Sun News - September 28, 2012

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Flood wreaks havoc in Bayelsa, Delta

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2462

2013 budget presentation:

Murder of newly-wed groom:

• Gov Dickson’s community ravaged •Homes, bridges washed away Anambra lawmakers berate FG Page 7

Reps too busy to receive Jonathan

Pages 3 & 5

As Saudi deports another 500...

Nigeria may boycott future hajj

Page 8

Page 7

IGP takes over investigation

•Airlift of pilgrims suspended

You must die Court sentences policeman to death for killing 3-yr-old baby at checkpoint Only God knows what Kafusara Muritala (deceased) would have become in future. I hope members of the Nigerian police will learn a lesson from him (Corporal Nwabueze) and stop Page 6 extra-judicial killings – Judge

Cross River State Governor, Sen. Liyel Imoke, presenting a souvenir to Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, when he led a delegation of maritime industry’s stakeholders on a courtesy call to government Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (right) with some displaced persons, when he visited house prior to the 2012 International Maritime Organization Day celebration in Calabar, yesterday. flood ravaged areas of the state yesterday.

2013 BUDGET PRESENTATION:

Reps too busy to receive Jonathan Page 7

As Saudi deports another 512...

N150

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2462

Murder of newly-wed groom:

Page 7

IGP takes over investigation

Page 8

Nigeria may boycott hajj •Airlift of pilgrims suspended •S’Arabia Ambassador summoned

You must die Court sentences policeman to death for killing 3-yr-old baby at checkpoint Only God knows what Kafusara Muritala (deceased) would have become in future. I hope members of the Nigerian police will learn a lesson from him (Corporal Nwabueze) and stop Page 6 extra-judicial killings – Judge

Delta

Adamawa

Edo

Kogi

•70 communities sacked in Kwara • Gov Dickson’s village, others ravaged in Bayelsa •Homes, farmlands, roads, bridges washed away in Delta • Anambra lawmakers berate FG

Pages 3 & 5

Flood, flood everywhere

Anxiety in Osun over creation of new LGAs

Page 11

N150

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2462

As Saudi deports another 512...

2013 budget presentation:

ONDO • GUBER •

Page 7

Reps too busy to receive Jonathan

Nigeria may boycott future hajj

Page 8

•Airlift of pilgrims suspended

Why Dep. Gov. shunned debate – LP Sambo to kick off PDP campaign Students back Mimiko for 2nd term

Page 12

You must die Court sentences policeman to death for killing 3-yr-old baby at checkpoint Only God knows what Kafusara Muritala (deceased) would have become in future. I hope members of the Nigerian police will learn a lesson from him (Corporal Nwabueze) and stop Page 6 extra-judicial killings – Judge

R-L: Gov. of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former Military Gov. of the Old Western Region, L-R: Gov of Niger State Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, Gov. of Ekiti State Dr. Kayode Fayemi and forGeneral Oluwole Rotimi and Deputy Gov. Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, during a courtesy visit to the Gov. mer Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Francisca Emmanuel during a public lecture on the Search for in his office, in Osogbo yesterday.

National Security in Nigeria, at the MUSON Centre, Lagos yesterday.

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DAILY SUN Friday September 28, 2012

Friday, September 28, 2012, DAILY SUN

SUNG GIRL

Floods: States count losses Lokoja/Abuja road may re-open today •Lagos spared for now From EMMANUEL ADEYEMI, lokoja, PAUL OSUYI, Asaba, OKALI ONYEKACHI UME, Abuja, FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa, LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin and DOM EKPUNOBI, Onitsha

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any states across the country have been counting their losses as a result of the rampaging floods. Lagos seemed to have been spared, despite yesterday’s downpour.

The state Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, had early this year, warned residents to relocate from flood-prone areas even as the government continually unblocked drainages that could lead to flooding during a downpour.

This is besides warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency that more rains are likely in Lagos and other states till November.

Echoing Mr. Tunji’s concern, the Managing Director of the State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ola Oresanya, also warned of possible heavy flooding, advising the residents to ensure that medians and drainages are not blocked.

Elsewhere, floods had devastated many states which also recorded loss of lives and property estimated at billions of Naira, The states are blaming the release of water from the Camerounian dam which burst the banks of rivers Benue and Niger, and wreaked havoc on border communities in Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Kaduna, Edo, Anambra and Delta states.

Barring any last minute’s hiccup, the flooded Lokoja/Abuja Road may re-open today for stranded passengers and motorists.

Work on the road is expected to be completed last night. They had been stranded for about a week.

Our correspondent who visited the construction site at Banda yesterday was told by workers of the three construction companies-Gitto, Julius Berger and RCC- on site that the submerged road had been undergoing sandfilling since Wednesday.

The companies are working round the clock to ensure that by today, passengers and vehicles leave.

Spokesman of Gitto Construction Company, Ajani Adeyemo, said that the road, which was impassable as a result of the flood, will be completed by last night.

He noted that they were working 24hours so as to beat the deadline given by the Federal Government He stressed that quality job had to be done to ensure that the road will not be submerged again.

Meanwhile, some drivers and passengers, who spoke with our correspondent, commended the construction companies.

Kogi State Police Commissioner, Mr. Muhammed Musa Katsina, has deployed the Marine Police to rescue passengers trapped in the flooded areas.

Speaking with our correspondent yesterday, Katsina stressed that the Marine Police were on hand to handle any water-related emergency issues He noted that adequate security had been provided to protect the passengers, vehicles and the construction companies handling the road.

This is even as Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan lamented that homes, farmlands, roads and bridges had been washed away.

Gov. Uduaghan yesterday broke his silence since the disaster began two weeks ago, saying that the situation was quite grim and warrants urgent relief attention.

Two persons, aged seven and eight, had drowned in the floods which is as a result of the overflow of River Niger. Property yet to be estimated, had been submerged while scores of residents were displaced.

Addressing the state in a broadcast, Dr. Uduaghan, who described the floods as extremely ferocious, condoled with those who lost their loved ones and saluted the courage of those who have survived the disaster.

He painted a grim picture of people desperate for survival. He said: “I am aware of instances where people rendered homeless climbed trees to survive. People have had to adopt different strategies to stay alive.

•Continued on page 5

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DAILY SUN Friday September 28, 2012

Friday, September 28, 2012

DAILY SUN

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Kogi State Governor, Capt Idris Wada (right), welcoming Chairman, Senate Committee on the Environment, Dr. Bukola Saraki during the committee’s visit to the flooded area in Lokoja, Thursday.

Gov. Okorocha flanked by Major Gen. K.C Osuji and Major Gen. A.I Chukwu when the Majors Gen. paid a visit to State House

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim flanked by Chairperson, House Committee on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa (right) and her deputy, Betty Apiafi during a visit by the committee to the SGF’s office in Abuja, Thursday.

Photos :MUDASHIRU ATANDA

COVER •Continued from page 3 “In some of our effected communities, the situation was so bad; we had to send the Navy to rescue them.

“In our state, it had been tales of woe for our people. Lives had been lost. Property and farmlands had been submerged. Roads and bridges had been washed away. The situation has been desperate for our people.”

The governor directed government functionaries from the affected communities to immediately relocate to their areas and help in the evacuation and provision of relief materials to the people. He appealed to all religious leaders, NGOs and human rights groups to assist government in bringing succour to the displaced people.

He said temporary camps have been set up in St Patrick’s College, Asaba, Tuomo in Burutu, Bomadi in Bomadi, Okwagbe in Ughelli South, Patani in Patani and Aboh in Ndokwa East, stressing that his administration will continue to be on top of the situation to provide necessary support for the people until normalcy returns.

Also, some communities have been cut-off from other parts, leaving victims trapped inside the pool of water.

Residents in the affected areas of Abari now use canoes to move from one point of the town to the other.

Meanwhile, a three-hour downpour and the accompanying flood yesterday submerged 50 houses and seven cars in Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

An eyewitness said the rain which started at about 7:45am, devastated Mararaba and its suburbs, displacing the residents and wreaked havoc.

“As we were preparing to go for 7:45am church service, suddenly, the rain started with a heavy storm; we had no premonition of the ravaging flood as the rain was not life threatening. However, less than 20 minutes, the entire place formed a miniature lake and submerged cars and houses. Although we have never recorded loss of life; but property worth millions of naira had been washed away.”

Narrating her ordeal in tears, Mrs Huzana Magari said that she nearly lost her five-year old son, Taiwo, to the flood. “He (Taiwo)

Gov Uduaghan consoles Delta victims •Farmlands, houses, vehicles submerged, Gov. Dickson’s community not spared, Anambra blames FG over disaster missed his step and slipped into the drain. It took the intervention of commercial motorcycle operators (Okada) riders to rescue my child from being carried away by the flood.”

A resident, Mr. Imo Chris, said that flooding accounts for the high rate of motor accidents in Mararaba.

“My car rammed into a culvert. Actually, I tried to maintain my lane, but I did not know we suddenly left the road and ran into the ditch. Whenever it starts raining like this, feasibility is usually poor and this can cause fatal accident. Most accidents that occur in Mararaba-Nyaya Road are largely attributed to poor feasibility occasioned by heavy rain,” Chris said.

Sources said that the Abacha Estate waterway is channeled down to Mararaba; and this is the cause of the heavy flooding experienced in the town and its environs.

“Anytime there is a little drop of rain, the entire place is flooded. This flood you see here is an accumulation of water from Abacha Estate, Karu, Nyanya; and these waterways are emptied in Mararaba. However, poor drainage system and landscape; as well as indiscriminate dumping of garbage caused the flooding.”

From Bayelsa, the floods that had caused untold hardship in the country, visited the state yesterday.

Hard-hit areas include Toru- Orua, the community of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson.

Local governments areas affected include, Yenagoa, Sagbama, Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw as many who had been rendered homeless, have started relocating from the coastal communities.

The situation in Sagbama is pathetic. The palaces of two traditional rulers, His Highness Ekadi Aziza and the Ebadaowei of Kabowei were submerged. Also, all the community sec-

ondary schools in Sagbama communities have been overtaken by floods.

A delegation which included the special government representative, Hon Collins Cocodia, and the local government chairman, Mr Tony Ogola, on the promptings of Dickson, visited affected communities to assess the level of destruction.

Cocodia, who disclosed that the Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Sylannus Abila and the Special Adviser on Flood and Natural Disaster, Mrs Faith Opume have been briefed to follow up on the assessment, said the situation is getting worse as frightened residents are moving out of their communities.

According to the government team, the flood has rendered scores homeless in Ebelebiri,Edagbabiri,Trofani,Ekperiware,Tun gbo,Edebebiri and the Governor’s home community of Toru orua.

Meanwhile, floods from rivers Niger and Kaduna have displaced 70 communities in Patigi, Local Government Area of Kwara State, following a downpour.

This development came just as the state government announced that flood has rendered 4, 700 people homeless in Edu Local Government Area.

Houses, farmlands and property worth several millions of naira had been submerged in Patigi The council’s chairman, Alhaji Taoheed Makun Lata, said the flooding has devastated the area.

He said: “Many communities at least, almost 75 of them, were submerged by water, and their buildings, worship centres and schools were pulled down by the flood. In fact, it definitely affects the lives of our people.”

The Special Adviser on Emergency and Relief Services to the governor, Alhaji Musa

Abdullahi, while assessing the flood’s impact on Edu, assured the people of government’s support.

In Anambra State, some legislators whose constituencies were affected by the floods, have criticized the Federal Government for not doing enough to stop the disaster.

Hon. Obinna Emenaka (Anambra East), Benson Nwawulu (Ogbaru I), Victor Okoye (Anambra West) and Hon. Ebele Obi (Idemili South) said that the calamity was predicted long before it occurred, but the Federal Government failed to act appropriately.

They expressed dismay over the extent of damage caused by the floods, which had rendered several residents homeless.

The lawmakers urged the Presidency to declare Anambra North Senatorial Zone a disaster area.

The legislators, who were led by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Paulinus Onyeka, in a Press conference yesterday, noted with dismay that if the Federal Government acted promptly, the disaster could have been averted.

They claimed that none of the Federal Government agencies had responded to the plight of the people who had been visited with hunger.

According to the lawmakers, the proposal by the Federal Government to submit a supplementary budget for the victims of the flood was a delay tactics, pointing out that the relief fund could have been released from ecological and security funds.

They said that such magnitude of floods could lead to insecurity as starvation is a sure instrument for crime, calling on Governor Peter Obi to introduce an emergency trust fund from where money for tackling such emergency could be drawn.

6 DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

NEWS Babangida destroyed civil service, says HoS From ISAAC ANUMIHE, Abuja

T

he Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali, yesterday slammed former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd), saying his regime destroyed the civil service.

Speaking at the 36th Annual Conference of Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), in Abuja, Sali said Babangida laid the foundations for the rot that currently permeates the nation’s civil service.

He said the reforms carried out between 1985 and 1988 were largely responsible for the paucity of professionals and committed public officers in the public service in the country.

The Head of Service who made the allegations in his paper, explained that the implementation of the Professor Dotun Philip’s report and subsequent promulgation of Decree 43 to give legal backing to the implementation of the recommendations of the report largely eroded the vitality, standard of performance and cohesion of the public service.

According to him, the ongoing reform of the public service was part of the sustained efforts by subsequent administrations to restore the efficiency of the service and reposition it for a more efficient service delivery and contributions to national development.

Babangida, he said, was not alone in the damage as the subsequent regimes followed suit in terms of inability to sustain its capacity, ethos and values.

He, however, described the eagerness of post-war successive military governments to increase salaries and emoluments of workers rather than promoting value-adding policies as a major factor that eroded professionalism of the service.

“The subsequent reforms of 1985-88 which arose from the recommendations of the Dotun Philip report was given legal effect through Decree 43 of 1988. The legislation paved the way for all comers into the top echelon of the civil service.

“It also led to the abolition of the Office of the HSCF, whose functions were subsumed under those of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the incapacitation of the Federal Civil Serrvice Commission which had most of its functions transferred in the main to the Ministries, ExtraMinisterial Departments and Agencies.

Senate passes Labour Safety Bill •Pregnant, nursing mothers, protected From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja

S

enate yesterday passed the Labour Safety, Health Welfare Bill, which seeks primarily to protect Nigerian workers from professional hazards.

The bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives. It was sponsored by the Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Chris Anyanwu.

The new law is aimed at promoting safe and healthy work environment for employees and protect them from injury and illness at the workplace.

The bill also made provisions for protection against risks, to safety or health in connection with the activities of persons at work.

The bill also compels employers to provide preventive mechanisms and measures for occupational safety and health with greater emphasis on the prevention of injury or accidents and the elimination of hazards at workplaces.

Besides making provisions for prevention of injuries at workplace, the bill also made provisions for the protection of pregnant women at the workplace.

Section 31(1) of the bill requires the employer to ensure the work of environment to suit a pregnant worker in such a manner that would prevent occupational exposure.

It states: “An employer shall after being notified by a female employee that she is pregnant, adapt the working conditions of the female employee in such manner as to prevent occupational exposure so as to ensure that the embryo or the foetus is afforded the same broad level of protection as required for members of the public and the employer shall not consider the notification of pregnancy as a reason to exclude the female employee from work.”

The bill further provided that in a workplace where there is ionizing radiation, the employer “shall ensure that any female employee that is pregnant or nursing a baby is not exposed to ionizing radiation.”

The employer, the bill noted, would also provide protective clothing and put in place measures to protect any female employee that is pregnant or nursing a baby from ionizing radiation in accordance with the Nigeria Basic Ionizing Radiation Regulations of 2003 or other enactment or law for the time being in force.

The bill also gives power to pregnant employee to notify her employer of her intention to temporary cease to perform her job if she thinks that the job poses danger to her health and without losing her employment or remuneration.

•President Goodluck Jonathan (2nd left), Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (middle) and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru at the United Nations Assembly in New York City.

You must die •Court sentences policeman to death for killing baby at checkpoint

By AKEEB ALARAPE

J

ustice eventually took its course yesterday as a Lagos High Court, sitting in Ikeja, sentenced an expolice corporal, Ikechukwu Nwabueze to death for killing a three-year-old baby girl.

Nwabueze, 35, was accused of killing Kafusara Muritala in April 2009 at Mr. Biggs Junction, Alapere, Ketu area of Lagos State when he opened fire on a car the little girl and his parents were travelling in.

Delivering her judgment yesterday, Justice Olabisi Akinlade stated that she found the ex-corporal guilty of the murder and, therefore, sentenced him to death by hanging.

“By his training as a police officer he (Nwabueze) cannot claim ignorance of the probable consequences of shooting at the vehicle.

“If indeed he shot the car in the rear, the bullet would not have hit the occupants of the car.

“I therefore hold that the defendant had intention to kill or cause bodily harm to the occupants of the car. I find the defendant guilty as charged,” the court stated.

Justice Akinlade said the weight of evidence before the court showed that Nwabueze had the intention to kill.

Justice Akinlade stated that with the evidence given by the prosecution witnesses; the father of the deceased baby, Sgt Adeboye James of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba; Professor John Obafunwa, the pathologist who conducted autopsy on the deceased and ASP Atunbi Jeremiah, a police ballistician, the court had no doubt that Nwabueze had intention of either to kill or cause bodily harm.

Justice Akinlade, who noted

some inconsistencies in the testimony of Nwabueze, said a recanted confessional statement does not necessarily cancel its relevance.

The court held that Nwabueze’s statement at the State CID was consistent with the evidence-in-chief of the father of the deceased as well as police investigator.

According to the court, Nwabueze’s testimony in court was “a pure afterthought. It is clear that the bullet fired by Nwabueze was aimed at the occupants of the vehicle. He had intention to kill or cause bodily harm.

“It is trite law that the confessional statement of a defendant is relevant regardless of the fact that it is recanted. It is also trite that a person can be convicted on the basis of the confessional statement.

“It is my opinion that the evidence of PWI is consistent with the testimonies of PW 2 and PW 3.”

After being pronounced guilty, counsel to Nwabueze, A.O. Omodele made an allocutus for the court to temper justice with mercy on the grounds that the convict was at

his duty post when the offence was committed and that he was a first offender. He also said Nwabueze was a young man, who was yet to be married and had a lot to contribute to the nation.

Reacting, Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan opposed Omodele’s plea, saying: “We do not have enough records of the defendant.

Notwithstanding, the menace of police in releasing bullets recklessly on innocent citizens should be discouraged.”

The judge, however, said she was not convinced of any reason why she should show some leniency.

“Only God knows what Kafusara Muritala would have become in future. I hope members of the Nigerian Police will learn a lesson from him and stop extra-judicial killings.

“The sentence of the court upon you is that you be hanged on the neck until you are dead.

And may God have mercy on your soul.”

Kafusara and other members of her family including her father, Salau Murtala and

mother were returning from a naming ceremony on the fateful day when they ran into a police check point mounted by Nwabueze and his colleagues.

The family said they were not stopped by the policemen on duty at the checkpoint but only heard a gunshot just as they drove past the checkpoint.

The bullet from the gunshot was said to have pierced through the back windshield of the Nissan Sunny car they were travelling in, killing the little girl in the process.

Nwabueze, who was later dismissed from the Police Force, was said to have confessed during investigation that he shot dead the deceased little girl.

But during the trial, the excop said he was coerced to make the confessional statement by the investigating police officer who handled the case.

He also stated while giving evidence before the court that he was not the only one that fired shots into the air and that other members of his team also did same.

Fashola reads riot act to LASTMA, KAI officials

By SEYE OJO

L

agos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has warned officers of the state Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Kick against Indiscipline (KAI) and Neighbourhood Watch against violence against members of the public.

He gave the warning at a training organized by the Office of his Senior Special Assistant on Transport Education, Dr. Miriam Masha, for 7,960 law enforcement officers held at the Public Service Staff Development

Centre (PSSDC), Magodo.

Fashola stated that it was imperative for the officers to realize that they were working for the people, adding that they should see themselves as servants of the people and not their master.

He enjoined them to display the core values of integrity, courage, commitment, pride, professionalism, self-respect and respect for others and teamwork in the course of discharging their core responsibilities of enforcing laws.

His words: “As law enforcement officers, you will engage in the difficult yet

important business of helping to regulate human behaviour on a daily basis. Your decisions, often taken on the spot, affect people’s lives. And you must bear that in mind in your decision-making.

Always remember that you are working for the people. You are their servant and not their master.”

Fashola noted that his administration placed much importance on effective training and retraining of its employees. These, according to him, were in line with contemporary minimum standards around the world.

DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012, 7

NEWS

Murder of newly-wed: You’ve bigger case to answer, Ugo’s family replies police

By WOLE BALOGUN

T

he family of Ugochukwu Ozuah, who was killed five days after his wedding on September 20, has replied the Lagos police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide on her indictment of the friend of the deceased who witnessed the shooting, Irikefe Omene.

Braide had queried the return of Omene to his base in the United Kingdom shortly after the tragic incident, adding that he had questions to answer.

Speaking for the family, Mrs. Nkechi Nonyelu, the deceased’s elder sister faulted the police spokesperson’s statement contending that those who had questions to answer on the death of Ugochukwu,were the Divisional Police Officer of Anthony Police Station and his men. “I have just taken my time to read the statement by the police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide and it is most disheartening and disappointing that such statement should be coming out from a senior officer in the police.

“But nevertheless, I still think that there are still very credible people in the police who can carry out a thorough investigation on the issue. But it shows that the PPRO is just doing the first thing she should have done from the day she got the news of this issue.

“Her first reaction was denial. And she even went on air to make denials. She has now come up again to say that the police would investigate the matter and also fingered the deceased’s friend. The deceased’s friend here is not the issue. With all due respect to her, I am not supposed to teach her the job, but I would have supposed she should have, before now set up an investigation into the matter.

“They said the friend ran away and this was the same guy who obliged the police with all the information they needed. He went to their station, Anthony police station and made a detailed statement.

All of a sudden the statement disappeared and I think they would have started from that point to find out how the statement disappeared. And if you are insisting that the guy did not make a statement, how then did you get to know about his address? Those are the questions to be answered.

Now, he is supposed to be your chief witness and now you are laying all these accusations against him. What are they up to? I think I need to tell you again the details of all that happened so that Nigerians can get a true picture of things.

We are not stupid in Nigeria. A friend of my brother came all the way from England. He came on the eve of the wedding, on a Friday and five days after the wedding, my brother got shot dead. Naturally he has to go back after the wedding,

• The deceased’s elder sister, Mrs Nkechi Nonyelu. Inset: The late Ugochukwu

which was why he came home from England.

“Before travelling he visited his friend that Thursday.

And again, we all know that it is peculiar in Lagos that before you get a cab, you have to get to a nearest junction. So my brother had to take his friend to the nearest junction and they met policemen checking some people’s cars. I think the PPRO would have asked why those policemen were at that junction at that time. And they should have asked police stations account for their bullets on that day.

“My brother and his friend got to the junction that night and saw a car being inspected by the police. Naturally they needed not panic and they went on their own to get a cab for the friend. And the next, one of the policemen accosted them and shot Ugo. Now, the PPRO is asking why did the friend run away and not take his friend to the hospital. But it is not his responsibility to do that. In any civilized society when an incident like that occurs, it is the responsibility of the police to do that.

The DPO himself said he got to the scene of crime and saw Ugo jerking and struggling for life but he did not do anything. And I asked him, DPO you saw my brother still jerking for life what did you do? He couldn’t answer me.

How did you, DPO get there?

He said he got a call. These are things that the police should investigate. I think they should even at this juncture involve the mobile networks.

And if the police are saying that he didn’t make any statement, why did the DPO ask him to drive his friend’s car to the police station?

The car is still there in Anthony police station till now. And in any case, there is a witness who can testify to the fact that Omene wrote a statement that night but I will not reveal his identity now.

The person who was a witness

also gave the address with which the police later used while trying to trace him. And after he wrote the statement, the DPO himself took Omene in his own car to the hospital because he said he needed to be with his friend that night.

And the DPO drove to the hospital that night and met us there and the DPO came with two other armed policemen.

And I was asking Omene to tell us how it all happened and he gave all the details. In the

presence of everyone Omene was pointedly telling the DPO, ‘your men shot my friend.’ He told the DPO in our presence that ‘sir, your men shot my friend.’

The DPO said they couldn’t have been policemen, but Omene said, ‘with due respect sir, I saw them, your men shot my friend.’The DPO was with us in the hospital for more than 30 minutes. I told the DPO that there was still something that was not adding up to me.

I asked the DPO what was so special in my brother that he himself had to come to the hospital that night? Do the DPOs follow all victims to the hospital? He couldn’t answer the questions. He was there for sometime and when my brother was confirmed dead, he found it hard to leave. I also asked the DPO, ‘do you need to take evidence from the car that was smeared with my brother’s blood? But he said there was no need. I wanted to take his details. I asked for his contacts and names but he gave me his phone number, but didn’t give me his name.

He just told me that he was the DPO. So, I am surprised that the PPRO did not look into all these details before she began to make all the statements she was making on air and in the papers.

“So, last Saturday, we got there to get all the documents to do the autopsy and the DPO was asking us about Omene, saying that he should come and make his statement and we were surprised. We told him that he had made his statement. And you told us that you waited for him on Thursday to make his statement and he said okay, can someone get the log in which the records were made. They brought out the log and there was someone’s handwriting there. Now, the question is, whose handwriting was that? Who wrote that

address that the police have?

Anytime they want to find out who did that, the family can bring someone that will testify.

Three days after the incident the police went to Omene’s family house in Lagos and were told that he had travelled back. How did the police get his address if he did not write a statement that Thursday night?”

Asked if Omene would be reacting to the police statement that indicted him, Nonyelu said that: “ I can’t speak for him. But I think where we should start is that the police should bring out the statement he wrote on the Thursday night his friend was killed. The DPO himself confirmed that to us. And I think there are still credible people in the police that would ensure that Anthony police station produces the statement.

Omene is very traumatized now. He hadn’t seen such thing in his life. He was really traumatized up till the time he went back and till now he is .

On learning that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar had waded into the case, Mrs Nonyelu described the intervention as a welcomed development.

She expressed appreciation to the police boss and expressed the hope that the detectives would unmask Ugo’s killers.

... IGP wades in, raises team to unmask killers From Abuja

MOLLY

KILETE, friends and relations of the victim said, “the Force will do everything humanly and he Inspector General of operationally possible to Police (IGP), ensure that the perpetrators of Mohammed Dahiru the crime are unmasked and Abubakar, yesterday, waded eventually brought to book.”

He, however, appealed to into the alleged killing of Mr. Ugochukwu Ozuah by members of the public espepolicemen in Lagos by set- cially those who might have ting up a high-powered inves- witnessed the crime, to come tigative team to unravel the forward with useful informamystery surrounding the tion that could aid the police death of the newly-wed on in tracking the killers and that special dedicated phone lines September, 20.

The team, made up of policemen from the Force CID, Abuja, are to immediately take over the investigation from their counterparts in From IHEANACHO NWOSU Lagos with a mandate to and CHUKS AKUNNA, identify and fish out the Abuja killers of Ozuah, who died he House of exactly five days after his Representatives, yesterwedding. day rejected President Abubakar appealed for calm, patience, understanding Goodluck Jonathan’s request and support from members of to present the 2013 budget the public while efforts are proposal on October 4.

It hinged its decision on the being intensified to track down the people behind the conflict between the criminal act.

President’s date and the time The IGP, while emphasis- frame the lower chamber set ing the readiness of the police for oversight of projects exeto get to the root of the matter, cuted by ministries and agensaid the setting up of the new cies. team to take over the investiPresident Jonathan had on gation had become necessary Tuesday written the two to maintain neutrality, profes- chambers of the National sionalism, speedy and holistic Assembly informing them of dispensation of justice. plans to present the 2013 Abubakar, while commis- budget on October 4. The leterating with the family, ter was read on the floor of the

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would soon be opened in Lagos to enable the public put across their information to the investigating team.

A statement from the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, also advised members of the public with useful information to use the special police email, policemonitor@npf.gov.ng.

The statement made available to Daily Sun, further dispelled rumours making the

rounds, especially on the social media that the IGP, had made a definite statement concerning the incident.

“As a matter of fact, this is the first and the only statement so far made by either the IGP or the Force Headquarters on this subject matter. As the Chief Investigator of the nation, it is not in the character of the IGP to jump into hasty conclusions before initiating investigations.

2013 Budget presentation: Reps too busy to receive Jonathan

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two chambers by the Senate President, David Mark and House Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal.

However, addressing journalists after the plenary yesterday, House spokesman, Mr Zakari Mohammed said the lawmakers would not be available to receive President Jonathan’s budget presentation on October 4.

He said: “We are going on oversight and will not be back until October 9.”

Mohammed had last week said the House would not accept 2013 budget until it was satisfied with the implementation of this year’s budget.

But only last week it accepted the medium term budget sent by the presidency after a

meeting with the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala.

The House is billed to begin oversight of projects on Monday, October 1.

Dismissing insinuation that the House’s decision not to receive President Jonathan on October 4 was in furtherance of the rift between the House and the executive, Zakari said “there is no rift between us.”

He continued: “It is purely on the ground of what I told you.”

On the deportation of some Nigerian women on hajj by the Saudi Arabia authorities, the House spokesman said the issue was being addressed by the two countries.

8 DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

NEWS Dumping of refuse on railway corridors is illegal -LAWMA

By TESSY IGOMU

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he Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has described as illegal, the indiscriminate dumping of waste along railway lines.

According to the Managing Director of the agency, Ola Oresanya: “It is unwholesome for residents to engage in the obnoxious act of dumping refuse along such a sensitive location.” He warned that those caught in the act would be severely dealt with according to the law.

He noted that the state government was desirous of continually combating the menace of waste in Lagos metropolis, adding that LAWMA had called on residents of the state, especially those living along rail-lines to desist from treating the area as a dumping ground.

VICM hosts global leadership summit

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Lagos-based organisation, Vision International Christian Ministries (VICM), would, from today host the annual ‘Global Leadership Summit’ in 14 different centres across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Ekiti States.

Former United States secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, is expected as a Guest Speaker in a video cast to be relayed live from the United States between today and November 20.

VICM National Coordinator, Francis Olubambi, who disclosed this at his organisation’s corporate office situated on Adekunle Fajuyi Road, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, said, Rice would be joined at the summit by Jim Collins, author of the book, ‘Great By Choice,’ as well as Pranitha Timothy, Patrick Lencioni, Carly Fiorina, among other speakers.

Rolling Dollars storms Shasha for Independence Day anniversary

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igh life maestro, Pa Fatai Rolling Dollars is set to storm Shasha, a suburb of Akowonjo, Lagos State on Monday October 1, to celebrate Nigeria independent anniversary.

The event that will take place at Choppers cook, an eatery with African cuisine located on 104, Shasha Road, Akowonjo would feature Rolling Dollars that would play along side Gboro, a Yoruba hip hop artiste. The anniversary celebration would also feature comedy and other side attractions.

According to the Proprietor of the kitchen, Elder Vincent Onuora Iwobi, the event is to let the customers have an all night fun with high life brand of music. He said hip-hop and comedy were brought to let the young ones have a sense of belonging. He said a security arrangement had been put in place to secure the lives of the people that would come.

Church celebrates Founder’s Day

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he Light of Christ Church (Aladura), Lagos branch, will on Sunday September 30 celebrate her 11th year Founder’s Day. Chief Host and the Presiding Pastor of the church, Pastor Sam Oyekanmi, said the church was founded in Ibadan over 51 years ago, and has branches in Abeokuta, Ilesa, Abuja, Akinmorin, and Lagos.

The church also had branches in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and the United States of America.

“The mission of the church to the world is to beam the light of Christ into every home, seek the lost, heal the sick and rescue the perishing not only in Lagos but Nigeria, Africa and the world at large,” says Pastor Oyekanmi.

Bible quiz, special revival, health talks and spirit-filled worship service had been slated as part of the weeklong programme to mark the celebration.

On Sunday, the General Overseer church Rev. Dr. Alice Olufunmilayo Oyekanmi would be ministering, coupled with special gospel music rendition from the church choir and other artistes.

Agege elders endorse ACN chairman

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pressure group, Concerned Agege Elders Forum (CAEF) has endorsed the selection of a businessman, Yaya Lawal as the chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN), Orile Agege division.

Lawal was said to have been selected among other contestants after a meeting attended by politicians in the area last Friday.

The forum also commended the administration of Governor Raji Fashola for tackling the transportation problems in Lagos State.

They also charged the Lagos residents to obey the new traffic law.

•Rev Dr. Kayode Opadeji, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Ikeja, flanked by Chief Solomon O. Dada (left) and Mrs. Eunice Bamidele Dada at the 70th birthday ceremony of Mrs. Dada at Open Arcade, Ogba, Aguda last weekend. Photo: MOSHOOD

512 more female pilgrims deported •Nigeria may boycott hajj

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ive hundred and twelve more female Nigerian pilgrims were deported by the Saudi Arabian authorities last night, as a diplomatic row looms between Nigeria and the Arab country, following the humiliation of many of the female pilgrims to this year’s Hajj.

Nigeria is allegedly threatening not to participate in future hajj in protest.

Federal Government said it would take drastic action should the Saudi Arabian authorities fail to resolve the issue that had resulted in denying the female pilgrims, the right to perform this year’s Hajj.

The 512 flown back to the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano brought to 683 the number of female pilgrims deported for being without male companion (Mahram). They had been detained in Jeddah and Medina alongside others before they were deported to Nigeria.

The new arrivals came in via Max Air. They were mostly from Kano, Jigawa and Katsina States. A few of them were from Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara. They all complained of shabby treatment in Saudi Arabia.

Reacting to the development, which was reported to have affected only Nigerian female pilgrims, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, had summoned the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Khaled Abdrabuh to his office to register Nigeria’s displeasure with the treatment meted out to her pilgrims and issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Saudi authority to resolve the issue. The ultimatum expired today.

On what action government intends to take should the Saudi Arabian authorities

fail to heed Nigeria’s warning, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Umar Sani said it was too sudden as Saudi Arabia still had till today to resolve the issue.

He also expressed the hope that the issue would be resolved amicably.

However, sources in the presidency said the government was not prepared to take the issue lightly.

The sources said government was prepared to go to the extent of boycotting Hajj, if the Saudi Arabian authorities failed to right the wrong done to Nigerian citizens.

Besides, Sambo requested

the Saudi Arabian authorities to apply caution and flexibility to allow the pilgrims undertake their sacred religious duties.

Sani quoted Sambo to have said: “Should the Saudi authorities not desired our pilgrims to perform this year’s Hajj, they should let the country know.”

He said no reasonable and responsible government would sit and fold its arms while its citizens are maltreated.

The vice president, therefore, requested the ambassador to do all within his powers to ensure that the issues were resolved within 24 hours, and the outcome communicated to him.

While explaining the position of his government, Abdrabuh said Nigeria was not being treated in isolation, and that all the countries participating in the Hajj were affected.

He said the issue of Mahram for female pilgrims was not a new policy, but that the Saudi Government decided to be flexible in the past.

He revealed that the ministries of Hajj, Foreign Affairs and Interior and the governor of Mecca were meeting in Riyadh, the country’s capital, with a view to resolving the impasse speedily.

Abdrabuh expressed the hope that the matter would be resolved within 24 hours.

Why Northern govs’re against state police -Aliyu

By NDUBUISI ORJI

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he Governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu yesterday explained why the northern governors are opposed to the idea of a state police. He said the idea had not been properly defined.

Aliyu who is also the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, stated this in Lagos while speaking as Guest Speaker at a lecture organized by the Obafemi Awolowo Institute of Government and Public Policy, Lagos.

Speaking on the topic ‘The search for national security: challenges and prospects,’ the governor said there was need for the issue of state police to be subjected to debates, so that the its duties will be well defined.

“Let us talk and debate it so that the wordings become very clear. If we have state police, what are the guarantees that they will not be abused.

We want to understand what the state police will be doing.

You have to delineate what

they will be doing , so that they don’t become alpha and omega. So that you don’t turn every political thug into a state police,” he stated.

He added that “You cannot have a policeman just wearing uniform. You have to equip them. What are the equipment we have today in terms of our police.”

The governor said it was unfortunate that out of a total number of 371,000 policemen in the country today, over 100,000 are involved in providing security to few business men and politicians to the detriment of the ordinary citizens.

He admitted that Nigeria like every other country inn the world has security challenges. However, he said that does not mean that the country is at the brink of collapse.

Aliyu said Nigerians must see national security as the responsibility of all citizens and not only the responsibility of only the security agencies.

Besides, he stated that there is need for sophistication in handling the security challenges confronting the nation. We need to be sophisticated in

hand in handling our security problems. Globalization has posed a problem to us. We need to be sophisticated in handling our security problem and avoid being sentimental.

The governor attributed the emergence of Boko Haram and ethnic militia groups in the country to “the iniquities of our society.” He said such groups were indications that Nigeria has not gotten it right.

And he posited that as long as issues such poverty, corruption and nepotism which gave rise to them remained unresolved, the groups would continue.

He listed factors militating against national security in the country to include corruption, poverty , indiscipline and the dearth of planning.

Aliyu said those issue must be addressed decisively if the country must make progress in her national security.

According to him, while corruption had become a way of life, annual budgets had become mere routine exercises that did not address the developmental needs of the people.

DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012, 9

SOUTH SOUTH Nigeria to acquire new warship from France

By PHILIP NWOSU

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iscussions have begun between Nigeria and France for the purchase of a new naval Ocean Patrol Vessel (OPV) from that country to assist Nigerian Navy in the policing of her vast coastline.

The discussions, Daily Sun learnt, were the basis of the visit of the French Navy Warship, Gowind “L” Adroit and serious talks centred on the purchase of the vessel had commenced between the Federal Government and its French counterpart.

The Western Naval Command’s Operation Officer, Commodore Henry Babalola, in joint press briefing with the French Navy, said Nigerian Navy was looking at technical cooperation with its French counterpart, adding that both navies had a lot to learn from each other.

He said in the next three weeks Nigerian Navy would be receiving patrol crafts from France, adding that the visit of these foreign navies to Nigeria had impacted on the force positively.

He said: “With these visits, we are gradually finding our ways in the comity of nations and these help us to be aware that we are no longer a pariah state.”

The Commanding Officer of the vessel, Commander Lote Guyot, earlier said the visit of the vessel to Lagos was part of the collaboration efforts between the French and the Nigerian Navy.

Gowind is a family of steel monohull corvettes and offshore patrol vessels developed since 2006 by DCNS to conduct missions in littoral zones such as anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

The Gowind family includes four corvettes with lengths from 85m to 105m and displacement from 1,000t to 2,500t.

Amaechi donates 35 patrol vehicles to security agencies in Rivers

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ivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has donated 35 Hilux security patrol vehicles to security formations in the state.

The security agencies include the police, Joint Task Force (JTF), Air Force, Nigerian Army, the State Security Service (SSS) and the Navy.

Handing over the security patrol vehicles at Government House, Amaechi urged the security agencies to make judicious use of the vehicles to improve and enhance security operations in the state.

Represented by the Chief of Staff of Government House, Chief Tony Okocha, Amaechi expressed confidence that the release of the security patrol vehicles would sustain the existing peace and guarantee lasting security in all parts of the state.

He charged the security operatives to work within the ambit of their legitimate functions and assist the current administration realise its vision for the people of the state.

Responding on behalf of service commanders in the state, the Commander of the 97 Special Operations Group, Air vice Marshall Abbah Zanna, expressed delight over the kind gesture of the governor and Rivers State government.

Zanna said the security patrol vans would be put into proper use to ensure security of lives and property in the state.

He said, “I assure you today, that these security patrol vehicles handed over to us would be used to ensure the security of lives and property in the state, and our men would maintain the trend 24 hours a day.

Edebiri urges FG to resuscitate Ajaokuta steel coy

By SEYE OJO

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resident of the Nigerian Institute of Welding (NIW), Chief Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri, has urged the Federal Government to resuscitate the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company, which is the largest integrated steel complex in black Africa towards achieving the vision 20-20-20.

He made the disclosure at the pre-third ECOWAS welding conference of the institute tagged: ‘The Future of Welding in Nigeria, Industry Perspective,’ held at the Lagoon Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos. The ECOWAS welding conference is expected to hold in Lagos in November this year.

Edebiri, who is also the President of West African Welding Federation (WAWF), said if Ajaokuta Steel Company in Kogi State was revived, it could save the country from losing a sum of $5 billion from welding related equipment and personnel to capital flight every year.

He warned that the vision of Nigeria to become one of the 20 most industrialised nations of the world by 2020 would be a mirage if there was no functioning steel plant in the country. He contended that no other steel plant has such capacity in Nigeria.

When resuscitated, the government must also complement the Ajaokuta Steel with stable power supply because, an effective production could not be done with generators or the price of locally made goods would be higher than the imported ones.

His words: “Ajaokuta Steel must come back to live.

• Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan (right) with some displaced persons, when he visited flood ravaged areas of the state yesterday.

Tribunal dismisses Airhiavbere’s petition against Oshiomhole

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he Edo State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin City yesterday dismissed the petition filed by Major General Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere (retd), challenging the educational qualifications of Edo State Governor, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, describing it as a wide goose chase.

In his ruling, the tribunal Chairman, Suleiman Ambursa, said the petition was a pre-election matter that ought to be dispensed long before the July 14, 2012 governorship election. According to him, after examining the affidavits, counter affidavits and submissions of the counsel for the respondents and petitioner, the tribunal had no jurisdiction on what took place in 2007. The tribunal chairman averred that in line with constitutional provisions, candidates were expected to submit copies of their documents to the Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC), before the election and that the same constitution mandated the electoral body to publish the said documents in order that any other candidate that was not satisfied with the information contained in the said documents could approach the Federal High Court for appropriate interpre-

tation.

“Any person who has any reasonable ground to contest the educational qualification of the first respondent should seek a declaration in the high court,” the tribunal noted.

For failing to follow constitutional provisions, the tribunal described the action of the petitioner as a wild goose

Gov Dickson in UK, woos investors to Bayelsa

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ayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, has in the last couple of weeks since his arrival in the United Kingdom, been holding high level talks with some of Britain’s most influential businessmen and investors, in his bid to kindle their interest in partnering with the state on a number of investment opportunities capable of turning the fortunes of the state around.

Speaking during one of

such meetings held with a group of investors in his private executive suite at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in the heart of London, Governor Dickson told his audience that his administration had carried out a comprehensive review as well as taken concrete steps to put in place the required institutional framework to attract investors to the state.

To start with, he said the issue of insecurity had been adequately dealt with. Hear him: “Gentlemen, I make

Bakassi Peninsula: Seadogs to protest worldwide …Insists on FG lodging appeal for review

By BLAISE UDUNZE

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s the dispute over the ceding of the Bakassi to Cameroon rages, the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) worldwide says it will not fold its hands and watch the opportunity to restore the peninsula slip as the window to appeal closes in 13 days’ time.

Briefing the media in Lagos yesterday, the International President of the association, Capt.

Ide Owodiong-Idemeko insisted that the Federal Government should compel the attorney general of the federation to lodge an appeal for a review of the judgment of the

chase. It, therefore, struck out the petition on the ground that it was a pre-election matter that ought to have been sorted out before the July 14 governorship election.

Meanwhile, the tribunal would deliver ruling today on the motion by the petitioner that the governorship election was marred by irregularities.

International Court of Justice (ICJ) with the sole aim of restoring the Bakassi Peninsula to the status quo ante prior to the said judgement ceding jurisdiction to Cameroon.

Ten years ago, precisely on October 10, 2002, the ICJ delivered judgement on the eight-year legal battle brought before it by Republic of Cameroon in 1994, while Article 61 of the Statute of the ICJ, partly states: “No application for revision will be made after lapse of 10 years from the date of the judgment.”

Briefing the media yesterday, NAS international president stated that the association would not fold its hands

and watch such opportunity slip through as the window to appeal would close in 13 days time.

According to him, come Saturday, September 29, the association, also known as Pyrates’ Confraternity would embark on a peaceful advocacy and awareness march in all cities across the world to draw attention to the plight of the indigenous people of Bakassi.

According to him, the association was not asking Federal Government to act irresponsibly by reneging on its agreement to hand over Bakassi but strongly urging to do the needful by seeking a review of the ICJ ruling based on fresh facts now coming to fore.

bold to say to you that Bayelsa today is one of the most peaceful and secured states in Nigeria. We have achieved this given the huge investment we have made in the area of security since we assumed office barely six months ago.

“Mind you, we are even doing more because of the seriousness we attach to the security of not only the lives of our investors, but also to their investments. That is why today in Bayelsa, all the multinational companies that abandoned the state at one time, are all back and they are on ground as we speak, working.”

Governor Dickson further stated that one of the reasons why he decided to embark on the trip was to afford him the opportunity to personally relate with the investors and to assure them that Bayelsa State was ready to welcome genuine investors and investments in an atmosphere so convivial.

He further stressed that aside from the personal guarantees and assurances that he was giving to them, the state was willing to go a step further to take out insurance policy on every foreign investor who had shown or expressed genuine commitment to invest in Bayelsa.

10 DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

SOUTH EAST Abia council workers call for LG boss sack From CHUKS ONUOHA, Umuahia

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ivil servants from Bende Local Government Area of Abia State have called for the immediate sack of the Transition Committee Chairman of the Council, Ikerionwu Okarime, alleging that he has not paid workers salaries since April this year.

The workers, who came to Government House, Umuahia in a peaceful protest were asking the state Governor, Chief Theodore Orji to remove Okarime, accusing him of not working in tandem with the state government.

They also alleged that the chairman was sitting on their salaries to earn huge interests from the bank where the money was lodged.

They alleged further that some of those captured by the biometric data exercise were not paid their salaries too, adding that only a few people receive salaries every month end, despite the directive by government that they be paid.

Gabriel Ukpai, who spoke on behalf of the workers, said they were not against government’s policy of biometric staff auditing, but complained that the council chairman was hiding behind the policy to deny workers of their legitimate salaries.

Daily Sun gathered that the workers had recently dropped a coffin in front of the chairman’s office.

Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Ike Onyenweaku, who addressed the workers urged them to remain calm, assuring that government would look into their matter, saying Governor Orji had demonstrated his love for workers and would not condone anything that would inflict suffering on the council workers.

Ebonyi ACN chairman condemns Tinubu, Akande leadership style

•L–R: Enugu State acting Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Amaechi Okolo and DFID Regional Coordinator, Mrs. Olachi Ronnie, at the Enugu State 2012 budget assessment retreat yesterday. Photo: NAN

17 injured as thugs, police invade Onitsha market

From GODDY OSUJI, Abakaliki

From EMMANUEL UZOR, Onitsha

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bonyi State Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Elder Sam Igwe yesterday condemned the way and manner in which the party was being run by the leader of the party and former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande describing it as dictatorial.

The chairman in a press briefing in Abakaliki also condemned the manner the party’s presidential candidate in 2011 election, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu was forced to leave the party.

Igwe at the briefing also announced the sacking of Mr. Adol Awam and his wife from the party for anti-party activities, describing his activities as a disgrace to the party and assured that Ebonyi State would join other state chapters when they meet in Abuja to take decisive measures that would move the party forward.

He said he had done his best in repositioning the party in the state. He made it clear to Nigerians that, Awam and his wife and others he did not name had long been expelled from Action Congress of Nigeria, just as he declared that the party had disowned Senator Ucha and his co-travelers, who were hanging on the party with the intention to destroy it and asked the security agencies to monitor his activities in connivance with Awam before they turn the state into their desired war zone.

The chairman extolled the giant strides of Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State, as his activities to develop the state were there to speak for him. He charged the governor to involve the opposition in labour towards moving the state forward.

Igwe Obosi assures on security From ALOYSIUS ATTAH, Onitsha

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he traditional ruler of Obosi Kingdom, Anambra State, HRM, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, has assured tourists, natives and friends of Obosi town of adequate security during this year’s Ofala Festival.

Eze Iweka 111disclosed this in his palace in a chat with newsmen on the preparations for his maiden Ofala Festival slated between October 13 and 20, 2012.

In an address by the Chairman, Organising Committee, Chinedum Nwogem flanked by Arinze Okanmelu, he said the essence of the Ofala celebration was to showcase the rich culture and tradition of the Obosi people and for the people to also pay homage to the traditional ruler.

The week-long activity would feature varieties like planting of the unity tree, Ikpo Onunu, Obiora festival, masquerade display, Ofala dinner, lecture and award night culminating in a grand ceremony of the Ofala festival.

Renowned Academia, Professor Emeka Ezeonu and Dr. Ndi Onuekwusi would be the guest lecturers.

According to the traditional ruler, his kingship was determined to bring back the old glory of the Obosi people, physically, socially and spiritually. He said the basic tenets of the Obosi culture would be preserved while the current trends in the prevailing world traditional institutions should also be adopted in the town.

o fewer than 17 persons suffered injuries when thugs suspected to be loyal to the embattled chairman of Grain Seed Dealers’ Association, OseOkwodu branch, Chief Godwin Okonkwo and police from the Awada Divisional police station invaded the new site of the market along Enugu-Awka Expressway in the commercial city of Onitsha.

According to an eyewitness, Emeka Iyonu, the incident took place at about 10:00 a.m yesterday when the traders who had secured their allocation form from the Building committee led by Mr. Cyprian Ohaekwe for the new market stalls at the new Grain Seed market, located at the Expressway were stopped by armed policemen and local vigilance group from gaining access into their shops.

Mr. Iyonu further disclosed that during the impasse, the embattled chairman ordered his thugs to invade the market and break into the shops of the allotees, while the security operatives watched, adding that during the impasse, over 17 persons who tried to resist the attempt received machete cuts on their heads.

Speaking on the issue, the Chairman of the Building Committee, Mr. Cyprian Ohaekwe said policemen led by the DPO, Awada Police Station, Mr. Emeka Ugwu and a group of local vigilance group stormed the market in the early hours of the day and supervised the brutality and breaking of the traders’ shops by thugs suspected to be hired

by Chief Godwin Okonkwo.

“We have been in court over this issue because, when the market at Ose was fast overgrowing, we decided to expand and we made it clear to anyone that would want to

get shop there to indicate and some people complied and we started building the shops and allocated them to the owners, but on that day, the DPO, accompanied by Chief Okwudili Ezenwanwo and Chief Godwin Okonkwo invaded the market with thugs and broke into our shops, overtook the entire market and brutalized our members” Mr. Ohaekwe flanked by the Secretary, Board of Trustees, (BoT} of the Grain Seed Dealers’ Association, Mr. Ogadimma Emmanuel disclosed that the crux of the impasse in the market was that Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo who was the Chairman, South East Market Amalgamated Traders’ Association allegedly requested that 10 shops be allocated to him with N5 million cash before he would allow the market to stand.

“The problem started

when one Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo said unless we allocate 10 shops to him and give him N5 million, that the market would not stand and as it stands today, he is the Chairman of AMATAS and he has great influence in the markets, so he personally supervised the brutality on the traders that day and even asked the DPO to arrest any of us, as we are talking now, we are in the hiding.”

The traders also accused the Anambra State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Robert Okonkwo of having interest in the stall, adding: “We told him that the shops were allocated to those who paid for it and it was their money that we used in building the shops, it was not built with union money” Reacting to the allegations, Chief Ezenwankwo said the state government had earlier dissolved the committee and

reconstituted allocation committee, adding that the building committee was merely constituted to build the market and hand over to the market leadership.

“They are criminals, they want to corner the entire market in their name, they were constituted by the market executive to handle the building of the market and now they want to claim the market as their own and as I am talking to you, allocation committee has been set up in accordance with the state government directives,” he said.

When contacted, the DPO, Awada Police Station, Mr. Emeka Ugwu brandished a document from the office of the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Robert Okonwko, empowering him to supervise the reopening of the market in a letter dated 14th September.

Ojukwu’s siblings commit abomination by giving Bianca quit notice -Okwuosa From GEOFFREY ANYANWU, Awka

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he feud in Ojukwu’s family over property took another dimension yesterday with a top confidant of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Sir Hon. Azuka Okwuosa, accusing Ikemba’s siblings of committing abomination by giving his widow quit notice from the late husband’s residence less than a year after his demise.

Okwuosa who is an exchairman of Nnewi North Local Government Area told newsmen in Awka that by their actions, Ikemba’s siblings, especially his nephew, Dr. Ike Ojukwu have shown an inconsequential quest for materialism, which their late brother was not known for.

He wondered why they were so much in a hurry to go after the five property in the custody of Ikemba out of over 38 scattered all over Lagos, Port Harcourt and Onitsha, stressing that they should have exercised patience and wait for Ikemba’s will to be read.

The former commissioner for Works and Transport stressed that by asking their brother’s widow, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu to quit the 29 Queens Drive, Ikoyi, when she was still mourning her husband was a taboo in Igboland and warned them to retrace their steps or incur the wrath of the land.

Okwuosa who was reacting to recent interviews by Dr. Ojukwu said for insulting his uncle’s widow, Bianca, Dr. Ojukwu had shown that he never even had any respect for

the late Ikemba.

He said Dr. Ojukwu being a member of the third generation in the family had no right to speak about the said property of Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, when his (Dr. Ike) father, Professor Joseph Ojukwu and Ikemba’s wife were alive.

The Ikemba’s confidant and associate said: “I found it nauseating, what the young man is trying to do is to tarnish the name of the family and the reputation Ikemba built for many years. We expect the elders from both family and community to call him to order, he should watch his utterances, we do not oppose to having issues in the family, but where I will take exception is when Ojukwu’s name is being rubbished.

DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012, 11

SOUTH WEST

Oyo to procure 100 mass transit buses

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he Oyo State Government has approved arrangements for the procurement of 100 mass transit buses to ease transportation problem in the state at the cost of N1,744,800,000.

A statement issued in Ibadan yesterday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said the vehicles are Daewoo-model 43-seater buses to be purchased from Korea.

He said the 100 units of 43-seater buses – Daewoo BF106 – sum included the cost of the project administration, spare parts and the stay of Korean expatriates in the country for one year.

The statement also said the state government insisted on bringing the Korean expatriates to train the state’s technicians to increase the workers in the employment of the government’s technical know-how.

According to Adedayo, the buses would be supplied in three phases of 30, 30, 40, with the first batch arriving the state in November 2012.

He explained that the project would also include training, support, design, implementation and maintenance of the project to enable the state derive maximum value from it.

The governor’s spokesman said a workshop would be constructed and maintained by the firm for one year during which technicians and engineers of the state-owned Trans City Transport Company (TCTC) would be trained on the handling and maintenance of the buses, while the vehicles parts would be supplied by the Korean company.

Adedayo, who said some of the technicians and engineers of the state government who would work on the vehicles would also be trained in Korea, added that the procurement of the buses was part of government’s comprehensive transport policy for the state.

He said the other aspect of the policy would involve procurement of 18-seater mini-buses and taxi cabs aimed at removing some of the rickety vehicles currently being used for commercial purposes in the state.

Amosun decries prison congestion

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gun State Government is ready to assist in the relocation of the Federal Prisons, Ibara to Oba Prisons to reduce congestion and create a better environment for the inmates.

The state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, gave the assurance yesterday while receiving the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, in his office in Abeokuta.

Amosun, who described prisons as centres of reformation, decried the current state of congestion, saying over 80 percent of the inmates were awaiting trial.

“You have many inmates that have spent between five and 10 years awaiting trial. Some of the offences for which they languish in prisons will not even attract more than a two-year sentence upon conviction. This is no longer tolerable,” he said.

The governor therefore called for speedy dispensation of justice to reduce congestion as “justice delayed is justice denied.”

He said his administration was ready to assist in ensuring a better living condition for the inmates, even as he had plans to work with the judiciary to reduce congestion in the state’s prisons.

“During my birthday anniversary, I made personal donation for beddings and cash gifts to assist in ameliorating the appalling conditions of those inmates in the prisons that I visited. But we all need to do more to make the prisons achieve the aim of reformation,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the Interior Minister, Moro, said he was in Ogun to seek collaboration of the state government in ensuring a more efficient service delivery by all agencies under the ministry, especially the need to upgrade prisons infrastructure in the state.

He explained that population increase had overwhelmed the prisons with delayed justice system worsening the situation.

Moro also disclosed that plans were underway to ensure resuscitation and reorganisation of the Federal Fire Service to make it more efficient in response to emergencies.

He lauded Amosun’s efforts at transforming the state, especially his masses-oriented programmes.

L-R: Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun and Zonal Coordinator, Nigeria Prison Service, Mr. A. A. Bunu during a courtesy visit by the minister to the governor’s office in Abeokuta yesterday.

Grandma caught with cocaine in syrup bottles

By UCHE USIM

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nti-narcotic officials at the Lagos Airport were stunned on Wednesday when they caught a 65-year-old grandmother with 1.74kg cocaine well concealed in herbal syrup for onward “export” to London.

According to the dreaded officials, the suspect, Hassan Fatima Abike, packed the drugs in balloons and inserted in 10 plastic containers of herbal syrup. Abike, also known as Chika Okoye was to board a British Airways flight when officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested her.

The Airport Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the suspect had two international passports that bore Hassan Fatimat Abike. Her passport numbers are A03348648 and A3771781A. “She was caught during the screening of British Airways passengers to London. The cocaine found in her possession was packed in balloons and prepared into the shape of the plastic bottles. It was also

wrapped in black polythene inside 10 plastic bottles of local herbal mixtures. Each bottle was neatly sealed to avoid suspicion,” Hamza explained.

Preliminary investigation revealed that she is also known as Chika Okoye. She speaks Ibo and Yoruba fluently. Her father is a native of Abeokuta while her mother hails from Owerri, Imo State. Hassan Fatimat Abike also known as Chika Okoye has six children and many grandchildren. She currently lives alone in Owerri and sells clothes to earn a living. The drug found in her bag

tested positive for cocaine and weighed 1.74kg.

In her statement, she claimed ownership of the drug stating that it was given to her by a friend. “I live at Owerri alone because my children are grown up and now have their families.

I sell clothes to take care of myself. I met an old friend two weeks ago and during our discussion, I told him I will soon be traveling to London. He asked me to deliver some herbal medicine to his sick relative in London. I was only trying to assist an old friend. I blame myself for everything

Anxiety in Osun over proposed LG councils Already there are 30 local From BAMIGBOLA GBO- ation of local government reportedly stormed the state government areas and one area LAGUNTE, Osogbo

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nxiety mounted in most parts of Osun State yesterday following the resolution of the state government to create additional 27 local government areas and two area offices in the state.

Representatives of most of the communities that had submitted memorandum for cre-

government secretariat to ascertain the fortune or otherwise of their communities.

It was gathered that traditional rulers and other community heads from across the 30 local government areas of the state were anxious of knowing the various communities that would benefit from the state government decision.

Aregbesola appoints 29 new perm secs From BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, Osogbo

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sun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has approved the appointment of 29 new permanent secretaries in the state.

According to a statement issued by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy in the office of the governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the new head of service (HOS) for the state would emerge through an electoral process where civil servants from Grade Level 14 and

because I should have turned down his request. The drug was detected during search at the airport,” she stated.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade said the agency was investigating her claim. “The case is under investigation to ascertain her role. This is very worrisome considering the fact that she is a grandmother,” Giade stated. He urged members of the public to be vigilant because drug barons were desperate to smuggle drugs and were prepared to use anybody. The suspect will soon be charged to court.

above would elect three of the newly approved permanent secretaries for the governor to select one of them as the HOS. Okanlawon gave the names of the new Permanent Secretaries as: Owoeye Olayinka, Akinyemi Obafemi, Oluwadamilare Oyeleke, Adewunmi Adelowo, Adegoke Kayode, Aina Ayanleye, Olajide Festus, Adesina Olajide, Aduroja Richards, Adeagbo Nurudeen, Kolawole Adesina, Olorunsogo Olusegun, OJo Adewale and Fawole Olufemi.

Others are Ajayi O., Dr.

Adeyinka Eso, Dr. Oladele Olalekan, Adewemimo Abiola, Oyeniran Bamidele, Odediran Soladoye, Olaluwoye Dayo, Olayode S., Oyeniran Oyelade, Olayinka M. O., Bello Olajumoke (Mrs.) and Kolawole Olufunke.

For the local government service, the new permanent secretaries are Agbedaunsi Abimbola, Afolabi Aliu and Dr. Oyebola Festus, while those of the teaching service are Buari Kola, Adisa Olabamiji and Dr. Obisesan Tunbosun.

office in the state and the state Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbeosla, had declared the readiness of his administration to create new local government areas, hence the setting up of the Local Government Creation Committee (LGCC) headed by Prof. Mojeed Alabi, a professor of Political Science.

The committee in its recommendation presented to Aregbesola on Wednesday recommended the creation of additional local government areas across the three senatorial districts in the state.

It was also learnt that politicians, especially those of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) extraction were making efforts to ensure that their communities benefit from the new local government creation.

However, the state government has not revealed the councils that would be divided and the new ones that would be created but it was gathered that new wards would be created in all the local government areas in the state.

12 DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

ONDO GUBER POLL COUNTDOWN Ondo students back Mimiko for second term

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he National Association of Ondo State Students, (NAOSS) has lent its voice to the second term bid of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, describing his three and half years regime as that of achievements and innovations.

Speaking yesterday in Akure, the President of the body, Mr. Victor Oguntoyinbo explained that from available records, the regime of the incumbent governor had brought about drastic reduction in fees being paid in state-owned tertiary institutions compared with other states in the South-West.

According to him, the effort of the present administration in empowering past student leaders could not be wished away just like that and that the only thing that the students could do to appreciate the governor was to vote en masse for him during the October 20 election.

“The whole world must hear that Dr Mimiko has employed over 30 past leaders into the state civil service and for this we shall remain grateful to him, adding that the votes of the students were for freedom, peace and development.

The students’leader pointed out that during the tenure of the governor, over 20 mega primary schools, provision of science laboratories in over 50 secondary schools, appointment of nine Tutors’ General, resumption of construction work at the site of the state University of Science and Technology at Okitipupa were accomplished.

“As students, we most often times feel agitated when bad leaders or policies and programmes are formulated by our leaders because we are always at the receiving end, he said.

We form the bulk of the majority of the population that is at the receiving end of decision or indecision of the political class,” he added.

Oguntoyinbo appealed to politicians not to truncate the prevailing peace in the state just for their selfish goals stressing that selfish leaders would not be allowed to hijack the leadership of the state no matter their financial strength and power.

Mimiko, LP accused of sponsoring Bakasi boys in Ondo

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he Akeredolu Campaign Organization (ACO) has raised the alarm that the ruling Labour Party in Ondo State had mapped out plans to connive with security agents to destabilize the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) by arresting notable leaders of the party across the state.

Besides, the ACO also accused the LP national Chairman, Dan Nwanyawu of mobilizing Bakassi boys to unleash violence on the leaders of ACN. A release signed by the ACO media and strategy, Idowu Ajanaku berated some security chiefs in the state of compromising with the ruling Labour party and governor Mimiko ACO said “indeed, meetings were held with some security agents who arrived in the state almost two weeks ago to perfect the plan to effect the arrest. Prominent leaders of the ACN listed for such arrest and intimidation include Chief Nathaniel Adesoji, the State Chairman of ACN, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, Chief Tayo Alasoadura, Director-General of ACO, Chief Wumi Adegboro, Chief Olu Adegboro, Olu Adeyan, ACN leader from the USA, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, Mr. Adegboyega Adedipe, State Secretary of ACN, Mr. Femi Johnson, Mr. Timehin Adelegbe, Mrs Erelu Johnson, state woman leader amongst others. It is such that our leaders can no longer sleep in their houses.”

2015: Jonathan’ll dictate the tempo

By CHIDI OBINECHE

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lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the Usman Dan Fodio University Sokoto. Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, has observed that the 2015 presidential elections in the country would revolve around the ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan. It would also impact on the security of the nation and its political cohesion.

Baba - Ahmed made the declarations in a keynote address he delivered at the electoral workshop for political parties in Ondo State organized by the Office of the Special adviser to the president on Inter party Matters at Akure.

According to the visiting reader, “the political ambition of President Jonathan would have a major influence on the build - up to the election, and the environment in which the elections, themselves would be conducted. If he decides to run, there is likely to be massive turbulence within his own party, and in the wider political environment.

If he chooses to run, there is likely to be massive turbulence within his own party, and in the wider political environment, if he chooses not to run all possible scenarios will involve extensive maneuvers as various regions and groups seek to capture the presidency.

Either way, the 2015 election would have a direct or even decisive influence on the security of the nation, its political cohesion and the manner current maneuvers on our political structures play out; as well as matters relating to the management of the economy.

L-R: Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Olori Ibiwumi Momoh and the Olukare of Ikare, Oba Akadiri Momoh, during a courtesy call by Dr Mimiko to the Olukare as part of his campaign tour of Akoko North East yesterday.

Sambo to kick off PDP campaign in Ondo Stories from RAHEEM, Akure

TUNDE governor. At that period, every ward was a recipient of various developmental projice President Namadi ects that were of direct releSambo will on Tuesday, vance to the lives of the people October 2, lead other national officers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Ondo State to flag off the campaign of the party’s guberhe Mimiko Campaign natorial candidate, Olusola Organisation (MCO) yesOke terday said that the unfaThe Director-General of vorable security reports Olusola Oke Campaign necessitated the absence of Organisation, Dr. Dare Bada the State Deputy Governor, who made this known while Alhaji Ali Olanusi from the addressing newsmen in Akure live debate organised by the yesterday, stated that the pur- Nigerian Election Debate pose of the rally was to show- Group, (NEDG) by the case the readiness of the party Election Debate Group in winning the forthcoming A press release issued by election in the state MCO’s Director of Publicity Other notable leaders and Media Relations, Mr expected at the rally include Kolawole Olabisi stated that former President Olusegun the deputy governor did not Obasanjo, Senate President deliberately shun the debate David Mark, National for deputy governorship canChairman of the Party, didates but was prevailed Bamanga Tukur, Speaker of upon by unfavourable securiHouse of Representatives, ty reports which pointed to the Aminu Tambuwal, PDP gov- fact that the opposition had ernors and other dignitaries planned to unleash violence from across the nation. on him.

Bada said the party’s “We have since been justinational leaders would use the fied by the high-level of indeoccasion to inform the people cency, foul languages and of the state that they were not brazen hooliganism displayed supporting other governorship by supporters of the opposicandidate than Oke in the tion at the venue.

October 20, poll.

“Indeed, it was sad that for He said “it was important to this display of lack of decounderscore the fact that puerile rum from a people whose specifications to the effect that stock in trade are attacks and a particular party was an bare-faced lies, Ondo State appendage of the PDP and earned a public excoriation enjoys Abuja’s support was all from the Chairman of the ruse and unclever manner to hoodwink and confuse the Group, Aremo Taiwo Alimi who publicly condemned good people of the state” He disclosed that the cam- what he termed as highest paign team of Olusola Oke level of indiscipline and hoolihad visited all the 203 wards ganism displayed at the in the state, saying the outing debate by members of the was successful and hitch-free opposition.

“Indeed, he had stated that saying, political pedigree of former governor Agagu added the development was the worst exercise they had had credibility to the rally.

“This is because of the pedi- since the group started the gree of Olusegun Agagu was debate in 1999. Alimi had called on security agencies to

V

as attention was given to boost infrastructural base across the state “This is an achievement that today positions the PDP in

the heart of the people particularly when they do comparative analysis of Agagu administration and the current administration in the state.”

Why dep gov shunned debate –LP

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watch out during the election, given the terrible occurrence.

“The LP was aware of such plans and that was why our deputy Gov did not turn up and not for any other reasons as the opposition tried to adduce all in their desperation to get at us.”

While assuring that the LP was ever-ready to give accounts of its stewardship to the people of the state which it was already doing by embark-

ing on vigorous campaign exercises to the electorate all over the state, it called on security agencies in the state to be abreast of events, arrest those who have in the last few months brought an unprecedented level of violence and brigandage on the people, saying that Ondo State was peaceful before they imported their do-or-die syndrome into the state.

…He’s weak, inadequate –ACN

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he Independent Campaign Network, ICN, an arm of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said that the absence of Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Alli Olanusi from AIT live telecast of the Ondo State gubernatorial debate exposed the inadequacies and weakness of the Labour Party, LP, in the forth-coming election in the state.

ICN argued that the deputy governor deliberately absented himself from the debate with the intention to avoid intimidations and harassments of other political parties’ candidates who were more intelligent, articulate and vibrant .

In a released issued by Mr. Bosun Oladimeji, the Director of Strategy & Communication Bureau of the Independent Campaign Network said the party was not surprised that Olanusi, a veteran politician who had been active in the last two decades admitted during his last birthday that his regret on

earth is that he didn’t have a formal education apart from political education he received through his involvement in politics.

“The Bureau averred: “Viewing the AIT telecast on Ondo State guber debate which Ali Olanusi refused to attend is a clear testimony that Governor Rahman Olusegun Mimiko has only handpicked a second fiddle for the revered position of deputy governor of Ondo State for the fact that he believed in mediocre whom he can toss about and even underplay.”

“Ondo State people should know that there is no government in power but only Mimiko that is in power. That is why you see Mimiko sacking qualified advisers and replacing them with mere back street photographer” “For Olanusi to have absented himself from a very serious event like this has clearly shown that Mimiko and his LP cohorts have nothing to offer the state.

DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012, 13

AREWA Middle Belt youths demand separate geo-political zone

By SAM OTTI

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he United Middle Belt Youth Congress (UMBYC), comprising of over 144 ethnic nationalities in the old Middle Belt Region, has called for a constitutional amendment that would expunge the area from the North Central geo-political zone.

The group said it would also mobilise its people against the illegal transfer of the oil wells in Ibaji land to Anambra State, describing the counter claims of the oil wells as a prelude to avoidable crisis.

The President-General of the association, Abuka Onalo Omababa and representatives of the ethnic groups in the area expressed these agitations yesterday during a joint press briefing in Lagos. Also present at the event were the SecretaryGeneral of the association, Justice Lohshep Madugu, Samuel Sadiku, Shaibu Halidu Abalaka and other principal officers.

Omababa argued that the merger of the old Middle Belt Region with the North was a political misadventure that needed to be urgently reversed by the National Assembly. He said the struggle for a separate and distinct identity for the Middle Belt people could no longer be suppressed, especially with the age-long marginalisation meted out to the people of the region.

Speaking further on the Ibaji oil wells, he said: “The government of Anambra State cashed in on the long period of neglect of this people by the Kogi State Government and surreptitiously approached the Federal Government, claiming to own that part of Ibaji land which contains the oil wells, with the subsequent recognition of Anambra State as an oil producing state by the Federal Government.”

The president-general said the congress would mobilize Ibaji youths and the entire people of the Middle Belt to keep vigilance over their rightful inheritance and ward off any encroachment on their land. He also kicked against the Cattle Grazing Bill currently on the floor of the National Assembly, saying: “Our predominant occupation in the Middle Belt Region is farming. We are the food basket of the nation and any attempt by the cattle rearers to take over our farmlands for the purpose of cattle grazing by force using the National Assembly will be a total declaration of war on the Middle Belt people.”

•Some of the materials used for Improvised Explosive Devices on display at a bomb factory discovered by the police in Kano.

Boko Haram kingpins surrender to JTF From DAVID MOLOMO

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ing from spirited stakeholders in the Mubi metropolis that have offered to give useful and reliable information to the task force.

When Daily Sun contacted the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP, Mohammed Ibrahim, he confirmed that a number of IEDs had been recovered by the force but could not ascertain the number and the number of suspects that had voluntary

surrendered to the JTF. Investigation made by Daily Sun indicated that as the suspects were dislodged in Maiduguri and Biu in Borno State, because of the military might of JTF, a number of Boko Haram suspects ran to Mubi in Adamawa, a neighbouring state, to establish themselves and established relationship with the unsuspecting natives of the commu-

From EMMANUEL ADEYEMI, Lokoja

ingpins of the Boko Haram sect have surrendered themselves to the Joint Task Force (JTF) and more Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were recovered yesterday by JTF in some strategic locations in Mubi metropolis.

Sources close to the JTF told Daily Sun that they opted to surrender because of the apparent military strength of JTF, coupled with the unraveling of their hideouts within the Mubi metropolis in the recent time, as well as the support of the people of Mubi.

Impeccable sources closed to the JTF at the Military Base in Mubi also told Daily Sun that a number of the suspects of the Boko Haram members have voluntarily submitted themselves to the JTF and have made confessional statements, leading to the arrest of more of the suspected Boko Haram kingpins in the area.

The reliable sources said, following a tip-off combined with the efforts of men of the State Security Services, Military Intelligence and the police, who constitute the JTF, the force had recovered more than hundred improvised explosive devices recovered from the suspects, following the regular house-to-house search and intelligent gather-

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Birthday scam: Tukur denies N1bn largese from PDP govs

Kebbi to build own airport with N13.65bn From AYO AJOGE, Kebbi

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ebbi State Government is to spend the sum of N13.65 billion to develop her own airport to accommodate bigger aircraft and cargo towards airlifting pilgrims of the state origins to Saudi Arabia for Hajj operations next year.

Disclosing this to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi shortly after their state executive meeting, the state Commissioner for Information and Culture, Muhammad Kangiwa stated that further development of the airport would include the expansion of the runway, construction of the control tower and the construction of the airport terminal building, which contract had been awarded to the Chinese Construction Company (CCC) at a cost of N11.3 billion.

Kangiwa stated further that the expansion of the airport situated at Ambursa Village on the outskirts of Birnin Kebbi was to include provision of Navigational Aids Communication and Metrological Equipment at the cost of N1.074 Billion, awarded to Avsatel Communication Ltd. and the provision of air field lighting system and power supply at the cost of N1.331 billion awarded to General Engineering Company Ground Lighting Ltd.

‘Navy combat ready to fight terrorism in Kogi’ he Nigerian Navy has said it was combat ready to wipe the upsurge of maritime crimes along the coastal communities and to fight terrorism in Kogi State The Flag Commanding Officer of the Central Naval Command, Vice Admiral Johnson Omoniyi Olutoye made this declaration while paying a courtesy call on Governor Wada Idris at the Government House, Lokoja yesterday.

The Naval boss said there was no other security organisation that has the capacity to fight maritime crimes in Nigeria than the Navy, stressing that his men are on 24-hour patrol to curb crimes on the water way While assuring the government and people of Kogi State to collaborate with other security agencies to fight terrorism in the state, Olutoye added that his men were specially trained to combat any crime in the world.

He told the governor that he was in the state on assessment tour of the newly established Lugard Naval Unit of the command Olutoye stressed that the Central Naval Command with headquarter in Brass was recently established as a response to the disturbing security challenges in the country.

From TAIWO AMODU, Abuja

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ational Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has denied financial inducement from PDP governors.

Few days after his elaborate biography presentation, ‘The Global Villager,’ which was held at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja to commemorate his 77th

nity and its environs. But following the discovery of their hideouts in Mubi and retrieval of IEDs and other sophisticated weapons, a number of the suspects voluntarily submitted themselves to JTF. Reports also had it that no fewer than 11 suspected kingpins had to voluntarily surrender themselves at the military base in Mubi, as at the time of filing this report yesterday.

Police discover another bomb factory in Kano From DESMOND MGBOH, Kano

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ano State Police Command has discovered a bomb making factory at Hotoro Haye quarters in the state capital.

A number of suspects might have been taken into custody in respect of the discovery, said a security source in the state .

Addressing the press at the

factory location, Kano State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Ibrahim K. Idris displayed the items recovered, which include 2 AK47 rifle, two pistols, two bags of TNT, Ready made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Remote controled Bombs, gas cylinders, and a welding machine, Other items displayed include: one Tiger Generator, one Lister Generator, three vehicles, 90 rounds of live ammunition, drilling machine,

100 detonator head, Pyrotechnics’ and some welding equipment. Two suspects were arrested at the factory.

The commissioner appreciated the timely information from the members of the community and urged them to continue to work with security operatives in the state to defeat the present security challenge.

The commissioner of police said investigations were ongoing into the matter.

Benue varsity student detained over same sex practice From ROSE EJEMBI, Makurdi

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300-level Accounting student of the Benue State University (BSU), Ortyom Dyorugh has been arraigned before a Makurdi

birthday, an online news service had reported that Murtala Nyako, Danbaba Suntai, Isa Yuguda and Ibrahim Dankwabo, governors of Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe states, respectively, donated N250 million each, to offset the cost of Tukur’s birthday and launch of his biography.

But denying the media report yesterday, Special Assistant on Media Matters to the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Ujudud Shariff, in a

Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly indulging in same sex with a seven-year-old boy, name withheld. The accused, Dyorugh, 20, who was arraigned for alleged gross indecency was said to have forced the boy to commit the

statement, dismissed the report.

“Dr. Bamanga Tukur had never, at any time, requested or solicited for monetary donations for the launch of the book, whether from any state government, public officer or any private individual.

“All donations were voluntarily made by friends and associates of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur whose family arranged and fully sponsored his 77th birthday celebration and the book launch, he said.

act with him at the Judges Quarters Area of Makurdi, where they both reside.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the accused took the boy to an uncompleted building within the vicinity of the quarters, where he forced him into sucking his manhood and threatened to kill him if he refused.

When the case came up, prosecution Sergeant, Patrick Sunday, told the court that the alleged sucking of Dyorugh’s genital resulted in the release of sperm into the boy’s mouth on three different occasions, during which he reiterated his threat to kill him if he revealed the unholy act to anybody.

It was gathered that as time went on, the boy, who could no longer stomach the ugly development had to open up to his parents.

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DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

Foreign Affairs Nigerian environmental activist wins human rights prize

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he Rafto Prize, a Norwegian human rights award, was awarded to Nigerian environmentalist Nnimmo Bassey yesterday for his campaigning on behalf of victims of climate change and environmental damage.

“Nnimmo Bassey links human rights to the climate by demonstrating how climate change has the greatest effect on the world’s most vulnerable people, the very people who have contributed least to the problem in the first place,” the Rafto Foundation said.

Heading up several environmental organisations, 54-yearold Bassey has been a vocal champion of the rights of people in the Niger Delta, a region heavily polluted by oil production. Life expectancy in the area is only 41 years, compared with 48 years in the rest of Nigeria, which is Africa’s biggest oil producer, the foundation noted.

“By awarding its annual prize to Nnimmo Bassey, the Rafto Foundation underlines how the challenges we face regarding climate and the environment also have a human rights aspect,” the foundation said. Bassey told AFP in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital, that the award was important because it stressed the link between environmental rights and human rights.

He pointed to the example of impoverished Niger Delta residents who live amongst gas flaring and polluted waters that used to be fishing grounds. Bassey’s group Environmental Rights Action has been the most prominent tracking pollution in the delta recently, issuing detailed reports when spills are reported and pressuring the govern-

Protesters attack Iranian diplomat in New York

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ran blamed yesterday “a terrorist sect” for accosting a senior Iranian diplomat in New York and condemned the United States for deciding to remove the group, the Mujahadin-e Khalq (MEK), from a U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations.

New York police said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was verbally abused, pushed and shoved by “anti-regime” protesters on the street as he walked a few blocks from the headquarters of the United Nations on Wednesday.

He became separated from members of his party traveling by car in a protected motorcade on Wednesday, New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday.

Iranian officials said the incident took place during a protest against Iran’s government organized by the Iranian dissident group MEK. The protest was near the U.N. headquarters in Manhattan. The United States said last week the MEK would be removed from its list of foreign terrorist organizations.

Mehmanparast himself on Wednesday had condemned the U.S. move on the MEK. “There was an attack by MEK sect members on Mr. Ramin Mehmanparast,” said Alireza Miryusefi, spokesman for Iran’s U.N. mission.

Vatileaks: Trial of Pope’s ex-butler begins tomorrow attempt to clean up what he

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ne of the worst crises in Pope Benedict’s papacy will play out tomorrow in a small Vatican tribunal, where a three-judge panel will decide the fate of the 46year-old papal butler Paolo Gabriele, whom the pope used to call “Paoletto” (little Paul) for stealing and leaking the pontiff’s personal papers and who is now described in Vatican documents as “the defendant.”

The case will put the inner workings of the tiny Vatican, the world’s smallest state, in the type of media spotlight it usually strives to avoid. The man who served Pope Benedict his meals and helped him dress is charged with aggravated theft for leaking private papers in a self-styled

saw as evil and corruption in the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.

The documents pointed to a power struggle at the church’s highest levels.

Gabriele, who said he saw himself as a whistle-blowing “agent of the Holy Spirit”, risks up to four years in jail if convicted, which is widely expected to be the outcome of the case because he has confessed.

• Paolo Gabriele

• Chilean President Miguel Juan Sebastian Pinera Echenique flanked by Nigerian Ambassador to Argentina Chive Kaave (right) and Nigerian embassy’s Deputy Head of Mission, Mr. Benny Adejinle (left) during Chile’s 202-year old independence anniversary. Chile gained independence from Spain. Kaave also serves as Nigerian Ambassador to Chile. It was Ambassador Kaave’s first official visit to Chile. He is to present his Letters of Credence to the Chilean president on October 3.

Mugabe weeps for Gadhafi at UN •Says his death as tragic as US envoy’s

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imbabwean President Robert Mugabe has said the death of Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi was as tragic as that of United States Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens, as he delivered a scathing critique of U.S., United Nations and NATO actions.

Speaking firmly, if occasionally stumbling over words, the 88-year-old president accused the United States of “rushing to suck oil from Iraq” when it invaded the country in 2003 on the erroneous grounds that it possessed weapons of mass destruction.

He said the U.N. Security Council had allowed itself to be “abused” last year by authorizing “all necessary measures” diplomatic code for military intervention to protect civilians in Libya in a NATO operation that eventually toppled Gaddafi’s government and led to his death at the hands of rebels.

Speaking with deliberate irony, Mugabe opened an address to the U.N. General Assembly by praising as “most glowing and most moving” a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday in which he rued Stevens’ death.

Stevens and three other Americans were killed during what Washington has called a “terrorist” attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi on September 11. The assault forced the evacuation of U.S. personnel from the eastern city that was the hub for the

Libyan rebel movement.

“I am sure we were all moved, we all agree, that it was a tragic death indeed and we condemn it,” said Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980 and is among Africa’s longestserving leaders. “As we in spirit join the United States in condemning that death, shall the United States also join us in condemning that barbaric death of the head of state of Libya - Gadhafi? It was a loss, a great loss, to Africa, a tragic loss to Africa.”

The Zimbabwean accused the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the 28-member Western security alliance whose air strikes helped Libyan rebels defeat Gaddafi’s forces, of acting under false pretenses.

“The mission was strictly to protect civilians, but it turned out that there was a hunt, a brutal hunt, of Gadhafi and his family,” Mugabe said.

“In a very dishonest manner we saw ... Chapter 7 being used now as a weapon to rout a whole family.” Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter

allows the U.N. Security Council to authorize actions ranging from diplomatic and economic sanctions to military intervention.

• President Mugabe

…Palestinian leader seeks UN non-member observer status

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alestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas asked the U.N. General Assembly yesterday for nonmember observer status, one step up from the authority’s current position as a permanent observer.

Palestinians will continue to seek full membership status, but they have begun “intensive consultations” with member states about having the Palestinian Authority become a nonmember state, Abbas told the assembly.

“We are confident that the vast majority of the countries of the world support our endeavor aimed at salvaging the chances for a just peace,” Abbas said. “In our endeavor, we do not seek to delegitimize an existing state that is Israel but rather to assert the state

that must be realized that is Palestine,” Abbas said.

Last year, the Palestinian Authority failed in its bid to win U.N. recognition as an independent state. In their latest initiative to seek nonmember observer status, the Palestinians are likely to submit the new resolution after the U.S. presidential election on November 6 in an effort to prevent the issue from becoming political fodder. They have expressed concern about pessimistic comments by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney about the chances for peace in the region.

In his speech Thursday, Abbas criticized Israel and said Palestinians were facing “a campaign of ethnic cleansing” in which they are being denied full access to houses of

worship, schools, hospitals and housing.

“The occupying power is also continuing its construction and expansion of settlements in different areas throughout the West Bank,” he told the assembly.

Israel rejects a Palestinian state and refuses to end its occupation, Abbas said. “I speak on behalf of an angry people,” he said. “Israel continues to enjoy impunity.”

For Israel, the issue of how to respond to Iran’s controversial nuclear program has put a strain on relations between Netanyahu and President Barack Obama. Tehran insists its atomic program is for peaceful purposes, but Western leaders say they believe it is aimed at building a weapon.

DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012,

15

Foreign Affairs Odd World

Nigerians, others bombard lesbian daughter with marriage offers, nude photos •After dad offered $65m dowry to prospective suitor

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he daughter of one of Hong Kong’s richest men has said that she is “touched” by her father’s offer of a reward of nearly $65 million (£40 million) to the man who can woo her. she had been bombarded with marriage proposals and even nude photographs from as far as Nigeria.

Ms Gigi Chao, daughter of Property Tycoon Cecil Chao, entered a civil partnership with her girlfriend of seven years in a ceremony in Paris five months ago. But Mr Chao, 76, has told the South China Morning Post that reports of his daughter’s civil ceremony were “false”. He announced the HK$500 million dowry earlier this week.

It has sparked a deluge of offers. Speaking yesterday Ms Chao, 33, said she had received about 200 proposals and that the number of people following her on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook had jumped by 1,500 since her father’s announcement.

“People are contacting me on Facebook, by email, on Twitter. It’s ridiculous. I can’t sort out the serious proposals from the half-hearted ones. I can’t make head or tail of it,” she told The Daily Telegraph.

Ms Chao, an executive director of her father’s company, Cheuk Nang, said that in addition to receiving enquiries from gentlemen who say they are looking for love and ask her out on a date, she has received some introductions that are less conventional.

Some hopefuls have attached nude photos of themselves or provided information about their financial situations. She has received proposals from all over the world, including Oklahoma, Nigeria, India, Turkey and Bulgaria. Numerous bankers have contacted her.

“Some of them had obviously done their research, you know, gone on my Facebook and looked at my background,” she said. “Some of

them are quite poetic.”

But far from getting angry at her father, she said she was “touched”. “At first I was entertained by it, and then that entertainment turned into the realisation and conviction that I am a really lucky girl to have such a loving daddy, because it’s really sweet of him to do something like this as an expression of his fatherly love,” she said.

While Ms Chao knew that her father would go public denying the union, she did not know he would offer the reward. “I think the HK$500 million really came as an afterthought.” Even though Mr Chao has not accepted the union, Ms Chao said she loved her father and that they had a good relationship. “It’s not that he can’t accept me,” she said. “It’s that he can’t accept how society would view me and the status that it would incur. Marriage is still a form of social status. I do understand him. I understand why he’s doing this.”

Man suffers severe vision loss after masturbation

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Polish man who was caught masturbating in his car with women’s stockings on his head, is now suffering from severe vision loss, according to his lawyer.

Rafal Ciesielski was convicted of outraging public decency in a court in Lincolnshire. The case was closed last month, but Spalding Today just reported on the perplexing revelations made in court.

The paper simply refers to Ciesielski’s crime as a “solo sex act.” However, Nerys McGarry, spokesperson for the Lincolnshire Police, con-

firmed in an email to The Huffington Post that the infraction was masturbating in public and in the middle of the day, no less.

“He was substantially under the influence of alcohol,” Ciesielski’s lawyer, Rachel Stevens, said. “He wonders whether someone spiked his drinks…this actually happened in the middle of the day and the last thing he could remember the night before was being in a club.”

Stevens also said her client’s vision has deteriorated significantly since Aug. 12, when he was arrested for doing the deed with himself.

She said it’s gotten so bad that he can no longer drive or operate the fork lift at his work.

This bizarre coincidence plays right into the urban myth that masturbation leads to blindness. Writing for Psych Central, Dr. Michael Ashworth insists those rumors have been “debunked many times.”

“If you are someone who masturbates, finds it pleasurable and wants to continue, pay no attention to TV show jokes about it causing blindness, or rumors of other terrible things that it can bring on,” Ashworth writes.

Cocaine ruins life of millionaire crook •Collapses his nose A millionaire crook so addicted to cocaine that his nose collapsed has been jailed for five years.

Wealthy property developer James Brown, 45, retired at the age of just 36 after making his fortune but ruined his life by becoming addicted to cocaine

to fill his time. Brown, from London, saw his nose collapse and his life at risk from his daily use of the party drug.

His fall was complete yesterday when he was jailed for five years after a haul of cocaine worth £177,000 was found hidden in the air vents and folding roof of his luxury Bentley.

He was also caught with a fearsome collection of illegal guns in the hotel he was staying in in South Wales.

Police stopped his £120,000 Bentley convertible in December 2011 near Cross Hands, Camarthenshire to find cocaine hidden in the car’s air vents and in its folding roof mechanism. Detectives then went to Hurst House Hotel in Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, where Glasgow-born Brown was staying.

The hotel was once partowned by TV star Neil Morrissey of Men Behaving Badly and Bob the Builder fame. Officers found a 9mm semi-automatic Walther PP1 pistol - similar to the gun used

by James Bond - and a Russian 9mm Tula Tokarev. A rifle and ammunition was also discovered.

Swansea Crown Court heard how Brown used his “legitimate money” to fund his cocaine addiction. Prosecutor Craig Jones said: “Brown, through property dealing, became very wealthy and at 36 retired to Portugal where he was introduced to cocaine.” But he snorted so much cocaine on a daily basis it led to paranoia, heart problems and severe deformity of his nose at the drug ate away the cartillage of his septum in his nostrils.

She added: “But I don’t appreciate getting 1,500 emails.” Ms Chao, who also runs Haut Monde Talent, a model management and PR firm, met her partner, Ms Sean Yeung, who also goes

by Sean Eav, while they were working together. Ms Chao she was drawn to Ms Yeung because she was straightforward, not manipulative, honest, had strong family values and cared about her friends deeply. “I’m very happy when I’m with her,” she said.

Ms Chao, who has dated men and women, said she has always been open and honest about her relationships to her family. However her mother has not accepted her sexuality. Ms Chao recalled that when she told her mother about a relationship with a girl when she was 16 years old, her mother “banged her head against the wall, literally”.

Although they have become more visible in recent years, members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community in

Hong Kong are still largely not accepted by the vast majority of the population.

Ms Chao believes gay rights are picking up, but said work was still needed on the social mentality.

Mr Chao is not so conven-

tional himself. He made headlines in 2003 when his Rolls-Royce caught fire while he and his girlfriend were inside. The tycoon has never married and once claimed to have had “intimate relations” with about 10,000 women.

16

DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

NewsPlus

By GABRIEL DIKE

A

n overnight downpour flooded parts of Lagos metropolis on Thursday, causing devastating gridlocks on major roads.

Commuters and motorists plying the everbusy Oshodi-Apapa Expressway saw hell as they were trapped in a gridlock for over five hours due to the early morning rain that resulted in the flooding of the highway.

At Satellite Town, hundreds of residents were forced to abandon their houses when such homes were overrun by flood.

Several commuters were stranded at the various bus stops even as commercial buses hiked their fares by over 300 per cent. A trip from Oshodi to Mile 2 went for between N300 and N400 while Cele to Mile 2 that hitherto costs N50 went up to N150. Buses plying the Apapa-Oshodi route charged N350.

Commuters who left home early to their offices and business places were caught in traffic. The heavy flood on both sides of the expressway led to a long traffic that stretched from Cele to Mile 2.

The gridlock was compounded as scores of cars and other small vehicles packed up in the flood, making it difficult for others to drive through. Many that tried ended up in the flood, thus compounding the situation.

Cart pushers and street urchins, otherwise called area boys, made brisk business in the flood, as they charged between N2000 to N3000 to assist motorists in pushing out vehicles that had broken down in the flood.

A driver, Innocent Adumekwe, told our correspondent that he paid N2, 500 to the area boys to push his car from the flood. He said the engine suddenly went off and refused to start again. He later discovered that water had gone inside the brain box of the car.

Several clearing and forwarding agents heading to the port to handle jobs for their clients were also affected by the flood. Mr. Sule Adekunle told our reporter that he was to meet a client at the port by 9.00am but regretted that the flood had made it impossible. He said his bus was still trapped in traffic at Jakande Estate as at 10.45am.

A teacher heading to her school, Mrs.

Commuters stranded as flood takes over Lagos Kikilomo Oludare, said she was held up in the traffic for over three hours and wondered why the federal government abandoned the second phase of the rehabilitation job on the ApapaOshodi Expressway given to the construction giants, Julius Berger.

She disclosed that her husband who was driving her to her school was held up somewhere around Coker Bus Stop. She said she was forced to pick a motorbike from there, saying she picked N250 to Mile 2 because her boss had been calling her on the phone since 8.30am.

A car dealer, Mr. Livinus Ezeobi, said before his Mile 2 experience, he had gone through a horrifying one at Bucknor, after Jakande Estate. According to him, his car got stuck inside the pool of water. He showed our reporter the damaged interior of his car and the brain box already soaked by the flood, regretting that it would cost a huge amount to replace.

A commercial bus driver on charter, Mr. Sikiru Adisa, also told our correspondent from inside his trapped Danfo bus that he was heading to Ijanikin with his passengers when he ran into the flood. He regretted that he had been trapped inside the flood for the past four hours. He was worried that the fuel in his bus was almost gone.

Following the downpour and the attendant flooding, commuters had a difficult time getting to their destinations. The situation was worsened by the scarcity of fuel in many parts of the metropolis. For those who had enough cash, commercial motorbikes came to the rescue. Many that could not afford the exorbitant fares of the okada riders waited and struggled for the few available buses on the road.

•Flooded roads in Lagos. Photos: GABRIEL DIKE

•A man displays the brain box of his car already damaged in the flood

Friday, September 28, 2012

DAILY SUN

17

NewsPlus

Sad end of a corps member • She survived Boko Haram’s bombs in the north, only to be gunned down in Onitsha in mysterious circumstances From EMMANUEL UZOR, Onitsha

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he desire of every young undergraduate in Nigeria is to put on the uniform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and be addressed as a ‘corper.

But fate was very cruel to 24-year-old Augusta Chizoba Ndukwu of UmufuAmaimo, Ikeduru Local Government area of Imo State. She was gruesomely murdered by unknown persons at Upper Iweka area of the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State.

It was quite sad that Augusta, who had survived a series of hostilities and bombings by the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram in Adamawa State where she was observing her one-year mandatory national youth service, would painfully meet her untimely death in a place she felt was her home.

Her voice was filled with joy when she spoke to her relatives in Owerri on phone, telling them that she had finally come home. She told them that she was at the luxurious park in Upper Iweka, informing them also that she would join them in Owerri the next morning.

But she never lived to see the faces of her loved ones, as she was gruesomely murdered by unknown persons that fateful night.

Daily Sun gathered that the deceased, a graduate of Banking and Finance from the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State was found lying in the pool of her own blood at the notorious fly-over at Upper Iweka on September 12.

According to a family member and the Vice Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) Imo State Council, Chief Chris Akaraonye, Chizoba left Yola, the capital of Adamawa State on September 11 where she was having her NYSC primary assignment. She was travelling to Onitsha en route Owerri but could not get to her final destination that time because it was already late.

Chief Akaraonye further said the deceased, who had boarded a luxurious bus belonging to a popular transport company (names withheld), called her relatives to inform them that she could not make it again to Owerri. She also informed them that she had decided to pass the night at the company’s motor park together with other passengers.

However, according to him, the following day, the family of the deceased, including her fiancé, waited in anxiety for the arrival of Chizoba in Owerri but to no avail. They then started trying her mobile line, but it had been switched off.

“At first, we thought she had a low battery. But after waiting for almost the whole day, we realized it was not usual and we decided to make moves to know why somebody that spoke to us at 10 pm last night could not be reached on phone or could not get to Owerri. In the course of our doubts and fears, we started going through different police stations and Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) formations along the OnitshaOwerri Road to ascertain if she was involved in a motor accident. It was when we came to Onitsha that we found her corpse at the Onitsha General Mortuary with gunshot wounds to her chest.”

In the next morning, early passersby were shocked to their marrow when they beheld the gory sight of a lady lying in the pool of her own blood at the Upper Iweka axis with two travelling bags filled with children clothing and popcorn.

One of the eyewitnesses who pleaded anonymity said that the deceased was a victim of ritual killers. She confirmed that she was found lying at the Upper Iweka flyover with gunshot wounds on her chest and two travelling bags containing children clothes and popcorn beside her corpse.

Though the police swiftly said the deceased could be the victim of an armed robbery attack, they also revealed that the bags were planted by the assailants to divert police investigations, stressing that the police had commenced investigations into the circumstances surrounding the murder.

The Campaign for Democracy (CD), South East Zone has reacted to the incident, describing it as a sin against God and humanity. The group called for proper investigations into the matter with a view to unravelling the circumstances surrounding the senseless killing of the deceased.

The Chairman, South East Zone, Dede Uzor. A. Uzor condemned the act while calling on the Inspector General

•Chizoba

of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubarka to personally detail a crack team of investigative police officers to look into the death of the corps member.

Dede Uzor further questioned the omission of the deceased’s name in the passengers’ manifest and the alleged role that the transport company played when they returned the bags of the deceased to Yola without contacting the police.

Also speaking on the incident, Chairman of Ndigbo Unity Forum, Mr. Augustine Chukwudum condemned the act, describing it as the most wicked act and cruelty ever meted out to any corps member in the history of the state.

Mr. Chukwudum also said his group would mobilize to make sure that criminal elements are sacked from the commercial city. He said the presence of such criminals was hindering the development of commerce and industry in the city.

However, policemen attached to the Central Police Station, CPS, Onitsha led by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Mr. Abdul Yusuf said they have arrested three persons in connection with the death of the corps member, adding that they were still working to unravel the circumstances surrounding the murder

of the deceased.

The police said, though, that it could be possible that the girl was murdered at the park by some criminals who then took her body to the Upper Iweka where they kept two bags containing clothes belonging to a boy of six years just to divert police investigations. According to the police, the deceased was not a victim of ritual killing.

It was further gathered that the driver of the luxury bus that brought the deceased from Yola to Onitsha on that fateful night, the manager of the transport company and one other person whose identities were not yet known as at press time have been arrested by the police. They were picked up to allegedly help give insight to the death of the corps member as well as explain how and why the management of the company swiftly returned the bags of the deceased to Yola without informing the police.

When contacted, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ralph Uzoigwe confirmed that three persons have been arrested by the police to help them in the course of investigations. He appealed to the general public to help the police with more information that could lead to the arrest of the real killers of the corps member.

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DAILY SUN Friday September 28, 2012

The suspended N5000 note

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he recent suspension of the introduction of N5000 note by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) following the intervention of the National Assembly and the stop order by President Goodluck Jonathan is a victory for democracy. It aptly demonstrates that the president listens and respects the wishes of the generality of Nigerian people. The agreement between the President and the National Assembly that led to the stoppage of the new note is a triumph of the democratic imperative and should be commended.

No policy issue has drawn as much debate and public opprobrium in recent times as the move by the CBN governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, to introduce into the nation’s monetary system, the high denomination N5000 note. Not even the argument by the CBN on the need for cost saving on money spent annually in printing naira notes, or its suggestion that the new note is only for high networth customers, could sway the public to its side. The arguments held no water with the people. Well-tested economists, past Nigerian leaders, lawyers and all those versed in monetary issues were also vehemently opposed to the introduction of the new note and the controversial currency restructuring.

The CBN position that the new note would not cause inflation was rebuffed by Nigerians who knew from experience that the introduction of notes of higher denominations in the nation’s monetary system in the past invariably led to depreciation in the value of older notes. The fate of N5, N10, and N20 since the introduction of N200, N500 and N1000 attests to this.

Again, since Nigerians do not readily accept coins, converting more naira notes into coins as the CBN planned to do would have compound the problem. Despite academic notions that higher denomination notes do not cause inflation, in Nigeria’s peculiar circumstance and experience, the opposite has been the case.

In fact, the argument against the introduction of the high denomination note far outweighs the one for it. More so, the introduction of the new naira note contradicts the CBN’s cashless policy.

Although, the Special Adviser to the President

on Media, Dr. Reuben Abati, has explained that the suspension of the new note is to enable the CBN do more consultation and enlightenment on the matter, we think such is belated. The CBN ought to have done that initially before rushing to force its decision on Nigerians.

The lesson from the new note debacle is that government should always throw up major policy issues to public debate to gauge the pulse of the people before the president gives his approval.

This will guide the government’s actions and also help to avoid policy reversals the nation has witnessed of recent.

We say this considering the fact that frequent policy somersault is not good for any administration, especially a transformational government. While we acknowledge that the CBN is in charge of the nation’s monetary policy, including issuance of currency notes, it must strive to carry the public along, especially on issues that will have far-reaching effects on the economy and the people. The grandstanding by the CBN governor on the N5000 note was uncalled for.

We commend the President for bowing to the wishes of Nigerians on this particular issue. Some past Nigerian presidents always ignored resolutions of the National Assembly on major national issues, treating such resolutions as advisory and lacking the force of law. It is good that we have a president who honours resolutions of the people’s representatives.

In view of the strong argument by notable economists that the introduction of the high denomination note will not augur well for the nation’s economy, we urge that the idea of a N5000 be completely rested.

The proposed further consultations, enlightenment and deliberation on the matter should be jettisoned. We also want to believe that the CBN has not awarded the contract for the printing of the new currency.

The faux pas that attended the N5000 note controversy should be avoided in future by allowing robust public debate on any controversial issue before final approvals are given by the president and the relevant authorities.

COMMENT

LETTER Yobe: Can the young grow in crisis?

THE license-plate slogan that Yobe State cherished about itself when it was created 21 years ago was: “The Young Shall Grow.” This simple yet pithy catchphrase captures the deep, incipient thirst for growth and development that informed the agitation for Yobe State's creation from old the Borno State in August 1991. But with what seems like the persistence of Boko Haram violence in northeastern Nigeria, can the young Yobe State really grow? Is the social soil of Yobe still fertile for growth?

The answer, oddly, is yes. The state is blessed with enormous landmass, large quantities of gypsum, kaolin, limestone, diatomite, granites, silica, potassium, soda ash, rice, wheat, maize, beans, cotton, corn, groundnut, gum Arabic, and livestock.

That means smart investors can exploit these untapped resources to build money-spinning

industrial outposts that deal in adhesive and pharmaceutical products, in cement, glass, Plaster of Paris, soap, flour and feed mills, textiles, leather and meat processing. The conventional wisdom among watchers of Yobe State politics is that, although Governor Ibrahim Gaidam is working harder than any of his predecessors to lay the grounds to attract local and foreign investors in the state, his efforts appear undermined by the Boko Haram crisis in the state. But conventional wisdom isn't always right. Yobe could, in fact, will still live up to and surpass dreams of its founding fathers.

Ironically, the history of the progress of societies shows that sometimes growth picks up and peaks under conditions of crisis.ProfessorGary Gerstle, in his well-received book titled, “American Crucible: Race and Nation in the Twentieth Century,”makes this point very well

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using the American context. He argues that terrible as crisis, violence, and tension are, they can also be regenerative in a perverse way. In the dislocation that crisis creates, limits are set, bonds are deepened among frightened citizens, and paradoxically, development can set in.

America, he pointed out, solidified its nationalism, and growth, during its Civil War and during the Vietnam War. Chile, Bolivia, Poland, the Asian Tigers, and many other economies too numerous to mention developed under conditions of crisis. Now, let me be clear: the point of giving international examples of societies that recorded unprecedented growth under conditions of crisis is NOT to celebrate violence or crisis, but to point out a pattern in other parts of the world and to make the point that Yobe State's desire for growth (and the Governor's effort in that direction) in spite of what has become its fate in the past months isn't misplaced.

For one, Boko Haram's menace isn't permanent.

Second, media reports of the crisis in Yobe State, as people who live there can readily testify, are grossly exaggerated. But, most importantly, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam appears singularly committed to not only neutralizing and

containingthe Boko Haram menace; he is alsocommitted to putting in place projects that will make Yobe State the pride of its people and a haven for investors in spite of the state's current challenge. Additionally, most of the state's urban centers and many rural areas now have access to good roads. And, as an official policy, the current administration has eased the process of land acquisition for industrial and commercial purposes. Applications for land meant for commercial and industrial investment get priority attention. The government has also initiated a policy of granting a five-year tax holiday to first-time investors in the state, among many other investment-friendly policies.

As I stated earlier, the point of this essay is not to suggest that there is virtue in crisis or violent communal upheavals. Anybody who has lost a loved one to senseless violence will tell you that.Nor am I in any way saying that development takes place only under conditions of crisis.

My whole point is that a simplistic attitude to crisis can blind people to untapped potential, such as currently exist in Yobe State.

Ahmad Abdulkarim Abuja.

CMYK

DAILY SUN

Friday September 28, 2012

19

Nigeria and its future

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t 52, Nigeria ought to have been a great nation: if not in the world, at least in Africa. But in West Africa, the country cannot really lay claim to be the leader in all indices of socio-economic development. I do not want to continue to blame the colonial intervention entirely for our socio-economic woes. Though it contributed a lot, Nigerians ought to begin to share some of the blames for our being underdeveloped even after 52 years of independence.

The story of Nigeria is a tragic one. At beginning, it was not quite so. Events took a dangerous turn after six years of independence. Some analysts say the seeds of discord were sown by the British colonial masters through the lumping together of diverse peoples, cultures, languages and religions without establishing or defining how these distinct peoples can co-exist in one country. Those seeds of discord only ruptured six years after independence through fights by politicians to determine who replaces the colonial masters.

Even at that, were not alone in this type of journey. India, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya and Singapore passed through colonial experience and emerged stronger. Why is ours different? Is it in our climate or weather? Nature is prodigal with us in giving us good weather, soil, fruits and crops. Our yam is so big that it is referred to as the king of crops. All the natural disasters that plague other nations do not occur here. We are in paradise or even the Edenic garden, yet Nigerians are passing through hellfire called living amid plenty crude oil, gas and many solid minerals located in different parts of the country.

Why is it that Nigeria, the most populous Black nation in the world, is still struggling to make impact among the comity of nations? Why is Nigeria the only OPEC country that imports refined fuel and other petroleum products? Why does petrol cost so much per litre in Nigeria than any other OPEC country? Why are our refineries not working? Why do we find it difficult to build new refineries? Why can't any Nigerian government be serious in the fight against graft? When shall we get 24 hours uninterrupted power supply in the country? When shall we stop the growing medical tourism by our political elites? There are so many questions that keep cropping up that there would be no space enough to ask all of them here.

In The Trouble with Nigeria, Chinua Achebe

Robert Obioha 08084951442 robobioha@yahoo.com blamed the nation's woes on poor leadership. I want to align myself with his thesis for so many reasons. Most of Nigeria's problems are manmade. They require human solutions. Almost all our leaders, from Alhaji Tafawa Balewa to Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi and all others till date had failed to rise to the challenges of leadership when it mattered most. Gen. Murtala Mohammed's six months rule was an exemption in terms of focused and purposeful leadership. Gen. Yakubu Gowon ruled the country for nine long years. He had the opportunity to lay the country's industrial development template but did not for obvious reasons. Others after him continued the consumeristic bazaar simply because Nigeria was swimming in petrol-dollar and money was not really our problem but how to spend it. We spent it in FESTAC '77 and other such wasteful jamborees.

But are we wiser today? I do not think we are, because we cannot remember where the rain started beating us. And it will be pretty difficult knowing where it stopped. Nigeria as a nation is an orphan. Every Nigerian belonged to a tribal group before laying allegiance to the nation.

Countries are referred to as fatherland or motherland. In our own case, most Nigerians neither call Nigeria their fatherland nor their motherland.

They refer to their tribes as the nation. For example, we have Igbo nation, Yoruba nation, Hausa nation Ijaw nation and so on.

I watch with admiration whenever American politicians talk about their country. In every thing they say, the national consciousness is embedded.

Their love of nation is paramount. They argue what will be in the best interest of America and not of any particular group or state as our politicians do here. If an American politician discusses the economy, he bases it on what will be good

to all Americans. Their sportsmen and women equally do the same thing. To them, America is an ideal upon which the American Dream is built. The dream is anchored on the belief that you can be whatever you want to be irrespective of colour or creed. The American Dream guides individual and national life in spite of its contradictions.

What is Nigeria to an average citizen?

Perhaps, it is a place where people fight over the available resources and take as much as they can grab. Better still, Nigeria is like the Iroko tree, anybody that reaches its top will not waste time to gather enough firewood from it that will last for a lifetime because you don't climb the Iroko every time. The tragedy of the nation is that when some get to the top, they tend to pluck all the firewood that ordinary Nigerians would not have enough firewood to cook their food. We are a nation of greedy and uncaring leaders. We have self-serving leaders.

Nigeria's journey to nationhood is not smooth.

Nigeria is that part of the gulf of Guinea given to Britain during 1885 partition of Africa among European powers in Berlin. In 1914, Britain's Lord Frederick Lugard amalgamated the southern and northern protectorates as one country, his wife, Flora Shaw, helped him to christen it, Nigeria. The British knew that we are not one people. They captured it in our first national anthem where it noted that “though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand.”

This particular line captured the soul of Nigeria instead of the “One Nigeria” mantra as handed down to us by the great Zik and the war-time Gowon's slogan of “to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done.”

I would have preferred the phrase that reminds us of our different tribes and languages and yet

tell us that in brotherhood we stand. If we had listened to that sweet song of our first national anthem, maybe the cataclysm of 1966 would have not occurred. We failed to appropriate the strength of our differences and the need for our togetherness before the thunder struck. And when that brotherhood was shaken and even contested, we fell apart as the falcon could no longer hear the falconer in the attendant anarchy.

Since 1966, the war period and after, Nigeria has never truly become one nation. We have different laws for different people. Poor men go to jail for minor offences while rich men go free for serious offences. Some rich men that would have been jailed for life, through plea bargaining, got questionable sentence that mock at our concept of justice.

Nigeria has six geo-political zones. Five of them have at least six states each and one is made to have five simply because it is Igbo. One had seven. Remember, Biafran resistance was an Igbo affair or so it was meant to be. Forty-two years after Biafra, Nigeria is still treating that part it fought gallantly for three years to liberate and brought back to the family fold as if it does not belong. That part has been unofficially but practically excluded from national leadership-that is the presidency either in khaki or through the ballot box. Yet, we are one Nigeria. I do not want to bore you with the inequities contained in the distribution of local government areas by the nation's military elites, mostly from the North and other contradictions of Nigeria.

It is in Nigeria that leaders know their problem yet they refuse to attend to it. The 1999 Constitution is said to be defective yet we are still operating such a document in 21st century as if it is a holy book that nothing can be added or subtracted. Nigeria depends on money from crude oil as if there are no other minerals or products we can trade with internationally? Upon many decades of oil exploration and exploitation in the country, what can we really show for it when compared with other OPEC countries? Nothing!

But graft. We have few rich men and millions of poor people that walk on the streets in search of elusive jobs. Nigeria will not continue like this for eternity. It is time to remake the country and allow it to work. Those saying that Nigeria will not divide are as patriotic as those agitating for self-determination due to one grievance or another. Nigeria is for all of us, let's sit down and discuss its future now that it is still day time and save it from doom's day predictions.

A law to end all wars (1) A

BY IDANG ALIBI long the line of my belief in the law as an instrument for societal engineering and re-engineering as demonstrated in a five-path series of ''amateur laws'' I humbly proposed for enactment entitled Five Crazy Laws to get Nigeria Developed in Five Short Years which ran in the Daily Trust newspaper two years ago, I once again propose here a law for the UN to consider and make into law for domestication by other nations. The intendment of this legislation is to put an end to all wars and conflicts or considerably reduce them to the barest minimum in this our violenceprone world.

From my little corner of the earth where I usually sit to sometimes reflect on some of the goings-on in our world today, I have discovered why conflicts or wars erupt every day in all corners of the world, why they multiply at a frightening rate and why existing ones appear so intractable to solve. My small discovery may not be earth shattering but I have received what I consider an interesting reason why communities and nations easily take to war and in this small revelation contains what may prove to be a very useful contribution to how to solve the problem of perennial conflict in our world today if the UN is humble enough to give my idea a try.

And, what have I found? It is so simple.

Wars are rarely ever fought for the reasons conveniently given by the ruling elite of any community or nation for declaring them.

When it comes to war, the saying that there are usually two reasons for doing anything on earth- the good reason given and the real reason- rings so true.

I have found out that in both ancient times and even now, wars are fought for any

of the following reasons: control of some strategic minerals, fertile swathes of land, strategic straits of land; to win the affection of some fair woman or women; desire to win control and to dominate and enslave a peaceful and prosperous but weak people; opportunity to test new implements of war invented in the war factories of some powerful nations and, by no means the last, a desire to lord it over a people and expropriate their resources for the aggrandizement of the mighty and strong among the conquering force. All those notions about honour, the desire to ward off some imaginary threat posed by some other peoples or a selfless desire to create a trade route for the benefit of world trade or such other notions of altruism, are nothing but smokescreens to mask the real reason(s).

Wars are conceived, planned, instigated, financed and promoted by the old and privileged and fought by the young and the poor who have little or nothing to gain from the war they are practically compelled to fight.

When, for instance, a wife in the harem of one king runs off with the king or prince of another realm, the cuckold king will mobilise some impressionable young men in his domain, drum into them the imperative of patriotism and restoration of national pride and thereafter, unleash them to go and kill and maim equally impressionable young men in the province of the rival randy king or prince, pleading that the other king or prince has brought dishonour upon the entire kingdom. How can the running away with another potentate of a woman who is obviously starved of attention by my king because he has so many women to give attention to, rub me personally of some honour? Truly considered, it is my king we should censure for his insatiableness which led him to put himself to shame by attempting to carry a load he cannot possibly carry.

Yet, in many ancient times, endless and ruinous wars were often fought because a fair damsel spurned one prince or king in favour of another. Check out the Carthaginian war and the part Helen of Troy played in it. Personal spite and the need for vengeance quite often become a cause for national war which brings untold suffering upon innocent people.

One of the world's leading financial educators and best-selling authors, Robert Kiyosaki, told us in the book he coauthored with Donald Trump Why We Want You To Be Rich that, ''As a pilot in Vietnam in 1972, I realised we were not fighting to stop Communism. I realised we were fighting for oil and big oil corporations. Today, we are in the same war-different countries, same corporations''.

Many of today's wars are fought for oil and gas on behalf of big oil and gas companies in the name of some nebulous principles or ideologies. America is not in Afghanistan or the Middle East to fight radical Islam or to help install democracy in barbarous feudal or dictatorial nations but for control of vast oil and gas fields. Some of these wars are often instigated by big oil and gas and arms corporations owned by big, powerful and very influential individuals who stand to make huge profits from America's war-mongering efforts.

Even when small communities fight over a fish pond or rich farm lands, they often usually invoke the honour of the community but if the pond or land is retrieved, those who stand to benefit are the rich and powerful in that community; it is not usually the young men some of whom sacrificed their lives or their limbs who get the benefits.

Some are given useless garlands and medals of honour which means practically nothing. Women are mobilised to sing practically meaningless songs of honour to ven-

erate the gallantry of some foolhardy young men who risked their lives for the pleasure and profit of the governing elite of their community or nation. War is simply man's cynical manipulation of fellow man for the benefits of the influential in society. It is never about justice or the securing of peace or the retrieval of any lost or injured honour.

The dominant class in society cynically manipulate the poorer or weaker class to achieve their purpose.

Self or class interests of the rich and powerful are the single most important motive responsible for ALL wars whether big or small, whether for offensive or defensive reasons. Since this is the case, what I have in mind is that the best way to end or reduce wars is to have an instrument that will ensure that the discomfort and suffering of wars are evenly distributed among those involved in wars in any society. If the responsibility of initiating wars does not end with mere initiating but also includes fighting in the war initiated to the bitterest end, many of those who usually start the idea of war will surely think twice before they initiate war. If the Dick Cheneys of America like to provoke war to have oil, let them wear the uniform of recruits and fight in those wars in harsh climates of the Middle East or Africa.

It is so unfair that some decision-makers sit in the comfort of their luxurious homes and send young men some of whom hardly understand the real issues at stake to their early graves in distant lands, making some mothers and fathers childless and women young widows. It is cruelty of the worst kind. The UN should seek to put an end to this type of cynical manipulation of the less privileged in society. How should the UN do it? Part two of this treatise will say how.

Alibi writes from Abuja.

CMYK

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DAILY SUN Friday September 28, 2012

Nnaji's resignation and matters arising

BY UCHE NWOSU

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he sudden resignation of Professor Barth Nnaji from the Federal Executive Council as Minister of Power on August 28 should be a major concern for those Nigerians who desire a country with uninterrupted electricity. Nnaji, it should be noted, is the first minister since the current democratic dispensation to have resigned his position apparently without prompting. The former minister unceremoniously tendered his letter of resignation from the job following what he called “conflict of interest” in the current privatization of the power sector exercise.

Reports have it that, the company Prof Nnaji founded and operated for many years, i.e. the Geometric Power Ltd had joined a consortium bidding to buy the Enugu Distribution Company (Disco), one of the firms unbundled from the state electricity behemoth that is being privatized. During the review of evaluation for power companies by the National Council on Privatization, Nnaji disclosed that Geometric Power was one of the firms bidding for Enugu Disco.

Unlike most Nigerians, nay Africans, Nnaji decided to step aside from the privatization process, believing that it would clear any conflict of interest that could arise if he continues to be minister of power. According to reports, Nnaji had told the Council that he had set up a “blind trust” to manage his interest in the Geometric Power Limited, and that he had also informed President Goodluck Jonathan that Geometric would be participating in the privatization that he was driving as the Minister of Power.

Sadly, as soon as the announcement of his resignation was made, the opponents of Nnaji both within and outside the Ministry of Power went to town jubilating as though they had made a sweepstake. Certainly, the former Power Minister may have his weaknesses as a human, but what should override whatever weaknesses he has are the quantum, quality and quantity of integrity, credibility, strength of character and intellectual endowment embedded in him as a mortal.

If anything, the Professor is one of the few that heeded the clarion call by the federal government to Nigerian intellectuals, investors and high-class artistes to come home to develop the country. Indeed, his home-coming from the United States where he studied and practised attest to the fact that he has been a patriot whose love for his country is boundless. As a first-rate academic, the Enugu-born former minister would have been comfortable staying in US where he also has some business concerns.

Interestingly, as soon as he assumed office, Nnaji began the implementation of an articulated work-plan that helped in increasing the power output from below 2,500 to 4,500 megawatts. Today, though Nigeria has not come to its Eldorado, power supply is relatively stable in most parts of the country. Cities and communities in virtually all the 36 states are enjoying electricity for at least 18 hours daily.

In Abia State where I come from, the former minister assisted T.A Orji's government in ensuring the completion of the 132kv transmission power station at Ohiya, near Umuahia, the state capital. This is a power station whose contract was awarded since 2001, six years before Orji's government came on

board. However, fired by the love and zeal to electrify Umuahia and environs, energize its economy and reinvigorate social life there, the state governor got the minister's backing in standing the project on its feet.

It is to Nnaji’s credit that he refused to play politics with the completion of the project as his predecessors seemed to have done. He rather assisted Abia to drive the Ohiya power station to its conclusion. Today, Umuahia and its environs enjoy relatively steady power supply.

Nnaji's apparent indiscretion is that he was the principal public servant that was calling the shots in President Goodluck Jonathan's privatization drive and at the same time having a major interest in a member of the consortium that was bidding to buy one of the companies that would be unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria. However, Nnaji's conflict of interest notwithstanding, the presidency should have handled the issue with restraint, bearing in mind the former minister's competence and drive for the power reform.

President Goodluck Jonathan's government would be doing this nation great disservice if he allows opponents of Nnaji and anti-reform forces to scuttle the reform effort in the power sector and push the country back to the abyss of darkness. No interest should be allowed to undermine this good effort.

Another minister to man the Ministry of Power should be a thoroughbred and ethically-sound technocrat to drive the reform through.

Nwosu writes from Umuahia, Abia State.

Lifting of Dana Air's suspension is right

BY DANIEL OMALE can understand the national outcry we witnessed when the minister of aviation lifted the suspension imposed on Dana Air. I can also relate to the families who lost their loved ones in the fatal accident on June 3, this year. The sudden loss of lives in a major airliner accident is naturally overwhelming and emotionally draining.

Air transportation accidents, especially those in large passenger airplanes, make major national and international news. In any case, natural or accidental death of another human being usually saps other human beings' state of mind/emotion. Although, ultimately, we shall all die someday, the thought or sight of death will always put us in a state of devastation, whenever a known person or a relation is involved.

But banning an airline that has been involved in an accident does not solve the problem of a repeated accident. The only solution is to find the probable cause(s) of the accident and proffer a solution to future occurrence. If Dana Air is banned from operating in our national airspace, it does not mean we have finally prevented future aircraft accidents. What it means is that another airline has been sent into bankruptcy, and more Nigerians have been sent into the dungeon of unemployment.

What Nigeria needs most at this point is to demand from our government the cause(s) of that fatal accident with a view to preventing

I

future mishaps. From knowing the reason for the crash, we can deduce and prevent future similar cases. This is what is important, not an indefinite suspension of Dana Air. The Minister of Aviation properly elaborated this view when she made the announcement of Dana Air's return to service.

Over the years, air safety has improved tremendously: airplanes are more reliable, more dependable, with improved safety measures.The major setback in flight safety or air transportation is human errors. Human factors account for more than 80% of all aircraft accidents in the modern world. The core issue of air safety is how to overcome or minimize the fallibility of man when operating a machine. Human-flight deck interface problems have been on the forefront of aviation safety seminars, organizational safety management systems, and air regulation authorities the world over.

For expert aircraft accident investigators, air crash is not the problem, but the factors responsible for the crash. An accident does not just happen; there is a series of events that lead to a crash. Unless the pieces of the puzzle are collated, analyzed and synthesized, it becomes difficult to deduce the probable cause of an accident.

This is where the Aircraft Accident investigation Bureau (AIB), an independent agency of the federal government, comes into the equation. The agency, which reports directly to the president, according to Nigeria's Civil

Aviation Act 2006, is the sole authority in air crash investigation in the country. The nation should wait patiently for AIB to come out with its report on the cause(s) of the accident before raising undue alarm of a foul play.

As bad as the Dana Air accident was, there have been worse fatal accidents in the recent history of aviation, involving today's celebrated legacy airlines. What led to the improved safety records of major airlines like British Airways, KLM-Airfrance, and American is repetitive, professional investigation into accidents and incidents involving their aircraft, and the adoption of safety recommendations.

Again, an aircraft accident, most of the time, involves elements of human errors.

These errors or factors must be studied to create reactive, proactive, and preventive regiments of safe aircraft operation. Below are two fatal aircraft accidents involving BA, and the reports of the investigations into the cause of the accidents: September 10, 1976: British Airways Trident 3B; Flight 476; near Zagreb, Yugoslavia: The aircraft had a midair collision with an Inex Adria aircraft, DC9-32. All nine crew members and 54 passengers on the Trident were killed. All five crew members and 108 passengers on the DC9 were also killed. The probable cause of this event was failure of the Yugoslavian ATC system to provide adequate separation.

August 22, 1985: British Airtours 737-

200; Flight 28M; Manchester Airport, England: The crew rejected the takeoff due to an uncontained engine failure. The failure led to a punctured fuel tank and a fire that spread to the cabin. The accident killed 53 of 131 passengers and two of six crew members.

British Airways has not been banned or suspended by the British government. Today, BA is one of the most celebrated legacy airlines, and probably the most loved airline by Nigerians. It may sound funny to some people in this country, but the major challenge facing aviation industry in Nigeria today is not regulation / safety oversight, but critical human factor elements.

Without proper deductive investigation to unveil the causes of aircraft accidents in Nigeria, mere display of public emotions towards Dana Air, the government, or its agencies won't help to establish a solution.

The more Nigerians, after every accident, distort professional investigation into the cause(s) of a crash, the more we dilute the zeal to pursue the facts for future lesson.

Unfortunately, Nigeria's business environment is unhealthy for anyone. Public scorn alone is more than any Act of God, an acute social retribution that mitigates a business' economic growth. If it can cope with the massive losses, Dana Air should be allowed to operate and survive.

Capt. Omale writes from Lagos.

Bayelsa at 16 (2)

BY DANIEL MARKSON-IWORISO he last sixteen years have been quite challenging as a state but our people are beginning to understand and appreciate that under the Dickson-led administration, politics is no longer business but a mission.

Indeed, through his actions and pronouncements in office, Governor Dickson has reenacted Dante Alighieri’s lux fiat - show the light, to bring to the fore that he that finds himself at the head must lead the way for others to follow.

Bayelsans are truly persuaded that the restoration agenda is well on track. The ban on commercial motorcycle has given way to brand new Restoration taxi-cabs and buses now visibly plying the streets of Yenagoa and its environs. There is also the massive restoration of decrepit infrastructure, reformation of the institutions of good governance, strict enforcement of law and order in line with our avowed commitment to ensure zero tolerance for crime and criminality. The Dickson-led administration have no doubt made the necessary investment in security in order to create and sustain a secure society governed by the rule of law.

Even more evident is Governor Dickson’s astute resolve to deliver on education given his principled stand on the development of the human capital. This is one area the governor is very much passionate about, that is why he described it as our most compelling and urgent

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need. Little wonder, his declaration of state of emergency for the sector immediately resulted in the pronouncement of the policy on free and compulsory education for all our children in primary and secondary schools with emphasis on computer literacy, science and technology. This policy has since taken effect, so also is the rebuilding of educational infrastructure.

Bayelsa State is fast becoming the epicenter of educational excellence. Never in the history of Nigeria with exception of the regime of the Western regional government under the able leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, has any state government taken such keen interest in the education of its citizens like Governor Dickson has done. For the first time in the history of the state, tuition-free education is further backed up by provision of free school uniforms, writing materials, exercise books, school sandals, including the supply of state-of the-art school furniture to enhance the quality of learning for every Bayelsan child. Quality education has become an economic necessity, taking cognizance of the challenges of the modern knowledge economy.

To further underscore his attachment and passion to education, Governor Dickson’s giant strides in this sector is evident in the award of scholarships. First, was the award of N1b postgraduate scholarships to three hundred persons to study in the best universities in Nigeria and abroad. Then, there is also the award of schor-

ships to 250 secondary school indigent pulpils under the Bayelsa State Restoration Secondary Schools Scholarship Scheme, started by Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha and President Goodluck Jonathan while as governors of the state. The scheme is being sustained by Governor Seriake Dickson in its effort to build on the solid foundation already laid by the duo. What is interesting to note here is that, of the two hundred and fifty beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme, fifty of the slots were allocated to students of Ijaw speaking parts of Edo, Delta, Akwa-Ibom and Ondo States.

Governor Dickson’s determined effort to impact meaningfully on the state’s educational sector is informed largerly by the dearth of requisite manpower to drive the future growth and development of the state.

As Bayelsa gets set to mark its 16th anniversary, one thing that can be taken for granted under this present administration is the fact that there is a new ‘sherriff’ in town whose word is his bond. Governor Seriake Dickson has really redefined governance as a tool for development, accentuating stout leadership and integrity. It is widely shared that the paradigm shift in governance offers the prospect of faster economic progress than ever witnessed. In the evolving scenario, we can see a bold identity of creative leadership and enterprise with the sole objective of casting off poverty in Bayelsa State. No

doubt, making this vision an enduring one would require collective effort, cooperation and some sacrifice on the part of the good people of Bayelsa State, serving a higher, more worthy goal than individual or group interest. On the part of the leadership, we have seen a lot of courage in this regard, raising hope of greater possibilities. So at 16, it is plausible to contend that Bayelsa State is still relatively young and the journey of statehood arguably tough and mixed, but there is great hope that the future is very bright. This is the good news!

As reckoned by President Barack Obama,“In the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it.” We are living this reality in Bayelsa!

The boundless energy, vision and love for our dear state have been very critical in the making of a new Bayelsa State. We can all see the consciousness and patriotic spirit to properly actualize the great deeds behind the creation of the state while also building on the legacy of the founding fathers. Sure, there is more to come!

Happy 16th birthday our dearly beloved state of Bayelsa, the land of new opportunities and endless possibilities. * Concluded Markson-Iworiso is Chief Press Secretary to Bayelsa State Governor.

DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

Memories

Philip Nwosu 08176449110

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R YOU S U SEND HOTOS P OLD wosu@yahoo.co.uk phillipn e-mail:

Today in History

Auto inventor, Charles Duryea, dies On September 28, 1938, inventor Charles Duryea died in Philadelphia at the age of 76.

Duryea and his brother Frank designed and built one of the first functioning “gasoline buggies,” or gas-powered automobiles, in the United States. For most of his life, however, Charles insisted on taking full credit for the brothers’ innovation. On the patent applications he filed for the Duryea Motor Wagon, for instance, Charles averred that he was the car’s sole inventor; he also loftily proclaimed that his brother was “simply a mechanic” hired to execute Charles’ plans.

Charles Duryea was not the inventor of the first gasoline engine, nor was he the first person to build a gas-powered car. Instead, as

1938

his obituary in the New York Times put it, he “had the rare mechanical wit to see how the contributions of his predecessors could be combined into a sound invention.” In 1886, Charles was working as a bicycle mechanic in Peoria when he received a jolt of inspiration from a gasoline engine he saw at a state fair. There was no reason, he thought, why such a motor could not be used to power a lightweight quadricycle. He spent seven years designing and redesigning his machine, a one-cylinder, four-horsepower, tiller-steered car with a water-cooled gas engine, a buggy body, and narrow metal oak-spoked wheels turned by bicycle chains. The car also had an electric ignition and a spray carburetor, both designed by Frank.

Okogie appointed cardinal On this day in September 2003 2003, Pope John Paul II appointed 31 new cardinals from 16 countries, with Nigeria’s Archbishop Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, the Archbishop of Lagos Diocese, one of them.

Three cardinals in all were named from Africa, with the other two being Archbishops Gabriel Zubeir Wako of Sudan and Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson of Ghana.

Okogie’s appointment makes Nigeria, the country with the highest Catholic population on the continent, the only African country with two cardinals.

He becomes the second surviving cardinal from Nigeria, after Cardinal Francis Arinze who is presently serving in the

Vatican. The late Cardinal Dominic Ekandem was Nigeria’s first cardinal, and only three has so far been produced from the country.

In all, 18 Cardinals were appointed from Europe, North America 5, Asia 3, South Asia one and one unnamed, in addition to the three from Africa. With the appointments, the Pope is said to have begun stamping his authority on the group that will elect his successor when he dies.

The name of one of the newly appointed cardinals is being kept secret, a formula used when an announcement could endanger him; for example in a country where the church faces oppression. All but a handful of the new cardinals are under 80, so would be eligible to vote on the pontiff’s successor.

A Nigeria Police personnel on duty at the State House Marina in the 50s

Pipeline explosion kills 30 in Lagos No fewer than 30 persons were killed on this day in September 2003 and more than 40 others suffered various degrees of

2003

burns during a petroleum pipeline explosion at the creek viIlage of Ilado in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State. The casualties, it was learnt, included some security operatives.

The incident, which started around 9.30 pm on Saturday, according to eyewitnesses, occurred when some people suspected to be pipeline vandals, who had drilled a pipeline point at Ilado, were scooping for the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) allegedly with the active connivance of some security operatives.

Disaster struck when a marine police officer attempted to start the engine of the police operational speed boat used to ferry the product as the engine suddenly sparked into flames in the already polluted ocean water. In the ensuing pandemonium, a marine police inspector, an officer in the boat and about 30 other people, including some security operatives, were consumed by the inferno. The police officer, who operated the engine and about 40 other people, are now lying critically ill at different hospitals.

Tens of outboard engines and wooden boats were reportedly destroyed in the inferno.

Daily Independent learnt that the people in the villages within the disaster zone are now apprehensive of being arrested by the police while security agents are said to have seized some boats together with persons operating them.

Many people, it was gathered, are now desperately searching for their missing relations.

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DAILY SUN

Friday, September 28, 2012

By PETER ANOSIKE

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amian Azubuike Foundation, a NonGovernmental Organization geared towards strategic change, innovation, research and sustainable development has set a new record as the most royal support initiative.

In a letter dated August 23,2012,World Genius Records Limited said that the record was as a result of the number of royal fathers that graced its Water Summit which was held in March this year.

The firm said that in spite of the fact that the water summit was for the grass root, it had full support of notable traditional rulers in the country.

“It is our pleasure to notify you that your foundation has set a new Nigerians Record of

Damian Azubuike Foundation sets new record Achievement of most royal support. This is in recognition of the number of royalties that supported your water summit held on Thursday 22,March, 2012,despite being a programme for the grassroot, there were support of eminent traditional rulers.”

Meanwhile, the 2nd Annual Series/Award/International Summit of Damian Azubuike Foundation would hold tomorrow at Ayandelu Agbowa Ikorodu The theme of the summit is Safe and Sustainable drinking water-indices, issues, insights, challenges and strategic development.

The keynote speakers at the event would

be Prof. Mendies, Dean of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos and Dr Balogun, Acting General Manager, Quality Assurance, Lagos Water Corporation.

According to the foundation, water is essential to sustain life and satisfactory supply must be available to all.

It said that improving access to safe drinking water could result in tangible benefits to health, adding that every effort should be made to achieve safe drinking water.

According to the foundation, human development and population growth exert many and diverse pressures on the quality and quantity of water resources as well as on its

accessibility.

It said that there is nowhere the pressures are felt more than at the interface of water and human health.

“Access to safe drinking water is essential to health, a basic human right and a component of effective policy for health protection.

The importance of water, sanitation and hygiene for health and development has been reflected in the outcompe of series of international policy forums, mostly the UN, General Assembly declared the period 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade for Action. Water for life,” it said.

Vision 2020 commends Fashola on education

By WILLIAMS UKADIKE

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he huge investment in education in Lagos State by the Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola Government is not a waste as the public schools in Lagos State are recording exponential results as students of these schools are far out reforming their counterfeits in private schools.

This observation was made recently by Dr. Ibilola Amo, project consultant of Vision 2020 anchored by Lonadek Oil & Gas Consultants recently in Lagos during the Grand Finale of one week 6th annual summer camp retreat organized by Lonadek for exceptional secondary school students in Lagos State.

Dr. Amo, in her welcome address said that since 2005 when they stated empowering the Nigerian youths to become exceptional citizens of Nigeria, the

students from private schools have been the major beneficiaries. But she noted that this year’s retreat revealed that more of the students that participated came from public schools wondering what could be secrete.

She said that high cut off point was used to select students for the retreat yet more students from public schools scaled through.

She pointed out that with the way the students exhibited exceptional performance, it then means that the government’s investment in education was a worth while venture and thanked the governor for this foresighted project enjoining him to sustain the tempo.

On the occasion which took place at Dowen College Lekki Phase One, the participating students were empowered with high impact excursion to Musimi Oil Depot Shagamu where they were given extra ordinary exposure on oil and gas production, distribution and management.

The retreat, which lasted for one week gave the students the opportunity to identify their discipline and talents and for them to embark on scientific projects that will help provide solution to Nigeria science and social challenges.

Former Chief Suprintendent of Customs (CSC), Gidado M.M., was elevated alongside few others at the recent promotion for “Execellent, Customs Services” of the Nigeria Customs Service. He is here being jointly decorated with his new rank of Assistant Comptroller (AC) by his unit boss (left) Comptroller Dan Ugo and Deputy Comptroller Ahmed (right), DC Admin all of the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, Lagos, of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Businessman commends Gov Obi

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he Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has been commended for improving and providing the basic infrastructure in the state and his vision through the Anambra State Integrated Developmemt Strategy[ANIDS] as vehicle for reaching the goal.

Giving the commendation last week was a Lagos businessman, Chief Jude Okonkwo who said that the governor was working simultaneously in all the sectors of the state economy.

He recalled that in the governor’s war against kidnappers, he recently sealed two buildings used by kidnappers at Aguakwu –Nri Aniocha LGA. “He has also worked tremendously in the health sector by getting hospitals like Oniitsha General Hospital, Amaku General Hospital, School of Nursing and Midwifery , Nkpor and School of Health Technology,Obosi which were hitherto not accredited before his assumption of office, now accredited” he said.

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SUN SPORTS EXTRA Eaglets support 1 Game •Resume training after rest days

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olden Eaglets’ players and officials have given their unequivocal support to the campaign which is geared towards eradication of violent behaviour in sports, particularly in the beautiful game of soccer!

ANon-Governmental Organisation (NGO), 1 GAME, is now at the forefront of purging football of violence with the theme: Football without violence campaign. The NGO was founded in June 2010 at the instance of Mr. Philip Obaji, an executive committee member of the Cross River State Football Association, who doubles as the Chairman of the Association’s Media and Marketing Committee.

At a recent endorsement and autograph signing event at the Golden Eaglets’ Princeville Hotel camp in Calabar, Obaji reiterated that it was his desire to put an end to violence and fanaticism in football.

Golden Eaglets’Head Coach, Manu Garba (MFR), said the initiative was a welcome development as sports and football are all about sportsmanship and fair play.

“As an individual, I hate violence and I’m in support of any initiative that would ensure that we put an end to any violent behaviour particularly in sport,” he said. “The football environment should be conducive to friendship, so that fans, players and officials can enjoy the game. I’m, therefore, calling on Nigerians to support 1 GAME in this onerous task.”

NPL postpones 2012/13 pre-season activities

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igeria Premier League (NPL) has announced the indefinite postponement of the 2012/2013 pre-season activities earlier scheduled to hold from October 2, 2012.

The postponement has been communicated to all the Premier League clubs’ chairmen/General Managers, through a memo dated Wednesday, September 26, 2012 and signed by the Competition Officer, Gbenga Afolabi, on behalf of the Acting Executive Secretary, Tunji Babalola.

According to the memo, a new date and venue of the pre-season activities shall be communicated to all the Premier League clubs and other stakeholders in due course.

The NPL regrets any inconvenience(s) the postponement may cause the club chairmen/General Managers and other concerned stakeholders.

Heartland’s coach heads for SA

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eartland’s forrmer coach, a Dutch, Lodewijk de Kruif, is wanted in South Africa after a return to the Owerri club fell through.

The Dutchman, who has had to face the courts back in Holland over his finances, insisted he could not return to the chaotic management he left at Heartland.

“I can’t cope with such disorganisation any longer,” the coach told a close source.

De Kruif was on a monthly salary of N1.4 million (less than $10,000), but the snag was that it was not regular and this would later get him into trouble with his country’s tax authorities as he severally defaulted on his tax returns as well as his other repayments back in his home country.

The young Dutch coach, who led ‘the Naze Millionaires’to win the 2011 Federation Cup at the expense of regional rival, Enyimba, was listed for the top post of another Nigeria Premier League outfit Kwara United.

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his is surely a great moment for the new Chelsea boy!

Two days after scoring his debut goal for Chelsea against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup, Victor Moses has announced that his spouse, Brentley, has just given birth to his first baby.

Moses broke the news yesterday to his more than 45,000 Twitter followers, through his account, expressing delight at his status.

“I am really proud to announce I’m now a dad!

Brentley Moses born this morning 3.960kg all healthy thank God! thanks 4 ur support” he tweeted.

The former Wigan attacker, who only completed his dream move to Chelsea this summer for nine million pounds, has also been impressive for his London team.

On Tuesday evening, he was handed his first

NEWS start at Chelsea in a Capital One League Cup game with Wolverhampton. He rewarded his Coach, Roberto Di Matteo, with a goal for the confidence reposed in him. Chelsea won the game by 6-1.

Chelsea faces a tough test this weekend as it travels to the Emirate to play Arsenal, and it is likely that Moses will be gunning for a goal for his new daughter.

Hurray! Victor Moses becomes a father Confusion as 2013 AFCON tickets go on sale

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here was confusion and uncertainty as the first phase of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations ticketing went live on Wednesday.

The local organising committee had gone on a nationwide bus tour the previous day to hype up interest for the 2013 event, while unveiling a number of stations where the tickets would be sold.

Phase one ticket prices range between R50 and R200.

Individuals purchasing Category 1 and 2 tickets before the official draw (26 October 2012) will receive up to 10 per cent discount and those buying Category 3 will receive up to 20 per cent discount on ticket.

But there was an outcry and frustration as Super Spar outlets opened its doors on Wednesday morning. A number of supporters claimed they could not locate any Spar to purchase their tickets and the 2013 AFCON hotline proved pointless to others.

The lack of information coming from the SA Football Association (SAFA) did not help the situation either. The SAFA official website was more like an outdated notice board with little or no information at all about the 2013 Afcon.

Those outside the country have an option to buy online but that will only happen after the final draw set for Durban on October 24. This phase will continue until December 20, at which stage phase 3 will kick in from December 21 right up to the tournament.

The 2013 showpiece gets underway on January 19 and will run until February 10. The matches will take place at Soccer City (Johannesburg), Moses Mabhida Stadium (Durban), Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (Nelson Mandela Bay), Mbombela Stadium (Nelspruit) and Royal Bafokeng Stadium (Rustenburg).

•Names Brentley

Terry banned, fined for racism

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helsea’s captain, John Terry, has been banned for four games and fined £220,000 after being found guilty of racially abusing QPR’s defender, Anton Ferdinand, by the FA. Terry was acquitted of abusing

Ferdinand by Westminster Magistrates’Court in July, but the FA’s disciplinary committee announced that the 31-year-old was guilty of abusing Ferdinand on the balance of probabilities, rather than beyond reasonable doubt.

The Blues’ star announced his

NNL excludes Ocean Boys from draws

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roubled Nigerian club, Ocean Boys, have been left out of the second-tier league competition for the 2012/2013 season.

Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Emeka Inyama, confirmed that 31 clubs instead of 32 will participate in the coming season.

He also explained the decision to expunge the 2006 Nigeria Premier League (NPL) champions from next season’s campaign.

“Only 31 clubs will compete in the National League in the coming season,” began Inyama. “The reason is that the Nigeria Premier League forwarded to us only three names of relegated clubs and we gave them four names in return (to play in the top division).

“They forwarded to us the names of Jigawa Golden Stars Football Club, Niger Tornadoes Football Club and Rising Stars Football Club. There was no communication about Ocean Boys Football Club. I don’t know anything about their rules and regulations and that’s why we will proceed with 31 teams for next season.”

Acting Executive Secretary of the Premier League, Tunji Babalola, insisted that Ocean Boys stood expelled from the league “according to Article 4.2(3) in the 2012 rules of the NPL.” But Ocean Boys have said they will take their case to the Organising and Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

“We will take this matter to the NFF because they are the apex body running football in the country and whatever the outcome, we will accept. But I must make it clear that the (Victor Rumson) Baribote-led board of the NPL has failed us,” said Ocean Boys spokesman, Asein Ohis.

Ocean Boys were expelled from the Nigerian top flight 48 hours to the end of last season after they failed to honour four league games including three consecutively.

retirement from international football with England on the eve of his FA hearing, after stating that the governing body had made his position within the side untenable by pursuing the case against him.

Terry will have 14 days after receipt of the written reasons for the decision to launch an apeeal, and the penalty is suspended until after the appeal should the Chelsea’s captain decide to do so.

The decision means that Terry will be free to represent the club in their London derby against Arsenal at the weekend, and for up to two weeks afterwards if he does appeal.

Terry’s management company has released a statement, saying that: “Mr. Terry is disappointed that the FA Regulatory Commission has reached a different conclusion to the clear not guilty verdict of a court of law.

“He has asked for the detailed written reasons of the decision and will consider them carefully before deciding whether to lodge an appeal.”

Imabo eyes SPDC/Gov Cup title

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nelga’s forward, Emenike Imabo, is positive his side will clinch the title of the ongoing 2012 SPDC/Rivers State Governor’s Cup competition.

Omabo’s lone strike became decisive as his side ran away with 1-0 win over the hard-fighting foes, Omuma, in Matchday three at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Although Imabo admitted that his side was clay footed at goals, he, however, is upbeat that subsequent matches will convince doubters of their readiness to challenge for the coveted trophy.

“We missed out on the title race in the last edition, we’re hopeful to do very well this edition and possibly win the title.

We started slowly especially in the game against Omuma with scores of missed chances, I know we’ll be better and convincing in the next matches,” he said.

Awu Stone, who scored in Bonny’s 21 defeat of Opobo-nkoro, said the fear of imminent elimination from the tournament helped their fight back to victory.

“It was a difficult game, we conceded the first goal and realising that we lost our first match made us to fight back and it paid off,” he said.

Bonny’s other scorer is Israel Banigo, while Evans Ogolo netted the consolation goal for Opobo-nkoro.

Asari-toru pipped Degema 1-0 and the losing side defender, Pedro said his side played badly.

“It was a disappointing game for us, all hopes are not lost if we could do better in our last game we may still progress to the next stage,” said Pedro.

Others matches decided on Tuesday saw Eleme upset Akuku-toru 4-0 with Fortune Ibiye netting a brace, while Bassey Iyeoma and Elijah Oluka earned a goal each.

NEWS

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SUN SPORTS EXTRA

NEWS

Bayelsa upgrades Siasia Stadium

CAF Champions League: Ahly not invincible – Emmanuel

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he Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa is now wearing a new look. Massive work is currently going on at the stadium following the award of contracts to upgrade its facilities by the state government. Among the projects going on are the installation of flood light and electronic score board, upgrading of swimming pool to Olympic standard, renovation of hostel facilities, and fitting of seats in the main bowl of the stadium.

Speaking with newsmen, the state Commissioner of Sports Development, Hon. Mitema Obordor, said that the award of contracts to upgrade the facilities at the Samson Siasia Stadium was in fulfillment of government’s restoration agenda in the sports sector.

He assured the people that the Seriake-led administration in the state would continue to invest in the sector to tap the abundant talents for the state and nation in general. Obordor assured youths pursuing careers in the state of government’s willingness to assist them realise their dreams and urged them to be disciplined and hardworking.

League Cup

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unshine Stars’ midfielder, Sunday Emmanuel, has said that Egyptian side, Al Ahly, “is not invincible.”

Al Ahly has won the CAF Champions League six times and now faces Sunshine Stars over two legs in the semifinals of Africa’s premier club competition.

Emmanuel, who joined Sunshine Stars from Enyimba

this year, is confident that Al Ahly is beatable after Kano Pillars achieved same feat in 2009 in the playoff round of the CAF Champions League.

“We have huge respect for Al Ahly for its achievement on the continent. But to say it’s impossible to beat the team, I’ll totally disagree. After all, Kano Pillars have once defeated them. So in the game of football, anything is possible. Mind you, they are also

not invincible,” said the midfielder.

The Sunshine Stars’ man further went ahead to predict that the Egyptian club would suffer a 3-0 defeat in Ijebu-Ode on October 7 when the first leg takes place.

He also doused fear that the Akure Gunners will be matchrusty, owing to lack of competitive games since the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) has ended.

“I’m confident we can beat them 3-0 in the first leg. That’s the kind of scoreline we need and we will just wait for the second leg after that. But our focus now is the first leg “Really, it doesn’t matter that we’ve not played competitive football after the league ended. I also want you to remember that we and Al Ahly are in a similar situation because their league has been suspended too.

We‘re ready for Lone Star – Keshi

United drawn against Chelsea in 4th round

By ROMANUS Abuja

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UGWU,

he noted.

Equally reacting to the Liberia’s proposed 11 days camping in Ghana ahead of the crunch encounter, Keshi emphasised that he did not want to bother himself with the

preparation of the Liberians, adding that he is more concerned about ensuring that the my players and the technical crew are on the same page for the game.

“I don’t need to monitor them or where they are camping. I

only need to concentrate on my team’s preparation. Liberia can be anywhere preparing against us, but it does not matter so much to me. The most important thing is for the coaches and players to be on the same page,” he stressed.

By MONICA IHEAKAM

uper Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, has assured Nigerians that the technical crew and players have mapped out strategy to combat all technical antics players and officials of Lone Star of Liberia might deploy to outsmart Nigeria for the ticket to the 2013 African Nations Cup. Disclosing the lessons he learnt from the first leg of the qualifier in Monrovia, the former Hawks of Togo and Mali handler told Daily Sunsports in Abuja: “We saw what happened in the first leg. We noticed that about 80 per cent of the team comprises local boys that played against us during the friendly. We know them but now they are bringing about 11 pros although he kept most of them on the bench in the first leg.

“We don’t know what they are bringing until the game starts in Calabar. We have a game plan, we have strategy against any of their antics. If there is any change from them, we will work out solution to it,”

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Hostility in Monrovia: NFF rules out vengeance

ither Chelsea or Manchester United will miss out on the fifth round of England’s League Cup after they were pitted against each other in last night’s draw.

Chelsea, that thumped Wolves 6-0 in the third round on Tuesday night, will have home ground advantage for the tie.

Another interesting match-up sees Liverpool, victor, against West Bromon Wednesday, at hme against Swansea City, the former team of new Reds manager Brendan Rodgers.

Tottenham Hotspur faces Norwich City at Carrow Road, while Arsenal, that put six past Coventry City on Wednesday night, travelled to Reading.

Aston Villa has been rewarded for its upset win against Manchester City with a trip to Swindon Town, while Leeds United, that eliminated Everton, will be eyeing another Premiership scalp when it plays host to Southampton.

FOURTH ROUND DRAW IN FULL Sunderland v Middlesbrough Swindon Town v Aston Villa Wigan Athletic v Bradford City Leeds United v Southampton Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur Liverpool v Swansea City Chelsea v Manchester United Reading v Arsenal.

Independence Day race

Navy Sailing Club to develop water sports s the countdown to the much-anticipated Independence Day race draws to the D-day, the Navy Sailing Club, Navy Town has vowed to develop and groom talents in water sports.

Already, there is a frenzy of excitement pervading the Navy Sailing Club ahead of the October 1st Independence Day race to celebrate Nigeria’s 52nd Independence anniversary.

Commodore of the Navy Sailing Club, Babatunde Ajayi, says security of participants is paramount to the club. He assured that security of participants was very important, stressing that life jackets will be provided for all participants, while divers, rescue boats will be stationed at the venue of the race.

Vice Commodore of the club, Giwa Daramola, disclosed that not only would the Navy Sailing Club be celebrating the country’s national day with the race, but it would champion development of water sports in Nigeria.

According to Daramola, there are more than 50 medals in water sports, adding that starting now to focus on the young ones by showcasing their talents, the Navy is, in essence, passing a vital message to the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Sports Ministry that it is ready and willing to assist Nigeria at the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil “We are primed to maximize and harness the potentialities that abound in Nigeria by starting a new programme designed to raise the young ones. Catching them young is our priority and already, we are trying to put in place plans to take the sport to the children by starting sailing clubs in schools. We are braced for the challenges and just want the Rowing Federation of Nigeria as well as the multinational companies to partner the Navy in maximizing these potentialities.

Meanwhile, the Commodore of the Navy Sailing Club, Babatunde Ajayi, has assured that security of participants was very important, stressing that life jackets, would be provided for all participants, while divers, rescue boats would be stationed at the venue of the race. Ajayi also revealed that the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Amin Ikioda, Admiral Ayo Yusuf as well as the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral Ajonu, were some of the top naval personnel expected to grace the occasion.

By ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja

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igeria Football Federation (NFF) has emphatically said that it was not planning any evil against the Liberian contingent when the Lone Star storms Nigeria for the second leg of the crucial 2013 South Africa African Nations Cup qualifier encounter.

Argentine beach soccer team.

There were reports of obvious maltreatment and hostility that Liberians melted out to the Nigerian contingent during the first leg in Monrovia early this month. Among them are provision of substandard accommodation that is far away from the venue of the match and other sundry unfriendly antics.

However, reacting to whether the federation has intention to pay

the Lone Star in its coins when the team arrives Nigeria for the second leg next month in Calabar, the General Secretary of the Glass House, Barrister Musa Amadu, remarked that a comprehensive victory over Liberia on October 8 inside UJ Esuene Stadium was a top priority.

Insisting that though he cannot confirm whether the Nigerian contingent were unfairly treated

Copa Lagos attracts more fans in South America

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opa Lagos fan base is set to expand and grow to new heights this year. The recent announcement that Argentina will compete in this year’s Copa Lagos 2012 is attracting more fans.

The tournament itself may not get underway until the 14th December this year, but already it is evident that the 2nd edition of Copa Lagos will be a big hit in South America.

Argentina will become the 2nd South American team to compete at Copa Lagos in 2 years. It is no surprise that there is always a strong South American presence

at Copa Lagos. South America is the birth place of Beach Soccer, and many well-known players of the traditional game owe some of their skills to Beach Soccer. The likes of Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Ariel Ortega have all experimented with Beach Soccer at some point in their careers.

Popularity of Copa Lagos in South America will be unrivalled this year as the tournament would be broadcast to 250 million homes. Fox Sports will be broadcasting the tournament to North and South America, Fox Sports has the potentiality to reach an

audience of over 300 million people in South America. Sponsors of Copa Lagos such as FCMB will be delighted to see their brand being carried all the way to the emerging markets of South America.

Media and PR Officer for Copa Lagos, Steven Apampa, said: “We are proud to have such a large following from South America. The fans last year were so refreshing and added much fun and atmosphere to the event. We are pleased that we are able to show all the good things about Nigeria to fans in South America” Copa Lagos is much more than football, it’s a lifestyle.

in Monrovia during the first leg, the Glass House scribe told Daily Sunsports on telephone from Lagos that the federation had no plan to petition the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) on the field and off the field antics of the Liberians.

His words: “I don’t know anything about our maltreatment in Monrovia. So, we have no arrangement whatsoever to appeal to CAF about anything. If there were any maltreatment melted out to us in Monrovia, which I cannot confirm to you now, we will only pay them back by beating them on the field of play. we will ensure a comprehensive victory.”

On why Nigeria must continue to play the big brother role to other African countries, even in the face of obvious hostility against our national teams and club representatives, Barrister Amadu, replied.

“But, that is the only way we can behave. It is our culture to be receptive”.

And that is the only way we know how to behave. We cannot come down from our civility and behave like other countries.”

Friday, September 28, 2012

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POLITICS...&Polity

Endless tussle for Lagos local councils

•Koshoedo Close to one year after the last local government election in Lagos state, there is no let up in the battle by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take control of some of the council areas. he last certainly has not been heard on the tussle for the control of the 57 local council areas in Lagos State. After the conduct of the last local government election in the state on October 22, 2011, the Lagos state Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) declared the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) winner of the election in all the council areas in the state, to the consternation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The party is laying claim to victory in four local government areas in the state.

A disappointed PDP vowed that the results will not stand. Consequently, the party proceeded to the Local Government Election Petition Tribunal to challenge the results.

Former chairman of the PDP in the state Hon. Setonji Koshoedo, had stated that his party was challenging the election results so the law would take its course on the irregu-

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Our Error –Re: Gladiators from Anambra North Mr. Linus Awute is the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Abuja. His picture was mistakenly published and captioned Dr. Alex Obiogbolu from Onitsha and governor ship aspirant in Anambra state.

But Mr Awute whose picture was used as Obiogbolu is from Rivers state and has no political ambition since he is still a federal civil servant.

The error is regretted –Editor

•Shelle

•Igbokwe larities, which in his views trailed the council election.

“We have video clips of the results and we have the original copies of the results which were also given to the police and security agencies. In Badagry West, PDP won three seats out of five. In Badagry East, we won two out of five seats and in Badagry Central, we won the chairmanship and seven out of 10 councillors. Now, they are saying we didn’t win anything at all.” The party also said it kicked against the composition of the tribunal because of fears that the outcome of the judgment might be compromised to favour the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)-led government in the state.

“We want Lagosians to be aware of this development in case they come up with their usual maradona political game. Lagos PDP has, therefore, no confidence in the trial of the council election petitions because the key members of the tribunal were either members of the ruling ACN or associates of the party,” he said.

According to him, “The PDP in Lagos State wishes to alert the general public that the ruling ACN government in the state has perfected plans to stage a kangaroo tribunal over our complaints of irregularities in the last local government election in Lagos State. From all indications, the ACN in connivance with the state government are bent

on scuttling a democratic process that could possibly address our complaints of fraud going by the composition of the tribunal.

However, ACN Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, dismissed PDP’s claims as the ranting of a losing party. He alleged that a top PDP leader hired thugs to disrupt activities in Eti-Osa after failing to ‘buy’ voters.

He said: “On the whole PDP is trying to create confusion, inciting the voters to violence and circulating false claims of electoral victories in places like Badagry, IkoyiObalende, Agege-Iganmu and Epe”.

So far out of the four council seats in dispute, the tribunal had only delivered judgment on the Badagry Central local government area. But incidentally, that judgment did not make a decisive pronouncement on which of the two feuding parties won the election in the area. The tribunal members did not agree among themselves on who won the election.

Delivering judgement on the Badagry Central case recently , the chairman of the panel, Justice Francis Owobiyi (rtd), who read the lead verdict of the five-member Tribunal resolved the dispute over the October 22, 2011 election in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While two other members of the tribunal in a minority judgement ruled in favour of the ACN. Other members of the panel were Chief

“It has dampened our spirit to a reasonable extent. But it doesn’t stop us from forging ahead to continue to pursue our actions in fighting to get back our mandate. We shall continue.

The same with Obalende/ Ikoyi. Where we also won.”

Magistrates Eniola Fabamiwo and S.O. Solebo, both women. The others are Senior Magistrate R.O. Davies and Mr. Wasiu Animashaun. While both women held in favour of the ACN, Animashaun and Davies aligned with the panel’s chairman.

However, Davies refrained from ordering that the PDP candidate, Mustapha Adisa Dada, be sworn in. This caused a stalemate.

He explained that he could not rule in favour of the PDP because of his position, much earlier in the proceeding, that the petition was filed outside 30 days.

As soon as the judgement was given, members of the ACN went wild with jubilation. Their jubilation was necessitated by the stalemate in the judgment which implied that the status quo must be maintained.

Reacting to the judgement, the state PDP chairman, retired Captain Olatunji Shelle said the ruling has poured a cold water on the party’s desire to get justice. However, he maintains that the PDP remains undeterred in the pursuit of its case.

“It has dampened our spirit to a reasonable extent. But it doesn’t stop us from forging ahead to continue to pursue our actions in fighting to get back our mandate. We shall continue. The same with Obalende/Ikoyi.

Where we also won. That one is pending.

Similarly in Agbado Oke-odo, where we also convincingly won “PDP is not taking it rightly. And we shall not allow our mandate to be stolen by anybody whether justice Fatai Adeyinka or the Tribunal that gave ruling that is indecisive.

That didn’t give a clear-cut position on the case. We have filed in our Appeal and our team of lawyers are working on the case,” Shelle stated.

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South-West Report From GBENGA ADESUYI, Ibadan

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hey are members of a roving gang of armed robbers, who specialise in robbing banks. The gang, reportedly led by a woman, used sophisticated weapons like AK 47 riffles and dynamites in their operations.

For years, they had operated in different states with impunity. They had successfully carried out an operation at a new generation bank in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State on September 12, 2012, where the bank’s security doors were destroyed with dynamite and undisclosed sum of money carted away.

The story, however, changed while returning from the operation. They had passed through Ogbomoso and Oyo and were heading towards Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, when they had an encounter with the police. The state police command had, after a tip-off, deployed men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which laid ambush for the robbers.

The gang used four different brands of vehicles, including a Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Hilux van and Toyota Sienna. On sighting the SARS team from a bend, they fired a dynamite. The attack on the SARS team resulted in an exchange of gun fire.

For close to an hour, there was a shoot-out between the gang and SARS team.

During the shoot-out, one member of the gang died while others escaped with injuries; the SARS team also lost one officer. He had lost too much blood and rushing him to the hospital became a problem as people had deserted the road due to the fear created during the gun battle. The police van that was supposed to carry him had its engine knocked. Three other police officers also sustained injuries. The gang was forced to abandon one of its operational vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf.

On their escape route the robbers had another encounter with the police, who had laid ambush for them on the Ojoo/Iwo Road. They were forced to abandon their Hilux van and a magazine loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition.

The police team continued hunting the robbers by monitoring different parts of Ibadan city. The command recorded success when the lifeless body of a man sus-

Oyo police in gun duel with roving robbers pected to be a member of the gang was recovered the following day in a bush behind Mufu Lanihun College of Education, Oremeji area of the city. The dead robber was found with a charm tied to his waist and had a big hole in his thigh believed to be that of bullet.

The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, said the robbers passed through Ogbomoso-Oyo Road and on a tipoff, men Special Anti-Robbery Squad went after them but the robbers attacked the SARS operatives with dynamite: “In the attack, one member of the SARS

team died while three were seriously wounded. The injured officers have undergone surgery at the hospital they were rushed to after the incident. One members of the robbery gang who was also killed had been brought to the police headquarters.

“Early this morning during our search, we recovered the dead body of one of the suspected armed robbers that operated in Ilorin. We have recovered a full magazine load AK 47, while one of our men lost his life and two other SARS men are still recuperating at the hospital.”

He appealed to all hospitals in the state

and the members of the public to report anybody carrying bullet wounds at the nearest police station. He added that his men are battle ready against armed robbers during the ember months. He disclosed that the command was currently refurbishing two of its Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) that has been grounded for 12 years, while patrol jeeps and other patrol vehicles were also undergoing repairs: “Fro records, armed robbers always met their waterloo during any attempt to operate in the state while passing through the state from their operations.”

PDP ’ll sweep LG poll in Egbeda –Adesokan K abir Oladele is a chairmanship aspirant for Egbeda Local Government, Oyo State, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the forthcoming council poll in the state. He spoke on his aspirations. Excerpts: ACN has failed It is rather unfortunate that the expectations of the people have been dashed. When they voted for ACN, they didn’t vote for mass sack and destruction of their shops. It is contrary to our expectation from a party that prides itself as progressive. It appears the ACN is bereft of progressive ideas. They seem not to know what politics is all about. Politics is about service delivery but this ACNled government in the state has put people into total penury. Imagine a situation whereby the husband got sacked and his wife’s shop demolished.

Mokola flyover It is a part of deceit of the government. This is a Federal Government project and they would get repayment from the Federal Government. They would count it as an achievement, but

it is for the PDP. Proposed land use policy This government is trying to draw blood from our people. It is quite unfortunate. The policy of Governor Ajimobi is not for human beings. We are not in the jungle. It is wrong and I believe our people now know better.

Chairmanship ambition I decided to come up to add value to the lives of my people in Egbeda Local Government. If you go to our schools, the classes are not conducive for learning. No chairs, desks and instructional materials. In Egbeda, the roads are totally impassable. Yet, they collect monthly allocation. I would construct high quality roads. I would also promote commerce to enhance the economy of my people.

The clinics are mere consulting rooms. They lack equipment. I would provide them with necessary tools and incentives. I would consult the Bank of Industry (BoI) to provide microcredit for our people. My administration would ensure that we have a viable microcredit bank to empower our people. I would also provide bursaries for our students in tertiary institutions. We would accord respect to the traditional

institution.

Farmers would be supported through fertilizers and other aids that could encourage food peoduction. We would partner with relevant Federal Government agencies to join our rural areas to the national grid. Workers too would be rewarded for their exemplary conduct while boreholes would be provided.

PDP crisis It is a normal thing in politics and the PDP is a very big party. I believe in a shortwhile, all these crises would be a thing of the past. We would come out stronger as party leaders at various levels are already attending to it.

Oyo electoral commission The Federal Government should scrap state electoral commissions.

Look at what happened in Lagos. LG election should go along with general elections. I believe the National Assembly is doing something on this.

However, this is Oyo State, we are waiting for them to come and manipulate. The ACN knows it would lose the election. and we are waiting form them. The people, voters are now wiser. The dividend of democracy as far as ACN is concerned is poverty. We

are not unconscious of their plan, but we are battle ready for them. Oyo is not like Ogun or Lagos state.

My sincere call to our people in Egbeda LG is to be wiser and vote out the ACN. They are a failure and political infidels. Look at Iwo Road, the

shops have been demolished without providing alternatives for them. Our people should continue to be law abiding but vote out the government whose only dividend of democracy is sacking of workers and imposition of poverty on the citizenry.

Church holds prophetic encounter

F

irst Light Christian Centre has started its seven Sundays and seven Tuesdays of prophetic encounter at Akilo Road, Off Oba-Akran Road, Ikeja, Lagos. The programme, which kicks off at 9am on Sundays and 10am every Tuesday began on Sunday, September 16 and will end on Monday, October 30, 2012. The host, Pastor Mike Ethapemi, said the programme “is a voyage, and as the year runs to an end, the Lord has assured us that there shall be no loss for members and all who attend the programme.”

RCCG City of God’s special programme

T

he Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of God Parish (a.k.a.

Place of His Glory), Ketu Area 9, Province 21, Lagos, holds a special programme, themed “Flourishing Under His Wings” to mark end of the year on Sunday at Ogunkoya Street, Ketu, at 9am.

Host pastor, James Owolabi, promised that “it will be awesome session and soaring like an eagle.”

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Friday, September 28, 2012

DAILY SUN

South-West Report How corruption works at LG level –Prof Aluko, ex-council scribe

By MOSHOOD Abeokuta

P

ADEBAYO,

rofessor Jones Oluwole Aluko is of Babcock University, Ilisan, Ogun State. Among others, he was secretary to many local governments in the old Oyo State and later executive secretary to the Osun State Local Government Service Commission.

The anti-corruption crusader lamented that corruption had permeated the entire fabric of our national life, particularly in the local government. “At the local government level, there are opportunists, who, apart from taking inflated contracts regularly, feed fat on the resources entrusted to them by politicians, who hold posts at the local, state and federal levels.”

Aluko stated that there were many forms through which corruption is perpetrated in the third tier of government. According to him, these are through funding of political parties, inflated contract prices or quotations, collusion between external auditors and government functionaries, collusion between supervisory ministries/bureaux and local government chairmen as well as collusion with citizens who benefit from the thieving public officers among.

He said aside from the society aiding corruption to thrive, both state and federal governments also played a key role in corruption: “I have told the ICPC that curbing corruption in the country is not about going to the place where the evil act is being perpetrated and arresting the culprits, investigating and prosecuting and imprisonment.

“I am not boasting, with my experience in anti-corruption and my experience in Local Government Administration in the country, there is hardly any council area that I will enter that within one and a half hours, I will not send someone or two to prison for corruption charges.

“We believe in training local government officials to re-orientate them against corruption. We want them to know that the money they consider as the national cake is really so. Fighting corruption in the country is not something of curative, but preventive through enlightenment and education.

“One of the problems of local government administration is the illegal deductions by state governors of local government funds through the state joint local government account. Through this account, a lot of evil is perpetrated to the detriment of the people of the rural areas.

“The so-called party supremacy in the country is also not helping matters as well as hero worshipping of the leadership by the followership which also encourages large scale fraud and corruption. I want to canvass a system where local government funds are paid directly into each local government account as against the current state joint local

•‘Attempts were made to bribe me with bush-meat’

Aluko government accounts which continue to make council administration impoverished.

“If a local government chairman receives his allocation direct from the Federal Government and he or she misappropriates it and he is caught, he should be sent to jail to serve as detriment to others. Once we are able to do this, we will not only have succeeded in strengthening the LG administration in the country, but we would have set a standard and serve as detriments to other chairmen.”

According to him, one of the ways to reduce corruption in local government administration was to ensure that the conduct of various offices in the third tier of government is not handled by state government: “If we get credible election in local governments, the excesses of many state governments will be curtailed. As along as we continue to witness the situation where the state conducts council elections, we will be too far from achieving a credible election.”

Aluko also blamed the appointment of auditor-general for local government by the state as contributory factor for corruption alleging that they sometimes asked for gratifications from chairmen of councils.

He accused political parties of taking money from projects handled by states controlled by them: “Corruption is a cankerworm which has eaten deep into our national fabric and it will only take the grace of God to remove it because it has become cancerous.

“If government is really serious about winning the war against corruption, it must stop political patronage of the leadership of our local governments. If there is real credible council elections, there must be proportion representation. It cannot be winners take all as the case is in the country.

“Until we encourage credible elections at local government level and proportional representative is allowed by political parties, the

problem of corruption will be difficult to eradicate. It is not only good for efficiency, but gives room for corruption, it is really a sorry case in the country.” He said political parties make mockery of themselves “when they told us that they have won all the councillorship and chairmanship elections in the state.

This is impossible.”

Asked whether he had being offered bribe as LG administrator: “Yes, but I have never received one.

There was an attempt by a contractor to bribe me with bush meat through my wife which I rejected. Contractors and those seeking favours from local government authorities will go to any length to offer bribe which comes in various forms.

“Contractors are a terrible set of people. They like variations very well. They are fond of coming back after a contract must have been signed and sealed to complain that the prices of quoted items needed for the contract had gone up. To me variation in contract is nothing but corruption.”

Aluko, a pastor of the Redeem Christian Church of God, recalled: “When I was giving jobs to my other colleagues who were not fortunate to come up, secondary school mates and others, they were telling me how much they made from the contracts. I did not take any kickback from them and God is my witness.

“Because of my anti-corruption war, by the time I retired from service, I did not have enough money, God is my witness. We built our house in Ibadan for 11 years. We started its foundation in 1981, nine years later, we occupied the boysquarters and until 1992, we could finish the main building.”

On creation of new local government areas, the Professor of Public Administration said: “As much as I agree that creation of more council areas would bring about rural development, I also want to advise that local government administrators should be more resourceful in their quest for Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). There is laxity on the part of local government workers to generate IGR. They can do without inflicting pains on the rural dwellers. The tenement rates which I have identified as the largest source of income for local government and others should be vigorously pursued for the betterment of all.”

According to Aluko, 70 percent of income of the British local government councils are derived from tenement rating: “Ironically, IGR from advertisements, motor-parks and markets have been taken over by states, this should not be so.”

Osun, now financially healthy for investors –Aregbesola

By AYO ADEMOKOYA

G

overnor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has identified strict legal framework and enforcement of fiscal responsibility laws as some of the solutions to curb corruption in the country. He was speaking at a dinner for the president of the Institute of Chattered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Adedoyin Owolabi, who was on an official visit to the state.

To Owolabi, he said: “I make bold to say that the direction and aggressiveness of the institute under your leadership gives a lot of hope and succour to Nigerians. Your continuous agitation for good corporate governance, transparency and paradigm shift in economic and financial policy formulation and implementation is highly laudable.”

Aregbesola then told his audience: “I am happy to inform you that for the first time in the history of the state, two financial international bodies rated State of Osun A+ and A- , it is a great achievement for a state which has always been a financial risk for a long time. Also, I am highly elated to let you know that the impoverished State of Osun is fast becoming a wealthy state.

“The state’s IGR which was abysmally low was a concern to our administration, and we are aggres-

sively working to improve same. It is worth mentioning that, the state IGR met at N300 million per month was within the first six months of our administration increased to an average of N600 million per month. This was achieved by mere blocking of leakages without any increase in tax rate or introduction of new taxes.

Given our current target of N12 billion per annum, we are aggressively working on some strategies to complement this feat.

“The state’s yearning on the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has prompted development of some strategies which include reformation of the state’s IRS. In order to ensure an effective and efficient IRS, our ministry sponsored a bill – Revenue Administration Bill. The bill which shall make the state’s IRS autonomous, effective, efficient, service-driven and result-oriented is being considered by the House of Assembly.”

The governor re-echoed his administration’s six-point integral action plan focusing on banishment of poverty, unemployment and hunger. Restoration of healthy living, enhancement of communal peace and progress and promotion of functional education.

Owolabi thanked the governor for his kind gesture and promised to join hands with his governing council in moving the state forward.

(L-R) Mrs. Olubukola Opakunle, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Educaion; Moshood Suleiman, TV anchor; Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, Deputy Governor/Hon. Commissioner for Education; and Bukola Aderibigbe,TV Anchor after an interactive session with the Deputy Governor at the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation studios with regard to the progress made in the last 22 months in the state’s education sector in Osogbo at the weekend

(L-R) Mr.Kola Buari, Osun,ANCOPPS, First Vice President,Mrs Modupe Olagunju,ANCOPPS member, Mrs. Titi Laoye- Tomori, Deputy Governor/Hon. Commissioner for Education, Dr. Bunmi Obisesan, Osun ANCOPPS President and Mrs. Moyo Adeleke, ANCOPPS member during a courtesy visit to the Government House in Osogbo at the weekend on arrival from the African Confederation of Principals 2012 which took place in Dar-es-Salam, Tanzania

Friday, September 28 , 2012 DAILY SUN

51

People & Events Dedication of Baby Faustine Dim

Baby Chisimdi Faustina

Dreamer’s Dream Opera sets UNILAG on fire on Independence Day

T

he University of Lagos (UNILAG) auditorium will be literally set on fire with the first ever live opera performance to be pepped up with drama, dance and comedy on Independence Day. The Dreamer’s Dream: every man’s story, will be told by the St. Patrick, Igbogila Ipaja, Choir/Youth Organisation to commemorate Nigeria’s independence from 12.00 noon on Monday, October 1.

His Eminence, Rt. Rev. Alfred Martin Adewale, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos and other important dignitaries, are expected to grace the occa-

sion, which will be anchored by Seyilaw, the comedian.

According to Mr. Umeh Anthony Chinedu, the opera director, though this is an opera to be presented by a Christian organisation, it is a motivational piece, everybody that has dreams must witness to keep his them alive, adding that the event will be worthwhile.

Prince & Mrs. Sunday Dim.

Prof Aina delivers OAU 250th inaugural lecture

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he 250th inaugural lecture of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, will hold on Tuesday, September 25 at the Oduduwa Hall. It will be delivered by Professor Olabisi Aina, of Sociology Department.

The lecture is titled: “Two halves make a whole, gender at the crossroads of the Nigerian

Prince Dim, God parents of Baby Faustina,, Mr. & Mrs. John Oyekezie and Mrs. Onyinye Dim.

Odun Gbalajobi goes home today

A

gain, death has unleashed its icy clutches on the banking industry, plucking one of its best managers.

Mr. Odunmorayo Oyindasola Alani Gbalajobi, a former manager with the Universal Trust Bank, UTB, Lagos, and a businessman, passed on September 3, 2012. He will be buried, this morning, at Atan Cemetery, Yaba, Lagos. He was aged 58.

A native of Ilesa in Osun State, and member of Ikoyi Lagos . Meanwhile, the Club 1938, the late Gbalajobi Association president Mr. Paul was a marketing graduate of the Ogazi has urged members to be prestigious Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. After punctual. acquiring his primary education

development agenda” and will be chaired by the OAU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bamitale Omole.

Prof. Aina is the current Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences of OAU and wife to the Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University (EKSU), Prof.

Patrick Oladipo Aina, who is expected to grace the lecture as well as other guests.

at the Seven Day Adventist Primary School, and St. James Primary School, both in OkeBola, Ibadan, he was admitted to Ahmaddiya Grammar School, also in Ibadan, where he had his secondary education.

A member of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the late Gbalajobi is survived by his wifeand three lovely children.

Emekuku High School old boys hold emergency meeting Emekuku High School Old Boys Association Owerri (formerly Sabastine Academy, Emekuku) Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State,

Lagos State Chapter will hold their emergency meeting on Sunday. September 30 2012 by 3.oop.m at NTA office, National Stadium, Surulere,

Gbalajobi

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DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

Light of Islam

Abdulfatah Oladeinde 08023078685

MarryMuslim

•Gombe State Grand Khadi and Amirul Hajj, Alhaji Baba-Liman, inspecting facilities at the state hajj camp in Lawanti, Akko Local Government Area in preparation for this year’s hajj. Photo: NAN

If only they knew who Prophet Muhammad was

O

nce, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was sitting in a blessed gathering of his and speaking to his companions.

Meanwhile, a man entered the mosque, looking to his left and right. Then, instead of sitting in the Prophet’s circle, he headed for a corner of the mosque and began to undo his lower garment. The people were left in suspense as to what he was going to do next.

Then, to their horror, he raised his lower garment, sat down quite calmly and began to urinate!

The companions were shocked and exploded upon

From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah

T

he Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Do not speak much without mentioning Allah, for too much speech without mentioning Allah hardens the heart, and the hard hearted are the furthest of all people from Allah Most High.”

[Tirmidhi]

Dua of the week

O

ur Lord! Let not our hearts deviate from the truth after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your grace. Verily You are the Giver of bounties without measure. (Qur’an 3:8)

seeing him urinate in the mosque. They were about to rush towards him, but the Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked them to stay seated and keep their calm; he said, “Do not interrupt him!” The companions watched as he urinated and perhaps he wasn’t even aware of them looking on!

The Prophet (Peace be upon him), as he witnessed the scene – a man urinating in the mosque – continued to calm his companions down. How forbearing he was! When the Bedouin had finished and stood up to tie his garment around his waist, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) called him gently. The Bedouin came and stood in front of the Prophet (Peace be upon him). The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “The mosques are not built for this purpose. They are only built for prayers and reading of the Qur’an.”

This was the end of his brief advice.

The man understood the Prophet’s words and left.

When the time for prayer came, the Bedouin came and prayed along with them. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) initiated the prayer with his companions by saying “Allahu Akbar”.

He then recited and bowed.

When he rose up from bowing, he said, “Allah hears the one who praises Him.” The companions said, “Our Lord, to you belong all the praise!” Except that this man added, “O Allah, have mercy on me and Muhammad, and no one else!”

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) heard him, and when the prayer finished, he turned around and asked who said those words. The companions pointed out the man to him, so he asked him to come forward. When he came and sat in front of him, lo and behold, it was the same Bedouin.

The Prophet’s love had entered into his heart so deeply that

he wished that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and he be the recipients of Allah’s mercy exclusively.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said to him, “You have narrowed what is vast!”

Meaning that Allah’s mercy was enormous enough to include the two and everyone else, so it should not have been restricted to the two of them only.

This is the manner by which the Prophet (Peace be upon him) managed to capture his heart by knowing how to deal with him, for he was a Bedouin who had just come from the desert. He could not be expected to be as knowledgeable as Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, or even Mu’adh and ‘Ammar, and hence he should not be treated like them either.

•Culled from “Enjoy Your Life” by Dr. Muhammad ‘Abd AlRahman Al-’Arifi, and translated by Saleem Beg.

Who is Prophet Muhammad?

“I

wanted to know the best of the life of the one who holds today an undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind…I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those

days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission.

These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the second volume (of the Prophet’s biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of that great life.” –Mahatma Gandhi

Are you a Muslim male or female searching for a suitable life partner? Or does your family want a spouse for a son or daughter of marriage age. Well, we can be of help to you. It has been observed lately that many matured female and male Muslims are getting agitated and confused due to their inability to find appropriate partners. Some of those affected, particularly the females end up marrying out of the fold of Islam, against the ruling of Sharia. With this column, MarryMuslim, we seek to redress the growing practices in which Muslim youths get abused or frustrated in the bid to have life partners.You are invited to send your profile just as Muslim families are invited to send profiles of their sons or daughters seeking life partners to the email address: fatakola@yahoo.com.

The profiles are to include: name, age, height, ethnic group, town, marital status, number of children (if any), qualifications, occupation and current position, telephone number for easy contact, any other useful details, qualities desired in prospective spouses and email address.

Please ensure that profiles sent for publication are written as seen published to save time wasted on re-writing. And note that names and e-mail addresses provided will be treated as confidential and will not be included when the profiles are published on this page. Owing to space constraint the profiles will be featured on this page for two weeks before being deleted to accommodate others. Prospective suitors interested in any of the published profiles are to contact the Coordinator, The Sun Light of Islam through the above email address, giving adequate information about themselves and if deemed to have satisfied the requirements will be linked up with the profiled person. Always read The Sun Light of Islam.

•Those whose profiles are desires for marriage a Muslim published on this page now or female, preferably Igala, tall previously are advised to and educated.

•Profile 1747: Muslim check their email boxes once in a while for information. male, 29 years old, single, 5.9 Please make the profile you are feet tall, Yoruba, Lagosian submitting appear in the for- based in Lagos, holder of B.Sc mat published as much as pos- in Accounting, studied Arabic sible to reduce time spent on and Islamic studies, director in working on wordy submis- a construction company, AS sions. Profiles sent in form of genotype, speaks Yoruba, curriculum vitae will not be English and Arabic, humble, treated. Requests and respons- gentle, intelligent, dark, tall, es should be sent to fatako- seeking to marry a humble, la@yahoo.com. Those made beautiful (preferably fair-comthrough text messages will not plexioned), well-behaved relibe treated. If your profile is not gious Muslim female aged published yet, please bear with between 18 and 26.

•Profile 1748: Muslim us. Itís due to space constraint. single, gainfully •Profile 1742: Muslim male, female, 26, single, Yoruba employed, genotype AA, 5.7 from Ibadan, Oyo State, 5.9 feet tall, matured adult based in feet tall, varsity graduate, self the South-West and desirous employed, desires to be mar- of settling down with a pious, ried to a single Muslim male, beautiful Muslim female who graduate, from 30 and above, must be educated, single, tall Yoruba from Osun or Lagos or average height and could be about 6.5 feet tall from any part of the world. She •Profile 1743: 29-year-old must be ready to settle down Muslim female, 1.4 metres tall, quickly.

Yoruba from Ibadan, Oyo •Profile 1749: Muslim State, single, nurse, seeking to male, 37 years, single, from be married to a God-fearing Osun State, based in Lagos, and caring Muslim male. businessman, wants for mar•Profile 1744: Muslim riage a Muslim female, aged male, 38 years old, single, between 26 to 37. from Osun State, based in •Profile 1750: Single Lagos, 5.8 feet tall, motor Muslim male, 35, spare parts seller, needs a Muslim female from 28 and Nupe/Hausa, 1.89 metres tall, based in Lagos, varsity graduabove for marriage.

•Profile 1745: Muslim ate, gainfully employed, wishmale, 31, employed, 6 feet tall, es to marry Muslim female fair-complexioned, seeking to from any tribe, aged between marry educated Muslim 20 and 30, preferably a gradufemale, aged between 18 and ate, working.

•Profile 1751: Muslim 35, who is God-fearing and ready for marriage from any- male, 28, 5.7 feet tall, Yoruba from Osun State, single, B.Sc where.

•Profile 1746: 31 years old holder, needs a Muslim single Muslim male, 1.79 female, God-fearing, loving metres tall, Igala from Ankpa , caring, aged between 25 and HND holder, civil servant, 27.

DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012 Continued from Back page Thomas Moore, in his Sacred Songs, says “Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.” And the Good Book, that book of all books, also tells us that “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:4).”

Yes, God will comfort Joan Ozuah, but will the scars in her heart ever be erased?

The Yorubas again say that you can never compare a scar with your natural skin. A scar will always be different. Calloused, coarse, hardened. Oh poor Joan, the scar, the scar, for life. Poor wounded lady.

“God’s bosom as a bed shall lodge thee, till thy wound be thoroughly heal’d” (Shakespeare).

She now has only memories to hold, to keep and treasure. Just five days of marriage. Her dashing Romeo, the knight in shining armour, Ugochukwu, the man she gave her heart. Their first kiss, their first day as man and wife. The delirious joy, the hope, the dreams, the plans. And suddenly, joy’s slender body broke. And it broke too soon. “Grief is the price we pay for love” (Queen Elizabeth II).

Will Joan live again? Will she love again, without the trepidation of losing out once more? If she’s pregnant, she finds comfort in Ugochukwu’s baby that she will bear. But if she’s not? For how long can she stay with her new in-laws, who she was even just getting to know and relate with? What trauma for one so young! What agony, what ordeal!

Torture, eternal wound. Now, Joan must travel the rest of her life, “embracing pain and burning it as fuel for her journey (Kenji Miyaza).

How about the larger Ozuah family?

Ugochukwu still has a mother. Poor,

Joy has a slender body

•The late Ozuah and wife

poor woman. May God be her comfort.

“The darker the night, the brighter the stars. The deeper the grief, the closer is God.” (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, in Crime and Punishment). Madam Ozuah is in deep sorrow. She had lost a husband, a son in 2008, and now another son, who was like the head of the family. Dark

nights, starless skies, surely. May she heal, may she mend, but it is a heavy burden she has been called to bear.

And Ugochukwu’s siblings?

His friends, colleagues? May God console them. William Cowper says, “Grief is itself medicine.”

But what bitter, unpleasant medicine. May the eternal powers spare us of such medicine. We

Re: How Jonathan can succeed Continued from Back page brought forth this bumper harvest of whirlwind - simple. Of a truth, President Goodluck Jonathan is in no way responsible for the mortality of Nigeria’s corporate existence.

No, the president is not to blame! How do I mean? Am I Jonathan apologist? Am I out to absolve the man at the helm of affairs of this replica of the legendry Titanic of any blame? Am I canonizing Nigeria’s version of Mikhail Gorbachev of the defunct USSR for a superlative performance? Most certainly not. So what’s the line of my argument?

Sure it is axiomatic that Nigeria has hitherto remained a riddle wrapped up inside a puzzle and buried in an enigma. Needless restating the obvious. Our now moribund sovereignty was a project of God lavished with everything that could have made her spectacular in the comity of nations. Make no mistake about it, there is a direct correlation between the fates of Nigerian state and that opulent, 900 foot ocean liner – Titanic – which suffered a gory fatality on its first voyage from England to New York in 1912. The builders of that magnificent, greatest technological accomplishment of that era had, basking in the euphoria of their feat, thought they had arrived and were then at even higher pedestal than their maker. Hence their foul-mouthed boast, “Even God cannot sink this ship”.

Don’t ask me what happened next. But what actually sank the Titanic?

According to the findings of an international team of divers and scientists who recently used sound waves to probe through the wreckage which is buried in mud two and a half miles deep, what caused the whole catastrophe was not a huge gash as had previously been believed but rather, a surprisingly small damage consisting of six relatively narrow slits across the six watertight holds. With heads seething with vainglorious overconfidence, and a false sense of security, complacency set in, the men at the helm of

53

affairs of that ocean liner assumed they were immune, and therefore had gone to sleep at the wheel and in the process failed to heed five different warnings. Finally, a series of small things hidden beneath the waterline, out of sight, did them in and took them under forever.

Ditto for Nigeria and her (mis)leaders.

Blurred by over-bloated ego, they have continued to conduct themselves since independence as demigods, unaccountable to mortals, indulging in all forms of atrocities against the state and the citizenry, ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime.

All along taking the corporate existence of the Nigerian state for granted. In all their boundless reckless impunity they had anchored their confidence on one illusion – Nigeria’s indivisibility and indissolubility! Yes, to these inebriated tin gods of power, the Almighty God can do all things but one – tamper with Nigeria’s corporate entity. Instead of Nigeria’s composition to be altered, heaven and earth had better perished! In this brazen arrogance the socalled leaders unwittingly shot themselves in the foot. They unknowingly planted the landmine that eventually brought down the roof of Nigeria upon their heads.

The annulment of June 12, 1993 presi-

dential election actually won by the late Bashorun M.K.O Abiola and the April 2007 elections conducted by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo did the bad job and finally sealed the fate of Nigerian’s sovereignty. As a repercussion, these rampaging bulls sowed the wind and whirlwind was their bumper harvest. Thus Nigeria began her journey to the land of no return.

Ordinarily, I would have said by adopting and religiously implementing your blueprint to the letter, Jonathan would have been sure of slugging it out with Abraham Lincoln in the World Leaders’ Hall of Fame. Alas! Such divine privilege is not the president’s lot. Goodluck Jonathan, President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria is on a divine assignment, whose terms of reference is only but presiding over the divine restructuring of the Nigerian nation into three sovereign states.

This is the only reason behind his elevation from the backwaters to the pinnacle of glory.

Thus, while it is absolutely correct to assert that we were in no way responsible for our fusion as one entity; that it was all the handiwork of the colonial masters, for purposes far from the common good of the citizens, the same cannot be said of our disengagement from the union at this moment. Nigerian leaders are wholly and purely to blame for this intervention of divine activities into our affairs.

So, how then can Jonathan succeed? The answer is clear-cut and definite. He should just do as God bids him. Period! Any form of deviation from this primary assignment, amounts to serious dereliction of duty on the path of the president, and brings him on collision path with his maker. We must strive and strain to create egalitarian societies that would command the respect of the rest of the world. It is imperative we come together and form new alliances based on mutual trust and mutual respect for mutual benefits. *Anyim-Atata is General Coordinator, God @ work in Nigeria Network.

Tel: 08062850163.

prefer a merry heart, which the Good Book says “doeth good like medicine.”

We prefer it to the medicine of grief.

May God give us the medicine of a merry heart, rather than the medicine of grief. Amen.

But who killed Ugochukwu? This allegation is coming at a time the police in Lagos is riding high. Dare-devil armed robbers, rode through the city like hot knife through butter about three weeks ago, killing three cops and four civilians.

Now the police have bust the gang, and a good number of them are in the net.

Good job! Also just this week, the police discovered a whole armoury in the Ajangbadi area of the city. The AK 47 rifles, the ammunition, dynamite and rocket launchers were enough to sack a city. Thumbs up to the police for preempting the evil intent of the sinister people. And in Apapa area, robbers who killed a top anti-robbery policeman were gunned down a few hours after. The police in Lagos have never had it so good. But then, joy has a slender body that breaks too soon. Men in police uniform allegedly killed Ugochukwu Ozuah. Whodunit? We must know. Let thorough investigation be conducted, let ballistic test be done on the bullet, and let’s know where it came from.

By the way, at a time in this country, policemen signed for their bullets, and had to account for it when back at the station. Do they still do it? I doubt. Not with the way they fire guns today like Christmas firecrackers. But if a policeman truly killed Ozuah, it is incumbent on the police authorities to fish him out.

That is just the minimum requirement of justice.

A headstone at a cemetery in Ireland bears this epitaph: “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” Ugochukwu is dead, leaving Joan with heartache that no one but God can heal. But in her heart would be the love she had for the man she married, and lived with for only five days. That is a memory she will have for life, and which no one can steal.

Death, thou shall die one day.

Re: 2015, Igbo nation at crossroads (3) Continued from Back page Device (IPD) to attract patronage (Arthur Eze) and protection of his job by a political appointee (Ben Obi).

Steve Okoye, Enugu, 08036630731, nso20june2012@gmail.com No force can stop us Ndigbo are God’s own people. When the time comes to become, we shall come out and no force can stop us. And only then will Nigeria have a wise leader from the East. Comrade Chidi Martins (Nkpoko of Nkpoko Igbo) It will happen one day If the endorsement of Jonathan remains the only alternative for Igbos in 2015, then majority of them won’t mind voting for a northerner. Sabotage is the virus killing and forcing Igbos down. But I know that one day, God will make an Igbo president. N.D. Godswill, ABSU Don’t worry yourself The Igbos say President Jonathan is one of them because his name is Ebele Azikiwe, so I don’t see the need for the clamour for Igbo presidency when there is one already in power. Don’t worry yourself about them. Chuma Uba, Onitsha

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Friday, September 28, 2012

Moses Akaigwe mosesaki@hotmail.com 08072100049

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ven as the excitement of the 4th generation Honda CR-V’s launch in Lagos was yet to fully die down, the car earned another round of applause recently in Abuja when The Honda Place (THP), authorised marketer of Honda automobiles in the country, took the wrap off its new look during a gala night held at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos.

The remodeled crossover had, in June 2012, at a previous launch at the Ocean View Restaurant, Lagos, reawakened the enthusiasm of automobile enthusiasts that witnessed the unveiling ceremony.

Coming 16 years after it was introduced; the CR-V has continued to enjoy customer loyalty and increasing sales every year due to its uniqueness, ample passenger room, cargo capacity and competitive pricing.

A successful global brand, the CR-V has in these years of tremendous achievements elicited more than a dozen different competitive models from rival automakers making their way into the mid-sized SUV category.

Mr. Arvind Sharma, Branch Manager, The Honda Place, Abuja, who gave this insight in his presentation, described the new CR-V as sedanlike ride with stunning economical four-cylinder engine spectrum with remarkable handling.

He said: “While some models offer V6 engines, Honda CR-V has remained focused on its practical aspirations and true-to-form design, becoming the best choice available in the allimportant compact, small-SUV segment,” Sharma noted.

Redesigned for 2012, the new Honda CR-V maintains its previous size, with minimal hard-

DAILY SUN

Motoring Honda unveils 4th generation CR-V in Abuja ware changes though with enough style and feature modification to keep Honda’s top selling crossover fully competitive.

And like its predecessor, the remodeled CR-V is offered in familiar LX and EX-L trim levels.

The LX model though comes pretty wellequipped, its EX-Loption gets additional convenience and luxury features, but without navigation systems for the local market.

A peep in the hood underscores CR-V’s standard 2.4-litre inline four cylinder engine with 185 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque’ mated to Honda’s fashionable five-speed transmission, just as all models comes in the traditional front wheel drive safe for the all-wheel drive that is optional.

The Abuja branch manager of The Honda Place said CR-V list of features is amazing, adding that its intelligently thought-out interior with high quality materials distinguishes the crossover from competitions.

Couple with this, he noted, is the car’s comfortable ride, quieter engine (than before), better road handling and remarkable steering high points.

Other technical features on the new CR-V focuses on the next generation mini-utilities,

•Rear view of 2012 Honda CR-V which come as standard, e.g. two info screens, a rear view camera, Bluetooth, and a function that reads incoming text messages from paired phones – provided the phone is a BlackBerry.

Honda has also improved on the CR-V’s fuel management system, improving from 21/28mpg city/highway to 23/31mpg and the all-wheeldrive models from 21/27mpg to 22/30mpg.

Mr. Sharma said the main goal of the 2012 Honda CR-V is to be an excellent family vehicle as affirmed by test drivers.

Safety however remains a strong selling point for the CR-V. With top five-star government safety ratings, the CR-V ranks best amongst safety

conscious cars in its class.

Other standard safety features include stability control, braking assist, and front-side and headprotecting side curtain air bags.

Honda has undoubtedly traversed several hurdles in its six-and-half year decade in automobile engineering, becoming an icon with a lineup that runs the gamut.

Some of Honda inspiring models are fuel-sipping hybrids, spacious minivan, reliable family sedans, practical SUVs and a pickup. Honda’s brand as a whole continues to be one of the most respected in the industry, with millions of loyal and satisfied customers.

CFAO, Alliance Autos support Eko 2012 with Nissan vehicles

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lliance Autos Limited, the division of the CFAO Nigeria PLC. that markets Nissan vehicles in Nigeria, has lent its support to the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 18th National Sports Festival towards a successful hosting of the sporting events tagged Eko 2012 by Lagos State.

The assurance of support was conveyed by the Managing Director of Alliance, Mr. Regis Tromeur, while presenting five Nissan vehicles to the committee at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Tromeur said the partnership between CFAO/Alliance Autos and Eko 2012 organisers was an opportunity for the former to showcase its commitment to sports development in Nigeria.

The Alliance Autos boss further remarked: “We are all aware of the potential of sports as a tool for reaching personal, community, national the all people carrier commercial passenger bus, and international development objectives. the Urvan and the people’s ‘taxi’ the Sunny.

In his remarks, the Chaiman of the CFAO Therefore, our sponsorship of the 18th National Sports Festival, Eko 2012, is underpinned by our belief that sports has a major social, political and economic significance in contemporary society, making development of sports in Nigeria require the support and involvement of all stakeholders.

“As the official automobile support car company of the Eko 2012 games, we are highly delighted to announce our sponsorship of the games with five Nissan vehicles of different models that include the luxury personified Nissan Teana, the all terrain MP300 Hardbody, •Ford Focu

L-R: CFAO Chairman and Head of the Marketing SubCommittee of Eko 2012, Chief Molade OkoyaThomas; Lagos Sports Commissioner, Enitan Oshodi; Alliance Autos MD, Regis Tromeur; and Local Organising Committee (LOC) Secretary-General, Kweku Tandoh, during the presentation of five Nissan vehicles by Alliance to the LOC in Lagos, recently.

organization indentify with the sports festival.

Both the Lagos State Commissioner for Sports, Wahid Enitan Oshodi and the LOC Secretary-General, Dr Kweku Tandoh, commended Alliance Auto for blazing the trail in the sponsorship of the games scheduled to hold from November 27 to December 9.

The commissioner said: “Partnerships like this will help the development of sports in Nigeria. I believe that this is the beginning of many good things to come in terms of partnership with the private sector for the successful hosting of the games”.

A subsidiary of CFAO Group (France) and a part of CFAO Nigeria PLC. CFAO Group, Alliance Autos, has been operating in Nigeria since 1902 with a network of business interests in automobile, heavy duty equipments, technoloGroup, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, who also gies, general import, trade and distribution, comheads the Marketing Sub-Committee of the modities and electronics. games, ledged to ensure that more corporate

Ford Focus is world’s best-selling car

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he all-new Ford Focus has earned for itself an enviable position in the global market as the best-selling single car nameplate in the world, with 489,616 units sold in the first half of this year.

Information provided by IHS Automotive, the closest rival, Toyota Corolla, sold 462,187

‘Everyone is a Winner’ promo aims to reward Kia buyers

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ia Motors, marketer of one of the leading automobile brands in Nigeria, has explained that Everybody is a Winner , a new promotion that was flagged off on Wednesday, was designed to appreciate the patronage of teeming Kia buyers as the country celebrates her 52nd independence anniversary.

With a range of prizes that include LCD television sets, home theatre systems and DVD players, the Kia promotion will run through the month of Kia Rio

October, and is available to Kia vehicle buyers all over the country.

“In this new promotion, every buyer of any Kia model gets to win prizes instantly,” said Kayode Adejumo, Marketing Manager for Kia Motors. “Once a buyer purchases a Kia, he gets to select a scratch card right there and goes home with any gift found on the scratch card.”

According to the Chief Commercial Officer of Kia, Mr Sandeep Malhotra , “this is our way of appreciating our loyal Nigerian customers for their dedication to the Kia brand and to commemorate this year’s Independence. Our customers are at the heart of our brand and we aim to continuously improve the

quality of our service and reward them for their loyal patronage.” he stated Kia Motors Nigeria has over the last few months come up with various promotions and schemes aimed at making it easier for Nigerians to buy their dream KIA. From price discounts on all models to their ‘one of a kind’ financing scheme offering 0% interest financing options and now the “Everyone is a winner” promotion.

The Kia marketer has been in operation in Nigeria since 2002 and will be celebrating 10 years of doing business in Nigeria this November.

Kia is currently one of the leaders in the auto market in terms of innovation, quality and customer satisfaction and has steadily gained the love, trust and loyalty of Nigerians over the past 10 years.

units within the period reviewed..

“The all-new Focus is a small car that is getting big attention globally and there has been a lot of excitement about it in Nigeria,” said Ezio Tuniz, Ford’s regional sales manager, SubSaharan Africa. “Ford’s award-winning trucks have been best-sellers in Nigeria for years and now the Focus is yet another great vehicle available in the market – one that offers excellent quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value.”

In addition to this achievement, the Focus drove Ford to a manufacturing milestone - its 350 millionth production vehicle – when it rolled off the line at the new Ford Thailand manufacturing plant in Rayong, Thailand on Aug. 31. That number means that if placed end to end, the Ford Motor Company has built enough vehicles to stretch to the moon and back twice.

The Focus was also named International Compact Car of the Year – Most Spirited by iCOTY in Jan. of this year and Connected Car of the Year – 2012 by World Magazine.

The all-new Focus combines expressive design with an exceptional array of smart new technologies, high levels of craftsmanship and occupant safety. It also delivers up to 40 mpg on the highway, while offering the driver engaging performance and handling.

DAILY SUN

Friday, September 28, 2012

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Motoring F

or front-running automotive brands and models in the country, all roads will literally lead to Abuja (and the Eagle Square in particular) in the second week of next month when the 14th edition of the annual international auto exhibition, which holds in the Federal Capital Territory, is flagged off.

This is because almost all the big names in the sub-sector have booked spaces to display their vehicles, related products and services at the fair, with some of them hinting of plans to unveil new products and offer discounted price tags Addressing the motoring press in his office in Lagos on the preparations for the 14th Abuja International Motor Show, the Managing Director of BKG Exhibitions, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, said the fair would hold from October 16 to 24, disclosing that Stallion Motors, one of the companies that participated in the early editions of the show, would stage a grand comeback this year.

He said Stallion, easily the company with the highest number of auto nameplates in the Nigerian market, would formally announce at the fair ground the addition of one more brand to its stable: the Korean Ssygyong, in addition to promoting other well known ranges, like Porsche, Honda, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda, Agwu listed other companies whose participation had been confirmed (as at the time of the press briefing) as CFAO Intermotors, Kia Motors, Toyota Nigeria Limited, Weststar Associates, PAN Nigeria, NTM (manufacturers of light, medium and heavy duty trucks in Kano) and Hyra Motors.

Also going to the fair are Leventis Motors and Lanre Shittu Motors Limited, while discussions are going on with Coscharis Motors on (according to the organisers) on the participation of brands like BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Ford and Joylong (along side other Chinese nameplates), and a host of other potential exhibitors.

Iintermotors, it was gathered, plans to unveil to the northern market the new Chevrolet Sonic, a 1.4 litre Hatchback with automatic transmission, which entered the local market only three months ago. The auto marketer will also be playing up the on-

Chevrolet, Mercedes, Kia, Toyota for Abuja Motor Show •Stallion, PAN, NTM too Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback to be formally unveiled by CFAO Intermotors in Abuja

going promo on the popular Aveo, the compact car that has been the subject of a generous incentive in the past few months.

As part of the Chevrolet Aveo package, Chevrolet lovers are being offered the opportunity of buying the car at a competitive price of N1, 850,000, and choosing the extra one year, or even an outright N80, 000 cash. Another car the CFAO Auto subsidiary will be showcasing in Abuja is Cruze, clearly one of Chevrolet’s best-selling products globally.

“Visitors to the Chevrolet stand will be very glad they came, because there will be a lot of exciting packages waiting for them”, Intermotors Marketing Manager, Oluwatoyin Akigbogun, told Daily Sun Motoring.

For Kia Motors, the fair will be held at a time its special Independence Anniversary promo will be hitting a crescendo, thereby providing a convenient platform for buyers to make purchases and get sundry prizes attached to such transactions. In addition to

promoting the Cadenza, Kia is expected to attract attention to the incentive being dangled in partnership with Stanbic Bank, through which customers can pay instalmentally for cars purchased without extra charges.

Another ‘Team-A’ player in the market, Weststar Associates, is expected to flaunt Mercedes-Benz range of luxury passenger cars and commercial vehicles, as well as Wrangler Dodge and Jeep ranges. While PAN Nigeria will strive to use the fair to improve on the success so far recorded by its 408 and the Alsvin, as well

I

Nissan X-Trail

prove just how economical the X-Trail can be, without requiring mental and physical determination to do so.

The “expert” team, captained by local economy run veteran Willie Nel (who has completed 36 events) and joined by Jacaranda FM’s Ashley Hayden, posted truly astounding figures however, making use of professional fuel-saving practices and driving styles. The remarkable return of just 6.41-litres per 100 km overall goes to show that the X-Trail can be really economical.

The final figures translate into impressive range from the X-Trail’s 60-litre fuel tank – over 1000 km – and with low emissions of 171 g/km, minimal environmental impact is felt along the way. Importantly, both vehicles achieved their inspiring figures with a full complement of luggage and passengers on board, at high altitude and on at least 50 percent gravel roads.

South African jewels rediscovered The Epic Adventure’s route – which began and ended in Harrismith in the Free State – saw unconventional roads selected in order for the vehicles to stay as close to the Lesotho border as possible.

Day two included traversing Lundean’s Nek through to snowy Naude’s Nek towards Matatiele, before heading Northwards up to Swartberg in Kwa-Zulu

Experts vote for transport research institutes

E Jeep Wrangler

X-Trail achieves excellent fuel economy n a series of events, which can only be described as an epic adventure, Nissan’s X-Trail recently conquered a mammoth driving route around the Lesotho border in two tough and exciting days.

With two vastly different driving teams, taking care of the two X-Trail 2.0 dCi XE 4x2 six-speed manual models prepared for the Epic, the compact SUV’s fuel efficiency was put to the ultimate test under real world conditions – ranging from smooth sailing on national roads to muddy mountain passes, which fell victim to excessive snowfall in the Eastern Cape earlier in August.

The “novice” team, represented by Xtreme Car & Leisure and DieselDrive magazines, posted great results, achieving 7.06-litres per 100 km overall and under “everyday” driving conditions. With no special training or specific effort to reduce fuel consumption, this achievement goes to

its commercial vehicles range, Hyra Motors is said to be getting ready to woo fair visitors with Geely and Brilliance modes.

Predictably, Toyota Nigeria is retaining its vantage position near the entrance to the Eagle Square venue where a full range of its passenger cars and commercial vehicles (including the new Fortuner and Camry) will be on display.

According to the raising the bar in terms of standards of organization and quality of exhibition, so that the show will continue to live up to expectation as the leading automotive market place in the entire African continent”.

Apart from retaining the Managing Directors/CEO s forum which made a debut last year, the fair will this year feature Transport Forum, a platform for stakeholders in both the private and public sectors of the nation’s transport industry to rub minds.

Natal, through Underberg and eventually landing back in Harrismith. With mostly dirt roads the order of the day, the X-Trail’s build quality was put to the ultimate test, as well as its ability to handle rough roads at speed.

4x2 X-Trail not deterred by harsh road conditions With 203 mm ground clearance and highprofile tyres, neither X-Trail showed any signs of strain or nervousness on various different road surfaces, whether they were negotiating terrible tar-road potholes or while traversing heavily rutted and potholed dirt roads.

Continued Nel, “The 4x2 X-Trail’s ground clearance was remarkable, and the suspension was firm but not harsh, making tough terrain easy to negotiate. The torquey 2.0litre diesel engine mated to well-spaced gear ratios was excellent in undulating terrain, with brisk acceleration met by exceptional economy.”

Terry Mashoko, Product Manger: SUV at Nissan South Africa, stated: “We are very pleased with the phenomenal fuel consumption that the X-Trails achieved. The X-Trail continues to be a lifestyle enabler for the adventurous at heart, whilst maintaining fuel efficiency and environmental consciousness.

The figures achieved on the Epic go to show that even in comfort and at leisure, great fuel economy can be achieved.”

X-Trails’s feat in Southrn Africa is coming at a time Alliance Autos (th official marketer in Nigeria) is targeted the SUV at customers seeking a leisure vehicle that can at the same time withstand the rigors of long, rough trips.

stablishment of transport research institutions that are comparable to those in advanced countries, has been recommended as an important developmental measure that would contribute to the attainment of economic goals of Nigeria.

This was part of the resolutions of a team of experts in transportation who took part in a twoday workshop organized recently in Akure, by the Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (IoTA) under the theme Research In Transportation Studies In Tertiary Institutions.

In a communiqué issued at the well-attended forum, the participants cited examples of developed countries like Britain and Canada, that used transport research institutions as means of attaining economic development, saying that such institutions were needed for successful implementation of projects and programmes in Nigeria.

The participants also called for a paradigm shift in transport research methodology and operational mechanism in Maritime, Air, Land (rail, road, and pipeline), recommending that space transportation should be embraced in order to pave way for transport professional research managers and administrators.

Part of the communiqué reads: • The idea of organized research is not new in the universities or in some organization, but what is new is the existence of Professional Research Managers And Administrators with the following functions - organised research agenda; organized research funding, organised research networks, organised research implementation and encouraging social network researchers.

•There should be no strict uniformity of format for research reporting, because prescribed templates have tended to encourage some semblance of form-filling or unquestioning conformity with a reporting procedure, regardless of the nature of investigation carried out.

•There should be no place for linear thinking in research; rather, leap resulting from lateral thinking should be encouraged in research.

•The fundamental ethical ethos of applicable research must embrace: research that can contribute to knowledge; research that is usable to a known organization or government; research that set applicable bench-marks and standards; research that would have a component of usability at both national, local and international levels; and research that can find applicable transferability and useful as a model for Nigeria.

•That staff and students of transport in tertiary institutions be conversant with the quality of research methodology and the necessity of data analysis (quantification) for them to take a pride of place in the comity of world transport professionals in the 21st century.

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DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

TRANSPORT Aviation, Maritime

NIMET adopts QMS to improve service delivery

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he Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), has expressed its willingness to improve on its service delivery level by adopting a Quality Management System (QMS) in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recommendations.

At a meeting with stakeholders on ways to improve the agency’s service on Tuesday in Lagos, Director General, NIMET, Dr Anthony Anuforom said the agency would ensure that its products and services to the aviation industry and other relevant agencies in the country met the International Standard Organisation 9001: 2008.

The ISO 9001:2008, he revealed, specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that meets customers and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements and aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer.

Anuforom, who was represented by the Director of Weather Forecasting Service, Mr. Ifeanyi Nnodu said NIMET would embrace the concept of continual improvement which was key to its `Quality Management System` (QMS) as a fundamental business strategy.

“The Quality Management System is all about customer satisfaction through continual improvement in service delivery. We will work with the various agencies at the airport to make sure that the Nigerian airspace is in good condition in accordance to fly operation, particularly on the international realm”, he said.

Nnodu urged the agency’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experts to work with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to improve close all gaps currently existing in the agency’s operations.

On the lateness and poor accessibility of the agency’ s delivered messages, he said the agency would collaborate with NAMA to ensure that consumers of its services, which include airlines and other aviation agencies, get needed information as at and when due.

Emirates inaugurates non-stop daily service to Washington

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igerian travellers now have more connections to the United States as Emirates, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, has launched its daily nonstop service from Dubai to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).

This makes it the seventh gateway for Emirates in the United States, and the twelfth new route to join the airline’s international network in 2012.

Speaking to the media, the President of Emirates Airline, Tim Clark stated that, “Emirates offers important new choice, competition and a higher level of internationally recognized service to the Washington, DC market with a state-of-the-art product and fleet. As one of the most important global cities in the world, we look forward to connecting DC-area travelers with the largest number of one-stop flights to Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.”

Mr. Clark disclosed that Washington Dulles is one of the top international airports in the U.S., with over seven million international passengers annually. The region is home to more than 1,000 international institutions and over 1,000 foreign-owned companies from approximately 50 countries. With 126 destinations in 74 countries, Emirates’ Dulles service will create a wide range of new

options for passengers and businesses.

“Our U.S. flights help to open new markets that the business community is reliant upon, as the globalization of commerce is dependent upon transportation for passengers and cargo. This Emirates service will facilitate trade and promote tourism to the Capital region from around the world, including the Middle East, which generated over 100,000 visitors last year alone,” he said.

Also speaking on the event, the President and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, John E. Potter said that, “we welcome Emirates as our 23rd international airline to Washington Dulles International Airport.

This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the airport, the arrival of Emirates is cause for even greater celebration. Our passengers will benefit from this new service to the Middle East and connections to destinations around the globe.”

Travelers to Washington Dulles will fly on a Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft featuring Emirates’ award winning service and passenger comforts, including: Private suites in First Class, Lie-flat beds in Business Class, Generouslysized Economy Class seats, SMS, telephone and email service at every seat and 1,400 channels of in-flight entertainment.

L-R: Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Mr. J. Olatunji Caulcrick, General Manager, Airport Safety, FAAN, Engr. Peter Onyeri, Director of Air worthiness Standards, NCAA, Engr. Patrick Ekunwe, Ag Director of Operations and Traning Standards, NCAA, Capt Olumide Lawal, his conterpart in Licensing Standard, Engr. Emmanual Ogunbambi and Corporate Services Manager, Landover Company Ltd, Mr. Monday Ukoha at the 7th Safety, Security and Service Summit held at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja yesterday. Photo: WALE OLUFADE

N900bn debt: Local operators’ investments under threat Stories by UCHE USIM

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s domestic operators groan in pains over N900 billion naira owed aviation agencies, local and foreign banks; aircraft leasing firms and maintenance organizations, experts fear the entire investments of

the carriers will go down the drain and make them extinct except something urgently done to salvage it.

According to analysts, the plights of the local carriers was worsened by the recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive to commercial banks to stop giving cred-

it to some of them since most of their businesses are buoyed by banks’ credit facilities.

They urged the government to ensure that the remaining scheduled carriers, IRS, Arik, Aero and Overland are assisted within the confines of safety to remain afloat.

Hajj: Medview to airlift 6,500 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia … Acquires 2 B737-400 for domestic service

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edview Airlines operation 2012 Hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia finally commenced on Saturday night with 500 Oyo State pilgrims airlifted from Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos .

The trip suffered a day delay as one Medview's airplane was hit by a ground-handling machine of Nahcoaviance.

The Managing Director, Med-View Air carrier, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, while commenting on the airlift said the airline was designated to airlift 6, 500 pilgrims from different departure points for this year’s Hajj exercise, even as he assured that the exercise will run as

scheduled.

Bankole also stated that the carrier would airlift pilgrims from 16 states of the federation including Ogun, 1,573; Oyo, 1565; Edo, 350; Armed Forces, 505; Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and all South-south states of the federation.

Bankole revealed that the carrier will operate about 18 flights from Lagos Zone alone, adding “the stage has been set and we are ready for the exercise and we pray to Allah to grant us a safe journey to and from Saudi Arabia. We are using B747 with the configuration for 517 people and in all the zones that we are operating; we will be using two aircraft, which have been on ground for sometime now”.

Assuring on a hitch-free exercise, he said: “the 2010 and 2011 exercises we partook in is still very fresh in the memories of our passengers and the officials.

Last year, the baggage came ahead the pilgrims, which shows our efficiency. So, we have put in a lot of measures and that is why we have taken a bigger aircraft this time around to airlift the pilgrims to and fro on time”.

Meanwhile, the airline has acquired two B737-400 jets in readiness for scheduled operations in days ahead. The two aircraft have scaled both pre-delivery and post-delivery inspections of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

FG should enforce financial audit on domestic operators – NASI

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hairman, Nigerian Aviation Safety Initiative (NASI), Capt Dung Pam, has urged the federal government to compel domestic operators to open up their books for regular financial audit by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to determine their financial sustainability.

Pam, stated this in a report made available to Daily Sun on the state of the nation’s ailing aviation sector.

According to him, what they (operators) really need is the managerial expertise to navigate

safely into sustainable and profitable operating zone.

“The current structure accommodating operators without clearly defined models and target market segments creates a foray that results in a battle of attrition. A quarterly analysis of the economic regulatory team of the available seat kilometre (ASK), the revenue passenger kilometre (RPK), the break even load factors (BELF) for the various routes and the overall yield versus the total operating cost will give a good indication of the how sustainable the business models are. Sometimes there's need to re-evaluate strategies

based on the volatility of the operating environment. Other factors that are outside the purview of the operators, which can be addressed by policy are effects on inflation and fluctuating values of foreign exchange.

Healthy competition could drive down prices but that can translate into safety risk where unbridled cost cutting takes place.

Internal and external synergies are what truly translates into efficiency that creates both profits and sustainability. We want to see responsible airlines before we put pressure on government to provide incentives that'll facilitate profitability,” he explained.

Arik currently has 23 airplanes including a combination of regional and long haul jets.

The average cost of its B737-700 (the dominant aircraft) is about $55 million while the Airbus A340-500 is about $90 million.

The airline also has a robust spares store, a multimillion dollar weather radar /airplane tracking facility located at its Operations Control Centre (OCC).

It has several other facilities both in Nigeria and overseas and employs about 1,500 direct workers and about 3,000 indirect staff.

IRS currently has three serviceable short-haul jets and employs over 600 staff across the nation, while Aero operates seven jets for its local and regional services and has over 1,000 staff on its payroll.

Overland Airways, operates a good business plan by using smaller turbo prop airplanes to service the hinterland.

Analysts say the investments of these carriers run into trillions of naira and may deal a hard blow in the nation’s economy if they are allowed to fail.

According to an aviation consultant and activist, Capt Dung Pam, events in the last three months have shown that the carriers are on a free fall and are leaving the skies one after the other.

He said the local airline business is a multi-billion naira business, adding that the situation on ground shows that the Nigerian aviation industry has crossed its Rubicon without knowing it.

“Unfortunately, it is on a slippery slope and heading for a free fall.

DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

57

Maritime TRANSPORT Shipping coys, terminal operators frustrate moves to appoint regulator

By FOSTER OBI

T

here are indications that shipping companies and terminal operators in the country are not happy with sustained calls for the appointment of commercial regulator for the maritime industry.

Investigations by Daily Sun show that the appointment of a commercial regulator may not be in their interest as the firms are currently having a field day fleecing importers and the Nigerian shipping public.

Close sources say that these firms prefer a loose situation so they could make arbitrary charges, subdue importers unnecessarily and delay refund for container deposits for as long as they want even when the container has been returned.

“It is better things remain the way they are. Nobody controls anybody and that is better. If a regulator is appointed, these people will no longer make that kind of money they are making today. As I am talking to you, they are pulling all strings to make sure that no regulator is appointed”, the source said.

Although some shipping firms and terminal operators outrightly denied this, the source said that top management of some of these firms have met severally occasions to frustrate every move to appoint a regulator because appointing one will work against their sustained game plan to rip-off importers and the Nigerian shipping public.

To ensure this plan survives, the source said that these firms which are mainly foreign plans to infiltrate the national assembly through any means to make sure that the Ports and Harbour bill is not passed and that that the statusquo is maintained.

“The shipping firms and terminal operators are making a lot of money the way things are. If you appoint a regulator to regulate them, you will cage them.

Establish more ports to prevent congestion – Bukar

By Tokunbo Oloke

M

anaging Director Greenview Development Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Isa Bukar, has noted that establishment of more ports to complement the existing ones in Lagos remains the surest way to avert looming congestion in the nation’s sea port.

He said the level of activities in the ports have been on the increase in the recent times, adding that, Lagos port would witness upsurge of activities in the next five years which could result in heavy congestion, hence more ports should be established so as to forestall such occurrences in future.

Speaking in an exclusive interview in Lagos, Isa Bukar maintained that action should be expedited on the completion of Lekki Port while another port could be cited in a place like Ondo State far from Lagos state.

According to him, these ports should be linked with the rail line for easy evacuation of goods to other parts of the country.

On the dredging of channels, Alhaji Bukar though, agreed that N.P.A was trying its best, but argued that hitherto N.P.A has not been able to attain its 13.5 meters which is the normal depth, noting that their channel at Greenview is not more than 11 meters and this development have been hampering their moves from bringing much more bigger vessel to the terminal since they took over.

He however refuted the allegation that Customs officers were not allowed to enter some strategic areas in his terminal.

Transaction fees collection: CRFFN petitions FG

By FOSTER OBI

A

s the Association National Licensed Custom Agents (ANCLA) moves to stop the Council of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CRFFN) from

collecting transaction fees supposedly meant to help the Council carry out its job of regulating freightforwarders, the CFFRN National Chairman, Governing Council, Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju has advised to Minister of Transport to

be wary of those who want to truncate the job of the Council for reasons which may be self serving and not in the interest of the maritime industry and the country.

Olanrewaju who spoke to the media last Friday on the suspension of the

• Global Scansystem recently acquired fixed scanner for Seme Border. In the pix officials of Global Scansystems Ltd pose for group photographs in Smiths Detection factory recently in Germany. Third left is CEO Global Scansystems Ltd. Mr Fred Udechukwu.

Ports & Cargo commissions N20bn Gantry Granes

BY ALEX AKAO

T

he Tin Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos, Terminal ‘C’ has taken delivery of specialized new Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) Cranes and mobile harbor cranes, valued at about N20 billion.

The equipment which is expected to boost cargo delivery and clearance at the port are courtesy of Ports & Cargo Handling Service Limited, a subsidiary of Sifax Group, operators of the terminal. Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Malam Habib Abdullahi represented by Malam Mohammed Bulangu, General Manager, NPA Western Ports performed the commissioning during the week.

The event was also witnessed by industry dignitaries who included Senator John Shagaya, Chairman,

Ports & Cargo Handling Service, Otunba Olowu and Deacon Wale Afolabi, Managing Director, Instamac Nigeria Limited.

Speaking at the commissioning, Managing Director of Ports & Cargo, Mr. John R. Jenkins said the RTGs and two additional mobile harbour cranes were acquired to boost service delivery to the entire shipping community in particular and Nigerian economy.

He noted that the five cranes constituted a first batch of ten RTGs Sifax Group ordered for in 2011 while the remaining five units will arrive in the next one month.

Jenkins said the equipment is in tandem with the vision of excellent cargo operations Ports & Cargo is known for which, he said, supports the success story of the government’s privitisation policy.

“Our brand new RTG and two

additional mobile harbor cranes acquired to boost our delivery to the entire shipping community in particular and the Nigerian economy in whole.

“It is important to note that late last year (2011) we placed an order for 10 numbers of these RTGs and the five numbers we have here today, represent the first batch while the remaining five units will arrive at this terminal in the next one month. We can tell you with modesty that these equipment are brand new, not refurbished or ‘Tokunbo’.

“Today’s commissioning of this equipment is in tandem with our vision - achieving excellence in all areas of our operations which also lay credence to the success story of the Federal Government’s policy of port privatisation, he said, assuring importers/exporters.

collection of transaction fees by the Minister said it was temporary. He said that as wrongly reported, the Council was not at war with clearing agents but all the registered organizations are solidly behind it.

He said it was only ANCLA that was the dissenting voice but noted that whatever misunderstanding that may have arisen recently would soon be resolved, describing it as ‘family affair.’

The briefing by CRFFN was not unconnected with a recent petition by the National President of ANCLA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, to the Transport Minister to stop CRFFN from collecting the fees.

But as a show of solidarity, a crowd of freight forwarders stormed the CRFFN office in Victoria Island to express their angst over the supposed controversies surrounding the collection of transaction fees.

The protesters, who claimed to be members of the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Association of Registered Freight Forwarders, Nigeria (AREFFN) and the National Association of Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC), expressed disenchantment at the suspension of collection of the transaction fees recently approved by the government, blaming this latest development on the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and its National President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu. They displayed placards with inscriptions such as “ National Assembly Save CRFFN Act 16 of 2007, Freight Forwarders are suffering in silence, Shittu leave us alone,, Registered Freight Forwarders are fully behind CRFFN” even as they chanted solidarity songs supporting CRFFN. Some of them who spoke to the media said that the CRFFN has the statutory power to collect transaction fees by provisions of section 6 subsection 2 a, b and c of CRFFN’s Act 16 of 2007.

They advised Olanrewaju to tell the Minister of Transport that other registered freight forwarding associations by the CRFFN are in full support of paying transaction fees if it will ensure that their members are trained and are provided with instruments that will develop them professionally.

How high port charges lead to cargo diversion – Goldlink MD

By FOSTER OBI

T

he Managing Director of Gold Link Investments Limited, Tony Anakebe, has warned that the trend at the ports that allow arbitrary charges was not in the interest of maritime business in Nigeria.

Anakebe said that Nigeria has lost many consignments to neighbouring countries because most importers are not happy that when they bring goods into the country they end up incurring losses rather than profit.

He advised the federal government to find ways of harmonising port charges and making it competitive so that importers who are currently diverting their consignments would not find any need to do so.

He said that if the current trend of arbitrary charges continues, it will come to a time that neighbouring countries will take more than half of the cargoes meant for Nigeria.

Maritime stakeholders are worried that despite several complaints and pleas not much has been done to bring down the various charges paid to clear cargoes at the port. Over the years, the government has been accused of the

playing the ostrich on this burning issue. Last year a group of importers and freight forwarders vowed to shut down the ports if nothing serious was done to address their grievances. Some concerned citizens intervened to help stave off the unrest and obvious backlash.

Consequently, the federal government made few moves to pacify the suppressed but looming discontent which many see as time bomb waiting to explode. The government moved in to reduce the number of agencies at the port as a first step to reducing the charges. The agencies were pruned from 14 to six.

While many hailed the move as positive, most stakeholders think the effort is negligible when you take holistic view of the charges paid by importers.

Of all the charges, demurrage and storage charges by shipping companies and terminal operators give stakeholders great concern especially as importers allege that they are contrived to rip off Nigeria importers.

This phantom of high charges analysts believe skyrocketed immediately after concessioning the ports eight years ago. During the pre-concessioning era when the Nigeria Ports

Authority (NPA) was in charge, the charges were not as high as it is now.

Even when the increases were made, it was mild. But now, analysts believe that the situation has regressed to the point where some importers, exporters and clearing agents now prefer the preconcession era which they earlier kicked against.

Investigations show that for a 20footer container, shipping companies charge N5, 000 for document release, container cleaning N3, 000, shipping line charges N28, 000, telex release N5, 000, amendment charges N15, 000, as well as five percent Value Added Tax (VAT) of all the total charge. Shipping companies also collect N580 for NPA as Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) levy and demurrage on containers that were not returned on time.

The terminal operators also collect N3, 500 delivery charges, N25, 000 terminal handling charges, N400 vehicle entry permit, N2, 500 to position containers for examination and N1, 500 storage or rent charge for first three days after grace period and N4, 000 after 28 days. For the off-dock terminal, they collect N20, 000 as trans-

fer charge, N2, 000 as release and documentation, N5, 000 as royalty to terminal operators, N2, 500 to position containers for customs examination, N3, 500 as labour charges for examination, including N1, 250 as terminal delivery charge and N400 for vehicle entry permit.

Before the concessioning the charges were N1, 204 as wharf age and N1, 294 for documentation and release, terminal delivery order including vehicle entry permit; importers also pay five percent VAT of the total charges. The NPA also charged N375 as demurrage after three days grace period and N750 for 40-footer, no matter the number of days.

Currently, apart from the charges which importers pay to the shipping lines, terminal operators and bonded terminal operators, they also pay to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) seven percent port levy, five percent Value Added Tax, Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate, 0.5 percent ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, one percent Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme, 20 percent rice levy and 10 percent duty, including 10 percent textile levy.

58

DAILY SUN

Friday, September 28, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS Daily Domestic Flight Schedule

ARIK AIR Lag-Abj: 07.15, 09.15, 10.20, 15.20, 16.20, 16.50, 18.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun).

Abj-Lag: 07:15, 09.40,10.20, 12.15, 15.15, 16.15, 17:10, (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun); 12.15, 15.15, 16.15 (Sun) Lag-PH: 07:15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.10, 17.15 (Mon-Fri) 07.30, 11.40, 15.50 (Sat) 11.50, 3.50, 17.05 (Sun) Abj-PH: 07.15, 11.20, 15.30 (Mon-Fri) 07.15, 16.00 (Sat) 13.10, 16.00 (Sun) PH-Abj: 08.45, 12.50, 17.00 (Mon-Fri) 08.45, 17.30 (Sat) 14.40, 17.30 (Sun) Abv-Beni:08.00, 12.10 (Mon-Fri/Sat) 08.56, 12.10(Sun) Benin-Abj:09.55,13.30, (Mon-Fri/Sat) 10.50, 13.30(Sun)

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (PMA)

Shell commissions N69m projects in Niger Delta

TENOR

AMOUNT

RATES% ISSUE DATE

From EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri

91 Day

30,647.81

14.00

23 Aug. 2012

182 Day 20,000.00

15.08

23 Aug. 2012

1 Year

15.38

08 Aug. 2012

90,000.00

MAJOR EXCHANGE RATES – PARALLEL MKT (AIRPORT AS AT 05/09/12) CURRENCY

BUYING (N)

USD 158 POUND ST. 250 EURO 206 Source: FMDA

SELLING(N) 161 259 212

A

nglo-Dutch giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Wednesday commissioned a N69.3million project at Out-Jeremi in Delta State, promising to impact other oil producing communities in its areas of operation.

Managing Director, SPDC Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sumonu, who gave the assurance at the commissioning of the Green Project health Centre, explained that the centre was unique due to its eco-friendly hospital that no longer needs the 27 KVA diesel generator hitherto in use.

Sumonu, who spoke through the Development and West Location Manager, Mr. Bayo Ojulari, disclosed that Shell has built 27 hospitals in the entire Niger-Delta zone, eight of which are located in Delta State.

“After over ten years of efficient health serv-

ice delivery to the people in our commitment to improve the environment, shell saw the need to transform the ten bed health facility to a sustainable eco-conservation one and modernize the infrastructure in the hospital”, said the Shell boss.

Reacting to the gesture, Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara applauded Shell effort of providing health facilities to various areas in Delta.

Otumara, who was represented by a top official of the ministry, Dr. (Mrs.) Lillian, Okpako, revealed that there are 62 government owned hospitals spread across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state, while the Primary Health Care Centers are currently over 430.

“Delta state government will continue to appreciate Shell for her immense contributions to health care system. I, urged other companies to emulate Shell in this wise”, said Dr. Otumara.

Los-Abv: 09.55, 13.30(Mon-Fri/Sat) 10.50, 13.30(Sun) Lag-Enugu: 07.10, 13.45, 18.30(Mon-Fri) 07.10, 14.00(Sat) 10.20, 13.45, 18.30(Sun) Enugu-Lag: 08.30, 12.00, 18.25 (Mon-Fri) 08.30, 12.00, 15.40(Sat) 12,00, 18.25(Sun) Abj-Enugu: 08.30, 12.00, 18.25, (Mon-Fri) 08.30, 12.00, 15.40 (Sat)12.00, 18.25 (Sun) Abj-Enugu: 10.30, 17.05(Mon-Fri) 10.30(Sat) 17.05(Sun) Enugu-Abj: 08.50, 15.25 (Mon-Fri) 08.50 (Sat) 15.25(Sun) AERO CONTRACTORS Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (MonFri/Sat/Sun), 12.30(Sun) 16.45(Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/-Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) Lag-Benin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (MonFri/Sat/Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (MonFri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat) 14.00 (Sun) CHANCHANGI AIRLINES Los-Abj: 7.15, 10.00, 13.30, 15.30, 17.30 Abj-Lag: 08.00, 11.45, 13.40, 15.30, 17.30 Lag-Kad: 10.45 (on Fri), 17.00 (MonFri/Sat/Sun) Kad-Lag: 7.30 (Mon-Fri), 08.00 (Sat/Sun IRS AIRLINES Lag-Abj: 9.45, 11.45, 2.45 (Mon-Fri), 9.30, 12.45 (Sat & Sun) Lag-Kano: 6.15 (Mon-Fri), 16.30 Sat&Sun Kano-Lag: 07.30 (Mon-Fri), 10.30 (Sat & Sun) OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS LOS - ILR Mon - Fri 0715hrs LOS - MNA Mon, Wed & Fri 0715hrs LOS - IBA Mon - Fri 0715hrs

IBADAN IBA - ABV Mon - Fri IBA - LOS Mon - Fri

0800hrs 1700hrs

ILORIN ILR - ABV Mon - Fri 0900hrs ILR - LOS Mon - Fri 1630hrs ILR - MNA Mon, Wed & Fri 0900hrs MINNA MNA - ABV Mon, Wed & Fri MNA - ILR Mon, Wed & Fri MNA - LOS Mon, Wed & Fri ABUJA ABV - ILR Mon - Fri ABV - IBA Mon - Fri

0920hrs 1520hrs 1520hrs

1500hrs 1500hrs

Business mongul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote with Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio at the African Business Round TableNigerian Investment Summit in New York on Wednesday.

Bank shareholders blast debtors, commend CBN, AMCON on debtors’ list

By AMECHI OGBONNA

S

hareholders of banks have applauded the renewed drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to compel recalcitrant debtors to honour their obligations through the publication of the bank debtors list in national newspapers recently.’

The apex bank had last Friday said debtors, who included industrialists and prominent businessmen should no longer be granted any further credit by banks until their outstanding obligations were liquidated.

The list of debtors which was published in some national newspapers included 113 companies and 419 directors/shareholders said be having outstanding balances of bad loans of N5 billion and above.

However some shareholders who spoke in Lagos yesterday said the directive and publication of the names of the bad debtors, showed the courage and

commitments of the apex bank in addressing a major cause of banking failure in the past.

They noted that bad debtors had in the past contributed to the collapse of banks by using various strategies and influences to frustrate loan repayment, leaving investors and depositors in the institutions to bear the brunt. It is estimated that more than two million shareholders lost their investments in failed banks due to bad debts and other issues.

According to the President, of Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA), Chief Timothy Adesiyan, shareholders who are the legitimate owners of the banks consider the latest action by the Central Bank of Nigeria as a step in the right direction which is capable of forestalling bank failure and in the process protect their investments.

According to him, the restriction on loans to bad debtors and release of their names could have some moral and psychological impacts on

the debtors as they may be goaded to resume negotiations for settlement of their loans.

He noted that periodic publication of names of bad debtors, after all means to make them to pay up had failed, would have some influence on the bad debtors as an average Nigerian does not want his name to be published in bad light.

Similarly another shareholders leader, Alhaji Gbadebo Olatokunbo, said investors would support any approach that would bring back bad loans into the coffers of the banks or the public treasury.

“There is no big deal in exposing them now, the banks and AMCON have used all means to implore them (debtors) to pay but they appeared determined to go away with the funds. Anyone that feels embarrassed should pay back. The mentality is that they think they will go away with the money, that’s how they run down banks and leave shareholders to bear the burden,” Olatokunbo said.

Cashless policy good, but ill-timed – Common Sense boss

By SIMEON MPAMUGOH

T

he Chief Executive officer, Common Sense Group, Olumide Emmanuel has described the cashless policy of the government as ill timed, even as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) continues to justify its implementation of the policy.

Speaking to Daily Sun in Lagos recently, Emmnuel noted that “Most of the policies of the CBN are well intended but the timing and implementation are wrong. There is nothing wrong with Cashless policy. It is the norm all over the world. We have seen it take place in advanced countries but the timing is another issue of contestation. Can anyone truly say that the policy is taking root in Nigeria?

“In the places and countries where the policy has been created, they first worked on the infrastructure before they came up with the policy, but in Nigeria,

we create policy and wait for infrastructure to catch up with it.”

Citing instances to buttress his points, Emmanuel who spoke at a financial empowerment workshop in Ojo, Lagos queried. “ If one goes to the fuel stations now, can one use Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to fuel one’s car? What about the barbing salons, as the gate men, who sell provisions in a kiosk along the road? “ When we talk about cashless society, the infrastructure must first be on ground so that the phone to phone transactions can instantly take place among the petty traders with alerts in seconds, showing that transaction has taken place.

“In fuel stations, there should be Point of sales (PoS) terminals on the pumping machines that one puts his cards and how much he wants to buy, and

it reflects and fuel dispensed. This is how it is done in abroad. We are always on a sprint with policies as if we are competing for an award” Commenting on Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), Emmanuel noted, “a country should be saving money in the same way individuals and corporate organization save money. We save money for the good of all and the future of the country. But how much trust do we have for our leaders? The government does not have a track record of trust. Where is the money government collected from the Wonder bank, Abacha’s, and Ibori’s loots, as well as Farouk Mohammed’s saga, and corrupt officials, in the last decades?

“The GSM money government collected from the operators is yet to be accounted for. So government cannot be trusted with the issue of SWF even when it hires people to manage it.

59 Monday, BUSINESS August 1, 2011 49 NEWS

DAILY SUN Friday September 28, 2012 DAILY SUN NAME OF CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL US DOLLAR 154.84 155.3 POUNDS STERLING 245.6986 246.4922 EURO 194.2121 194.8394 SWISS FRANC 161.7217 162.244 YEN 1.9682 1.9746 CFA 0.2748 0.2848 WAUA 233.7636 234.5186 YUAN/RENMINBI 24.3609 24.4401 RIYAL 41.2778 41.4111 DANISH KRONER 26.0698 26.154 SDR 235.4663 236.2268 Official exchange rates as at 23/08/2012

SELLING 155.8 247.2858 195.4667 162.7664 1.9809 0.2948 235.2737 24.5192 41.5445 26.2382 236.9874

NIBOR TENOR RATE Call 11.2500 7 Day 12.3333 30 Day 15.2500 60 Day 15.8333 90 Day 216.5000 Source: FMDA

CHANGE -0.33 0.04 2.38 2.54 2.88

DATE 24 Aug, 2012 24 Aug, 2012 24 Aug, 2012 24 Aug, 2012 24 Aug, 2012

NAICOM reads riot act to erring operators

By MADUKA NWEKE

T

he National Insurance Commission, (NAICOM) has warned operators in the insurance industry to eschew all forms of malpractices aimed at making quick income at the expense of development of the industry.

The commission stated that to make a difference in the industry, insurance professionals must restructure their business stratigies to align with global trends and international best practices.

Speaking at the just concluded Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) Professional Forum in Ibadan, Oyo State, Commissioner for Insurance, Fola Daniel said the need for professionalism has become necessary in view of the challenges confronting businesses across the globe.

Daniel called on the insurance operators to adhere to professionalism and shun unethical

practices, adding that although the drive for professionalism has led to noticeable increase in the number of insurance professionals, the question remains "how many of these professionals are prepared to go extra mile to make a difference without cutting corners?”

He therefore appealed on the professionals to look beyond the nomenclature of professionalism and think out of the box in line with the dynamism and changes experienced in the insurance world.

He thundered, “We must at all times measure the relevance of our professionalism by identifying the gabs between customers' expectation of the services to be rendered and their perceptions of the actual performance of the services.”

He noted that the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), will continue to execute its primary responsibility of regulating the market to produce professionals with the capacity to embrace the challenges of customers’ satisfaction.

International Flight Schedule

CROSS RATES

Ethiopian Airlines Lagos-Addis Ababa (daily) Departure time: 12:15 pm, Arrival time: 1:15 pm Contact no: 014611869/029

AFRIQIYAH AIRWAYS Lagos-Tripoli Tue, Wed, Thur and Sat Departure time: 01:30am, Arrival time: 22:25 pm Contact no: 012711506 BRITISH AIRWAYS Lagos-London Heathrow (daily) Departure time: 11 pm, Arrival time: 5: 50 pm Contact no: 012792690 0r 014615870-5 TURKISH AIRLINES Lagos-Istanbul Mon, Tue, Thur Sat Departure time: 10: 10 pm, Arrival time: 8: 10 pm Customer care no: Not available DELTA AIR Lagos-Atlanta (daily) Departure time: Btw 3pm and 5pm, Arrival time: 10:30 am Contact no: 014483111 EMIRATES Lagos-Dubai Daily (2 flights) Departure time: 3pm, 8.50pm, Arrival time:1pm, 6pm Contact no :01-2717600 LUFTHANSA Lagos-Frankfurt (daily) Departure time: 10:05 pm, Arrival time: 19:08 Contact no: 014612222, 0414480963 AIR FRANCE Lagos-Paris (daily) Departure time: 11 pm, Arrival time: 14:14 pm Customer care no: 01-4610777, 012617959 SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS Lagos-Johannesburg (daily) Departure time: 10:30 pm, Arrival time: 8 or 9 am Customer care no: 2702681-5

Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, of Lagos State, Seni Adetu, Managing Director/CEO, Guinness Nig Plc and Kayode Opeifa, Commissioner for Transportation, Lagos State at Guinness Plc’s ‘Dont Drink and Drive’ initiative in partnership with Lagos State Ministry of Health held at Iyana Ipaja Motor Park, Lagos, Thursday.

ICAN flays FG’s huge budgetary spending From ISAAC ANUMIHE, Abuja

I

nstitute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), has condemned the huge budgetary spending by the Federal Government on a yearly basis without any improvement in the living standard of Nigerians.

While regretting that the Nigerian economy was not moving forward, the institute also condemned the high deficits in the federal budget and history of poor budget implementation.

Speaking at a business forum in Abuja, recently ICAN President, Mr. Adedoyin Owolabi, said the institute was deeply concerned about the nation’s paradox of poverty in the midst of wealth.

Despite the fact that the nation is well endowed with human and material resources, ICAN boss noted that every year, brilliant and huge budget proposals are presented by the government and approved by the National Assembly but at the end of the day, had not impacted positively at the micro and macro economic levels.

Disclosing that the huge absolute value of budget deficit financed mainly with borrowings from banks had continued to have negative impacts on the cost of funds in the economy, Owolabi revealed that capacity utilisation in the real sector had not improved phonically.

“Availability of efficient infrastructural facilities has remained a dream as capital allocations have remained disproportionate to the extent of need.

The level of budget implementation has not given any reason for stakeholders to cheer while the budget cycle has remained unpredictable” he said, adding that invariably, the quality of life of the average Nigerians had continues to decline while the cost of governance continues to soar.

The president also said that the nation can achieve better by bringing the cost of doing business down, improved the provision of infrastructure remarkably even with the current level of funding if projects are properly monitored and greater premium placed on value for money.

“As a professional body, we are persuaded that the nation can achieve much more than it is currently doing. The cost of doing business can be brought down. Our infrastructural facilities can be improved remarkably even with the current level of funding.

Enact debt recovery law, don urges FG

By CHIMA TITUS NWOKOJI

A

lecturer in the department of public law, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye Mr. Taiwo Odumosu, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to enact adequate laws that will focus exclusively on debt recovery strategies.

This he said, will enable banks achieve more in their debt recovery efforts and be a check on loan defaulters who capitalize on loopholes in the country’s legal system to frustrate recovery efforts.

Speaking on the topic: “Credit Recovery Strategies and control in Nigeria: Legal issues and Challenges” at a recent workshop organized by Monbasab Ventures Incorporation in Lagos, the university don said that debt recov-

ery law, has not been explored in the past because politicians who owe majority of these debts are at the same time the same people making the laws “we want to execute against them.”

Most countries of the world according to the university don, regard debt recovery as a special matter and have special courts established as in India among others.

Odumosu wants government to establish office of fair trading rules on debt recovery.

This office, he noted exists in countries such as United Kingdom, America, and India.

The Nigerian legal system, which is meant to protect citizen’s right, is persistently subjected to grave abuse by those in power.

He argued that the judicial process with relation to debt recovery has been quite injurious, to the needs of the common man.

He quoted Section 36 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for instance;

which says the other party must be put on notice, is a provision that was tailored after the laws of a developed country, which has long changed its position on these issues due to the changing needs of the society.

Odumosu pointed that in the UK for instance, the mortgagor is not put on notice. After all, he already has notice the day he signed the mortgage instrument and thus made an agreement to let go of his assets in the event of his inability to pay his debts, adding that in Nigeria, when a debtor is put on notice, he shows up with so many Senior Advocates of Nigeria and issues such as disputes in interest rates, over charging will all come up and the case will drag on from the High Court, to the Court of Appeal and to the Supreme Court, and by this time the creditor frustrated while the debtor uses part of the big money he borrowed from the creditor to punish him.

QATAR AIRWAYS Lagos-Doha Daily Departure time: 9:45 am, Arrival time: 7:55am Contact: 012798888/014633333 KENYA AIRWAYS Lagos-Nairobi (daily) Departure time: 11:05 am, Arrival time: 10:42am Contact: 012719433 CHINA SOUTHERN Lagos-Beijing via Dubai Tuesdays, Thursdays Departure time: 12:15pm, Arrival time: 10:30 am Tuesdays, Thursdays.

Contact: 01-4610777 or 01-2617959 EGYPT AIR Lagos-Cairo Mon, Wed, Thur, Fri & Sun Departure time: 2pm, Arrival time: 1pm KLM Lagos-Amsterdam (daily) Departure time: 11pm, Arrival time: 8:30pm Contact: 01-4610777, 01-2617959 VIRGIN ATLANTIC Lagos-London Heathrow (daily) Departure time: 10:20 am daily, Arrival time: 5:30 am Contact: 01-4612750, 01-4612747 ARIK AIR Lagos-London Heathrow (daily) Departure time: 10:05pm Arrival 7.00pm Lagos-New York Tuesdays and Thursdays Departure time: 11:20pm Arrival 6pm Lagos-Johannesburg (daily) Departure 11.15pm Arrival 4.15pm Lagos-West Coast (Freetown, Banjul & Dakar) Mon, Wed & Fri Departure 8:00am Arrival 6.45pm Lagos-Accra (daily) Departure 8.00am, 5pm 8.45pm, 5.45pm Contact: 01-2799999.

60

DAILY SUN

Friday, September 28, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS Chisco decries inadequate skilled manpower in transport sector …Launches new N248mn luxury buses

By CHIMA NWOKOJI and Anyaegbu said Chisco Group has built an ultramodern instiVERA BASSEY tute at the Nnamdi Azikiwe hairman and founder, University Awka to be known Chisco Group of as Chisco Institute of Companies, Chief Chidi Transport Technology. The Anyaegbu, has identified institute billed for commisthe shortage of trained pro- sioning in October 2012, will fessionals as a major chal- be dedicated to the study of lenge facing the Nigerian transport management and is transport industry. This is expected to fill the indigenous even as he commissioned 4 knowledge gap in the next 5 new luxurious busses esti- years.

He called on the federal and mated at N248 million.

His words: “the challenge state governments to key into we have is that majority of the vision of genuine entrepregood transport management neurs that has potential for job professionals available in creation as that is an effective Nigeria had their training way of fighting crime. abroad and that did not give Explaining further, he said them adequate knowledge of since entrepreneurs are the what happens in a typical major drivers of employment in a country, when they create Nigerian environment.”

He noted that the Nigerian more jobs, the crime rate will environment was peculiar in reduce because those who are terms of infrastructure, the employed would be too busy challenges of customs and to think of armed robbery and excise, road network, activi- other social vices.

During the launching of the ties of miscreants, how to deal with the police and other law new buses, the company gave enforcement agencies; situa- out awards comprising cash, tions he said are strange to electronics and cooking utensome foreign trained profes- sils in various categories to motivate over 4,630 staff in its sionals.

To address this challenge, employ.

C

MultiChoice to set up assembly plant soon

By BISI OLALEYE

T

he oldest pay television company in Nigeria, MultiChoice has disclosed plan to own an assembly plant in the nearest future to encourage local content as well as provide employment.

Revealing this, was John Ugbe, Managing Director of the company yesterday during the launch of Walka 7 and iDrifta.

“We are investing in local content because we believe in local economy. Yes, we are looking at having a local assembly soon in the country. We will continue to look at that space even if others are not.We are exploring it but may not be able to make a pronouncement now.”

Also speaking General Manager,DSTV mobile, Mr. Mayo Okunola at the event, explained that Walka 7 was a complete portable television with enhanced visual quality with a six hour battery life that needs no subscription fee, especially if the user was on an existing package. While the iDrifta is

a plug and play mobile DVB-H receiver specially designed for Apple mobile devices.

“We will also continue using our learnings across Africa to enhance local subscribers’experiences from both a content and technology perspective. This is a strategy that we have built on since first launching mobile TV in Nigeria in 2008”.

Buttressing Okunola, Ugbe added that the dual introduction of Walka 7 and iDrifta devices underline one of the major mantras of MultiChoice, “The vision to stay innovative and competitive in the quest to provide value added products and services to meet the ever changing needs of our numerous subscribers”.

Okunola further explained that the iDrifta is compatible with the iPod 4th generation, iPhone 4/4S and iPad 1/2/3, it is simple and intuitive to use.

“In order to continue to inspire, entertain and delight our subscribers, it is critical that we offer them the very latest worldclass devices,” says Okunola.

Economic empowerment: Group hosts training programme for youths

C

hrist Embassy International is set to tackle the challenges affecting Nigerian youths through its youth empowerment programme.

In a statement in Lagos, the church noted that its programme titled, “National Youth Conference” was aimed at reaching the next generation of youths to think right and imbibe the right values for national economic development.

This according to the statement was part of 52nd effort to mark the Nigeria’s independence anniversary, at the Loveworld Dream Centre, Alakija, Lagos.

It noted, “it is a well known fact that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow in any nation.

Every good government formu-

lates national policies geared towards present and future development, which demonstrates its efforts in seeing that the youths of today will have a better tomorrow.”

The group stated that it was ready to prepare the youth in harnessing their talent by featuring inter school essay competition, leadership training, career talk, mentoring class, music concert and more.

It noted that against the backdrop of massive unemployment, which has pushed some youths into political thuggery and armed robbery, it would on September 29, 2012, influence the next generation of youths to think right and imbibe the right values for the nation.

L-R: Chairman, University Press Plc, Dr Lekan Are; Managing Director, Mr Samuel Kolawole; National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Sir Sunny Nwosu, and Director, University Press Plc, Chief Oluneye Okuboyejo, at the annual general meeting of University Press Plc in Ibadan on Thursday.

FG commends investors ingenuity at Onne Oil and Gas FTZ

BY FOSTER OBI

T

he federal government has expressed confidence in the ingenuity and capacity of investors at the Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone, Onne Port Complex Onne, Rivers State to achieve set target. The government said the level of creativity was commendable.

Speaking at the weekend through the Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, at the 2012 Investors Forum, President Jonathan, said that there was urgent need to make more investors know the investment opportunities that are available in the Zone.

The President who commended the organizers of the forum which had its theme as ‘Harnessing Investment Opportunities in the Oil and Gas Sectors: the Role of the Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone in the Transformation Agenda’ said the theme was in line with the administration’s vision (2020) project.

He said that the administration will do everything possible to provide enabling environment for investors to carry out their businesses without hinderance.

Also speaking, the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, affirmed that as far back as the 1990s, Nigerian Ports

Authority realized the need to improve the Onne Port to accommodate the Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) and Federal Lighter Terminal (FLT), which have now become the nucleus of Oil and Gas business in Africa.

He commended the Minister for Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, for his zeal and drive in providing necessary platform for investors at the free trade zone.

Earlier in his welcome address, Aganga described the Onne Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone, as the number one investment destination in Africa and 25th globally, adding that the value of investments currently

Nigerian Bonds Index Inclusion attracts $284 Structured Note sales

I

nvestors bought $284 million of structured notes tied to Nigerian government debt in the past six weeks in anticipation of the debt’s inclusion in benchmark bond indexes and after central bank stimulus measures.

Standard Chartered Plc (STAN) and Citigroup Inc. (C) led banks in selling 28 nairadenominated credit-linked notes this year worth 64.08 billion naira ($407 million), with 70 percent of issuance coming since Aug. 23, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Only two such notes totaling $23.5 million were sold in all of 2011.

Investor demand for the currency and debt of Africa’s biggest crude producer has surged since JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) said in August it would include Nigerian debt in its bond indexes, said Yvonne Mhango, an economist for sub-Saharan Africa at Renaissance Capital. Riskier assets became more appealing after the world’s largest central banks took action to spur growth in September, including a third round of quantitative easing in the U.S., known as QE3.

“The increase in interest in Nigeria’s local currency debt is due to QE3, which has boost-

ed investors’ risk appetite, partly because interest rates are likely to remain low for longer and also because of the inclusion of Nigerian bonds in the JPMorgan government bond index,” said Johannesburgbased Mhango. “That signals Nigerian debt is liquid.”

The naira appreciated 3 percent against the dollar this year, making it the best performer in Africa, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The decision by JPMorgan to include Nigerian government

bonds in its GBI-EM indexes indexes was important in strengthening sentiment toward the naira, Ecobank Transnational Inc. (ETI) analysts led by Paul-Harry Aithnard in Paris wrote in a Sept. 25 report.

JPMorgan will include Nigeria’s most-traded bonds in its GBI-EM indexes between Oct. 1 and Dec. 3, Giulia Pellegrini, the bank’s Londonbased sub-Saharan Africa economist, wrote in a Sept. 25 note.

at the zone was $6billion, with over 150 investors operating within the Zone.

He asserted that all over the world trade zones are catalyst for industrial development, while they are also good for Foreign Direct Investment, adding “at the zone every job creates two additional jobs”.

The minister commended the strides of the managements of Onne FTZ, NPA and all other stakeholders who have contributed to the success of the Zone.The establishment of the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone has been a crucial development in Nigeria. It is the only Free Zone in the world dedicated exclusively on the oil and gas industry. The Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone was opened by the government in 1997 in a bid to draw in fresh investment into the country and promote local and regional economic growth.

The Free Zone is supported by an Oil Service Centre and other facilities to provide oil companies and service companies alike with virtually everything they need to operate.

Most importantly, the Free Zone offers a highly competitive range of tax concessions. plus other investment incentives including minimal bureaucracy, to ease the flow of business.

Mainstreet Bank flags-off culture change campaign

A

s part of efforts towards repositioning Mainstreet Bank on the part of growth, the bank has launched a culture change campaign initiative with the theme, Unbeatable Standards (US).

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Faith Tuedor-Matthews at the kick-off of the culture change workshop for the bank staff noted that the launch of the unbeatable standard creed was an internal campaign designed to inspire and motivate the bank’s committed workforce.

Her words, “Unbeatable Standards is our way of translating our core values into

winning advantages. It is our promise to keep investing in the right people for enhanced customer experiences. It means we will never settle for less no matter how convenient it is; it is all about US because we are setting unbeatable standards.”

Emphasizing on the need for building the right culture, climate and behaviour platforms that will define the structure that the bank has chosen to run, TuedorMatthews stated that, “To be successful in delivering this exciting future, we need to build the right culture, climate and behavior platforms on which the bank will run. We

need to see leaders engage positively with peers, colleagues and immediate reports, ensuring that they not only set clear objectives but also ensure understanding, motivate and inspire performance”.

According to the GMD, the bank has engaged experts in the field of culture change to help initiate the desired new culture amongst the bank’s staff. “A performance consultancy firm and an organization with significant international experience and expertise in culture change management, will partner with the bank in the transformation process”, she added.

61

DAILY SUN Friday, September 28, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS

Profit taking forces NSE capitalisation down N20bn as NSE 30 which basically measures the performance of blue chips maintained a downtrend losing 0.06 per cent, NSE Food closed with 0.01 per cent gain while NSE Banking closed with 0.32 per cent gain, NSE Insurance records 1.31 per cent losses while NSE Oil & Gas closed negative with 1.04 per cent losses.

The New NSE LII closed on a positive note with 0.11 per cent gain.

The Financial Services sector led on the performance chart with 278.36 million shares valued at N2.27 billion exchanged in 2,361 deals as against 238.32 million shares worth N1.59 billion exchanged by investors in 2,685

By CHINENYE ANUFORO

P

rofit taking by investors on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) continued to depress market indices, as the market capitalisation of traded equities dropped by N20.37 billion to N8.18 trillion as against a depreciation by N55.10 recorded in preceding session to close at N8.20 trillion.

In the same vein, the NSE All-Share Index dropped by 0.25 per cent to close at 25,710.55 points from 25,774.53 points at which it opened the day’s business.

At the same time, three NSE sectoral indices closed negative after end of business

deals recorded in previous session.

The volume recorded in the sector was driven by transaction in the shares of Zenith Bank, MANSARD, First Bank, Fidelity Bank and Diamond Bank. The total volume of 215.23 million shares valued at N1.92 billion traded in five stocks accounted for 65.40 per cent of the entire market volume and their value represented 62.70 per cent of the market’s value.

At the close of trading yesterday, market turnover moved up by 4.98 per cent to close at 329.10 million shares valued at N3.07 billion exchanged by investors in 4,340 deals as against 313.50 million shares worth N2.61

billion exchanged in 5,259 deals the previous session.

However, 48 stocks featured on the price movement table with 22 gainers and 26 that recorded losses. On top of the gainers list are Unilever, Livestock, Neimeth and Transcorp.

Each gained 191 kobo, 7 kobo, 5 kobo and 5 kobo per share to close at N40.11, N1.54, N1.10 and N1.10 respectively.

Conversely, Fidson, Redstarex, Oando and UBN led the losers table. Each lost 13 kobo, 28 kobo, 64 kobo and 41 kobo per share to close at N1.21, N2.92, N12.21 and N7.90 in that order.

THE DAILY STOCK SUMMARY AS AT 27/09/2012 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector Company name ASeM CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Property Management SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals Type Totals Main Board AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Sub Sector Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Sub Sector Totals Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Sub Sector Totals Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Sub Sector Totals Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Sub Sector Totals Food Products Main Board CONSUMER GOODS Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC U T C NIG. PLC. Sub Sector Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Sub Sector Totals Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Sub Sector Totals Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC FIRST BANK OF NIG. PLC FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. U B A PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH BANK PLC Sub Sector Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC

No of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded Value of Shares(N)

1 1 1 1

1.48

2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000

3,100.00 3,000 3,100.00 3,100.00

13 5 18

37.01 15.17

59,848 91,800 151,648

2,209,724.34 1,378,686.00 3,588,000

75 75 93

1.54

9,133,272 9,133,272 9,284,920

13,753,930.79 13,754,000 17,342,341.13

4 38 64 106 106

1.40 1.10 40.40

240,000 2,170,266 415,596 2,825,862 2,825,862

336,000.00 2,387,292.60 16,800,285.73 19,524,000 19,523,578.33

31 31

26.59

538,500 538,500

14,529,748.14 14,530,000

9 9

11.49

57,220 57,220

629,505.60 630,000

1 1 41

100.00

30 30 595,750

3,000.00 3,000 15,162,253.74

1 128 44 122 295

3.44 260.00 11.80 135.40

10,000 227,368 660,637 1,938,727 2,836,732

34,400.00 59,395,523.98 7,323,285.64 261,785,018.68 328,538,000

8 8

39.00

3,543 3,543

131,445.30 131,000

99 92 . 85 63 65 16 420

8.45 5.00 64.50 2.40 5.50 0.79

2,505,623 3,073,694 908,411 3,897,630 2,695,391 426,400 13,507,149

21,266,842.76 15,243,836.10 58,961,342.89 9,410,856.80 14,941,277.62 333,207.03 120,157,000

88 45 133

23.71 580.00

1,160,663 99,318 1,259,981

27,516,469.08 57,578,163.19 85,095,000

16 16

3.22

267,458 267,458

860,844.62 861,000

41 44 85 957

25.30 40.11

462,564 515,158 977,722 18,852,585

11,720,583.28 20,399,309.44 32,120,000 566,902,406.41

215 89 49 101 539 75 395 85 34 75 175 32 6 1 268 2,139

8.80 3.46 11.25 1.75 14.99 3.20 18.71 3.20 7.20 1.63 4.58 7.90 0.50 0.50 16.10

9,812,316 12,025,065 649,187 14,280,555 19,195,073 2,735,374 8,470,141 5,161,059 1,057,619 7,430,124 4,984,554 915,679 87,000 102,300 88,282,435 175,188,481

89,722,542.08 42,047,234.71 7,303,591.75 24,510,309.50 282,226,927.18 8,795,832.77 158,429,271.04 16,521,271.64 7,590,133.00 11,579,414.46 22,899,378.71 7,233,864.10 43,500.00 51,150.00 1,421,563,035.56 2,100,517,000

70 25

0.60 0.74

8,485,856 1,443,000

5,105,451.10 1,051,830.50

Sector Company name

No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded

CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. 4 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC 49 GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC 3 INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INSURANCE PLC 5 LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. 2 LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC 1 MANSARD INSURANCE PLC 6 Main Board FINANCIAL SERVICES Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. 39 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. 11 PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. 2 SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 3 STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. 1 UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC 1 Sub Sector Totals 222 Sector Totals 2,361 HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. 6 FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 11 GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. 17 MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 12 NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PL C 18 Sub Sector Totals 64 Sector Totals 64 ICT Telecommunications Services IHS PLC 1 Sub Sector Totals 1 Sector Totals 1 INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC 98 BERGER PAINTS PLC 4 CAP PLC 3 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC 32 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 10 DN MEYER PLC. 2 LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. 28 Sub Sector Totals 177 Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. 42 Sub Sector Totals 42 Packaging/Containers 52 NIGERIAN BAGS MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC Sub Sector Totals 52 Sector Totals 271 OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC 33 Sub Sector Totals 33 Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC 247 Sub Sector Totals 247 Main Board OIL AND GAS Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC 17 ETERNA PLC. 15 FORTE OIL PLC. 17 MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. 8 MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. 4 TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. 10 Sub Sector Totals 71 Sector Totals 351 SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. 6 Sub Sector Totals 6 Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 26 Sub Sector Totals 26 Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC 10 Sub Sector Totals 10 Printing/Publishing LEARN AFRICA PLC 10 UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 8 Sub Sector Totals 18 Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 1 NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC 33 Sub Sector Totals 34 Sector Totals 94 Type Totals 4,339 Grand Totals 4,340

Value of Shares(N)

0.50 1.39 0.52 0.61 0.50 0.50 1.95

100,000 3,220,094 319,560 531,400 357,050 2,000 81,455,949

50,000.00 4,558,381.22 166,151.20 324,532.00 178,525.00 1,000.00 158,842,758.05

0.50 0.50 0.54 0.50 0.50 0.50

5,480,546 343,500 100,047 25,000 10,000 1,300,000 103,174,002 278,362,483

2,822,693.00 171,750.00 53,975.38 12,500.00 5,000.00 650,000.00 173,995,000 2,274,512,003.95

1.15 1.21 36.00 1.65 1.10

37,350 696,750 94,905 469,574 281,603 1,580,182 1,580,182

42,977.50 843,067.50 3,399,161.71 739,289.12 309,763.30 5,334,000 5,334,259.13

2.37

860 860 860

2,029.60 2,000 2,029.60

15.20 8.01 28.90 4.90 118.00 0.97 57.00

1,459,967 16,071 7,875 539,095 124,555 1,225 563,821 2,712,609

22,045,459.10 135,157.11 216,247.50 2,647,917.15 14,687,792.55 1,298.50 31,917,787.45 71,652,000

2.28

2,026,689 2,026,689

4,620,180.92 4,620,000

1.94

1,022,289 1,022,289 5,761,587

1,929,905.28 1,930,000 78,201,745.56

0.62

2,117,783 2,117,783

1,316,564.96 1,317,000

12.21

7,181,366 7,181,366

87,750,231.10 87,750,000

20.70 2.54 10.50 115.00 32.29 130.00

61,382 278,423 71,002 4,980 3,521 4,113 423,421 9,722,570

1,265,266.61 692,410.20 742,492.52 557,850.84 108,024.28 556,842.50 3,923,000 92,989,683.01

1.80

142,365 142,365

255,958.05 256,000

2.92

632,669 632,669

1,927,651.10 1,928,000

1.06

201,940 201,940

218,215.20 218,000

2.01 3.95

357,203 438,524 795,727

719,008.03 1,722,114.08 2,441,000

2.07 5.92

1,000 347,009 348,009 2,120,710 329,107,509 329,109,509

2,170.00 2,055,809.21 2,058,000 6,900,925.67 3,076,871,226.53 3,076,874,326.53

62

DAILY SUN Friday September 28, 2012

DAILY SUN Friday September 28, 2012

63

N150

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 VOL.6 NO. 2461

Joy has a slender body

Re: 2015, Igbo nation at crossroads (3)

I

Bread and butter I really enjoyed your piece on ‘Igbo nation at crossroads.’ God will bless you.

The truth is the matter is that most politicians of Igbo extraction are bread and butter. To them, the interest of the Igbo can go to hell. The most surprising aspect is that they do not hide it.

They always want their paymasters and anyone who cares to see that they are diligently doing the dirty jobs their paymasters hired them to do. It is a shame, but we know that they are heaping curses upon themselves. We know that one day their dirty jobs will definitely come to an end.

Barrister Nnamdi D. Nweke, Port Harcourt. 08033231482

n his play, The Gods Are Not To Blame, Professor Ola Rotimi professed: “Joy has a slender body that breaks too soon.” True? False?

Well, it has proven true for a new bride in Lagos, whose man was snatched from her warm embrace just five days after the wedding. He was shot dead, allegedly by the police.

Joan Ozuah is the tragic bride, the young lady who should be savouring the bliss that comes with marriage, but who is now in the throes of grief and despair. Those who should have visited to wish her a happy married life have now turned into a mourning party.

The Yorubas usually pray that people will not deposit mourning shoes and slippers at your doorstep. But if you get to the home of the Ozuahs now, that is what you see. Piles and piles of footwears at the door, deposited there by mourners. Pity!

What happened? The story says Ugochukwu Ozuah, an engineer, married Joan on Saturday, September 15.

By Thursday, September 20, at about 10pm, he was shot dead allegedly by men in police uniform, as he went to drop a friend, Irikefe Omene, who had visited him, at the bus-stop. The intention was for the latter to get a cab to his destination.

The Lagos State Police Command has, however, washed its hands off the murder, saying Ugochukwu must have been killed by armed robbers in police uniform. They added that no police patrol had been authorized to be in the vicinity where the tragedy occurred at that particular time. So, whodunit! A puzzle, a mystery.

Why does tragedy often attend joyful events? Why does evil stalk good most of the times? You win soccer gold at the Olympics as happened in Atlanta in 1996, and many people perish nationwide in the frenzy of celebrations. A

FEMI ADESINA 08055001928 kulikulii@yahoo.com

preferred candidate wins an election, and the electorate troops into the streets, driving recklessly, doing stunts on motorcycles. And gbam! A crash occurs, people lay dead. Joy truly has a slender body that breaks too soon.

When there is rejoicing, why does that infernal creature called Satan lurk

•The late Ozuah and wife

around, trying to pollute and corrode the joy? Like a vagabond, he walks to and fro the earth, doing mischief, causing sorrow, turning laughter to tears. Oh Satan, thou shall be bound for a thousand years during the millennial reign, and

then end up in the lake of fire. Death, thou shall die, Satan, thou shall be in eternal sorrow.

But for now, the Ozuah family is in deep grief. Joan, the young bride is sentenced to a lifetime of broken-heartedness. Will she ever mend? Right was Anne Lamott, when she posited: “You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news.

They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly – that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.”

Yes, one day, time will heal Joan. “Time is a physician that heals every grief. “(Diphilus).” But can she ever completely forget? Doubtful. All her life, she may have to dance with a limp.

The bride whose husband was plucked from her embrace after just five days.

What grief!

•Continued on Page 53

Re: How Jonathan can succeed

By JERRY ANYIM-ATATA

Y

our sizzling piece of Friday, 25th May 2012, ‘How Jonathan can succeed,’ was beyond every reasonable doubt divinely inspired and dutifully delivered. There is no gainsaying that Nigeria’s crisis, socio/political/economic; have reached boiling point and is obviously already tipping over. Your prescription for the myriad of maladies goading our beloved Nigeria on its untoward slip to perdition is evidently borne out of unparalleled patriotism and love for one’s fatherland. Without mincing words,

you did President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan a real world of good. But what a pity this panacea for our protracted ailment arrived a little bit too late!

Of all the salient points highlighted, don’t be shocked that only but one is particularly pertinent to Jonathan’s mission in Aso Rock. The structure of the Nigerian State! Any other issue, vital as it may, is strictly outside his mandate. Without any fear of contradiction, I boldly announce to you and all mankind that the bell is already tolling for the object of your concern. Take heart my dear friend and your likes that toiled and labored so hard to snatch victory from the jaw of defeat for the soul of Nigeria’s corporate existence, to no avail.

You were up against, not just a tide but hurricane before which you were like little children trifling with the element – too trail to confront the terror of the blast. You did your best. Rest assured history will be very kind to you. Nor is President Jonathan to be reprimanded for the eventual collapse of the most populous black nation on planet earth cum the giant of Africa. Though the terminally sick child our Jonathan is babysitting eventually gave up the ghost in his lap, he is but a mere victim of circumstances.

Who then did it? IBB and Obasanjo to be precise. The duo sowed the wind that

•Continued on Page 53

Leading with their bellies Your piece on the above subject matter was simply mastery! Wholesome!

And truthful! As you rightly said, I was not surprised to see such trash coming from a character like Arthur Eze. In Igboland, his type has no political and economic value. But the truth is that we don’t have leaders in Igboland. The ones we have like Ben Obi lead with their belly and pockets in the front!

Jesu melu anyi ebere! Kudos to you for telling us the home truth. Ugochukwu Steve Anarado, Abakpa-Nike Enugu.

Our newfound alignment Igbo culture dedicates two years (or more) for nursing a baby before a younger sibling is planned for. Don’t toy with the newfound alignment between the South-east and Southsouth.

Ogundu, Igbo Ukwu Camel through the eye of the needle Igbo presidency through the PDP is the camel and the eye of the needle.

The way out is through a grand alliance of the parties. Jonathan’s people are doing everything in the book to ‘resecure’ APGA for him (this is the heart of the APGA crisis). For Ndigbo, no amount of Ebele Azikiwe will do for us.

The Arthur Ezes, Ben Obis, Ezeifes, are now part of the problems we must solve to realise our noble goal.

Kossy Okonkwo, Awka The key Performance is the key, not Improvised Protective Device (IPD).

Igbo support for Jonathan in 2015 is hinged on the president moving his presently immobile transformation agenda to trans-performance. The calls

by AGIP and Ben Obi amount to an ingenious use of Improvised Protective •Continued on Page 53

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