The Nation October 4, 2011

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

News Boko Haram sect kills three in Maiduguri attacks P2 Sport Tight security as Eagles train for tie against Guinea P16 Business Shell, group disagree over violence in Niger Delta P2 www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 7, NO. 1903 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

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Obasanjo’s ‘secret’ letter to Jonathan stirs anger Ex-President seeks sack of PTDF chief, four others T HERE is anxiety among some key strategists of President Goodluck Jonathan over a “curious secret” letter written to their boss by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), recommended candidates for the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and four other key agencies.

He advised the President to remove the heads of the agencies to avoid what he called unnecessary lobby-

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

ing and distractions.

But some of the President’s strategists are querying the motive of Obasanjo’s letter because, in their view, he is seeking to replace some Northerners who are heading the agencies with his candidates.

Some Emirs, who worked for Jonathan’s victory in the April election, are said to be unhappy with Obasanjo’s plans to remove Northerners in the agencies.

The Emirs’ suspicion of Obasanjo’s agenda followed a call at a meeting of the National Caucus of the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) by the former President that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, should step down for a Southwest candidate in 2013.

Obasanjo made his five demands in a September 16 letter to the President.

In the letter, which The Nation stumbled on at the weekend, Obasanjo said he had observed with deep concern what he called the continued public outcry over the grossly poor performance of some Federal Government interventionist agencies, which he named.

“Some of the Chief Execu-

tive Officers (CEOs) of these agencies are currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations of corruption and their integrity in office has been tremendously eroded,” he said, adding: “These mentioned agencies are critical to the realisation of the transformation agenda of your administration and their poor performances and low public ratings has (sic) the capacity to undermine the transformation agenda, hence the need to effect leadership changes in these agencies in order to achieve their target goals.

“In this connection, I am to strongly advise Mr. President to consider and approve the names of individuals earlier nominated for appointment as CEOs of these parastatals to take over from the existing CEOs. “These new CEOs will be tasked to reform and reposition these agencies to fall in line with the transformation programme of the government.”

Obasanjo listed those who should replace the CEOs. He said they were chosen according to their experiences and “carefully selected by the PDP leadership and given to me as Chairman of PDP

Board of Trustees (BOT)”.

Apparently to appease the President, a candidate has been recommended from Bayelsa State.

Obasanjo’s move has caused some disquiet in the North. Four of the agencies are headed by Northerners.

Some Emirs are not happy with the “curious” proposals of the ex-President, sources told The Nation.

One said: “Why will Obasanjo try to cause disaffection between the President and the North at this critical period that Jonathan is trying to reconcile all

Continued on page 2

1,200 Nigerians, others evacuated from Libya

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NOTHER batch of more than 1,200 African migrants, including Nigerians, who have been stuck in the southern Libyan desert town of Sabha for weeks and in dire conditions, have been evacuated.

They are on their way to Chad, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said yesterday.

The group, half of whom are Chadians, were among up to 3,000 migrants stranded in Sabha due to the fighting in Libya, the agency said.

Interim government forces overthrew forces loyal to deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi nearly two weeks ago.

“A convoy of 15 trucks with 1,206 migrants left Sabha on Sunday for Gatroun and is now en route to Chad,” IOM spokeswoman Jemini Pandya told Reuters.

“This is the first really big group. We have negotiated safe passage for them,” she added.

Libyans ended Gaddafi’s 42-year rule in August when rebel fighters stormed the capital, Tripoli. Gaddafi and his sons are still at large and his supporters hold Sirte and the town of Bani Walid, south of Tripoli.

The sub-Saharan migrants, who feared being caught in the crossfire in Sabha, have Continued on page 2

•Protesters shout slogans while holding banners after marching to the courthouse where the trial for Michael Jackson’s doctor continues in Los Angeles ... yesterday. They say they are inspired by revolutions in the Middle East, but protests over economic grievances in Spain and elsewhere in Europe are a closer comparison as anti-corporate demonstrations spread across the United States. As the Occupy Wall Street protest entered its third week Monday, it is being taken more seriously with similar sit-in demonstrations popping up from Boston to Chicago and Los Angeles and this week the New York protest expects to swell with support from trade unions.

PHOTO: AFP

•ENERGY P13 •SPORT P16 •PROPERTY P25 •POLITICS P37 •MARITIME P47

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

NEWS Boko Haram kills three

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•From left: Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development Olumuyiwa Ige and Guest Speaker, Professor Babatunde Agbola, who delivered a lecture entitled: Cities and Climate Change, during the celebration of 2011 World Habitat Day at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Governor’s Office, Osogbo, Osun State ... yesterday

Shell, group disagree over violence in Niger Delta

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N oil industry watchdog yesterday accused Royal Dutch Shell of funding armed gangs and fuelling human rights abuses in Nigeria.

Shell, the biggest operator in Nigeria’s oil industry, denied the allegations, according to Reuters.

Platform, a London-based n o n - g o v e r n m e n t organisation monitoring the oil and gas industry, said in a 75-page report that the Anglo-Dutch major paid government forces who have attacked, tortured and killed Nigerians living in the creeks and swamplands of the Niger Delta.

“Basic company errors have exacerbated violent conflicts in which entire communities have been destroyed. Billions have been lost in revenues to the government and oil companies, sending shock waves through the global economy,” the report said.

“While primary responsibility for human rights violations falls on the Nigerian government and other perpetrators, Shell has played an active role in fuelling conflict and violence in a variety of forms,” Platform said.

It says Shell regularly as-

“We have long acknowledged that the legitimate payments we make to contractors, as well as the social investments we make in the Niger Delta region, may cause friction in and between communities. We nevertheless work hard to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of the benefits of our presence” sisted armed militants, in one case in 2010 transferring over $159,000 to a group credibly linked to militia violence. The report says Shell sided with clashing gangs, picking the more powerful group to help protect its oil infrastructure.

Shell denied the allegations, saying it respects human rights wherever it works but acknowledged that sometimes its actions caused tensions between communities in Nigeria.

The company said it would look into recommendations made in the Platform report.

“We have long acknowledged that the legitimate payments we make to contractors, as well as the social investments we make in the Niger Delta region, may cause friction in and between communities. We nevertheless work hard to ensure a fair and equitable distribu-

tion of the benefits of our presence,” Shell said in a statement in response to the report.

“In view of the high rate of criminal violence in the Niger Delta, the Federal Government, as majority owner of oil facilities, deploys Government Security Forces to protect people and assets. Suggestions in the report that SPDC (The Shell Petroleum Development Company) directs or controls military activities are therefore completely untrue.”

The Niger Delta is a vast wetlands region in southern Nigeria where thousands of kilometres of waterways and creeks vein through communities where many live on less than $2 a day, despite the wealth beneath their feet.

Militant groups have carried out widespread attacks on oil infrastructure in recent

years, at their peak in 2006 cutting out more than a third of the OPEC member’s oil production.

An amnesty in 2009 saw thousands of militants lay down their weapons and major sabotage strikes have been limited since, although community grievances still prompt unrest.

A United Nations paper earlier this year was critical of the widespread pollution Shell causes, and does not clear up in the Niger Delta.

Shell and other foreign oil firms operating in Africa’s largest oil and gas industry say the majority of oil spills are caused by sabotage or oil theft. Both the Nigerian government and Shell are investigating the U.N. oil spill evidence.

The company recently admitted liability for oil spills in the Ogoni region of the Niger Delta and faces damages which experts believe could run into hundreds of millions of dollars.

Shell has been operating in Nigeria longer than any other foreign oil company but it is in the process of selling four onshore oil blocks and has said it is not looking to expand its business in the country.

HE Boko Haram insurgency rages on in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, which has been the epicentre of their operation.

Two men were killed yesterday. One person was killed on Sunday night in the beleaguered city by men suspected to be Boko Haram members.

Borno State police chief Simeone Midenda said two gunmen shot dead a tea seller and a bystander near a roadside tea shop yesterday morning.

Midenda said two gunmen killed a pharmacist at his drug store in a Sunday night attack in the same neighborhood. He said the assailants did not steal any money.

Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is sacrilege” in Hausa, has carried out increasingly violent sectarian attacks over the last year.

They claimed responsibility for the August 26 car bombing of the United Nations (UN) House in Abuja that killed 23 people and wounded 116 others.

The sect insists on the immediate release of its members in detention as a condition for talks with the govern-

ment.

Abu Qaqa, its spokesman, said: “Our position remains the establishment of Shariah Law in all Muslim states in Nigeria.”

“But as a temporary measure for peace, we will accept to talk with government only when all our members in captivity all over the states are released,” Qaqa said in a statement.

He added that the sect had the records of all its members arrested either by the police, the State Security Service (SSS) or other security agencies.

Qaqa pointed out that the sect did not have any other motive than the entrenchment of Islamic law in Nigeria.

He faulted the claims by the Gaji Galtimari-led Federal Government committee on security challenges in the Northeast on dialogue with the sect.

Qaqa said: “We only heard the story in the media; nobody contacted us throughout the sitting of the committee.

“So, it is wrong for them to recommend dialogue with us when they did not make any effort to meet with us.

“The idea of appointing the Sultan of Sokoto as a mediator between us and the government is also not acceptable to us.”

1,200 Nigerians, others evacuated from Libya Continued from page 1

also been victims of harassment and discrimination, sometimes accused of being foreign mercenaries backing loyalist forces, according to the Geneva-based agency.

Apart from the large number of Nigerians in the group, there are migrants from nine other countries - Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Somalia and Sudan.

Women and children are also among those evacuated.

The migrants will be taken to Zouarke, along the Nigerian-Chadian border, a trip that will take a week before going to Faya-Largeau in Chad. It is not possible to go directly from Libya into Chad as the border area is heavily mined, the spokeswoman said.

Non-Chadian migrants will be brought to their home

countries or their intended final destinations “They had been caught in the middle of this conflict for control of Sabha. The fighting had prevented us from getting supplies into our centre in the town and in getting the migrants out,” said IOM Chief of Mission in Chad, Qasim Sufi.

“The migrants are extremely relieved that they will now be able to get home and put this experience behind them,” he said.

No fewer than 100 more migrants still in Sabha are seeking evacuation, but hundreds of Somalis appear to be moving north on their own, possibly heading for Tunisia, Pandya said.

The operation is financed by the European Community’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Office (ECHO), as well as the U.S. and German governments, the IOM said.

Obasanjo’s ‘secret’ letter to Jonathan stirs anger Continued from page 1

groups? He is trying to shortchange the North by making it to lose four slots and gaining only two offices back.

“Nobody is happy with the plans of the ex-President that have leaked to Northern leaders. The President should ignore Obasanjo’s recommendations. These CEOs are midway into their tenure.

The President should not be used to cause any conflict.

“We want Obasanjo to be more open by telling the nation who among the PDP leadership he consulted on the recommended candidates.”

Obasanjo’s plan for the PTDF has caused anxiety among some presidential strategists.

A source said: “Officially, it is strange for a former President to make observations and at the same time recom-

mend candidates to replace officials heading some agencies.

“Besides, Obasanjo got his ‘facts’ wrong because only one among the heads of the five agencies, was recently quizzed by the EFCC. The letter is misleading because of its blanket conclusion on the heads of parastatals.

“More importantly, all heads of agencies are always subjected to quarterly assessments by security agencies, especially the State Security Services (SSS). So far, the records with the government have shown that they are performing well.

“We are also worried that Obasanjo has taken more than a passing interest in PTDF, which caused a crisis of confidence between him and ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. What is his business with PTDF again?”

The Fifth Senate’s probe of the PTDF led to the mudslinging between Obasanjo and his ex-deputy Atiku.

The Senate Review Committee on the PTDF later submitted a report, which was dated March 20, 2007, referring Obasanjo to the Code of Conduct Bureau for what it called “further action”.

The committee said: “In respect of some projects commenced by the PTDF in 2006—Incorporation of Galaxy Backbone, purchase of computers and Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria’s rehabilitation – for which Mr. President gave approval and later got them ratified retroactively, the committee views the action of the President as illegal and therefore refers Mr. President to the Code of Conduct Bureau for further action.”

The presidential approvals

were in respect of payment of N250m to a law firm for the incorporation of Galaxy Backbone; $10m for the purchase of computers for civil servants outside the scope of PTDF and N1billion for DICON. Based on the committee’s report, two Abuja lawyersMr. Ugochukwu Osuagwu and Opara Ifeanyi - in 2008, asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to order the Code of Conduct Bureau to prosecute Obasanjo for alleged mismanagement.

But Obasanjo made a counter-claim, in a 38-page written address submitted to the court through his counsel, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).

Citing a list of 48 authorities, including past judgments, Obasanjo explained why he could not be prosecuted.

He said: “That after the Re-

view Committee finished its work, it was taken back to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for ratification.

“That the Senate in plenary on the 10th of May 2007 overruled the decision of the Review Committee as far as the 1st Defendant (Obasanjo) was concerned, holding that the 1st Defendant acted in good faith to the benefit of the country.

“That a copy of the proceedings of the Senate in plenary on the 10th of May 2007 is hereby attached. That the Senate in plenary has the final say on issues referred to Committees.

“That the Plaintiffs are mischievously suppressing the fact that the Report of Senate Review Committee dated the 20th of March, 2007, which they relied on and the recommendation of the Committee that the 1st Defendant should

•Obasanjo

be referred to the 2nd Defendant(Code of Conduct Bureau) for prosecution, was rejected and/ or refused by the Senate in plenary.”

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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NEWS THE JACKSON TRIAL (DAY 5)

•Dr. Conrad Murray, next to attorney Nareg Gourjian at the trial in Los •Deputy District Attorney David Walgren questioning Dr. Cooper ...yesterday Angeles ...yesterday

‘We never had chance to save Michael Jackson’ Fans, Facebook users to watch tribute for $3.99 A M T the resumed trial of the personal physician to the late Michael Jackson, Dr. Conrad Murray, an emergency room doctor told jurors that in retrospect she and her hospital team never had any chance of saving the singer.

“Mr. Jackson died long before he became a patient,” Dr. Richelle Cooper said.

Dr Cooper told the court: “My assessment when he (Jackson) arrived was that he was clinically dead.”

She said any resuscitation efforts at that stage would have been “futile”, adding that she did not know the actual time.

Dr Cooper also said she did not know the cause of Jackson’s death so referred to the coroner.

The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center doctor pronounced Jackson dead twice on June 25, 2009 — once over the phone after paramedics had failed to revive him in his home and a second time at the hospital where his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, had insisted he be brought for further treatment.

Prosecutors had highlighted on Friday Murray’s failure to mention

ILLIONS of admirers of the late Michael Jackson are expected to tune in to the late pop star’s tribute show scheduled for Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Saturday October 8.

The Michael Forever Concert will charge viewers up to $3.99 (£2.60) to watch the show.

The event’s Facebook page will allow users to post comments and interact with other live viewers.

Charlie Stuart Gay, executive producer of Ridgeline Entertainment and co-producer of the tribute show told ThirdAge.com: “The ability to broadcast concerts into every corner of the globe and connect directly with fans through Facebook is the most significant opportunity that can happen within the entertainment industry today.”

Not only will fans be able to witness per-

to Dr. Cooper that he had administered the anesthetic propofol to his famous patient.

On cross-examination yesterday, a defence attorney pressed her on whether the omission had any effect on the care she gave.

“The minute he comes in the hospital, there’s no chance?” asked attorney J. Michael Flanagan.

“Knowing everything I know now, that would be correct,” Coo-

formers such as Cee-Lo Green, The Black eyed Peas, JLS and Christina Aguilera, but they will also have the opportunity to purchase MJ (Michael Jackson) merchandise via a shopping application.

Although the official full line-up has not been released yet, the hosts of the event have been confirmed as being comedian and actor Jamie Foxx, and UK presenter Fearne Cotton.

Cotton said: “His contribution was crucial and his premature death a complete tragedy.

“I am really looking forward to enjoying the privilege of meeting his mother and other members of the Jackson family.”

Motown legends Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson will also be performing at the tribute concert.

per said.

Murray told her he had given the singer small doses of a sedative, lorazepam, she said.

Flanagan suggested that Murray may have left out Propofol because he believed it had worn off earlier in the day and was not the cause of his cardiac arrest.

Dr. Cooper agreed the amount Murray later told police he had given Jackson — 25 miligrams —

was small. She said she used more than twice that amount to sedate patients and questioned whether it would have knocked the singer out at all.

“I wouldn’t expect that to produce any levels of sedation,” she said.

If it did, she added, “(In) seven to 10 minutes, it would probably be worn off.”

A prosecutor questioned Dr. Cooper briefly about her dealings with

the singer’s children, whom she went to see after she had pronounced Jackson dead the second time.

“They were crying. They were fairly hysterical,” she recalled.

Murray, 58, who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, contended Jackson self-administered a lethal amount of propofol when he was out of the room.

The prosecution claimed Murray gave Jackson the powerful anaesthetic propofol as a sleep aid, and then failed to properly monitor his patient.

Murray had admitted giving the star small doses but his defence team argues that Jackson self-administered the dose after taking other sedatives, a toxic mix resulting in his death.

The ER doctor began giving her evidence last Friday when she told the court that Murray had not revealed to her that he had given the singer the surgical anaesthetic propofol.

She confirmed her evidence from Friday that Murray had told her he had given Jackson two small doses of sedative lorazepam.

If convicted, Murray faces a maximum of four years in prison and the loss of his medical license.

We’ll spread dad’s message, say kids

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WO eldest children of the late King of Pop - Michael Jackson, Prince Michael and Paris have paid tribute to their father as they collected his lifetime achievement award at the Grammys.

Wearing black suits and red armbands, Michael and Paris took to the stage along with three of their cousins.

“We are proud to accept this award on behalf of our father Michael Jackson,” Prince, 12, said in a voice sounding more mature than his age.

“First of all, we would like to thank God for watching over us for these past seven months and our grandma and grandpa for their love and support.”

Holding back his emotion he continued: “We would also like to thank the fans - our father loved you so much because you were always

there for him.

“Our father was always concerned about the planet and humanity through all his hard work and dedication he has helped donate to many charities.

“Through all his songs his message was simple - love. We will continue to spread his message and help the world.”

Paris, 11, then came to the microphone, simply saying: “Daddy was supposed to be here, Daddy was going to perform this year. He couldn’t perform last year.

“Thank you. We love you Daddy.”

The children appeared after a performance of Jackson’s Earth Song which featured a 3D film the singer had put together to use in his comeback tour.

•Michael Jnr. and Paris... yesterday

Music stars sitting in the audience were seen peering through red and blue 3D glasses.

Jackson’s recording was accompanied by live performances from Celine Dion, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Smokey Robinson and

Jennifer Hudson.

Introducing the song, Lionel Richie said Jackson had wanted the performance to serve as a call to action against the destruction of nature and animals by humans.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

4

NEWS Police deploy personnel to check transborder crimes MORE policemen have been drafted to Ogun State to curtail the menace of transborder robbers, the Zone 2 Police Command said yesterday.

The Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2, Mr Suleiman Fakai, told reporters in Lagos that trans-border robbers had been a challenge to the zone, which necessitated the strengthening of operations.

He said: “Under the Zone 2, we have been having some problems at the border areas in Ogun State, particularly, bank robbery and other violent crimes in the state.

“I have discussed it with the Inspector-General of Police and he approved that more re-enforcement from Lagos should be sent to Ogun State.

“For areas where we notice were so porous, we are posting more mobile policemen there.

“We have the patrol in the areas and increased man power. We are sure that by the grace of God, the transborder robbery in Ogun State will be addressed.’’

Fakai said the problem deserved urgent attention and added that police officers in Lagos and Ogun would collaborate to check the spate of criminal activities in border towns, such as Akute and Ibafo.

“In fighting crimes in these areas, the police in both states must cooperate because the duty of a policeman is to check crimes irrespective of jurisdiction,” he said.

Fakai said the antirobbery team of the zone had also been deployed to cover the areas.

The AIG admitted that security was a complex job and urged the citizens to support the security agencies by giving information which would make their job easier.

On the killing of policemen in Badagry, Fakai said that peace had returned to the affected areas.

He said: “After the incident, the police and other security agencies have been very careful in carrying out their operations. All the agencies have been advised to be professional and tactful in their conduct.”

Muslim pilgrims leave from Katsina A TOTAL of 500 Muslim pilgrims from Katsina State were yesterday airlifted from the Katsina International Airport to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.

The pilgrims were from Bakori, Danja, Dandume, Faskari and Funtua council area of the state.

They travelled aboard a Boeing 747 aircraft belonging to Max Airline, at 1.45pm.

State Governor Alhaji Ibrahim Shema had on Sunday bid the pilgrims farewell with a call on them to pray for peace, progress and unity of the country.

Another batch of the pilgrims from the state would leave take off from the airport today.

‘Why drug barons cannot overrun Nigeria’

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HAIRMAN/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Ahmadu Giade has given reasons why drug barons cannot overrun the country. He said the estimated value of drugs seized at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, between January and September is N1.6 billion.

Giade said: “The NDLEA will resist attempts by drug trafficking syndicates to overrun our country. We are determined to incapacitate them

•N1.6 billion worth hard drugs seized By kelvin Osa-Okunbor

by constant drug seizures, assets forfeiture, arrests and prosecution. Imagine a situation where drug barons would have made N1.6 billion at the Lagos airport alone. Our efforts will be geared towards the prevention of the huge profit in drug sales.”

According to Giade, the agency has justified its establishment.

He said: “Nigeria’s drug control capacity is rising with

high airport interdiction record, regular drug seizures, zero tolerance for corruption and effective international collaboration.

“Every successful case of drug trafficking is risky and portends danger to the society. It increases the resources, power and influence of drug lords to the detriment of legitimate governments. We must therefore continue to emasculate drug trafficking cartels to perpetually subject them under our control.”

The agency’s commander at the Lagos airport, Alhaji Hamza Umar, said 92 suspected drug traffickers, comprising 82 men and 10 women, had been apprehended at the Lagos airport between January and September. A total of 203.849kg of illicit drugs were also seized within the period. The breakdown shows that cocaine is highest with 79.696kg, cannabis with 57.725kg, Methamphetamine is 39.223kg, Heroin 21.705kg while ephedrine is 5.500kg.

His words: “We shall continue to be vigilant and make

the airport a nightmare to drug traffickers through arrests and seizures”.

Giade called on stakeholders to increase support for drug control programmes in the country. “Any investment and sacrifice in securing the country from the activities of drug barons is a prudent step towards protecting life and property. I therefore call on all stakeholders to increase their support for the agency.

There is room for improvement in our operations to secure the future of the country from the hands of drug cartels,” Giade said.

Shonekan: Vision 20-20-20 is possible •Asiodu scores Nigeria low

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•From left: National Marketing Director of Dangote Cement Mr. Ajoy Sinha, the Olu of Olorunda, Oba Theophilus Ola-Jolaoso and the Managing Director of Dangote Cement's Lagos Terminals, Akin Adesokan during the facility tour of the company’s Ibese Plant...yesterday

Ngige: How to restructure Nigeria

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HE Senator representing Anambra Central District, Dr Chris Ngige, has attributed the persistent violence in the nation to over concentration of power at the federal level.

He said many ethnic and religious groups are taking to armed struggles to grab more power and resources from the centre.

Ngige warned that Nigeria will remain volatile and underdeveloped until there is a restructuring.

He said only true federalism would restore the nation to the path of peace and development.

The former Anambra State Governor spoke in Lagos at the 12th annual lecture of the Catholic Young Men’s Association of Nigeria (CYMA).

He spoke on Resolving conflicts in a multi-ethnic and secu-

By Sunday Oguntola

lar society-The Religious Perspective.”

The Senator said: ‘’All the conflicts you see in Nigeria are fuelled by the fear of loss of political and economic power. They are all about struggles for the resources of the nation.

“Most of the agitations you see for more states and rotation are for more resources to come down to the people because they have been marginalised.”

He predicted that there would be more of such violent reactions with greater consequences if the nation is not restructured.

“The only way to solve these crises is to put a political structure that guarantees freedom of association, justice and equity. Once that struc-

ture is there, there will be peace and development in the country.”

He noted that Nigeria’s glorious years were recorded when true federalism was practised in the ‘50s and ‘60s. ‘’We had a glorious past in Nigeria when each region was permitted to grow at its own pace. The East was the fastest growing economy in the whole of Africa then.

“In the West, late Awolowo used only resources from cocoa to build infrastructure, schools, good roads and other edifices. Life was better then,” he contended.

Ngige called for devolution of power from the centre to save the nation from unhealthy scrambling.

He lamented that “everybody is going to the centre to get oil money. This oil, I don’t know why God has not made it dry up,

has become a curse to us. We must go back to the basics.”

Nigeria, he advised, should return to regional autonomy whereby 50 per cent of proceeds from resources from each state are retained and the remaining taken to the centre.

This, he said, would create a healthy competition among states and force them to develop their resources for greater things.

He also called for rotational presidency among the six geo-political zones with two vice-presidents, one of which must come from the region of the incumbent.

This, he argued, will enable the ruling region retains the seat in case of death, impeachment or incapacitation.

Such structure, he advised, should also be replicated in states to give everyone a sense of belonging.

ORMER head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan yesterday said it was still possible to make Nigeria one of the best 20 developed economies in the world by 2020. Shonekan spoke at Institute of Directors (IOD) Fellows Night at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

He said if the current seven per cent growth rate in the economy is sustained, achieving 10 per cent growth rate will not be a problem.

Shonekan urged IOD members to network with other stakeholders to develop the economy, adding that the country’s vast natural and human resources must not be wasted. He said the nation’s glorious past will be restored.

The president of IOD, Mr Thomas Awagu, pledged that members of the institute would explore their contacts to attract foreign investment into the economy. He urged the newly inducted fellows to be good ambassadors.

Among the newly inducted fellows is former Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Aderemi Babalola.

Also apeaking at the event, respected technocrat Mr Phillip Asiodu described Nigeria’s achievements at 51 as a considerable disappointment.

His words: “As a witness we have very good plans, the economy was growing well but suddenly things started going bad because every government that came dismantled the existing foundation.”

Asiodu urged those in government to operate the principle of continuity while every Nigerian should be patriotic and believe in Nigerian.

Our strategy against human trafficking, by NAPTIP

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HE National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) yesterday spoke of a plan to strengthen the war against human trafficking through collaboration with individuals and corporate organisations.

Zonal Co-coordinator of the agency in Borno, Alhaji Bala Abdulrazak, who dropped the hint in Maidu-

guri said: “NAPTIP is ready to partner with any individual or organisation that is ready to fight human trafficking and child abuse in Nigeria.”

He said the agency had intensified its anti-human trafficking campaign in the state, which shared borders with three countries, namely Chad, Niger and Cameroun

Republic.

Abdulrazak said that the effort had led to the rescue of a large number of victims of human trafficking in the recent past.

NAPTIP, he noted, had identified poverty as the root cause of human trafficking and had adopted new strategies to combat the crime.

He said: “Poverty is the root cause of human

trafficking. We believe that once poverty is reduced, life will be more meaningful and trafficking will be eradicated.”

According to him, plans are afoot to train rescued victims of human trafficking in different trades and vocations to empower them.

“We have decided to provide vocational training to victims of human trafficking

so they can be empowered to stay on their own. Last month we presented trade items to 28 victims in Maiduguri in a bid to empower the”, he assured.

He said the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) had donated the tools that would be presented to the victims after undergoing the vocational training.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

5

NEWS

•Hoffmann

•Steinman

•Beutler

One of the three announced yesterday as this year’s winners of the Nobel Medicine Prize dies without being aware of the feat.

2011 Nobel Medicine Prize winner dies before announcement A

SCIENTIST, who won the Nobel Prize for medicine yesterday for work on fighting cancer died of the disease himself just three days before he could be told of his award, and after using his own discoveries to extend his life.

Canadian-born Ralph Steinman, 68, had been treating himself with a groundbreaking therapy based on his own research into the body’s immune system but died on Friday after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer. His colleagues at Rockefeller University in New York called it a “bittersweet” honour.

The Nobel Committee at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, which does not make posthumous awards, said it was aware of Steinman’s death; but it appeared that it had not known before making its announcement. It is likely that Steinman died without being aware he had won science’s ultimate accolade, along with American Bruce Beutler and Jules Hoffmann of France.

Swedish officials on the Nobel Committee were rushing to try to clarify what Secretary General Goran Hansson, called a “unique situation, because he died hours before the decision was made”. Hansson told Swedish news agency TT the panel would review what to do with the prize money, due to rules against posthumous awards. But it would not name a substitute winner.

“The Nobel Foundation has recognised Ralph Steinman for his seminal discoveries concerning the body’s immune responses,” said Rockerfeller University president Marc Tessier-Lavigne.

“But the news is bittersweet, as we also learned this morning from Ralph’s family that he passed a few days ago after a long battle with cancer,” he added.

The institution in a statement said: “Steinman passed away on September 30. He was 68. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer four years ago, and his life was extended using a dendritic-cell based immunotherapy of his own design.”

Alexis Steinman, indicating that

Nobel Literature winner to be named Thursday

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HIS year’s Nobel Prize for Literature will be announced on Thursday, the Swedish Academy, which hands out the 10 million Swedish crown ($1.46 million) award, said on Monday.

Bookmaker Ladbrokes has Syrian poet Adonis as favorite to win the prize, followed by Swedish poet and writer Tomas Transtromer, a perennial tip. The Academy by tradition announces the date for the literature prize separately from those for

her father had not known on his deathbed of the impending decision in Stockholm, said: “We are all so touched that our father’s many years of hard work are being recognised with a Nobel Prize. He devoted his life to his work and his family and he would be truly honored.”

Beutler and Hoffmann, who studied the first stages of the body’s immune responses to attack in the 1990s, shared the $1.5 million award with Steinman, originally from Montreal, whose discovery of dendritic cells in the 1970s is key to understanding the body’s next line of defense against disease.

Beutler is credited with key discoveries that answered one of the most fundamental questions in immunology: the question as to how we sense infections when they occur.

Born in Chicago in December 1957.

He received his B.A. from the University of California in 1976 and his M.D. from the University of Chicago in 1981.

From 1981 to 1983 he continued his medical training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

Between 1983 and 1985 he was Fellow at Rockefeller University of New York, where he became Assistant Professor in 1985. He was also Associate Physician at the Rockefeller University Hospital between 1984 and 1986.

Since 2000 he has been professor of genetics and immunology at The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California

the sciences, whose winners will also be announced this week.

The winner of the literature award, which can thrust relatively obscure authors into the international limelight, is notoriously difficult to guess, with a series of surprises in recent years. Last year’s winner was Mario Vargas Llosa of Peru.

The Nobel season gets under way on Monday with the award for the prize in medicine or physiology.

Hoffmann was born in Luxembourg in August 1941. As a student he moved to France and is a French citizen.

He graduated in Biology and Chemistry and received his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Strasbourg, France, in 1963.

After postdoctoral training at the University of Marburg, West Germany, he returned to Strasbourg, where he headed a research laboratory from 1974 to 2009. He has also served as director of the Institute for Molecular Cell Biology in Strasbourg and during 2007-2008 as President of the French National Academy of Sciences.

As director of the laboratory, the interest of his group gradually moved to insect immunity. Hoffmann made his pioneering discovery in 1996, when he and his co-workers investigated how fruit flies combat infections.

“This year’s Nobel laureates have revolutionised our understanding of the immune system by discovering key principles for its activation,” the award panel at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute said in a statement in Stockholm.

Lars Klareskog, who chairs the prize-giving panel, told Reuters before the news of Steinman’s death: “I am very excited about what these discoveries mean. I think that we will have new, better vaccines against microbes and that is very much needed now with the increased resistance against antibiotics.”

Beutler is based at the Scripps Re-

search Institute in La Jolla, California. Luxembourg-born Hoffmann, 70, conducted much of his work in Strasbourg. They were supposed to share half the 10 million Swedish crowns ($1.46 million) of prize-money. The rest should have gone to Steinman, though the unusual circumstances leave its fate now in some doubt.

Beutler told Reuters he had learned of his prize by e-mail and had to search online to make sure it was true: “I finally found it on Google News. My name was all over the place.”

Of his work, he said, it “might lead to new treatments for inflammatory and auto-immune disease and possibly new treatments for other kinds of diseases as well”.

The work of all three scientists has been pivotal to the development of improved types of vaccines against infectious diseases and novel approaches to fighting cancer. The research has helped lay the foundations for a new wave of “therapeutic vaccines” that stimulate the immune system to attack tumors.

Better understanding of the complexities of the immune system has also given clues for treating inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, where the components of the self-defense system end up attacking the body’s own tissues.

Beutler and Hoffmann discovered in the 1990s that receptor proteins act as a first line of defense, innate immunity, by recognizing bacteria and other microorganisms. Stein-

man’s work, explained how, if required, dendritic cells in the next phase, adaptive immunity, kill off infections that break through.

Understanding dendritic cells led to the launch of the first therapeutic cancer vaccine last year, Dendreon’s Provenge, which treats men with advanced prostate cancer.

“We live in a dangerous world.

Pathogenic microorganisms threaten us continuously,” the Nobel panel said, describing the work over the decades in understanding our defenses.

“The first line of defense, innate immunity, can destroy invading microorganisms and trigger inflammation ... If microorganisms break through this defense line, adaptive immunity is called into action ... It produces antibodies and killer cells that destroy infected cells ... These two defense lines ... provide good protection against infections, but they also pose a risk ...: inflammatory disease may follow.”

Medicine, or physiology, is usually the first of the Nobel prizes awarded each year. Prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace were first awarded in 1901 in accordance with the will of dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel.

The award citation noted that the world’s scientists had long been searching for the “gatekeepers” of immune response.

Hoffmann’s pioneering research was conducted on fruit flies, highlighting how key elements of modern human biology have been conserved through evolution.

The immune system exists primarily to protect against infections but it can also protect against some cancers by targeting rogue cells before they proliferate.

Sometimes, however, the immune system goes into overdrive and attacks healthy tissue, leading to autoimmune inflammatory diseases, such as type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, as well as rheumatoid arthritis. The effect is often compared to “friendly fire”, when troops hit their own comrades in combat.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

NEWS ACN blames leaders for nation’s woes FOR the Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), leaders must be held responsible for the woes of the nation at 51.

The party alleged that the cabal working against the country’s progress had been working round the clock to sabotage the genuine efforts of democrats.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary Mr. Joe Igbokwe, the party said: “The leaders of Nigeria have frittered away the precious gift of time (51 years of existence) on frivolities, acrimony, and division and consequently put a knife on things that held us together as a nation.

“While the majority of Nigerians who want the country to make progress and succeed work during the day and go to sleep in the night, the minority who want to destroy and tear Nigeria apart have been working 24 hours a day for years now.

Igbokwe went on:“We are tired of those who speak against political and economic saboteurs in the afternoon and in the night they engage scoundrels, leeches and miscreants to continue to do violence to our corporate existence.

“While we need to appreciate God that despite the monumental challenges facing us as a country we are still together as one people, we must take notice that we have kept this country together for 51 years with sorrows, tears and blood. This is the time to grow up.

“Lagos ACN challenges the majority in Nigeria who want to keep Nigeria as one indivisible political entity to learn the tricks of the destroyers of Nigeria by working 24/7 too.

“Our huge diversity should be a plus and not limitations as other nations have managed diversity to record unprecedented successes.”

Two Indians and a Nigerian are facing the law over their alleged complicity in the theft of N15million raw materials belonging to a Nigerian company – MicCom Cables, reports JUDE ISIGUZO

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Police interrogate two Indians over ‘theft’ of MicCom Cables raw materials

WO Indians and a Nigerian are being interrogated by a team of policemen from the office of the Inspector General (IG), over their alleged involvement in the theft of 30 tons of aluminum rods (the basic raw material for aluminium cables and wires) belonging to MicCom Cables Nigeria Ltd. The Indians, it was gathered, used the aluminium in their company, Subhander Allied Impex Ltd, to manufacture cables of their own brand.

The items, which got missing on June 30, are worth of N15, 200,000.00 .

Sources said in a bid to frustrate the owners of the aluminium rods, the Indians allegedly connived with some highly placed police officers at the Zone 2 headquarters, Onikan, Lagos with a view to transferring the case from Sango Police Station in Ogun State, which was investigating the matter.

Worried by the development, MicCom Cables solicitors Olaosebikan Adeosun & Co, petitioned the IG. The petition, which was signed by Julius Adeosun , said: “We wish to state that the sudden transfer of this case from Sango Divisional Police Headquarters to AIG’s Office Zone 2 at the instance of the suspects leaves much to be desired. ’’The most disturbing aspect of this matter is the fact that

the Indian suspects are already enjoying administrative bail and any further delay in the prosecution of the matter is very dangerous as, being non-Nigerians, they could easily escape from justice. As a matter of fact, their antecedents in this case as stated in the body of this petition had shown clearly that they have sinister motives. We therefore caution that they must not be allowed to foist a situation of complete helplessness on our client and the police.”

According to the law firm, MicCom Cables hired a truck to convey the goods. But, the truck broke down somewhere between Sango and the toll gate.

The truck could not be fixed.

“The truck owner then instructed the driver, the motor boy and one other man whom he invited to the scene from another location to keep watch over the truck and its content till the following morning. Unknown to the Purchases Manager, that it was all a ploy to run away with the goods, he left the spot at about few minutes after 12.00a.m.”

In the morning, said the lawyers, the truck and the goods were found to have disap-

‘The Indian suspects confessed to the crime and pleaded for an amicable settlement’ peard.

The matter was then reported at Sango Divisional Police Headquarters.

“After a month of thorough investigation, the owner of the truck together with his two confederates in crime were caught and arrested by the Police. In the course of further investigation, the suspects took the Police to a company located at Ikorodu which they claimed received the goods from them. On getting to the company, the police arrested some Indian officers of the company and a Nigerian staff and moved them to Sango Divisional Police Headquarters.

Thereafter, they were interrogated and granted administrative bail.”

The Indian suspects confessed to the crime and pleaded for an amicable settlement.

“They offered to pay full invoice value of our client’s goods in the sum of N15.2million. Our client however, insisted on having its goods returned. To demonstrate our good faith, our client made available to them the Sales invoice issued it by MINL for verification/confirmation,” the lawyers said.

They reneged on many promises to pay up.

Several meetings yielded no fruit. An attempt by the Ogun Police to resolve the matter was blocked by the Indians who caused it to be moved to Onikan where the complainants almost became the accused.

Then, the office of the IG stepped in.

“Be that as it may, on Wednesday, 17th August, 2011, the Indian company invited our client’s officers for a meeting at Sheraton Hotel Lagos to further discuss on the issue of settlement. However, no meaningful progress was made at the meeting as they offered an amount that was a far cry from their initial offer of N15.2million and our client reiterated its preference to have the goods returned .

“Subsequently, our client got an invitation from Sango Divisional Police Headquarters for a meeting with the

Commissioner of Police, Eleweran, Abeokuta on Thursday 18th August, 2011. Our client’s officers were at the station at the appointed time but the Indian suspects and their representatives were conspicuously absent. The DPO then put a call through to them to inquire why they were not at the station and they assured him that they would soon be at the meeting. They eventually failed to honour the invitation.

“On Tuesday 23rd August 2011, the company through one of its representatives made another offer of N10million to our client through its company secretary in full and final settlement for the stolen goods.

Our client found this offer very annoying and rejected it in its entirety. However, around 11a.m. the following day, our client received a call from Sango Divisional Police Headquarters inviting its officers for another meeting with the Indian suspects and their representatives. At the station, the parties met (excluding the police) and our client expressed its displeasure at the way this matter was being handled by the Indians. Our client’s officers made it clear to the Indians and their representatives that our client would not settle for anything other than the return of the stolen goods and adequate compensation for the losses our client had suffered as a result of their criminal acts.”

Fed Govt tackles CNPP over planned N30b ID cards project

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HE Federal Government yesterday described the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP)’s opposition to the proposed Unified Identity Management System as lack of understanding and appreciation of the crucial need of the project.

The CNPP criticised the project, noting that a similar

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

project was undertaken about eight months ago by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at over N40 billion.

But reacting to the opposition, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, in a statement yesterday said the National Identity Registration Project

will be helpful to the management and operation of several key national institutions and security services across the country.

The system, he said, would capture the bio-metric data of every Nigerian from 18 years and above.

Part of the statement read: “The attention of the Federal Government has been drawn to a statement credited to the

Coalition of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) reported in one of the national dailies today expressing opposition to the new National Identity Registration Project approved by the Federal Government.”

“According to the report, the CNPP is opposed to the project on the ground that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)recently conducted a similar exercise.

While we consider all contrary opinions healthy to the growth and development of our democracy, the CNPP’s statement showed lack of understanding and appreciation of the crucial need for the proposed Comprehensive, Unified National Identity Management System recently approved by the Federal Executive Council for the country.”

Double joy for Omotundes at books’ launch, birthday

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T was double celebration on Sunday for the family of Pastor Soji Omotunde at the Redeemed Christian Church of God(RCCG), New Oko-Oba, a Lagos suburb.

The church held a special thanksgiving to mark Omotunde’s 30th year in journalism and the 50th birthday anniversary of his wifeEmiede . Two books were launched to mark Omotunde’s career in journalism.

Pastors A. A Badejo and Remi Oluboba were on hand to direct the service which began at 10 am. The recitation of Mrs Omotunde’s profile opened the floodgates of testimonies from members of the congregation who took turns to recount all they know about the couple.

Specifically, they spoke on how the couple had touched their lives.

The contributions of the Omotundes were appreciated by the congregation with songs of praise.

During the sermon, Pastor Oluboba said:”It is indeed an afternoon of cele-

bration for the couple. Celebrating 30 years in journalism does not come easy and is indeed to the glory of God. Fifty years in Nigeria for Mrs. Omotunde is a landmark because of the various challenges faced in Nigeria today.

“For a child to be more than five years in Nigeria today is a miracle. This is because we all know that children below five die from one illness or the other, ranging from diarrhoea, malaria to tuberculosis. So, these and others are what we face in the country. So, we should thank God for her life.

“Mr. Omotunde has been able to survive 30 years in journalism and the ministry.

A journalist’s survival is dependent on the political planning of a country. A journalist does not survive on gratification to report his findings but thorough objectivity. To survive on the job he is faced by various risks and challenges especially when it depends on who is running the affairs of a country.”

• Mrs. Omunagbe (left); Mrs. Oluboba; Pastors Omotunde; Omunagbe and Oluboba displaying the books... on Sunday PHOTO: NIYI ADENIRAN

By Abike Hassan

The cleric, who prayed that the couple might continue to survive under the guidance of God, also encouraged others in different professions to be steadfast and prayerful so that they would be able to celebrate their successes as being done by the couple. He urged them to be zealous despite the challenges they face along the way.

Reviewing one of the books entitled: ‘Destined to Win, Mr. Festus Eriye said: “If you study the life of Joseph, you will be able to study life today. The book teaches important lessons about life and gives in-depth analysis of the spiritual realm and life in general. Mr. Omotunde has been able to explain spirituality in its simplest form.

Mr Sanya Oni, who re-

viewed ‘This country, our Nation’ expressed concern over what he called irresponsibility of power by Nigerian leaders.

Oni said: “He has captured the military and civilian regimes in his book. All activities that have transpired in the past 30 years are found in the book and can be graphically imagined. Mr. Omotunde described Nigeria in his book as a great country

transitioning activities from the past to the present.”

Pastor –in-charge of Lagos Province 17, Pastor David Omunagbe did the presentation of both books, while the cleric’s wife, also a pastor, presided over the cutting of the cake by the couple.

Omotunde expressed his delight by thanking the congregation for the support even as he appreciated the presence of God in his vote of thanks.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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NEWS Women-lawmakers advised

Court upholds Uzodinma’s election

By Tonia ‘Diyan

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CIVIL rights group, the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), has organised a two-day workshop for 40 womenlawmakers of state Assemblies.

The workshop entitled: “Strengthening democracy through Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria, was held in collaboration with HeinrichBoell Foundation (HBF) and African Women Development Fund (AWDF), Ghana.

WARDC Executive Director Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi said women-lawmakers should make appropriate policies and legislative decisions that can impact positively on the people.

Other speakers include: wife of Ekiti State Governor Mrs. Bisi Fayemi; leaders of the National Parliament in Cameroon and Sierra Leone, Patricia Njoya and Elizabeth Lavalie.

The event was attended by House Leader Ms. Mulikat Akande; Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly Ms. Chinwe Nwaebili.

Ms. Funmilayo Tejuosho of the Lagos Assembly was honoured with the Women in Parliament Achievers Award.

Mark criticises SIM registration funding

By Musa Odoshimokhe

S

ENATE President David Mark has criticised the Federal Government’s budget allocation for Sim card registration.

He condemned such allocation, saying it is the responsibility of the service providers.

Mark spoke at the inauguration of the Committee on Communication.

In a statement, he urged the committee to ensure that the dream of a digital Nigeria is realised by 2020.

He told the committee to investigate the present status of NITEL and NIPOST as well as the on-going SIM registration.

The committee Chairman, Senator Emeka Nnaji, advised stakeholders to support appropriate policies that would facilitate Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge- based economy.

‘Meningitis has reduced’ From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

MINISTER of State for Health Dr. Ali Pate yesterday said last year’s cases of meningitis were few.

Pate spoke at a health stakeholder’s consultative forum in Bauchi.

He said: “Nigeria has recorded less than 1,000 cases this year when compared to the last two years.

“The cases have reduced because in the last two years we recorded 50,000 cases.”

The minister reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to increase the number of community health personnel in the Northeast and Northwest zones to improve health care services, especially for expectant women.

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

•Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU) Commission and Ambassador to Ethiopia Bulus Lolo and his wife, Esther, cutting the 51st Independence Anniversary cake in Addis Ababa on Sunday PHOTO: NAN

ACN to Fed Govt: you are wrong

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HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said the Federal Government was wrong in moving the 51st Independence Anniversary activities to the Presidential Villa, apparently following threats by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and Boko Haram.

In a statement in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said the government missed the opportunity to show Nigerians that it cannot be intimidated by

threats from the groups.

ACN said: “If the Federal Government, which controls all the instruments of state force, can allow itself to be so openly intimidated, then what happens to ordinary Nigerians who depend on the same government to protect them from these rampaging groups? ‘’In other climes, the government would have seized on such a rare chance to convince the people that it is not only capable of protecting them but that it would not give in to terror groups. ‘’One can only wonder what

this Federal Government would do if Boko Haram were to threaten its weekly Federal Executive Council meeting inside the Presidential Villa safe haven. Will the meeting be shifted to Dodan Barracks in Lagos under the pretext of saving costs?”

The party said government’s excuse that it wanted a low-key anniversary to save costs rang hollow, especially coming just as the administration announced it would spend N30 billion on the national identity card project. ‘’Even if the concern was

cost-saving, it could not have trumped the fact that moving the activities away from the Eagle Square would send a wrong message: first to those threatening the celebrations that they have indeed succeeding in cowing the government, and then to the citizenry that indeed, the same government they rely on for their security is itself succumbing to fear!”

ACN advised the government to always weigh its actions carefully not to send a wrong message to the already-frazzled citizenry.

Ladoja may return to PDP

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ORMER Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja may return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), if ongoing reconciliation succeeds, it was learnt yesterday.

Ladoja spoke to reporters in Ibadan, the state capital yesterday.

The former governor said he left the PDP for what he has repeatedly regarded as the deliberate pain it inflicted on the people of the Southwest.

He said he would not join those saying the party was the worst thing that has happened to the country.

Ladoja insisted that there

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

are still many good hands in the party, stressing that the party can still make positive impact in the country, if it reorganises itself.

He said he did not regret contesting the April 26 governorship election on the platform of Accord.

According to him, he has succeeded in making people aware that there are three main parties in the state, including Accord.

Ladoja added that his party cannot be easily sidelined, when it comes to important decisions in the state.

The former governor said he had told those sent to him from the PDP that the right thing must be done before he would consider returning to the party He blamed former President Olusegun Obasanjo for allegedly hijacking the party and lording over others.

According to him, Obasanjo wields a great influence in the current administration.

He said the party could have done well if the former president had allowed Chief Sunday Awoniyi to become the party chairman after Solomon Lar. When asked if he would

Erubami, others bemoan bad leadership From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

•Ladoja

contest in 2015, Ladoja said the political expediency of 2015 would determine his decision.

Igbeke vows to storm National Assembly today

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HE Senator-elect for Anambra North, Alphonsus Igbeke, yesterday faulted the Senate leadership’s claim that he had not been cleared, hence the refusal to swear him in.

Igbeke told reporters in Abuja that the Senate leadership was being partisan by refusing him his rights, saying he would be in the Senate today.

The Senate had earlier turned down Igbeke’s swearing-in on June 6, following controversy that trailed the election.

His opponent, John Emeka, had alleged that Igbeke was not the rightful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the senatorial election.

Attempts by Igbeke to get official recognition by the Senate last Thursday were unsuc-

•Faults Senate’s claim over non-clearance From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

cessful despite a September 26 order of a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt that he be sworn in as the rightful candidate of the PDP. Igbeke said he had since completed his clearance by the State Security Service (SSS), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and collected vouchers for meal, hotel accommodation paid for by the Presidency.

Such privileges, he said, were only accorded elected senators who have completed clearance and registration.

The Senator was not sworn in on June 6, following a purported letter written by a

MAC 61

worker of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Igbeke said: “It is not true that I have not done my clearance. I have done that earlier and the leadership knows that.

“Even the Clerk of the Senate knows that I have done all the necessary clearance and signed all the documents before now. So for anybody to say that I have not done so now is mischievous, cheap blackmail and misleading.

“I have all the documents collected during the clearance with me.

“Even when I met with the Clerk last Thursday for the swearing-in, he told me that I would hear from the Senate.

AN Abuja High Court has affirmed Hope Uzodinma as the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Imo West Senatorial District.

Justice Baba Yusuf struck out a case filed against him by Ebubeagu Ekenulo and Tony Akubeze, for lacking in merit and being premised on a wrong foundation.

The plaintiffs had approached the court seeking to nullify Uzodimma’s election on the grounds that he was not validly nominated and not fit to contest the election.

But Justice Yusuf held that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to initiate the matter as they were not contestants in the case.

The controversy over the authentic candidate for Imo West was decided in favour of Uzodimma at the Supreme Court.

The apex court had in a unanimous judgment delivered on May 5 set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal which affirmed the judgment of Justice Abdul Kafarati of a Federal High court that Senator Osita Izunaso was the candidate of the party.

In that suit, Izunaso through his counsel, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), challenged the declaration of Uzodinma as the party’s candidate.

He claimed Uzodinma was not duly cleared by the screening committee to take part in the primaries.

“So how can the leadership turn around to say that I have not done my clearance?

“Nigerians should ask the Senate leadership if the refusal to swear me in on June 6 was because I have not done my clearance.

“It is not and I challenge the Senate to publish a list of Senators’ clearance which I have with me. ” He said he would not accept any ploy by the Senate to deny him from being sworn in this time.

He added: “The order was given on September 26 .

“Senate spokesperson Enyinnaya Abaribe denied knowledge of the court order and the Senate’s lawyer was in court filing for stay of execution.

“I have all the papers filed by their lawyers with me now.

So who is deceiving who?”

THE National Convener of the Voters Assembly, Moshood Erubami, yesterday said the nation’s inability to produce leaders with genuine desire and preparation had been responsible for its underdevelopment.

Prof Bode Sowande and Prof Michael Odedokun also agreed with Erubami.

They made the submission at a symposium entitled: “Good Governance and Welfare of the Citizenry” organised by the Ancient Mystical Order, Rosac Crucis (AMORC) in Ibadan to mark the nation’s 51st independence anniversary.

They stated that Nigeria, since the first coup of January 15 1966, had been unfortunate to be led by accidental leaders, people, who were not prepared to lead the country.

Erubami said: “Nigeria, despite its resources, both human and materials, has not yet struck the appropriate balance between governance and welfare of the citizenry and only concerted efforts by citizens and politicians on making the right connections between politics and economy can help the government deliver.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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NEWS Osun awards N417m contract for Ede Waterworks’ repair HE Osun State Government has awarded a N417,974,970 contract for the rehabilitation of Ede Waterworks to Messrs Seg Mahsen and Co Nigeria Ltd. Special Adviser to the governor on Water Resources Mrs. Tawa Williams, who signed for the government in Osogbo, the state capital, urged the contractor to complete the project within six months.

Mrs. Williams said the repair would improve the water works’ by 50 per cent and it is expected to provide over 20 million gallons of water per day.

She said the World Bank and the state had entered into a partnership for a comprehensive rehabilitation, but the government decided on partial rehabilitation, pending the bank’s intervention.

Mrs. Williams said: “The scope of the emergency rehabilitation includes the provision of two 2,500 cubic metres and hour Low Lift pump sets; 1,500 KVA Generating Set at the High Lift station; two MVA outdoor power transformers with associated control panels at the High Lift station and high tension building; and chemical dosing pumps for lime and alum.”

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Police foil bank robbery in Lagos

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

She said major water pipes in the state would be repaired or replaced, and that pipes would be extended to newly developed areas.

Mrs. Williams said the World Bank-Assisted Water Supply Programme, which begins next year, includes the construction of the new Ilesa Urban Water Scheme, completion of Ile-Ife Urban Water Scheme, rehabilitation of all existing water schemes, and repair and desilting of dams in EkoEnde, Esa-Odo, Iwo and Ede. Leader of the company’s team Dr. Abraham Olusegun assured that the company would deliver the project on time.

•From left: Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi; Permanent Secretary, Local Government Service Commission and winner, 2010/2011 Best Permanent Secretary in the Southwest, Mr. Sunday Fatoba ; and Ekiti State Head of Service Mr. Bunmi Famosaya...at the weekend

Ekiti drivers paralyse movement

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EMBERS of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and Drivers’ Cooperative in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday withdrew from the roads, leaving commuters stranded.

They were protesting the operation of a private transport company, Lafe-Ade Transport, owned by a former NURTW chairman,

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado Ekiti

Chief Omolafe Aderiye.

The absence of commercial vehicles grounded activities, including the distribution of newspapers.

RTEAN chair Chief Rotimi Olambiwonu (a.k.a.

Mentilo) was arrested bt the police over the protest. Aderiye’s park and property were vandalised.

The protesters, brandishing dangerous weapons,

By Jude Isiguzo

AN attempt by armed robbers to break into the vault of a second generation bank on the Apapa/ Oshodi Expressway in Lagos was foiled yesterday by the police.

Two members of the 15man gang were arrested inside the ceiling of the banking hall.

It was gathered that the hoodlums forced their way into the banking hall around 9pm on Sunday night.

Sources said the criminals were still trying to break the vault when policemen from the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS), led

by Kyari Abba, a superintendent, arrived after midnight.

It was learnt that 13 of the gang members, who were positioned outside the bank, engaged the police in a gun battle.

The 13 robbers escaped, but the two that went into the bank through the ceiling were arrested.

Police spokesman Samuel Jinadu confirmed the incident and said investigation has begun.

Ajimobi’s wife opens clinic From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

THE wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, will today, inaugurate a clinic for women in Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area.

She will also launch her pet project, the Widowhood Support Programme.

Last week, Mrs. Ajimobi empowered 10 widows with N50,000 each to strenghten their businesses.

said in 2002, Aderiye prevented Olaniyi Motors from operating in the state capital to enable NURTW and RTEAN have control of the motor park, adding that Aderiye has no right to force on them what he had once condemned.

Before the police restored peace in the area, movement remained difficult and commercial motorcyclists – the only option – charged exorbitant fares.

NURTW chairman Chief

Julius Jegede said: “The state government has asked motor parks to move to the new parks on Iyin, Ikere and Ifaki roads and Aderiye should not be an exemption. All drivers’ unions in the state have complied with the order and it will be advisable for him to abide by it too.”

Police spokesman Victor Babayemi said the Commissioner of Police has met with the feuding groups.

He said the meeting would continue today.

Ajimobi urges Nigerians to unite against violence

•Ajimobi

YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has called on Nigerians to unite against violence and crime.

In a broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 51st independence Anniversary, Ajimobi urged Nigerians to support governments at all levels in eliminating the challenges facing the nation.

Ajimobi said: “Let us com-

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bat the demon of violence and crime that is posturing as part of our clime. We must wean our country from the hands of this unwholesome tag that is a major barrier to development.”

He said although the country’s democracy is still growing, we would get there.

Ajimobi said: “The wall of despotism and rule by force has given way to ever-improving representative democracy.

“We can improve on this by living peacefully with our fellow men and women and putting Nigeria at the centre of our interpersonal relationships.

“Our greatness as a nation

derives immensely from our diverse backgrounds and orientations. We remain a model to the world in the co-existence of peoples with diverse culture and religion.

We should not lose this on the altar of religious or cultural fundamentalism.

“One attribute that is missing today in our relationship with Nigeria is patriotism.

The moment we see Nigeria from a sacred prism, as a sacred entity which must be protected jealously, there would be a difference in our attitude to her.

“Right now, many of our countrymen see Nigeria as an alien enterprise from which they are very distant and

which has no bearing on their existence. We need to reverse this trend to put our march towards greatness on a surer and faster footing.

“Even though we have had our challenges in various forms and shapes, this new brand of violence is alien to our culture. Our grouses can be articulated through discourse and periodically at the polls. This is the language of civilisation. We cannot afford to be seen to be treading a different path.

“The past 51 years have been a mixture of experiences, fascinating and not so fascinating; encouraging and discouraging, plausible and condemnable.

“However, our resilience as a people in the face of monumental challenges has been encouraging and awesome.”

LAUTECH Teaching Hospital gets CMD

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PSYCHIATRIST, Professor Oladele Sijuwola, has been appointed Chief Medical Director of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

An orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Wale Olakunlehin, has also been appointed Chairman of the hospital’s Medical Advisory Committee.

The multi-billion naira teaching hospital has begun 24 hours services.

It has 11 departments, namely medicine, surgery; obstetrics and gynaecology; radiology; community medicine; family medicine; paediatrics; nursing; chemical pathology; histopathology; and hematology.

•Begins 24 hours services From Bode Durojaiye, Ogbomoso

The hospital also has a dialysis centre, cardiology unit, well equipped laboratories and eight modern theatres.

About 10,000 megawatts have been earmarked for the hospital by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

It has five standby generators and a gad plant for oxygen production.

The hospital gets its water supply from a dam with a two million–litre capacity surface, a 500,000–litre capacity overhead tank and a water heating system.

It has 60 fully air condi-

tioned suites for resident doctors and consultants, with 40 consultants and 60 resident doctors on its payroll.

Acting Head, Department of Paediatrics, Michael Onigbinde and Head, Department of Surgery, Adetunji Oguntola, said the hospital has modern facilities and experienced personnel.

They said the fees charged for services have not increased, saying “of what benefit will the hospital be to the people of the community, most of whom are downtrodden, when fess charged are not affordable?”

They praised the Oyo State Government for upgrading the hospital, adding that a

team from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) would soon visit the health institution for accreditation.

“But before then, we want to put a few other things in place, though we are already on firm ground. For instance, approval has been granted for the procurement of more ambulances.

“It will also interest you to know that the hospital was built for 1,000 patients, but with the facilities on ground, we can render services beyond that figure and we really meant it.

“This is why resident doctors and consultants will resist any attempt to return us back to Osogbo, where facilities are lacking. We are stating the obvious.”

Aregbesola hails Akinrinade at 72

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has congratulated former Chief of Defence Staff Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade on his 72nd birthday.

He described Akiniinade’s contributions to the unity of Nigeria as “outstanding.”

In a congratulatory letter, Aregbesola said he was joining several others to celebrate Akinrinade’s accomplishments and exemplary services.

The governor recalled the general’s exploits during the Civil War to keep the country united, his contributions as Chief of Army Staff and later Chief of Defence Staff between 1979 and 1981.

He said: “Your outstanding sacrifice and contribution during the struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria is on record. You are truly a military and political icon; a great nationalist and democrat, who has contributed immensely to Nigeria’s development. This had been acknowledged by the award of the Grand Commander of the Niger (GCON) bestowed on you.”

Oyo govt, ex-governor’s family urged to reconcile

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FORMER Chief Press Secretary to late ex-Oyo State Governor Kolapo Ishola, Elder Bode Oyewole, has appealed to Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the Ishola family to resolve their differences and give the deceased a befitting funeral.

Oyewole was reacting to the family’s rejection of the N30 million contribution of the government to the funeral.

He urged the Olubadan and Ibadan elite to step in and resolve the misunderstanding.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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NEWS Yuguda condoles with Gombe over road crash

Jang accused of snubbing court orders

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AUCHI State Governor Isa Yuguda has condoled with the government and people of Gombe State over the accident that occurred last Thursday in which some travelers died and a lot of property lost.

During a visit to Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo in Gombe on Sunday night, Yuguda said: “I am here on behalf of myself and the people of Bauchi State to sympathise with the government and people of Gombe State over the accident which occurred, whereby a trailer lost control and affected quite a lot of people.

“It is something that I felt I should come and share the grief with the government and people of Gombe; to convey our condolences to the families of those who were affected and those who were injured.

“May the Almighty Allah give them quick recovery and give them back what they have lost in the shortest possible time and put them on the path of prosperity.

“For those who died, may Allah grant them Aljannah Fir’daous, and I wish all the people of Gombe well in their endeavours.”

Seventeen persons were killed and over 20 others sustained injuries when an articulated vehicle crashed on the Dukku-Gombe road last Thursday.

Kogi PDP candidate seeks peace

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HE Kogi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Captain Idris Wada, has urged party members to put aside their differences and work for its victory in the December 3 election.

Wada, who addressed reporters at the weekend after he was confirmed by the National Secretariat of the party as the PDP’s flag bearer, said his victory at last week’s primary should be seen as an act of God. The retired Captain was declared winner of the primary with Yomi Awoniyi, son of the late elder statesman, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, as his

From Mohammed Bashir, Lokoja

running mate.

He said: “I give thanks to Almighty God, who made it possible for me to be elected as the party’s candidate. This is not the time to fight to destroy our dear party, the PDP. This is a time for reconciliation. There is no victor, no vanquished. Power is given by Almighty God to whom He wishes at every point in time. I am, therefore, appealing to all my co-contestants to join hands with me and my deputy for us to triumph in the December 3 election.”

Kwara Varsity signs MoU with Columbia Varsity From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

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HE Kwara State University (KWASU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Columbia University, USA, and two other institutions on intellectual transfer, the Vice-Chancellor of KWASU, Prof Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, has said.

He said a renowned professor of Literature and Humanities at the Columbia University, Gayatri Chakravorti Spivak, would visit KWASU today.

Spivak is on a tour of selected universities in South, East and West Africa.

Na’Allah said the visiting academic would deliver a lecture entitled: Education in the Era of Globalisation, at the university’s auditorium today.

He said: “Spivak’s translation of Jacques Derrida’s Of Grammatology propelled her into prominence and helped to establish French theory at the centre of intellectual life in the Englishspeaking world.

“She is best known, however, for the long essay entitled: Can the Subaltern Speak? considered a founding text of the field of literary scholarship that goes under the name of PostColonialism...”

•Governor: our govt is not lawless From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

•Jang

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HE Chairman of Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State, Dr Saleh Kanam, has accused Governor Jonah Jang of disregarding court orders.

Kanam told The Nation in Abuja that despite court pronouncements reinstating him as the elected chairman of the council, the governor appointed a Sole Administrator to run a parallel government set up in a public primary school.

But Jang, speaking through his media aide, Pam Ayuba, said the government was not lawless.

The governor said he would not comment on an issue that is still pending in court.

Kanam said his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on which platform

he was elected, to the Labour Party (LP) prior to the April elections, sparked off his faceoff with the governor.

He said Jang suspended him following a radio announcement, but a High Court reversed the suspension.

Kanam said Jang also dissolved the executive and legislative arms of the council, against known laws in Nigeria.

According to him, Jang has ignored all the court orders reinstating him.

He said he has also been excluded from the Joint Account and Allocation Committee meetings on the governor’s orders.

The embattled council chief alleged that Jang based his decision for dissolving the council on frivolous and unfounded allegations of “awarding contracts without following due process, allowing some

political office holders in the council to collect double salaries and training of political thugs” against him.

Kanam said: “These are just concocted stories, trumped-up charges tailored to achieving a particular objective - the removal of the Chairman of Kanam Local Government Council.

“Since my purported suspension and dissolution because I was not just suspended the whole Council was dissolved and I want to tell you that in both cases there are court orders first of all staying action on the issue of suspension and secondly reversing and nullifying the appointment of the Sole Administrator.

“What happened was after the nullification of the appointment of the Sole Administrator and reversal of the decision to dissolve the entire council we went on the 18th of July to resume work after serving

court orders on all parties.

“All parties here mean the state government, the Police Command in Plateau state, the SSS, the office of the STF and local security operatives at the local government…”

Ayuba said the government would not join issues with Kanam because he remains suspended from office.

The governor’s spokesman noted that it would amount to prejudice for the government to comment on a case pending in court.

He said: “As for the claim by the former chairman of Kanam Local Government Area, the state government, at this time, cannot join issues with him because he stands suspended from office. His case is still pending in court and the government would not comment right now.

“The government remains committed to the pursuance of the rule of law, as we have respected more than five court cases in favour of opposition parties as regards the last local government elections. Our government is not lawless.”

Gunmen attack Kwara Sharia Court judge

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OME gunmen have shot the home of a Khadi of Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Oluwatoyin Salihu Mohammed.

The gunmen, who were said to have stormed the Khadi’s home on Ahmed Mohammed Road, GRA, Il-

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

orin, at 8pm, shot him in the arms and thighs in the presence of some of his family members.

It was learnt that Mohammed was rushed to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospi-

tal (UITH) where he is said to be recuperating.

The Khadi’s neighbours urged Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and Police Commissioner Peter Gana to strengthen security in the area.

According to them, the area

has been visited by robbers twice in one week.

Police spokesperson Dabo Ezekiel, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the incident, saying: “We are aware and are investigating the matter. No arrest has been made yet.”

‘Rumours are greatest threat to Plateau peace’ HE Special Adviser to Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang on Religious Affairs, Nasiru Goshi, yesterday said rumour-mongering was the greatest threat to peace in the state.

The Special Adviser, who addressed reporters in Jos, the state capital, said anyone who wanted peace on the Plateau should avoid spreading rumours.

He said: “People sit in their rooms and formulate rumours and spread them through phones, just to cause tension and panic, and mostly to sabotage government peace efforts.

“This act of wickedness is

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From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

practised by Muslims and Christians who don’t mean well for this government. As far as I’m concerned, the Plateau State Government and the Federal Government have done everything possible to stop the crises in the state. As soon as government succeeds, rumour-mongers would go to work and try to destabilise the prevailing peace.”

He urged well-meaning residents to shun rumours and cooperate with the government to sustain the prevailing peace in the state.

Goshi said: “Jang is poised to develop the state, and he needs peace to achieve development. People should give him a chance.”

The Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Gamzaki Abdulhamid, noted that the

Jang administration has made a lot of progress that has had direct bearings on the lives of the residents despite the challenges the crises have caused.

Abdulhamid praised Jang for restoring normalcy to the state.

CPC candidate faults Yuguda’s appointment of 1,070 aides From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

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HE Bauchi State Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) governorship candidate in the April election, Mallam Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, yesterday condemned Governor Isa Yuguda’s appointment of 1,070 political aides.

In a statement in Bauchi by his media aide, Musa Azare, the CPC candidate said the appointments were a waste.

Tuggar said: “Bauchi State is now surviving on borrowed funds to keep government machinery going.”

He said he expected Yuguda to redeem unnecessary debts he incurred in the name of the state rather than further enslave the people.

Tuggar is currently challenging the election of Yuguda at the Bauchi Governorship Election Petition, chaired

by Justice David Mann.

He said: “I am at a loss as to how or where he (Yuguda) is going to source for the over N1billion to pay for the upkeep of these political aides.”

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Chief Ishola Adeyemi said: “If the government doesn’t have money, how did it embark on the new projects that have been paid for? Over N9billion debts inherited from the past civilian regime have been paid and the government has enough funds to cater for its •From right: Former Military President Ibrahim Babangida; Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Faruk Bahago; Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu; and Deputy workforce.”

Governor Ahmed Musa Ibeto, during a special prayer for Nigeria’s 51st Independence anniversary at Minna Central Mosque

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

NEWS Two robbery suspects killed by mob From Osagie Otabor, Benin

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WO suspected robbers were yesterday beaten to death and set ablaze by a mob in Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.

Lamidi Sanni (a.k.a. Chimiri) and Toyin Opashi (a.k.a. Babylon) were accused of carrying out incessant robberies in the area.

The suspects were apprehended while trying to escape after a robbery. Sources said the victim’s shout for help attracted a vigilance group, which arrested the suspects.

They said the duo confessed that they were responsible for incessant robberies in Auchi and neighbouring communities, and this prompted the mob to beat them to death.

Explosion at AGIP flow station in Bayelsa From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

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nknown persons have bombed a facility belonging to Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Okoroma-Tereke, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The facility, Obama flow line, was attacked with dynamite at the weekend.

The explosion damaged some pipelines, but details of the incident are still sketchy.

Uduaghan promises to tackle unemployment D

ELTA State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has said he would tackle unemployment by creating an economy that is less dependent on oil.

In a telephone conversation with some of his Facebook fans to mark the nation’s 51st Independence Anniversary, Uduaghan said he would partner the private sector to empower youths.

He said it has become imperative to reposition the state’s economy, not only to create job opportunities, but to be less dependent on oil.

Uduaghan said: “I want Deltans to be patient; my administration will create jobs for our youths. The construc-

tion of infrastructure takes time and we are doing our best to develop more of them to empower our people.” He said his administration was focusing on agriculture as a means of creating jobs and boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

The governor said road repairs would begin when the rains stop, so as to make transportation of goods and services easier.

He said: “The Delta State government is committed to

the construction of Umeh road in Isoko Local Government Area because of its great agricultural potentials. Work will begin in earnest after the rains and it will be completed hopefully before the next raining season.

“As for marketing our administration’s programmes, we are re-strategising, so that people will know more about the programmes, like the free healthcare for expectant women and children under five years, payment of examination fees for SS3 stu-

dents and scholarship for different categories of beneficiaries, among others.”

Uduaghan said the government would partner the private sector on waste management.

He said: “Waste management is not for the government alone; the private sector can also be involved. This is why the government wants to partner them to keep our environment clean. We have acquired some dumpsites in the state.”

Some of the fans, who interacted with the governor on Facebook were Ezarevah Elohor, Tito Omunizua, Onofighe Akpojevwe and Isioma Ndah.

•Dr. Oluwatoki Jamiu of the Lagos State University (LASU) (second left) delivering a lecture at the Lagos House of Assembly Mosque, during a programme of the Association of Muslim Men in Business. With him are Alhaji Thabit Sonoike (left); Alhaji Abdula Majeed Adedeji (third right); Commissioner, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC); Alhaji Musibau Oyefeso (second right); and Chairman, Mosan Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Alhaji Abiodun Mafe...at the weekend PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

Sylva decries inadequacies of federal system

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AYELSA State Governor Timipre Sylva has lamented the inadequacies of the Federal System of Government in Nigeria.

Sylva spoke at the weekend during a dinner marking Bayelsa’s 15th anniversary.

He called for peaceful coexistence among the people, saying it would accelerate development.

Sylva said the federal system of government practiced in Nigeria does not allow the regions to fully exploit their potentials.

He said: “We have structural inadequacies and that is why Bayelsa has not moved far. Nigeria is a structural disaster. We started as a confederal state, changed to unitary system and are now op-

erating a federal system, but true federalism does not exist. We are running a wrong system which does not allow regions to showcase their potentials.”

The guest lecturer, Prof.

Vincent Anigbogu, who delivered the anniversary lecture entitled “The wisdom to manage God’s blessings,” said Bayelsa is blessed with

abundant resources, and with hard work and commitment, the state would become the glory of the nation.

Anigbogu urged civil servants to be dedicated to their work, adding that if security, transportation and other essential services are put in place, tourism would thrive in the state.

Call Anenih to order, Edo PDP chieftain urges national exco A

CHIEFTAIN of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Mr. Nosa Omoregie, has urged the party’s national executive to call the state leader, Chief Tony Anenih, to order.

In a statement in Benin, the state capital, Omoregie said: “Rather than thaw, the crisis in the state chapter of the party has been inflamed by the recent conduct of a charade, which was called a state congress, and the skillful maneuverings to eliminate some contenders for the governorship election to suit a money bag.

“We have no doubt that all the scheming and shenanigan going around in the party is to undo a particular aspirant, and if they succeed in this devilish bid, then, it is bye-bye for PDP in Edo State.

“If the schemer thinks he is so popular and will beat Governor Adams Oshiomhole, like he said at the charade called Congress, let him present himself for the

election.

“Let Anenih climb the soap box and test his popularity in the party and see if he can defeat Kenneth Imansuangbon, let alone Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

“Am not sure the leadership of the party is ready for change. Those who made the list of Anenih’s executives are the same old hands, Chief Dan Orbih and Matthew Urhogide. Orbih cannot achieve any electoral victory, just as we all know the political antecedents of Urhogide.

“We are waiting for their escape route this time, because they have cracked the wall of the party and no doubt, the wall gecko would have an opportunity to feast and defecate therein.

“The party is pretending to be looming large because the elections are near, but what they have succeeded in doing is cause a laissez-faire attitude among party mem-

bers with this one man dictatorship.

“In the days leading to President Obama’s election, a leading American personality and Republican, Gen. Powell, openly expressed preference for Obama’s candidacy, even though Obama is a Democrat.

“A decade ago, a similar opinion was expressed by a conservative for Tony Blair in England; so no one should

rule out that option here.”

Omoregie urged the national leadership of the PDP to call Anenih to order.

“The leadership of the state party must impress the followership with demonstrable attributes of integrity and honesty, fairness, justice and fair play. If members have cause to doubt leaders and senior members of the party, then, supremacy is threatened and disobedience becomes inevitable,” he said.

Auchi poly expels five final year students From Osagie Otabor, Benin

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HE Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, in Edo State has expelled five final year students of the Higher National Diploma (HND) programme for alleged falsification of results.

Deputy Registrar (Academic) Mr. G.E. Ihionkhan said the institution’s verification team discovered that the National Diploma (ND) results presented by the expelled students were not genuine, after it visited the polytechnics they claimed to have obtained their ND from.

Four of the affected students were in the Department of Business Administration while one was in Computer Science.

Also, two chief lecturers of the institution, Sir Louis Akagbosu and Mr. Joseph B. Iviarah, are dead.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

11

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

We are not growing the agricultural and manufacturing sectors of the economy. Many manufacturing firms have closed in the past few years due to numerous challenges.

–Prof Pat Utomi, Director, Lagos Business School (LBS)

NB acquires three new breweries

By Taofik Salako

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IGERIAN Breweries Plc has acquired three new breweries following the acquisition of majority equity interests in Sona Systems Associates, Business Management Limited and Life Breweries Company Limited from Heineken N.V. This is coming on the heels of Heineken’s acquisition of majority shares in five breweries in the Sona Group in January this year.

The transaction has been approved by shareholders of Nigerian Breweries Plc at the company’s 65th Annual General Meeting in May, this year, following an earlier recommendation by the Board of Directors, which was supported by advisers.

The transaction, which has also been okayed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), took effect on October 1, this year.

With these deals, Sona Systems’ two breweries in Ota and Kaduna and Life Breweries in Onitsha become part of Nigerian Breweries Plc, with the three brands: Goldberg lager, Malta Gold and Life Continental lager.

Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr Nicolaas Vervelde, said the three breweries would enable the company to address capacity constraints, broaden its reach and strengthen its brand portfolio.

“I truly believe that together we have a great opportunity to grow our business and strengthen our market position for the benefit of our customers and consumers and the country as a whole,” Vervelde said.

Heineken NV, which has majority interests in Nigerian Breweries Plc and Consolidated Breweries Plc, had in January this year acquired two holding companies from the Sona Group with controlling interests in each of Sona, IBBI, Benue, Life and Champion breweries.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$118.7/barrel Cocoa -$2,856/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,161/troy ounce Rubber -¢146.37pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N6.747 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -9.3% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending-22.42% Prime lending -15.84% Savings rate -1.42% 91-day NTB -6.99% Time Deposit -6% MPR -8.75% Foreign Reserve $34.87b CFA EUR £ $ ¥ SDR RIYAL

FOREX -

0.281 215.1 245.00 153.16 1.5652 243.2 40.57

•Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Bank Limited, Mr Ahmed Kuru (2 nd right) and Executive Director, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, at the bank’s Customer Forum in Eket, Akwa Ibom State. With them are Chairman/CEO, Union Electrik Nigeria Limited, Obong Kingsley Etop Mbre (left) and Executive Chairman, Asamkon Nigeria Limited, Chief Asam Usoro.

Nigerians shun shares, says survey

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ESS than one fifth of Ni gerians with adequate disposable income think of investing in quoted equities, according to a sample survey of the middle class.

A survey conducted with 1,004 middle-class Nigerians residing in the three key cities of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, showed that if given a large sum of money, 89 per cent will deposit it in a bank; 32 per cent will invest in land or property.

The survey indicated that only 19 per cent will invest in shares; five per cent and 4.5 per cent will invest in government bonds and foreign exchange.

The survey conducted by Renaissance Capital, showed that average monthly income within the middle class ranged between N75, 000 and N100, 000 monthly.

The middle class make up about 23 per cent of the population, according to African Development Bank (AfDB) data.

By Taofik Salako

“Strong economic growth is fostering an entrepreneurial culture. When our sample was asked what investments they have planned in the next 12 months, more cited “starting a business” (19 per cent) than any other answer; though investing in land came a close second at 17 per cent, with purchasing a property following at 15 per cent.

When asked what they currently invest in, the greatest response was in their “own business”, 48 per cent,” the survey reported.

The survey indicated that the middle class has a culture of saving, but it cares little about the deposit rate and would not want to borrow from a bank.

However, most respondents were concerned about the deteriorating public infrastructure and unemployment over the immediate and short-term periods.

Nineteen to 23 per cent expressed as concerns over

there problems; while 3.5 per cent and five per cent were concerned about crime and corruption.

Three-quarter of the respondents expressed optimism about the future of Nigeria.

The survey showed that almost all Nigerians put their faith in God. Ninety-six per cent affirmed their religious belief, with the third most cited reason for optimism about Nigeria’s future is “God would make it better”.

Analysts at Renaissance Capital, meanwhile, said the prospects of the economy appeared brighter, stating that it might surpass singledigit projection projections by many forecasts.

“We think the plans to improve electricity generation and transmission could help GDP growth to accelerate in the coming years. We would not be surprised if Nigeria is achieving double-digit real GDP growth on a sustained basis, and nominal GDP growth of 15-25 per cent, by

2015-2016. A $247 billion economy in 2011 could be a $460 billion economy by 2016, assuming nominal GDP growth of 20 per cent and a naira to dollar exchange rate of N155 for $1,” Renaissance Capital said.

Analysts noted that the expected growth in the economy provide dramatic opportunities to investors noting that per capita GDP at market exchange rates has already soared from just $361 in 2001 to $1,541 by 2011, based on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) data.

The report pointed out that the population has risen from 119 million in 2000 to 160 million this year while the IMF expects population to rise to 184 million by 2016.

“Based on the IMF’s pessimistic numbers, per capita GDP will rise by another third to $1,957 over the next five years, but we forecast a rise to $2,500 in 2016 under our more positive scenario,” the analysts added.

Fed Govt raises committee to increase revenue in mining T

HE Federal Govern ment has set up a com mittee on revenue generation in the minerals and metal sector.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Mohammed Sada, while inaugurating the Committee, said the minerals and metal sector should focus on revenue drive to boost the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Deputy Director, Press, Marshal Gundu, in a statement, yesterday, said Sada decried the current level of revenue generation in the

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

sector, stressing the need for its improvement.

The statement noted that the minister, who was also disturbed by the spate of illegal mining in the country with its resultant effects on revenue, urged members of the committee to find a lasting solution to the problem.

In the words of the minister: “The current level of revenue generation can and

must be improved upon.

Make sure that all revenues are collected. We need to put things right,” adding that the Federal Government would ensure proper monitoring of activities of mining operators and construction companies so that revenues accruable to the Federal Government coffers from their operations are adequately remitted in line with the laid down regulatory framework of the sector.”

He said the government is considering the restructuring and rationalisation of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government, and, therefore, challenged professionals to be proactive in addressing problems facing the sector to achieve its mandate of transforming the nation’s economy.

Sada said the Committee has the mandate to boost revenue generation, ascertain areas of leakages and proffer solutions, adding that the body should make useful recommendations.

CIBN to introduce recruitment requirements

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HE Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), has said it will pay attention to the recruitment requirements for bank workers.

Addressing journalists after its yearly conference in Abuja last week, its President, Laoye Jaiyeola, said that different levels of bank workers will have minimum skills re-

From Nduka Chiejina, Assistant Editor (Abuja)

quirements.

He said any banker found lacking will be disqualified from occupying certain positions in the banking system irrespective of the number of years of experience. Examples of such requirements, he disclosed, are leadership and integrity.

He said professionalism in banking will reduce unhealthy competition among operators.

Jaiyeola said the CIBN would check unethical banking practices, saying any banker found guilty of unethical conduct would be severely sanctioned.

In his words: “The issue of banking has gone beyond balance sheet and liquidity. We want to look at the issue of trust

because we need to rebuild trust and confidence in the financial system. The culture of banking would now be vigorously addressed as the CIBN will make sure we continue with the culture of training and retraining because we have found out that having technical skills is not enough, we have to bring back true professionalism.”

Eni pipeline damaged • Firm says no force majeure

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pipeline in the on shore Niger Delta owned by Italian energy group Eni has been damaged, sources said.

Even then, the company said it is not planning any force majeure. Rather, it is working hard to repair the pipeline.

The affected pipeline, in Nembe, Bayelsa State, has been leaking oil into the creeks.

However, Eni does not plan to introduce any force majeure on its oil export after the small incident at the pipeline, which is part of Obama-Brass line, an Eni spokesman said.

“It is a very small incident.

No force majeure is expected.

Works to repair the damage will be completed in the next few hours,” the company’s spokesman said.

Bayelsa State has been the scene of sabotage attacks in recent months by local residents, who say oil companies have broken agreements to supply provisions in exchange for pumping oil.

‘Invest in real estate’ From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

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HE Nigerian Institu tion of Estate Survey ors and Valuers (NIESV) has urged the Federal Government to explore investment opportunities in the real estate sector of the economy to increase its revenue base and reduce over dependence on oil.

The institution, which stated that the real estate sector has enormous untapped investment opportunities, which if adequately exploited, could help diversify the nation’s economy.

The Chairman of the Kano State Chapter of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Fred Akinnuoye, made the call yesterday in Kano, at a mandatory training of the Institution with the theme: Real estate investment in the environment of commerce: Resolving the Kano paradox.

12

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

13

TUESDAY, OCTOBERBER 4, 2011

ENERGY THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

NERC: Power purchase by estate developers illegal

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

• Amoda

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HE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said estate developers have no right to distribute electricity to residents of estates because they are not licensed to do so.

NERCat a forum in Lagos, said: “Estate managers don’t have the right to buy electricity in bulk and distribute because they are not our customer or licensee.”

The power sector regulator said that it has received a lot of complaints by estates residents concerning outrageous bills and other unwarranted payments for supply of electricity by estate owners or developers. The estate owners, however, said the residents are not charged extra cost, noting that what seems as the extra charge is payment for street lighting, which is not attached to any resident’s meter.

INSIDE • PENGASSAN: Transformation policy improves operations of PPPRA

At an enlightenment forum for estate developers and residents of estates in Lagos, NERC said the enlightenment campaign which it intends to take across the country, is to educate electricity consumers on their rights and obligations as well as those of the service providers.Estate residents accused the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) of cheating them because power supply has improved, yet they depend more on supplies from the estate generator, and pay huge electricity bills at the end of every month.

The residents of Victoria Garden City (VGC) in Lekki area of Lagos State who are on bulk metering argued that it was possible that they are billed by the PHCN for electricity that was supplied by the estate generator.

The Chief Executive Officer of Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Mr Oladele Amoda, however, debunked their claims, saying the estate developer has switchover power equipment.

“Whenever, there is power from the PHCN, estate managers switch off from PHCN source and puts on that of the estate generator. Therefore, it is impossible to bill the residents on power supplied by the estate generator,he said.”

Amoda noted that he has tackled, to a reasonable extent, the VGC residents’ problems. He also said that the management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company would arrange a meeting with estate residents this month to fix unresolved problems. He explained to some customers, who were doubtful of sincerity in their meter reading that the company has what he called Automatic Meter Reading (AMR), which enables it to read a customer’s meter from the office.

Clarifying bulk power purchase,

distribution and metering, NERC Commissioner, Government and Consumer Affairs Division, Dr Abba Ibrahim, said the electricity distribution companies are the only entities currently authorised by law to distribute power, but some agreements reached by the distribution companies with estate developers can stand if such agreements don’t reap-off consumers in any way.

Ibrahim said: “As regulators we have licenced entities and only licensed entities the law recognises are the distribution companies. If

and the estate developers on the other that we,NERC convened the consumer rights and obligation awareness meetings in Abuja and Lagos and the next place we are going is Port Harcourt because Port Harcourt also has fairly large number of big estates. Therefore, the issue of electricity is an affair of distribution companies. There are arrangements that could be approved between the distribution companies, the residents and the estate owners. The regulator would • Continued on page 38

• From left: Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board, Mr Ernest Nwapa, Executive Director, Oil Producers Trade Section, Ubaka Emelumadu and General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, Shell Nigeria, Simbi Wabote, during a send-off for the latter by NCDMB.

Nnaji urges PHCN to raise monthly revenue

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•••Page 38

• Why investors run away from mining, by experts •••Page 39

• NNPC is contravening local content law, says ex-militant •••Page 40

• Nnaji

HE Minister of Power, Prof.

Barth Nnaji, has advised the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to increase its monthly revenue generation to N17 billion, from the current N13 billion reflecting an addition of N4 billion.

Nnaji, who spoke against the backdrop of the recent decision of the Federal Government to start the implementation of payment of the 50 per cent salary increase demanded by PHCN staff from last month.

The PHCN previously was generating N11 billion as its monthly revenue but utilises over N7 billion from it for staff salaries and emoluments. But as a result of the recent adjustment in electricity tariff, the utility company rakes in N13

OIL PRICES SEPT 23 -SEPT 30

Light Crude

Source: Rigzone.com

there are existing arrangements between our licensed entities, which are the distribution companies and the residents of a particular estate or developer, that arrangement can be sanctioned by NERC as a regulator. We had a lot of issues across the country on electricity distribution by estate developers, which is illegal unless there is a clear arrangement that doesn’t contravene the licence or provision given to these distribution companies. Based on those issues that arose, disagreement between the residents associations on one part

Brent Crude

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

billion monthly.

The minister, however, noted that with the implementation of the 50 per cent increase last month, PHCN staff salary and emoluments, would bring the new wage bill to over N11 billion leaving the company with a balance of just N2 billion monthly.

He said the balance of N2 billion was not encouraging as the utility company has a debt of about N8 billion to pay monthly to independent power generating companies, gas suppliers and other operating costs.

He said: “The current revenue generation is far from satisfactory as the PHCN still has to pay N8 billion every month to gas and electricity generating companies such as Shell, AES, Agip, the Rivers and Akwa Ibom State Governments, which operate Independent Power Plants (IPPs) as well as meet other operational costs of running the business.

“At least, N17 billion has to be generated monthly to defray operational costs and pay staff salaries monthly,” he said.

In view of the huge monthly bills the PHCN ought to be paying, the minister directed the management of the 18 successor companies created out of the PHCN, not just to implement payment of the staff 50

per cent salary increment, but also explore ways of increasing their revenue generations to accommodate payment of staff salaries, gas supplies and power from IPPs, among others.

Nnaji had said: “The Federal Government has graciously agreed to pay the outstanding first three months of the new salary package which took effect from June 2011.

This would enable the CEOs, who run the successor companies as autonomous business entities, to henceforth begin paying the new salary package from September 2011.

“The implementation of the 50 per cent salary increase would bring the new wage bill to over N11 billion, leaving the company with a balance of some two billion naira monthly.

“At least N17 billion has to be generated monthly to defray operational costs and pay staff salaries monthly. I’m optimistic that it would be possible to meet the monthly benchmark of N17 billion if the PHCN management and staff increase power supply to the public and plug some leakages within the system.

“A situation where our efficiency rate improved at 15 per cent instead of 35 per cent, in August, is not good enough. Our commercial • Continued on page 38

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

ENERGY

Shell, UKTI bring Nigeria, British oil firm operators together

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• From left: Mrs. Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs receiving a cheque from Mr. and Mrs. Iboroma Akpana on behalf of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

PENGASSAN: Transformation policy improves operations of PPPRA

• Egbuji

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN), Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) Branch has expressed delight over the management’s efforts at transforming the agency.

Speaking during a two-day facility tour of petroleum downstream facilities, the Branch Chairman, Comrade Stephen Lazi, said the management of PPPRA led by the Executive Secretary, Goody Egbuji, an engineer, has restructured the entire operations in the supply and distribution of petroleum products.

Lazi said: “There is a complete turn-around in the operations of downstream business. This was an industry that was previously run as though there were no structures or order. Now we see a complete transformation in haulage, metering and other standard practices.

The facility tour embarked upon by the union, he said, was to enable it assess performance of its

members as well as evaluate compliance to the rules of engagement.

He described the findings of the tour as satisfactory and an eyeopener.

Lazi said: “With commitment and political will, we can make things work in this country. In just eight months since he assumed office, Egbuji has installed new processes in the field operations, which has boosted investors’ confidence.

When we see genuine commitment to work, we commend and offer advice when needed. I think the changes we are currently experiencing in the industry worth commending. It will block avenues for leakages and collusive tendencies, which have robbed this country immensely. “ The tour of facility to strategic downstream facility was designed by the union to afford it opportunity to encourage its members at the field operations. During interactive session, the union advised that the PPPRA be encouraged to perform its statutory role with regard to supply and distribution of petroleum products. In order to sustain the uninterrupted supply and availability of petroleum products across the country even as it pursues the implementation of deregulation policy.

On the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), Lazi said the National Assembly should expedite action on the passage of the bill when it is represented by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. He said the PIB will transform the oil and gas industry. Is it not laughable that we are still operating with obsolete laws?

Stating the Union’s position on deregulation, Lazi said labour is not against deregulation of the industry, but skeptical about the ap-

proach to the policy. Deregulation is a global economic recipe for any meaningful transformation, but we have to design it around our peculiar situation here in Nigeria. We must make concerted effort at making public utilities work maximally and our refineries must work to encourage investment, he added. “It will be incorrect to say deregulation is anti-people when it has worked almost everywhere else. The issue is the effect of price liberalization which may come with the policy. But if the needful is addressed, the impact becomes minimal and temporary, that is the position of labour.

On subsidy, he said the decision to publish a quarterly performance report on import approvals granted participating marketers is a welcome idea. “I strongly believe that henceforth historical performance should be the basis for future import permit allocation and issuance of Sovereign Debt Instruments by the Debt Management Office (DMO). It is in line with the Federal Government’s resolve to transform key sectors of the economy. Also the Agency in line with its mandate will prevent cartelisation, monopoly and other restrictive trade practices in the petroleum downstream sector.

“It is very encouraging to see the deliberate drive by PPPRA management to revamp the supply and distribution process of petroleum products. The drive has put an end to incidences of smuggling, shortages, diversion, false claims and other corrupt practices that prevailed. We call on the Federal Government to sustain the tempo and brace up to the challenges because predatory business men who benefitted from the old order will surely fight back.”

UK’s Q2 thermal coal imports up by 72%

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HE United Kingdom imported 5.95 million metric tonnes of thermal coal in the second quarter, up 72 percent on the corresponding 2010 period, according to data published by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Traders, according to Platts, said UK thermal imports had strengthened on the back of positive dark spreads, the profit margins from coal-fired generation.

Russia continued to account for the majority of thermal coal imports,

shipping just over three million metric tonnes in the April-June period, while Colombia was the second largest exporter to the UK, delivering 1.88 million metric tonnes.

Coking coal imports during second quarter were steady at 1.27 million metric tonnes, up 0.8 percent on the previous quarter, but down 32 percent on a year earlier.

Coal stocks at UK power generators rose to 13.6 million metric tonnes at the end of July, up 9.2 percent on the month.

Trading sources said stocks at UK

power stations were broadly at seasonal norms, despite falling 17 percent lower year-on-year, with one trader citing unusually high levels of stock replenishment during the 200810 period.

Total coal stocks in the country increased 3.8 percent to nearly 16 million metric tonnes, down 18.1 per cent on the year and 35.3 percent down on September 2009 when levels peaked at 24.7 million metric tonnes, the highest recorded since the end of 1994, when monthly records began.

Oil may fall next week on concerns over European An index of executive and consumer IL may fall next week on economy sentiment in the 17- nation euro area concern that Europe’s

O

economy is showing increasing signs of a slowdown as governments struggle to contain the

fiscal crisis and avert a Greek default, according to a Bloomberg News survey.

fell to 95 from a revised 98.4 in August, the European Commission in Brussels said yesterday.

O create a networking environment for oil and gas industry operators from Nigeria and United Kingdom, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) and United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) hosted more than 107 Nigerian and British companies to a business summit at the Offshore Europe Conference and Exhibition in Aberdeen.

Shell’s Corporate Media Relations Manager Tony Okonedo said Shell companies in Nigeria encourage Nigerian content development by promoting the use of locally manufactured goods as well as community and Nigerian service company involvement in production operations, projects and well engineering.

He said last year, Shell-run companies in the country awarded contracts worth nearly $947 million to Nigerian companies. This represents more than 96 per cent of the overall number of contracts, and over 94 percent of the total value spent on these transactions.

The event, which held last month, he noted, brought together companies from both countries, 25 of them Nigerian. The summit focused on creating awareness of new growth opportunities, deepened understanding of the contracting requirements as well as prevailing conditions within the Nigerian oil and gas sector. Detailed discussion sessions took place between participating companies, which are expected to evolve into new partnerships in key oil and gas growth areas including; well engineering, drilling, engineering, materials, fabrication, human capital development and offshore logistics support.

The Duke of York Prince Andrew commended SNEPCo and UKTI for the initiative at a pre-conference

private meeting. During discussions with Austin Uzoka, Manager Nigerian Content Development of SNEPCo and Craig Jones, Head of Energy Sectors Group, UKTI, Andrew recognised the initiative as creating value for both countries and offered his continuing interest and support.

“This has been an eye opener for me in terms of renewed focus for use of SME in driving up Nigerian Content Development (NCD).

Shell has done well working with the UKTI on this and should be emulated by others” said Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Ernest Nwapa, in a presentation delivered during the conference.

Phil Dunn Business Development Director of Mech-Tool, in his remarks said: “This event will help us to find credible, experienced partners to deliver our business objectives in Nigeria ... we will follow up with a meeting in Nigeria before the end of 2011.” The remarks were echoed

by Sir Ian Wood, Chairman of the Wood Group and Samir Brikho, Chief Executive Officer of Amec.

In his presentation, on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunities, Austin Uzoka, said: “While the law sets audacious targets, it creates the opportunity for foreign investments in the country.” He encouraged the British companies present to find the appropriate Nigerian partners to help them ensure compliance to local regulations and boost their business aspirations in Nigeria.

The Shell, UKTI business summit was a follow-up to the 5th Shell, UKTI business summit which held in Abuja in June 2011.

The business summit is an annual event which started in 2009.

NERC:Power purchase by estate developers illegal’ • Continued from page 37 ensure that there is balance in all those arrangements in such a way that the customer is duly protected.

“We have lifeline tariff meant to address the needs of customers that have low income. There is a specific fund that is provided for metering. This fund is sent directly to the chief executives officers of the 11 distribution companies unlike before when procurement is done centrally from Abuja. Currently, each CEO will be held accountable for deployment of meters. We will monitor them closely. Metering has always been a very key issue for us at the commission and we are doing everything possible to ensure that all issues on this are resolved within the shortest possible time.

“We have three levels of resolving customer complaints. At the head office, we have invited all the

customer care officers for all the distribution companies across the country and we are training them to educate them on their roles as service providers and on the rights of customers. We will monitor their performance subsequently based on such training and there will be continuous retraining.

“Complaints start at the desk of business units and to the distribution company and if unresolved, we have what we call Eko forum, which is chaired by independent persons from stakeholders, such as the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the chairman of the forum is the immediate past president of NSE in Lagos, a representative of the chambers of commerce, manufacturers association of Nigeria and that of consumers in the area nominated by the Consumer Protection Council and if unresolved it can be taken to the commission.”

Nnaji urges PHCN to raise monthly revenue • Continued from page 37 losses, which stand at 40 per cent largely because of improper metering and non-metering, are still unacceptably high.”

The minister urged the PHCN leadership to stop sharp practices such as bypassing of air conditioners, pressing irons, welding machines and other heavy power consuming gadgets in the meter-

ing system.

The minister reminded the CEOs that their monthly salary bills would balloon further with the ongoing regularisation of the appointments of thousands of Nigerians, who have been working as casual workers. The 5,000 to 10,000 casual workers in the PHCN would have their appointments regularised, he added.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

15

ENERGY

Why investors run away from mining, by experts Investment in mining is virtually non-existent. As a result, stakeholders in the sector have identified reasons for lack of investment and are putting measures in place to address the problems, reports JOHN OFIKHENUA.

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HE dominance of oil and gas in Nigeria’s economy may soon be challenged if the nation is able to attract the requisite investors to its mining sector which contributes dismally to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

At different parleys in recent times, the drivers of the mining and steel sector brought the strength

and weakness of the sector, which is dominated by private investors, to the front burner.

Currently, operation of the mining sector is so low because it is characterised by poor artisanal and small scale miners who are barely at subsistence stage. For the sector to take the targeted significant leap, experts say there is the need

for at least medium term investors to come in. This is imperative because the search for global big players and renowned foreign investors have been fruitless.

To put the record straight, the ministry of Mining and its major sponsor, the Sustainable Management of Minerals Resources Project (SMMRP), has been making efforts

• Oil platform

‘OPEC’s September oil output may be high’ T HE Organisation of Petro leum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil output was expected to rise in September to its highest level in almost three years due to a jump in exports from Iraq and the restart of supplies from Libya, a survey found.

According to Gulf Daily News, supply from all 12 OPEC members was expected to average 30.25 million barrels per day (bpd) in September, up from 30.15m bpd in August, the survey of sources at oil companies, OPEC officials and analysts found. Oil output from OPEC hit a three-year high in August above 30 million bpd, a Reuters’ survey revealed.

The survey indicated that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have not cut back on the extra supplies they provided to offset the loss of Libyan exports. Oil, while down from its 2011 peak of $127 a barrel, is too high for them to consider reductions.

“The price is still above $100, and it’s unclear when all the Libyan supply will come back,” a Gulf oil

official said, explaining why those producers are unlikely to lower supplies yet.

September’s total is expected to be OPEC’s highest since the October 2008 survey, which was shortly before it agreed to a series of supply curbs to combat recession.

August’s total was also the highest since October 2008.

Reuters also noted that the biggest drop in supply in the month of September from OPEC members was from Nigeria, due to a combination of damage to pipelines and the effect of tanker scheduling which contributed to a high August export rate.

OPEC does not provide timely official production figures so the oil industry relies on outside supply estimates from news agencies, consulting firms and government organisations.

Oil prices have dropped sharply in third quarter on fears of a US recession and concern that

Europe’s debt crisis will spread and damage the global economy further.

Two sources at Iraq’s North Oil Company said Iraqi oil exports to Turkey through the northern Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline should resume this week after repairs are made to fix a leak.

Iraq exported 461,000 barrels per day from its northern fields in August, mostly through the Kirkuk pipeline to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

“In the next two days we will fix it and resume pumping oil,” said one of the officials.

Sources at the North Oil Company had reported a leak near the town of Shirqat, about 300 km north of Baghdad, Libya that had forced the company to stop pumping. Production has not stopped and crude is being pumped into storage tanks.

The bulk of Iraq’s total oil exports of 2.189 million bpd in August moved through the southern export terminals in Basra, Reuters said.

Australia to overtake Qatar as top LNG supplier

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USTRALIA may overtake Qatar as the world’s biggest producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by 2020 as seven vast production plants dotted along its coastline plan to start operation later in the decade, Total’s head of LNG Guy Broggi and other experts said at a conference in London.

“The new Qatar is Australia because final investment decisions (FIDs) have already been taken,” Broggi said, referring to the five sanctioned projects and several more that are expected to reach FID in 2011-2012.

A moratorium on expansion in Qatar until 2015, according to Reuters report, is further expected to boost Australia’s chances of taking the top spot.

Australian liquefaction capacity is forecast to increase five times from current levels to 100 million

tonnes per year by 2020, Alan Coupland of the country’s bureau of resource and energy economics told delegates.

Qatari output, meanwhile, is largely fixed at 77 million tonnes per annum (MTA) until 2015 at the earliest, although plans to debottleneck existing facilities may free up plants to produce more.

“These new projects are needed because there is not enough flexible LNG supply to meet forecast demand in the middle part of the decade,” GDF Suez’s Vice-President of Prospection for LNG Supply, Frederic Deybach, said.

A giant wave of Australian liquefaction capacity will likely stretch Asia’s ability to absorb the planned volumes, potentially triggering a global gas glut as surplus cargoes flood world markets and pressure spot prices lower,

Deybach added.

Much depends on demand in Asia, he said, raising the possibility that a glut could be avoided if fallout from the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan leads to a permanent exit from nuclear power.

But a race to lock-in supply deals with key importing countries may shield Qatar from Australia’s ascendancy.

“In the meantime, Qatar can take longer-term markets away from Australia by locking in supply contracts now,” Chris Meyer, LNG analyst at consultancy Poten and Partners said in his presentation.

BP chief economist Christof Ruhl said LNG production would almost equal pipeline supplies by 2030 thanks to the wave of new liquefaction capacity coming on stream in Australia and elsewhere.

to woo foreign investors, but there is nothing to show for this in investments.

According to experts, investors and banks are still reluctant because the ministry has not been able to produce a bankable data.

Besides, others said the government which is supposed to be the key investor in the industry, has left it in the hands of peasants who cannot afford the huge capital and technical know-how the sector requires to thrive. One of the major speakers at a recent forum in Abuja was the President of the Nigeria Mining and Geosciences (NMGS), Akin George, who urged the National Assembly to enact a law that would remove the exploitation of minerals from the exclusive list to pave way for state governments to develop the minerals in their territories.

He said: “It is a fact that mining is highly technical and capital intensive and investment in it has a long gestation period, which explains why investors, especially local business men and women are not interested. The government is expected to be a key player in this venture, but unfortunately, it is not helping matters. The ministry is advised, as a matter of urgency, to organise a forum to discuss the way forward for solid minerals development in Nigeria. ‘’May be solid minerals have to be removed from the exclusive legislative list by an Act of the National Assembly to encourage state governments to develop and invest in minerals within their domain.”

Furthermore, a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) supported national sub-committee Private Sector Integrated Framework (PSISF) Development Model also revealed the apex bank cannot fund the mining sector as a result of Federal Government’s inability to generate a bankable drilling data. In his presentation to the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Sada, the Managing Director

of Anthill Concept Limited, the firm that undertook the model, Chief Emeka Okangwu, said the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) data has not produced the feasibility study which the apex bank can fund.

He said: “We have not been able to generate that drilling data that can lead to feasibility study because what the CBN will be finding is a feasibility study.”

Okangwu said there are anomalies in the regulation of the sector, and they would go a long way to thwart whatever effort the Federal Government has made. He said although the NGSA has embarked on core drilling, it is not empowered to do so. However, he noted that without core drilling, one cannot discuss investment. “NGSA has no power to do core drilling. If you are not allowed to do this, you cannot discuss investment in the sector.”

With the low level of investment, there has been capital flight from the country which, according to the Director-General, NGSA, Prof.

Siyan Malomo, culminated in Nigeria spending $2.3billion on importation of salt from Brazil for petrochemical annually.

However, on September 20, Asian Mineral Limited (AML), a Japanese firm, announced its plans to invest $4.5million (N6.7billion) in manganese development factory at Kaoji in Kebbi State, raising hope that the sector would develop someday. The President, Association of African Economy and Development, Mr Tetsuro Yano, who disclosed this, said in as much as raw materials would be readily available, the firm would produce one million tonnes of manganese annually and culminate in the employment of 90 workers.

The experts said as a regulator in the mining development programme, the government may make or mar its vision with is action and inaction.

US crude oil supplies up by 1.9m barrels

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NITED States crude supplies increased by 1.9 million bar rels, or 0.8 per cent, to 341 million barrels, which is 4.7 per cent below year-ago levels, the Energy Department’s of Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its weekly report.

According to Associated Press, analysts expected supplies to be unchanged for the week ended September 23, according to Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos. Gasoline supplies rose by 800,000 barrels, or 0.4 per cent, to 214.9 million barrels. That was less than ana-

lysts expected and 3.5 per cent below year-ago levels.

Demand for gasoline over the four weeks ended on September 23 was 2.4 per cent lower than a year earlier, averaging 8.9 million barrels a day.

Refineries ran at 87.8 per cent of total capacity on average, a decline of 0.5 percentage point from the prior week. Analysts expected capacity to fall to 87.3 per cent.

Supplies of distillate fuel, which include diesel and heating oil, rose by 100,000 barrels to 157.7 million barrels. Analysts expected distillate stocks to increase by one million barrels.

UK oil output sees record drop in Q2

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RITISH oil production fell 15.9 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter, its biggest drop since quarterly records began in 1995, the UK energy ministry said.

“Maintenance and other production issues, alongside the longterm reduction, were the main causes of the decrease,” Britain’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said in a statement.

According to Reuters, confirmed industry data showing UK oil output dropped below one million barrels per day (bpd) for only the second time in more than 30 years this summer as maintenance exacerbated a steep decline in output

from depleted North Sea oilfields.

The British sector of the North Sea pumped just 984,000 bpd of oil in June, down from just over one million bpd in May and a peak of more than 2.7 million bpd in 1999, according to industry data.

The ministry said that during the second quarter of 2011 the UK was a net importer of oil and oil products to the tune of 3.6 million tonnes, up from 2.8 million tonnes in the second quarter. The UK remained a net exporter of oil products in the second quarter of 2011, by 2.0 million tonnes.

Overall primary UK demand for oil products in the second quarter of 2011 was 2.1 per cent lower year-on-year, it said.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

16

49

NATION SPORT WORLD PEACE CUP

Power Uti, 17 others to wrestle in Abuja

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OWER UTI Worldwide Wrestling promotion is set to organise a wrestling extravaganza in December, aimed at promoting world peace.

The event will involve 18 wrestlers from 15 countries, with the wrestlers billed to wrestle in nine cities across the country.

The event will hold between December 11-22, 2011.

The wrestlers will wrestle each other in a league format with the top two wrestlers fighting for the World Peace Cup in Abuja.

The cities, according to Power Uti Worldwide Sports, Manager Sports, Leo Akunasha Onyekwere, are Aba, Lagos, Osogbo, Asaba, Ilorin, Calabar, Makurdi, Port Harcourt with the final billed for Abuja.

"All wrestlers will fight each night. A wrestler gets one point from a pinfall, while the wrestler who secures submission is awarded a point," said Onyekwere, who also added that in case of disqualification, the winners will be awarded half a point.

"At the end the points will be collated with the top two wrestlers fight for the World Peace Cup with $50,000 as prize money," Onyenkwere added.

"The wrestling event is aimed at promoting world peace because it is cheaper to promote peace than to execute war. It is expensive to prosecute war, so the ultimate aim to use the wrestling event in promoting peace all over the world," noted Onyekwere.

Lagos Island lifts LDFA/LCM Cup

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EAM A of Lagos Island Local Government has won the maidedn edition of the Lagos Divisional Football Association/ Lagos Channel Management Goalz School Event which came to a close over the weekend at the Campos Stadium, Lagos Island.

The team captained by Lukman Azeez, scaled the semi final hurdle after beating the representatives of Mainland Local Government by a lone goal and whipping a team from Apapa Local Government by four goals to two to lift the tournament's giant trophy.

Azeez, whose idols in football are Austin Okocka and Mikel Obi, said he was delighted that his team won the competition and he commended the organisers for organising an age-grade soccer fiesta.

In a bid to to create a relationship between the LDFA and LCM, the combined team of LDFA and LSFA defeated LCM football team by 4 - 2 during a novelty match.

Managing Director of Lagos Channel Management, Danny Fuchs said the gesture was to make Nigerian kids to remember this year's Nigeria Independence in a unique way through a football competition, stressing that talents discovered could be the nation's future stars if they were well nurtured.

While assuring that the company will make the event an annual tournament, Fuchs commended the LDFA for its determination to stage a befitting football funfare for the kids and expressed belief that the relationship would help the kids to exhibit their skills.

Vice Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association, Tade Azeez, praised the board of LDFA for living up to expectations in organising an age-grade soccer competition which, according to him, is the basics of sports development in the country, adding that the future of Nigerian sports rests on school sports.

Azeez said the LDFA had been able to align with the vision and mission of the LSFA to lift the standard of football in the state by staging a befitting football championship, stressing that the FA is ready to render technical assisitance to any of the Divisional Football Associations so as to add value to football in the state.

NATION SPORT

Chelsea boss charges Mikel on league break

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HELSEA boss Andre Villas-Boas has charged Nigeria international Mikel Obi and his teammates to use the club's two-week break to prepare their mind for their performance against Sunderland last month.

Chelsea's next English Premier League match is against Everton on October 15 at the Stanford Bridge.

Villa-Boas, who said Chelsea responded well against Bolton on Sunday, stressed that the international break will give the players the right frame of mind.

The Blues, who finished second to Manchester United last season, are currently third following the victory over Owen Coyle's men, in which a Frank Lampard hat-trick and Daniel Sturridge brace secured all three points for the west London outfit.

Speaking after the win, the former Porto boss told reporters: "This squad is full of competence and the talent has never been in question. We have enough talent to challenge for the Premier League. We have been looking towards this victory for some time.

"It happened here because we were more prolific in front of goal. On a personal level, I would like to dedicate the victory to my

technical staff and to my players."

The Stamford Bridge outfit travelled to the northwest six points behind both Manchester clubs after City hammered Blackburn at Ewood Park and United beat Norwich at Old Trafford on Saturday, and Villas-Boas recognised that it was important to close the gap on his team's title rivals.

NIGERIA V GUINEA

Eagles train today Peter Utaka confident after club brace N amidst tight security T

•Mikel

HE Super Eagles of Nigeria will begin training today ahead of this weekend's game against Guinea, while the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have assured of tight security at the team’s lodgings in the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

Team Security Officer, Gideon Akinsola says access to the players' floor will be severely restricted "All the players will be on one floor, and nobody will be allowed to go to that wing.

"We will post officers at the lifts downstairs, on that floor and at the entrance to their wing with strict instructions to ensure that no unauthorised persons, including relatives, slip through.

"Anyone such person who tries to

do so will be arrested on sight for trespassing," Akinsola said.

The team is billed to begin training today for this weekend's 2012 African Nations Cup qualifier against Guinea.

The squad will train twice a day, once in the morning and again later

in the day.

Subsequent days will have just one training session until match day.

Players were expected to start arriving from yesterday, with 18 of the 22 players expected by dinner time, and the rest on time to catch up with today's first session.

S

quarters at the weekend that the 31year-old defender was unwilling to come for the game and therefore claimed to have lost his international passport.

But Yobo, who celebrated 10 years of meritorious and blameless service to fatherland six months ago,

Nieketien wants hungry Eagles for Guinea F

ORMER Nigeria international, Peter Nieketien has charged Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia to give starting shirts to "hungry players" against the Syli Nationale of Guinea.

Eagles are in a must-win game against their Guinean counterparts in the race for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Group B sole ticket.

The encounter comes up at the National Stadium in Abuja on October 8.

Guinea lead Group B on 13 points followed by Nigeria’s 10 and Nigeria must avoid defeat in order to book a passage to the biennial football showpiece in Gabon/Equatorial Guinea.

Nieketien told SuperSport.com that only the best legs should be considered for the duel.

“Players should be given shirts on current form not on past records. In addition to that only players who are hungry and ready to spill blood if need be should get Siasia’s nod.

“The match is crucial, any slip, we

will be gone forever. So, it is not a match we must toy with or give shirts to players on sentiments.

“Guinea will be tough, as they have always been tough and I see them getting tougher. They enjoy an advantage at the moment and surely they will apply all tricks to stay afloat.

“That is why we must pay attention to players who are psychologically focused and fit to prosecute the game,” he said.

Although the former Iwuanyanwu Nationale midfielder is sure Eagles will carry the day, he is cautious on the 2pm kickoff time.

“I am not comfortable with the kickoff time; I don’t know how our Europe-based players will cope with the expected harsh weather.

“I pray they arrive on time to acclimatise. I know we will win at the end of the day but we must avoid giving our opponents an undue advantage,” he warned.

put the record straight.

“I have my international passport to enter into my country. What happened was that the residence permit got missing in my old passport.

“All I need is the assistance of the Nigeria Football Federation to contact the Turkish Embassy in Nigeria so that work can start on a new residence permit immediately.

“I have already been assured by the NFF that they will promptly get in touch with the Embassy of Turkey to explain to them what has happened. The NFF has confidence in the Embassy of Turkey to sort out this issue as the Embassy has always been very co-operative.

“I believe that I will be able to get a new residence permit to travel to Turkey after the match against Guinea,” said Yobo who will earn his 83rd international cap against the Syli Nationale. He plays professionally for Turkish top club, Fenerbahce.

The Super Eagles skipper also said the team was indebted to Nigeria in concrete terms.

He said, “We all know we owe the millions of soccer fans and the best way to say thank you is to keep winning.

“Beating Guinea is not the only issue. We are looking at winning trophies and also winning consistently. The Eagles need to win back the confidence of the people and that has to be fast.

“Nigeria is blessed with so many talents all over the world and I believe this current team will get better as we progress."

Specifically, the Fernabache defender said the team would work hard to get the desired results against Guinea on Sunday in Abuja.

“The match will be tough and its dicey for both sides. We are happy it's holding in our home and we are so comfortable with the setting which is an advantage for us. We have good quality in the team and we are committed to win well on Sunday,” he said.

Nigeria take on Guinea inside the National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday starting from 2pm. A win is imperative for the Super Eagles to earn an automatic slot at the 2012 African Cup of Nations finals in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Yobo will also lead the group to London for an international friendly match against the Black Stars of Ghana taking place at Watford FC’s Vicarage Road stadium on Tuesday, 11 October.

IGERIA international striker Peter Utaka was delighetd to score two goals as Danish side Odense BK beat a stubborn HB Køge 2-1 on Sunday afternoon.

The Super Eagles ace signed off for the international break with a memorable double in front of a packed home ground.

Interestingly, Køge took a shock lead in the 20th minute through Simon Christoffersen.

But the Nigerian, who has been under fire from his club's supporters in recent weeks, hit a powerful

equaliser seven minutes later.

And in the 32nd minute, he was celebrating his second to kill off HB Køge's resistance.

"With two goals in a difficult match, I'm delighted with my own performance and that of my teammates," Utaka told KickOffNigeria.com.

"To come from behind to earn a victory doesn't come often - but I'm glad we did.

Utaka, who has been attracting a lot of interest in Spain, France,

Turkey and Russia, remains confident of his ability going into a back-to-back fixture with his country.

"It gives you a lot of confidence to score before travelling for an international game. We have fantastic strikers doing well across Europe and hopefully I can play a part against Guinea and Ghana. The two games are very important, I just want to contribute and help the team."

Hodgson: Osaze will beat Second-season syndrome

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OY HODGSON is confident Peter Odemwingie will overcome his dose of "secondseason syndrome" at struggling West Brom.

The Nigerian striker, who bagged an impressive 15 goals in his first Premier League season at the Baggies, has scored just one goal this term.

But Hodgson, whose side have won just once all season and languish in the bottom four, believes the 30year-old's drop in form is somewhat expected.

"There's a second-season syndrome for clubs and players. It's a very valid observation that syndrome exists,"

Yobo dismisses missing passport rumour UPER EAGLES’ captain Joseph Yobo has assured Nigerians that he would definitely be in the country for Saturday’s 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifying cracker against the Syli Nationale of Guinea.

Insinuations emanated from some

NATIONS CUP QUALIFIERS

the Baggies tactician told The Sun. "If a player does really well he suddenly becomes a marked man.

"When Blackpool started last year, Charlie Adam and David Vaughan were not players people were talking about but then it was all about, 'Can we stop Adam? Can we stop Vaughan?'.

"Peter has got to come to terms with that, which won't be a problem - he's experienced and has played in Russia and France and played many games for Nigeria. But he's got to realise it's not going to be easy for him this year, so he's got to work harder for his goals.

•Peter Utaka

Peters, Odeh defer on Dede F

ORMER Super Falcons coaches, James Peters and Rolandson Odeh hold different views on the invitation of off-form goalkeeper, Precious Dede to the senior national team camp.

Dede is among the 27 players invited to camp by coach Eucharia Uche for the must-win London 2012 Olympic Games qualifier against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in Yaounde on October 22.

Falcons won the first leg by 2-1 in Abuja.

At 31, Dede has been without a club and never featured in the 2011 women league preliminaries, the justconcluded final Super Six as well as the Challenge Cup won by her now adopted club, Rivers Angels.

Although both coaches admitted that her experience is needed in the team, they, however, told SuperSport.com that alternate keepers who are younger and fitter should be given a starting shirt against the Central African foes.

“You cannot remove the experience of Dede from the team. I think she is relevant for now until we get a good replacement for her.

“I know she was not fully fit in the first match against Cameroon in Abuja.

I don’t know her fitness level now, but if she is not still fine then other goalkeepers should be given a starting shirt,” Peters told SuperSport.com.

“Dede on paper remains Nigeria’s number one and the best in the land.

No one can question her experience but I doubt whether she is the best on

LAGOS GOVERNOR'S CUP

Players seek invitation to facilitate entry visa

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•John O'Shea of Sunderland battles with Peter Odemwingie of West Bromwich Albion during a Barclays Premier League match at the Stadium of Light on October 1

ORE than 56 players and 25 officials from 26 countries have requested for invitation letters to ease their visas procurement to participate in the forthcoming 11th Governor's Cup Lagos Tennis Championship.

The FCMB and Etisalat sponsored International Tennis Federation, ITF, approved circuit will be played at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan from 15-30 October.

Some of the countries whose players are coming to play in the two-week international championship are Belgium, Brazil, Bosnia, France, Hungary, India, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Zimbabwe, Czech Republic, Germany, Senegal, Cote D' Ivoire.

Others are Austria, Australia, Greece, Spain, Argentina, Ukraine, Croatia, Poland, Montenegro, Italy, Bulgaria and Sweden.

Some of the players who have already registered for the tournament,

By Stella Bamawo according to the website of the ITF, include past winners, Boy Westerhof of Holland, Kamil Capkovic of Slovakia, Gard Catalin-ionut of Romania and Virali-Murugesan Ranjeet of India.

In the women’s event are Nina Bratchikova of Russia, Melanie Klaffner of Austria, Tamaryn Hendler of Belgium, Dalila Jakupovic of Slovakia Agnes Szatmari of Romania, Karolina Nowak of Germany and Keren Shlomo of Israel.

Anton Rens is the Tournament Referee and the ITF Representative is staging a comeback to Lagos after last year’s competition. It was gathered that Rens will be assisted by Saidu Musa and Patrick Kumahia and other 30 national umpires from the Nigeria Tennis Federation, NTF. Meanwhile, the Local Organising Committee, LOC, headed by Chief Pius Akinyelure is working round the clock to ensure a smooth organisation of the competition.

current form at the moment. Her nagging ankle and knee injuries have made her susceptible to mistakes.

“Her deputy, Tochukwu Oluehi has come of age, and equally gathered experience. She should be allowed to keep,” Odeh enthused.

Both coaches disagreed on the drafting of former Super Eagles coach and member, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee, Christian Chukwu to the team.

“Chukwu is not knowledgeable in that field, Coach Eucharia Uche needs a helper, and Chukwu is totally off it.

NFF should second an experienced coach in women football to assist Uche,” Peters said.

“Chukwu is a misnomer, he can’t do it because that is not his area of competence. I am sure he cannot even name a single player,” Odeh said.

However, coach Peters is upbeat of a Falcons victory over Cameroon in Yaounde.

“Cameroon are not insurmountable, they are not fantastic because the Ghanaian team are stronger than the Cameroonians.

“If we go there with the right tactics and a coach who can read the game, we will sure survive,” Peters told SuperSport.com.

•Precious Dede

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

17

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

18

AVIATION

‘Nigeria will need 9,000 pilots in five years’ N IGERIA will require no fewer than 9,000 pilots in the next five years to remain relevant in the global aviation sector, Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, has said.

Demuren said the request for technical personnel is bound to rise following the rate the global aviation industry is growing.

He urged stakeholders to be more committed to the

Stories by Kelvin OsaOkunbor Aviation Correspondent

industry.

At present, he said, there are 934 pilots, 1,382 cabin crew members, 325 Air Traffic Controllers and 865 aircraft maintenance engineers in the industry. He added that there are over 300 flights daily in the country.

Demuren said: “International aviation business will double in the next 20

years and demand will strain the supply of all types of safety personnel, including pilots, maintenance engineers and air traffic controllers. So, there will be need for more pilots, engineers, cabin crew, more air traffic controllers, more flight dispatchers and more airports operation personnel.

“Unfortunately, skilled aviation professionals such as pilots, maintenance engineers, air traffic control-

lers and others cannot be cloned overnight. It takes time; it requires money and years of experience after training.”

He, however, lamented that the continent’s aviation industry is losing skilled aviation professionals to the Middle East and Asian operators, who offer better conditions of service.

Demuren said most male technical personnel in the industry are prone to constant migration for im-

proved packages while their female counterparts are more stable.

He explained that because of the constant movement of male personnel, NCAA had devised a means to attract and retain skilled personnel by encouraging the training of women aviation professionals in the subsector.

Demuren emphasised that aviation training is capital intensive as one-third of the agency’s budget is committed to the training of safety professionals, main-

taining that the regulatory agency is pushing for 10 per cent of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement funds be dedicated for abinitio training of pilots, engineers, cabin crew and air traffic controllers in the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria.

“NCAA is also encouraging state governments, who are building airports as currently being done in Asaba, Gombe, Uyo and others to invest in training of Aviation personnel.”

Arik extends services to Benin, others

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RIK Air has an nounced the expan sion of its regional African services with the introduction of scheduled flights between Lagos and three cities, namely Cotonou (Benin), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and Bamako (Mali).

The new services will be launched on October 11, and will operate twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Arik Air’s Group Chief Executive, Dr. Michael

Arumemi-Ikhide said of the new route: “The commencement of services between Lagos and the cities of Cotonou, Ouagadougou and Bamako is significant because it marks the end to years of limited air links between Nigeria and the respective countries. The inauguration is coming at a time when the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is seeking closer relations among countries in the region.

Firm begins quick services for Business Class, VIPs

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•First batch of 2011 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia at the Hajj camp of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, shortly before their departure.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE.

IATA opposes proposed US security tax hike

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HE International Air Transport Association (IATA) has kicked against the proposal of the United States (US) to double the 9/11 passenger security fee. The US plans to further raise the fee in successive years through 2017 as part of it’s deficit reduction plan.

“Airlines and their passengers are being asked to pay for national security, although it clearly is a responsibility of government,” said

IATA Director-General/ CEO, Tony Tyler. “To add insult to injury, more than half of the increased revenue from the higher fee will be diverted into the general fund and will not be used to make air travel more secure.”

Passengers travelling from US airports pay a security fee of $2.50 per flight segment with a cap of $5 one-way and $10 per round trip. The proposal would raise the fee to

$5 for all one-way trips and $10 per round trip. For the majority of passengers who do not connect or change flights during their journey, this represents a doubling of the charge. Furthermore, under the proposal, the round trip charge would increase by $1 per year between 2013 and 2017.

“This is absolutely the wrong approach. Aviation is a catalyst for growth in the worldwide economy.

The economic outlook is uncertain and confidence among both businesses and consumers is low. Making air travel progressively more expensive is not a sound economic strategy. A similar per-passenger tax in the Netherlands cost the economy more than it collected in revenues,” said Tyler, adding that, “globally aviation supports $3.5 trillion in economic activity and 33 million jobs.”

How intra-Africa connections pose challenges to business

T

HE challenge of connecting flights in Africa has continued to create problems for the economic prosperity of Africa.

This effected businesses and investments running into billions of dollars, investigations reveal.

Global bodies including

the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), African Development Bank (ADB), United Nation Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the African Union (AU), are worried over this air problem, which could derail attempts to fasttrack the integration of frica

through commerce and other economic activity.

The difficulty to seamlessly travel by air from one part of Africa to the other, according to experts, is traceble to the absence of functional airports, developed as hubs, financially weak airlines in the continent as well as the un-

willingness of African carriers to co-operate, unfriendly aeronautical policies by government, skyrocketing operational airport and air navigational charges which continue to pose fresh hurdles against attempt to liberalise the air transport sector in Africa.

Medview Airlines assures of hitch free pilgrims air lift

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ED-VIEW Airlines, one of the airlines designated by the Federal Government, has assured pilgrims of a hitch-free and timely airlifting, just as the airline took delivery of a Boeing 747-300 series aircraft, one of the aircraft for the operations.

The General Manager of

Medview Airlines, Mr David Babatunde, stated this while speaking to journalists at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, shortly after taking delivery of a Boeing 747 aircraft.

The aircraft was received by the officials of Med View Airlines led by Mr

David Babatunde.

According to Babatunde, “With these aircraft; Boeing 747 and another Boeing 767 that will fly into Nigeria from Portugal next week, pilgrims are assured of timely departure and arrival. MedView is noted for good arrangement and performance.

“We have done it for a couple of years. We are tested and I want to say we are trusted. I want to assure our pilgrims that the only thing that will be different in this year’s edition is better performance.

For Med-View, there is nothing like stranded passengers. We have all our plans mapped out.”

I-COURTNEY Avia tion Services Limited (BASL), operators of MMA2, has announced the commencement of screening point for Business Class and VIP passengers at the airport.

It said this service will reduce long queues and delays at the security screening point, especially during rush hour peak periods. The section is different from the other points and will be operated concurrently with the other screening points, without creating problems for other travelling passengers.

Fast-track services are dedicated screening points and services rendered to Business Class and VIPs at airports.

Chief Operations Officer, BASL, Femi Kolawole, said: “It became necessary for us to do this to eliminate queues and delays at the security screening point, and also to enhance travelling experience at the airport.

Passenger convenience and comfort is paramount to us at MMA2, and we will continue to improve our services and facilities for a seamless and pleasurable passenger experience”.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOMBER 4, 2011

19

EDITORIAL/OPINION EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

COMMENT

Neither Pharaoh nor Goliath The President missed the point in his analysis of the criticisms against his style

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Tis difficult to comprehend how on earth President Goodluck Jonathan could ever have come to the conclusion that Nigerians want him to govern over them like an all-powerful, absolutist ruler. This was the impression he created by his remarks at the routine service to commemorate the country’s 51st independence anniversary held at the Ecumenical Centre in Abuja.

In the President’s astonishing words “…some Nigerians still want the President of this country to be a lion or a tiger, somebody that has that kind of strength and force and agility to make things happen the way they think. Some others will want the President to operate like an army general, like my Chief of Army Staff commanding his troops…Somebody will want the President to operate like the kings of Syria, Babylon, Egypt, the Phar-

‘Jonathan’s remarks at the church service were obviously prompted by recent harsh criticisms of his leadership style by a broad section of the public. It is important for the President to realise that ceaseless scrutiny and continuous assessment of those in authority is integral to democracy. He should listen and learn more from his critics than sycophants who will most likely tell him what he wants to hear for selfish gains’

aoh, all-powerful people that you read about in the Bible. Unfortunately, I am not one of those.”

The President apparently does not sufficiently understand the people he leads.

Nigerians suffered under the most vicious forms of military dictatorship. The democratic dispensation we enjoy today did not emerge on a platter of gold. It was achieved through the sweat, blood and tears of Nigerians who waged a relentless struggle for human liberty and dignity. Nobody therefore appreciates better than Nigerians the import of good, responsible, accountable and law abiding governance.

It was in the context of this faith in constitutionalism that Nigerians rose in unison against the cabal that hijacked power and sought to prevent then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan’s emergence as President in accordance with the law, during the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s physical incapacitation.

President Jonathan’s victory in the last election was partly because of the widespread perception that he is humble, decent and law abiding. If he was seen as possessing the negative traits of the dictatorial biblical figures he referred to, his electoral appeal would most certainly have been significantly reduced.

Jonathan’s remarks at the church service were obviously prompted by recent harsh criticisms of his leadership style by a broad section of the public. It is important for the President to realise that ceaseless scrutiny and continuous assessment of those in authority is integral

to democracy. He should listen and learn more from his critics than sycophants who will most likely tell him what he wants to hear for selfish gains.

During the last electioneering, President Jonathan made several promises that aroused public expectations. He pledged to undertake a transformational agenda that would turn around the country’s fortunes. So far, there is no indication the country is on the promised path.

First, the dithering and vacillation that characterised the composition of the Federal Executive Council was dissapointing.

Secondly, despite a few bright lights, the quality of the cabinet is uninspiring.

Thirdly, the presidency’s preoccupation with the single tenure proposal is perceived as self serving and distracting.

Fourthly, the President’s handling of the crisis in the judiciary has undermined public confidence in his commitment to the rule of law. Fifthly, the public is suspicious of dangerous signals that suggest a determination to weaken and incapacitate the opposition. Sixthly, the government so far has appeared clueless in responding effectively to the country’s fragile security.

These are some of the issues that challenge President Jonathan’s leadership abilities. Nigerians admire his humility.

But they also require him to be firm, purposeful, decisive and bold in confronting the country’s problems. In particular, he must summon the courage to resist the temptation to undermine constitutionalism and the rule of law for selfish ends.

That is all Nigerians are saying.

Two years after •Amnesty in the Niger Delta has recorded gains; but vigilance is necessary

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HAT there is relative peace in the Niger Delta region has made many Nigerians to forget what the situation in that part of the country was like before October 4, 2009. Perhaps not even the Federal Government remembers that it is exactly two years ago today, that the amnesty declared by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua for militants in the Niger Delta took effect.

Why would anyone remember now?

After all, there are no serious cases of kidnapping in the area as was witnessed prior to the declaration of amnesty. Most important, there is more money now coming into the coffers of the Federal Government.

We may not roll out the drums to mark the second anniversary of the declaration of amnesty. But this should at least be a period for stock-taking, with a view to consolidating on the gains made so far in the region, so that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past and trigger off another cycle of restiveness there.

Apart from the Yar’Adua administration which embraced the idea of talking with the militants, there are other organisations that contributed one way or the other to the amnesty project. But kudos must go to Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State who introduced the idea in the first place.

One of the organisations that cannot be forgotten in this regard is the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN), which handled the training and demobilisation of the 20,192 ex-militants that were registered for the programme. They are now undergoing reintegration train-

ing locally and overseas. Unfortunately, its contribution to the project has almost become a footnote; that is if it is even acknowledged at all.

It is important to situate things within context, especially when government officials (many of whom had been instrumental to the idea of using brute force to suppress the Niger Delta militants) have characteristically hijacked the glory for the relative peace in the region. FEHN it was that came with the idea of making both the government and the militants see the sense in embracing non-violent means to resolve the issues, and indeed sustained that campaign. The organisation sold the idea to the late President Yar’Adua who bought it and made a success of it.

It is instructive that the country’s Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) process in the Niger Delta handled by FEHN went without any loss of lives. Similar projects in Colombia, Sierra-Leone, Liberia and other countries where they had been used were concluded with blood-letting.

No doubt a lot still needs to be done to improve the situation in the region. The Federal Government must accelerate the pace of development in the area by ensuring that bodies set up to do this are not crippled by petty rivalries, corruption and politics. The peace in the Niger Delta has translated to the country exporting more barrels of crude oil, from barely one million barrels per day before the amnesty to about 2.6 million today. This means more foreign exchange for the country.

And, rather than consign bodies like FEHN that were instrumental to the achievement of peace in the region to the background, government should acknowledge their modest contributions, to encourage other organisations that may want to contribute their quota to national development.

There are still other crises points in the country that they might be useful. The Jos crisis still festers; so is the Boko Haram challenge. With the right approach and orientation, lasting peace could be achieved in the areas currently troubled in the country. We welcome Mr. Allen Onyema, FEHN’s coordinator’s suggestion that we should consider the introduction of non-violence means of crisis-resolution in our school curriculum.

As the case of the Niger Delta has shown, some of these crises, including the Boko Haram challenge, can be better resolved by non-governmental bodies like FEHN.

‘We welcome Mr. Allen Onyema, FEHN’s coordinator’s suggestion that we should consider the introduction of non-violence means of crisis-resolution in our school curriculum. As the case of the Niger Delta has shown, some of these crises, including the Boko Haram challenge, can be better resolved by non-governmental bodies like FEHN’

More of the same won’t save Europe

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HE German Parliament’s move to expand the euro-zone bailout fund on Thursday is welcome, but the European debt crisis is no closer to resolution than it was two months ago. Even with Germany’s roughly $287 billion increased contribution, the fund is still too small to provide more than a few days of calm to jittery markets.

The big picture, in fact, has gotten much worse. Greece’s indebtedness is growing, European bank balance sheets are shakier and investors are increasingly skeptical that Europe has the will to stabilize shaky credit and stock markets. Also conspicuously lacking is any clear plan for generating the economic growth needed to begin paying down those growing debts.

Instead, heavily indebted nations are yielding to pressure to embrace more of the austerity medicine that will only make them sicker. On Tuesday, Greece voted to impose a steep new property tax. On Wednesday, the European Parliament tightened the noose by approving new financial penalties for countries running high deficits.

Timothy Geithner, the Treasury secretary, and finance ministers from around the world were uniformly critical of European finance ministers at last weekend’s annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington. They rightly fear that Europe’s serial mismanagement of its debt problems has become a grave threat to global recovery.

Mr. Geithner asked for a more financially powerful bailout fund along with short-term stimulus from Europe’s wealthier economies. But his ability to persuade has been undercut by House Republicans who insist on imposing untimely austerity on the United States.

Even if all remaining countries, which include Austria, Slovakia and the Netherlands vote to strengthen the bailout fund, it will still be limited to roughly $600 billion, not nearly enough to quiet the crises building over Italy’s debt, France’s weakened banks and looming trouble elsewhere.

Europe needs a completely different approach, like increasing the bailout fund’s lending capacity to $2 trillion or $3 trillion, either through direct contributions or leveraging its existing balances by borrowing against them.

A growth strategy would mean easing up on austerity for Greece and other weakened economies and enacting stimulus measures in every European Union country that can afford it — chiefly Germany, France and Britain. Yet these three economies are going in the opposite direction.

This week’s crisis-containment measures may steady the markets for a bit, but by failing to deal with the underlying problems they delay more realistic solutions.

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye

•Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu

•General Editor Kunle Fagbemi

• Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde

•Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon

•Chief Internal Auditor Toke Folorunsho

•Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli

•Senior Manager (sales) Akeem Shoge

•Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

•Advert Manager Robinson Osirike

•Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina

•IT Manager Bolarinwa Meekness

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOMBER 4, 2011

20

EDITORIAL/OPINION

S

IR: Our country faces a big choice. As the saying goes, we can either have a hard decade or a bad century. We can either roll up our sleeves and do what’s needed to overcome our post-colonial administrative excesses and adapt to the demands of the 21st century or we can just keep limping into the future.

Given those stark choices, one hopes that our politicians would rise to the challenge by coming up with fair and credible recovery proposals that match the scale of our economic, political and social problems.

Our healthcare delivery system is still in comatose as a result of massive brain-drain of medical experts due to poor welfare and poor working conditions. Our hospitals can best be described as corridor of death. Nigerian children are still dying of preventable diseases such as cholera and malaria and high level of infant and maternal mortality. Today, our governors are even holding summit on polio eradication.

The prices of common staple food such as garri, rice and beans have risen astronomically over the years. If our farmers are still using the same crude agricultural implements used by our forefathers in the past 60 years, then our agricultural experts have failed us.

It is practically the case that almost all other areas of our national life are equally sick. During the April general elections, all the aspirants for the seat of president of the country spoke on the need to turn around the nation’s economy.

President Goodluck Jonathan is the most unique president Nigeria has ever had in terms of promises and pledges. He finagled the public by telling us that having spent three years of his political peregrination at the national level as the vice president of Nigeria and one year as the president, he will swing into

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The stark choices ahead action immediately after taking the oath of office.

His agenda for transformation hinges on a commitment to build an inclusive society where job creation constitutes a major pillar for economic growth; provision of cheap and long-term capital for businesses; removal of barriers to increased productivity; as well as improvement on the environment for doing business.

At the launching of ‘gas revolution’ in Abuja, President Jonathan said his government hopes to partner with the private sector to invest over $25 billion to help trans-

form Nigeria into a petrochemical hub in Africa with emphasis on stimulating the economy to create over one million direct and indirect jobs in the country. He said he was going to consolidate on the Public Works Programme (PWP) to create 1.5 million jobs this year, while a Growth and Employment Pact (GEP) would enable publicprivate partnership to enhance growth in construction, ICT, hide and skin, tourism and entertainment sectors – promises whichb he claimed were realizable within three months.

The same maifold problems of

poverty, unemployment, poor education, health, insecurity and other social miasma are however still prevailent. The country is today hostage to fortune, orphan of a political system gone mad, hunkering down for a bad century.

It remains a politically, economically and socially malnourished nation.

Happy birthday to Nigeria.

• Onogwu Isah Muhammed Kogi Youth Coalition for Good Governance, Lokoja

Minimum wage, no solution

S

IR: I always say it that minimum wage is not the solution to the problems of workers. Rather it will compound their problems. The after-effect will be inflation, retrenchment, strikes, loss of manpower in the government and so on.

What President Goodluck Jonathan should have done was to have liaised with the National Assembly members and reached an agreement to cut down drastically the cost or governance in all segments of government (not just cut on the pages of newspapers, radio and television), but cuts that will benefit the generality of Nigerians.

The problems of Nigeria are from the ‘top’, and it is when we address them from the top to the bottom that we can have peace in the country.

Nigeria’s labour leaders are not helping matters; rather,they are compounding workers’ problems.

Their actions are ‘misplaced’, the issue of N18,000 minimum wage had been blown to unmanageable proportion by labour leaders. Go to the markets now and see how prices of essential goods, including foodstuffs, have gone up, even when workers have not been receiving the N18,000.

Minimum wage is not the answer but to cut down the cost of governance in all its ramifications and to put in place price control agency – to effectively tackle the rising inflation and bring down the prices, especially of essential goods, including foodstuffs. It is then that the workers and indeed the entire citizenry can be at peace and enjoy whatever they earn as income.

You could see what is happening now in some states between governors and workers on N18,000 minimum wage. Some governors say they could not pay due to their ‘lean purse’. One governor said he would not pay the N18,000 minimum wage, even if his workers go on strike for one year!

I appeal to labour union leaders to please sheathe their swords and thread the path of wisdom in resolving N18,000 minimum wage problem and not by force with any state government. Let the Federal Government do the right thing. The whole world is watching Nigeria on the N18,000 minimum wage palaver!

• Akinromade p. O. Akure, Ondo State.

Governor Ajimobi, we are waiting

S

IR: When the electorate in Oyo State overwhelmingly voted for Abiola Ajimobi as governor of the ‘Pacesetter State’, so many people were elated that Oyo State will be rescued from underdevelopment and backwardness.

In my article, “Task before Oyo State Governor – elect” of May 11, I highlighted some of the tasks before the governor which needed to be tackled. These include: economic development of the state, health care delivery, education, agriculture, housing, good road network – rural and urban, water supply, poverty alleviation and youth employment. I stressed that the state needed to chart a new identity for herself by creating a befitting coat of arms like Lagos, Ekiti and Osun states, in line with the new political reawakening that swept across the Southwest.

Creating a befitting coat of arms is still part of administration of a progressive state like Oyo and also a good reflection of true federalism, which we are all craving for. I will not like Oyo State to lag behind in the scheme of things as the custodian of culture and tradition in Yorubaland.

So, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, we are waiting.

• Prince Adewumi Agunloye Satellite Town, Lagos.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOMBER 4, 2011

EDITORIAL/OPINION

O

R

N 1 October 1960, there was only one university in Nigeria, the University College, Ibadan, and it was worldclass. In any case, it had every potential to be.

On 1 October 2011, Nigeria has a rash of public, and a racket of private universities, with a slew of Olakunle private investors and a brood of Abimbola Christian and Muslim missions lordbeek@yahoo.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) sinking their snouts in the trough of profitable tertiary education.

But hardly any university around here is world class.

Is that a measure of how Nigeria has retarded in 51 years of independence? It is a very good indicator. the likes of Draco, who was truly draconian in shaking out Right now, gone is the early dream of the university as a the errant Athens of his day; Solon, so wise in his reforms as leveller, offering robust intellectual tension among the most a lawgiver that he greatly improved on Draco’s bull dog cerebral of Nigerian youths, regardless of the status at birth, tactics; and of course, the ultimate, Pericles, whose tenure state of previous schools or ethnic origin. That got to its was of such stellar quality that the apex of Athens’s civilisation apogee during the Yakubu Gowon years, with the was dubbed the Periclean era. liberalisation of tertiary education, and a huge dose of the Still, Greece, with its landmark democracy, decayed. Rome petrol-dollar, from the oil boom, pumped into that sector. took over. But Rome itself was sacked by Barbarians. Now, But if many insist that was the best of times for tertiary all have yielded way to the United States. education in Nigeria, others contend, as the English Charles Even African empires: Ghana, Songhai, Mali, Zulu, Bini Dickens did in his famous novel, A Tale of Cities, it was also and Oyo, to mention a few, rose and fell. The United States the worst of times for that beleaguered sector. itself that holds most of the aces today keeps on reinventing True, for once, many of humble birth felt the goodness of to stay afloat, with China, Japan and India snapping at the the Nigerian state (a rarity in these spheres), gaining univerheels of its economic suzerainty. Bush the Son almost drove sity education they could otherwise not afford. But others the United States aground, with his brawny tactics. But then contend it was the unsustainable interventions of those years up has propped Barak Obama, who is reinstating the Amerithat laid the foundation for the paralysis of today. can triumph of nimble brain over clumsy brawn.

To boot, on strike, as a sickly gift to Nigeria at 51, was the So, it is nothing unusual for Nigeria to experience nationAcademic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the once patrihood pangs and suffer development blues. What is unusual cian lecturers’ union now turned ragged, hustling plebs for is the glut of bad leaders, all through its history, so much so what it thinks are its rights but which the philistine governthat for 51 years now, it has shambled from one crisis to the ment feels are non-priority privileges, including adequate other; and made a hash of both adversity and prosperity. funding of education. Rome indeed has been overrun by barPrime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (of blessed barians! memory), the doyen of Nigerian leaders, was a good man.

For the polity then, it is a state of anomie – with education So is Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the incumbent president. But too expensive for the state to bear; and Boko Haram and Niger both suffer the dual personality of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Delta militant anarchists showing everyone the huge cost of as in the Scot Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, published in ignorance!

1886.

Still, rise and decline are natural cycles of states. Ancient When it was time to sound golden, the citizen Prime MinGreece once fell into decay. But up propped, over the ages, ister was top notch. He didn’t earn the moniker, Golden Voice of Africa, for nothing. That was Dr. Jekyll in him. But when the issue was partisan war, the surreptitious Mr. Hyde took ‘Before the Armageddon, the mesover! That explained the tragic Awo and Western Regional sage: reform, restructure or face crisis, in which the late prime minister was a full participasure, painful death! That is the mestor, in the ruling Northern People’s Congress, NPC’s gambit to take over Western Nigeria at all cost. sage to Nigeria at 51. It is hoped the That tragic plot consumed all the plotters and the First leaders are not far too gone to hear!’

Republic with them. If that sounded fair enough, what was

epublican ipples

At 51, still shambling ...

I

T did not come as a surprise that the lamentation party – the 51 st independent anniversary lecture picked on oil as the beginning and the end of the nation’s woes.

A power cult that has done little else than perennially dissect problems has simply lapsed into the familiar shell of alibis. As if we have not lived enough with incompetence, we are again called upon to tolerate monotonous preachments on why the country’s oil cannot lubricate its development engine. The open advertisement of mental vacuity is certainly shameful enough; but then our attention is increasingly diverted from focusing on the tragedy of the inept, most ignoble, rapacious elite that underlies the curse of the nation.

So much for the hubris of the 51st anniversary lecture tagged “Nigeria in Transformation”. That is supposed to be charting that path that would lead us to the utopia of Ashtabula.

Of course, bringing a foreigner – this time, a Richard Dowden, Director of African Society, London, to deliver the anniversary lecture to tell us what we already know seems the stuff of our geniuses in high places – it surely fits into our live ‘drama (is it ritual) of existence’!

(Apologies to W.S).

It certainly pays to talk to no end. While we are at it, serious countries are making waves by tackling their problems at the roots. I doubt that any of the participants at the high octane parley of last week ever saw a copy of the 2011 Doing Business Report, let alone read. It certainly provides a good window to assess what is currently claimed as reform. Of the 10 most improved economies in the world, the report found three to be from Sub Saharan Africa. These are Rwanda (the same Rwanda of the Tutsis and Hutus fame), Cape Verde and Zambia.

Whereas Ghana sits comfortable on the 67th spot on the ease of doing business, Big Brother Nigeria is down 137 down the ladder. Again, whereas a simple cycle of import takes Ghana 19 days, the Nigerian business man require 10 days extra days for the same process with interminable

‘An outsourced Presidency with a dove playing the marionette in the background does not exactly fit my idea of a transformational presidency. Certainly, not at this time when there is fire on the mountain’

Policy Sanya Oni sanyaoni@yahoo.co.uk 08051101841

Not the curse of oil layers of bureaucracy and payouts to contend with.

The difference seems clear enough: whereas Ghana’s leadership took practical steps to make the country an investment destination, our leaders are still on their voyage of delusions, that province of extraordinary mendacity where dissection has become an end itself.

Don’t ask me why our servile, perpetually genuflecting leaders are forever hunting in the intellectual woodlands in Europe and the Americas in search of foreign cure for local ailments. Isn’t that supposed to be their idea of knowledge and technological transfer?

Now, I have not yet passed judgment on the anniversary lecture. We were told, for instance that the ravages of endemic corruption are real, and that our trademark bad politics is responsible for our underdevelopment; and that failed economic policies are at the heart of our underdevelopment – not excluding of course the Dutch Disease – the so-called curse of oil, said to be the father and mother of our economic woes.

Isn’t that wearisomely familiar? Hasn’t the same things been said all these dozen years?

By the way, we need to pity the poor guest lecturer. He had a job to do, and deliver he did! Does it matter that half of the attendees made it for purely reasons of protocol; the other half probably for the fun and pleasure of being in right company – complete with photo-op sessions after the event?

Isn’t it the rite of enduring the monologue infernally worth more than the drudgery of a good day’s work?

Did the package disavow of a slip into dreamland (a la Rip Van Winkle) after the rites of introduction are completed? Would the latter not be a fitting reward for the humdrum existence called work?

unfair was the in-plant of the military-ingovernment, as pernicious, institutionalised agents of misery. That has brought Nigeria to this terrible pass, even if there has been democracy with military temper, and federalism with unitary template, these last 12 years.

The spirit of Jekyll and Hyde is also alive in President Jonathan. The Dr. Jekyll in him surfaced, with his impassioned plea not to be Pharoah, Nebuchadnezzar and all that.

But since his days as vice president, he has also been chummy with the surreptitious Mr. Hyde. Remember the then vice president’s reported high voltage manoeuvrings during Ekiti’s “Ido-Osi” saga?

Witness the presidential conspiracy over the Salami affair, linked to the Ido-Osi judicial losses? Also, add the current trial of Bola Tinubu, also linked to partisan contentions, and not unlinked to the Salami affair, and you might just appreciate the president’s penchant for self-immolation for tragically hawkish partisan motives!

Still, President Jonathan must rank among the most uncritical among Nigeria’s rather uninspiring line of leaders for him to want to add South-West petrol to the already blazing inferno of Boko Haram in the North; and the latent militant volcano in the South-South, in this era of “my terror-is-‘direr’than-yours”, in the looming confrontation between Boko Haram and MEND! Of course, between Balewa and Jonathan was a relay of power barbarians, with the possible exception of Gen. Gowon and Gen. Murtala Mohammed. Gowon’s was the age of innocence; and even costly mistakes were mistakes of the heart.

Gen. Mohammed was a comet that blazed forth and vanished, even if many insist death was kind to him. President Shehu Shagari too was a dove, though undone by destructive partisan hawks.

But from Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo’s first coming to President Obasanjo’s second coming, sandwiching the likes of the puritan Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the dissembler, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and the unpretentious power savage, the late Gen. Sani Abacha, the story of Nigeria is the story of failed leadership.

So, if Nigeria lurches from one crisis to another as it approaches its amalgamated centenary of 2014, it is essentially a leadership question; though the country need not live the American predicted Armageddon of 2015, if the leadership puts on its thinking cap.

But with the fuzzy Jonathan proposal of seven-year unrenewable presidential term, and a sop of six-year renewable legislative terms, even hard thinking is not guaranteed!

Still, before the Armageddon, the message: reform, restructure or face sure, painful death! That is the message to Nigeria at 51. It is hoped the leaders are not far too gone to hear!

And sure, next year’s lectures beckons already!

Talking seriously, isn’t there something disturbingly familiar in what has become an endless foray into the past particularly by those of our elites who continually show proof of having long dispensed with the capacity to learn – or even unlearn their old ways?

Shouldn’t there be a terminus to this business of forever looking backwards? Isn’t it about time they got everybody on board the business of forging a way out of the thick woods of underdevelopment?

Oil as our curse? Come again, please; somebody should take time out to read Chinua Achebe’s The Trouble with Nigeria. It is all there in bold print. A copy read as daily digest by our rulers – and here is hoping that it would not be too much of an exertion to read – would certainly save everyone the trouble of shipping container-loads of coal to Newcastle!

Truth of course is that oil is no more our problem anymore than tin, gold, Columbite, bitumen and the other minerals, buried deep under oil soil, have been our Achilles heel. As the sage rightly noted in the book, our curse is the greedy, unproductive, self-serving and utterly myopic leadership; a profiteering elite that has made a habit of trading the nation’s birthright for a pot of porridge. They are our taskmasters – the real curse of the people.

President Jonathan has promised more than mere change. He calls his agenda “transformation”. Of course, we believe him, just like the others before him! The trouble however, is that there are nowhere yet, signs that things are going to be done differently.

Leapfrogging, which Nigeria needs sorely, does not come easy. Attitudes will have to change. Things would certainly have to be done differently to guarantee different results. Toes, plenty of them, will surely be stepped on.

Inevitably, there will be bruising battles with entrenched interests, the merchants of rent – the friends of the mighty and the powerful.

It calls for grand plans outside of the annualised ritual of budgets and budgeting; its bottom-line is to switch Nigeria to “work” mode as against our extant consumptive behaviours.

Restructuring would inevitably have to come also; here one refers not just to the present unworkable structure of the Nigerian federation but the mindset that governs at all levels. The change we need requires a President with a stomach to fight, a willingness to take on powerful enemies, one able to take tough decisions and see them through.

An outsourced Presidency with a dove playing the marionette in the background does not exactly fit my idea of a transformational presidency. Certainly, not at this time when there is fire on the mountain.

I hope I’m wrong.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOMBER 4, 2011

22

EDITORIAL/OPINION OLLOWING this year’s dismal results of WAEC in which only about 30 per cent of the candidates secured five credits, there has been a public condemnation of the system. Many factors were attributed to the mass failure. The teachers in secondary schools identified, among others, lack of reading culture and lack of concentration by students; laziness on the part of the students and reliance on examination malpractices, as well as insufficient academic materials in our schools.

It is disheartening that teachers, who themselves are more prone to failure than their students, could link the flop to these failure factors. It was the Ondo State government that revealed the culpability of its officials recently when some secondary school principals were tested. The results showed that academic leaders themselves were worse than their subjects. When the teachers are not academically fit, the students can never be academically well groomed.

It is a common knowledge that Nigeria does not have a well-articulated and explicit National Language policy that can be found in any single document. But it is also a common knowledge that the country has a national policy for languages in education and, by default and implication, in the polity.

Various forms of language policies have been adopted at various times by the governments to encourage and stimulate the growth and development of its over 400 indigenous languages. Some the policies are contained in sections 55 and 97 of the 1999 constitution; others in the National Policy on Education (2004), and few others in the Cultural Policy of Nigeria.

Section 55 of the 1999 constitution states that: “The business of the National Assembly shall be conducted in English, Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba when adequate arrangements have been made therefor.”

Section 97 further states that “the business of a House of Assembly shall be conducted in English, but the House may in addition to English conduct the business of the House in one or more other languages spoken in the state as the House may by resolution approve.”

Like the constitution, the National Policy on Education (NPE) encourages bi- and

F

I

HAVE had two encounters with Edem Duke, the Tourism and Culture Minister. I left each with a lasting impression. I was a sophomore at the University of Lagos when he was the public relations manager of the NNPC. I had gone to meet him in respect of a term paper I was researching.

After regaling me with the story of NNPC, he handed out so much useful material on the corporation that I began to fall in love with it. The material became an important reference document to me and my course mates.

My second encounter with Duke was just a couple of years ago in Calabar. After granting me an enriching interview, he surprised me by asking who I had met since I had been in town. (He meant anybody of note in government who could support my magazine with some advertising). When I replied in the negative, he wrote two notes, addressed them to two “people of note” and asked his driver to take me there.

Of course, Duke could not recollect our last meeting during his NNPC days and did not even know who I was. He simply liked what my magazine was doing for tourism and felt it merited some support. I left with a lasting, positive impression.

But my impression of him has nothing to do with the fact that he is possibly the best man for the job. Many years as the image maker for NNPC and, thereafter, immersing himself in the business of hospitality and

Given the indisputable truth that Nigeria and its tourism are a hard sell, it follows therefore that our promotional campaigns have to be superior in content and form to make any reasonable waves. Nigeria has more than enough tourism assets to rival oil and gas in foreign exchange earnings

Language in education policy

By Abolaji Adebayo multilingualism not only in polity but also in academics. Section 1 subsection 8 of the NPE encourages children to learn one or more of the three major languages in Nigeria – Hausa, Igbo, and or Yoruba other than their mother tongues in the interest of nation unity. Section 2 sub-section 11 ensures that the medium of instruction shall be principally mother tongue (MT) or the language of immediate community (LIC); and to this end, shall develop the orthography for many more Nigerian languages.

The policy also states that the medium of instruction in pre-primary and early primary education shall be the MT or LIC. For the early secondary, students shall be taught in English and will be required to be taught as subjects, two Nigerian languages, one being language of the child’s immediate environment, the other being any of the three major languages. At the Senior Secondary School level, the student shall be required to learn English and at least one major Nigerian language.

In 1977, the former Minister of education, Professor Babs Fafunwa put the use of MT and or LIC into research termed “Ife Experiment.” During this research, all the school children were divided into two groups – one a base research experiment, and the other, a control experiment. The same curriculum was prepared for the two. While the first group was taught the same subjects that were meant for the latter using their LIC, the other was instructed all through with English language. At the end of the teachinglearning exercise, the two groups were given the same examinations, and when the results were out, the first group out-performed the latter far beyond the expectation. The outcome of the research eventually necessitated the promulgation of the policy on Education (1977 and revised many times till 2004) which made it necessary for children to start their earliest education with their mother tongues or languages of their

immediate community as means of instruction.

Despite this constitutional provision for the use of indigenous languages in schools, and despite the result of the Ife Experiment and many other efforts on the viability of using MT or LIC as medium of instruction in our education system, English continues to dominate the education system. And this has never done the system all the goodness it deserves.

MT and or LIC are gradually disappearing in our education system; MTs are no more relevant in schools either as medium of instruction or as subjects. The negligence of this core factor in the system outweighs all others we may insinuate.

The domineering role accorded English language is quite overwhelming and this can be seen in practically all domains: government and administration, education, the media, the judiciary, etc. and this has in reality become a cankerworm in our education system.

In education sector, no student wants to be identified with a local language not even those who study one of the indigenous languages as a course in higher institution for the fear of being labeled tribal or parochial. Some parents do discourage their children from speaking their mother tongues for the fear that their proficiency in English would be contaminated; in reality however, such children end up not speaking good English and also their mother tongues.

To drive up the standard in our education system, the governments should recruit teachers from top 5-10 per cent of the graduating class such as it is done in Korea and Finland. And put in place programmes and technologies that will improve their pedagogical acumen as well as enhance the students’ reasoning and intelligence. Tony Marinho has also suggested that brilliant NYSC graduates be deployed to coaching SSS3.

Lack of compensation for hardworking

Fixing Nigeria’s tourism

By Emmanuel Ukpong tourism should suitably earmark him to lead Nigerian tourism out of the doldrums.

Donald Duke made such a massive impact with tourism in Cross River because he had people like Edem Duke behind him. The minister’s effort in organizing tourism associations in the country remains a reference point.

But we live in a country where qualification for a job does not always guarantee performance. It doesn’t help that Nigerian tourism, has been mismanaged for many years.

The damage is quite deep. The rising spate of bombings makes Nigeria an increasingly unattractive tourist destination. Ditto for domestic tourists, who would rather stay home and watch TV. So Duke has his job well cut out. It won’t be easy.

Given the indisputable truth that Nigeria and its tourism are a hard sell, it follows therefore that our promotional campaigns have to be superior in content and form to make any reasonable waves. Nigeria has more than enough tourism assets to rival oil and gas in foreign exchange earnings.

But it seems the Nigerian mind was not made for tourism. A few years ago, a professor friend who had lived in the US for many years recounted an encounter he had with an American on board a Lagos-bound flight. According to my friend, when he asked his neighbor what his mission to Nigeria was, he replied that he was visiting as a tourist. The Professor did not believe a word. He later confided that he thought the American was a spy, not a tourist.

Nigeria is a country where, until 2000 or so you could not take pictures at the airports for “security reasons.” In a strange sense, this wasn’t such a bad policy after all. Which of our airports was – and still is – a camerafriendly spectacle? Are they not all aesthetic nightmares?

Sometime in the early 1990s, as an aviation correspondent with a newspaper, a travel agency let me into a package they were planning to bring in some American tour-

ists. I wrote a glossy piece on what a great time awaited them in Nigeria. On the day the piece was published, the State Security Service reportedly, invited them over for “tea” and frustrated the tour.

We have come a long way from that, but bad habits die hard.

If selling Nigeria is hard, selling other destinations from Nigeria is even harder. At the receiving end of the dearth of Nigerian tourism are the tour operators. Forget that NATOP, the umbrella body for tour operators, is permanently in disarray; individual operators are just not getting it. Not for lack of trying. I know a leading travel management firm that has tried thrice to sell some destinations in Ghana, which is miles ahead of the giant of Africa in tourism. The first two attempts foundered woefully; the third was marginally successful. The firm is having second thoughts about package tours.

Others in the downstream sector of the travel business are doing more than that – they are closing shop. Duke has been in the game and understands these constraints.

But the Federal Government can do us a huge favour. No, I am not going to waste precious space repeating the over flogged cliché of creating the “enabling environment” for tourism. Do we have a purposeful external marketing campaign? I don’t think so.

Otherwise the forgettable “Good People, Great Nation” television ad shouldn’t have happened in the first place. It barely represents the very best this country has to offer; it is badly produced and uninspiring. Worse, it comes on at distressingly irregular intervals – a resounding proof of tacky media buying and planning. Just as well; people need to see less and less of the crap.

It’s a disgrace. Needless to say, it won’t bring in a single tourist. Duke understands the business inside out, and knows this perfectly well. He should use his good offices and take that crap off air. That’s not Nigeria; that’s not us. This country has great creative

students which is another terrible factor besetting our education system should also be addressed. In those days, students worked harder to excel just because they knew they would be properly encouraged with cars and good jobs at the completion of their academic endeavor. Seeing their elderly ones with degrees roaming the streets in search of jobs, the students are not motivated to give academics the required concentration and discipline. Parents too are not stimulated to give their children full support any longer or spend their times and money on children’s education believing that after all, they would become unemployed graduates.

If we should get our education system right, teaching with mother tongues and or language of immediate community in primary through secondary schools should be mandated and teaching of such both in private and public schools as subjects must be compulsory. That is the system in other great nations. Russia, Japan, China, etc. are today great educationally, technologically and socially for the simple reason that they educate their children in their mother tongues. If those great nations can base their education system on this policy, I see no reason why Nigeria cannot do the same after the policy has been tested okay.

Comprehension of language is the most vital element of development; it breeds full understanding of all other subjects.

• Adebayo writes from Lagos.

‘Some parents do discourage their children from speaking their mother tongues for the fear that their proficiency in English would be contaminated; in reality however, such children end up not speaking good English and also their mother tongues’ assets that can turn out world beating spots.

That’s the huge favour we crave.

Nigerian government and the people who handle its image don’t seem to realize the power of great advertising. They should ask people who have seen the brilliant Malaysia campaign on TV. Since the current campaign hit the airwaves, my eight-year old son hasn’t stopped bugging me about Malaysia. Where is Malaysia? Is Malaysia a city?

And of course the inevitable, Daddy, when are we visiting? You don’t need any elaborate market surveys and evaluations to know that the campaign works magic for the Malaysia.

It requires some originality and deep thinking from those who are paid to manage our tourism. I believe Duke is up to this – by getting these people to think. He has to lead an enlightened process to turn things around.

In the end, tourism really comes down to what you make of it. I have seen pictures of European tourists visiting villages in Namibia to savour how elderly women make their own version of “amala.”

Nigeria’s vast landscape is littered with unbelievable number of top grade tourism assets. Many of the states are unaware they are sitting on gold mines. Duke has operated from the tourist heaven of Cross River, he knows where it pinches. Duke must intervene. He should create joint platforms where the states could be encouraged to identify and market their viable tourism assets to the world.

He must also identify those tourism managers and operators who can add value and work with them.

Still, the question persists. Is Duke the messiah of Nigerian tourism? He may not be the one but I shudder to ponder: if he cannot fix it, then who else can?

In the end, tourism really comes down to what you make of it. I have seen pictures of European tourists visiting villages in Namibia to savour how elderly women make their own version of “amala.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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PROPERTY

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

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

* The Environment * Mortgage * Apartments * Security * Homes *Real Estate

email:- property@thenationonlineng.net

How to improve housing •Experts chart way forward as world marks Habitat Day

•A twin duplex in Lekki, Lagos

The United Nations (UN) World Habitat Day is celebrated yearly on the first Monday of October to reflect on the state of human settlements and people’s right to sufficient shelter. It•Experts also seeks to advocate remind people that they are responsible concept for the habitat future genrent-to-ownership for of stable polity erations. In Nigeria, professionals in the built environment sector have knocked the government for not doing enough to improve human settlements. Besides, people’s right to shelter are trampled on, writes OKWY IROEGBU •CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

•Communities laud firm for Lagos/Ibadan Expressway repair - PAGE 26

rehabilitates •Experts push for environment protection markets - PAGE 40 - PAGE 39

•Lagos

26

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Communities laud firm for Lagos/Ibadan Expressway repair

C

OMMUNITIES with the name Aramed at the Ibadan end of the Lagos/Ibadan Ex pressway have praised BiCourtney, the concessionaire in charge of the highway, for the rehabilitation of that part of the road.

In a statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the communities, Alhaji Ismail Olukayode and Pastor Ibitoye Olusegun, they praised the reconstruction by the concessionaire, which they said, not only improved traffic on the road, but also ensured that more lives were not lost on the road.

Ismail said: “We commend BiCourtney for the patching and overlaying of some bad portions of the expressway with stone base materials, epecially in Aramed preparatory to full-scale reconstruction and we urge that it would be done soon to alleviate the harrowing experience on the road.

They recalled the activities of highway robbers, who took advantage of the deplorable condition of the road to attack innocent travellers, who slow down to negotiate the bad portions of the road daily and asked for a speed up of activities to ensure that they deliver on target.

They pleaded with the company to speed up actual construction of the highway to achieve the target completion period given by government on the road. The group asked the Federal Government to ensure the successful completion of

‘We commend BiCourtney for the patching and overlaying of some bad portions of the expressway with stone base materials, epecially in Aramed preparatory to full-scale reconstruction and we urge that it would be done soon to alleviate the harrowing experience on the road’

•Aramed area of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

By Okwy Iroegbu Asst. Editor

the road.

They also commended the company for clearing the median from the Ibadan axis, which they said, has added to the security on the highway. He said: “ Before now,

the median was so bushy that it created a security concern for travellers, especially in case of breakdowns as hoodlums used to hide inside the bushes to way-lay travellers.

Olukayode appealed to the public and the government concerned

to support the concessionaire in any way possible to deliver on the long expectations of people.

He reminded the government of the economic importance of the road and the need to pursue the reconstruction and rehabilitation with vigour.

How to improve housing •Continued from Page 25

Y

ESTERDAY was celebrated globally as World Habitat Day, which is intended to remind governments of their responsibility to their citizenry. The theme for this year was Cities and Climate Change.

The government, at all levels, in the country has come under knocks for lack lustre performance in providing shelter to the majority of the people as the housing gap widens daily.

Experts have attributed the poor housing status of the country to poor infrastructure development and policy somersaults. They noted that the nation may not likely make the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 2015.

In a chat with The Nation on the World Habitat Day, President, Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors & Valuers, Mr Bode Adediji, observed that part of the challenges in the housing sector stem from the fact that government policies regarding land administration is full of inconsistencies.

Adediji cited a previous government policy, which mandated banks to loan 10 per cent of their loanable funds to the housing sector, which was later discarded without implementation by a successive adminis-

•From left: Olawore, Adediji and Eleh.

tration.

He said his colleagues bear the brunt of government’s ill-conceived policies because they deal directly with the public in terms of their housing needs.

In his words: “Unless there is political will on the part of government in the wholesome implementation of a well-thought out policy on housing development the nation will continuously lag behind in the all, important housing sector “If policy on land administration is wrong people will have no access to housing and will take up settlements in vulnerable locations

creating slums as they go.

In cases of flooding we also bear the brunt because we are in charge of housing, if the house we rent is flooded or the roofs blown off the landlord and tenants will invite us as the case may be. That is why we insist that the government must get it right and there is no auspicious time to send the message across than in the occasion of the World Habitat day.”

He called for the abrogation of the Land Use Act to ease access to land and ensure a robust housing sector.

He also said closely related to

PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU

human settlement is the issue of climate Change and criticised the government for not doing enough especially as most of the cities are in coastal areas while the northern belt are vulnerable to desertification with the industralised cities of Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt susceptible to green house emissions.

While calling for sustainable cities, he cautioned that any policy without adequate funding will not succeed.

First Vice-President of institution, Mr Emeka Eleh, urged government to do more than it is currently doing as the people have a right to decent

Meanwhile, the concessionaire has stepped up the opening of the blocked ducts on the Berger long bridge to arrest flooding.

Motorists have been complaining of flooding following heavy rains.

The Nation investigations revealed that the neglect of the road led to the blocking of manholes and ducts, which have eased the discharge of water that collects on the bridge. accommodation.

He said: “The government should do more than it is doing as the nation is bordered by coastal lines and desertification and deforestation in the North. There should be access to gas and electricity to discourage people from cutting down trees for domestic use.

“Emissions should be controlled in our cities to preserve lives and the environment. There should be sustainability of the environment in terms of its management.”

He stressed the need for massive investment in infrastructure attributing the poor infrastructure provision to the high cost of housing, especially in the high brow areas.

There is no way the issue of housing provision can be gotten rightly by any government without addressing infrastructure provision as this will clearly address the issue of urbanisation.

Eleh criticised government for spending over 80 per cent resources on recurrent expenditure leaving only a miserly 20 per cent for capital projects.

President, International Real Estate Society, Mr Akin Olaware, speaking on the World Habitat Day, canvassed a national summit and holistic view on the nations Habitat.

He regretted: “We use things unsustainably and have not made efforts to discover new ways of doing things to move the housing sector forward.

“Let’s identify everything that has to do with life and living and how to live in a modern society. If this can be achieved then the housing sector would have been adequately taken care.”

New Kwara GRA for inauguration in January

T

HE new Government Reser vation Area (GRA) in BudoOso, Ilorin, Kwara State, will be opened in January next year, the state Director-General of Bureau of Lands, Tope Daramola, has said.

He urged the contractors handling the project to increase the pace of work to meet the inaugu-

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

ration date.

The director-general, who disclosed this when he paid a visit to the site, described the new GRA as a modern city where people are expected to live in peace and comfort.

Daramola said the facilities ex-

pected to be provided at the GRA include good road networks, water, electricity, telecommunications, police post, schools and recreation.

He said: “Many people have approached that the cost of the land is higher, but I told them that we do not sell land but comfort and

infrastructure because the government is committed to making this place a modern city where people will live in absolute comfort.”

He said the government had approved the payment of compensation to the customary landowners, including the occupants of buildings in the land, adding that it

would begin to receive their benefits within a week.

He urged interested landowners to embark on the construction of buildings in view of the level of development in the area.

He said the bureau would give the contractors the support to accelerate the completion of the job.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

What future for the judiciary?

The Judiciary, once hailed as constituting a bulwark against arbitrariness, is now deprecated for failing in its responsibility of upholding justice. To many, the judiciary needs an urgent intervention to prevent the current drift to anarchy. Law experts proffer solutions and suggest measures to avert the consequences of a failed judicial system.

ERIC IKHILAE and JOSEPH JIBUEZE report.

L

ATELY, the judiciary has come under fire. Many are worried that the last hope of the common man seems to have become the bastion for the affluent and the influential, who see in it a tool to settle scores with enemies.

The country was in the process of establishing a judiciary devoid of colonial vestiges, with the promulgation of the Republican Constitution, when it experienced the first military coup in 1966. For 13 years, before the return to democratic rule in 1983, the judiciary existed at the mercy of the military.

The military suspended most of the provisions of the constitution and other laws. It established the supremacy of decrees and arbitrariness over the constitution and rule of law. Under military rule, the scope of judicial independence was greatly curtailed, resulting in ‘executive lawlessness’ouster clauses, disobedience of court orders by the executive, and impunity, among others.

Judicial officers served at the mercy of the military, who, mostly, lacked basic judicial knowledge. To sustain its subjugation of the judiciary, the military made various decrees, one of which was Decree No.5 of 1972, which subjected the appointment and dismissal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to the discretion of the Head of the Federal Military Government.

On the return of civil rule between 1979 and 1983, the judiciary was unable to fully exhibit its independence in the discharge of its responsibilities. A fallout was the infamous decision on the 12 two-thirds formula.

Between 1999 and now, the judiciary has gone full cycle, developing from being a source of hope to being a repository of despair. It moved from dispensing justice in outstanding manners to becoming a source of injustice. Today, everyone is suggesting ways the nation’s judiciary could be lifted

from its current comatose state.

Before now, the judiciary demonstrated uncommon zeal in leading the charge against every form of arbitrariness by handing out judgments that raised the people’s hope for the gradual emergence of a truly sentinel of justice.

Examples include the Supreme Court judgment October 25, 2007, which led to the emergence of Rotimi Amaechi as the new Governor of Rivers State.

Earlier on November 8, 2002, the Supreme Court expanded the political space when it declared unconstitutional the guidelines used by INEC for the registration of political parties and liberalised political party’s registration process.

There was also the apex court’s decision in the case of Atiku Abubakar and Action Congress V. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC case), where it held that neither INEC nor any other government agency has the power to disqualify or stop any person from contesting an election, ex-

cept where the alleged indictment is confirmed by a competent court of law.

The judiciary also exhibited its stand against the abuse of due process and constitutional provisions when it reversed the impeachments of governors Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo), Peter Obi (Anambra) and Joshua Dariye (Plateau State).

No fewer than three governors were booted out of office by less than the constitutionallyrequired two-third of members of their Houses of Assembly.

In some instances, the judiciary helped to preserve the sanctity of the country’s federal system and Fiscal Federalism by its decisions on some constitutional issues. One instance is the case of Attorney-General of the Federation V. Attorney-General of Abia State and 35 others in which the court defined the boundaries of the littoral states and dealt with other principles of derivation and revenue allocation.

There was also the case between the Attorney-General of Lagos State V Attorney-General of the Federation and others, in which the court

held that urban and regional planning matters are within the competence of the states and not the Federal Government.

Its decision to ensure due process in the nation’s electoral process also led the judiciary into annuling fraudulent governorship election results in Edo, Ekiti, Osun and Ondo States.

The tide, however, changed recently when the inherent ills within the judicial system assumed a frightening dimension, threatening its continued survival. Corruption, abuse of office, subversion of justice, among other vices, became elevated by certain developments at the twilight of the immediate past CJN’s tenure, particularly allegations of unethical dealings in respect of the Sokoto governorship election dispute.

Experts have blamed the growing decline of judicial integrity in the country on the constraints inherited from the long period of military rule. They identified corruption

•Judicial integrity at stake over investigation

•Continued on page 29

•Lagos to reposition justice administration - P.31 • Blame military for low standard of education P.36

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

28

LAW REPORT

Taking preliminary objection with main suit amounts to overruling before argument IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA On Friday, the 24th day of June, 2011 Suit No: SC.3/2011 BEFORE THEIR LORDSHIPS DAHIRU MUSDAPHER ....... Justice of the Supreme Court CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL CHUKWUMA-ENEH ....... Justice of the Supreme Court OLUFUNLOLA OYELOLA ADEKEYE ....... Justice of the Supreme Court SULEIMAN GALADIMA ....... Justice of the Supreme Court BODE RHODES-VIVOUR ....... Justice of the Supreme Court BETWEEN 1. HON. ZAKAWANU I. GARUBA 2. HON. LEVIS A. AIGBOGUN 3. HON. FRANCIS O. OKIYE 4. HON. BLESSING AGBEBAKU 5. HON. CHRISTOPHER I. ADESOTU 6. HON. SUNDAY EBOSELE EREGHAN 7. HON. EMMA OKODUWA 8. HON. (DR.) ISRAEL MANDI AGUELE 9. HON. SAMU HON. ZAKAWANU I. GARUBA & ORS V. HON. EHI BRIGHT OMOKHODION & ORS CITATION: (2011) LPELR-SC.3/2011

I

N the circumstances, having given serious consideration to the totality of this matter I agree with the submissions of the respondents that whether or not the trial Court subtracted or read out of the record has no definite bearing as to whether or not the cases cited in grounds 3, 4 and 6 of the appellants’ grounds of appeal have formed part of the record of appeal/proceeding of 26/4/2010 and so should be judicially noticed. These issues and the said grounds 3, 4 and 6 definitely do not arise from the said decision of the lower court. Again, as regards issues 1 and 2 of the appellants, in particular, I agree with the respondents that they are abstract in nature and have been raised on non-existing premise, and have not attacked any findings of the lower court.

It is the nature of the appellants’ issues for determination as raised from their grounds of appeal in this matter vis-a-vis the lower court’s decision given on 10/4/2010 that have sparked off this chain of preliminary objections filed by the said 3 sets of respondents. I have set out above ass abstract of the concluding part of that decision. In short, the lower court has struck out the appeal on the sole ground that the appellants have failed to seek and obtain leave of court before filing the appeal having regard to the fact that the three grounds of appeal filed in the matter before it have involved questions of mixed law and facts, requiring leave of court as provided by Sections 241(1) and 242 of the 1999 Constitution to be competent.

The appellants have in their Notice of Appeal dated 24/12/2010 raised 10 grounds of appeal as errors in law against the lower court’s decision. Three out of the four sets of defendants/respondents have opposed the appeal by raising preliminary objections. In respect of the preliminary objections the relevant grounds of appeal formally challenged in this matter are grounds 3, 4 and 6 and issues 1, 2 and 4 raised for determination by the appellants and I have set out below the main grounds of appeal (10 of them) without their particulars for ease of reference viz: GROUNDS OF APPEAL 1. The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law in failing to consider the three (3) grounds of appeal separately, in determining whether the grounds of appeal filed are grounds of law or mixed law and facts.

2. The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal approbated by holding that the three (3) grounds of appeal are grounds of law in one breadth and in another breadth that the grounds of appeal are of mixed law and fact.

3. The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law when they held that: “The record of appeal as compiled and transmitted is deemed to be correct and complete. The proceedings of the lower court of 26/4/2010 are reflected on pages 269-270 of the record of appeal. From this record, there is no where during the material period

where any cases were referred to or cited.

How then did this question of errors of law arise?

4. The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law in failing to take Judicial Notice of the Supreme Court authorities of: Diapalong v. Dariye (2007) 8 NWLR (part 1036) Page 32 and Inakoju v. Adeleke (2007) 4 NWLR (Part 1025) Page 423 cited in Ground (1) of the Notice of Appeal on the subject matter of the appeal.

5. The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law when they held that the three (3) Grounds of Appeal are predicated on mixed law and fact.

6. The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal failed to dispassionately consider the appeal of the Appellants when it held that the cases cited by the learned Senior Counsel to the Appellants were not in the Record of Appeal thereby breaching the Appellants’ right to fair hearing as guaranteed in Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

7. The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law, when they held that: “From the foregoing, I am further of the view that because the learned trial Judge on the 26/4/2010 adjourned the matter before him to 9/6/2010, his earlier decision to take preliminary objections before originating summons was an interlocutory decision in the course of the exercise of the power of judicial discretion based on the facts and circumstances of the matter before him.

Against this background, it is a total misconception to characterize the grounds of appeal in this appeal as grounds of law alone”.

8. The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law and breached the Appellants

right to fair hearing as guaranteed by section 36 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 by failing to consider the entire Record of Appeal before holding that no provision of the Constitution or decided cases were referred to by the Appellants.

9. The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law when they held as follows: “It is quite apparent that in the course of this whole exercise no provisions of the Constitution, Statutes, Rules of Court, Regulations or Decided Cases etc were referred to or resorted to by both Counsel and/or the court. I am fully satisfied that the decision leading to this appeal could only have been predicated on questions of fact or because of the reference to the subject matter of the case being Sui Generis a question of mixed law and fact being involved”.

10. The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law when they held as follows: “The preliminary objections filed on behalf of the 8th - 11th respondents on the one hand and that of the 12th - 14th respondents are hereby upheld. Because they relate to the issue of competence and jurisdiction and had sufficiently disposed of this appeal, I do not see any need to consider the preliminary objection of the 1st - 4th Respondents or to go further into the merits of the main appeal”.

The questions raised in the above grounds have focused on the distinction between questions of law and questions of mixed law and facts and questions of facts simpliciter. Save to say that this depends not on the tag given to the ground or how it is couched; it is a difficult question to be determined by construing the main ground on the backdrop of its particulars read together. I will revert to this matter later on.

The appellant’s issues for determination being most crucial, I have also set them out in extenso above. I see no need repeating them here. I have also set out briefly the arguments on both sides of the matter. I have now come to examine the said four issues raised for determination of the appeal by the appellants; firstly I have no doubt in my mind that apart from issue 3 (three) to which I will come to discuss anon, issues 1, 2 and 4 have been raised in vacuo and are at large in the sense that there are no grounds of appeal vis-a-vis the appellants notice of appeal from which any of them could legitimately have been distilled as there is no iota of nexus between any of the three issues with the ratio decidendi of the lower court’s decision in this matter. Issues 1 and 2 after close scrutiny look extremely too technical as well as abstract in nature; and are raised from non-existing premise as I have said above. None of the two issues has questioned any part of the decision of the lower court; much more so they are not targeted against the ratio decidendi of the lower court as I have spelt out above. Respectfully, they go to no issue in the decision so appealed against. The appellants have appealed to suggest by their argument that issues one and two are premised on the grounds of appeal as they have questioned the prudence of the lower court for not hav-

ing heard arguments on jurisdiction and the merit of the substantive case together; even more so on the basis of the said two Supreme Court cases cited in the said ground one, and despite after the said cases have even then been brought to the notice of the lower court by an affidavit challenging the record of appeal in this matter. These submissions with respect are misplaced and misconceived as they have been founded on the false premise that the instant record of appeal has thus been amended in accordance with the affidavit challenging the record thus making the said two cited cases part of the record of appeal/proceeding of 26/4/2010 in this matter. The 2 cited cases never formed part of the record of proceeding of 26/4/2010. I will come to the noneffect of the affidavit challenging the record of appeal anon. Suffice it to say here that the instant record cannot be so amended and has never been amended. It is clear however that the appellants have proceeded on the false notion that the record of appeal/proceeding of 26/4/2010 has been otherwise amended as borne out by their misconceived assertion in paragraph 4.05 p.13 of their brief of argument and I quote: “The lower court... was in grave error when it stated that no case was cited or referred to in the record of appeal. The court did not advert its mind to the Affidavit challenging the record of court dated 26/4/2010 on the omission of cited authority of the Supreme Court...

We respectfully submit that the conclusion of the Court of Appeal at page 547 of the record of appeal that cases were not cited or referred to in the proceedings of the trial Court for 26/ 4/2010 is not borne out of the record”.

Meaning in effect from the foregoing abstract that whether or not issues 1, 2 and even 4 have been premised on the above grounds of appeal in this matter is beyond argument in that the proceeding of the trial Court of 26/ 4/2010 has been effectively so amended. This misapprehension as I will show later has no basis. There can be no doubt even from the way issue 4 is couched that it does no stem from the lower court’s decision. No application has been made to the lower court to invoke its powers under Section 16 of the Court of Appeal Act to hear the case, as the trial Court otherwise would and there is no pronouncement on that question one way or the other to warrant filing the said ground of appeal. The invocation of Section 16 or Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act should have come by a separate and independent application to the court to invoke that jurisdiction. This issue is clearly untenable and unsustainable and should be struck out.

In the light of the foregoing, I must state as settled law that where a point of law has not been taken in the lower court and it is put forward by an appellant for the first time in an appellate court that court is not to decide the point unless it is satisfied that it has before it all the facts bearing on the new contention as completely as if it had been raised in the lower court (i.e. of first instance) and on satisfactory explanation that could have been given in the lower court if it had been so raised.

•To be continued

From left: Chief Linus M. E. Ezeofor;former General Secretary, NBA,Ibrahim Eddy Mark and President, FIDA International, Mrs. Stella Ugboma, at the last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of NBA in Awka, Anambra State

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

29

LAW COVER CONT’D

What future for the judiciary?

•Continued from page 27

as the most destructive and reprehensible malady of the judiciary.

They also faulted the current of appointing judicial officers. They observed that, as against the practice in the past, where background checks were carried out on potential judges, who must have distinguished themselves, favouritism is now the order of the day.

They also pointed at the general drift towards immorality in the society, poor work tools, inadequate training on the part of judicial officers, now evident in the nation’s inability to evolve an independent, courageous and efficient judiciary.

Former President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Yusuf Ali (SAN), Emeka Ngige (SAN), Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), Adetokunbo Mumuni, Jonathan Iyieke and Theophilus Akanwa called for the reform of the judiciary and the judicial system.

The starting point, they noted, is the overhaul of the system to ensure that only capable and competent hands populate the Bench. To achieve this, they suggested, among others, a review of appointment process for judicial officers.

To Akeredolu “Everybody in the country agrees that the Legal Profession has never had it this bad. The reputation of the judiciary is at its all time low. What started as isolated cases of aberrant attitudes on the part of a negligible few has metamorphosed into a destructive phenomenon which has dealt a debilitating blow on the collective integrity of the profession.”

He said “There is the urgent need to take proactive measures to salvage the badly battered image of the profession in the overall interest of the country. There must be an immediate convocation of a stakeholders meeting.

“The meeting, in addition to other decisions, must call for the institution of Commission of Inquiry into identifiable shameful practices. The purpose of the Commission will be to unmask the culprits, both in the Bar and on the Bench. We must be courageous and resolute in sanctioning anyone found culpable if we are to restore the dignity of the profession and restore the judicial system to its pristine value.

“In the interim we must rise in unison to demand that the appointment of judicial officers already in process be halted. The process of appointment has been grossly tainted that the assumption of office of any new appointee to the already desecrated chamber of justice can only worsen the deplorable situation.

“We must fashion out a process that will ensure that only fit and proper persons sit on our Bench henceforth. As a corollary to the above proposition, the appointment of AG, at both state and federal levels, must be taken serious. Only men of integrity should be allowed to serve as Attorney General,” he said.

He faulted the current composition of the National Judicial Council (NJC), noting that “Whoever is the occupier of the office towers above all others, even appointees of NBA whose activities are severely limited.

“There is urgent need for the amendment of the Constitution to allow for the NJC to be chaired by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court with at least one third of its members appointed to serve on permanent basis.

“The CJN and the PCA should be members as of right. The current practice which allows the CJN to bring on board cronies, in-laws, sympathisers and sycophants beholden to him must be discouraged. In the interim, the new CJN must take steps to redeem the dented image of the judiciary.

“The controversy surrounding the suspension of the current PCA, Justice Ayo Salami, must be resolved. He cannot afford to act like Pontius Pilate. He must be willing to join hands with others to solve the contrived conundrum. The present state of the judiciary

•Akeredolu

•Ngige

•Ali

•Nwobike

is scary. The future foretells unpleasant consequences.”

Ali said there is need to strengthen the judiciary in terms of quality personnel, electronic recording, appointment of seasoned and successful Senior Advocates of Nigeria and academics to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

He added: “All cases of misconduct, corruption and other negative tendencies must be thoroughly investigated and punished.

Rules of professional ethics for lawyers should be overhauled. The judiciary should have a sheriff section that will provide security for judges and the courts and enforce court judgments. Police should no more be used for those purposes.

“The judiciary should have its capital project budget charged to the consolidated fund of the federation and controlled by the judiciary.”

Ngige declared that Nigerian Judiciary has already collapsed. “Anybody that says that judiciary ‘will’ collapse is living behind times. The indices of a collapsed or failed judiciary are there for everybody to see.”

He outlined these indices to include what he termed the unconscionable delay in the adjudicatory process in the courts despite the enactment of new High Court Civil Procedure Rules and Court of Appeal Rules; and the illegal suspension of the President of Court of Appeal in brazen violation of the principle of lis pendens.

Ngige also cited conflicting judgments by the Court of Appeal and election tribunals, “The pervasive corruption at the Election Petition Tribunals and other Courts of record with the anti-corruption agencies doing nothing to arrest the ugly trend; appointment of unfit and unqualified persons to man the Bench.

“ The rot in the management of NJC and other Judicial Service Commissions across the country; the relegation of the representatives of NBA in matters relating to discipline of judicial officers; allocation of too much powers to the Chief Justice of Nigeria in the running of NJC, FJSC and NJI in terms of appointment of members of these bodies.

“The list is endless. I think the first thing is that we should declare the judicial arm of government as a disaster area. The judiciary has failed. It finally collapsed on or about the 28th of August 2011. The way out is through the proposed further amendments of the Constitution by the National and State House of Assembly.”

Ngige said such amendment to the constitution must include a review of the composition of the NJC, FJSC, NJI, and other judicial bodies.

“The minimum post call qualification for appointment of High Court Judges should be 15 year post call while the Court o f Appeal and Supreme Court should be 20 and 25 years post calls respectively.

“All prospective applicants for the High Court Bench must have a minimum qualification of LL.M and must have under gone some courses in the art of writing judgments at Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

“Young top ranking SANs and QCS with impeccable character should be given priority in the appointment of Supreme Court Justices; ad hoc judges from SANS and retired judicial officers should be appointed from the Bar to deal with cases involving interpretation of statutes, documents etc and thereby decongest the courts.

“Appointment of judges/justices to all levels of Courts should now be advertised on pages of national newspapers in addition to

recommendation by judges and NBA; all judicial officers at all levels must publicly declare their assets before they are sworn into office.

“I sincerely believe that our judiciary will rise again and be ranked among the best in the World. We have the materials, we have very bright and intelligent lawyers who are yearning to serve on the bench but the Nigerian factor has been a stumbling block.

“We can revive our judiciary from its comatose state if the leadership of the country is willing to do the needful. With his role in the Salami saga it is doubtful whether the leadership of the country will be sincere enough to allow the above recommendations to see the light. If I have my way these steps will be my action plan.

To Nwobike the judiciary has done very well in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities despite some shortfalls.

“Overtime, the military and politicians have attempted to use the judiciary to achieve their respective selfish objectives. In some cases they have succeeded and in most cases, they have failed. “It is therefore evident that of the three arms of government in Nigeria, it is only the judiciary that has performed best with the least resources and opportunity.

“The forgoing notwithstanding, it must be recorded that the judiciary must reinvent itself quickly so that the emerging challenges can be adequately contained. “The judiciary must quickly review how judges are appointed and promoted. Our rules of courts should be reviewed in very fundamental terms to support the attainment of justice and never to the contrary.”

Mumuni said: “The problem in the judiciary cannot be divorced or separated too rigidly from the problem facing the Nigerian nation generally. To expect the judiciary sub-sector of the Nigerian structure to work with perfection and optimally is to engage in abundant subterfuge and deceit.

“The people, who operate together and who are supposed to function as a unit (although working in different and varying capacities), namely lawyers, judges/magistrates and judicial staff are Nigerians. They will always be affected by the general malaise and decadence so evident in all aspects of life in Nigeria.

“If the health sector is not working, if the economic sector is not working, if the education sector is functioning pitiably, if the energy sector is comatose, if the general infrastructure in Nigeria in virtually non-existent, if corruption is working on all fours generally in Nigeria, then to expect the judiciary to function effectively would be fundamentally utopian and unrealistic.

“The way forward therefore will be for those who lead us to appropriate the Nigerian resources to make Nigeria work on all fronts; the followership will then not have a choice and finally the judiciary will perform almost automatically the role expected of it without blemish.”

Iyieke said the future of the judiciary can only be bright “if and only if we entrench and respect God and the rule of law.”

“Politicising the judiciary as we have seen in our nation a couple of months ago cannot help us at all. It will rather set the judiciary into quagmire, untrustworthiness and is capable of exposing our nation’s political status to mockery.

“The judiciary should inject into its blood judicial activism capable of projecting a nation free from corrupt and venial judgment. A judiciary predicated upon truth, honesty, abiding by the spirit and tenets of the Constitution will go places. It is my thought that Nigeria judiciary will go places if it can abide by the above.”

Constitutional lawyer, Akanwa, said: “The judiciary is the last hope of the common man. It’s where the aggrieved, oppressed and cheated approach for succour.

It’s like God whom we pray to.

“It should abhor corruption in its entirety in order to do justice. Our country today has a bad name and without any meaningful development because of corruption.

“The judiciary has no business with the executive arm of government, hence it must not parley with politicians who only tell us bunch of lies and have misruled and impoverished this nation because of their selfishness.

“There should be speedy dispensation of justice because justice delayed is justice denied. I hope for a better judiciary in the years ahead.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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LAW & SOCIETY AT THE 7TH ALL NIGERIA EDITORS CONFERENCE HELD AT BEST WESTERN HOTEL, BENIN CITY, EDO STATE

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

Independence anniversary and political habits

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•From left: Minster of Information, Labaran Maku; Speaker, House of Representives, Aminu Tambuwal and Nigerian Bar Association President, Joseph Daudu (SAN)

•Rasaq Bello-Osagie; Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed and Hon Victor Afam Ogene

•Bello Kaoje and Friday Itula

•Mr Ide Eguabor (left) and Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Nation, Victor Ifijeh

IGERIA’S 51st Independence anniversary was exceptionally low key. While the Minister for information Labaran Maku offered prudence as the reason, many commentators saw that explanation as a subterfuge, to hide the overwhelming security challenges that forced the Federal Government to realise that there is not much to celebrate. With bombs raining down from Boko Haram and threats from MEND, the Nigerian political elite were scared to engage in another round of waste.

Regardless of the real reason for the low key celebrations, most Nigerians would be grateful to God that Nigerians were spared the agony associated with such ceremonies in the past. We all remember the waste during the last 50th Independence anniversary on a pretext about celebrating a landmark. To augment the huge budget, many private companies were blackmailed to support the orgy of waste. Nigerians would also not forget in a hurry one of the most scandalous wastage of public fund in Nigeria, the Eighth All African games hosted by Nigeria in 2003, with the Abuja National Stadium built at a cost of $900 million.

Indeed, celebrations in Nigeria are seen by government officials as an opportunity to steal, I guess, that is a political habit. But there are other habits that are also dangerous to our flagging democracy. I am referring to political intolerance and lack of democracy at the grassroots. One glaring example was the recent party primaries across the country for the local government elections. The primaries showed how disrespectful many of our political elites are to Section 7 of the 1999 as amended. Despite the dominance of the major political parties in the states they govern, they did not have the courage to conduct any primaries, as most governors hijacked the process and foisted their preferred candidates.

The Enugu State experience was very worrisome. The disenfranchised candidates that I met after the selections were completely aghast at the turn of events. According to them, the otherwise hard working Governor, Sullivan Chime, a lawyer hijacked the process and foisted his preferred candidates, without as much as even a kangaroo election. One of the over 30 candidates from Ezeagu Local Government was looking so forlorn when l visited him, and yet when l asked why the candidates have no plans to go to court to seek redress, he told me that it will be a further waste of funds.

He reminded me that each male candidate for the aborted primaries paid the sum of N350, 000 while the female candidates paid N100,000 thousand naira each, on the premise that there will be free and fair primaries. The state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was reported to have raked in more than N200 million from the contestants for the party’s primaries that never held. The resources from that expropriation would likely be shared by the political leadership in the state, which is quite unfortunate.

During the charade, one former state assembly member from Ezeagu Local Government, who complained about the process adopted by the Governor, even though he has never conducted himself as a democrat, was allegedly beaten black and blue by the police, at the behest of the Governor’s chief of staff. While condemning his maltreatment, many of those l spoke to, alleged that he had employed similar measures during his hey days, to rise to power. Regardless of his alleged antecedents, there was no need to resort to violence over a mere local Council election.

Another strain of political habit of the power elites in these testy times is the unfounded optimism that all is well with the country despite poor governance, masquerading as a democratic process. Last week, l was amused as the Senate Leader Ndoma Egba (SAN), at a plenary tried to bluff the complaint that Nigeria will collapse if the power elites continue to show scant regard to due diligence in the exercise of political power. He pretended to love Nigeria more than those who have called on the political leadership to seize their despoliation of our common resources.

The learned Senior Advocate pretended that the way the members of the National Assembly for instance have appropriated a disproportionate part of the national resources for their members’ upkeep does not undermine our corporate existence. He did not tell Nigerians that the national assembly will amend the unproductive budgeting process wherein recurrent expenditure is about seven per cent of the yearly budget, while the balance is also frittered away under fraudulent contracts, living Nigerians with one of the worst poverty index in the world.

The Senate leader did not also tell Nigerians how the rampaging poverty in the country which leads to strife will be reduced, as his colleagues pay scant regard to Millennium Development Goals. He also did not enumerate how the senate nay the national political leadership will tackle the security challenges facing the country as youths turn to armed gangs in pursuit of their objectives. There were no guarantees or any mention of strategies on how unemployment will be tackled, or the perpetual resort to strike as the only weapon that make the Federal and state Governments to give workers their due.

One such indifference is the disagreement between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government over the implementation of agreements reached between the parties. Despite that our President is a former academic, the recommendations of the United Nations that six per cent of a nation’s Gross National Product (GNP) should be for education is paid lip service. Worse still, agreements reached with ASUU are ignored, to allow a cycle of strikes that renders higher education in most Nigerian universities a huge joke.

Still they mouth, happy Independence to Nigerians, as if that is a magic wand.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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LAW & DEVELOPMENT The 2011/2012 legal year of the Lagos State Judiciary took off with a week-long event that included a stakeholders’ summit. JOSEPH JIBUEZE reports.

Lagos to reposition justice administration OW does Lagos State improve its administration of justice? That was the issue

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judges, law teachers, lawyers and other stakeholders brainstormed over for a week to kickstart the 2011/ 2012 legal year. It was entitled: Repositioning the Administration of Justice: Bar and Bench.

A draft of the Reviewed High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2004 was also presented. Here are highlights of the events.

Day One The Chief Judge (CJ) of Lagos State, Justice Inumidun Akande, led other judicial officers on a visit to Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for a closed-door meeting.

Day Two The draft of the Reviewed High Court Rules was presented and scrutinised. Justice Akande said the draft rules cannot come into force until Section 89 (1) of the High Court Law is amended.

The alteration is to provide specifically for the CJ to make rules for regulating practice and procedure of the court’s rules, as it was under the repealed High Court Law of 1973.

“The amendment of Section 89 (1) of the High Court Law 2004 is imperative as it is inconsistent with the provision of Section 274 of the 1999 Constitution,” she said. Section 274 provides that the Chief Judge shall make rules for the court, and not the state House of Assembly.

She urged the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, to make his input on the draft rules and make presentation to the state House of Assembly for the amendment.

“Section 89 (1) of the High Court Law 2004 has undoubtedly breached the provision of the 1999 Constitution, as it affects the concept of Separation of Powers,” Akande said.

Chairman of the review committee, Justice Opeyemi Oke, said new provisions in the rules include an order for screening of cases for suitability for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and the changing of the name: Pre-trial Conference to Case Management Conference.

Lawyers will be required to include phone numbers and e-mail addresses in their court papers, while a counteraffidavit is to be filed along with written brief in reply to the application for summary judgment, which is applicable to liquidated money demands.

Besides, where no defence is filed, the claimant may apply for judgment, and where evidence is necessary, apply for the matter to be set down for trial, the rule says. There is also a provision for payment of cost of the losing party by the winning party when an offer of settlement is rejected in course of case management or ADR. Probate rules have been arranged to achieve clarity, orderliness and simplicity; while a fast-track procedure has been included in the rules.

Rules to deal with cases relating to the state revenue have similarly been added.

Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, represented by Justice Charles Archibong, said lawyers are sometimes responsible for the delays experienced in the administration of justice, as they are usually unwilling to stick to court rules.

“Because you have lost a matter or you’re losing it, and you know it’s a bad case, you say: ‘ah, how do I do this? Let me ruin this judge.’ It doesn’t work that way because it means you will ruin every judge you come

across.”

Auta hailed the Lagos judiciary for being a pace-setter, saying: “We look to Lagos State judiciary and Bar to set the pace in justice administration.”

Day Three A novelty match between the judiciary staff and lawyers scheduled for the Onikan Stadium, but it was called off due to the death of the court’s Director of Accounts, Mrs Adesola Olufowobi, that morning.

Day Four A stakeholders’ summit, which had leaders of the bar in Lagos in attendance, was held on the fourth day.

Speakers included Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) and former Lagos AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Hairat Ade-Balogun, a life bencher.

Justice Akande called for harmony between the bar and the bench in Lagos. She spoke on areas of conflict, including the use of the High Court foyers for lawyers’ events; filing fees, conduct of lawyers, boycott of court by lawyers, petition writing, and corruption in the judiciary.

She urged lawyers to watch their conducts in and out of the courtroom.

“I have heard of cases where some lawyers would threaten and even run the wheels of their vehicles over the feet of some of our security personnel, while they try to maintain order in line with our directives within the premises.”

The CJ described as worrisome increasing petitions written against judges, magistrates and judiciary staff, which she said delay cases sometimes, as case files would be demanded for investigation.

“I appeal to lawyers to appeal to the Court of Appeal in cases where they are dissatisfied with a judge’s ruling, order or judgment instead of petitioning against him or her unjustifiably.”

On graft in the judiciary, Justice Akande said: “I appeal fervently to lawyers to desist from acts that tend towards corruption or further corrupting judiciary staff by either paying them to effect some necessary court payment on their behalf or carry out unofficial assignment for them.”

On the foyer, Justice Akande said lawyers would be allowed to use it for their functions “especially when such will not in any way affect court proceeding and other related businesses.”

On filing fees, the CJ said there is “stiff resistance” from the bar each time an attempt is made to review them. According to her, the support of lawyers is needed to work out appropriate court fees accepted to both parties and reflective of current economic realities.

Prof Sagay lauded Lagos judiciary, saying the most significant and fundamental change that the Nigerian legal system has ever experienced is the frontloading concept introduced by the High Court of Lagos (Civil Procedure Rules) of 2004.

He said the problems associated with interlocutory applications have become a major source of concern in this country.

“Indeed, we are currently faced with a grave crisis in our justice delivery system because of this cheap vehicle for adjourning justice permanently.

“The usual means employed by defence counsel who have no defence are, preliminary objections based on lack of jurisdiction, absence of a reasonable cause of action or lack locus standi on the part of the claimant.

There are many more of such devices.

•From left: Justice Ayotunde Philips, Justice Akande, Bishop Ademowo and Mrs Orelope-Adefulire at the church service

“The game is to engage in appeals on these preliminary objections right up to the Supreme Court, and to start another round when the case returns to the High Court.

“Our courts must now consider seriously taking interlocutory matters together with the substantive issue, to avoid our cases going up and down the hierarchy of courts for ever and killing justice in the process,” he said.

He also called for a reduction of “excessive” powers of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). “Out of the 23 members of the National Judicial Council, apart from himself, the CJN is responsible for the appointment of 14 members.

“So the NJC is really the CJC, i.e., the Chief Justice’s Council. Under no circumstances can such a body be objective or independent on any matter in which the Chief Justice has an interest.

“The time has now come to re-constitute the NJC by eliminating all serving judicial officers from it. Its Chairman and members should be constituted by retired Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Justices, retired Chief Judges of States and the Federal Capital Territory and at least 10 members of the Nigerian Bar Association, who must participate at all meetings of the Council, including those concerning the disciplining of Judges.

“Apart from the NBA members, the other members should be elected by the Body of Benchers. We should no longer tolerate a situation in which serving judicial officers will sit over their own disciplinary proceedings, forming cliques and cabals to promote their interests and the improper political interests of their friends and counterparts in politics.

“Law professors, senior and experienced lawyers in legal practice should now be appointed straight to the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. Indeed, jurists outside the Supreme Court should now be considered for appointment as Chief Justice of Nigeria.

“A Senior law professor, a serving President of the Court of Appeal, a serving Chief Judge of a state or a senior legal practitioner including a good Attorney-General, should all be eligible for appointment not only into the Supreme Court Bench, but to the position of Chief Justice of Nigeria.

“It is clear that the top hierarchy of the judiciary needs new blood, fresh ideas and a new culture. The present conclave must be disbanded, to al-

low an inflow of fresh air into the system.”

Ade-Balogun said judges should be allowed to return to law practice once they leave the bench. “The current system whereby a judge who retires must call curtains on his legal career, to all intents and purpose, cannot guarantee an independent and fearless judiciary.”

She spoke on the need to equip judges with an electronic law library; the need for special insurance schemes for them; the need to avoid delays in proceedings as much as possible; and the need for further training and specialisation.

The life bencher urged judges and magistrates to welcome pressmen in their courts. “The bench must treat the press with some courtesy and not brand pressmen as enemies of the court.

“The cases reported about magistrates/judges having altercation with pressmen to the extent of locking them up or committing them for contempt must never occur again as this merely lowers the esteem of the judge and portrays him as one who has lost the control of the court over which he presides.”

Day Five The ‘walk-for-fitness’, which would have seen judges ‘burning fat’ from Falomo Roundabout, Obafemi Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, to the Ikeja High Court, was also called off in honour of the late Olufowobi.

Day Six Last Monday was the grand finale, a day set aside for special religious services. Judges were urged to pray to save the judiciary from being “bastardised.”

Governor Fashola led Moslem judges, magistrates and lawyers to the Central Mosque, Lagos Island; while Justice Akande and the DeputyGovernor, Mrs Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire led others to the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina.

The services were held simultaneously. Afterwards, everyone converged on the High Court, Igbosere Road, where a cake was cut to mark the beginning of the new legal year.

The judges were dressed in their ceremonial long wigs and red gowns with flapping black waist bands to match. In the church and the mosque, they sat according to their seniority and marched out accordingly.

Justice Akande inspected a guard of honour mounted by men of the police, who clutched their rifles and thrilled the crowd with their

synchronised march-steps.

Bishop of Lagos and Archbishop of Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos, Dr Adebola Ademowo, urged the judges to pray for the judiciary to be restored to its past glory.

His words: “Pray that the judiciary will not be bastardised and messed up in your own generation. Those before you did not mess it up. Pray more. A lot of things are happening and they’re worrisome. There’s a need to fast and pray for God’s guidance, for God’s wisdom. There’s nothing wrong if you keep vigil.”

To Ademowo, the job of a judge demands seriousness. “I don’t even see them going to parties. Judges and magistrates are interpreters of the law. They must be a voice for the voiceless and the downtrodden and the powerless, no matter the race or language.”

He reminded the judges that corrupt ones among them will not go unpunished. “We all will face the judgment seat of God. Whatever you sow, you’ll reap. Judges are guardians, umpires and custodians of the law.”

Ademowo decried graft, saying: “The problem of corruption has been cancerous in this country, just as there are problems of lying and jealousy. Avoid malice. Some laugh, but it is not from within. They smile, yet the heart is full of bitterness and jealousy. The solution is to hold onto God and you’ll always be victorious.”

He said it was unfair that innocent persons are kept in prisons for years while the truly corrupt and the lawless walk free. “Prisons should be decongested of those awaiting trial.

There are many that are there that should not be there,” Ademowo said.

He added: “There are many in this country walking about freely that should be in that place (prison). Indiscipline has been the order of the day and the end result of disobedience will be severe.

“The righteous shall never be forsaken. If you continue to do well and continue to be upright, you will not be forgotten. To be righteous is to be consistent and straight.

Unrighteousness has pervaded our land. We need to pray that it ends; that God helps.

“Our economy is overheated with inflation and unemployment. A lot of people are suffering from depression. A lot of people are frustrated.

We need righteousness in our homes, workplaces and country.”

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

LAW & SOCIETY THE 2011 TESLIM ELIAS ANNUAL MEMORIAL LECTURE ORGANISED BY THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED LEGAL STUDIES (NIALS) AT ITS UNILAG, AKOKA CAMPUS

•Former Director-General, NIALS, Prof Ayo Ajomo (SAN), and Director-General, NIALS, Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN)

•From left: Prof Adedokun Adeyemi, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi; and former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola.

•Prof Lanre Fagbohun and Sena Jerry-Imahiagbe

•Okey Benedith Agu and Okpara Nnenna

•Awoma Kunle Awoma (left) and Oladejo Azeez

•From left: Former Chief Justice of Nigeria,Justice Muhammadu Uwais, former VC, OAU, IleIfe, Prof Wale Omole and former Chief of Army Staff Maj-Gen Chris Ali

Institute Secretary, James Bathnna and Aliyu Umaru

•Abdullahi Adam Al-Ilory (right) and Dr. Adebisi Arewa

•Maduka Emmanuela Ngozi (left) and Suzzie Ofuani

•Juliet Abari-King (left) and Amkogu Wuocha

PHOTOS: DAVID ADEJO

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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LAW & SOCIETY LAGOS STATE JUDICIARY STAKEHOLDERS’ SUMMIT ON ‘REPOSITIONING THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE SYSTEM: BAR AND BENCH’

•Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Inumidun Akande (left) and Life Bencher, Hairat Ade-Balogun

•Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) (left) and Mr Teslim Animashaun

•From left: Chairmen, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu, Ikeja and Lagos Branches, Mr Kazeem Adebanjo, Adebamigbe Omole, Mr Taiwo O. Taiwo and Mrs Funlola Odunlami

•From left: Justice Grace Onyeabor, Justice Adedayo Oyebanji and Justice Josephine Oyefeso

•Justice Oyekan Abdullai (left) and Justice Yetunde Idowu

•From left:Justice Olaide Olayinka, Justice Habeeb Abiru and Justice Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu

•From left: Justice Ronke Harrison, Justice Karfeel Dawodu and Justice Christopher Balogun

•From left: Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, Justice Sybil Nwaka and Justice Aishat Opesanwo

•From left: Magistrates Adeola Adedayo, Bose Botoku, Funmi Demi-Ajayi and Eniola Famawo

•From left: Head, Directorate of Library Services, Mrs Nike Akinyemi; Mr Razaq Davis and Deputy Chief Registrar, Lagos State Judiciary, Mr Tajudeen Elias

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

LAW PERSONALITY Prof Chris Ohuruogu is the Dean, Faculty of Law, Benson Idahosa University (BIU), Benin -, Edo State. The faculty has recorded some feats and excellence in legal education during its short existence. Last year, one of its students graduated with a First Class from the Nigerian Law School. In this interview with JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU, Ohuruogu speaks on the challenges of legal education and how to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

‘Blame military for low standard of education’ A S the dean of the Faculty of Law (BIU), what are the challenges of this office, especially in a private university like

yours?

I was appointed the dean of this faculty last October. The former dean of the faculty, who incidentally was my lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof Olu Adediran went back to Ife, so the then ViceChancellor asked me to step in as the most senior academic at that time.

Having to run or manage a faculty of law that is relatively new and young immediately after an icon had just left the office is not easy. The shoes he left behind were quite big; the expectations then were high from everybody.

Prof Adediran, a very senior, seasoned and father figure administrator, had just left and one of his sons as it were, was stepping in.

That first brought its challenges. How do you get people to understand that you can do the job? How do you get colleagues to give you the same kind of cooperation they gave to the father figure that just left? That was the first challenge that I faced on assumption of office. Not just to do exactly what he did, but to do better and surpass his records.

How did you overcome the challenge?

Well, I thank God that we were able to overcome those initial challenges. The challenges are many and emanated from various sources. They came from colleagues; they came from the students; they also came from the regulatory body, especially when we wanted to introduce new courses we thought would meet today’s challenges.

We have been talking about introducing courses that meet today’s needs, but how often and easily do we get the nod of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and other accrediting bodies to get curricular that are better fitting for the needs of today?

What do you mean by this?

Yes, most law faculties are used to teaching the same courses all over the years. We know, understand and appreciate the fact that there are foundation courses which you must take if you want to practice law in Nigeria.

That is good, but how do we teach them?

What do we put in them? How do we bring them up to date with modern realities?

And then, our colleagues who are teaching, how do you manage and relate with them? If you are a stickler for discipline and orderliness, you have serious challenges from your colleagues because some people resent discipline. Some of them resent the fact that you want them to do things differently, properly and promptly.

So, it is indeed a big challenge, but as an administrator, you go through all these challenges just because you know where you are going. Even students pose their challenges.

In which ways?

Sometimes, because some of us are of the old school, we were properly trained. I went to the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife. I got one of the best trainings. In Nigeria today, when you hear ‘Great Ife’ anywhere, you know what it means. Those of us who went to Ife in the 80s got the best of university education in Nigeria.

How were you taught?

We were drilled. We were taught properly and that drilling is what I always took to everywhere I lectured. I was at the Lagos State University (LASU). All my students there will attest to it. I was at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). Everywhere I taught, even when I taught briefly abroad, I used the same approach. That which was inculcated in me way back in the 80s, I have never left.

So, we came here with the same vision.

Sometimes students would think you are too tough; that you are too rigid; that you’re too old schooled, you’re too this, you’re too that.

But they fail to realise that these things are for their own good. But I kept telling my colleagues, ‘don’t worry, one day the students will realise and appreciate what you are doing.’

‘The most senior professors should still be on ground as fathers to guide us to success. You need some administrative experiences to run the faculties and departments because you’re going to be an administrator, but by no means should it be based on the fact that if you are not 60 or 70 years old, you cannot be a dean of the faculty of Law. In fact, the older you are, the less qualified you should be for this job because the job is tasking; it is demanding’

•Ohuruogu

What has been the response?

Sometimes, the students come back to say ‘thank you for doing this and that for us. We thought you hated us, but we have seen outside the walls and appreciate what you did for us.’ I have some thank you text massages here in my cell phone massages from some of our previous students; some of them from ESUT, some of them from here.

We were firm when we needed to be firm.

They keep thanking us for being rigid when we needed to be rigid and for putting in them that attitude of hardwork. It doesn’t kill.

Who qualifies to manage a faculty of Law? At one of our conferences, the law teachers’ conference in Kogi State, we had to speak on the challenges of managing a faculty of Law in the 21st century. We then asked the question: Who are those who manage law faculties today? In the days gone by, if you were not a very old person, if you were not a grayhaired professor of many years standing, people would not probably have you to manage a faculty of law as dean.

Secondly, we asked the question: What should be the antecedents; what are the qualifications of those people who manage the law school today? What are they bringing on board? What skills, expertise and cross cultural experiences do they have? How do they intend to achieve greatness for their various law schools or their various faculties which they head?

What was the response?

I gave them an instance from my experience within the short time I spent at Columbia University in New York, USA. For instance, to be the dean of a faculty, most very senior professors do not contest the election.

They give the position to the younger professors because the job is tasking, it is demanding. It is something that requires a lot of energy, strength, youthfulness and zeal.

What are the other requirements?

It is mostly based on programmes you are going to bring on board. You’ll have to convince your colleagues who will vote for you that you have a programme of advancing the faculty of law from where it is, to where it ought to be.

Today, you have to be dynamic, proactive,

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) compliant to do that job effectively. Ask yourself this simple question: How many deans of law faculties in Nigeria and Africa today are ICT compliant?

Gone should be the era when deans were selected on the basis of their age. We should realise that there is a shift now towards youthfulness.

What should be the role of senior professors in the law faculties?

The most senior professors should still be on ground as fathers to guide us to success.

You need some administrative experiences to run the faculties and departments because you’re going to be an administrator, but by no means should it be based on the fact that if you are not 60 or 70 years old, you cannot be a dean of the faculty of Law. In fact, the older you are, the less qualified you should be for this job because the job is tasking; it is demanding. It requires you to be focused, foresighted, to have ideas of how to deal with the 21st century challenges.

People who are no longer in tune with the law will not find it easy at all. We are no longer teaching 1980 or 1970 laws, for goodness sake. I think people should migrate towards the idea of having people contesting for deanship, to tell their colleagues what the key challenges on ground are and how they intend to solve them. How they intend to breed up academic leadership, how they intend to bring harmonious leadership towards lifting the faculties of law and the law school to greater heights where we desire them to be.

What successes have you recorded in your faculty within your short stay as dean?

Again, as I said, we are a very young faculty and we are also small in size. Our focus is more on qualitative education, though we are also striving to meet the requirements of the accrediting bodies so that we can have a higher quota.

So far, we have done well in terms of the quality of students we have produced. We have good staff who give their best to these children. Luckily again, very soon, we shall be joined by graduates who do not only have degrees from Nigeria, but from other countries in addition to their legal training

in Nigeria.

So, we are looking forward to when we will have lecturers that have globalised views; lecturers that have some additional qualities and values to bring in to add value to what we are doing. We emphasise valueadded training and also leadership based training.

What is the performance level of your students in Law school and other external professional examinations?

We have done well so far. In the last Law School examinations, one of our students came out with First Class Honours from the Nigerian Law School Bar Final Examinations. We bring them in raw as they come.

We have staff that are well-trained who join hands with us to train these students.

It is generally believed that the standard of education has fallen drastically. How can this trend be corrected?

What standard do you mean? Who determines the standard of education? Falling from which height? Are we talking of education of 1960 to 70 as the best and then nosediving? Maybe if we define this properly we may appreciate what we are saying.

If you mean that the quality of teaching and the quality of leaning in Nigerian universities and other institutions of learning has nosedived, lowering the quality of learning, and that there is a lot of hiccups, yes.

It can be attributed to so many factors, but first of all, we must lay the blame on military intervention in the politics of this country.

How do you mean?

The rot started from the primary and secondary schools. When the military took over the reigns of government, they took over those schools from their original owners and did not provide adequate funding. They did not make sure that those schools were better-managed than what they were when their owners were managing them. That was the beginning of the problem.

Is that all?

Teachers’ salaries were not paid. Teachers became the laughing stock of the society.

And what was the effect? People no longer had interest in pursuing education careers.

People wanted to be soldiers just like they want to become politicians now, because these are the places that give you quick money.

In those days, if you were a military man and became appointed as a governor of a state or a commissioner, in the next few minutes you become a multi-billionaire. Today we have seen the effect - brain drain. People who had interest and business in education went abroad because the authorities were hunting them down. People were accused of teaching what they were not paid to teach.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was constantly on strike. Universities were shut down. People migrated. Those who had serious work to do left the shores of this country.

Are things improving now?

The effect was that we had a situation where we could no longer vouch for those who taught our children in primary schools.

We could no longer vouch for their quality.

When that quality went down, they moved to secondary schools and the same situation obtained and so on. It was just recently that we started reviving the education sector.

Also, those days you may take three of four subjects but today, you have multiple courses to do.

Do students have a role to play?

Students have a big role to play in all these.

Only very few students are interested in learning. They want to get rich quick because they know that it is only in this society that you are rated by the fatness of your pocket and not by what you profess to know; not by the quality of your behaviour.

So, when you are teaching, they are busy playing with their cell phones. You give them assignment, they make Internet calls all night. So, where will the blame be laid? It started when we started tinkering with education in this country.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Our agenda, by Senate committees’ chairmen After a long wait, the 7th Senate has constituted its various committees to join hands with the executive for the task of getting the nation out of the woods and driving it forward. How prepared are the committees for tackling the daunting challenges confronting the country? Assistant Editor ONYEDI OJIABOR and SANNI ONOGU spoke with some of the chairmen.

• Senators deliberating on roadmap for the session

Senator Wilson Ake (Rivers West) Chairman, Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity

W

HAT should Nigerians expect from this Senate?

This Senate is going to be different from what it has been all these while being that it is now getting into the 12th and 13th years of its existence in this Republic.

A lot of people have stayed in the National Assembly for close to 12 years now which has never happened in the history of this nation. With the experience garnered, I believe that things will continue to improve, especially in the areas of experience and capacity to handle issues and other responsibilities of the legislature. And the Senate President has been here for 12 years. Definitely we are going to move faster than what obtained in the last Senate.

We have seen the problems associated with issue of law making. So many bills have stayed in the National Assembly for upward of 10 years because of a bill elapsing with the end of each session. We have now realized that we have to do something and do it fast to be able to achieve the set objectives of the present Senate and indeed that of the Senate President.

In the agenda, the Senate President talked about some controversial issues like devolution of power, state creation, state police, constitution amendment etc. What is your view on these issues?

This has been a long standing debate and so we want to confront them headlong this time. Like the Senate President put it, we have to stand up to these challenges and I believe good reasoning has evolved over the years. It is important that we look at our constitution instead of the regular call for constitutional conference, the Senate and the National Assembly indeed could confront all these issues and so it will be opened to the public and our job ends by coming to the public to also seek their opinion on everything we are doing in the National Assem-

bly. Everything that has to do with issues confronting this country need to be confronted.

Are you saying that the 7th Senate is going to tackle those issues that made Nigerians to call for a Sovereign National Conference?

By the end of the exercise, Nigerians should be able to rise to say if there will be need for further conference because everybody will have the opportunity to make an input. The constitution review committee will visit all the six geopolitical zones, they will have to visit them and everybody will be availed the opportunity to present their issues. Those issues that ordinarily would be presented in the constitutional conference, they can also be presented before this review committee.

All we are looking for are solutions and wherever we are going to get these solutions, I’m sure that every Nigerian will be satisfied. So, I believe the need for independent national conference will be based on what Nigerians will feel the Senate has done or the National Assembly has done to salvage or address some of these areas of great interest to Nigerians.

What should we expect from your committee?

Right now, two Bills have already been committed to my committee, one sponsored by me and another one by Senator Chris Anyanwu. On the issue of labour, we are in a very critical period right now. Almost every state is in dagger drawn battle with their government because of the minimum wage.

So, it is going to be very challenging and we are also bothered about the issue of unemployment in this country. I am happy that Mr. President has taken it as a challenge to ensure that jobs are created. The Ministry has a minister that is very committed. I have worked with him for a while and very desirous of working with the Senate and indeed the National Assembly to find solutions to unemployment. I am also going to look at the issue of casualisation as well as expatriate quota abuse. Some Nigerian jobs are being taken over by people who have the same qualification and experience as Nigerians. In some cases, Nigerians have better experience and qualifications but jobs

are given to outsiders while our citizens remain unemployed. Our duty is to protect the welfare of our citizens first. We are going to remedy issues concerning casualisation and expatriate quota abuse.

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South), Chairman, Senate Committee on MDGs Should Nigerians expect anything different from what it used to be from the 7th Senate now that the committees are in place and an agenda unfolded by the Senate President?

Of course, the agenda unfolded by the Senate President is the Senate’s agenda. We are trying to do our best to contribute to our President’s transformation programme.

There are certain fundamental needs to be looked into as a legislature. So much is expected from us and we will try to do our best.

There are some areas in the agenda that hitherto were considered no-go-areas-devolution of powers, state police, constitution reviews and all that…

I don’t think there is anything like no-goareas in the area of legislation. As the legislative arm of our government, we can change the constitution completely, but that depends on Nigerians. Any no go area depends on the people that we represent but as far as the Constitution of Nigeria is concerned in terms of law making, I don’t think there is any no go area.

Some still talk about the need for a Sovereign National Conference, can constitution review make it irrelevant?

All these calls for sovereign national conference, confederation are just a distraction.

These are people that really seek undue relevance. Otherwise, even during the colonial days Nigerians, despite the divergence in our culture, tribe, we were living peacefully and respectfully together. Now that the world is becoming a global village, we are talking about how to sit down to discuss how we will stay together or how we will live

together. When a Yoruba man now is born and he cannot speak Yoruba. I was born in my village but I cannot speak my own language. My children are mixed up. The Yoruba man is marrying Hausa and the Hausa is marrying Igbo and they have grandchildren.

I personally feel disgusted when people bring this topic up because many Nigerians are living in the Diaspora and you are talking about here where there is no light, security or anything instead of talking about how to make progress. I will be part of anything that will bring progress to this country.

Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West) Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Will the agenda of the Senate and the composition of committees give Nigerians something different?

Things will surely be different because different people are occupying all the various committees. Very few people returned to the committees where they served before. In essence, more than two-thirds of these committees are now being occupied by new Senators. Individual approach to issues and the determination of individual to achieve are important. Many of us are determined to effect a change. Nobody is in doubt of the problems confronting the Nigeria nation today. For instance, I head the Committee on the Federal Capital Territory; my focus will be to see how we can make life more meaningful for the average Nigerian within the Federal Capital looking at the way and manner we have been running the FCT. We will put legislative work in place to see how we can make housing affordable.

For instance, I believe that it is ungodly when a landlord asks civil servants to pay two years house rent. Those are the areas I want to look into. My priority will be the people. We must make life more meaning• Continued on page 38

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

POLITICS

Kwara ANPP suffers costly loss T

HE reign of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) which was at the helm of affairs between 1999 and 2003 in Kwara State seems to be finally over. It suffered a blow when, a few days to the April 26 th poll, its governorship flag bearer withdrew from the race for his kinsman from Ifelodun local government area of Kwara South senatorial district.

Penultimate Saturday, the party’s standard bearer, Alhaji Khaleel Bolaji, his supporters and loyalists officially declared for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Many chieftains of the PDP including Acting National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Senator Bukola Saraki, the state chair of the PDP, Hon Ishola Balogun-Fulani, and secretary of the party, Yemi Afolayan and party supporters were on hand at the PDP secretariat, Nupe Road GRA to receive the defecting ANPP big guns.

When the news of his planned defection to the PDP came to town, leadership of the party in the state reacted angrily, describing the party’s erstwhile leaders as too ambitious.

Initially, the state ANPP chair, Alhaji Taiwo Eleja denied the report, describing it as “misleading information.”

Eleja alongside, National Vice Chairman, North Central Zone of the party, Alhaji AbdulWahab Femi Agbaje dissociated party’s leadership from the planned defection to the PDP. In Agbaje’s words: “It has come to the knowledge of the party that some disgruntled elements out of selfish interest and inordinate ambition are peddling rumours that ANPP is planning to fuse with the PDP. We state categorically that the party and its executive did not at anytime take such decision. We hereby implore all the party members to remain calm and continue to give their unalloyed support to

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

the party. The party hereby assures its members, teeming supporters and sympathizers that it will continue to play its role creditably as an opposition party.

“The party has summoned Alhaji Khaleel Bolaji, the former governorship candidate and his campaign coordinator, Alhaji Idris Abdullahi and the state PRO of ANPP, Mohammed S. Lawal to appear before its disciplinary committee.”

Reacting to the development, Bolaji said: “I as the leader of ANPP and its gubernatorial candidate in the last election in the state wish to inform the general public and our supporters across the 16 local government areas, that am decamping en-mass with my teaming supporters and 95percent of the state executive members to PDP on September 24, 2011.”

“It would be recalled that as the official candidate of ANPP during the last governorship election in the state stepped down for the PDP candidate, Alhaji AbdulFatah Ahmed after due consultations with all relevant organs and elders of our party who unanimously endorsed the decision in the interest of our people and our dear state.

“However, this decision has nothing to do with appointment or political patronage but was borne out of our belief in the leadership of PDP in the state and since we are in politics to serve our people and bring our darling state to a greater height.”

Bolaji described his purported summon by the party disciplinary committee as emanating from amateurish and confuse politicians.

He asked rhetorically: “How can somebody say he is leaving you are telling him to appear before disciplinary committee? In fact, they are behaving like amateur politicians. They are confused.

Moving from one party to the other is not unusual among politicians.

• L-R: Senator Bukola Saraki; Acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje; Kwara State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ishola Balogun, presenting the party’s flag to former ANPP gubernatorial candidate in the State, Alhaji Khaleel Bolaji who, along with his supporters, declared for PDP last week.

It is very rare for politicians not to decamp to another party once they feel their interest is being threatened.”

The politician traced the dwindling fortune of the ANPP to bad leadership, saying: “ANPP has got bad leadership and that is responsible for its declining fortune.

ANPP no longer has what we put together at its formation as mission to liberate Nigeria that is the reason why I am moving to PDP.” In spite of their former governorship candidate’s decampment to PDP, leaders of the ANPP assembled at the party’s secretariat along Offa Road, Ilorin, the Kwara state capital to announce the solidity of the party in the state.

Agbaje made the clarification recently. Surrounded by the state chairman of ANPP, Alhaji Taiwo Eleja and other members of the party’s executive, he declared: “ANPP is still intact, the defection

of our gubernatorial candidate in the 2011 elections, Alhaji Bolaji Khaleel, notwithstanding.

The ANPP national officer said that it was only the former gubernatorial candidate of the party and a handful of his supporters that had defected to the PDP. He said the party has commenced in earnest preparations for the 2015 general election, adding: “The ANPP will be reposition in such a way that it will emerge victorious in future elections.”

He noted with satisfaction that his party left behind a legacy of brilliant performance when it produced the governor of the state and ruled the state between 999-2003.

The ANPP chieftain urged the party supporters to be firm and steadfast, saying that only “the ANPP can bring the desired development to the state.” He assured them that the national secretariat of ANPP would continue to finance

the state chapter as it had done in the past.

He added that only ANPP council chairmen out of the 16 councils in the state defected with Bolaji to PDP. Governor Ahmed accordingly rewarded the former ANPP’s spokesperson, Lawal with special assistant slot in his cabinet.

Sources told The Nation that the politician decamped to the ruling PDP to have achieve his senatorial ambition come 2015. Some political analysts also said his is that of an “unbridled ambition and greed.”

A top ANPP stalwart said: “Nobody is saying he should not leave for the PDP, but the hurried way he has done it without consulting others is what we are against.

Where are the big-time politicians in the state that fused with the PDP today? They have gone into political oblivion.”

Our agenda, by Senate committees’ chairmen • Continued from page 37

ful to the people, we must make sure that the infrastructure and the social amenities in the Federal Capital Territory are available for everybody to benefit from. So, basically, we will make life more meaningful and reduce the hardship of our people.

The Senate President, raised issues like devolution of power, state police, constitution review and other things. What should Nigerians expect?

All of us are now more conscious of the fact that Nigeria is facing so many challenges which emanated from our inability to appreciate that this is a federation where all states are not supposed to be equal. If you want peace and stability, you must appreciate the diversity of the people. So, when creating states in a federal system of government for instance, you must take into consideration norms and values, linguistic culture and tradition so that the people can manage themselves and be at peace with one another.

In a federation, states must have their own police for effective policing. Although the risk of some people abusing it is there. Some governors could make it a personal security outfit but notwithstanding we must face the challenges that are confronting us today and make sure that we move our nation forward.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia Central), Chairman Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs.

The Senate President said during his address when we resumed from our break that ‘this Senate in this session will not run away from all the difficult issues that needed to be confronted.” He mentioned state creation, local government system, devolution of power and revenue allocation, state police, state INEC, uniform minimum wage, joint account of the local governments and every other contentious issue in Nigeria. But at the end he said that we will deal specifically with issues that will guarantee good governance, peace, justice and development of our country. Everybody seeks development of Nigeria. Where we are today as Nigeria I do not think that most Nigerians agree that that is where we ought to be and every effort that we are going to make in making sure that we move from here to a place where there is far better welfare for Nigerians, good opportunities for everybody and employment for all is where we all seek to be and we will do everything to be there.

Senator Buka Abba Ibrahim (Yobe East), Chairman, Senate Committee on Housing What should Nigerians expect from your committee, in view of the enormous problems in the housing sector?

Most Nigerians really are either not housed at all, or in inadequate and unsatisfactory type of housing all over the country. In places like America, Europe Britain and Japan and so many other places, almost everybody is

housed and trillions of dollars go into housing. So it is not difficult for you to create an avenue whereby almost every Nigerian will be housed. I don’t know what the Sixth Senate and the ministry of housing have been doing but as a professional quantity surveyor, I believe I can make my contribution in ensuring that Nigerians get decent houses in millions of thousands. Nigeria is such a huge country; so, 1000 or 2000 houses per state, this will not take us anywhere. So, I hope the minister of housing, working with our committee and the committee in the House of Representatives will evolve a new housing system all-together in Nigeria whereby almost every Nigerian can eventually own a house. It is a matter of principle. We have to adopt certain measures just like they have done in America and in Europe so that everybody could get affordable houses. The way government is going about constructing houses in this country even in the next 1000 years, I don’t think half of Nigerians will get decent housing. We have to revolutionize our system especially on how to get decent housing for Nigerians.

Probably your committee will also look at the amount people pay to own houses in this country in terms of cost…

In Abuja here, cost of housing, rent is very high simply because we are not constructing enough houses. We have to evolve ways we can construct houses in millions, not in a few thousands per annum otherwise the cost of rent will continue to be high. But if we evolve a new system with financial institutions and very pragmatic government policies to construct houses in millions, housing problems in Nigeria would be a thing of the

past in the near future. We intend to see to that.

Senator Dahiru Kuta, (Niger East), Chairman Senate committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs The Federal Character Commission is a very important government agency that ensures equity and fairness in all the appointments in the federation and my first assignment is to ensure that there is balancing. We will ensure fairness in all the government parastatals, ministries and the appointments.

I am going to work in consultation with the Federal Civil Service Commission to ensure that no part of the country is shortchanged. I don’t want to jump into conclusion. I don’t want to pre-empt, but I know that it is not a small job. I need to know exactly what is happening at the Federal Character Commission, what they are doing and the Federal Civil Service Commission. And we also want to find out from ministries and parastatals exactly what they are supposed to do to ensure that there is fairness and that there is equity. We want to know how many permanent secretaries we have in the Federal Civil Service. Once that is done we will ensure that there is fairness in everything we do. So when we settle down, we will be able to ensure that there is equity and fairness. All parts of the country must feel a sense of belonging by actually getting their fair share in the federal civil service.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

39

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

NIQS chief canvasses transformation in housing

T

HE President of the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Survey ors (NIQS), Mr Agele Alufohai, has called for a transformation of the construction and housing sector.

He also advocated an enabling environment where more private construction companies would emerge.

Mr Alufohai, in a paper he presented at the 2011 Quantity Surveying Assembly and Colloquium of the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria, entitled: Quantity Surveying and the Anti-Corruption Crusade – Achieving Value for Money in Project Costs in Nigeria, said a change in the construction industry can only take place when the government ensures due process by entrusting cost and procurement management to licensed quantity surveyors and other professionals.

While noting that Nigeria still has a lot to do to close its huge infrastructure gap, he said this would cost billions of naira in construction.

He said professional costing of huge projects is essential so that a far greater proportion of Nigeria’s spending goes into procuring more economic infrastructure, facilities such as schools, roads and seaports.

“National transformation will remain only a dream if we continue to have a “Nigerian price,” a derisive term in international construction circles that allude to the significantly higher prices of Nigerian projects,” he said.

Alufohai also endorsed government’s commitment to procure infrastructure through private sector partnerships but notes that PPPs require a greater engagement of quantity surveyors, as cost management

By Okwy Iroegbu Asst. Editor

is essential to project design.

This is to promote free enterprise, fair competition and transparent accessing of opportunities, as well as to avoid badly structured PPP deals that lead to conflicts or allow operators excessive profits.

He urged the government to restructure housing sector agencies and make them focus on creating an enabling environment for the emergence of capable and well-resourced private construction companies, rather than the extant practice of using government resources to provide houses that only benefit the well-off middle-classes.

“I see no reason Federal and state governments cannot collaborate to spur the emergence of private companies specialised in delivering and maintaining low-cost social housing for rent by the poorest Nigerians and supporting infrastructure in neglected suburbs and slums, such as Ajegunle, Meran, etc through competitive PPPs”, he said.

He added: “This will make millions of our citizens more productive and make them feel that they genuinely have a stake in the Nigerian project. It will also have a transformative impact on our financial sector by creating liquid long term governmentbacked assets.”

He advised the government to revolutionise the construction sector, and that transformation was also the responsibility of industry practitioners, to assist the government to create a broader climate of economic policies that promote openness, clarity, innovation, competition and transparency.

‘This will make millions of our citizens more productive and make them feel that they genuinely have a stake in the Nigerian project’

Lagos rehabilitates markets

A

FTER a successful outing with the redevelopment of Gbaja market in Surulere, a developer DHB Construction Ltd has clinched contract for the redevelopment of Lawanson and Sandgrouse markets.

The contract is part of efforts by the state government to make Lagos a mega city.

DHB Construction Ltd Chief Executive Officer, Chief Hakeem Alobo-Bakare, said the two malls at Lawanson, Surulere and Sandgrouse on the island would be twice the size of the Gbaja Mall.

On how it got the job, he said: “The government gave us the old Gbaja Market for the redevelopment and added the latest two based on our track record. The redevelopment of Gbaja market built in the ‘50s became a great testimonial for us and it became natural that if the government decides to rebuild an old market, we will be the natural choice.

Gbaja Market is located in the heart of Surulere and can accessed from the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The mall, the first of its kind in Surulere, comes with not only the top-flight events’centre, but also a banking hall, traditional market arrangement of kee klamp shops and a shopping complex.

The market’s events’ centre, the latest addition to the mall is built to accommodate over a thousand guests.

Alobo-Bakare said the events’ centre is designed for the comfort of customers. “The beauty of the facility is the ease of movement to the events’ place through a

•From left:

By Okwy Iroegbu, Asst Editor

separate entrance.

It is cooled by huge chillers that are located where they can make the most impact. The lighting design is perfect for whatever event and they are controlled for slideshows or power point projector presentations with a hundred slot for parking.”

The modern market is one of the several community projects supported by the Lagos State government in its public-private initiative that is designed to bring governance close to the people as well as improve their lifestyles.

It boasts of a borehole plant with huge storage tank that can hold 4,000 litres of water with the facilities powered by a 500KVA generator in addition to the public power suply. There are six conveniences on each floor split for male and female users.

The complex has a free façade in its middle and a walkway and right in the middle of it are giant chandeliers, which provide daylighting. Besides, the void gives a clear view of people’s movement and activities on all floors.

Bakare encouraged shop owners who have not completed their paperwork to visit the management office at the mall to do so to enable them to start business. It will be managed by DHB Properties, a subsidiary of the developer.

The Gbaja mall now hosts other brands in addition to its anchor tenant, Titos Gallery, with a brand perfume shop as the latest entry.

•Vice-President Namadi Sambo (right) and President, Nigeria Institute of Architects, Tunji Bolu at an event in Abuja.

Fashola seeks experts’ input in physical planning law L

AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola has charged stakeholders in the built industry to contribute to the implementation of the 2010 law on physical planning, development and building control.

The Governor stated this at the opening ceremony of a three-day stakeholders’ retreat on the implementation of policy reform on Physical Planning and Building Control in the state.

Represented by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, the Governor noted that the execution of the law would foreclose the menace of building collapse.

He called on different stakeholders to evolve appropriate regulations, codes and guidelines to drive the law.

He pointed out that the implementation would positively impact on the living conditions of the people, create a safe environment and, provide good platform for investments and tourism in the megacity.

The Governor urged stakeholders

By Okwy Iroegbu Asst. Editor

to contribute and support the implementation of the law to ensure its success, assuming that the state government would implement their recommendations.

Fashola emphasised that the task of transforming Lagos into Africa’s Model Mega City is very challeng-

‘He appealed to the stakeholders to sustain a partnership based on mutual understanding and respect for each others’views to give Lagos a new face’

ing and that Lagosians must see the retreat as an avenue for them to contribute meaningfully to policies and programmes designed to benefit them.

While commending the members of the Technical Committee, who worked at various sessions that gave birth to the law, the Governor said the government has started the preparation of model city plans for Alimosho, Lagos Mainland Central, Apapa and Agege –Ifako – Ijaiye.

While underscoring the need for the retreat, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Olutoyin Ayinde, remarked that the law provided for stakeholders’ engagement in physical planning, best practices and good governance in physical planning, which will ensure a liveable, tourism and economic friendly society.

He appealed to the stakeholders to sustain a partnership based on mutual understanding and respect for each others’views to give Lagos a new face.

ICPC chief makes case for surveyors

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HE Acting Chairman, In dependent Corrupt Prac tices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Bai Abdullahi, has urged the National Assembly to include quantity surveyors on the board of the commission.

He stated this at the Quantity Surveying Assembly and Colloquium in Abuja, which has as its theme: Achieving value for money in project cost in Nigeria.

He said the role of the quantity surveyor on the board is critical in assessing public contracts and procurements, noting they conduits for corruption.

He said: “Quantity surveying is very strategic and important in the fight against corruption and the transformation agenda of the government under President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Your theme for this assembly is relevant and of contemporary significance in Nigeria. There is no greater way to demonstrate your leadership of other professions than to perform your duties with integrity.

“That is the core value that is lacking in many of our professions in Nigeria today. You can imagine if all our lawyers and judges do their work; if our doc-

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

tors, nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals perform their duties with integrity, if our builders, architects and engineers do their duties right; if our bankers, accountants, our teachers, lecturers, police and other law enforcement agencies work with the fear of God. “One critical component of government contracts is the Bill of Quantities.

“If our quantity surveyors do their work as true professionals with integrity and competence, it will bring down the cost of public contracts and procurements.

“All this will in turn bring down the cost of governance and free resources for provision of social services, such as education, health, housing, electricity, water, transport and security.

The cause of everyday corruption in Nigeria has been traced to lack of these basic social services.”

The Minister of Lands Housing and Urban Development Ms. Ama Pepple expressed satisfaction with the fight against corruption by the anti-corruption

agencies, and the provision of the Public Procurement Act to ensure accountability and probity in the use of public funds.

“In the housing sector where quantity surveyors are major stakeholders. It is my hope that you would partner with the Ministry of lands, Housing and Urban Development in the delivery of its mandate on housing through different on-going programmes, such as the Sites and Services Scheme.

“The ministry is acquiring building sites in the states and providing the basic infrastructure to enable private developers to build housing estates while in the Social Housing Scheme, the Ministry is focusing on delivering housing to the low income earners and the vulnerable groups, who cannot afford the high cost of houses built by private developers.

“It is important to note that under the transformation agenda of the current administration, the delivery of mass housing is considered a major programme of government which is realisable if government is able to establish sustainable partnership with private sector investors,” she said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

40

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT There is concern about the sustenance of the environment in the face of Climate Change and green house gas emission caused by oil spill on deforestation and gas flaring. The government’s efforts, bankers argue at a roundtable, may not bring the required results except they are backed by sustained financing. OKWY IROEGBU reports.

Experts push for environment protection

T

HE failure of man to understand the damage he does to terres trial beings when he depletes the forests through lumbering and logging is a big environmental challenge.

This, perhaps, is of lesser degree to the colossal damage to human existence and aquatic lives, which the activities of institutions, particularly oil companies have done, and continue to do on pollution gas faring, which exacerbates the effects of climate change.

The culture of impunity that has seen utter disregard to environmental safety standards and, by extension, blighted the future of communities, have continued to raise concerns among corporate organisations and responsible governments who desire to see an end to this.

It is for this that Access Bank’s Sustainability Finance initiative, which came up at a forum in Lagos recently, becomes an issue of the moment.

The bank had been on a sustainability journey, which, it said, started some five years ago with its international finance partners, notably the FMO (the Netherlands Development Finance Company) and United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).

Access Bank Plc, which prides itself as a ‘catalyst for sustainable growth in Africa’, is one of Nigeria’s leading financial institutions licensed to carry out commercial banking services.

A recipient of the 2010 FT/IFC Sustainable Finance Award for Africa and the Middle East , the bank provides a comprehensive bouquet of financial and non-financial services to individual and corporate customers in the major sectors of the Nigerian and subSaharan African economy.

As a responsible corporate citizen, the bank believes it is expected to add value to its environment and had, therefore, been journeying alone on environmental sustainability until recently when, according to Access Bank Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Aigboje AigImoukhuede, realised that the initiative needs concerted efforts and the support of more people.

“The thing about sustainability is

that you can choose to what degree you want to impact your society. So, a bank can say its sustainability agenda is restricted to Ikoyi in Lagos and, if that is the case, it can then look at environment or governance issues around Ikoyi.

“In our case, however, the whole of Nigeria is our area because we interact with, and benefit from the entire Nigerian society.

“Therefore, if we are going to catalyse a movement that will have a beneficial impact on Nigeria in terms of environment, social and governance issues, we are not going to do it alone.”

The Sustainable Finance Week organised by the bank in Lagos with the theme: Moving the frontiers in sustainable finance was, therefore, in the words of Aig-Imoukhuede, a clarion call for more banks to get on board, “because though Access Bank could have been the catalyst for this initiative, we don’t have to be the driver, the banking industry will have to drive it”.

The event, which witnessed robust discussions and paper presentations by experts from both local and international environment communities, came to a climax with a CEO Roundtable on Sustainable Finance, which had in attendance the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, heads of international finance organisations, and chief executives of leading banks.

The Roundtable rose with interesting commitment and resolutions which, in the days ahead, will help protect the environment, save lives, grow businesses and improve living standards.

“If you ask me what were my expectations from this meeting, I will tell you that we have had a highly intellectual discussion, very frank discourse I had thought we would have the regulator bring the regulatory dimension into the whole thing, but contrary to that, I saw passion, buying, collaboration, understanding, courage, people spoke with commitment to do things and an urgency, all these exceeded my expectations. We have reached an agreement that shows we have started,” Aig-Imoukhuede said.

The good news is that the banking industry is going to start setting stand-

•Participants at the conference.

ards for protecting the environment and the ecosystem in their lending and is also going to play an advocacy role to make sure that government starts taking environment seriously and confronting any sector that destroys the environment.

In his interaction with reports after the event the CBN governor said the banks needed to understand that they cannot continue to take savings and deposits from Nigerians and lend same to companies that destroy the environment and also distort the balance of the ecosystem, adding that the sustainability initiative is a continuation of the new attitude of the Bankers Committee and also an addition to their commitment to the environment.

“We are going to develop sustainable finance for the country. Sustainable finance involves incorporating issues of the environment and social welfare into financing.

“We take a good example from the oil industry. Banks lend to the oil industry and a lot of the oil companies don’t adhere to environmental standards and that is part of the problems in the Niger Delta.

“If, as banks, we agree that we will

not lend to oil companies that do not meet certain environmental standards, we help our government to make money and also reproduce and recreate the environment in which we can continue to have long term profitability, the oil companies’ long term survival also depends on their ability to invest in an environment in which they operate,” Sanusi said.

He noted that the development of an industry standard is a welcome initiative, assuring that CBN will support the banks to ensure that they contribute effectively to the sustainability of not just the financial institutions but also of the society as a whole.

To drive the process, a Sustainability Working Group was constituted to immediately commence work on the agreed initiatives. Members of the group which include Access Bank, Diamond Bank, GTBank, Standard Chartered Bank, Citibank and Zenith Bank will be working in conjunction with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Dutch Development Bank (FMO).

FMO as a development bank supports sustainable private sector growth in developing and emerging markets by investing in ambitious en-

‘The issue of sustainability is very important and what has happened today (the CEO Roundtable) is a demonstration of the banking industry commitment to sustainability. It is something the banks can join forces to pursue’

trepreneurs. It believes that a strong private sector leads to economic and social development, empowering people to employ their skills to improve their quality of life. The bank focuses on financial institutions, energy, housing, and agribusiness which, it believes, have high development impact.

The bank’s Sustainable Finance Consultant, Carey Bohjanen, disclosed that FMO has been working for more than 10 years with a number of Nigerian banks.

“The issue of sustainability is very important and what has happened today (the CEO Roundtable) is a demonstration of the banking industry commitment to sustainability. It is something the banks can join forces to pursue”, he said, adding that the international lending principles have to be adopted in Nigeria and that banks have to finance projects but such projects should not be injurious to the environment.

He lamented that multi-national companies get their money from overseas and use that money to destroy the environment in Nigeria.

Bohjanen disclosed that FMO has more than $1.2 billion investment in Africa with active presence in 20 African countries including Nigeria and Ghana.

“A lot of companies in the world are requiring sustainable products.

So, sustainable finance gives a lot of business opportunities and not risks. I was impressed with the commitment of all the banks and of the government to promote development and sustainable environment, and to create local standards which can protect the environment and sustainable energy.

‘Waste inimical to good health’

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AGOS Waste Management Au thority (LAWMA) has stepped up its municipal waste management by inaugurating the Oshodi Transfer Loading Station (TLS).

The station will handle wastes generated in Oshodi, Isolo, Mushin, Anthony, Mile 2, Ilupeju and Amuwo Odofin.

The project encompasses the installation of health care waste treatment equipment with a combined capacity to treat a total of 1,000 metric of municipal solid waste and 24 metric tonnes of health care waste daily, said LAWMA Managing Director Mr Ola Oresanya at the launch.

He said the consciousness for the premium placed on value of land, the state’s topography, population density and traffic management make it compelling to adopt the modern option of waste management in typical metropolitan city like Lagos.

In his opening remarks Commis-

By Okwy Iroegbu, Asst Editor

sioner for Environment Mr Tunji Bello said the TLS is the second of the 20 proposed by the state administration. He said the location of the TSL in Oshodi was to allow the wastes generated in the area to be deposited and warehoused before they are transfered to the dumpsite or landfilled at off peak periods.

He said: ‘’This measure would reduce the vehicular traffic to the landfill site and hence another major feat in our adaptation in mitigating climate change. ‘’The hydroclave medical treatment plant is a process made up of shredder, high temperature sterilising unit, which is wholly automatic.

It has low operational cost, harmless by products, is easy to operate, reduces waste by 80 per cent volume, no odour problem and is environmentally friendly.”

Explaining the new line of thinking, Bello said the government opted

•From left: Oresanya, Bello, Fashola and Orelope-Adefulire, at the event.

for this because of its findings that revealed that the cost of upgrading existing facilities or constructing new landfills is prohibitively high, hence waste transfer station on a regional basis become more attractive.

The commissioner said domestic

PSP and medical PSP operators will benefit tremendously from the facility. Earlier, the Governor Babatunde Fashola said the TLS is part of the aggressive strategies of his administration to pursue preventive health to reduce the number of people who take ill.

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

He said: “Our other strategy is to clean up Lagos and manage waste disposal more effectively by using TLS, to contain the waste in the area of its generation and move them at night to prevent the trucks being caught in traffic.”

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HEALTH THE NATION

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

Providers, enrollees connive to E abuse health scheme ven before it fully takes off, some service providers and enrollees have been conniving to abuse the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

A service provider has been sanctioned in Ilorin, Kwara State, for what was described as unwholesome practice.

It was learnt that some service providers make claims for services not rendered, while enrollees are asking for rice, milk, eggs in lieu of their contribution not accessed over a period of time.

According to the Zonal Coordinator, Northcentral zone, Mallam Attahiru Ibrahim, some providers make false claims on

•Trader, Okada riders, artisan to enjoy service From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

specific medical items that attracted cost.

He spoke at a workshop for enrollees of the scheme.

He said: “One of the examples is claim of surgry. So, when we get across to such enrollee and it was found out that no such medical service was rendered, the provider would then be sanctioned. We have sanctioned one here in Ilorin for un-

wholesome practice, but others are complying with the rules and regulation of the scheme.”

The NHIS co-ordinator, who said that co-payment by the enrollee in the scheme, is 10 per cent of the total cost of drug given by the health provider, added that some providers unlawfully charge enrollees 10 per cent of the cost of medical expenses.

Ibrahim, who said the zonal office of the scheme had intensified education and awareness programmes

for both the enrollees and the providers, added that the challenges persisted because the system was new, stressing that it was only when the cases became so serious that providers were sanctioned.

He said some enrollees connived with health providers to ask for such items as bags of rice or carton of milk as part of their contributions that were not accessed over a some time.

Ibrahim reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to

the presidential directive of making Nigerians having access to quality health care services before 2015.

He said all hands were on deck to make sure that all the enrollees under the scheme were taken care of in the quest of improving the quality health care delivery in the country.

Ibrahim said the workshop was organised for enrollees in the federal ministries, departments, and agencies in the state.

NHIS, he said, would soon introduce self-employed social health insurance scheme.

Ibrahim said: “ By self-employed social health insurance programme has something to do with some associations like market, Okada riders and timber dealers associations.”

‘Nigeria has no emergency’ plan

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CONSULTANT orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, Dr Olakunle Onakoya, has condemned Nigeria’s poor emergency preparedness plans.

According to him, the country has not been responding to emergency because it lacked the capacity to do so.

Onakoya spoke at media training for reporters in Lagos. It was organised by Lagoon Hospital and Hygeia.

He said before an emergency or disaster occurs, there must have been an emergency preparedness plan or an emergency response plan.

This plan, he said, would look at which part of the country is most prone to adding that Nigeria has put this plan in place to safeguard against any eventualities.

He said: “Emergencies can occur anywhere, including construction sites. So those charged with health and safety regulation at construction sites need to be involved. On the road

By Wale Adepoju

which is the commonest emergencies area, need regulatory agency such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to be involved. The FRSC should create awareness on safety.

The use of safety belts, obeying traffic light among others should be adhered to,” he said.

He said: “Having identified the risk, how do you prevent the disaster from occurring?”

Onakoya said no matter the best prevention, you will always experience disasters. “But the question is, when disaster occurs, what is the plan? You start with the first responders, how will the victims be evacuated? How will it be managed on site?

Where will they be evacuated to?

What kind of care will they need?

What kind of support will they need?

All those need to have been well thought of well ahead of the emergency itself and plans put in place,” he added.

•From left: Oyo State Deputy Governor Moses Adeyemo, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Waheed Olajide; Chairman Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria,(PMGMAN)Mr Bunmi Olaopa and Managing Director, FAB Limited, Alhaji Gbola Adebisi, during a visit to the Governor’s Office, Ibadan.

Maternal, child mortality rates disturbing

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ESPITE the advances in medicine, Nigeria’s maternal and child mortality rate is still disturbing, experts have said.

Speaking in Lagos, they said it is sad that Nigeria has not overcome the problem.

Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Oluwole Atoyebi, who represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof Adetokunbo Sofoluwe, at the First Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Society of Perinatal Medicine of Nigeria (SOPMON), lamented that many women and babies die in the process of delivery.

To address the problem, Sofoluwe said obstetricians and gynaecologists, paediatricians, and other medical specialists should ensure that the mother and the unborn baby – the foetus, are protected.“In Nigeria, a lot of the babies die before age five,” he added.

He said child bearing is serious and it involves obstetricians and gynaecologists, paediatricians, physicians and nurses, among other professionals, saying it is a multidisciplinary matter.

The guest lecturer, Dr Leke Pitan, said the advances in medicine have made it quite easy to attend to the foetus. Hence, the foetus, which was not seen previously as a part of a woman, is now regarded as an entity on its own. “Arguably, the most significant advance is that most professionals and parents consider the foetus as a separate individual and a potential patient

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha, Miriam Ndikanwu,Wale Adepoju and Sulaiman Gbenga Idowu

in his or her own right.”

Pitan, a former Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, spoke on the Foetus as a patient: recent advances in perinatal medicine.

He said though foetal disease have improved a lot, but curative approaches remain limited.

Quoting Emmett Holt, he said: “The younger the patient, the worse the prognosis in diseases of childhood.

This is in consequence of the feeble resistance of the infantile organism to diseases, particularly those which are of an acute nature.”

He said: “Once the foetus is recognised to be at risk the prenatal outcome is better than in an apparently low risk pregnancy. Antepartum, ‘unexplained’ cause of feotal death, is by far the commonest cause of death between 20 weeks’ gestation and the age of one year, comprising nearly 40 per cent of deaths in this period. The main challenge in pregnancy care is to improve foetal surveillance in low risk pregnancies so that potentially compromised foetuses can be identified.

“Though advances in feotal

treatment are limited, progress in feotal evaluation has been considerable. The use of umbilical artery, Doppler ultrasonography in the assessment of high risk pregnancies approximately halves the perinatal death rate in normally formed babies.”

Chairman, Association of Lady Pharmacists (ALPs) in Nigeria, Mrs Yetunde Morohundiya, said Nigeria is ranked third in the world in maternal and child mortality cases. It comes behind Niger and India.

Mrs Morohundiya, who spoke at the ALP’s 10th Biennial National Conference, said every minute seven women die from childbirth.

She said this happens because most women are poor and uneducated.

Mrs Morohundiya said: “We should bring these issues of life to the fore so that we can find a way forward.”

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Technology, Dr. Dere Awosika, represented by Prof Akuilo, said there is a need for skilled attendants, either traditional or professional birth attendants to attend to women during childbirth to ensure best practices.

On highhandedness of health practitioners, Morohundiya said: “Health care is not only a profession, but also a calling. I believe anybody, who is

called to a purpose, must deliver it with integrity, diligence.”

He urged health care workers to ensure that women are adequately taken care of, adding that hospitals, pharmacies, traditional health care and homes should discharge their duty with diligent, integrity and kindness.

She said the association is compiling of past works by the members to educate the public on herbal remedies.

She said the compendium would aid the understanding of practitioners because it could serve as reference materials.

“The compendium entails some lectures that have been delivered in some past conferences on herbal medicine. We know that 80 per cent of our population still goes to herbal practitioner to practice some form of herbal medication or the other and the only thing the Federal Government can do is to integrate herbal medicine with the orthodox medicine to make sure that our people get the best,” Morohundiya said.

Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) fingered pneumonia as the highest cause of death among children below five.

National President-elect of the As-

‘The younger the patient, the worse the prognosis in diseases of childhood. This is in consequence of the feeble resistance of the infantile organism to diseases, particularly those which are of an acute nature’

sociation, Dr Princess Campbell, and the President of the Lagos State chapter of the association, Dr.Tokunbo Dabiri, lamented the rising cases of the killer disease and called for legislationon on it, which he said should be inculcated into the national immunisation programme, adding that it was in view of this that the conference would focus on sensitisation campaign to raise awareness on the silent killer ailment.

She said: ”Nigeria is not giving immunisation for pneumonia and this is a killer disease that is at par with malaria, and we are going to start using this conference to clamour for government to take this up as a matter of policy that all children be given that vaccine .

She explained that the conference with the Theme: Revisiting the myth behind maternal and infant mortality. Can e-Health make the difference?, harped on the need to domesticate pneumococcal vaccines as strategy to improved Child Health care in the country.

“We will be discussing very pressing health issues to support what the government of the day is doing on health for the people especially as it concern women and children.

“MWAN is an association that took up the issue of cancer in women that is breast and cervical cancer. We have been on the advocacy and now many people are aware but for over 20 years medical women has been clamouring and trying to get women enlightened on cancer in women. They should go for early counselling so that they can be cured.”

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

HEALTH

Donate blood to save lives, Nigerians told C OMMISSIONER for Health, Lagos State, Dr Jide Idris, has urged Nigerians to donate blood voluntarily to save lives.

According to him, blood is life and the loss of it can result to death, as such people should get involved in non-remunerated blood donation to save lives.

Idris, represented by the Medical Director, Lagos Island Maternity, Dr Olumuyiwa Solanke, spoke at the send off by the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Services (LSBTS) for Board members and official decoration of Blood Donor Ambassadors.

He said blood needs to be screened before transfusion, adding that unscreened blood can make patients vulnerable to jaundice and even HIV. Idris said: “The Board’s blood sanitisation programme has curtailed risks associated with blood transfusion. The monitoring group ensures that all blood and blood products carry the logo of Lagos State. Failure to comply with the directive means the person will go to jail.”

He said screening of blood before transfusion prevents major maternal mortality problems, such as primary and secondary postpartum haemorrhage among other problems.

“People came from far places, such as Enugu State to buy fresh frozen plasma in Lagos State. “LSBTS has

By Wale Adepoju

been successful because of the hard work the Board put into the service,” he added.

Idris urged the Board member not to abandon (LSBTS), saying: “Although your tenure is over but the state still needs you to forge ahead.”

Responding, LSBTS Chairman, Prof Ibironke Akinsete said, the Committee was established due to the persistence of former Commissioner for Health, Dr Leke Pitan and the Permanent Secretary, Dr Olatunji that there should be a mechanism to ensure safe blood in the state.

She said the state was the only state in the country that has laws regulating the storage of blood, adding that even the Federal Government doesn’t have such laws.

“We have two sections, the Blood Donor and Blood Products Sections, and there were less than 10 per cent voluntary blood donours. One of our voluntary blood donours was the wife of the governor, Mrs Abimbola Fashola. She has donated blood several times. This shows that people are still concerned about the saving lives,” Akinsete said.

She said when they came on board, the monitoring committee visited some centres where blood is stored

•Dr Solanke (right) presenting a plaque to Prof. Akinsete

and found out that blood was stored in are refrigerated by consumables.

“There were so many mushroom blood banks. But now the state is the only state with thorough screening procedure,” she added.

Akinsete said the participation of public-private partnership has help a lot as it set up screening centres.

They provided equipment and reagents for the screening of HIV 1 and 2, hepatitis and syphilis, among others.

Nollywood actor, Kate Henshaw Nuttal, who was decorated as the Lagos State Blood Donor Ambassador, said she would motivate the people to donate blood.

Clearline urges Jonathan to sign Health Bill

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HEALTH Maintenance Organisation (HMO), Clearline, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the Health Bill.

According to its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Olusegun Ogundimu, the bill when signed will ensure that every Nigerian has a health insurance card to access quality healthscare anywhere in the country, irrespective of tribe, age, sex or

By Sulaiman Gbenga Idowu

religion.

He spoke on Retail Health Insurance Scheme (RHIS) tagged Nigerian’s 51st independent gift.

Olusegun said: “In a quest to stop the challenge of lack of awareness on NHIS and the inability of the people to afford the cost of the scheme.

RHIS scheme is aimed at democratising healthcare for the people by

serving as a medium to create awareness about scheme.”

He said further that the Scheme is designed to involve the low and middle income earners and to educate them regardless of their socioeconomic status, that they could still access quality Medicare. The Scheme would enable an individual who pays a daily instalment as low as N20, N30, N50, N100 and N200 to benefit from the scheme.

•From left: Former President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Sir Anthony Akhimien presenting an Award of Execellence to the association’s Deputy President, Mr Olumide Akintayo, during its Pharmacy Week in Lagos.

Experts canvass e-Health for hospitals

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he Federal Ministry of Health has been urged to take measures to guarantee electricity supply for e-Health projects in hospitals and improve the quality of care for Nigerians.

The Health Information Managers Association of Nigeria (HIMAN) said the world is adopting e-Health, which is a way of advancing the accuracy and quality of data among other benefits, adding that it is widely used in advanced countries for documenta-

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

tion of clinical information for proper management of patient care, it is high time Nigerians start enjoying same.

The association’s President of the association, Wole Ajayi, said eHealth is an emerging field in the intersection of medical informatics, public health and business, referring to health services and information delivered or enhanced through the Internet and

related technologies.

He spoke at the inauguration of the executive for the Lagos Branch of the association.

The executive comprises Bambe Adebisi (Chairman); Dauda Mustapha (Vice-Chairman); Ayegbayo Folasayo (General Secretary); Adetunji Karunwi (Financial Secretary); Mrs. FagbenroAnjorin Iyabo (Treasurer); Akangbe Raphael (Public Relations Officer) and Ojo Adebowale (Assistant Secretary).

She said: “I will mobilise support for blood donation. Also, I will ensure that I educate the public on voluntary blood donation.”

Also decorated was Mr Kunle Adetokunbo also known as Dejo Tunfulu, while some national youth corps members were given awards as an appreciation by the Board.

‘How to curb HIV/ AIDS scourge’

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HE Zonal Director of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr Shaibu Samson, has canvassed the encouragement of virginity to curb the scourge of Human Immuno Virus and Acquired immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV and AIDS).

Samson, represented by a don at the University of Ibadan, Dr Victor Osaro Edo, spoke at Idofian, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, at the official presentation of materials to People Living With AIDS (PLWHA).

In a paper entitled: Analysis for strategic development and how international experience can help accelerate sustainable work plans.

He attributed the high rates of HIV/AIDS in Africa to poverty, ignorance, earlyexposure to sex, lack of awareness and poor gender empowerment.

Samson said the joint United Nations (UN) programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) and World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that “42 million of all categories of people are infected with the dis-

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

ease throughout the world.”

He lamented that from the figures presented, it was obvious that Africa was the most affected, adding that South and Southern African represent the “epicentre” of the disease to give relevant statistics, such as those ones presenting Africa as the worst hit with between 70 and 71 per cent of global infected people and 91 per cent of children orphaned by the disease”.

The lecturer said the scourge could be minimised in Africa, if government and its global community allowed other sectors to be involved in the improvement to HIV and AIDS at the grassroots level.

He stressed the need for government to train HIV and AIDS service providers on how to analyse programmes and increase awareness among the youth at the Local Government level.

Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Abdullahi Kutshi, advised them to check their HIV/ AIDS status, cautioning Nigerians against the stigmatisation of people living with the disease.

Kwara gov’s wife to sponsor surgeries

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HE Omolewa Safe Motherhood Initiative (OSMI) will soon bankroll the surgery of 25 eye patients in Kwara State, the governor’s wife, Mrs Omelewa Ahmed, has said.

OSMI is the pet foundation of Mrs Ahmed.

The foundation, she said, had in the last two weeks offered free eye glasses to patients in the state.

She spoke in Ilorin, the state capital at the official launch of mobile clinic at Baboko, Ilorin

West Local Government Area of the state.

She said that the foundation and LEAH Foundation was established to distribute free drugs for newly diagnosed malaria cases, provision of free prescription eye glasses and free operation cataract patients across the state.

She said: “Our objective is to reduce the number of people with cataract to less than 10 per cents of the 2011 base year figure by 2015. “

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

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MARITIME Furore over war charges on cargoes

By Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

• Lagos Port, Apapa.

Drivers, concessionaire quarrel at port A

ROW may soon break out at the Lagos Port between the concessionaire and divers.

The concessionaire, it was learnt, has reduced the number of vehicles entering the port, thereby incurring the drivers ire.

The rift may lead to congestion at the port, sources told The nation.

Lack of space and alleged extortion by officials of some of the terminals, are said to have informed the concessionaires.

Last week, following a strike by truck drivers, there was congestion at the port. The drivers went on strike over the delay in doing their job.

Some of the drivers, who claimed to have spent over three days to load cement and other goods, called on the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), to come to their aid as they begin work today after the Independence anniversary holiday.

The drivers accused some officials of the terminals of extorting them before allowing them in.

•Congestion looms Stories by Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

One of the driver, who identified himself as Arolambo alleged that they were asked to pay between N10,000 and N12,000 on each vehicle going to load cement or drop containers at the terminals.

He said they were worried over the level of corruption among the security agents manning the gate.

He alleged that most of their members desperate to enter the port had to grease the palms of some of the security agents, after which they would be allowed in.

But the image maker of the terminal operators, Mr Bolaji Akinola, debunked the allegation.

He said empty containers have a scheduled time for them to be brought inside the port. The truck drivers, he said, were not allowed to drop empty containers in the terminals to curb congestion. The shipping companies, he said, have holding bays where the drivers can take the containers to and won-

dered why the drivers insisted on dropping the containers at the port instead of the designated places.

“There is no congestion at the port. The artificial congestion is being caused by the truck drivers, who have insisted on dropping empty containers at the terminals instead of dropping them at the holding bay of the shipping companies. The empty containers can only come to the port only when the shipping companies are ready to take them on board. The shipping companies have holding bays where the driver can take the empty container to and we have always told them to make use of the facility to avoid congestion at the port,” Akinola said.

Also, a senior official of one of the terminals who crave anonymity, said they were constrained by lack of space to limit the number of trucks coming into the port.

He said the space in each of the terminals was not large enough to accommodate the trucks wishing to come in, adding that this was the reason for limiting the number of trucks coming to the port.

Minister assures stakeholders on port roads •ANLCA challenges CBN to disclose amount invested by terminal operators

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HE Federal Government has assured stakeholders in the maritime industry and port users that it will fix the roads leading to the Lagos seaport.

The assurance was given by the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar at the third Maritime Roundtable in Lagos.

The theme of the roundtable was Five years of port concession in Nigeria: The journey so far.

The minister attributed the poor state of the roads at the ports to heavy traffic, saying this would soon be addressed.

By fixing the roads, Umar said it would help to solve congestion challenges being faced within the ports area.

He urged concessionaires at the ports to abide by all the terms and conditions signed with the Federal Government and render quality services at the various terminals.

“This is the only way the aims, and gains for settling for private sector-driven port operations can be achieved,” he said.

Umar said the Federal Government had been inundated with barrage of complaints from end users, especially on arbitrary charges by

terminals, high shipping charges and lack of container holding bay.

He said some of the problems were due to lack of adequate cargo handling equipment and space to position containers.

Umar said the collaboration with the private sector operators would eradicate most of the challenges and enhance effective service delivery at the ports.

Former Chairman, Interim National Government (ING) Chief Ernest Shonekan noted that the maritime sector has untapped potential and urged Nigerians to fully reap the abundant maritime resources.

The former Head of State called for concerted efforts to galvanise ideas and resources, locally and internationally, to make the country a strategic global player in the sindustry.

“Maritime remains a major contributor to the national revenue, second only to oil,” Shonekan said.

Also the National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu blamed the Federal Government for not putting the roads into consideration before

concessioning the ports.

Instead of concessioning the old ports situated in the heart of the cities, new investors, Shittu said, should have been allowed to build their own ports outside the cities to spur development.

He challenged the Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to tell Nigerians how much the terminal operators have invested and how much have been repatriated to their various countries the last five years.

He warned the Federal Government not to use one of the beneficiaries of the port concession programme as regulator.

“The Federal Government never thought about the heavy traffic in Lagos before concessioning the port. Investors should have been allowed to build their ports outside the cities. Today, nobody knows the amount invested by the terminal operators and how mush they have repatriated. Therefore, we are urging the Central Bank Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to make it public so that nobody would continue to deceive us,” Shittu said.

IMPORTERS and stakeholders in the maritime industry have condemned the collection of war levies on goods being shipped into the country by foreign shipping lines.

The importers insisted that there is no civil war going on in the country.

Stakeholders and importers, who spoke with The Nation, said it was wrong for any shipping line to impose war charges on Nigeria bound cargoes.

Speaking with The Nation in his office last Friday, the Managing Director, World Trade Investment, Mr Francis Olasunkami, said foreign shipping operators had wrong perception of the situation in the country to the extent that besides arbitrary charges, insurance premium of goods coming to the country had been increased astronomically by foreign shipping lines.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Captain Adamu Biu, also condemned the high charges by foreign shipping lines on goods which Nigeria have been collecting as final destination.

Biu said he was not happy that foreign shipping companies in the country are collecting war levies on export goods when there was no civil war in the country.

“The cost of shipping has escalated. In Nigeria, they have introduced war charges. Nigeria is not at war with any country. Insurance premium on cargoes coming to Nigeria are getting higher,” he said.

The European Union had since proscribed the European Shipping Cartel, East and West African Trading Association (EWATA), but the cartel is still in existence, though indirectly, as can be seen from their uniform changes lines.

“They don’t have official cartel, but they still quietly go on. So, we deal with them individually and to force them to comply with international best practice,” he said.

The NSC boss also said two inland container depots would soon be opened to facilitate trade between Nigeria and its trading partners.

“We should have the first ICD coming on in the next six months at Isialangua and Kano. We are just waiting for the rail system,” he said.

Low involvement in oil import STAKEHOLDERS have said they are worried over the low participation of indigenous ship owners in the importation of over 12 billion litres of refined petroleum products yearly.

The country, they said, is importing petroleum despite being the sixth producing nation of the commodity in the world.

This was disclosed in Lagos last week by the Chairman of the Nigeria Maritime Expo (NIMAREX 2012) Planning Committee, HRH Eze Chijioke Egwuagu Collins.

According to him, Nigeria being an import-dependent nation with an import volume of over 82 million tonnes of cargo in 2008, 93.7 million tonnes in 2009 and 100 million tons in 2010, the situation provides a fertile ground for a remarkable participation of indigenous maritime players in the country.

“International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria export about 40 million barrels of crude oil per month or 480 million barrels per annum. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on behalf of the Nigerian Government exports 40 million barrels of Crude Oil per month or 480 million barrels per annum “Nigeria has an LNG reserve of over seven trillion cubic metres. LNG tankers are required for the non-stop massive shipment of LNG annually. Nigeria’s upstream Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) offshore exploration operations at present employs about 520 marine equipment, tug boats, crew vessels, barges” to mention a few.

He said NIMAREX, which made its debut in the first quarter of this year with a record of huge success, was primarily set up to serve as the viable platform to showcase such enormous maritime potential to the rest of the world as well as encourage more Nigerians’ participation in the venture.

NIMAREX 2012, he said, “promises to provide the needed avenue to showcase maritime products, new technologies, service and expertise, as well as provide the platform to unlock various business opportunities in Nigeria’s largely unexploited maritime sector”.

He noted that with such volume of maritime trade and required marine equipment, Nigeria qualifies by her volume of import trade to be a short sea-trade hub of West Africa.

More sanctions on piracy, robbery coming PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan is set to curb piracy and sea robbery on the nation’s territorial waters by rolling out stiffer sanctions against their menace to guarantee the stability and development of shipping business in the country.

Affirming government is commitment to peace and stability of the country, the President said government agencies in the nation’s maritime sector would be empowered to effectively man the country’s territorial waters.

Speaking at the World Maritime Day celebration in Port Harcourt last week, the President, who was represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Maritime Services, Leke Olugbenga Oyeleke, said the Federal Government would soon roll out laws that would prohibit piracy and armed robbery within the nation’s waters He said combating terrorism and piracy on the nation’s inland waterway top his administration agenda in order to protect marine business and lives in the country.

The President has, therefore, directed the Nigerian Maritime Administration Safety Agency (NIMASA) to install tracking devices on all Nigerian flagged ships in addition to the Automatic Identification System (AIS).

The AIS equipment is a special security device recommended globally for easy location of vessels, especially at distress times for search, rescue and other security operations. Its installation would ensure safety and security of Nigerian vessels.

“In addition to all these efforts, we also find it very reasonable and expedient that NIMASA, as a matter of urgency, install tracking devices on all Nigerian flagged ships in addition to the AIS, so that at all time we can know where the ships are and what they are doing,” he said.

NIMASA is also to ensure that local and foreign ships operating on the nation’s waterways carry onboard their AIS device.

The government is taking these positive steps in view of the upsurge in piracy and armed robbery on the nation’s waters.

Piracy and terrorism, the President said, would be treated the same way, with severe punishment, after the proposed law would have been signed by the government.

The President also said vessels operating within the country would henceforth be compelled to carry on them a special security device for protection against the scourge.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

48

MARITIME

Shippers call for harmonised CTN

T

HE Union of African Shippers Council have canvassed the use of the harmonised Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) in the sub-region. It has initiated negotiations with global maritime bodies on the retention of CTN as a shipping document.

This was the outcome of their meeting in Abuja last week.

The shippers also condemned the arbitrary imposition of surcharges by foreign shipping firms on cargoes with destination in the continent, and fashioning out a common front to halt the trend.

The union members also reviewed the cost of carriage to land locked countries to work out implementable measures that would improve the conditions of moving goods from the coastal to landlocked countries in the sub-region.

Besides, the worries over levies on goods meant for countries in Africa, the experts who are members of two strategic committees of

Stories by Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

the Union of African Shippers Councils (UASC), are also fashioning out ways to improve the level of shipping, in line with global standards within the continent.

The members from Cote D’ Ivoire, Nigeria, Gabon, Ghana, Angola, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Mali, Niger, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal are set to review the operation of the shipping lines and the sub-region after the demise of the East and West Africa Trade Association (EWATA) in relation to port surcharges, CAF, BAF, war risk surcharges and local shipping charges.

The Transport Minister, Idris Umar, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Captain Adamu Biu, described the experts meeting as historic in the sense that it was the first time two standing commit-

tees were sitting to discuss issues of mutual concern to the region.

He urged the African Union of Shippers Council to ensure transparency, fair trade practices and stabilise regional trade by encouraging mutual cooperation, among member states of UASC. “As I am informed, this meeting was a fallout of the resolution of the eighth ordinary session of the Union of African Shippers Council in Niamey, Niger Republic from July 20 to 21, 2011, which recognised the compelling need to revitalise the two standing committees of the union.

“You are aware of the enormous challenges facing the sub-region in terms of reduction of transport cost and the carriage of goods in the sub region, strengthening of the negotiation on trade facilitation, harmonisation of various trade facilitating instruments like single window, cargo tracking note, freight exchange and the seal grid

systems. Derived from the above challenges, the convening of this meeting is, therefore, apt and timely,” he said.

The Secretary-General of the Union of African Shippers Council, Mr Serigue Thiam Diop, said two committee of the union, Trade and Transport known as Standing Committee number one and Cooperation and Regulation, also known as Standing Committee number two, were in the nation’s capital to find solution to certain problem concerning the union.

The Committee on Cooperation and Regulations, he added, was constituted by the council to study the state of the union’s foreign relations and make propositions to improve on them, propose any measure for the creation of shippers council in countries where this is none, propose measure for the hamonisation of national regulations on maritime transport, among other functions.

Maritime Watch NPA redeploys senior officers Stories by Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

T

HE Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has redeployed its top officials, including general managers.

The exercise, the authority said, was carried out to reposition the organisation.

The General Manager, Public Affairs, Chief Michael Ajayi, said the exercise was to “effectively benchmark the private sector operators and to queue into the transformation agenda of Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan”.

Ajayi explained that the Managing Director of the Authority, Omar Suleiman, was appointed to reposition the organisation, in view of the success of the port concession programme.

Since the concesioning of the ports, the authority has staff whose designations were not appropriate.

The NPA boss has, therefore, “reviewed the current management structure and placements to optimally utilise the authority’s man-

power to achieving his set goals. Consequently, some general managers, assistant general managers, principal and senior managers have been affected by the reshufflement which takes immediate effect,” Ajayi said.

When contacted, Suleiman said: “We started this mandate by trying to see that we structure properly the NPA staff because due to the concessioning, some of the activities of NPA are no longer in existence. We still have staff who are bearing designations that are not appropriate.

Apart from the restructuring, the next thing we wanted to do was to make certain changes, certain movements in the authority to reflect the status of monitoring and supervisory roles of NPA. That is still ongoing and very soon we shall achieve this”.

However, six General Managers and the Secretary to the Board and Legal Adviser retained their jobs.

Onitsha port to be completed soon

P

• L-R: Umar, General Manager, Public Affairs NPA, Michael Ajayi and Adesunkanmi at the event.

Union condemns charge on oil vessels

T

HE Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transport and Corporations (SSACTAC), NPA branch has appealed to the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar to rescind the directive that ocean –going oil tankers should be charged 50 per cent of their accrued revenue to Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

The President of the union, Comrade Omeiza Umar, made the appeal in his welcome address at the Ninth Triennial Delegates Conference of the union in Abuja.

He said this “amounts to robbing Peter to pay Paul and would cripple the activities of NPA in the long run if the directive is not reversed”.

“We also seek ministerial reversal of the earlier direc-

tive granting ocean-going vessels to berth at private jetties,” the union leader added.

According to him, this has negative impact on revenue generation to the concessionaires and NPA. He noted that this also had serious security threat to the nation.

The purported sale of NPA properties in London should be halted as the sale of these properties would only generate 40 per cent of the accrued revenue to the government, Umar said.

He said: “Twenty per cent and 40 per cent would go to agent and the government of U.K, as tax.”

According to Umar, if the properties are put on commercial, we can generate the 40 per cent of its value within two years.

He said during the last

three years, management, union relationship was quite cordial, adding that this gave rise to the revised condition of service and the recent promotions in the organisation.

“We seize this opportunity to appreciate NPA management and the Board.

“We implore the management to consolidate on this understanding between them and the two in-house unions by attending to the remaining workers’ issues and the recently approved minimum wage,’’ he said.

He said the union thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for the approval and implementation of the new minimum wage Act. Umar urged the president to deliver his electoral promises by tackling the deplorable state of the nation’s

roads, power, rail transportation as well as security of lives and properties.

He said all these posed serious threats to the economy and social development of ‘‘our great nation’’.

In his goodwill message, President-General of SSCTAC, Adetunji Adesunkanmi, said labour issues, such as the non-payment of gratuities, monetisation and bonus 2008 arrears as well as the severance pay of dock workers were sorted out.

Adesunkanmi, however, said others, such as the reinstatement of 13 disengaged staff; the sale of London properties of the authority and reasonable implementation of the clauses of the procurement Act in NPA remained in limbo.

LANS for the success ful inauguration of the N4.1 billion River Port project, located at Onitsha, Anambra State by President Goodluck Jonathan, have been concluded.

The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, disclosed this during his maiden inspection of facilities at Onitsha, Anambra State.

According to him, the successful inauguration of the project will be done soon and it is expected to facilitate inland and coastal trade in the maritime sector of the economy.

He expressed satisfaction will the level the project had reached, saying that about 95 per cent has been completed.

“I am satisfied with the project and would inform the President, who would soon come and inaugurate the project,” he said.

Umar explained that the rehabilitation of the port became quite imperative considering the strategic

By Uyoatta Eshiet

location where the port is sited.

He explained that Onitsha is one of the biggest markets in the country as containers come into the market on regularly.

“As you can see, the port is ready for operations.

Onitsha is the hub of business activities in Nigeria.

So, the port would enhance the growth and development of the maritime industry in the country,” he said.

Technical Director of the firm handling the project, Mr Okechukwu Ndika, who addressed the Minister and top management staff of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), explained that the port was ready for operations.

“All the equipment are supplied and installed within the port complex.

The cranes are functioning efficiently and are capable of lifting a 40-ft container as we are demonstrating right now,” he said.

NIMASA wants laws domesticated

T

HE Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has stressed the need to domesticate the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) codes and convention ratified by Nigeria, which, according to it’s part of efforts to create conducive working environment for the maritime operators in the country.

Director-General of the agency, Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi, said in Lagos that most of the IMO codes and conventions were not domesticated by the country.

He lamented that the country lacks enough seafarers, saying NIMASA would ensure that they get

good training. He added that the the agency was working with the some Western countries to get the seafarers trained.

The Director-General also said the problem of pollution would be tackled.

Akpobolokemi noted: “Pollution is our major mandate. We are working to domesticate some of the IMO codes and conventions.”

He explained that general environmental issues were not put into consideration by some oil and gas companies operating in the country.

Akpobolokemi observed that during the repair of vessels some oil are spilled into the water and not cleaned by the ship owners.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

55

MONEY LINK

Analysts forecast ‘rosier’ outlook for banks

T

HE injection of over N1.5 trillion into rescued banks and subsequent purchase of non-performing loans worth over N1.7 trillion by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) from banks have improved banks’ ability to absorb losses.

Analysts at Afrinvest West Africa said coverage ratio, which measures banks’ ability to absorb potential losses from their non-performing loans has improved.

Afrinvest, an investment and financial analyst, said coverage ratios are rising, due to activities of AMCON as well as by improving economic conditions.

The report, contained in the Afrinvest 2011 Banking Sector Report, tagged, ‘Value Play on Recapitalisation End Game,’ indicated that banks are still cautious

By Collins Nweze

as evidenced by high capital adequacy and loan to deposit ratios, showing opportunities for further expansion by the financial institutions. The analysis, attempts to unearth the not-so-obvious, yet important trends that have characterised banking in 2010 and presents views on the future of the sector.

Afrinvest maintained that rescued banks will collectively play a pivotal role in determining the outlook for the sector going forward. By implication, the erstwhile classification of Nigerian banks – based on balance sheet size – will alter in the near term. This will present a significantly different landscape with some banks set to take that quantum leap into the top

managing liquidity and price levels in anticipation of inflationary strains resulting from election related spending and public sector wage increases,” it said. The CBN has pursued tightening policies with the primary aim of curtailing aggregate demand levels, in light of huge projected fiscal injections and active contraction of credit growth.

It said the apex bank has continued to issue key policy statements and roll out landmark reform initiatives that effectively pushed forward any hopes of effectively resolving the banking crisis beyond 2010.

“The key focus of banks was therefore limited to developing strategic plans that were in strict compliance with the new CBN licensing regime, while still keep-

tier.

It noted that after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention, the sector is still in the process of restructuring albeit with a closer view on the finish line. Nevertheless, growth is slowly returning and the banks reported increased earnings in 2010.

The firm reiterated that in spite of some challenges that led to the reforms, Nigeria’s economy maintained its positive trajectory with reported Gross Domestic Product growth of 6.64 per cent in the first quarter of 2011, falling short of the 7.36 per cent posted in same period last year. It was however, below the 7.43 per cent in initial projections and was driven by global oil prices and stable production variables.

“For most of 2011, monetary policy has mainly been directed at

‘Delta’s N100b issue fully subscribed’

D

ELTA State Government’s quest for a N100 billion bond issue to improve infrastructural was at the weekend concluded in Abuja.

The offer for subscription for the first tranche of N50 billion according to a statement from Access Bank Plc was fully subscribed following a completion Board meeting between the state government and the stakeholders to the bond issue.

The Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, led officials of the state government at the completion board meeting, which included the Commissioner for Finance, Bernard Okumagba and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Ajuya, while the bond’s lead issuer, Access Bank Plc and financial advisers, BGL Limited led a host of other institutional investors.

At the meeting, the parties perfected all legal issues concerning the bond which has a fourteen percent FGN BONDS

fixed rate interest and 2018 due date.

All the institutional investors present made full subscription for it immediately after signing the offer papers.

In his remarks, Uduaghan, said he was happy at the success of the offer, adding that the money had opened a new vista of matchless development of infrastructures that would bring greater economic development to the state.

He assured that the bond proceeds

pointed out that investors embraced the bond issue because of Governor Uduaghan‘s transparency in handling the financial affairs of the state, as well as the state’s robust financial capacity and the ability to pay back their bond proceeds. “We are confident in this offer.

The Delta State Government, particularly under the leadership of Governor Uduaghan, has set a high standard of transparency in handling its financial affairs. Delta

would be well spent particularly on rural roads to enable farmers evacuate farm produce to the hinter-land with easy.

He said: ”Our challenge now is really dealing with the problem of infrastructure but now that we have access to N50 billion, we will fast-track all our infrastructural development.

One area we are going to lay emphasis on is education,” he said.

The Managing director of Access bank plc, Aigboje Imhoukhuede,

T

HE euro fell to a new decade low against the yen as currency markets started the week and the fourth quarter in riskaverse mood.

Debt concerns in the euro-zone continued to drive sentiment, and investors were also cautious of adopting new positions ahead of a

currency since June 2001.

Doubts re-emerged concerning the euro-zone bail-out fund as the region’s finance ministers gathered in Luxembourg to discuss how to deal with Greece.

Monetary policy also came under investor scrutiny as some expected the ECB would signal it was ready

packed data calendar and a number of leading central bank policy meetings this week, including that from the European Central Bank.

The euro according to Bloomberg News, fell 0.9 per cent to $1.3267 against the dollar and was down 1.4 per cent to Y101.72 versus the yen, its lowest mark against the Japanese

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount

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 30-9-11 SYMBOL CAP ASHAKACEM NAHCO STERLNBANK NB ECOBANK RTBRISCOE BERGER DANGFLOUR UBA

O/PRICE 17.00 16.00 5.60 1.20 76.18 2.41 1.41 8.92 6.49 3.69

C/PRICE 17.85 16.80 5.88 1.26 79.98 2.53 1.48 9.36 6.81 3.87

CHANGE 0.85 0.80 0.28 0.06 3.80 0.12 0.07 0.44 0.32 0.18

LOSER AS AT 30-9-11 SYMBOL AIICO VANLEER FLOURMILL MAYBAKER DIAMONDBNK UNITYBNK CONTINSURE PRESCO FIDELITYBK SKYEBANK

O/PRICE 0.60 13.97 92.56 3.05 3.55 0.76 1.03 7.05 2.02 5.11

C/PRICE 0.57 13.28 59.55 3.00 3.50 0.75 1.02 7.00 2.01 5,10

Amount

Offered ($) Demanded ($)

MANAGED FUNDS

Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

to start cutting rates if the economic outlook did not improve.

“If the ECB cuts rates this week, the euro may respond positively as it may be associated with boosting risk appetite, especially ahead of the US jobs report on Friday,” said Marc Chandler at Brown Brothers Harriman.

DATA BANK

Amount N

OBB Rate Call Rate

State also has a robust balance sheet and therefore has the capacity, particularly through its internally generated revenue to repay the bond proceeds,” he stated.

Earlier the Managing Director, BGL Limited, Albert Okumagba, assured the Governor of the support of financial investors.

The completion board meeting followed the approval of the bond offer by the Securities and Exchange Commission, (SEC) and other regulatory authorities.

Euro hits decade low against yen

Tenor

NIDF NESF

ing a keen eye on balance sheet clean-up.

“They were also involved in improving asset quality and taking advantage of opportunities to drive loan growth,” it said.

This proved particularly successful for most banks, especially on the strength of the financial performance in 2010. “Afrinvest Research is of the opinion that the outlook for Nigerian banks is much rosier now, based on the expectation of an even better performance in 2011 and beyond,” it added.

Analysts insist that financial statements for banks present a different analytical problem than manufacturing and service companies.

As a result, analysis of a bank’s financial statements requires a distinct approach that recognises a bank’s somewhat unique risks.

Amount

Exchange

Sold ($)

Rate (N)

Date

450m

452.7m

450m

150.8

08-8-11

250m

313.5m

250m

150.8

03-8-11

400m

443m

400m

150.7

01-8-11

EXHANGE RATE 26-08-11 CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD

147.6000

149.7100

150.7100

-2.11

NGN GBP

239.4810

244.0123

245.6422

-2.57

NGN EUR

212.4997

207.9023

209.2910

-1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

Bureau de Change 152.0000 (S/N)

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

Parallel Market

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

NSE CAP Index

NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N)

13-09-11 N6.7026tr 21,018.52

14-09-11 N6.760tr 21,199.16

% Change -0.87% -0.86%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

(S/N)

153.0000

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

Aug ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

8.75%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 9.4%

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 117.69 107.46 0.78 1.02 0.94 1,628.78 8.24 1.39 1.87 7,221.04 193.00

9.08 1.00 117.53 107.10 0.75 1.02 0.93 1,625.40 7.84 1.33 1.80 6,999.77 191.08

ARM AGGRESSIVE KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND THE LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY THE DISCOVERY FUND • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED

CHANGE 0.03 0.69 3.01 0.05 1.05 0.01 0.01 0.05 0.01 0.01

• STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 24 Aug, 2011 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 26, Aug, 2011 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK Previous

Current

04 July, 2011

07, Aug, 2011

Bank

8.5000

8.5000

P/Court

8.0833

8.0833

Movement

56

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

NEWS

Police arrest seven over Zamfara killings

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OLICE have arrested seven people in Zamfara state suspected of involvement in a weekend raid on a village that left 19 people dead, Governor Abdulaziz Yari said yesterday.

Dozens of attackers suspected to be members of a gang of robbers armed with guns and machetes, on Saturday, raided Lingyado, a remote farming and herding village, killing at least 19 people, wounding six others and burning homes.

Governor Abdulaziz Yari told reporters in his office in Gusau that the police chief informed him of the arrests.

“I have been briefed on the arrest of seven men suspect-

ed of being part of the group of gunmen that attacked Lingyado village at the weekend, killing 19 people,” Yari said.

“Police and military personnel are in the area looking for the gunmen that launched the attack,” he said.

The pre-dawn attack was in reprisal for the extra-judicial killings of suspected robbers some months ago by local vigilance groups formed by villagers to end robberies in the area, police said.

Those that survived the vigilance group onslaught regrouped and started attacks including the Saturday raid.

“From information I have

•Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim

received, the attackers who are nomadic Fulani invited their comrades from as far as the Central African Republic for the raid,” Yari said.

He said the search for the

Ondo forum joins ACN

T

HE Sunshine Liberation Forum [SLF] in Ondo State yesterday led thousands of its members into the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

At a news conference in Akure, the state capital, its Chairman, Barr. Ojo Victor said his members took the decision to fuse with ACN with a view to bringing change to the political system of the state.

He noted that the present administration had not been able to use resources available to turn the state around.

“We want to inform good people of Ondo state of our decision to move to ACN. ACN is the party that will form the next government of Ondo state as the darkness, rubbish brought to our state by the present Labour Party government can only be swept away with the broom being held by ACN “Having listened to the cries and felt the pains of our people, and knowing the resources available to our state, we are compelled to say that the present administration has failed our people; we humbly inform you this hour that the Labour Party administration has failed, achieving no meaningful success since almost 3 years in the saddle “We are taking this decision with conviction that no one or state can do it alone.

No one is an island. Hence let us go the way of our sister

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

states. We cannot continue to have a government that is morally bankrupt”.

Besides, the group criticised the present administration for its failure to disclose the amount of money received from the federation account.

Victor said: “It is no longer a secret that the present LP administration has begun to plunge this state into a condition of financial disorder. Rather than hearken to the clarion calls, despite several demands for accountability from various quarters, deserving of the people that elected this government, what we get in return is further financial reck-

lessness”.

But, the LP publicity Secretary, Barrister Femi Okunjemiruwa said the movement of SLF members to ACN would not be a threat to the excellent performance of Mimiko’s administration.

According to him, “there is no difference between SLF and ACN. Everybody in the state and beyond knows that right from day one the group had been aligning with the party”.

He noted that ACN has no structure in the state, stressing that Mimiko’s achievements within the last few years in the saddle would not be rubbished by any group or party.

UNDP chief coming

U

NITED Nations Development Projects (UNDP) Administrator, Ms Helen Clark, has arrived Nigeria on a visit.

The National Programme Officer (Communication & Information) of UNESCO, Oluseyi Soremekun, said last night that Clark will also discuss the August 26 tragedy and appraise staff of actions taken to continue to enhance security and safety.

Apart from laying a wreath at the site of the UN House, she will also meet with President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President David Mark and other top Government Ministers. She is billed to also

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

meet with Professor Attahiru Jega, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Soremekun said: “UNDP Administrator Helen Clark is visiting Nigeria October 3rd6th in the aftermath of the senseless attack on the UN House in Abuja which claimed the lives of 23 people, including 11 UN Staff, and injured more than 110.

“Ms. Clark is coming to show her unwavering support to our staff and to the great people of this great nation.”

Calabar Port: BPP lashes out at ministry, NPA over award of contract

T

HE Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) at the weekend took a swipe at the Federal Ministry of Transport and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for refusing to adhere to laid down rules in the award of the N30 billion contract for the dredging of Calabar Port.

Its Director-General, Mr Emeka Ezeh, said in an interview in Abuja that the fight against corruption in the public sector would not succeed if ministries, government agencies and parastatals are allowed to flout the anti-graft laws in the award of contracts.

Ezeh vowed that the bureau would curb the excesses of the Transport Ministry and NPA, adding that “By the time we finish with them, the outcome will serve as an eye opener to those who do not have laid down rules before embark-

By Sunday Omoniyi

ing on any advert for bidders to bid for contracts”.

According to him, the bureau will insist on the nine steps in public procurement to be strictly followed before a Certificate of No Objection is issued to any company.

Ezeh revealed that the bureau had been under severe pressure to favour a particular company but promised that BPP would not succumb to any form of inducement.

“I have been under pressure to favour some contractors in the Calabar dredging contract but I have been adamant insisting that the right thing should be done”.

Asked what the bureau would do if the ministry and NPA fail to rectify the anomaly, Ezeh said: “The plan of my office is possibly to can-

cel the entire bidding exercise. I will stop at nothing but work according to Act 54 Section 2b of the BPP Act. “I am the most hated Chief executive in Nigeria because I block the holes created by government officials in ministries and parastatals. I stopped N218.7 billion from being siphoned by some unscrupulous government officials in the 2010 Appropriation Bill”. , he said.

Some dredging companies had accused NPA of bias in the commercial evaluation of the Calabar Port contract.

Among others, the companies claimed that NPA awarded the contract to its a subsidiary, Lagos Management Channel, which offered the highest bid price among the four companies that were prequalified for commercial evaluation.

THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

57

NEWS Vigilance group calls for assistance

Senator queries Fed Govt’s plan

T

HE Senator representing Ebonyi South Sonni Ogbuoji has criticised the decision of the Federal Government to build new legislators’ quarters in Abuja and resell them to serving National Assembly members.

Speaking with reporters in Abakaliki at the weekend, Senator Ogbuoji also regretted the decision of the administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo to sell off the Apo legislative quarters to National Assembly members.

The lawmaker said this has made life uncomfortable for current NASS members and slowed down legislative processes in the Seven Assembly.

He said: “In my opinion, the decision to sell the legislative quarters, especially Apo quarters, was a very wrong decision by the Obasanjo-led administration. No present National Assembly member will tell you that he is comfortable with that decision because the little interaction that goes on outside the chambers indicates that people are not really comfortable with that decision. So, my thinking is that it was not right to sell those houses.

“The succeeding government has already started doing something about building new legislative quarters in Abuja; they said they are going to build new places and these new places they are going to build will be given out to legislators who want to also buy them.

So, if the legislators come and buy up the ones that they are going to build, because everybody now has the desire to own a house since it has become the trend or norm, by the next assembly, they still have to build another set of houses for the succeeding ones.”

FRSC promotes 158 officers

O

NE hundred and fifty eight workers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have been promoted.

FRSC Corps Marshal and Chief Executive Osita Chidoka reiterated the commitment of the Corps to capacity building as catalyst for excellence, career progression and qualitative service.

Speaking at the formal decoration of the newly promoted officers of the FRSC, the Corps Marshal said: “The attainment of the vision of a Corps that is well trained, sufficiently motivated and adequately equipped to face the tasks of making the road safe for all, can only be made possible through a properly articulated and executed training and retraining programmes.”

Chidoka said the FRSC would continue to sustain its people, process and technologically- driven policy to cope with emerging trends on road traffic management.

He urged the newly promoted officers to be alive to their responsibilities.

According to FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Nseobong Akpabio, 1, 839 officers and men of the Corps had been promoted nationwide.

From Emma mgbeahurike, Owerri

• The women protesting in Enugu…… yesterday

Catholic women protest against priest

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ATHOLIC Women Parishioners of St. Jude Catholic Church in Ameachi, Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government of Enugu State yesterday protested the alleged unilateral dissolution of the Board of Trustees of the Parish by the Priest, Rev Fr John Amadi.

The parish is owned by the Holy Angel Comprehensive Secondary School.

The protesting women displayed placards with inscriptions: “Fr. Amadi, are you above the law?”,”The whole world should help us “, “Fr. Amadi wants to kill us”, among others.

They accused the priest of

From Chris Oji, Enugu

highhandedness.

Addressing reporters, President of the Catholic Women Organisation of the Parish, Mrs. Kate Egbo, claimed that the priest did not consult the the parishioners before dissolving the School’s Board of Trustees and replacing them.

They said the priest excluded the CWO that founded the institution.

CWO spokesperson said Father Amadi converted the secondary school to his personal property, as he now runs the place without recourse to the parishioners.

She alleged that Father

Amadi unilaterally increased the school fees from N5,200 to N8,500 without consulting the stakeholders.

Egbo said the dissolution of the school’s former board is unacceptable to them and called on the Enugu Catholic Bishop, Calistus Onaga, to wade into the matter.

They also called for the removal of the parish priest.

The first Vice-Chairman of the parish council, Daniel Ikechukwu Egbo, corroborated all the allegations.

Egbo, who explained that the secondary school project was initiated by the parish with a view to generating revenue to pilot its affairs, wondered why an individu-

al would turn it into a private venture.

He alleged that the parish has lost many of its members to other denominations since Father Amadi took over the mantle of leadership of the parish. He called for the urgent intervention of Bishop Onaga.

THE Parish Secretary and President, Catholic Youth Organisation, {CYON}, Benjamin Nnaji, decried the activities of the parish priest.

Father Amadi dismissed the allegations as frivolous and baseless, adding that whatever he is doing as the parish priest of the church was in line with the church code of conduct.

Court jails 84-year-old, others for arson

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N Imo State High Court in Owerri has jailed 84-year-old Athnasius Ekeocha, a final year student of Abia State University, Uturu, David Oyemauche and eight others for arson.

The terms of imprisonment range from one to three years with hard labour and fine ranging from N100,000 to N500,000 for arson, conspiracy and indecent assault.

The offence was committed in Umuekwene, Ngor

Okpala Local Government of Imo State on August 9, 2005.

Justice Cyprian Egele, gave Ekeocha an option of fine on account of his old age.

The convicts allegedly burnt about 12 buildings and vehicles on the orders of the monarch of the community, Eze Hyginus Ajoku, who died on August 2009, during the trial period.

In the judgment read for about eight hours,Justice Egele said it was unfortunate

that the first accused (the late monarch) was not alive to test the weight of the law: “My only regret is that the 1st accused (the monarch), His Royal Highness Hyginus Ajoku is not alive to test the weight of the law.”

Those jailed include: Cajetan Uchegbu, Manubuchi Uchegu, Maxwell Obijuru, Ignatius Okere, Chigozie Ekeocha (the old man’s son), Ikedi Anyanwu, and Christopher Ajoku.

Egele said the convicts

burnt the building of Chief Columbus Ihunna and others maliciously. He said they stripped Ihunna stark naked on the late monarch’s orders.

Justice Egele said others at large would not escape. He gave their names as Christopher Uchegbu, a.k.a Akirika, Chiaka Anyanwu, Prince Sonny Ajoku, (the late monarch’s first son), James Maduike, Casmir Udeanyanwu, Sunday Udeanyanwu and Ikechukwu Ekeocha.

Mothers raise the alarm over whereabouts of kids

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OME aggrieved women yesterday raised the alarm over the whereabouts of their kids who were detained by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)in Anambra State.

The kids were reportedly released by NAPTIP last week.

The women also raised fresh doubts over the safety of the children, who had been without parental care for the past six weeks.

Some NAPTIP officials had raided an orphanage, the Christian Compassionate Home in Obosi, Idemili North Council of Anambra state and arrested 19 kids, including children of the owners and workers of the home.

Addressing reporters, the Secretary of the Board of

From Adimike George, Onitsha

Trustees of the Home, Jerkin Okoroafor, said the situation is becoming worrisome as NAPTIP and Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs have been playing hide and seek on the whereabouts of the children. He added that since the Home had not been indicted of any offence, the minors should be released.

Okoroafor alleged that NAPTIP is conniving with corrupt officials in the Ministry to frustrate the genuine efforts of public spirited Nigerians, adding that the demand for money as a condition for the release of the children is illegal and criminal.

One of the aggrieved mothers, Patience Jacob, alleged that the Ministry has illegally given out their children for

adoption, insisting that if they still have the children they should have released them since NAPTIP has instructed that they should be released. She said of the 19 children arrested from the Home, only eight were released.

According to her, the whereabouts of the remaining 11 are still uncertain.

The young widow whose two kids (Emmanuel and Blessing) were still in custody of the Ministry, argued that if NAPTIP had concluded its investigations and did not find anything incriminating in the activities of the Home, it should release the children , instead of referring them to the Ministry. She alleged that the ministry officials are demanding huge sums of money for the release

of the detained children.

The Director of Child Development in the Ministry, Emeka Ejide, said the children were safe and sound. He attributed the delay in their release to the ongoing strike in the state.

He said he has not been instructed by NAPTIP to effect the release of the children, adding that the minors will only be released to their biological parents, who will provide all the required documents.

“The allegation that the ministry is demanding money before the children could be released is unfounded. All we are demanding is biological proof by the parents. Once that is done, the children will be released immediately the strike is called off,” Ejide said.

IN its bid to ensure crime reduction in the state, the Imo State chapter of the Vigilance Group of Nigeria (VDN) has solicited the assistance of the state government.

The Deputy Commander, Imo State Command, Apostle Kingsley Uzoma called for government’s partnership to enable the group fight all forms of criminality in the state.

Uzoma, who spoke in Owerri, said if government would embrace them, the VDN would help in giving ideas and train members of security outfits in the state.

He pledged the support of the group to the state government towards ensuring a crime-free state.

According to him, security agencies employed by the state government are not trained. He said constant training would enhance the performance of security operatives.

He hailed the efforts of the Federal Government to curb crimes in the country.

The security expert urged government to pay attention to community policing, adding that the VGN has the capacity to detect criminals.

Monarch seeks peace CHAIRMAN of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers Eze Samuel Ohiri has called for peaceful coexistence among the various ethnic nationalities in the country, as a panacea to enduring peace and stability.

Eze Ohiri spoke when Alhaji Shehu Hashimi II, the Emir of Damaturu in Yobe State,visited him in his palace at Obi Orodo Autonomous Community in Mbaitoli Local Government area of the state.

The monarch, who expressed gratitude for the visit, said the state has a lot in common with Yobe State and prayed for peaceful coexistence among the various ethnic nationalities in the country.

Emir Hashimi 11, who is a great grandson of Alamin Elkanemi of the ancient Bornu Kingdom, expressed gratitude for the warm reception and hospitality accorded him and his entourage.

Funeral for community leader MRS Henrietta Folorunso Ajakaiye is dead. She died on July 27. She was 96. She was a civil servant, community/ religious leader and the Olori Olori of Iyin-Ekiti, Ondo State.

She will be interred at Babamuboni Memorial Anglican Church, Iyin Ekiti, on October 8 after a valedictory service.

She is survived by children, among whom is Mrs Tinuade Ojo, Registrar, Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State.

•The late Madam Ajakaiye

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FOREIGN NEWS

UK Police probe assault on Nigerian mother on deportation flight

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RITISH police has launched investigation into an alleged assault on a Nigerian asylum seeker in front of her three young children on a plane bound for Italy.

The alleged incident occurred just two weeks after the launch of the government’s new family-friendly removal policy. The family are one of the first to be detained under the new arrangements.

The woman, Faith 39, said six of the eight escorts on the flight beat her on the arms and legs, twisted her hand and put hands around her neck. She said she was left spitting blood and had still not recovered.

Her claims have raised concerns among human rights campaigners about the treat-

LOSS OF DOCUMENT The general public is hereby notify the loss of certificate of occupancy with registration no. 93/9391990D issued by Lagos State Government Dated 8 th March 1990 belonging to Feyisetan George of 71, Tokunbo Street Lagos. All effort to trace it proved abortive.

If found please 08023243205

call:

ment of asylum seeker families during the revamped removals process.

Faith and her three children, aged four, six and eight, were taken by surprise when they were arrested by a group of 10 to 12 uniformed officers in a 5.30am raid at their home in Birmingham on 19 September and driven to the government’s new secure pre-departure accommodation at Pease Pottage near Crawley, West Sussex – an experience which Faith said terrified them all.

“I feel so bad. Why have all these things happened to me?” said Faith, who has asked for her surname not to be revealed.

“When they came to arrest us at 5.30am at our home in Birmingham, they kept bang-

ing on the door. The children were very upset and were crying. They wouldn’t even allow me any privacy to wash myself in the bathroom before we left.”

Emma Ginn, co-ordinator of the charity Medical Justice, which campaigns to end child detention, said: “Some politicians claim the coalition agreement promise to end the immigration detention of children has been fulfilled. They should come clean and admit the promise has been broken.

The government should now do what they say they would and actually end the detention of children.”

The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, announced in December 2010 that child detention was going to end in May of this year. He said the gov-

ernment was ending the “shameful” practice in which “children are literally taken from their homes without warning and placed behind bars”.

He added: “Our reforms will deliver an approach to families that is compassionate and humane.”

Once the family were detained in Pease Pottage, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) made three failed attempts to remove them on flights to Italy, the country where Faith had been living for more than a decade, where she had permission to work and where her children were born. She said she fled Italy following persecution by her family and local community members and claimed asylum in the UK in November 2010.

Zambia’s new president cancels bank sale

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EWLY-elected Zambian President Michael Sata has cancelled the controversial sale of one of the country’s banks.

The $5.4bn sale of Finance Bank to FirstRand of South Africa was agreed under his predecessor, Rupiah Banda.

The bank had been seized from its shareholders in 2010 by Zambia’s central bank, who alleged illegal and unsound practices.

Mr Sata, whose election ended the 20-year rule of the previous regime, has vowed to shake-up the political system.

After only a week in power, the president has already sacked the head of the central bank, as well as a string of other appointees of the previous government, including the head of the anti-corruption authority.

The original decision of the central bank to strip the bank’s shareholders has also been overturned.

“There’s no document of sale for Finance Bank and I am directing the ministry of finance to take the bank back to its owners immediately,” said Mr Sata.

The bank’s chairman, Rajan Mahtani, said he was grateful: “I am happy that Zambian investment has been restored to Zambian investors. It was all politically motivated.”

FirstRand, a major South African bank, said it had received no formal notification of the decision and would continue to liaise with the Zambian central bank.

Murder of Kercher: Knox, Sollecito regain freedom

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MANDA Knox and Raffaele Sollecito are to be released from prison in Italy after an appeal court overturned their convictions for the murder of Meredith Kercher.

American Knox had been serving a 26-year jail sentence after being found guilty in 2009 of the murder of Miss

Kercher, 21.

The British student was discovered semi-naked with her throat cut in her bedroom of the house she shared with Knox in Perugia.

Italian Sollecito, 27, who is Knox’s ex-boyfriend, had also been accused of carrying out the murder with her. He had been serving 25 years in jail.

The verdict cleared the for Knox to strike a $1m deal with an American TV network as all the main stations have been frantically trying to secure rights to her first interview.

Although she and her family may well be delighted with the decision of judge, Claudio Pratillo Hellman and his jury of five women and a man, it meant the heartbroken Kercher family still have no clear picture of what happened to their daughter.

Key to the latest verdict was an independent court ordered report into hotly disputed DNA evidence.

Two forensic professors from Rome’s La Sapienza University Carla Vecchiotti and Stefano Conti had poured scorn on the original police

forensic investigation of the crime scene, producing a damning conclusion of techniques and methods used.

Key to the case was a 30cm kitchen knife retrieved in Sollecito’s flat and on which the original trial heard was found DNA from Miss Kercher on the blade and that of Knox on the handle.

Prosecutors confusingly said it was “not incompatible” with the murder weapon which has never been found while defence teams argued it was too big to have caused the wounds on Miss Kercher’s throat.

Besides, the report also said that no blood was found on it and the DNA of Miss Kercher was so low and inadmissible - in fact there was such a small amount that it could not even be re-tested.

They were also critical of the results reached from the tests on a clasp from Miss Kercher’s bloodied bra which was not collected from the murder scene and analysed until 46 days after the Briton was killed.

To highlight the farcical way the police carried out the

investigation, the experts showed footage of the way the forensic officers collected the evidence and there was gasps of amazement as more than 50 errors were pointed out.

The team was seen picking up the clasp with dirty gloves - instead of tweezers - and then placing it in a plastic bag when the recognised international procedure is a paper one.

They were then seen handing it to each other from glove to glove, placing it back on the floor in a different place from where it was found and then picking it up again.

Professors Conti and Vecchiotti said this also made it highly likely that it had been contaminated and then they also revealed how they had been unable to re-test the clasp because it had rotted away after being wrongly kept in the forensic lab in Rome.

Prosecutors can appeal the latest ruling and take the case to the Supreme Court in Rome.

But in the meantime Knox and Sollecito will be free.

Wangari Maathai to be cremated A CLOSE friend of Nobel peace laureate Wangari Maathai says her body will be cremated and her ashes interred as she had requested at a Kenyan educational institution dedicated to peace and the environment.

Vertistine Mbaya said yesterday on behalf of Maathai’s family that 5,000 tree seedlings will be planted Saturday to commemorate Maathai’s life.

ICC begins probe into Ivory Coast killings THE International war Crimes Court said it would investigate post-election killings and rapes in Ivory Coast, raising the prospect that forces from both sides of the conflict could face trial.

Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the International Criminal Court prosecutor, requested in June the right to investigate crimes allegedly committed by forces loyal to ousted leader Laurent Gbagbo as well as those backing his rival Alassane Ouattara.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

WHO SAID WHAT

‘Even the Clerk of the Senate knows that I have done all the necessary clearance and signed all the documents before now. So for anybody to say that I have not done so now is mischievous, cheap blackmail and misleading’ VOL. 7

NO.1,903

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan cannot be expected to know everything going on in Nigeria, especially those that are of good report as well as those that are not. But he did know early enough one thing that should have roused him to act on a broad front to contain, if not forestall, the clear and present danger it poses to the polity.

He knew that Boko Haram was no fleeting nuisance; that it had planted its roots deep in Borno and that those roots were spreading fast to the contiguous states. He was warned by highly knowledgeable advisers that if great care was not taken, Boko Haram could create in that region a situation akin to what now obtains in Somalia.

We are still a long way from that grim conjuncture. But if Jonathan thought there was room for complacency, that room has evaporated with the hasty cancellation of a string of scheduled public events, culminating last Saturday in the scrubbing of ceremonies to mark the National Day. “Boko” was all that legislators in both houses of the National Assembly needed to hear before they gathered their papers and dispersed precipitately; they did not wait to hear “Haram.” Examinations in progress at the University of Ibadan were halted following reports that Boko Haram would invade the campus. That same rumour disrupted daily routine at the University of Benin.

Nationwide, the passing-out parade, the high point of the year-long National Youth Service Corps scheme, was cancelled abruptly. The call to the Bar for newly qualified lawyers was shifted from the campus of the Nigeria Law School on the outskirts of Abuja to the relatively less vulnerable Abuja Conference Centre.

And last Saturday, the Eagle Square at Abuja that should have been pulsating with ceremonies marking Nigeria’s 51st independence anniversary, you could have heard echoes of your own foot-steps if you had ventured there.

The principal officers of state had to huddle together in the security of the Presidential Villa for the back-slapping and the gladhanding and the cocktails that usually attend their gatherings even on occasions that call for serious soul-searching.

Better to hand Boko Haram a veto and move on than to show the kind of resolve that will put the group on notice, as Governor Babatunde Fashola did in Lagos that Nigeria will not submit to their barbarous tactics and their nihilist creed.

Even without the malignant shadow of Boko Haram – a shadow that has been lengthening with each passing week, Nigerians had more than enough grief to contend with.

The conditions of social existence remain parlous.

Years after earning their degrees and other

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

Boko Haram’s lengthening shadow

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The President is not a shopkeeper, and Nigerians are not his customers. So, the speechwriters had no business making him say, not once but twice, that he “values” his compatriots. That is the sort of thing a shopkeeper would say to his or her customers.

•National Assembly complex

credentials, tens of thousands of graduates of institutions of higher learning have worn out the heels of their shoes pounding the streets in search of jobs that are not forthcoming.

Electricity still belongs in the not-so-near future. Food prices are rising while implementation of the national minimum wage generates maximum angst.

Nigeria continues to bask in the dubious distinction of being the only country that runs its gold mines – the oil industry in this case – not merely at a deficit but at a colossal deficit. But the government cannot even bring itself to think of a remedy other than hiving off a phantom subsidy that grows bigger the more they cut it. The health care delivery system remains hobbled. The highways are obstacle courses by another name.

RIPPLES

FRSC LAMENTS INCREASE IN ROAD ACCIDENTS–News

Courtesy of GOVT’S ACTION... and INACTION

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The Judiciary has been suborned to serve the ends of power even as it stultifies itself.

The Executive and the Legislative branches are scheming to re-write the Constitution through the back door rather than create a setting in which the people can, for the first time since 1979, freely determine how they will be governed, and by whom.

Given this calendar of angst, Nigerians had a right to expect, at the very least, that President Jonathan’s National Day broadcast would be a message of inspiration and uplift. They had a right to look forward to a message that would calm and reassure.

Instead, they were treated to the usual litany of platitudes.

Nobody expected Dr Jonathan to deliver himself in soaring oratory. That is not one of his gifts. Nor is it even his style, which is

ALPHONSUS IGBEKE

distinguished by its starchiness. But Nigerians had a right to expect that they would be able to take away something truly memorable from an independence anniversary speech by the first holder of a doctorate to serve as the nation’s executive president.

Instead, they had to put up with a speech that seems to have been written by committee, ponderous, repetitive, lacking animation and a centre of gravity, and even more crucially, empathy. A striking sentence here and a decent paragraph there; the rest was ho-hum.

Those who wrote the speech surely did Dr Jonathan a bad turn. They had him promising to do all over again things Administration officials had said he was going to do or had done, and vowing to meet targets he had vowed to meet or had already met. They made him trumpet growth without development as a major achievement, with more of the same to come.

As a former academic, who must have been trained along the way in the art or exposition, he should have realised on seeing the text that it would not rise to the occasion.

Or can it be that Dr Jonathan did not go through the text before he went on air?

The President is not a shopkeeper, and Nigerians are not his customers. So, the speechwriters had no business making him say, not once but twice, that he “values” his compatriots. That is the sort of thing a shopkeeper would say to his or her customers.

It is a notorious perversity of economic science that the economy could be growing by leaps and bounds even as the popular misery deepens and deprivations multiply. To cite figures indicating phenomenal growth and leave matters there even if those figures are reliable – which cannot be assumed in Nigerian affairs –is to create a cruel illusion.

As formulated by Dudley Seers several decades ago, the really crucial questions to ask in assessing the status of a country’s economy are: What has been happening to poverty, to unemployment, and to inequality? If, as in Nigeria’s case, all three indicators have grown worse, there is hardly any cause for celebration. Even if per capita income doubled during the period – which was not the case – the result would still be an instance of growth without development.

Policy makers who are forever flaunting Gross Domestic Product data as evidence that things are getting better should stop this con game.

To return to Boko Haram: The attentive audience was still mulling over Dr Jonathan’s claim to have “put in place” some ingenuous scheme to contain its murderous exploits when that terrorist group struck again, in Maiduguri, with insolent ease.

Back to the drawing board, Mr. President.

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HARDBALL RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan’s benevolence to his enemies is unmatched.

He gifts his opponents and critics with enough reason to attack him with brutal effectiveness and with no possibility of missing target. Without the distractions his critics cause him, he has enough problems trying to manage the country’s multifarious problems. But while he is struggling with all the national tasks decreed to him by the constitution, he still manages to find the leisure to call his critics to a feast on his gaffes. Indeed when it comes to arming his critics, he seems to outshine and outdo Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, one of his predecessors in office.

Recall last year’s bomb blast during the 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations. The president was touched and disturbed by the incident like the rest of us. But while venting his spleen, he appeared to have also ‘vented’ his oesophagus. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) had warned it would explode some bombs on that anniversary, and then went ahead to do so and claim responsibility. Rather than accept the MEND claim and give the full length of his tongue to the militants, Jonathan chose his extempore address on the sad occasion to dispute MEND’s responsibility for the blast.

Shortly after, his aides released innuendos to the effect that some politicians, particularly a

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Jonathan feeds and arms his critics former military president who wished to return to power, probably knew a thing or two about the embarrassing blast.

Not only did the media descend on the president for peddling an implausible theory, the country was appalled. Jonathan was to repeat the gaffe, though in a slightly modified form, during his visit to the bombed United Nations House in Abuja in August. It was our turn to experience that sort of terrorism, the president said gamely, as if it was inevitable we endure it simply because many parts of the world were experiencing similar difficulties with terrorists. Again, the country and its media descended on the president and roundly condemned what they described as his embracement of fatalism.

Jonathan’s most recent gaffe takes the biscuit as far as presidential indiscretion goes.

During the Independence Anniversary service held in Abuja, a frustrated Jonathan had attempted to lay to rest the controversy over his laid-back style of governance by comparing himself with many former leaders. He would not like to rule like a military general, he said, nor like Nebuchadnezzar, nor like the kings of Syria and Egypt, and certainly would not want to behave like Goliath or a lion. Convinced that the president misunder-

stood the concept of leadership, the opposition and the media have descended on him and not relented since last week. Some critics have subsequently ridiculed him as a lamb, and others have lampooned him as a fox. Generally, they have poured scorn on his perspectives on leadership and derided his justification for a gradual and gentle approach to governance.

Notwithstanding his style, Jonathan’s partial success in government cannot be ruled out. But for now, his critics are armed and primed to take pot shots at his policies and off-the-cuff logic. He is unlikely to be discouraged from riling his opponents with controversial statements now and again, for as president, he is bound to always say something. That such something is fated to draw flak and derision is perhaps less a function of deliberate mischief as a reflection of his boyish spontaneity. We will receive more of such gaffes in the near future. Maybe Jonathan should abjure his customary seriousness and try some humour, no matter how sardonic, as Obasanjo regaled and confused his countrymen with ribaldry and memorable invectives. By the time the latter left government, it will be recalled, we were not sure whether to hate him or laugh at him.

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