Negm, who spoke in tune with the World Anti-counterfeiting Day, urged the media not to relent in creating awareness and education about the fight against counterfeit drugs and

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

medicines. “You need to keep writing about counterfeits, just as we need to keep up the awareness creation. We need to do more conferences and produce more flyers to keep pushing.”

Also speaking, Pfizer’s Associate Director, Public Affairs and Communication (PAC), Mrs Margaret Olele, said the company is setting up a working team on anti-counterfeiting with the media in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to set up a team for awareness on counterfeiting. “Pfizer is partnering with regulatory agencies, the police, Customs, the media and the legislature among others to build capacity and pick out suspicious drugs.

We are in tune to put up a submission with the global anti-counterfeiting coalition on deliberation on counterfeits,” she said.

‘You need to keep writing about counterfeits, just as we need to keep up the awareness creation. We need to do more conferences and produce more flyers to keep pushing’

In a statement, Director, Regulatory Affairs, Pfizer NEAR, Mrs Bunmi FemiOyekan, noted that “Counterfeits are deliberately mis-labeled drugs to confuse people. Widespread in Nigeria and across the world; and it is viable because of huge profit and minimal risk.”

She said Pfizer is engaging the media to help the public identify counterfeits.

“It is a big problem as it is not always easy to differentiate genuine from counterfeits. Sometimes, the only way to differentiate is to do a lab analysis.

However, there are certain tips that could help, not all are very sophisticated, but if people are aware, they could pick them up at the shop. We intend to collaborate with the media on promoting these,” she said.

Mrs Femi-Oyekan opined that Pfizer would keep organising regional conferences on counterfeits to facilitate collaboration among stakeholders and will continue to create awareness, training and be involved in enforcement, by helping the regulatory agencies, while working to secure their products, through authentication and updating of holograms.

Established in 1998 by the Global AntiCounterfeiting Group (GACG), the World Anti Counterfeiting Day is held every June 8 to raise awareness of the international impact of counterfeiting and piracy. It is a reminder of consequences of counterfeiting, such as revenue loss and consumer risk.

HE Nordica Fertility Centre is set to offer free inVitro Fertilisation ( IVF) treatment to some infertile couples.

Its Managing Director, Dr Abayomi Ajayi, said the centre through its Fertility Treatment Support Foundation (FTSF) would provide 100 per cent free IVF treatment to infertile couples who will emerge in a raffle draw.

He said participation is not limited to the centre’s patients/clients alone, but open to all infertile couples because conception challenge does not know class. “All that needs to be done is for couples with conception challenges to send their details such as: FTSF* Name *Age *Address *Years of marriage to 33140,” said Abayomi.

The raffle draw, which will be done electronically, will be held at the Asaba, Delta State branch of the centre.

Abayomi, who is Nigeria’s representative of Obgy.net (a network of Obstetricians/Gynaecologists all over the world), said of all the entries that will be received for a period of six weeks, 10 couples will emerge winners. “They will undergo screening at any

By Oyeyemi GbengaMustapha

of Nordica’s centres in Lagos or Asaba out of which only two couples will be awarded 100 per cent free fertility treatment services.

“The Foundation, FTSF, will give 16 lucky couples every quartre, free IVF treatment cycle for the next two years, which will amount to two couples every quartre, out of which two would be chosen for the free IVF treatment.”

Abayomi explained that the rationale behind the gesture is simply because it is no longer news that couples through the hustle and bustle of life face enormous challenges in conceiving a child.

“Research shows that one out of every four couples suffer from infertility in Nigeria. Those who have this challenge should not see their situation as a hopeless one as the centre provides treatment and solutions for such challenge.

The affordability of the treatment is one of the most common causes for concern of infertility-challenged couples. To keep the dream of such couple alive FTSF was born,” Abayomi said.

NAFDAC shuts down unhygienic eateries

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

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HE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned quick service restaurants (QSR) to comply with good hygienic practices or face the music.

According to NAFDAC’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mrs Christiana Obiazikwor, NAFDAC has shut down several QSRs for unsatisfactory sanitary and hygienic conditions.

“The agency has outlined the standard of facilities to be put in place and will continue to monitor compliance with good hygienic practices. We have organised workshops and training for operators of QSR to enlighten them on the acceptable standard of hygienic practices expected.

“NAFDAC inspectors carry out routine inspection of QSR outlets to monitor compliance. NAFDAC has called on consumers and customers of QSRs to report any incidence of poor quality food to NAFDAC,” she said.

She said the agency would not hesitate to close down any QSR that is compromising quality of food and good hygienic practices. According to her, the agency is alive to its responsibilities of safeguarding the health of the nation.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

HEALTH Association appeals to govt on guidelines

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HE National Association of Health Information Managers Association of Nigeria (HIMAN) has appealed to the Federal Government to embrace the use of International Statistical Classification of Diseases and related Health problems (ICD-10) as a tool for coding and indexing.

This, the association believes, will pave the way for uniformity of clients/patients’ data in private and public facilities.

HIMAN president Wole Ajayi said there is no uniformity in the method of classifying morbidity and mortality data for vital health statistics. He said: “The World Health organisation (WHO) has come up with ICD which is most widely used diagnostic taxonomy in health.

“The ICD is usually published in editions as a result of yearly updates and advances in medicine and terminology. The current edition is ICD 10. It is worrisome to note that in Nigeria, less than 10 per cent of hospitals make use of ICD 10 to classify diseases, injuries and causes of death.

“Less than 40 per cent still make use of ICD 9 which is outdated.

About 50 per cent do not make use of any edition of ICD to classify diseases and causes of death. How then can data be compared? This explains why Nigeria Health report is missing in international re-

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

port due to inconsistency, unavailability and unreliability of data.”

These, the managers said, are responsible for failure of well conceived government health care programmes, because of lack of evidence data to guide various health systems reforms which put greater emphasis on monitoring and evaluation of data collection system.

“This is evidence in the analysis of diseases clusters, association between diseases and social or environmental variables, predicting the spatial spread of a disease or efficient deployment of health case resources which have affected the availability of clean data at fine spatial resolutions,” said Ajayi. the association said other contributory factors to the failure in health system are unsummarised patient disease episode, weak primary health care, lack of human resources for health challenge, poor health care financing, weak government structure and poor health information management.

It insisted that the adoption of ICD 10 will improve the quality of health care as it will allow systematised storage, analysis, retrieval and dissemination of information concerning patient care; diagnose codes representing the elemental

units for mortality and morbidity statistics; describes clinical reporting, observations, examinations, treatments, reimbursement and health care transactions.

So also will it provide comparative data for decision making for improved performance and evaluation of health outcome; effective communication of health information by employing standard systems of diagnostic codes.

Hence, “Health information managers should be educated and trained in ICD 10 as clinical coding provides a roadmap for uniform data collection in an increasing complex delivery of health care.

Government should establish databank for collecting clinically coded data from health facilities, establish standard method of documentation of care for financial and clinical purposes,” Ajayi said..

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Havana Specialist Hospital, Dr G. C. E Okeke, who hosted the association, said the relevance of the managers and their profession/services cannot be over emphasized because, “detailed accounts and guidelines knock out bad experience and medical records is a means by which experts predict and avoid medical occurrence and reoccurrence as exemplified in E-coli infection in Germany.”

•Ajayi flanked by the Lagos State Secretary of HIMAN, Mr Adebisi Bambe (right) and Vice President Mr Mohammed Mami.

Consumers warned against fake products

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ONSUMERS have been warned to beware of fake Omron health products.

The Managing Director, New Height Pharmaceutical Limited, Mr Omaruaye Ogheneohuko, gave the warning during a press briefing in Lagos.

It was part of the company’s efforts to discourage adulteration of the products.

According to him, customers willing to purchase genuine Omron products can now do so at the recommended outlets which include pharmacies, hospitals or clinics across the country.

Ogheneochuko said purchases made by customers at registered outlets would ensure safety of the product and value for their money.

He said genuine blood pressure measurement (BP monitors, Electrocardiography (ECG), temperature measurement (thermometers), respiratory therapy

By Wale Adepoju

(nebulizers), weight management (step counters and body composition monitors), Wellness (pain and relaxation management using electronic Nerve Stimulator) and oral care (electric sonic toothbrushes) among others are now available.

He said the products are highly efficient, adding that the Japanese- made products are of top quality because they are technology designed to improve lives and help people find their health balance.

Ogheneochuko said Omron has appointed his company as its authorised business partner and sole distributor of their products, adding that all stakeholders in the pharmaceutical, medical sector and the public should contact the company for genuine purchase of genuine products.

He noted that the products are available with a 12-months warranty and after sales services in

all the leading pharmacies, hospitals, clinics electronics shops and leading supermarkets across the country.

Ogheneochuko said the Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Lagos chapter, Mr. Felix Annih, enjoined all community pharmacists during the association’s bimonthly meeting to ensure that only genuine Omron products stocked for sale at various sales outlets.

He also stressed that pharmacists should be careful of substandard Omron products that are in the market, and they should patronise authorised distributors so as to enjoy the warranty, and the after sales services provided for Omron ranges of health care products.

Ogheneochuko said New Heights Pharmaceuticals Ltd is a registered company in Nigeria supervised by the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN).

DO YOU KNOW THAT: • Water is essential for hand washing • Water alone is inadequate for effective hand washing because it cannot remove certain organic components of soil and dirt such as fats, oils,

and protein.

• Soap and detergents are necessary to emulsify these components of dirt • Therefore, for effective removal of microorganisms from skin, soaps

or detergents should be added to water for hand washing.

• In addition to hand washing with soap and water, the use of alcohol gels (sanitisers) is an effective form of killing some kinds of pathogens.

Health Tourism With Dr Dheeraj Bojwani e-mail: indiasodel@gmail.com

Colorectal surgery in India

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OLORECTAL surgery repairs damage to the colon, rectum, and anus through a variety of procedures that may have little or great long-term consequence to the patient. It may also involve surgery to the pelvic floor to repair hernias.

Gastro-intestinal surgery in general and colonic surgery in particular is considered as very demanding and requires higher degree of operative skill. Colorectal surgery is a necessary treatment option for colorectal cancer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and some cases of diverticulitis, often resulting in major reconstruction of the intestinal tract. Other bowel conditions that may require surgery to a lesser extent are hemorrhoids, anal fissures (tears in the lining of the anus), rectal prolapse, and bowel incontinence. Most of these surgeries repair tears, remove blockages, or tighten sphincter muscles. Patients with anal fissures, for example, experience immediate relief, with more than 90 per cent of them never having the recurrence problem.

Colorectal cancer affects 140,000 people annually, causing 60,000 deaths. Polypectomy (the removal of polyps in the colon), usually performed during a routine diagnostic test (colonscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy), has been a factor in the declining incidence of this cancer. Common conditions treated in Colorectal surgery are: • rectal bleeding • anal symptoms • abdominal mass • change in bowel habit • suspicion of colorectal pathology • pilonidal disease • faecal incontinence • rectal prolapse • surgery for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Bojwani said: “Colorectal surgery is gaining wide popularity because of the invent of latest medical equipments and technologies that are used for the surgery. Complete healing is expected without complications. The period required for recovery from the surgery may vary, depending on the patient’s overall health prior to surgery. Dietary changes may be encouraged to prevent future disorders or to manage a current disease. “ There are a variety of procedures a colorectal surgeon may use to treat intestinal disorders. Until 1990, all colorectal surgery was performed by making large incisions in the abdomen, opening up the intestinal cavity, and making the repair.

Most of these repairs involved resection (cutting out the diseased or damaged portion) and anastomosis (attaching the cut ends of the intestine together). Some were tucks to tighten sphincter muscles or repair fissures, and others cut out hemorrhoids. Some were tucks to tighten sphincter muscles or repair fissures, and others cut out hemorrhoids. Some colorectal surgeons perform a strictureplasty, a

new procedure that widens the intestine instead of making it shorter; this is used with patients with extensive Crohn’s disease.

• Minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery - Unlike open colorectal surgery, which requires a long midline incision in the abdomen, minimally invasive surgery is performed through small incisions in your abdominal wall.

Fiber-optic light sources, specialised cameras, high-definition monitors and microsurgical instruments enable surgeons to perform complex procedures without large incisions.

• Robotic surgery - A robotic system resembles a large video game.

It consists of a camera arm, a 3-D image processing system, a remote control unit and two interactive mechanical arms with joints that move like a human wrist. As in traditional laparoscopy, the robotic instruments are inserted through small incisions in your abdomen.

But instead of performing the procedure manually, your surgeon controls the robotic arms from a console in the operating room.

Throughout the procedure, the surgical area — magnified and in 3-D — appears on a video screen.

A colorectal surgeon is an expert in the surgical and non-surgical treatment of diseases of the colon and rectum. Colon and rectal surgeons treat both malignant and benign conditions, perform routine screening procedures, and surgically treat problems when necessary. He said: “Colorectal surgeons in India treat a wide variety of diseases, including but not limited to cancers and tumors of the colon, rectum, and anus; hemorrhoids; anal abscess, fistula, and fissure; rectal prolapse; bowel incontinence; constipation; diverticular disease; Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis; and pilonidal cysts. In addition, they perform colonoscopy for colon cancer screening, as well as for removal of polyps. They are able to remove the colon and the rectum through traditional open techniques as well as minimally invasive laparoscopic operations.”

Colorectal surgery in India Medical tourism in India is gaining wide popularity because there are several things which work as an advantage for India. First the infrastructure and the healthcare facilities available here match up to the world class standards. Second, the cost of getting the treatment done aboard is very expensive whereas in India this can be done at less than half the cost and the patient gets the best possible treatment available. International patients can get their Colorectal Surgery in India under eminent medical professionals who provide international standards.

Indian hospitals have gained international recognition for the standards of health care delivery, success rates and service levels. India has the technology with outstanding infrastructure and professional management, nurses and paramedical staff to take on international competition.

Dr. Bojwani is the Chief Executive of Forerunners Healthcare Consultants Pvt Ltd, India’s Pioneer Medical tourism organisation.

Local contact: 07042394040, 07090830097, 08191462542, 07037065779, 08023051420

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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HEALTH

Clean teeth wards off germs

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HE Child Dental Health Department, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has implored pupils and their parents to take proper care of their teeth.

According to the Consultant in Child Dental Health, LUTH, Idi-Araba, Dr Folakemi Oredugba, it is important to ensure oral hygiene of children to prevent tooth decay, bad breath and other systemic problems arising from improper hygiene.

Oredugba spoke at the programme organised by the department for pupils to commemorate Children’s Day in Lagos.

She said children should brush their teeth, gum and tongue in the morning and at evening with fluoride toothpaste and brush.

“Parents should ensure that they brush all the surfaces of their teeth to prevent oral problems. They should report all problems that the children have in their teeth to the clinic. Parent should also bring their children to the clinic twice in a year for checkup which is very desirable, she added.

For children with sensitive teeth, she said, it was due to too much exposure to fizzy drinks, adding that experts are at the hospital to advise them on what to do.

Mrs Oredugba said the programme was also to show the children what the depart-

Ill-cooked beef aids tape worm

By Wale Adepoju

ment does and what can be beneficial to them.

She said the oral health of Nigerian children can be considered to be fair, but “what we want to achieve by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) standard is to have good oral health among all children because they are the future and they would one day be in the position to educate the younger ones.

“There is the need to pass the information to generations that are coming after us to follow about the importance of good oral health.”

She called for significant improvement in the oral health of those in the rural areas, adding that those in urban areas should continue and not relent as well.

Mrs Oredugba said: “The major problem of oral health has always been lack of good oral hygiene. Most of them still don’t know how to take proper care of their teeth. We want to encourage them and teach them how to do that.

“There are systemic conditions such as haematological, developmental or abnormities and socio-economic conditions which is even more significant than the systemic ones because those from lower socio-

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•Mrs Oredugba

economic class still have a long way to go in realising the importance of oral health.

“We want to see what the children are doing and encourage them when they are doing it right and teach them when they are not doing it very well.”

The pupils, who are largely from the University of Lagos Staff School, expressed happiness for the opportunity given them to be taught oral health. They were conducted round the hospital’s dental facilities.

Foreign firm partners company on health care

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N Asian-based telemedicine company, i2i Telesolutions and TeleMedicine Pvt Limited has appointed an indigenous company, DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited, as its exclusive Channel Partner for Nigeria.

By the appointment, DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited is mandated to sell i2i Telesolutions and Telemedicine Pvt Limited products, such as TeleRadiology, TelePACS and SONOCARE to hospitals, clinics, diagnostic and imaging centres and other health care providers.

CARE products by i2i TeleSolutions Pvt Limited connect doctors and patients across the world to achieve breakthroughs in fast data transmission, best image quality, minimum storage space and lowest operating costs. CARE TeleSolutions covers a wide range of Telemedicine applications from Teleradiology to TeleCardiology to TeleOphthalmology to TeleDentistry to TeleGP and more.

In a statement, Mr. Babajide Alabi, the Chief Executive Officer, DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited, said with the appointment, the health care sector in Nigeria is in for a good deal.

“We are excited to be appointed a Channel Partner of i2i TeleSolutions, a reputable company with world-class products. The mission for this appointment is for Nigerians to benefit from the advancement in health care services.”

Speaking about the partnership, Mr. Sham Banerji, chairman, i2i Telesolutions said: “As a company we are focused on providing innovative software and services for

•Alabi

By Dada Aladelokun

Telemedicine – providing patients access to doctors and specialists without the constraint of geography. We see Nigeria as a major health care hub in Africa for the deployment of high quality, affordable solutions using the latest technologies.

“We strongly believe that our partnership with DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited will create strong impact in improving health care delivery systems in Nigeria. We look forward to see a world-class health care system in Nigeria in collaboration with government / private organisations and we are committed to make a difference in the life of all Nigerians.”

In similar vein, Alabi also announced the signing of a resellers’ agreement with Clini-

cal decision support systems provider Avia Health Informatics Plc to market Odyssey range of products in Nigeria. The products are Odyssey TeleAssess, Odyssey MarineAssess, Odyssey FaceToFace, and Odyssey Reception.

Odyssey products is used by clinicians and non-clinicians in various environments across the world to provide effective prediagnostic health care support, increasing the levels of patient care while delivering operational efficiencies.

The products are designed to assist health providers make good clinical decision solutions that help in improving health care practices.

Speaking further, Alabi said: “We are delighted to be appointed Odyssey’s reseller.

It is a big leap for us at DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited. With the government’s recent efforts at revolutionising the health care sector, the introduction of Odyssey will go a long way in complementing these efforts. Our clients are upbeat about how much Odyssey would contribute to their health services and delivery. We are excited too.”

Speaking on the agreement, Avia chairman Barry Giddings said he is pleased to have on board “resellers into the Nigerian territory and we are confident by continuing to build our international reseller network this will lead to further global sales of the Odyssey product range.”

DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited, Alabi revealed, is to bring the technology that has transformed health information management in the developed world to Nigeria.

IGERIAN mothers have been urged to cook cow or pork meat properly before they are eaten to prevent tape worm infestation.

An expert at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Dr Salisu Mohammed, said the effect of tape worm infestation is big and children are proned to malnutrition and brain damage if they consume undone or half done meat.

According to him, the larva of the tape worm can go into the brain of children and cause brain damage which makes them convulse.

“The simplest of the effect is malnutrition while the worst is brain damage,” Mohammed said.

He said ensuring healthy living is a challenge everybody must embrace.

Mohammed urged the Ministry of Agriculture to supervise the meat being distributed in the state, adding that he would be very surprised if mothers don’t cook their meat very well.

Fidson’s private ward nears completion

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

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IDSON Health care Plc has said its Private Ward project under construction at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, would soon be completed.

According to the company, the project worth N50million when completed would provide of comfort and privacy to high profile individuals and professionals during their medical treatment.

Fidson’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Fidelis Ayebae said the project, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is at 90 per cent completion level and would be inaugurated soon.

He said the essence of building a private ward was to generate revenue which would be used to provide subsidised service for patients.

Ayebae said the company has also commenced work on some roads around Obanikoro, a Lagos area as part of its CRS in the immediate operating environment.

The CRS initiative, Ayebae said, was informed by the company’s policy of placing much importance on people’s lives.

The CEO noted: “We believe that a good road network could add value to the lives of the people of our immediate community.”

Pfizer Nutrition opens new office in Nigeria

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•Head of Department, Paediatrics, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Lesi Afolabi and President, Paediatrics Association of Nigeria, Dr Dorothy Esangbado, at a press briefing commemorating Children’s Day in Lagos.

By Wale Adepoju

FIZER Nutrition has opened a new office in Nigeria to provide choice for con sumers of its products.

The company said this move would impact positively on the health and well being of the people because of the high quality products it offers.

Pfizer Nutrition, formerly Wyeth Nutrition is now a part of Pfizer incorporated, an arm of the company which supports mission to improve health and well being at every stage of life.

The company’s Regional President, Africa Middle East, Mr Tarek Youssef, said Pfizer Nutrition has developed premium-quality nutrition products that are scientifically designed to meet the need of infants and lactating/ breastfeeding mothers.

He made this known during the official opening of Pfizer Nutrition’s office in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Speaking on the relation between Pfizer Nutrition and Pfizer Global Pharmaceutical, Mr Youssef, explained that Pfizer Nutrition develop premium-quality nutrition products while in Pfizer Pharmaceutical, science and global resources are applied to improved health and wellbeing at every stage of life.

“We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacturing of medicine for people and animals,” he said.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

NEWS Physically-challenged protest alleged poor treatment

Lawmaker to Police: save Nigeria from terrorists’ list

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MEMBER of the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele, yesterday urged Police Commands in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to prevent Nigeria from being listed as a terrorist state.

Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 1 at the National Assembly, urged security agencies to strengthen security at strategic locations to forestall further bombings.

The former Lagos State Commissioner for information, expressed concerns over the spate of bombings, especially that of last Thursday at the Force Headquar-

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

ters in Abuja, saying the incidents could return the country to the terrorists’ list.

In a statement, Bamidele urged security agencies to be proactive and form a synergy to nip in the bud the rising wave of terrorism in the country.

The federal lawmaker sympathised with the Inspector-General of Police Hafiz Ringim, who was alleged to have been the target of the attack, and commiserated with the families of the victims.

He praised Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi for presenting a security alert system to the Police

Command to assist in crime detection.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftain noted that the gesture would help in tackling crime and acts of terrorism in Ekiti.

Bamidele urged northern governors, where the bombings and other attacks have been rampant, to liaise with Boko Haram, the religious sect that has been claiming responsibility for the attacks.

The statement reads in part: “When the militants in the Niger Delta wanted to turn the country upside down, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua set up the amnesty programme by reaching out to these groups of militant youths to drop

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•Bamidele

their weapons and embrace dialogue.

“I am most elated because the Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Shettima Goni, has introduced this amnesty package and all we need to do is to form a coalition with him for this group to listen to the voice of reasoning and embrace it.”

Bomb blasts barbaric, says Suswam

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ENUE State Governor Gabriel Suswam has described as “most barbaric” Thursday’s bomb blast at the Police Headquarters in Abuja.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Dr Cletus Akwaya, the governor said: “There is no single justification for anybody to resort to such an act of treason in the guise of showing dissent or expressing his opinion.

“The Constitution …we are operating has ample provisions for any aggrieved

Nigerian to express his displeasure or air his views on any given situation, but the resort to violence and criminality certainly is not an acceptable way to canvass any opinion.”

Suswam condoled with Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Hafiz Ringim and sympathised with the families of those who lost loved ones in the incident.

He said: “This is a national tragedy; it is a dark moment in the life of this great country. The situation calls for serious introspection

and measured but effective response.”

The governor noted that the attack on the Police Headquarters was an attack on every Nigerian.

Suswam said: “The Police are the national institution in which our federalism finds expression. Any attempt by any individual or group to undermine this very important establishment is, therefore, an affront to all of us.”

He urged Ringim to get to the root of the bombing in the interest of national secu-

rity.

Suswam faulted those calling for the IGP’s resignation, saying it is not the panacea to the serious security situation at hand.

He said: “This matter requires a thorough investigation devoid of sentiments. We need to know what exactly happened; how it happened; and who is responsible for this crime that has challenged our sense of national security. The call for resignation of the IGP is not the immediate solution to this serious security situation.”

OME physicallychallenged athletes in Anambra State yesterday stormed the Government House in Awka, protesting alleged poor treatment by the Ministries of Youth and Sports and Women Affairs.

Anambra State will be represented at the National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, by 21 athletes, including nine weightlifters.

Though leader of the protesters Kingsley Ezeadim said the physically-challenged athletes do not have any problem with the government, but The Nation gathered that there were some issues they wanted the government to address about their welfare.

Some of them, who did not want to be named, urged Governor Peter Obi to rescue them from their “suffering”.

They said: “We are not being treated fine by those ministries, when we are doing everything to lift our state

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

through sports.

“We are not being given any camping allowance; the place we are camped beside the State Governor’s Lodge, close to the Immigration Service, is too poor because it has no food or water, among others.

“Governor Peter Obi has been doing well for the people of the state. But we know he may not be aware of our plight. That is why we are using this medium to alert him about our poor condition.”

They told The Nation that they were kept in a motherless babies’ home where there was no care, adding: “The condition portrays us as outcasts.”

Addressing the group, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ego Uzoezie, blamed the organisers of the sports fiesta for the athletes’ woes.

The absolved the government of any complicity in the matter.

Robbers kill policeman in Yola raid

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GANG of armed robbers has raided a supermarket and pharmacy shop in Jimeta, Yola, the Adamawa State capital, killing a policeman.

It was gathered that the robbery occurred around 9pm on Kala’a Street.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the policeman took an accident victim to the pharmacy shop

for treatment when the robbers struck and killed him.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Altine Daniel, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the incident, saying the deceased, Bello Ali, was attached to the Motor Traffic Division in Jimeta.

Daniel refused to give details of the incident, saying the Police had begun investigation into the matter.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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NEWS Oyo, Osun resolve LAUTECH crisis

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FFORTS began yesterday to resolve the crisis over the ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.

The two owner-states, Osun and Oyo, met to resolve the crisis.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi led the team that represented Oyo State while Deputy Governor Titilayo LaoyeTomori led the team from Osun State at the meeting, which began at 10.30am and lasted till 1.15pm.

They resolved that the school’s medical students’ examinations should take place in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, being the accredited centre recognised by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

They also directed all medical lecturers and students to return to the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital (LTH), Osogbo, to resume academic programmes, which had been disrupted.

The two states resolved to pursue the re-accreditation of medicine, nursing and medical laboratory science courses, which have lapsed.

They agreed to continue to meet until all contending issues are resolved.

A committee of six members from each side is to be put in place, including institutional representatives, to come up with terms of reference related to the ownership issue by July 30.

Ajibola mourns Aderinokun THE former AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola, has mourned the death of the former Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Olutayo Aderinokun.

In a statement from his Information Office in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Ajibola, who is the Chairman Board of Trustees of Crescent University, said the late Aderinokun was “one gentleman that made the establishment of our university possible at a time its registration needed bank guarantee,” adding that he never stopped giving the university the needed assistance at all times.

Ajibola said until his last moments, the late Aderinokun was involved in acts of kindness .

Describing the late banker as brilliant and efficient, Ajibola said the late Aderinokun was a great national benefactor.

“There is no doubt we shall miss a clean banker,” he said.

•The late Aderinokun

‘NYSC should be restructured, not scrapped’

A

COALITION of the organised labour, under the aegis of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Joint Labour Negotiating Council (JNLC), yesterday condemned calls for the abolishment of the scheme.

The group said the scheme should be sustained to consolidate on its past achievements.

The council, which comprises the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN); Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE); Nigeria Union of Civil Service Secretarial and Stenographic Workers (NUCSSASW), said the scheme has become the most unifying platform for diverse ethnic and religious

groups in Nigeria.

In a statement by ASCSN Chairman Comrade Aloysius Idoga; NUCSSASW Chairman Comrade Bunmi Afolayan and AUCPCTER Chairman Comrade Izah Kingsley, the council said: “There is no better way to appreciate the contributions of the scheme to socio-cultural heritage and cross-border sense of belonging than in recent months, when in the face of all odds, corps members have continued to exhibit greater commitment to the Nigerian project through various community development projects they are bequeathing as enduring legacies to their host communities.”

Condemning the killing and kidnapping of corps members in some parts of the

country, the council said the ugly development should not be used to measure the performance of the scheme, but should prompt us to improve on it.

Insisting on the importance of the scheme, the council cited the case of a corps member, Dr. Laz Ude Eze, who donated books worth over N250,000 to the library of Government Secondary School, Nyanya, Abuja, last week.

It also gave the instance of another corps member, Enyinanya Ibekwe, who repaired damaged water pipes in his host community of Ohobi and started an education programme in the Fulani community of Olena, both in Benue State. The council said: “The NYSC has, no doubt, and to a reasonable degree,

achieved the expected objectives. It is also opening new areas of national importance to galvanise and add value to the corporate existence of Nigeria.

“Such was the case in the scheme’s involvement in the April polls, which culminated in a free, fair and credible electoral process.

“However, in every human endeavour, risk is inevitable and has become a recurring experience in the drive toward every great achievement of life. In it, greatness is moulded.

“The ‘NYSC 10’ met their untimely death on this same path of serving their fatherland most heroically, while those kidnapped are fulfilling a call to national duty that has also inflicted pain on them and all of us that share

the vision of a great Nigeria.

“Despite the current ugly development, the question is: should the NYSC or its management be made to pay the price of the obvious uncertainties of the circumstance?

“As chieftains of labour in the NYSC, we feel the scheme deserves greater attention and empowerment to enable it impact more on our collective drive toward national rebirth and socio-cultural consciousness.

“As the only social security outfit in the country, the scheme can be restructured in a way that corps members can be assigned to mentor institutions to acquire skills in many facets of human endeavour, such as engineering, agro allied services, marine and other occupations.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

50

NEWS Cross River ratifies N1.7b HE Cross River State Executive Council has road contract ratified the N1.7 bil-

Global airlines lose $1.2b to bird strike S

TAKEHOLDERS in the global aviation industry yesterday took stock of the debilitating effects of bird strikes to aircraft engines and operations, estimating the loss at $1.2 billion.

They spoke at an international workshop on aviation hazard management in Africa, organised by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), in collaboration with the United States Federal Aviation Administration and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation Ms

By Kelvin Osa- Okunbor

Anne Ene Ita said the frequency of bird strikes in West Africa was worrisome.

She said in the global context of air transport, bird strike was not only dominant but also remains a natural and universal phenomenon.

Ms Ita said the phenomenon was not peculiar to West Africa as bird strikes caused annual damage that had been estimated at $400 million within the United States.

She said in Nigeria, the menace of bird strike is aided by the presence of bushes and waste within and around the airports.

Her words: “The Federal Government has instituted some measures to address the challenge through the development of a policy on bird/wildlife hazard management at the airports.

“The policy thrust recognises the hazards posed by birds/wildlife to airport operations and puts in place measures to alleviate these hazards whenever they are detected.”

Ms Ita said the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has signed an agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) with a view to procuring special-

T •Demuren

ised bird control hazards equipment.

NCAA Director-General Dr Harold Demuren said: “The menace of bird strike is real.

It is befitting to dedicate a discussion, such as this to efforts in minimising both the occurrence and associated damage.

“Bird strike poses serious danger to flight safety which can result in accident with loss of life and property.

lion 18-kilometre road contract that will link Ipolo in Yala Local Government with Ogurude in Obubra Local Government Area.

Director-General, Rural Development Agency (RUDA) Eko Atu said this at the end of the 16th Session of the State Executive Council meeting in Calabar, the capital.

Atu said the road is an extension of Ipolo-Apiapumtet, which was inaugurated by Governor Liyel Imoke in March.

He said the road would free the people of Ogurude, a farming community, from the constraints they had been encountering, and ease traf-

From Kunle Johnson, Calabar

fic on the Ogoja-Abakiliki road.

The Director-General said the road would open up other communities; allow State Electricity Agency to extend electricity to them, allow the movement of drilling equipment to provide water, provide State Border Commission access to the areas, as well as bring closer the border between Yala and Obubra local governments.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Patrick Ugbe, said the extension of the Ipolo-Apiapumtet road to Ogurude was a fulfillment of the promise the governor made to the people.

‘FADAMA project has succeeded HE World Bank Task in Nigeria’ Team Leader on FAD-

T

AMA 111 project, Dr. Abimbola Adubi, yesterday said the project is a success story for farmers in Nigeria.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting with the theme, Third National FADAMA Development Project, in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Adubi said World Bank intervention in the FADAMA 111 project is to reduce farmers’ input cost and post-harvest losses.

He said: “I can confidently say that the project has succeeded in Nigeria. When FADAMA 1 started, the interest was experimental, to have the irrigation water and that was done in five states.

“Later, under FEDAMA 11, it moved to 12 states and that is where we experimented with the approach of commu-

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

nity-driven development.

Then we expected an increase in income of farmers by about 20 per cent but what we got at the end of the project was over 63 per cent increase.

“Now with the FADAMA 111, which is now covering the whole country, we can also say that we have gone a step further because we are no more longer focusing on production because we are using a valuechain approach. We are covering production; processing; and marketing.”

The National Project Coordinator, FADAMA Development Project, Bukar Tijani, said that every six months, there is a joint World bank-FGN supervision mission in order to take stock of the progress made on FADAMA project.

Delta targets N5b IGR monthly

T

HE Delta State Board of Internal Revenue (DSBIR) is targeting N5 billion as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) monthly.

DSBIR Chairman Joel Onowakpo Thomas spoke in Asaba,the capital yesterday.

He said with a crop of professionals and systems put in place, the board would meet its target of N5 billion.

According to him, the state

From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

generates N2.7 billion monthly compared to N1.2 billion in 2009.

Onowakpo said the rise was a result of peace in the state, which had attracted many businesses.

He warned tax defaulters to ensure that necessary taxes are paid, saying defaulting companies would be prosecuted.

Lawmakers begin induction course

D

ELTA State House of Assembly will from today hold a four-day induction course for its lawmakers.

In a statement by the Chief of Staff to Speaker Victor Ochei, Ephraim Osubor, Sen-

ate President David Mark is the special guest at the opening session.

The induction is holding at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja. Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan will also attend the opening ceremony.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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congratulations_Uche Osiesi.jpg

52

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

53

54

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

With ekpoita :funtreatsvilla@yahoo.com / 08022664898

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 1.Box(4) 5.Brusque(4) 9.Measuring device(4) 10. Ocean(3) 11.Skillful(5) 13.Rscede(3) 14.Consume(3) 16.Fish(3) 18.Healthy(4) 22.Skill(3) 23.Tough Assignment(4) 25.Very(2) 26.Poem(3) 27.Aids Criminally(5) 28.Seedcase(3)

DOWN 1.Asterisk(4) 2.Cushion(3) 3.Imitate(3) 4.Disgust(5) 6.Employ(3) 7.One who opposes authority(5) 8.Label(3) 12.Baby talk(2) 15.Pulsates(6) 17.Relaxed(5) 19.Function word for location(2) 20.Sexual love(4)

JUMBLE WORD Unscramble the words in the grid to a single 9 - letter word meaning “A PROFESSION OF BELIEF”

S A TN E T AE M L L

TI EM N I TU

SCRAMBLED WORD

Hollywood Xclusive

POETRY

Actor Don Hewlett dies at 90 HUMOUR

Love is not a thing to understand.

Love is not a thing to feel.

Love is not a thing to give and receive.

Love is a thing only to become And eternally be.

ROCKY MARCIANO

- Sri Chinmoy

Behind the Phrase ‘Know Your Onions’

Meaning;To be experienced in or knowledgeable about a Actor Don Hewlett, who played a military officer in the BBC series “It Ain’t Half Hot Mum,” has died in London at the age of 90, his wife said.

Hewlett had been sick for a some time and died at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, his wife Therese told the BBC. Hewlett was best known for his role as commanding officer Lt. Col. Charles Reynolds on “It Ain’t Half Hot Mum,” which ran on the BBC from 1974-1981.

He made his onscreen career debut in the 1954 film “Orders are Orders,” in which he had a small role. He went on to be on numerous television shows, including “The Saint,” “The Avengers,” “Doctor Who” and “Coronation Street.”

Besides his wife, Hewlett is survived by five children, including daughter Siobhan, who is also an actress.

Pep Talk

subject.

Origin ;The English grammarian and lexicographer C. T. (Charles Talbut) Onions was an editor of the Oxford English Dictionary from 1895 and continued to write reference works throughout a long and distinguished career. His last work was The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, 1966, which was published a year after his death.

Know your onions is in fact an American phrase. There are many references to it in print there from the 1920s onward, but none in the UK or elsewhere until the middle of the century.

‘Know your onions refer to knowing - ‘know the ropes’, ‘doesn’t know shit from Shinola’ etc. allude to specific items as the focus of the knowledge. Other 1920s variants of ‘know your onions’ are ‘know your oil/oats/apples’ etc.

The only one that caught on and is still in common use is ‘know your onions’. So, why onions? Well, as the citation above asks - why not? Explanations that relate the phrase to knowledgeable vegetable gardeners, or even to C. T. or S. G. Onions, are just trying too hard. 1920s America was a breeding ground for wacky phrases and this is just another of those.

A man absolutely hated his wife’s cat and decided to get rid of him one day by driving him 20 blocks from his home and leaving him at the park.

As he was getting home, the cat was walking up the driveway.

The next day he decided to drive the cat 40 blocks away. He put the beast out and headed home.

Driving back up his driveway, there was the cat!

He kept taking the cat further and further and the cat would always beat him home. At last he decided to drive a few miles away, turn right, then left, past the bridge, then right again and another right until he reached what he thought was a safe distance from his home and left the cat there.

Hours later the man calls home to his wife: “Jen, is the cat there?”

“Yes”, the wife answers, “Why do you ask?”

Frustrated, the man answered, “Put that critter on the phone.

I’m lost and need directions!!!”

And God Said... A very religious man lived right next door to an atheist. While the religious one prayed day in, day out, and was constantly on his knees in communion with his Lord, the atheist never even looked twice at a church. However, the atheist’s life was good, he had a well-paying job and a beautiful wife, and his children were healthy and good-natured, whereas the pious man’s job was strenuous and his wages were low, his wife was cheating on him and his kids wouldn’t give him the time of the day. So one day, deep in prayer as usual, he raised his eyes towards heaven and asked: “Oh God, I honor you every day, I ask your advice for every problem and confess to you my every sin. Yet my neighbour, who doesn’t even believe in you and certainly never prays, seems blessed with every happiness, while I go poor and suffer many an indignity. Why is this?” And a great voice was heard from above ... “BECAUSE HE DOESN’T BOTHER ME ALL THE TIME.”

Brain Teaser Mixing Math and Poetry What kind of poem am I? (12 + 144 + 20 + (3 x (4^.5)))/7 + 5 x 11 = (9 ^2) + 0

Great men are the modellers, patterns, and in a wide sense creators, of whatsoever the general mass of men contrived to do and attain. - C a r l y l e

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

55

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

With ekpoita :funtreatsvilla@yahoo.com / 08022664898

ACROSS 1.Sign (5).

3.Mineral(3) 6.Baking Chamber(4) 7. Avarice(5) 9.Plus(3) 10.Musical note(2) 11.Skill(3) 12.Drinking Vessels(4) 16.Mother(2) 17. Appropriate (3) 18.Urge to do(5) 21.Vigilant (5) 22.Square(4) 23.Golf Score (3)

44

DOWN 1.Labels(4) 2.Crawl (5) 3.Precious stone(5) 4.Hire (4) 5.Final (3) 8.Burst out (5) 13.Move Smoothly (4) 14.Frend(3) 15.Challenge (4) 16.Dispense (4) 19.Encountered (3) 20.Before (3) 21.Single (2)

ALPHA-NUMERIC PUZZLE

Fill the grid to ensure that every row, column and 2 by 3 box contains the letters A, B, C and the numbers 1,2 and 3.

No one number or letter must appear more than once on each row, column and 2 by 3 box.

Celebrity Nook Carl Lewis Wins N.J.’s State Senate Primary

SIMPLY WEIRD POETRY Broken Broken hearts, love’s deceit, pieces fall down to my feet.

Broken promises, love’s a lie, puddles form from tears I cry.

Broken dreams, love’s illusion, sorrowed cause of your intrusion.

Broken hope, love’s a game, doesn’t last, ends the same.

Broken sleep, love’s the cause, digs at me with sharpened claws.

Broken spirit, love of sorrow, stolen now is my tomorrow.

Broken life, love is lost, Broken now and that’s the cost. - Rachel RTVW

Hope is the Thing with Feathers Nine-time Olympic gold winner Carl Lewis is now officially a Democratic state Senate candidate—for now. He won an uncontested race in the New Jersey’s Eight District and could face his Republican opponent, Rep. Dawn Marie Addiego, who also was uncontested.

It’s all up to a federal judge to decide whether Lewis can keep running or will be stopped in his tracks. State Republicans have challenged the former track star’s eligibility to run for elective office, charging that he does not meet the state’s four-year residency requirement. A federal judge allowed his name to appear on the primary ballot although a final ruling on whether the residency requirement is constitutional must still be made.

Lewis was born in New Jersey and owns a home there, but he has lived and worked in California for the past several years and it also is where he last voted. He didn’t register to vote in New Jersey until just before he announced his bid for office.

Pep Talk

“Hope” is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops at all, And sweetest in the gale is heard; And sore must be the storm That could abash the little bird That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land And on the strangest sea, Yet never, in extremity, It asked a crumb of me.

- Emily Dickinson

Gitanjali In desperate hope I go and search for her in all the corners of my room; I find her not.

My house is small and what once has gone from it can never be regained.

But infinite is thy mansion, my lord, and seeking her I have to come to thy door.

I stand under the golden canopy of thine evening sky and I lift my eager eyes to thy face.

I have come to the brink of eternity from which nothing can vanish—no hope, no happiness, no vision of a face seen through tears.

Oh, dip my emptied life into that ocean, plunge it into the deepest fullness. Let me for once feel that lost sweet touch in the allness of the universe .- Rabindranath Tagore

HUMOUR The teacher came up with a good problem. “Suppose,” she asked the second-graders, “there were a dozen sheep and six of them jumped over a fence. How many would be left?”

“None,” answered little Norman.

“None? Norman, you don’t know your arithmetic.”

“Teacher, you don’t know your sheep. When one goes, they all go!”

A man needing a heart transplant is told by his doctor that the only heart available is that of a sheep. The man finally agrees and the doctor transplants the sheep heart into the man. A few days after the operation, the man comes in for a checkup. The doctor asks him “How are you feeling?” The man replies “Not BAAAAD!” A man goes to his doctor for a complete checkup. He hasn’t been feeling well and wants to find out if he’s ill. After the checkup the doctor comes out with the results of the examination.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news. You’re dying and you don’t have much time,” the doctor says.

“Oh no, that’s terrible. How long have I got?” the man asks.

“10...” says the doctor.

“10? 10 what? Months? Weeks? What?!” he asks desperately.

“10...9...8...7...”

BRAIN TEASERS If seven people meet each other and each shakes hands only once with each of the others, how many handshakes will there have been?

If you were to put a coin into an empty bottle and then insert a cork into the neck, how could you remove the coin without taking out the cork or breaking the bottle?

What is the longest word in the English language that consists entirely of vowels (excluding Y)?

The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can. - Robert Cushing

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

56

MONEY LINK

N

IGERIA’S foreign reserves yesterday rose to $33.3 billion from $32 billion in May. The banking watchdog had last month at its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, acknowledged the modest increase to the external reserves in recent months.

It, however, noted inflow into the CBN is not consistent with the high oil prices.

It said this underscored the need for tighter fiscal controls around oil revenues as well as first line charges including Joint Venture Company deduc-

Foreign reserves rise to $33.4b Stories by Collins Nweze Senior Correspondent

tions and subsidies.

A higher rate of retention of oil revenues should facilitate the efforts at maintaining exchange rate stability as an antidote to imported inflation without excessive reliance on monetary tightening measures,” the CBN governor, Lamido Sanusi had said.

Before the increase, the reserves have been declining,

shedding seven per cent from the middle of last month, as it tried to defend the naira. “The current external reserves level is still adequate and is expected to remain robust in view of the favorable outlook for oil prices and output,” CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido had said.

Nigeria’s foreign reserves have been under pressure since last month with strong local demand for the United States dol-

Tax officers, head of revenue agencies meet in Lagos

P

RESIDENTS of Profes sional Taxation Insti tutes, Heads of Revenue Agencies and Executives of West African Union of Tax Institutes, met in Lagos yesterday to fashion out way forward for the industry in Africa.

The groups, which are currently looking at getting a new body to oversee tax issues in the continent, said they are committed towards advancing the taxation profession in their respective jurisdictions as well as identifying challenges within the industry.

President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) John Jegede said it has become crucial for them to evolve a platform by which member institutes could harness the experiences and gains garnered in

the course of executing the dictates rules and regulations, of tax so that Africa, through a unified body can work together for common purpose.

He said that the association will devise strategy of encouraging countries within the continent that do not have professional tax bodies to establish one so that the potential gains of such could spread throughout the continent.

The Cote D’ Ivore representative, Traore Bakari, said there is need for all the countries in Africa to work together to promote policies that will help them harmonise tax system to benefit investors. He said that the Africa tax policy needs permanent amendment.

Former President of CITN, Kunle Quadri said the first issue to be addressed will be to

have a professionalised tax body in the continent as this will help drive the benefits of prompt tax payment among citizens of the continent, especially when the benefits of such actions becomes more visible.

Quadri had earlier said that Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation with great potentials. The country, he said, offers a low cost labour pool, abundant natural resources, and the largest domestic market in Sub-Sahara Africa.

“These are perhaps the advantages the country has over its counterparts within the region. With these credentials at hand, Nigeria should be the haven of investors desiring to operate with the aim of building profit over time,” he said.

lar by oil and rice importers, leading, sometimes, to a depreciation of the naira.

The foreign reserves stood at over $40 billion a year earlier, but have fallen sharply since then due to demand pressure from importers and a reduction in accruals from oil export revenues.

The CBN has maintained that the present level could finance more than 17 months of import.

Experts say in a highly import-dependent economy with large passthrough effects of import prices on domestic prices like Nigeria, it is necessary to create a climate conducive to larger foreign capital inflows. This could be done through appropriate

T

HE three licensed credit bureaux in the country are making inroads in the financial services industry.

The three operators, XDS Credit Bureau, CRC Credit Bureau and CR Credit Bureau.

Deposit Money Banks, Microfinance banks, primary mortgage institutions among others, The Nation leant, have increased their subscription to credit bureau servives.

Credit Registry Services (Credit Bureau) Plc, recently announced it has gotten 24 of the deposit money banks subscribe to its services.

In a statement from the

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

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2011 “ 14-04-2011

GAINERS AS AT 20-6-11 SYMBOL AFRIBANK AIRSERVICE OCEANIC PLATINUM AIICO ETI UNHOMES COSTAIN PZ ETERNAOIL

O/PRICE 1.05 2.66 1.11 0.68 0.77 14.53 0.57 3.40 36.00 5.19

C/PRICE 1.10 2.78 1.16 0.71 0,80 15.05 0.59 3.50 36.70 5.25

CHANGE +0.05 +0.12 +0.05 +0.03 +0.03 +0.52 +0.02 +0.10 +0.70 +0.06

LOSER AS AT 20-6-11 SYMBOL DANSUGAR LONGMAN HONYFLOUR BAGCO PAINTCOM CILEASING FIRSTBANK SKYEBANK CONTINSURE NIWICABLE

O/PRICE 13.30 5.96 4.55 2.69 1.72 1.30 13.20 8.38 1.11 0.67

C/PRICE 12.64 5.67 4.33 2.56 1.64 1.24 12.60 8.00 1.06 0.64

tantly, it has satisfied customers who have grown their profit margins, increased debt collection and reduced fraud as a direct result of using our services.”

“I take this opportunity to assure all our subscribers of our continued commitment to delivering the best credit bureau and fraud prevention services using innovative, world class technologies.

“We encourage all lending institutions and creditors everywhere in Nigeria to partner with CR Services Credit Bureau for their financial success as we help them to fulfill CBN regulatory requirement,” he said.

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 400m 467.7m 400m 452.3m 500m 499,8m

MANAGED FUNDS

Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Taiwo Ayedun, he said: “We are grateful to the entire banking industry for making this possible.

“Since we commenced operations, we have continued to record success upon success including being the first private credit bureau operator in Nigeria, the first credit bureau to integrate biometric technologies into a credit bureau system, and today we are the first credit bureau to record 100 per cent coverage of the commercial banking space.”

He said the firm has developed the most reliable and secure credit bureau solution in the country. “More impor-

DATA BANK

Tenor

OBB Rate Call Rate

‘The current external reserves level is still adequate and is expected to remain robust in view of the favorable outlook for oil prices and output’

Credit bureaux cover more banks, MfBs

FGN BONDS

NIDF NESF

fiscal measures, particularly in the light of the gains that could be made in the current context of high crude oil prices.

There is therefore need of continuing structural reforms and infrastructural development to enhance domestic production to reduce large import cost.

The apex bank had said last week that the huge growth in credit to government against the backdrop of continuing decline in private sector credit was worrisome.

This shows that banks are more open to government borrowing than lending to private sector customers.

Sanusi said banks in the bid to rebuild their balance

sheets have become increasingly risk-averse, and have preferred to channel their funds into the relatively risk-free government sector. Speaking in Abuja.

He said there are renewed efforts on the part of the regulator to de-risk the real economy through appropriate reform measures.

CHANGE -0.66 -0.29 -0.22 -0.13 -0.08 -0.06 -0.60 -0.38 -0.05 -0.03

Amount Sold ($) 400m 400m 499.8m

Exchange Rate (N) 153.59 153.4 153.45

Date 25-5-11 23-5-11 16-5-11

EXHANGE RATE 30-05-11 CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD NGN GBP

147.6000 239.4810

149.7100 244.0123

150.7100 245.6422

-2.11 -2.57

NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change (S/N) Parallel Market

212.4997

207.9023

209.2910

-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

17-06-11 N8.0322tr 25.119.41

Name

January ’11

February ’11

May ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

8.00%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 11.3%

NIBOR

7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

20-06-11 N8.0923tr 25,309.17

% Change -0.74% -0.74%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS

DISCOUNT WINDOW

Tenor

NSE CAP Index

Rate (Previous) 04 MAR, 2011 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 24, MAY, 2011 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 117.77 122.45 0.84 1,575.41 97.64 1.00 1.39 1.87 9,039.76 193.00

9.08 1.00 117.28 121.55 0.81 1,567.25 92.88 1.00 1.33 1.80 8,759.24 191.08

ARM AGGRESSIVE KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND THE LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY THE DISCOVERY FUND • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 MAR, 2011

Current 07, MAR, 2011

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

57

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 20-06-11

NAHCO closes members’ register

2ND-TIER SECURITIES Company Name FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC PRESCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 4 3 3 10

Quotation(N) 0.50 0.50 8.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 610,000 305,000.00 15,600 7,800.00 13,742 109,936.00 639,342 422,736.00

Quotation(N) 2.78 7.83

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 312,631 848,596.58 130,714 1,023,490.62 443,345 1,872,087.20

Quotation(N) 0.50 2.08

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 22,500 11,250.00 33,360 70,920.50 55,860 82,170.50

Quotation(N) 7.25 1.10 5.50 3.04 7.41 2.61 12.60 0.51 15.85 9.40 0.94 1.16 0.71 8.00 0.76 1.80 5.75 2.18 0.92 1.00 14.85

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 3,806,600 27,523,668.20 1,860,450 2,044,667.68 2,184,270 12,001,059.43 44,965 132,325.74 2,344,970 17,536,682.81 3,937,848 10,284,058.77 7,074,988 90,883,372.62 5,087,816 2,611,959.56 9,051,658 143,572,491.79 3,453,468 32,685,834.97 16,535,246 16,071,915.64 2,273,058 2,636,747.28 7,748,895 5,500,580.70 6,357,907 51,580,749.09 401,265 306,961.40 1,678,406 3,096,099.76 3,109,888 18,273,715.69 3,694,138 8,113,854.27 3,943,268 3,699,488.98 1,263,208 1,265,149.89 4,329,542 64,505,311.09 90,181,854 514,326,695.36

Quotation(N) 4.05 245.00 6.42 2.49 89.20 0.93

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,730,000 7,008,120.00 390,468 95,393,603.09 229,882 1,402,780.20 2,000 4,740.00 1,429,348 127,483,146.98 1,500 1,455.00 3,783,198 231,293,845.27

Quotation(N) 23.99 10.20 130.00 47.11

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 189,286,653 4,540,936,552.81 100,505 1,009,035.05 90,073 11,676,727.07 784,318 36,933,854.43 190,261,549 4,590,556,169.36

Quotation(N) 10.43 30.96 1.52 1.64 5.11

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 98,331 988,617.21 3,857 125,352.50 1,950 2,827.50 11,365,000 18,638,600.00 200 972.00 11,469,338 19,756,369.21

AIR SERVICES Company Name AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 14 30 44

AUTOMOBILE & TYRE Company Name DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC R. T. BRISCOE (NIGERIA) PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 10 11 BANKING

Company Name ACCESS BANK PLC AFRIBANK NIGERIA PLC DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC FIDELITY BANK PLC FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC FINBANK PLC GTBANK PLC STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC INTERCONTINENTAL BANK PLC. OCEANIC BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC BANK PHB PLC SKYE BANK PLC. SPRING BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC. UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC UNITYBANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC ZENITH BANK PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 133 35 85 13 37 56 486 91 450 42 144 53 117 327 31 29 168 159 38 29 207 2,730 BREWERIES

Company Name CHAMPION BREWERIES PLC GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC JOS INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC PREMIER BREWERIES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 5 57 11 1 126 1 201 BUILDING MATERIALS

Company Name ASHAKA CEMENT PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTHERN NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 52 9 20 29 110

•Key indicators down by 0.7%

T

HE Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc, yesterday closed its register to pave way for dividend payment to shareholders.

The directors have recommended N0.40 dividend to investors. All shareholders whose names appear in the register as at the close of business yesterday are to benefit from the dividend payment.

NAHCO, last week, presented its audited result for the year ended December 31st 2010. The Board of Directors recommended a dividend of N0.40 per share , and fixed the date of closure of register of members for June 20, 2011 while dividend payment date is slated for July 23, 2011.

However, the key indicators of the market continued their downward movement except for the number of deals and value traded which appreciated due to the crossed deal recorded by investors in Ashaka cement and a higher patronage witnessed in the banking sector.

Under the building mate-

No of Deals 22 3 1 3 1 30

COMMERCIAL/SERVICES Company Name COURTVILLE INVESTMENTS PLC Secure Electronic Technology PLC RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 3 1 18 22

Quotation(N) 0.50 1.06 2.84

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 650,000 325,000.00 2,000 2,120.00 272,520 770,292.00 924,520 1,097,412.00

COMPUTER & OFFICE EQUIPMENT Company Name NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. THOMAS WYATT PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 6 1 7

Quotation(N) 6.27 1.38

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 697 4,154.12 1,112 1,467.84 1,809 5,621.96

Quotation(N) 36.70 0.90 39.02 27.10

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 3,015,701 110,019,774.22 8,714,160 7,686,291.40 2,591,929 104,017,042.21 371,000 10,055,434.19 14,692,790 231,778,542.02

CONGLOMERATES Company Name PZ CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC UAC OF NIGERIA PLC UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 88 54 87 50 279 CONSTRUCTION

Company Name COSTAIN (WA) PLC JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC ROADS NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 55 16 1 72

Quotation(N) 3.50 54.00 3.47

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 3,959,190 13,652,908.59 66,458 3,588,732.00 3,000 10,920.00 4,028,648 17,252,560.59

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Company Name CUTIX PLC NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 2 3

Quotation(N) 2.18 0.64

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 4,000 8,720.00 153,000 97,920.00 157,000 106,640.00

FOOD/BEVERAGES & TOBACCO Company Name 7-UP BOTTLING CO. PLC CADBURY NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIGERIA PLC HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT COMPANY NIGERIA PLC NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY PLC NESTLE NIGERIA PLC NORTHERN NIGERIA FLOUR MILLS PLC TANTALIZERS PLC UTC NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 15 66 83 71 69 22 12 21 51 2 7 5 424

Quotation(N) 46.00 17.90 16.40 12.64 91.00 4.33 5.71 42.50 401.00 29.20 0.50 0.66

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 38,075 1,730,008.70 450,498 8,034,899.92 325,335 5,250,858.68 1,496,932 19,208,017.36 809,849 73,180,268.21 247,934 1,074,988.22 120,550 688,340.50 118,396 4,785,004.48 139,054 55,734,078.73 2,385 69,255.00 610,000 305,000.00 58,980 39,166.75 4,417,988 170,099,886.55

Quotation(N) 1.91 28.35 3.80 1.78 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 545,867 1,052,865.97 5,645 152,076.30 113,120 418,144.80 1,440 2,448.00 36,800 18,400.00 702,872 1,643,935.07

HEALTHCARE Company Name FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 10 7 20 1 1 39

HOTEL & TOURISM Company Name IKEJA HOTEL PLC TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 9 1 10

Quotation(N) 1.39 4.53

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 267,000 365,250.80 1,200 5,172.00 268,200 370,422.80

INDUSTRIAL/DOMESTIC PRODUCTS Company Name B. O. C. GASES NIGERIA PLC FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 4 9 14

Quotation(N) 7.84 0.50 6.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,500 11,700.00 94,433 47,356.50 52,800 316,860.00 148,733 375,916.50

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Company Name CHAMS PLC STARCOMMS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 29 31

Quotation(N) 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,600 800.00 5,478,119 2,764,688.43 5,479,719 2,765,488.43

Quotation(N) 0.80 1.06 0.50 3.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,013,506 1,605,599.23 103,200 111,524.00 13,000 6,500.00 319,200 966,362.00

rials sub-sector, Ashaka Cement also presented its audited result for the year ended December 31st, 2010, to the Exchange with the board of directors recommending a dividend of N0.30 per share.

The date of closure of register of members is July 11, 2011, while payment date is fixed at July 28, 2011.

On the trading floor of the NSE, a total of 397.944 million shares valued at N6.455 billion were traded in 4,756 deals.

This was against the 664.691 million shares valued at N1.780 billion exchanged in 4,497 deals on Friday.

The market capitalisation and the All-Share-Index both depreciated by 0.75 per cent each to close at N8.032 trillion and 25,119.41 points respectively.

The Building materials sub-sector led other sub-sectors with 190.262 million shares valued at N4.591 billion, traded in 110 deals.

Shares of Ashaka cement drove the sub-sector with

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 20-06-11 EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC 1 GREAT NIGERIA INSURANCE COMPANY PLC 1 GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC 8 GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC 21 GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. 1 CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC 3 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC 2 LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. 10 LAW UNION AND ROCK INSURANCE PLC. 26 LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC 1 N.E.M. INSURANCE CO. (NIG.) PLC. 13 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. 12 STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC 1 UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC 3 INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INSURANCE PLC 9 Sector Totals 170

No of Deals 42 5 2 9

0.50 0.50 0.50 1.53 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.56 0.50 0.52 0.65 0.50 0.50 0.53

30,000 2,750 1,540,599 1,326,100 37,000 6,723 474,446 3,065,800 3,428,700 5,000 1,454,647 265,625 11,275 952,767 371,288 15,421,626

15,000.00 1,375.00 770,299.50 2,049,951.00 18,500.00 3,361.50 237,223.00 1,532,900.00 1,948,201.00 2,500.00 767,647.94 172,732.50 5,637.50 476,383.50 196,982.64 10,888,680.31

Quotation(N) 1.24

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 190,000 235,600.00 190,000 235,600.00

Quotation(N) 1.07

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 9,125,775 10,133,487.09 9,125,775 10,133,487.09

Quotation(N) 0.51 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 26,400,000 13,464,000.00 18,776 9,388.00 26,418,776 13,473,388.00

LEASING Company Name C&I LEASING PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 4 4 MARITIME

Company Name JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 100 100

Company Name AFROMEDIA PLC DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 31 5 36

MEDIA

MORTGAGE COMPANIES Company Name ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 22 23

Quotation(N) 1.44 0.59

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 7,500 10,275.00 1,008,111 575,829.12 1,015,611 586,104.12

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Company Name CRUSADER NIGERIA PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 6 8

Quotation(N) 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,000 1,000.00 125,000 62,500.00 127,000 63,500.00

Quotation(N) 2.56 4.21 13.97

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,270,840 3,260,828.15 2,800 11,704.00 2,800 37,184.00 1,276,440 3,309,716.15

PACKAGING Company Name NIGERIAN BAG MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC NAMPAK NIGERIA PLC GREIF NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 89 1 1 91

PETROLEUM(MARKETING) Company Name BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC CONOIL PLC ETERNA OIL & GAS PLC. MOBIL OIL NIGERIA PLC. OANDO PLC TOTAL NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 3 3 13 18 13 139 10 199

Quotation(N) 0.50 72.00 40.00 5.25 159.00 50.00 195.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 500,000 250,000.00 1,010 69,570.00 8,514 324,479.00 270,998 1,383,913.88 18,089 2,769,083.00 10,816,326 540,410,632.34 16,600 3,245,302.40 11,631,537 548,452,980.62

PRINTING & PUBLISHING Company Name LONGMAN NIGERIA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 17 19

Quotation(N) 5.67 5.04

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 90,000 510,300.00 298,919 1,506,808.96 388,919 2,017,108.96

Quotation(N) 19.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 3,186,928 60,390,127.00 3,186,928 60,390,127.00

REAL ESTATE Company Name UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 31 31

ROAD TRANSPORTATION Company Name ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 2

Quotation(N) 0.55

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 60,000 33,000.00 60,000 33,000.00

Quotation(N) 0.62

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 8,063 4,951.82 8,063 4,951.82

TEXTILES Company Name UNITED NIGERIA TEXTILES PLC Sector Totals

INSURANCE Company Name AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE CO. PLC. CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC

189.287 million worth N4.541 billion, exchanged in 52 deals.

The Banking sub-sector followed with 90.182 million shares valued at N514.327 million traded in 2,730 deals.

The Media sub-sector came third, trading 26.419 million shares worth N13.473 million in 36 deals. Robust transactions in the shares of Afromedia, drove the subsector with 26.40 million shares worth N13.46 million traded in 31 deals.

On the price movement table, Afribank, led with a gain of 4.76 per cent followed by Air service with a gain of 4.51 per cent.

Also on the list were Oceanic Bank, Bank PHB and AIICO among others with gain of 4.50 per cent, 4.41 per cent and 3.90 per cent respectively.

On the losers table, Dangote Sugar led with a drop of 4.96 per cent, followed by Longman, Honeywell Flour, Bagco and Paintcom shedding 4.87 per cent, 4.84 per cent, 4.83 per cent and 4.65 per centage point.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

CHEMICAL & PAINTS Company Name BERGER PAINTS NIGERIA PLC CHEMICAL AND ALLIED PRODUCTS PLC DN MEYER PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

By Tonia Osundolire

No of Deals 4 4

THE FOREIGN LISTINGS Company Name ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Sector Totals Overall Totals

No of Deals 32 32

Quotation(N) 15.05

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,436,914 21,638,624.30 1,436,914 21,638,624.30

4,756

397,944,354

6,455,033,767.19

58

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

59

FOREIGN British court fines Shell $2m over 2008 blast A BRITISH court has fined Shell UK 1.24 million pounds ($2 million) for safety and pollution offences which led to an explosion at a gas terminal in England.

Judge Martin Binning said Monday that workers had warned Shell many times about dangerous conditions at the plant in Bacton, on the Norfolk coast 125 miles (200 km) northeast of London.

Prosecutor Andrew Marshall said that if the explosion in February 2008 had not occurred during a shift change, it could have killed 10 workers.

Shell had pleaded guilty at Ipswich Crown Court. In a statement, the company said: “What happened was completely unacceptable and falls well below the standards that we set for ourselves.”

Ben Ali says he was deceived into leaving Tunisia

T

UNISIA’S ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali said yesterday he was deceived into leaving the country, and denied giving orders for security forces to shoot at protesters who were demanding he step down.

A statement issued by his lawyers said he had agreed to take a plane to Saudi Arabia to bring his family to safety, and had planned to return immediately. But, he said, the aircraft left Saudi Arabia without him after the crew ignored his instructions.

Ben Ali, whose trial in absentia began yesterday, denied the charges against him of illegally possessing drugs, cash, jewellery and weapons.

He said the weapons were gifts from other heads of state

and the jewellery had been given as gifts to his wife, Leila Trabelsi, by foreign dignitaries. The money and drugs had been planted in his home and the presidential palace after his departure as part of a plot against him, he said in the statement.

Ben Ali gave his first detailed account of the events leading to his departure from Tunisia for Saudi Arabia on 14 January, ending his 23 years in office. At the time, thousands of protesters had gathered in the centre of the capital to demand he step down, accusing him of stamping out dissent while allowing his family to amass huge wealth and control the economy.

The statement said the head of presidential security had

come to him in his office and told him “friendly” foreign intelligence services had passed on information about a plot to assassinate Ben Ali. He was persuaded to board a plane that would take his wife and children to safety in Jeddah, but with the intention of returning immediately, the statement said.

“He boarded the plane with his family after ordering the crew to wait for him in Jeddah. But after his arrival, the plane returned to Tunisia, without waiting for him, contrary to his orders.

He did not leave his post as president of the republic and hasn’t fled Tunisia as he was falsely accused of doing,” the statement said.

In a forthcoming trial in a

Egyptian fuel smugglers find market in Libya

E •Ben Ali

military court, Ben Ali is expected to face accusations that he ordered police to open fire on protesters outside the capital, killing hundreds of people over a three-week period. “He did not give an order to fire on demonstrators and this can be proved through the contacts between the presidency, interior ministry and different ministries, which are recorded,” the statement said.

Saudi women seek help in driving campaign THE group, Saudi Women for Driving, says it sent letters yesterday to United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton appealing for statements that back the effort to end the male-only driving rules in the Western-allied kingdom.

About 40 Saudi women got behind the wheel Friday, saying they were beginning a campaign to lift the restrictions in the ultraconservative Muslim country. No arrests were reported.

The Saudi activists say the Saudi campaign is inspired by the Arab uprisings and deserves high-level Western backing.

France ready to extradite ex-dictator Noriega to Panama

Afghan protests over Quran burning in US AFGHAN protests against the burning of a Koran in Florida entered a third day with a demonstration in the eastern city of Jalalabad Sunday. The protest was peaceful, but 20 people have died in rioting in Afghanistan since Friday. .Among the protesters were many students from a local university who called for the prosecution of the Rev. Terry Jones, according to Ahmad Abdulzai, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

On March 20, Jones, pastor of a tiny Florida church, declared Islam’s holy book “guilty” of “crimes against humanity” and ordered it set ablaze in a portable fire pit.

Sunday’s demonstration in Jalalabad ended peacefully, as did another one in Parwan province, the home of Bagram air base, a large NATO military complex north of Kabul. There, protesters burned tires and blocked a highway. A second day of demonstrations Saturday in Kandahar, however, was more volatile, as protesters at a downtown mosque clashed with police.

Twenty people were injured, the Associated Press reported.

GYPTIAN fuel smugglers are expanding their network to Libya and reducing deliveries to Gaza causing a fuel crisis in the Strip, traders told Ma’an.

Gaza trader Ayman Abu Shanab said Egypt was exploiting the unrest in Libya to smuggle fuel into the country for high prices. Libya has huge reserves of oil but due to the fighting in the country traders were smuggling fuel to the Libyan coast on fishing boats.

Abu Shanab said a liter of petrol in Gaza sold for less than one shekel ($0.29) but in Libya, Egypt could sell fuel for $1 per liter.

Egyptian smugglers preferred to trade with Libya, leading to a shortages in the Gaza Strip, specialists in the coastal enclave said.

Gaza needs 200,000 liters of petrol daily but over the last week only 50,000 liters of fuel was smuggled into the Strip each day, Abu Shanab said.

He said the gas smuggled into Gaza through tunnels under the Egyptian border was low quality, and that Egyptian smugglers had diluted the fuel.

Gaza gas station owners rejected the fuel, which was sometimes black, red or brown, he added.

Vice-chairman of the assembly of oil and gas companies Mahmoud Al-Khazandar urged the Hamas government to establish a laboratory to test the quality of oil imported to Gaza.

“The quantities of fuel which entered Gaza in the past few days are limited, and the petrol doesn’t match our fuel standard so we rejected some shipments,” he added.

F •Rescue team inspecting the building destroyed by NATO airstrike in Tripoli...yesterday

NATO ‘regrets’ deaths of nine civilians in Tripoli

N

ATO’S secretary general yesterday admitted that an alliance air strike was responsible for an attack on a suburb of Tripoli which killed nine civilians, according to Libyan officials.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Nato “deeply regrets” the incident, which he said was caused by an accident during air strikes designed to protect civilians against the forces of

dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Rasmussen insisted that Nato would not be deflected from its mission to impose United Nations Security Council resolution 1973, adding: “We will stay committed as long as it takes.”

He said there was “no solely military solution” to the crisis in Libya, and called for a political process to establish a future for the north African

country, which would have to involve Gaddafi’s removal.

A statement posted on the Nato website said a “weapons system failure” may have been responsible for a missile going astray in the early hours of yesterday.

Nato did not disclose which country’s aircraft were involved, although the Ministry of Defence said RAF

warplanes were not operating in the area at the time.

Rasmussen told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: “Unfortunately, it was an accident caused by one of our strikes.”

He added: “We do our best to avoid civilian casualties but unfortunately sometimes accidents happen. We deeply regret this loss of civilian life and I convey my condolences to the bereaved families.”

Nigerian family suffers hate crime in UK

T

HE police say they are treating an attack on the home of a Nigerian family in Belfast as a hate crime.

The family were in their home in the Kilmuir Avenue area of Ballybeen when two upstairs windows were smashed.

The attack happened shortly after 0040 BST on 13 June, but police have only just released details.

It is understood the family are now trying to find other accommodation.

Local clergy issued a statement to show their support for the family.

“We the members of churches in Ballybeen stand together with other members of our community in our rejection and condemnation of the recent unprovoked and seemingly racially-motivated attacks on a family of Nigerian origin living in our community,” it said.

“We are saddened that they now feel that it is unsafe for their children that they continue to live in Bal-

lybeen.

“We call upon all church members, residents of Ballybeen, political representatives, statutory authorities and community workers to do all that they can to affirm and ensure that this community is a secure place to live for people of all racial and national backgrounds, so that no-one may fear intimidation or expulsion from their homes.”

PSNI area commander for Castlereagh, chief inspector Derek Martin, said:

“Everyone has the right to a peaceful and safe existence and incidents of this nature will absolutely not be tolerated.

“Our officers are fully committed to playing their part in preventing such dreadful crimes occurring.

“We all have a part to play in dealing with hate crime, however the police alone cannot solve what is a wider societal issue.

“I would appeal to anyone who has information on this incident to pass it to police.”

RANCE is ready to extradite former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega to his home country after the United States gave its “consent,” the French government said yesterday.

Panama has requested Noriega’s extradition for his role in the killing of the leader of an attempted military coup in 1989. He also face charges of murdering political opponents. .We are now “readying to take the extradition decree,” French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said.

Noriega — military dictator in Panama from 1983 to 1989 — was imprisoned in the U.S. for two decades after being deposed in a 1989 U.S. invasion. France needed U.S. approval to extradite him.

He was sent from Florida to France last year to face money laundering charges, where he was sentenced to seven years in prison.

But Panama also wants him prosecuted for graver crimes, including the murder of political opponents.

Panama’s Foreign Relations Department said in a statement Sunday that it was waiting for the French government to officially inform it of its decision to extradite Noriega. The U.S. sent Panama a diplomatic note dated June 16 saying it had given France its green light for Noriega to be extradited.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

60

NEWS Syrian al-Assad hard maintains line on protests SYRIAN President Bashar al-Assad has blamed antigovernment protests on a small group of “saboteurs”.

In his third address to the nation since protests began in March, he said Syria should deal with people’s demands for reform but that a “small faction” was exploiting popular grievances.

He said a national dialogue would shape Syria’s future and urged people who had fled to Turkey to return.

After the speech there were reports of further protests in several cities.

Local co-ordinators for the protesters said that reforms were no longer their demand. The only solution was a change of regime, their spokesman Ali Othman told the BBC. Other opposition activists said that Mr Assad’s speech was addressed to his loyalists - not to his opponents.

NATO airstrike ‘killS 15 civilians’ LIBYAN officials say 15 civilians - including three children - were killed in a Nato attack on a building west of the capital, Tripoli.

A BBC correspondent taken by the Libyan government to see a compound in the suburb of Sorman says the building has been pulverised.

Nato said it conducted operations around Sorman earlier on yesterday.

On Sunday, Nato said a weapons failure may have led to civilian casualties in an earlier air strike on Tripoli.

BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen was taken to see the remains of the country estate of Khweildy al-Hamidy, a member of the Libyan Revolutionary Command Centre, the inner circle of government.

French ex-leader Chirac to face trial Sept 5

Sudanese leaders agree over disputed Abyei region

R

IVAL Sudanese leaders have signed a deal for their forces to withdraw from the disputed border town of Abyei, mediator Thabo Mbeki says.

Northern forces seized the town last month, raising fears of a new war, as South Sudan prepares for independence on 9 July.

Both northern and southern troops are to leave the area, to be replaced by Ethiopian soldiers, Mr Mbeki said.

This deal was first report-

ed last week but details had not been confirmed.

However, two days after the deal was announced, a South Sudan spokesman said rival forces had clashed once more.

More than 100,000 people have fled the fighting in Abyei, the UN says.

Another 60,000 have fled violence between pro-south communities and northern forces in the neighbouring South Kordofan state.

Mr Mbeki, a former South African president, announced

the deal in a video link to the UN Security Council.

South Sudan is due to gain independence under a peace deal that ended two decades of north-south conflict - a conflict war that left some 1.5 million people dead.

The war ended with a 2005 peace deal, under which the mainly Christian and animist south held a referendum in January on whether to secede from the largely Arabicspeaking, Muslim north.

Some 99% of voters opted for independence. President

A

•Al-Bashir

Bashir said he would accept the verdict of the south, where most of Sudan’s oil fields lie.

EU adds six Libyan ports to assets freeze

T

HE 27 foreign ministers, meeting in Luxembourg, toughened the EU’s sanctions against the regime by adding six port authorities controlled by Gadhafi’s forces to its asset-freeze list. The ports were not named.

The statement said the officials were concerned about the humanitarian situation, particularly in the city of

Misrata and in the western mountains, and said charity organizations must be granted unhindered access throughout Libya without delay. It reiterated the offer — made many times, but never accepted — to support the delivery of humanitarian aid with an EU military force if requested to do so by the U.N. The statement also said the

EU, working with the U.N., the World Bank and regional organizations, had started to mobilize its resources to support a political transition in Libya and will also help with post-conflict reconstruction.

“The EU is committed to supporting the building of a democratic state,” the statement said.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has ex-

pressed concern about postwar stability in Libya if planning is not done.

She has said a successful post-conflict period in North Africa will require what she calls the three M’s: money, market access and mobility. She wants Europe to contribute billions of euros (dollars) to develop the economies of Libya, Egypt and Tunisia.

Trial of deposed Tunisian leader begins

•Ben Ali

T

HE trial in absentia of Tunisia’s former president began in a packed courtroom in the country’s capital yesterday.

Ousted President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia earlier this year after a revolt that triggered a wave of protests against longtime rulers across North Africa and the Middle East.

He faces dozens of charges, including misappropriating public funds, the state-run TAP news agency reported. His wife, Leila Ben Ali, also is on trial, the news agency said.

Protests against Ben Ali — who had ruled Tunisia since 1987 — began to erupt late last year. Fed up with corruption, unemployment and escalating prices of food, people began demonstrating en masse after the self-immolation suicide of a fruit cart vendor in

December.

The former strongman’s political party has since been dissolved by a court order.

Parliamentary elections have been scheduled for July.

At least 300 people were killed and 700 injured during the Tunisian uprising, a top U.N. human rights expert said last month.

Charges of murder and torture against Ben Ali and his inner circle have been referred to a Tunisian military court, TAP said.

Earlier this month, Ben Ali said he has been unfairly portrayed and discredited by political opponents seeking to make a break with their country’s past.

In a written statement released by his lawyer, JeanYves Le Borgne, Ben Ali said it was time to break his silence because he is “tired of being made a scapegoat” and is a victim of “injustice.”

Ben Ali said that recent searches conducted of his official and personal offices were “merely stage dressing” meant to discredit him.

The former leader denied allegations that he has improper bank accounts or property holdings outside of Tunisia. He called various charges against him “nothing but a masquerade with the only purpose of illustrating a symbolic break with the past.”

PARIS court announced yesterday that the trial will be held Sept. 5-23. It’s the first trial involving a former French head of state since World War II. Chirac, who is 78, will be joined by nine other defendants. The trial involves two cases of fake jobs allegedly created to fund Chirac’s conservative party while he was mayor from 1977-1995.

Chirac, president from 1995-2007, has denied wrongdoing. If convicted, he would face up to 10 years in prison and euro150,000 in fines.

France’s top court ruled against a last-ditch appeal that forced the trial to be suspended right after it first opened in March.

Moroccans demonstrate over king’s proposed reforms

A

BOUT 10,000 protesters have rallied in Casablanca against King Mohammed’s proposed constitutional changes, which they say do not go far enough.

The February 20 reform movement also rallied in other Moroccan cities. In the capital Rabat, several hundred marched in support of the reforms.

On Friday, the king proposed slightly loosening his current absolute power.

But he said he would keep total control of Morocco’s security and foreign policy, as well as matters of religion.

King Mohammed VI’s proposals will be put to a referendum on 1 July, but critics say this leaves little time for a real debate.

They want constitutional changes drawn up by a democratically elected committee instead.

Activists say Morocco’s 400year-old dynasty has a long history of enacting superficial reforms.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

61

SPORT EXTRA

ZIDANE, DALGLISH, CRUYFF AND REDKNAPP

10 footballing father and sons!

There are plenty of footballer dads whose sons have followed them into the pro game. As this list proves, just because the old man has great skill, it doesn't necessarily mean the son will, but sometimes junior goes on to eclipse big daddy...

T

EDDY AND CHARLIE SHERINGHAM Banging in the goals at non-league side Dartford, Charlie has found breaking into football harder than his dad, who played professionally until he was 42, winning numerous honours with Man United, Tottenham and England. Even in retirement he appears to keep winning and winning big in poker.

JOHAN AND JORDI

•Dalgish

CRUYFF It was always going to be hard to establish yourself as a footballer when your father has a piece of skill named after him – the Cruyff turn. Jordi didn't do badly, however and played under his dad at Barcelona and later turned out for Man United after starring for The Netherlands at Euro '96. His four-year stay at Old Trafford was hampered by injuries and after leaving

United, he spent time at Espanyol and Alaves before retiring after playing for Valletta in Malta.

STEVE AND ALEX BRUCE After a successful playing career where he captained the dominant Man United side of the mid 90s, he twice led Birmingham to promotion to the Premier League as manager. His son did play under him at St Andrews but left to join Ipswich in 2006, due in part to accusations of nepotism levelled at the current Sunderland manager.

Last summer, the younger Bruce was snapped up Leeds.

CESARE AND PAOLO MALDINI While the older Maldini played the majority of his career at AC Milan, the younger spent his entire time there, retiring in 2009 when he was 40. Paolo captained the side to Champions League glory in 2003, 40 years after his dad did the same thing, although little Maldini won the European Cup on four other occasions. He has represented Italy 126 times and captained the side at the 1998 World Cup when his dad was boss.

PAUL AND TOM INCE The younger Ince, on Liverpool's books is still trying to carve a career in football for himself and at 19, has time on his side. With Martin Kelly and Jay Spearing among the current group of players breaking into the Reds first team from the academy, it doesn't appear to be a bad place for a football education. That and having a dad that has played for Man

•Like father, sometimes like son: The Cruyffs, Cloughs, Sheringhams and Redknapps

•Lampard

United, Inter Milan, Liverpool and England, of course.

HARRY AND JAMIE REDKNAPP Father and son have worked closely together over the

years, beginning at Bournemouth, who Harry also played for before managing. After appearing over 200 times for Liverpool, he joined Tottenham and played for his dad once more, at Southampton before retiring in 2005. While Harry has taken Spurs into the quarter finals of the Champions League, his son has carved a career out for himself as one of Sky Sports' top pundits.

BRIAN AND NIGEL CLOUGH As a manager, Brian Clough enjoyed phenomenal success and lifted back to back European Cups with Forest in 1979 and 1980, while his strike rate as a player is among the best. For both Middlesbrough and Sunderland, he scored 251 in 274 games but his career was cut short because of a serious knee injury in 1962.

Nigel played for his dad at Forest and had spells at Liverpool and Man City before becoming playermanager at Burton Albion, who he took into the Blue Square Premier and held Man united to a draw in the FA Cup in 2006.

FRANK LAMPARD SR AND FRANK LAMPARD JR Junior followed in senior's footsteps by playing for West Ham, though left back senior played over 500 times for the Hammers between 1967 and

1985 where he won the FA Cup twice. His son, Chelsea midfielder Frank, has so far racked up 85 England caps and collected three Premier League and three FA Cup winners medals since his move from West Ham in 2001.

MIKE AND NICKY SUMMERBEE During his time at Man City, the right winger played over 350 times and won all of his eight England caps between 1965 and 1975. Like his dad, Nicky began his career at Swindon and played for the Maine Road club too, although never played for the full England side.

KENNY AND PAUL DALGLISH As both a player and manager, 'King' Kenny has lifted numerous trophies with both Celtic and Liverpool. As Blackburn manager he won the Premier League and now back at Anfield will be hoping to continue where he left off (if the board give him the job full time). Goal machine Kenny signed his boy when he was manager of Newcastle and before Paul's retirement in 2008, he played for Hibs, Blackpool and Houston Dynamo in America.

Nowadays, when not working as director of soccer at Dynamo Juniors in Austin, Texas, @pauldalglish makes us all laugh on Twitter.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2010

62

SPORT EXTRA

FIFA crisis: Jack Warner resigns J

ACK Warner has informed FIFA about his resignation from his posts in international football.

FIFA regrets the turn of

events that have led to Mr Warner’s decision.

His resignation has been accepted by world football’s governing body, and his

contribution to international football and to Caribbean football in particular and the CONCACAF confederation are appreciated and

Ikechukwu desperate to lift Syrianska

S

YRIANSKA FC of Sweden central midfielder, Obi Etie Ikechukwu has vowed to lift the

club he signed for recently to snatch at least a Europa ticket at the end of the new season.

The Nigerian star whose assets

•Ikechukwu

include pace, dribbling skills and precise passes is highly rates in the club and the Swedish club is banking on him to lift Syrianska FC to at least Europa placing at the end of the coming season.

The relatively unknown Nigerian star has high ambitions with the club. “I have concluded within me that what I can do to make name for myself is to work very hard and help lift Syrianska to high levels in the league which is at least Europa placing at the end of coming season.

“The club is blessed with young but very determined players who want to achieve something for the club and themselves. We are capable of doing it and we have the backing of our coach to do just that”, Ikechukwu disclosed at the weekend from Sweden.

The 24 year old midfielder is also eyeing a place in the Samson Siasia tutored Super Eagles adding that he would like to be a part of the rebuilding process of the team.

“It is no hidden fact that Nigeria is blessed with so many football talents scattered across the various league of the world while the ones at home are also doing well. But I am confident of making the grade in the star studded Eagles if given the chance to prove my worth in the team.

acknowledged.

Mr Warner is leaving FIFA by his own volition after nearly 30 years of service, having chosen to focus on his important work on behalf of the people and government of Trinidad and Tobago as a Cabinet Minister and as the Chairman of the United National Congress, the major party in his country’s coalition government.

The FIFA Executive Committee, the FIFA President and the FIFA management thank Mr Warner for his services to Caribbean, CONCACAF and international football over his many years devoted to football at both regional and international level, and wish him well for the future.

As a consequence of Mr Warner’s self-determined resignation, all Ethics Committee procedures against him have been closed and the presumption of innocence is maintained.

•Jack Warner

Osagie: I'm solution to U-23 creative problem •Begs Eguavoen for call-up

A

FTER watching the dexterity and finesse with which the Nigeria U-23 Eagles otherwise dubbed Dream Team V defeated Tanzania and all their other opponents till date, another young player filled with potentials, Abubakar Bello Osagie has beckoned on the Coach of the team, Austin Eguavoen to look into his direction towards getting the real creative spark to the team.

Bello-Osagie is currently plying his trade with Qormi FC in the Maltese League and in an interview with Nationsport opined that what he needed from coach Eguavoen was just a chance to prove his mettle and show the stuff he was made of.

The One time Maltese Player of the Month stated that, “ I know I have the prerequisite to be in the U-23 team. Even though we have so many players, I want to assure coach Eguavoen that an opportunity to prove my worth is what I desire and it will just be enough for me to prove myself. I have the creative spark to move the U23 team to the next level.”

Osagie moved to the Maltese League last season and he had been an instant success with his club which he guided to the 6th position on the league table with three Man of the Match Award to the bargain and several accolades here and there with

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri two goals to his credit.

Born in Benin City, Edo State on August 11, 1988, in 2005, he left Bendel Insurance of his home city of Benin, and joined River Plate in Argentina. After four months playing for the club from Buenos Aires, Abubakar joined Brazilian club Internacional in 2006, through Argentine entrepreneur Marcelo Housemann, playing for the club's B team.

Bello-Osagie joined Rio de Jainero-based club Vasco in December 2007, after being scouted by the former footballer Bismarck On July 17, 2008, he stayed on the bench for the first time, against Goiás, playing his first professional league match as a Vasco player on July 20, 2008.

He played four Série A matches in 2008, without scoring a goal.

Abu signed on April 29, 2009 for Caxias.

•Osagie

NATIONAL SPORT FESTIVAL

Mini T/Tennis board to add glamour •Toriola to play exhibition match

A

S preparations hots up for the National Sports Festival (NSF) slated for Port-Harcourt, Value Sports One (VSO), a sports development outfit based in Lagos, in conjunction with Rivers state government is set to organise a seminar on the latest innovation in the ping pong game.

NationSport gathered that to add colour to the occassion, Nigeria's formost table tennis player Segun Toriola will be playing an exhibition match to further introduce the grassroot development innovation, Mini Table Tennis Board to the teeming supporters of table tennis.

In a chat with NationSport , on Monday, the Director of programmes VSO, Laja George Ijaodola said, it is Toriola's little way of contributing to the development of table tennis in the country as the intention is to ensure that the various states of the federation buy into the initiative.

The guest speaker at the seminar which will hold during the games will be the former Chairman of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), and adviser to the President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), Engr. Dotun Segun. Others speakers are, Coscharis Maduka, Femi Olugbile, both ITTF members, and Folorunsho Omitaran, member of ITTF Sports Science department. Also listed to take the centre stage is International umpire, Adedeji Olugbenga.

"Toriola has decided to partner us in this venture as the coordinator of this project. He is passionate about discovering and helping players develop, so

By Innocent Amomoh as to have many more Toriolas for the future. Don't forget that he is the best player we have currently, and that he showed in the just concluded NTTF national trials to select players that will represent the country where he silenced his critics.

"The target is for children between ages 5-12, and with personalities like Toriola partnering with this venture, Nigeria is set to return to glory days in the game. With Support from government and corporate bodies, the game will grow faster from the grass root to the professional level in Nigeria.

I am delighted that Toriola shares in out dream," the exinternational said.

He said the Commissioner for sports in the state, Ibibi Williams and a member of the first Nigerian team to win the Kodak U-17 World Cup,

Benebi Numa are making frantic arrangements to ensure that the seminar is well inculted as part of programmes lined up to make the sports fiesta the best ever.

According to him, the success of the festival will be one of the factors that will justify the second term return of the governor, Rotimi Amaechi, adding that Rivers State is noted for excellence and will welcome any initiative that add glamour to the sports festival.

•Toriola

Lukman eyes EPL move

M

O N A C O midfielder Lukman Haruna has revealed that he would relish a move to the Premier League if the opportunity arose.

Reports have suggested that Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is interested in signing the Nigerian international for £1 million.

Haruna admits that it has always been a lure to play in the Premier League, telling skysports.com: "I would love to join the Premier League

and play on the biggest stage in the world.

"However if a club does not meet my club's valuation, I can't do anything.

There is also reported interest from Dinamo Kiev, who are said to have agreed a fee of £1.3m with the French club.

Haruna added: "I have heard about Dinamo Kiev, they are a European name, so we will see."

Our provides the best breaking news online and our football fan community is unmatched worldwide. Never miss a thing again!

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

63

SPORT EXTRA

CROSS RIVERS STATE ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP

GARDEN CITY GAMES

FG gives Rivers pass mark •Amaechi orders strict traffic compliance

W

ITH barely days to the commencement of the Garden City 2011 National Sports Festival, the Federal Government, has said it

was impressed by the level of readiness of River State to play host to the event, which is in its 17th edition.

Speaking at the weekend on

behalf of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, said the mere fact that all turned out massively

AHEAD 2010 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

Former Falcons coach dreads Gemany

F

ORMER Super Falcons Assistant coach, Joy Etim was upbeat on the Super Falcons chances in the Group A matches against France and Canada but warned that their second match against the German side might prove difficult for the Uche Eucharia led side.

In a chat with the NationSport Monday, Etim who had been with the Falcons technical crew for four years before her retirement opined that, Uche might do well to work with her own team list devoid of external interferences.

“Uche should be very careful

By Stella Bamawo of the German team, they should be very careful. When I was with them, I know the kind of players coming out from there, the German side have one of the best teams in the world. But with the friendly matches they have played so far, I think they are good to play. And by the grace of God, and with the fact that the coach is a woman, she will definitely want to make a positive statement. Uche will try to carve a niche for herself with this team.

“Although there is no way to predict football, the teams are all

AFTERMATH OF AFRICAN BEACH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

Adamu blames defeat on goalkeepers H

EAD coach of the Nigeria’s Super Sand Eagles, Audu Adamu has revealed that the lack luster performance put up by his goalkeepers was responsible for their 7-4 loss, suffered in the hands of Senegal in the final of the Africa Beach Soccer Championship, held in Casablanca, Morocco.

Despite qualifying for the Beach Socscer World Cup, Beach Eagles failed to defend their African title won in 2009.

In a chat with NationSport at the team’s Divine Fountain Hotel in Lagos yesterday, Adamu expressed disappointment in his experienced keepers who failed to live up to expectations in the final game.

“Since Senegal lose two times to Nigeria in the past editions held in South Africa, they were really ready, and they showed that determination. What went wrong was that it was not my goalkeeper’s day. Nobody goes to a competition with the aim of loosing.

“In that final, After Abdulahi Isa got injured, I replaced him with John Gaadi and if you look at Gaadi, he is one of the best goalkeepers we have in the country. He is playing continental football with Sunshine Stars and this is a keeper that went to Cameroun and stopped a penalty for his

By Akeem Lawal

side and they won 2-1. He has been with Beach Soccer team for about three years now, so we don’t know what went wrong.

Even before we left, the coordinator, Uti, asked me what was wrong with Gaadi? It seems he stays alone, but I said I don’t know. Psychologically, when we got to Morocco, I called him and ask what was wrong and he said he was fine. So I don’t know what really happened to him. I believe it’s their off day.

“Gaadi is one of the best goalkeepers you can think of, Isa also is one of the best, they’ve been keeping and we’ve been winning, so if we lost we should take it in good faith”.

Adamu however commended the Nigeria Football Federation for the support given to the team, even as he charged them for more.

“I think the NFF have done their best. When we were there, they increased our bonus. Even after losing they said our allowance should be paid and I thank them for that because as you know, we are not 23 but 12 and with what they saw in the final, they were happy with the team. So I want to employ them to continue to motivate us because that is the way to succeed”, he said.

2011 ALL AFRICAN GAMES QUALIFIER

Eguavoen plots Ghana’s fall

N

IGERIA’s Under-23 national team coach, Augustine Eguavoen has declared that he will be approaching this weekend’s All African Games qualifier against Ghana differently from the way he did last weekend’s 2012 Olympic qualifier against Tanzania.

The Dream Team as the Nigerian side is fondly called defeated Tanzania’s Under-23 national team 3-0 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Sunday in a match they dominated but Eguavoen says his tactics will be different on Saturday.

Speaking at the post match conference after the Tanzanian

By Olusoji Olukayode game, he said: “We will approach Ghana’s game with a different tactics because if you look at the newspaper, the players they have unveiled is a classical team.

“But I think we can match them, what we have to do is, it’s a tow-legged game, it’s also a knockout so we will try to win here and win well then we‘ll go to Ghana and also win in Ghana. Nigeria/Ghana, it doesn’t matter where you play, sometimes the game can swing either way. And we also pray for luck and we‘ll do our best and make Nigeria proud come Saturday.”

here to win so like the Super Falcons, all the girls are going there to make their country proud. Let’s not underrate anybody.”

The Nigerian team are due to contest their opening Group A match on 26 June against France in Sinsheim. Their other firstround opponents are Germany on 30 June in Frankfurt and Canada on 5 July in Dresden.

Nigeria are one of just seven nations to have taken part in all five previous editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Meanwhile, Etim has called on the government to help revive the local league. She believes, this has been the bane to the development of women football in the country. She said: “ Women’s local league is dead, the government should come to our rescue, we want government to interfere, this is no longer an individual thing.”

at the Flag Hoisting ceremony and from what he was able to see of facilities on ground, he was sure that the Garden City Games will be the best organised in the history of the Festival.

Tambuwal, said the President wants fair-play during the games and praised Governor Rotimi Amaechi, for his excellent achievement not only in preparation for the festival but in the overall development of the state.

Meanwhile, fears that the perennial traffic problems in the River State capital, may truncate the Games, has been dispelled by the Governor, through his Information Commissioner, Ibim Semenitari.

Semenitari acknowledged the fact that the massive infrastructural development in the capital and indeed the entire state may have caused some traffic bottle-necks currently, but assured that once the Games are on, strict adherence to traffic rules and in particular easy passage to all those concerned with the festival will be ensured. “No matter the distance, orderliness from the Games Village, Media Village and such other venues concerned with the festival will be maintained to ensure that we deliver the best ever festival in the history of Nigeria”, she said.

Onyali, Ogunkoya, Fasuba to storm events FORMER African sprints queen, Mary OnyaliOmagbemi and reigning African 400m record holder, Falilat Ogunkoya-Omotayo lead the cast of three distinguished former track and field internationals as guest athletes to the Cross River state Athletics Championship.

Others who will be in the Canaan city as from Thursday through Saturday to add colour and elegance to the 65th All Nigeria/Cross River State Athletics Championships are the quartermile duo of Moses Ugbusien and Sunday Uti as well as reigning African 100m record holder,Olusoji Adetokunboh Fasuba.

The athletes,according to AFN president, chief Solomon Ogba, those invited ace athletes have been chosen to act as ambassadors for the event as well as act as role models to the athletes.

'We chose these athletes out of so many distinguished Nigerian athletes to serve as role models to the athletes who will be competing at the championships.They will also serve as a source of inspiration to them', says Ogba adding that the athletes achievements should serve as motivation for those coming behind.

'Just look what the athletes have achieved on the track.

Onyali has won virtually everything on the track.Even at the championships she has been one of the most decorated athletes. She won over 20 gold medals at the championships.

Falilat too has been the gretatest 400m runner the African continent has ever seen.She was the number one ranlked quatermiler in the world in 1998 and she won two medals in African-record setting times at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta',reveals Ogba who believes Fasuba's achievemnet is still fresh in Nigerians' minds.

'He remains the first man in African championships history to have won the 100m gold three times consecutively.He is the African record holder in the 100m at 9.85.He is also a former All Nigeria champion.For Uti and Ugbusien,the story of Nigeria's participation in the Olympic Games will not be complete without them as they represent one of the first set of athletes to win Olympic medals for Nigeria.Remember in 1984 in Los Angeles they and the duo of Rotimi Peters and Innocent Egbunnike won a 4x400m gold medal for Nigeria.These are the heroes and heroines of the sport that we want today's stars to learn from both in terms of their athletic accomplishements and their off the track behaviour', he said.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL. 6

NO.1,797

TOMORROW IN THE NATION

‘Indeed, if we force governments to spend more on visible projects there will be so much less to steal.

TONY MARINHO

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

B

Y now, every member of the attentive audience for foreign news knows the outlines of the story. It is a story wrapped in some of the most salient elements of news.

First, there is money – mountains of it. Apart from being head of the regulatory authority of global finance, the man at the centre of the story has enough money of his own to shell out what some would consider a small fortune every night for his hotel suite.

Then, there is power – actual power over global finance, and potential power deriving from the prospect of his becoming the next president of France, under the banner of the Socialist Party.

Third, there is much more than a hint of sex.

A coerced sexual encounter of some sort is widely believed to have occurred.

Fourth, there is race. The suspect is white, and his accuser is black. And the setting, remember, is one in which racial tensions are never far from the surface.

Finally, fifth, there is the no less combustible issue of religion. He is a Catholic, she is a Muslim.

Historians chronicling the travails of this era will surely note that, as the global financial structure teetered on the brink, the head of the institution charged with stabilising it was languishing in state prison in New York, on charges of sexual assault and battery.

The case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, lately president of the International Monetary Fund, frontline politician and putative president of the French Republic, has shown again that sex should be accounted a major factor in the analysis of national and international affairs.

Strauss-Kahn, who has a reputation for risqué conduct, was in New York, on a private visit to see, among others, his daughter Camille, a graduate student at Columbia. And as befitted his status, he was staying at the New York Sofitel, shelling out $3,000 a night for the privilege.

On May 14, the story goes, Straus-Kahn, 62, rushed out of his room in his bath towel, lounged at the woman half his age as she was cleaning the room, and tried to rape her. The woman, who said she did not know he was in the suite, deposed that she fought him off and made for the door. He grabbed her, the deposition continues, dragged her into the bathroom, and forced her to perform on him what can only be described here as a lewd sexual act, this being a newspaper for the family.

The woman reported to the authorities and the police swung into action. But not before Kahn –Strauss had left the hotel in circumstances suggestive of precipitate hurry. He called the hotel to ask about the indispensable companion he had left behind – his cell phone.

The front desk, in cahoots with the police, asked where the phone could be delivered to

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

The billionaire guest and the hotel maid ‘Americans feel genuine outrage about sexual assault, especially if it occurs abroad and is perpetrated by the other side, the bad boys.

At home, they tend to be rather ambivalent’ •Straus-Kahn

him.

The trail led to the the first-class cabin of an Air France jetliner bound for Paris. The police plucked him from the cabin, and thus began the public phase of a sex scandal that has had the world riveted.

Despite the so-called sexual revolution of the 1960s and the pervasiveness of sex-saturated cable television, Americans remain as conflicted about sex as they were back in the 1950s when the biologist Alfred Kinsey issued his famous report on male sexuality in the United States.

This was a time of Victorian prudery, when showing off female skin even at the wrist or ankle was considered prurient and quite possibly sinful.

Kinsey found in a survey that the reality was far different; that beneath surface, a great deal of pre-marital, extra-marital and homosexual sex was going on. In matters relating to sex, he concluded, Americans were living a lie.

And so, predictably, in the United States,

RIPPLES Nigeria will soon be one of the developed countries in the world–Jonathan

DEVELOPED COUNTRY...without LIGHT?

where people talk endlessly about sex but pretend to be horrified when it is actually done, the media went into tabloid mode with copious reports of the incident, much of it reeking, as the French media noted correctly even if self-righteously, of prejudicial pre-trial publicity.

In France, the land of the cinq-a –sept, where they have a practical, grown-up approach to matters sexual, media reports of the incident have been much less overheated. Thus far, the media maintain, it is nothing more than a case of “she said, he said,” So: suspend judgment.

Do not pronounce Strauss-Kahn guilty until the courts find him guilty.

The cinq-a-sept, I should explain, is a French term denoting the period from the close of work at five o’clock to seven o’clock in the evening for, em, to continue the idiom, a liaison with a person other than one’s spouse. It is a win-win situation for everyone.

So ingrained in French culture is the habit

HARDBALL

T

O listen to some state governors you would think that the new national minimum wage of N18, 000 means Armageddon is upon us. Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, for instance, suggests some states would shutdown if they have to pay the new bill.

The moaning of the state chief executives has, predictably, not received a sympathetic hearing from labour unions who are threatening fire and brimstone if governors go back on their commitment to pay the wages.

With the stage set for a confrontation all manner of suggestions on how to resolve the issue have clogged the media. The most popular seems to be an immediate adjustment of the existing Revenue Allocation Formula with a view to scaling down what goes to the Federal Government, and hiking upwards what the states receive.

This would be a typical Nigerian quick fix that takes care of the immediate pangs without addressing the fundamental causes of the pain.

The sponsors of the idea operate on the premise that the only way states can survive is if they receive a handout from the centre.

We are told that the only states that can pay the new wage are buoyant ones like Lagos

that it has almost as much resonance as Bastille Day. For unlike the British who believe that sex should never be seen or even imagined to be done, the French insist that, like justice, sex should always be known, if not actually seen, to be done.

So, I will not be surprised if there is in France some admiration for the Strauss-Kahn’s virility at 62, as is the case in Italy for the beleaguered prime minister Silvio Berlusconi who, at 70, still takes his philandering quite seriously.

I do not envy the woman in the story, identified thus far only as an immigrant from Guinea (Conakry), a Fulah, who arrived in the United States in her 20s as a widowed mother, served food in several African-owned restaurants in the Bronx until she landed a job as a housekeeper in the upscale Sofitel, in midtown Manhattan.

When she takes the witness stand, she is going to be subjected to cross-examination of the most ruthless kind by the sharpest attorneys that money ever bought. How she entered the United States, how she scraped and scrounged for many years after her arrival, any claims she may have made on public assistance, how she gained legal status, her employment record at the Sofitel and on previous jobs – all this will be dissected in court in a bid to shake her faith in her own memory and to create doubt about her honesty and integrity.

Nothing will be off limits. Not her sex life, her credit history, her medical records, nor any brush she may have had with the law, even if it is a citation for a minor traffic violation.

Americans feel genuine outrage about sexual assault, especially if it occurs abroad and is perpetrated by the other side, the bad boys. At home, they tend to be rather ambivalent. A good many will deplore it, to be sure, but just as many will be found asking whether the person at the receiving end did not ask for it by being scantily clothed, or by acting in a manner that led the assailant to believe that she was available for the taking.

But that is not even the worst fear of complainants. The worst fear is what will happen in the witness box, where they will be made to live through the ordeal again and badgered in every conceivable way, to the point that they are likely to come away feeling like victims all over again – victim of the assault at issue, and victim of the forensic mugging that the adversarial legal system often constitutes.

That is why most sexual assault victims never report to the police.

It would help enormously if the StraussKahn’s DNA is found on the hotel maid’s body, especially where it has no business being deposited.

Still, I do not envy her. I hope she is somehow spared the looming ordeal.

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Minimum wage and quick fixes and Rivers which happen to be home to major commercial concerns and oil companies. Those who make this argument do not tell us that there are countries without any natural resource - but who have used just tourism to transform their economies.

The point here is that rather than seeing the new minimum wage as trouble, governors should see it as an opportunity to enhance their internal revenue generation. Most of them are just throwing up their hands and saying it is impossible.

Given the challenges facing the economy and the inability of successive governments to rein in inflation there is no guarantee that within 24 months the new N18, 000 benchmark would not become grossly inadequate for the lowest paid worker in the land.

In that event would we campaign for another review of the Revenue Allocation Formula if the minimum wage is raised?

Where would it all end? There is no question that the existing formula needs to be reviewed for all sorts of reasons. Given the

responsibilities of the government at the centre, it cannot justify the huge share of the pie that comes to it.

Still, the point has to be made that no matter how generous allocation to states become, unless profligacy is curtailed, and the size of government trimmed, they would continue to groan under the burden of wage bills.

If governors can start by trimming their huge train of commissioners, advisers and assistants, they would find huge savings to apply elsewhere. Every little thing adds up.

Why on earth does a state governor need to travel about in an 18-car convoy? The sheer cost of maintaining those ego-massaging motorcades for one month would pay the minimum wage of thousands of workers.

Let the states track sources of waste and plug the leakages. Let state assemblies take a knife to that sinkhole called the security vote, and they would be amazed at how much can be saved. That way, when the revenue formula is eventually reviewed, states can apply the gains to true developmental ends.

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