2013: What Jonathan should do — Eminent Nigerians

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 61786

N150

TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

•Gov. Amaechi wins Vanguard Personality of the Year 2012 ....Aig Imoukhuede is First Runner-up •Insecurity, Subsidy, Okada Rider top Issues of the Year

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

•Pgs. 27-32 &47

Why North opposes PIB — Bukar Ibrahim •P.6

2013: What Jonathan should do — Eminent Nigerians •Security, power, jobs, infrastructure, top demands •Martins, Musa, Fasehun, Alile, Makinde, Ademowo, others speak •NLC, TUC seek good governance, implementation of minimum wage WISHING OUR READERS A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

BY SAM EYOBOKA, CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, BEN AGANDE, VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG CHARLES KUMOLU, GBENGA OKE, OLAYINKA LATONA & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS—WITH una nimity, eminent Nigerians yesterday decried the poor achievements of the government in 2012 and urged President Goodluck Jonathan to improve the lot of the Continues on page 5

Mr & Mrs

FIREWORKS—Spectator boats in Sydney Harbour float by as fireworks erupt over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on January 1, 2013. Inset: Fireworks launched over Jakarta's main business road to mark the new year in Jakarta. Photos: AFP.

2 — Vanguard,TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

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JANUARY 1, 20123

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 — 5

POCKET CARTOON

CONDOLENCE—Former President Olusegun Obasanjo commiserating with Vice-President Namadi Sambo (right), while the Kaduna State Governor Ramalan Yero (centre) look on during his visit to the state to condole with the government and people of Kaduna State, yesterday over the death of late Governor Yakowa.

2013: What Jonathan should do — Eminent Nigerians Continues from page 1 citizenry with good governance in 2013.

Top among their demands and expectations are improved security and power, rule of law, job creation, keeping promises, transparency

in governance and decisive war against corruption.

Indeed, some leaders doubted the ability of the government to deliver and called on Nigerians to pray fervently or else there might be

LIFEWORDS

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BY PASTOR ITUAH

HEN things don’t go exactly as planned, it’s just a de-layed appointment and not a disappointment because the Ancient of Days is never late. He is always on time.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

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VERY in the world people are in search of love, for everyone is convinced that love alone can save the world, love alone can make life meaningful and worth living —Anthony De Mello “If it is love that you really desire, then set out at once on the task of seeking, take it seriouslyand look at someone who irritates and sees your own prejudice. Look at something you cling to and see the travail, the futility, the unfreedom of clinging and look long and lovingly at human faces and behaviour.”

These lines from Anthony De Mello is so beautiful and I dare to add that there is an amazing capacity in the human heart to love beautifully and to become clear to truly understand divine love.

Mello writes, take time out to gaze in wonder at Nature, the flight of a bird, a flower in bloom, the dry leaf crumbling to dust, the flow of river, the rising of the moon, a silhouette of mountain against the sky. And as you do this the hard, protective shell around your heart will soften and melt and your heart will come alive in sensitivity and responsiveness. It’s a wonderful life! Happiness is a choice!

more disappointments.

Notable persons, who shared their thoughts with Vanguard, include religious, political and ethnic leaders and Organised Labour.

We‘ll fight states breaching minimum wage law – NLC Indeed, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, described 2012 as most disturbing and challenging to workers and Nigerians, declaring that it was characterized by incessant job losses and unemployment, insecurity, corruption, and unparalleled impunity by political class that continued to threaten the nation’s stability.

NLC believed that judging by the reality on ground, the sustenance of good governance would require restrategising and more commitment to a peoples-focused and oriented policy thrust in the interest of the Nigerian poor.

In his New Year message, the NLC President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, lamented that some state governments were yet to pay the minimum wage

at a time that official statistics put the unemployment rate at above 24 per cent and vowed to fight the affected states this year.

His words: “It is rather sad that a National Minimum Wage, which was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the President since March 2011 is being observed in the breach by some state governments. More worrying is the spectacle of the Federal Government, which should defend its law, allowing state governments to use its security forces against protesting workers, who are only standing up for their rights as protected by the law. Such unprecedented impunity is not only malicious and base, but anachronistic to cherished democratic values. The much touted social dialogue, which should be the basis for resolving industrial disputes, has no meaning to some governments and most employers.

Power crisis should be totally tackled — Peter Esele National President of the Trade Union Con-

gress of Nigeria, TUC, Peter Esele, tasked the government to improve power supply to drive development.

“Our expectations are clear. We need to improve our energy generation and distribution because power is pivotal to any meaningful planning. Steady power supply if guaranteed in 2013, would enhance investment and it would make employers and manufacturers to invest more. Without improved power supply, all the talk about foreign investment would amount to a mirage. Nobody will invest in a state of war like we have in areas that are experiencing high rate of insecurity.”

Clerics insist on good governance As the nation joins others around the world to usher in the year 2013, religious leaders across the country including the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, his Anglican counterpart, Most Rev. Ephraim Ademowo; Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Sunday Ola Makinde; Spiritual leader of St, Joseph’s Chosen Church of God, Apostle Hayford Alile; and several others have called on the Federal Government to initiate policies and programmes that will put smiles on the faces of Nigerians and help everyone forget the traumatic experiences of 2012.

In his goodwill message made available by the Church’s Media and Public Relations Officer, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev. Makinde said the people need succour, relief and renewed hope and the only way of realizing such was for the

Government to meet the aspirations and yearnings of the people through economic policies that have human face which will yield immediate dividends.

We must stem the tide or... – Makinde Makinde said: “Year 2012 was no doubt a challenging year for the people of this country. It will go down in history as one of the most tragic and traumatic years in the life of our great nation. We started the year with a nationwide protest over the hike in pump price of petrol, which claimed the lives of some innocent Nigerians including Ademola Aderinto, a young man who was shot dead in Lagos.

According to him, “our quest for social justice, fairness, equality, and respect for human rights, freedom, tolerance and peace seem to be a mirage. There is palpable anger in the land and something needs to be done urgently. That is why it has become imperative for the Federal Government and other tiers of Government to rise up to the occasion and stem the tide of suffering sweeping through nearly every part of our country."

Alile says no limit to God’s blessing Despite the security, poverty, unemployment and power challenges currently facing the country, Apostle Hayford Alile has assured Nigerians that there would be no limit to the blessing of God upon the nation in 2013.

Speaking at the Harvest gathering at the Kirikiri Town station of

Continues on page 48

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Jonathan visits Gov Wada in hospital

BY BEN AGANDE

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B U J A — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, visited the recuperating governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada at the Cedarcrest Hospital, Abuja.

Governor Wada sustained a broken femur bone in a ghastly motor accident in which his aide-de-camp died.

The President who arrived the private hospital in Garki II, and was received by the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, and the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, CMD, Felix Ogedengbe, did not speak with the press after he left the hospital.

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital who spoke with newsmen said the governor would be discharged from the hospital “in a few days” because of his fast recovery pace.

According to the Chief

Medical Director, the governor “is already doing step-climbing.

He is doing very well at the moment. You know it was a severe injury. We have continued to watch out for any other problem that he might have but at this stage, we have not seen any other problem at all.

“From the medical point of view, he is quite healthy and he should be ready to go back home in a couple of days. I can only at this stage tell you that he will be ready to go back home in a few days but I won’t be able to tell you specifically which day.

“He is not going to be in the hospital for weeks, he does not need to be here for weeks.”

Also speaking with newsmen, Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the governor, Chief Jacob Edi, said the people of the

state were happy with the pace of the governor’s recovery.

He said: “The governor is hale and hearty and of a sound mind. He had surgery for the broken bone in his thigh and the surgery was successful.

“He has been receiving high profile visitors and apparently to cap it up is the visit of the President.”

Edi reiterated that the governor would not be flown abroad for further medical treatment as he was receiving adequate medical attention at the hospital and that the governor has confidence in the nation’s medical system.

On the reported fear of the governor ’s security in the hospital, he said: “From the eyes of men, the hospital could be small and there could be the fear of security, but security belongs to God. We believe that God will protect him.”

President Goodluck Jonathan (right) commiserating with recuperating Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State at Cedarcrest Hospital, Garki 2, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Why North is opposed to PIB —Bukar Ibrahim zSays Oritsejafor’s statement on him much more irresponsible

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BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

BUJA — SENATOR Bukar Abbah Ibrahim, yesterday, gave reasons why the North was opposed to the passage of the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, saying the region’s stiff opposition was due to additional 10 per cent which the bill proposes for oil producing states in addition to the constitutionally recognized 13 per cent the states were already benefitting.

He, however, expressed optimism that notwithstanding, the bill would be given accelerated treatment and passage by the senators when they resume from Christmas and New Year break, as its passage would tackle corruption in the petroleum industry, especially the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, which he simply referred to as the “most corrupt institution in the whole world.”

Speaking to Senate correspondents in Abuja, Senator Ibrahim, who represents Yobe East in the Senate on the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, platform, said the 10 per cent additional fund which

the bill proposes for the oil producing states was unacceptable to the North, saying instead, the money must be put in the nation’s treasury so that every Nigerian can benefit from it.

Faults 13% derivation

He faulted the allocation of existing 13 per cent derivation to oil producing states, saying the beneficiaries were not the ones that put the oil where it is, and so wouldn’t have been given such benefit just as he noted that the Niger Delta states had seven sources of getting money as against others that depend solely on federal allocation.

According to him, the development had made the nine oil producing states so rich, compared to the majority of others that were not members, which has helped in the polarization of the Nigerian society.

He said: “For me, for anybody to talk about additional funds for the socalled oil producing states at this stage is unacceptable. Let the money go into the treasury so that every Nigerian can benefit from it. After all, nobody planted oil, nobody

farms oil, it is God who puts it there. We don’t know oil may not last for ever, it will get to a stage where the oil may disappear and other resources will be relevant.”

He alleged that the South-South geo-political region was accumulating the country’s wealth without looking back at other geopolitical zones, saying such could give rise to polarisation of the country the more.

He noted: “If Nigeria remains one, we expect these other resources to be made available for all Nigerians. We know that at one stage, South-South was very very marginalized, criminally marginalized.

But today, they need to balance it so that the socalled non oil producing states will not rise against the oil producing states and further polarize the already polarised Nigerian society.”

Speaking further on the PIB, he said: “In the Petroleum Industry Bill, the power of the minister must be reduced. This issue of communities getting 10 per cent of whatever is got from oil in addition to all sources of revenue for the oil producing states has now divided the country into two with oil producing states

having more than everything they need and squandering the oil riches and the non-oil states which are more in number, on the other side, hardly surviving, hardly doing anything apart from paying salaries. This must stop.”

Nigeria lacks leader to galvanize resources

Ibrahim regretted that Nigeria lacked a leader to galvanize its resources for the benefit of every citizen, saying a situation where the rich were still growing in their riches with the poor getting poorer could call for revolution even as he said such was not possible, given the Nigerian situation.

He said: “Nobody can see it coming but the elements are there, when the country is so blessed with so much resources like we are in Nigeria and yet everybody complains of being poor and suffering. The poverty level is on the increase rather than decrease. These are situations that can push the poor to the level they cannot withstand again and then everything erupts.

That is how it happens but nobody wishes it happens

here but when it happens, it happens.

"The only thing we need to do is to be conscious of our ways. We need to take care of the poor and the poorer of the poorest. The resources are there, but we don’t just have the kind of leadership that will galvanize these resources for everybody to benefit.”

On FG, Boko Haram dialogue

On his recent comment on dialogue between the Federal Government and Boko Haram, the senator said he had no regret for those who misunderstood his position, noting that dialogue with the Islamist sect in their chosen location was the panacea to achieving peace in the country.

He noted: “Boko Haram remains faceless, agreed, but that does not mean that there is no way. If there is the will, there will certainly be a way. After all, they named five of us as observers and they also want Federal Government to produce a team, they will also produce a team, they have given their names.

"As observers, we will sit down and watch before they crack. That is how they want

the whole thing to be. After all, they said the dialogue will take place in Saudi Arabia. Through the Saudi Arabian government, we should be able to get them and talk to them. So if anybody tells you that there is no way or it is impossible to talk to them, I don’t believe that.”

I 've no apology for Oritsejafor

Responding to CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor’s comment that his recent outburst was irresponsible of him as a senator, Senator Ibrahim said: “I am surprised that this man of God wants us to continue killing ourselves rather than dialoguing and embracing peace. He was not directly hit, I was directly hit, quite a number of my family members have been killed, my cars have been burnt, my wife’s school had been burnt in Damaturu. I have been a direct victim of Boko Haram insurgency. He is not, he is just flying in his newly acquired jet, nobody can get near him. So whatever he says will not surprise me.”

He said: “I think his (Oritsejafor's) statement was much more irresponsible than mine and I have no apology for him or any other person.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013—7

Mark, Ekweremadu express hope in 2013

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

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President Goodluck Jonathan (right) and Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin during his visit to the State House, Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: State House.

Youths, women protest as gunmen kill two in Jos

BY TAYE OBATERU

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OS — TWO men were early yesterday killed by unknown gunmen at Kuru, KVom in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, sparking violent protests from women and youths in the area.

The duo who were friends were said to be relaxing in front of their home when the attackers alighted from a white Hilux van and opened fire at them. One of them identified as Davou died immediately while the other died later in hospital.

The protesters took over the Jos-Manchok highway blocking it with big stones and logs of wood making the road impassable for hours. At least one car was burnt and portions of the road including a bridge were damaged by the protesters.

It took members of the Special Task Force, STF, maintaining security in the state, several hours to clear the highway and restore vehicular movement as the protesters resisted the move generating tension.

The circumstance leading to the killing of the men was unclear at press time but it was believed to be another of the serial killings by gunmen in the state which has persisted for some time now.

20 protesters arrested STF spokesman, Captain Salisu Mustapha, who confirmed the incident in a statement said about 20 of the protesters were arrested, adding that they burnt down a BMW car and damaged part

of a bridge on the highway.

He said normal vehicular movement had returned after members of the STF cleared the barricades erected by the protesters.

The protest coincided with a stakeholders' meeting convened by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Olakpe, to ensure a peaceful New Year celebration

in troubled Barkin-Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas where killings had continued for months.

Addressing the stakeholders made up of traditional, religious, community and youth leaders, he urged them to ensure that peace reigned during the celebration of the new year festivities.

FG extends Cotecna, others’ contracts by six months

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

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AGOS — FOLLOWING the seeming unpreparedness of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Federal Government has extended the contract of the service providers for the provision of Risk Assessment Report (RAR) and scanning functions by six months.

The three service providers’ contracts were extended through a letter dated December 31, 2012 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Danladi Kifasi.

The letter with reference number F10361/S.56/VA/491 and sent to the three service providers read in part: “I wish to inform you that the President has approved the extension of the agreement dated January 1, 2006, between your company and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) for the provision, installation, operation and management of x-ray scanning equipment and software for inspection of goods.

The agreement which is to expire on 31st December 31, 2012, has been extended for a period of six months with effect

from January, 2013.”

Meanwhile, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, has kicked against the extension of the contract.

In his reaction,National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu said: “It is unfortunate that government will tow this path.”

He said the extension was a clear indication of government’s unseriousness about capacity development.

In 2005, the three service providers, namely Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited (CDIL), SGS and Global Scansystems, were awarded a seven-year contract that commenced in January 2006 to supply cargo scanning machines on a build, own, operate and transfer basis (BOOT) as well as train Nigeria Customs Service officers on risk management, valuation and classification.

As the seven-year contract expires today, several operators in the maritime industry have expressed concern over the preparedness of the Nigeria Customs Service to take over the DI scheme and effectively operate the scanning machines.

BUJA — SENATE President David Mark has enjoined Nigerians to continue to partner with those in elected offices to take the country out of its grave challenges.

In a New Year message tagged “Be part to successful Nigeria,” Mark noted with regret that the out-gone year was “very challenging but urged Nigerians to resolve to remain in one indivisible nation.”

A statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, quoted the Senate President as saying “we went through a very challenging year.

But collectively we kept hope of a brighter tomorrow. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Those in elected offices cannot bring forth this light alone. Government alone, without the support of the citizenry, cannot build a society where everyone is free and safe without fear of any form of violence. We must come together in unity to ensure a secure and progressive nation.

“I can see our nation coming out of our current trials more peacefully and strongly united.

We must, however, not relent in our prayers as we continue to build a vibrant nation that will be a pride of all.”

Senator Mark also reiterated the resolve of the National

Assembly to continue to provide the nation with legislations that will better the lots of Nigerians just as he prayed for a joyous and prosperous New Year.

On his part, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, assured Nigerians that the year 2013 would yield better dividends of democracy, peace, and prosperity.

He said: “I believe enough groundwork has been laid towards the actualization of the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government and towards surmounting the many challenges facing the nation.

“With the early passage of the 2013 national budget, more maturity on the path of institutions of governance, and greater sense of responsibility, love, unity, and patriotism among all Nigerians, I have no doubt that the future is indeed bright for the nation, despite the present challenges.”

Ekweremadu, however, noted that the National Assembly would go beyond the passage of the 2013 budget to lay greater emphasis on oversight of the institutions of governance to ensure full implementation for the benefit of the masses.

He called on Nigerians to pray fervently for the peace and prosperity of the nation.

Jonathan okays board of directors of 9 parastatal agencies

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BUJA — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has approved the constitution of the Board of Directors of nine Federal Government parastatal agencies.

They are the Federal Mortgage Bank, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), National Examination Council (NECO), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, Port Harcourt.

Others are the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Voice of Nigeria (VON) and the Agricultural Research Development Council of Nigeria.

This is contained in a statement issued, yesterday, in Abuja and signed by Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

The statement named Chief Bisi Ogunjobi as Chairman of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) which has

nine members. It also named the Minister of FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed as Chairman of the eight-member FCDA board; Mr Ben Murray Bruce as Chairman of FRCN which has 11 members, and Dr Paddy Njoku as chairman of NECO, which has 18 members.

Similarly, the statement named Mrs Grace Clark as Chairman of the 11-member NEPC board; Mr Chris Asoluka as chairman of the 15-member Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, Port Harcourt; and Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha as chairman of the nine-member SON. It said the nine-member Voice of Nigeria has Mr Andy Aghaji as Chairman, while the 16-member Agricultural Research Development Council of Nigeria has Chief Olabode Mustapha as Chairman.

The statement said the dates for inauguration of the boards would be announced in due course.

8—Vanguard , TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

12 fuel-laden ships waiting to discharge at Lagos ports — NPA

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Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Bolajoko Adeniji (2nd left), during an official visit to Agodi prison yard while Justice Muktar Ajibola (left), Assistant Commissioner of Police, Christy Luke and Deputy Comptroller of Prison, Lawrence Showunmi (right) watch, yesterday. Photo: Shola Oyelese.

Ghana: Jonathan, 10 other heads of state for Mahama’s inauguration zOpposition NPP may shun event

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AGOS — SIX days to the January 7 swearing-in of Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, 11 heads of state including President Goodluck Jonathan, have confirmed their participation in the historic event. Delegations are also expected from 18 governments across the world.

World leaders expected include Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, Mahamadou Isoufou of Niger, Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire and African Union (AU) Chairman, President Thomas Yayi Boni of Benin Republic.

Presidential Transition Team spokesperson, Mr. James Agyenim-Boateng, reportedly said in Accra that “all is set for the inaugural ceremony on January 7” and invitations had been extended to 50,000 guests world-wide.

Work on the ceremonial ground, he disclosed, would begin tomorrow and completed on January 5, adding that the team had received all hand-over notes from ministers and government appointees.

Opposition NPP may shun event Meanwhile, there were indications that opposition New Patriotic Party, NPP, may shun

the event on account of alleged irregularities that marred the polls over which it filed a petition at the Supreme Court on December 29.

NPP Director of Communications, Nana Akomea, said the party was yet to confirm whether or not it would attend the inauguration of President Mahama on Saturday. If it fails to attend, it would be the first time a main opposition party is shunning the inauguration of a president-elect since the return of democracy in

1992.

Akomea noted that he was uncertain the party would send representatives to the event. However, he said the party’s decision would be informed by legal advice, saying they would attend if their presence would not invalidate their case before the Supreme Court.

“If lawyers so advise that your presence there when you believe that the whole process is based

on an illegality and your presence there compromises you, the legal opinion will hold sway,” he said.

Meanwhile, NPP Presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, told journalists after filing the challenge with the Supreme Court that the alleged discrepancies were too large to ignore.

He said: ”The scale of what we have uncovered has surprised even the skeptical among

Afenifere group alleges marginalisation of Yoruba

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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PAN-YORUBA organisation, Afenifere Renewal Group, ARG, has alleged that there is a calculated attempt to relegate the Yoruba to the background in the polity.

In a state in Lagos by its National Chairman, Mr Olawale Oshun, entitled: “A cry from the wilderness: The nation has to listen”, the group faulted moves to marginalise Yorubaland from mainstream politics.

Oshun argued that there are reports of ethnic cleansing aimed at Yoruba saying “the Yoruba demand to know why discrimination against us is on the increase.”

He said “we note with verifiable evidence at our disposal, that most routine appointments and recruitments into the public service un-

der this administration completely short-change our people.

For instance, out of the 792 cadet officers recently recruited for training at the Custom Training College, CTC, in Kano, only 45 cadets were recruited from the six South Western States of Nigeria, compared with 263 cadets recruited from the North West Nigeria. In the same recruitment exercise, the North Central Zone got 168 cadets, North East 157, South South 91 and South Eastern Nigeria was allocated 68 cadet officers. The evidence before us therefore shows that 5.8 percent of the recruited cadets are from the South West while the North West took the lion share of 33.1% of the lot.

We ask: What exactly is happening here?”.

He also lampooned the

Goodluck Jonathan-led administration for failing to nip corruption in the bud adding “Nigeria is currently buffetted by corruption in a scale witnessed only under the dark and evil military dictatorships of Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha.

Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has become the official headquarters of grandmasters of corruption. In an environment where a model of articulate leadership and responsible governance should be expected, given the enormous powers and resources available, what we have instead, is an organised and well-commanded conspiracy of the political and economic elite, against the Nigerian people, to keep them in perpetual poverty and misery, through high-level corruption, profliga-

WELVE ships-laden with petroleum products are to berth at the various oil terminals in Lagos ports, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has said.

NPA in its daily publication, “Shipping Position”, made available to newsmen yesterday in Lagos, said that the ships contained aviation fuel, petrol, kerosene and bulk gas. It indicated that nine other ships laden with rice, wheat, bulk sugar, fertiliser and containers had also arrived and waiting to berth.

The authority said that 76 ships would sail into the ports from December 31 to January 15, 2013. It said that the ships were laden with fresh fish, general cargo, diesel, base oil, used and new vehicles, containers and bulk sugar.

NPA added that other ships would arrive with steel products, petrol, bulk wheat, kerosene, palm oil, rice and bulk gypsum. It said that the ships would berth in ENL Consortium, Josepdam, Tin-Can Island Container Terminal, Five Star Logistics, Apapa Bulk Terminal Ltd and APM Terminals.

Bayelsa gov signs 4 bills into law

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AYELSA State gover nor, Seriake Dickson yesterday signed the state emergency agency and three other bills into law.

Also assented to were the Bayelsa state institute of tourism, catering and hotel management bill, house of assembly service commission amendment, as well as the state local government (amendment no 6) bills all of 2012.

Speaking during the signing at the executive chambers of government house, Yenagoa, Dickson noted that with the passage and consequent signing of the bills, government has provided the needed legal backing to tackle critical aspects of its restoration agenda.

According to the Governor, the emergency agency bill empowers the state government to establish an institution to plan for and manage emergencies including flood, fire outbreak and epidemics.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 — 9

Lagos seals 67 firms over tax evasion

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HE LAGOS State Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, says it shut 67 companies which failed to remit workers’ personal income taxes in 2012.

Mrs. Folasade CokerAfolayan, Head, Distrain Unit of LIRS, disclosed this in Lagos yesterday.

She said that the total amount the companies failed to remit amounted to N450 million in the last six years.

She described tax enforcement by the Lagos State government as very successful, stressing that tax payment was a civic responsibility of all.

2013: Olusi urges Nigerians to be optimistic

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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HE FORMER National ViceChairman, South-West of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and member of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic, Mr. Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi, has urged Nigerians to look into the new year with hope and optimism despite the travails experienced in the outgone year.

Olusi also commiserated with the victims of last week’s inferno at Jankara Market, Lagos Island, saying he felt “deeply grieved at the great loss experienced by the residents and the traders,” few days to the New Year.

Missing car

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GREY coloured 2002 model Toyota Camry saloon car with registration number Lagos MUS 53AJ belonging to Mr. Femi Fadipe, has been stolen.

It was stolen on Liasu Road, Idimu area of Lagos on the night of Friday, December 28, 2012.

The chassis No. is 4T1B728K6YU934222 and Engine No; 5066220.

Anyone with any information about the vehicle should please contact 08034242029 or the nearest police station.

Fleeing truck driver kills woman at Tin-Can Port

.As clearing agents, truck drivers protest illegal toll

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

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AGOS—TRAGEDY struck yesterday at the Tin-Can Island Port, in Apapa area of Lagos, after a lady was crushed to death by a truck which driver was trying to escape from security personnel over the former ’s refusal to pay a toll at the gate.

The incident, sparked off a protest as clearing agents and truck drivers took to the road, protesting what they described as illegal collection of toll by security agents comprising those from the Nigeria Ports Authority and Tin-Can Ports Police Command.

The protesters claimed the security agents usually collected N200 from big trucks and N100 for small trucks at both entering and exit.

Eye witnesses said the deceased whose identity could not be i m m e d i a t e l y ascertained was hawking when the unexpected happened.

Driver of the truck, said to have escaped from the scene, was driving into the Port when he was accosted by the security agents who demanded for the sum of N200.

He reportedly refused to pay, maintaining that it was illegal and attempted to drive off. But the security agents reportedly chased him and in the process of trying to manoeuvre his way, he rammed into the female hawker who was standing on the pavement.

When Vanguard arrived the scene, the body of the hawker had been taken away .

Public Relations Officer of the Tin Can Island Port Complex, Mr. Segun Adesanya, confirmed the incident to reporters, stating that the truck driver drove against traffic as security operatives attempted to arrest him, and he ran over the woman, killing her instantly.

From left: Mr. Monsuru Obasa, Chairman, Appropriation Committee, Lagos State House of Assembly; Mr. Kolawole Taiwo, Deputy Speaker; Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and Mrs. Joke Orelope-Adefulire, Deputy Governor, during the signing of 2013 Appropriation Bill into law by the governor, yesterday.

Fashola signs N499.105bn 2013 budget into law

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday signed the 2013 appropriation bill of N499.105 billion into law, just as he charged Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to strengthen their Internal Generated Revenue, IGR strategies.

The budget figure which showed an increase of N1.828 billion from the amount presented by Fashola to the State House of Assembly on October 31th, 2012.

It will be recalled that the governor presented a budget proposal of N497.277 billion to the State House of Assembly for the 2013 fiscal year.

Fashola who gave his assent to the budget tagged ‘`Budget of Poverty Eradication and Economic Growth, ” at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, added that the budget could only be achieved when the state government earns the required revenue within the fiscal year.

According to him, “It is not how quickly the budget is passed or assented to that matters, but what is important to this administration is how rigorously the budget is implemented for the development of the state, especially to improve the standard of living of residents of Lagos state.”

“And all these cannot be achieved without the energy and commitment of the men and women in the State Civil Service. So it is time for the civil servants to lace up their shoes

and set for work.”

Fashola emphasised that the budget would commence operation immediately after the New Year holiday.

The governor, however, commended the state House of Assembly for their prompt response, saying “It is fair to acknowledge that the Lagos State House of Assembly have given the executive a good head start so that in a matter of few hours, the budget will be in operation.”

Speaking earlier, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Ben Akabueze, said “the 2013 budget has a slight increase of 1.5 per cent from the 2012 budget.”

According to Akabueze, “in the 2013 budget, 46 per cent of the budget is allocated for recurrent expenditure while 54 is allocated for capital expenditure for 2013.”

On the reason why the budget was approved before the commencement of the 2013 fiscal year, he noted that this was due to the cooperation between the legislature and the executive.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the House Committee on appropriation, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, said that the House increased the 2013 budget by N1.828 billion to cater for the needs of the lawmakers and the MDAs.

2012: Ikeja registry distributes 3,718 probate letters

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AGOS—MR. Ganiyu Safari, Chief Registrar, Lagos State Judiciary, yesterday, said a total of 3,718 letters were distributed by the probate registry of the Ikeja High Court in 2012.

Safari made this known in an interview in Ikeja.

He advised Nigerians to develop the culture of writing their Wills in order to prevent their properties from being in the hands of wrong people after their death.

Safari said: “An average Nigerian thinks you wish him dead if you ask him to make a Will. It is in your best interest to write a Will once you are of adult age and have started acquiring properties.

“With your Will you can distribute your estate the way

you want by overlooking traditions, customs and religious beliefs.

“Once you have written a Will, any person not mentioned in it cannot come forward to make any claim irrespective of his or her closeness to you,” he said.

Safari said the recent enactment of the Administration of Small Estates Law by the Lagos State Government was aimed at reducing stress of receiving probate letters by poor persons.

He said: “Under this law, the government removed the payment of taxes on properties and estates below N100,000.

“The process involves less paperwork and it is aimed at encouraging beneficiaries to come forward and claim the estates of their loved ones.”

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Ekiti distributes N33.3m drugs

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KITI STATE Government has distributed another set of drugs and hospital consumables worth over N33.3 million to capitalised health centres and hospitals across the state.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Olusola Fasubaa, who made this known at the Central Medical Store in Ado Ekiti, explained that the stocking of the Unified Drugs Revolving Fund Scheme (UDRFS) with essential drugs and consumables, would ensure the success of the state’s free health services scheme.

Reiterating the commitment of the Fayemi led administration of the provision of high quality and genuine drugs, the Commissioner, however, warned the people of the state against patronising quacks and uncertified patent medicine stores.

Aregbesola flags off 218km road projects

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HE OSUN State government has recorded another unprecedented move towards infrastructure uplift as the governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday flagged off 218.12 km road projects.

The roads are to be constructed across the 30 local government areas and one area council of the state.

Tagged 10km roads per local government, the project, which total cost stands at N16.21billion, is entirely a local government financed project but coordinated and implemented in conjunction with the state government.

According to the governor, part of the money for the project came from funds accruable from the Excess Crude Oil Fund (ECOFUND).

Out of this amount, N6bn was put down while permission was taken from the House of Assembly to borrow the balance, which would be paid for within five years as a way to make the repayment easy for the local governments.

Fayemi signs N97.6bn 2013 appropriation bill, 9 others into law .Former governors, deputies to get pensions

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KITI STATE Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi yesterday, signed the 2013 Appropriation bill of N 97.6 billion and nine other bills into law.

The nine bills include law to provide for the grant of pensions to former governors and their deputies, Ekiti State Peace Corps law 2012, Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places law 2012, Ekiti State Lotteries Law 2012 and House of Assembly Commission Loans Board 2012.

Others are Ekiti State Board of Internal Revenue law 2013, Ekiti State Advisory on Prerogative of Mercy law, Local Government Service Commission(amendment) law, and Local Government Administration(amendment) law.

Appending his signature to the bills, Governor Fayemi said that the focus of the 2013 budget is to consolidate on all on-going projects across the tate through people empowerment.

Fayemi said this informed the proposal to create the Ministry of Rural Development and Empowerment as a means to ensuring that all of government’s projects are effectively delivered to the grassroots.

While noting that this was the first time the state’s budget would be passed before the new year, the Governor said the 2013 appropriation was tailored in line with the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) which covers all sectors of the state economy.

He, however, assured that the budget would be “carefully and faithfully implemented”.

On the other laws, Fayemi

said the establishment of Peace Corps was to consolidate the existing relative peace in the state, as members of the Corps know the local terrain more than other security agencies.

He assured that corps members would collaborate with other security agencies in the state to ensure peace continues to reign in the state.

He stated that the Board of Internal Revenue law was to reduce the State’s dependence on federal allocation and

achieve the vision of his administration on revenue generation.

Governor Fayemi stated that all the laws are to create an environment for peopleoriented and predictive government.

In his remarks, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin commended the government for delivering dividends of democracy to the people in line with the 2012 budget.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State Governor, (right) with Dr. Adewale Omirin, Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, during the signing of the 2013 Appropriation Bill into law by the Governor, in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday.

Lagos Assembly confirms Abiru as sixth clerk

BY DAYO JOHNSON & OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS—LAGOS State House of Assembly, yesterday, confirmed Mr. Ganiyu Abiru as the substantive Clerk of the House.

Abiru started his career in Lagos State Public Service as a Higher Executive Officer in 1983 and was deployed to the Ministry of Finance where he was in charge of office management.

He later attended University of Lagos where he studied History in 1982.

Abiru attained the post of a substantive Director, Grade level 17 on July 1, 2008 and was deployed to serve as Director, Finance and Administration, Lagos State House of Assembly, the position he held till August, 2011, before his elevation as acting Clerk and his eventual confirmation at the House Plenary session yesterday.

By the confirmation, Abiru will be the sixth Clerk of the House of the Lagos State

House of Assembly.

Abiru is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM).

Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly has lost one of its staff in the Information/Public Relations Unit.

He is Mr. Bayo Ogunleye.

Aged 41 years. Mr.

Ogunleye died on Saturday, December 29, 2012 after a brief illness.

He was buried the following day in Lagos.

He is survived by wife and two children.

Mimiko presents N151bn budget

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE—GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State yesterday presented the 2013 appropriation bill estimate of N151bn to the state House of Assembly for approval.

This year's appropriation bill, N6bn lower than that of last year, is meant for further consolidation of the gains of the last four years.

The 2013 estimate, according to Mimiko, has N73.35bn as recurrent expenditure, while it has N77.65bn earmarked for capital expenditure.

The capital expenditure was said to be inclusive of the N10.24bn set aside for the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas

Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

The bill is expected to be financed with N43bn from statutory allocation, Internally Generated Revenue N12bn, Value Added Tax (VAT) N10 billion, rolled over fund N7bn, bond N23bn, while N6bn would be sourced from grant and

credit from development partners.

Mimiko said that other sources of fund for the budget include N10bn from excess crude account, Education Trust Fund N2bn, loans/leases N15bn, sundry income/divestment N1bn while N2bn is expected as refund from Federal Government on repairs of federal roads.

....Appoints first female Head of Service

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KURE — THE Ondo Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has approved the appointment of the first female Head of Service Mrs. Kosemani Kolawole In a statement, Governor Mimiko, said the appointment takes effect from the 1st of January, 2013.

Mrs. Kolawole, a career public servant, was appointed acting Head of Service at the retirement of Mr. Ajose Kudehinbu, the immediate past Head of Service, the first woman to be so appointed in the history of the state.

She has had been a permanent secretary in different ministries and agencies of government till her appointment.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013—11

Bayelsa to spend N120bn on EkeremorAgge road

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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E N A G O A — BAYELSA State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has said that N120 billion would be needed for the construction of Ekeremor-Agge Road on the western Atlantic fringe of the state, in Ekeremor Local Government Area.

Agge, which is located on the sea shores, is host to the state government’s proposed deep sea port.

Dickson said the preliminary design of the road project had been concluded while contract had been awarded for the construction of the Sagbama-Ekeremor stretch of the road with bush clearing in progress.

He spoke at the commendation service for late Gen. Andrew Azazi, weekend, at the Peace Park, Yenagoa.

The government, he said, was committed to infrastructural turn around of the state, adding that the state roads would henceforth be raised to 7 metres height based on expert advice.

Delta South PDP reinstates Bomadi PDP boss

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ELTA South Sen atorial district Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chapter has reinstated Mr. Pius Labo as Chairman of Bomadi Local Government Area of the party.

A statement by the Chairman, Delta South Senatorial district of PDP, Mr. Simeon Efenudu and Secretary, Mr. Tunde Fregene, said Labo’s reinstatement was without prejudice to his earlier suspension.

Labo was suspended by the party for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities, which sparked off protest by Bomadi PDP Youths Forum, calling for his immediate reinstatement.

Reacting to the development, Labo thanked Mr. Efenudu, Mr. Fregene and other members of the executive for standing by the truth and rescinding the suspension order.

DPP chairmanship candidate drags Delta govt to court ...seeks to halt disbursement of federal allocation to LGs

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA—A Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, local government aspirant in Delta State, has dragged the state government before a Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, seeking to halt further disbursement of federal allocation to local government areas in the state, which are currently run by caretaker committee chairmen, pending when democraticallyelected chairmen come on board.

The plaintiff, Mr. Chilly Opene, from Ndokwa East Local Government Area of the state, in the suit, is further seeking a declaration that Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, is not entitled to the receipt of funds from the Federation Account “in respect of the artificial contraptions known and called Local Government Transition Caretaker Committees.”

Defendants in the suit are President Goodluck Jonathan; Attorney-General/Minister of Justice of the Federation; Minister of Finance; Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC; Delta State House of Assembly; Delta State Attorney-General/Com-

missioner for Justice and Fiscal Responsibility Commission.

He is also praying the court, among others, for “an order of mandatory injunction pursuant to Section 51 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, compelling the President, Minister of Justice, Finance Minister and RMAFC, respectively, not to remit or

allot any proceeds or fund from the Federation Account to Delta State House of Assembly; Delta State AttorneyGeneral/Commissioner for Justice and Fiscal Responsibility Commission, meant for the 25 local government areas in Delta State during the period of the absence in coun-

VISIT: From left: Brand Manager, Eagle Aromatic Schnapps, Mr. Kingsley Anuebunwa;, Sales Operations Manager, Intercontinental Distillers, Mr. Vincent Orhonure and Customer Service Manager, Intercontinental Distillers, Benin City, Mr. Tom Ohomele, at the Oba of Benin Palace during a courtesy visit by Intercontinental Distillers at the Igue Festival, in Benin City, Edo State.

Power outage: Man electrocuted in Delta

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—A middleaged man has been electrocuted in Ughelli, Delta State, while trying to fix a faulty cable supplying electricity from a new generation bank to his house.

There had been power outage in Ughelli and its environs since November 30, following the breakdown of the 500 MVA Step-down transformer, which supplied electricity to the area.

Residents of the area had accused the management of Pow-

er Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, of being indifferent to the faulty transformer.

The deceased, who sold the land to the bank, it was gathered, had been granted permission by the bank to power his house from its power generating plant, since the town had been thrown into darkness by PHCN. According to a dependable source, the deceased had passed the cables to his house underground, from the bank situated on Market Road in the metropolis.

Speaking on condition anonymity, the source said the deceased detected a leakage from the electrical connection in his house weekend, adding, “the deceased traced the fault to the area where the cables were buried and was excavating the soil, when his shovel ripped open the rubber coating of the wire and was electrocuted.

“The deceased died as he was being rushed in his car to the hospital for medical attention.”

Delta to introduce morning devotion ing in Delta State to afford in tertiary institutions the youths close fellowship

BY KENNETH EHIGIATOR

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S part of efforts to eradicate cultism in Delta State, the state government, in collaboration with a faithbased organisation, Finger of God Morning Devotion, has concluded plans to introduce into institutions of higher learning in the state, morning devotional prayers.

National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Clement Ogbo, in a statement, said because Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan recognised the power of prayers in transforming lives,

cils, of democratically elected chairmen as guaranteed by Section 7 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and/or the continuance or managing of the affairs of the said councils with the artificial contraptions known and called Local Government Transition Caretaker Committees.”

especially those of the youths, he had agreed to plans to take the prayer crusade into schools to build the morals of students.

He said: “The governor believes that developing the youths educationally is not enough. He knows that except the Lord builds the House, they that build, build in vain. So, he is passionate on anchoring the spiritual growth of the youths in the word of God, which will give birth to good morals.

“To achieve this, plans are being made to extend The Finger of God Morning Devotion to institutions of higher learn-

with God, who is the author and finisher of their faith.

“When the devotion kicks off in tertiary institutions in the state, students will receive unified undiluted word of God 7a.m daily in their mobile phones. This will check cultism and other criminal activities on campuses because a heart filled with the word of God cannot conceive evil.

“As you can see, the governor is not just a leader but a builder of destinies because he understands what human capital development entails.”

Akpabio flays opposition over A-Ibom PDP boss

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KWA Ibom State Gov ernor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, weekend, carpeted detractors, who, he alleged, used an Uyo-based opposition local tabloid to publish uncomplimentary stories about the illness of the state Chairman of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo and his administration.

Akpabio, who spoke at the thanksgiving service for the PDP Chairman at Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), Ikot Ebido Oku, Uyo, thanked God for sparing Obong Ekpo’s life, noting: “During Obong Ekpo’s illness, some persons were using an opposition mouthpiece to tell lies by writing fabricated stories against him and even my administration in spite of the massive transformation and development of the state. ’’What I can say to the newspaper is that they are losers and can never win. The newspaper practices poor journalism that lacks the truth.”

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

S-Korean firms storm Nigeria for business

Hit and run driver kills journalist in Rivers

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME &

WILSON YAFU

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CONSORTIUM of South Korean Civil Engineering and Construction companies has established working partnership with a leading Nigerian civil engineering and dredging firm to participate as major players in Nigeria’s construction industry.

The Korean firms, COSMO Engineering and Construction Company Limited and IKC Construction Company Limited, had signed Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with CMD Limited, a Nigerian civil engineering firm, to begin a working relationship in Nigeria that will cover a wide spectrum of civil works, architectural and plant works.

The MoU was sealed in South Korea in December, where Chief Henry Ojogho, Vice Chairman/ CEO of CMD Limited signed for his company.

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ORT HARCOURT—A journalist, Mr. Edward Alyemen, has been killed by a hit and run driver in Elelenwo area of Rivers State.

In a statement, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, Chairman of the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Opaka Dokubo, called on the state Police Command to track down the driver for prosecution.

According to the statement, the late journalist, who was the state correspondent of Banner News, a provincial newspaper in the state, died at a hospital, weekend, where he was rushed to after the vehicle knocked him down.

Dokubo said the driver of the vehicle fled after the accident and appealed to the state Police command to help arrest the driver. He also appealed to Rivers State Traffic Management Authority, TIMARIV and Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, to come up with effective meas-

ures to check reckless driving in the state.

He said: “We commiserate with the Federated Correspondents Chapel, where late Alyemen was a staunch member, as well as his immediate family for this irrep-

arable loss and we pray God Almighty to give them strength at this trying period.”

Chairman of the Federated Correspondents Chapel in the state, Mr. Terver Akaser, on his part, urged the Police to help uncover the mystery surround-

ing the accident that claimed the life of the journalist. Describing the death of Alyemen as a big loss to the chapel and the NUJ in the state, he prayed God to grant the deceased family the strength to bear the loss.

THANKSGIVING: Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (left) with the state Chairman of People's Democratic Party, PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, at the thanksgiving service for the PDP Chairman at Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), Ikot Ebido Oku, Uyo, weekend.

Expect better things this year, Oshiomhole assures Edo people

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—GOVER NOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has assured people of the state of greater things to come this new year.

In his New Year message by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, Oshiomhole said people of the state have a lot to thank God for in the outgoing year and should look forward to a more prosperous new year.

He said: “Year 2012 was good for Edo State. In the outgoing year, we were able to execute several capital projects which had direct meaningful impact on the lives of people of the state.

“Also, last year, we held our gubernatorial election, which has now been adjudged the freest and fairest ever held in the country and is now being used as template for elections in the nation. However, as we enter the year 2013, I assure the people of government’s commitment to deliver more to every part of the state, to justify the confidence reposed in me by the overwhelming victory I received at the poll across

the 18 local government areas of the state.

“I wish to assure the good people of Edo State that all projects started by this administration will be followed up with all due diligence and vigour to ensure their completion.

I urge our people to remain vigilant to ensure that evildoers are not given a free hand in our state this new year. I salute the good people of

the state, our royal fathers, the professional groups, civil servants, student bodies, civil society groups, market women and the ordinary people in the streets for standing by this administration in last year. Also, I commend the Christian and Muslim communities in the state for their peaceful and brotherly coexistence in the state.”

Delta community rejects N54m compensation

BY EMMA ARUBI

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ARRI—OLERI com munity in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday, rejected the N54 million compensation paid to them for the destruction of their crops, fish farms and economic trees in the over 181 hectres of land acquired for development purposes in the community.

The land was acquired for the building of the multi-billion naira Delta Leisure Resorts in a tripartite agreement between the state government, Sanner PFM and the Oleri community.

However, the govern-

ment, yesterday, at the premises of the Managing Partners, Sanner PFM, presented a cheque for N54 million which the community, through its executives led by Chief Patrick Okoro as President-General, rejected.

Presenting the three cheques of N9 million each on behalf of the state government and Sanner PFM, Chief Security Officer, to the company, Mr. Elvis Kporo, explained that though the valuers presented a bill of N60 million, only N54 million was granted as the balance was said to be for Value Added Tax, VAT and withholding tax.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013—13

Nigeria’s relationship with Switzerland cordial —Amb Njeze

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BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—NIGERIA’S Ambassador to Switzerland, Mrs. Fidelia Njeje, has said that despite the perceived image problem confronting the nation before the international community, Nigeria still enjoyed cordial and robust bilateral trade relationship with the Switzerland.

She called on Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to always make patriotism their watchword, saying Nigerians should desist from acts capable of worsening the nation’s perceived image challenges, especially outside the shores of the country.

Ambassador Njeze, spoke to newsmen, yesterday at her country home, Abor, in Udi local government area of Enugu State, during the traditional wedding of her daughter, Adaku Njeze, to Mr. OnyekaUgwu.

According to her, the cordial trade relationship between Nigeria and Switzerland “made it possible for about 60 Swiss companies to be operating in Nigeria today.

NGO donates to leprosy patients in Ebonyi

BY PETER OKUTU

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BAKALIKI—A Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, Great Minds Club International, GMC, weekend donated relief materials to leprosy patients at Mile 4 Hospital, Abakaliki.

Items donated included toiletries, packets of bathing soap and a cash gift of N100,000 to the patients.

Speaking during the exercise, President of GMC, Mr. Osisikankwu Chinonso, noted that the gesture was meant to give a sense of belonging to leprosy patients who had been alienated from the society because of their condition.

He added that the NGO, apart from visiting hospitals, it also extended its philanthropy to widows across the 13 local government areas in the state.

FOI: Aturu demands disclosure of Sanusi’s salary

BY EMMANUELAZIKEN,

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POLITICAL EDITOR

AGOS—A demand for the disclosure of the salary, allowances and other entitlements enjoyed by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was, yesterday, submitted to the bank under the Freedom of Information Act. Leading civil right activist, Mr. Bamidele Aturu made the request in a letter to the CBN governor made available to Vanguard, yesterday.

Aturu’s demand is on behalf of a lawyer, Anthony Itedjere and according to Mr. Aturu was made to determine if the incumbent governor, Sanusi is one of the public officials guzzling public funds.

Letter to CBN

Mr. Aturu in the letter dated December 31, 2012 is also demanding how much and at what cost it takes for the CBN governor to travel within and outside Nigeria and whether he also uses chartered aircraft for his travels.

Mr. Aturu whilst also demanding the number of drivers attached to the CBN governor said he would go to court to compel the bank to provide the information should the bank fail to supply the information within the required seven days as provided in the Freedom of Information Act. “We believe that the CBN governor is one of those preaching for transparency and public accountability and that is why we are starting with him, so we want to know if his office is one of those guzzling public too much money,” Aturu told Vanguard last night.

“We are starting with the CBN governor because he is one of those that have been very vocal on the cost of governance and we are going to do it for many other offices and it is part of our action to enthrone public accountability,” Aturu further disclosed.

The letter requesting the information read thus: RE: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING RECURRENT EXPENDITURE (S) ON YOU AND YOUR OFFICE PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 1, 3 AND 4 OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2011 Compliments of the Season!

We are solicitors to Anthony Itedjere Esq., a Nigerian citizen and solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on whose behalf and instruction we write this letter.

Our client is interested in certain information which is in possession and or custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (hereinafter referred to as ‘the bank’) and your office. Kindly provide the information to the best of your

knowledge in the interest of transparency and openness which you have been advertised as championing.

Request

You are hereby specifically requested to make available to our client or grant to him access to: 1. The Central Bank Act provides that your salary, fee, wages or other remuneration or allowances shall be stipulated from time to time by the Board subject to the approval of the President. a. How much is your total remuneration (that is salary plus allowances) per month? b. Do you charge the Bank or the Federal Government of Nigeria any fee outside your monthly remuneration? If so, state any such fee you have received since becoming the Governor of the bank. c. Do you travel business class or economy within Nigeria? d. Do you travel first class, business class or economy when travelling out of Nigeria?

e. Have you ever used chartered plane for any of your travels within and outside Nigeria? f. If your answer to 1e above is in the affirmative, kindly list all such instances specifying the dates, the airline(s), the cost and the duration of the charter? g. Does the Bank own an aircraft? If so, what is the cost of the craft and the cost of its servicing and maintenance? h. How many drivers are attached to your office by the bank? i. How many cleaners are attached to your office by the bank? j. How many drivers are attached to your house by the bank? k. How many cleaners are attached to your house by the bank? l. How much is your monthly imprest? m. When you travel within Nigeria, how much is your allowance? n. When you travel outside Nigeria, how much is your allowance?

o. When last did you spend your personal money on purchasing fuel since you became the Governor of the bank?

However, if you think that another agency of the Government has greater interest in the information requested for, you are obliged under Section 5 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 to transfer this request to the other agency within 3 days, howbeit not later than 7 days of receiving this request.

Our client shall pay the necessary fees for the information.

Be notified that if you fail to provide the above information within the period stipulated by law we shall proceed against you in accordance with the provisions of the law.

We have no doubt that you will accede to this very friendly request.

Accept the renewed assurances of our very high regards.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully, Bamidele Aturu Esq.

From left: Fireworks Specialist, Lazer Hire London, Mr. Dal Badial; Managing Director, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency, LASAA; Mr George Noah; Managing Director, Film Factory Ltd, Mr Sesan Ogunro Jnr., and Fireworks Specialist, Lazer Hire London, Mr. Darren Marshall, during an inspection of facilities for the spectacular first in Africa fireworks, lazer beam and water projection display for the Lagos Countdown Festival, at the Eko Atlantic City in Lagos.

Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Mobile court prosecutes 79 persons for the people on the need sanitation offences in Bomadi sitising for cleaner environment

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BY DANIEL GUMM

OMADI—THE mobile sanitation court in Bomadi presided over by chief magistrate John Ezewonali, has prosecuted 79 persons for flouting sanitation orders during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Delta State.

The defaulters comprising business men and women were apprehended by officials of the environmental sanitation for disobeying the sanitation orders and were subsequently taken to the mobile court for prosecution.

While 55 persons paid fine of varying amounts depending on the degree of offence committed, 20 persons were set free, three

persons were put in police custody on the orders of the court for fighting officials of the sanitation, just as one person escaped.

Meanwhile the transition committee chairman of Bomadi Local Government Area, Mr. Collins Olorogun, has said that the mobile sanitation court has been given the necessary support to deal with anyone found violating the sanitation orders.

Mr. Olorogun who dropped the hint, while supervising the conduct of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, said the court has been strengthened to persecute violators no matter how highly placed, noting that his administration has been sen-

through aggressive campaign strategies put in place, and promised that in the New Year, Bomadi Local Government would receive an increased environmental attention.

The council chairman emphasised that the post-flood period is associated with health issues, which according to him needed dedicated efforts to clean up the surroundings to reduce possible outbreak of communicable disease.

The council boss who was flanked by the head of personnel management Mr. Sunday Ekeremor, said he has directed the environmental department to evacuate dump sites regularly.

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Anambra govt intensifies effort against poverty

Embrace 2013 with optimism, Elechi urges Nigerians

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—ANAMBRA State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has said his administration would intensify measures to accelerate the fight against poverty this year.

Obi, who gave the indication in his new year message to people of the state, said government had already commenced the execution of projects geared towards poverty alleviation through employment and creation of opportunities.

According to him, the projects include the ongoing Onitsha Hotel and Convention Centre and the Onitsha Shopping Mall, as well as other hotel projects at the Awka capital territory and Agulu Lake will soon start.

He explained that the various multi-national companies that had established their facilities in the state were also opening windows of employment opportunities for the teeming youths.

He said discussion had been concluded with more companies to invest in the state in the new year.

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI—GOVER NOR Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State, yesterday, called on Nigerians from all walks of life to embrace the New Year with optimism and courage, not minding the numerous socio-economic and security challenges that plagued 2012.

The governor stated this while receiving members of the state House of Assembly who paid him a Christmas and New year homage at Government House, Abakaliki.

He urged Nigerians to be grateful to God that Nigeria was still forging ahead, despite the enormous challenges that had over the years confronted it, reflecting that the situation could have been worse if not for God’s timely intervention and mercies at every point in time.

Elechi also described the year 2012 as a challenging one, and advised Nigerians to regard the various disasters and insecurity threats as a passing phase in the history of the country.

The governor said: “The year 2012 has been a challenging one in Nigeria given the magnitude of natural disasters like floods; air and road disasters and as well as bombing and killing of innocent Nigerians in places of worship and human trafficking.”

The governor, who noted that even though those shamelessly killing innocent Nigerians were not relenting, expressed optimism that security agencies would soon bring to a halt incidences of crimes and criminali-

ty in different parts of the country.

Earlier, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Chukwuma Nwazunku, who stated that the purpose of their visit was to felicitate with the governor on

the Christmas and New Year celebrations, promised that the lawmakers would continue to partner the government to improve the living standards of the people.

VISIT: From right: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria; Mrs. Aguiyi Ironsi and Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, during Obasanjo’s visit to the wife of late former military head of state in Umuahia.

Enugu PDP chair urges prayers for state

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU—THE Peo ples Democratic Party, PDP, Enugu State Chapter, has called on members of the party and the entire people of the state to use the period of Christmas and the New Year to offer special prayers for the peace, unity and progress of the State and Nigeria at large.

In a statement signed by the state chairman of the party, Mr. Vita Abba, the party thanked the people of the State for their continued support to the PDP-led state government of Governor Sullivan Chime in transforming the state.

This came even as all political appointees and elected public officers in the state met at the governor’s country-home at

Udi last night, where they were expected to be briefed on the long absence of Governor Chime.

The notice of the meeting was contained in the Government House manifest released on Sunday but the agenda of the meeting was not officially stated.

Sources told Vanguard that members of Chime’s kitchen cabinet, headed by the Chief of Staff to the governor, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, would brief the participants, who are regarded as the stakeholders, on the actual condition of the governor who had been away from his office since the past 107 days.

But one of the governor ’s aides said yesterday ’s meeting was in continuation of the annual Christmas carol and end-of-year get-together being observed in the governor ’s residence.

Vanguard , TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013—15

Indian FDI in Nigeria hits $4bn

FG to save N300bn from use of cassava flour— Maku

BY VICTORIA OJEME

F

A

BUJA—FOREIGN Direct Investments, FDI, from India to Nigeria has hit the $4 billion dollar mark.

This came as no fewer than 40,000 Nigerians have in the past 12 months, been issued India visas, which is 16 percent higher than the figure recorded for 2011.

Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mahesh Sachdev, who disclosed this in Lagos, said the investments came under new bilateral projects and initiatives, including Nagarjuna fertilizers ($2.4 billion), Indorama ($ 2.0 billion) and a Primary Alcohol Plant ($120 million) in Ogun State.

He noted the decline in trade between Nigeria and India was due largely to lower Indian lifting of Nigerian crude.

According to Sachdev, Indian exports to Nigeria grew by over 9 percent, making it possible for Nigeria to have a hefty trade surplus.

EDERAL Government will save about N300 billion annually on the importation of wheat through the use of 20 percent cassava flour for bread production. Mr. Labaran Maku, the Minister of Information, announced this yesterday in Abuja at a briefing on the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in 2012.

He also said the government had stepped up investment in security through the provision of logistics, training and deployment of troops to tackle current challenges in some parts of the northern Nigeria.

Maku, who said current electricity generation in the country had reached 4,502 megawatts, the highest in recent time, said the amount spent on wheat importation had so far been brought down by N200 billion, following improvement in the production and processing of cassava flour.

He said the government was exploring agriculture as a major area to create jobs and wealth. The minister said the transformation that had taken

place in the sector in the last one year was aimed at ensuring food security, curbing importation and diversifying the economy.

He said that the Growth Enhancement Scheme initiated by the Minister of Agriculture was designed to support small scale farmers to enable them get access to fertilisers and seeds directly at affordable prices.

On security

On security, Maku said government had stepped up investment in security through the provision of logistics, training and deployment of troops to tackle current challenges in some states in the northern part of the country.

He said the administration had remained relentless in its efforts to end the challenges, adding that “this is crucial to the implementation of the Transformation Agenda because without security and peace, no meaningful development can be achieved in the affected states.”

Maku said government was

collaborating with all stakeholders, including religious and community leaders as well as the affected people.

The minister said due to the nature of the challenges, government would not take “draconian approach” as being canvassed in some quarters, adding that those behind the challenge lived among the people.

He said: “Let me on behalf of the government commiserate with those who lost their loved ones and those maimed in the mindless campaign of violence in last 12 months.”

On power

According to Maku, electricity generation is expected to move up to 7,000 megawatts in 2013.

He said: “At the moment, there is an average of about 15 to 18 hours per day of constant power supply to different parts of the country.

“This feat was brought about through the implementation of the integrated power sector reform programme anchored on the Power Road Map. “This includes institutional reforms to involve the private sector in power generation,

transmission and distribution.”

Maku said under the road map, 10 new thermal power plants had been completed, adding that more were coming in 2013 to boost electricity supply to all parts of the country.

He said the rehabilitation of power generation and distribution infrastructure across the nation were ongoing and that Kainji Hydro Power station would generate power at installed capacity.

According to him, contract for the maintenance of the Shiroro Power Station has been awarded. Maku also said that new contracts had been awarded for hydro power plants in Kaduna and Mambila Plateau to generate additional 750 megawatts.

“The implementation of the National Integrated Power Project is being fast-tracked to ensure stability in power supply,” he added.

The minister said $1 billion dollars and $150 million dollars loans would soon be secured from the African Development Bank, ADB, to finance gas supply and liberalisation of the power sector, respectively.

LP tasks leaders on service

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA—AS the whole world celebrates the new year today, Nigerian leaders have been charged to put on new garments of service and dedication to fatherland and ensure that Nigerians got the dividends of democracy in the years ahead.

National Chairman of Labour Party, LP, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, who made the remarks in his New Year message, entitled Hope in the horizon for Nigeria, yesterday in Abuja, charged the Nigerian authorities to urgently address the issues of unemployment and insecurity in the country.

Nwanyanwu also advocated that the New Year should usher in a new lease to life where unemployment, insecurity, academic decadence, lawlessness, legislative rascality, economic sabotage, rot in the judiciary and election malpractices would be a thing of the past.

VISIT: From left— Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof Joe Irukwu and Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, during a courtesy visit on the governor by Obasanjo at the 2012 Item Day celebration at Item Bende Local Government Area, weekend.

Security: Minister sues for collective effort

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

A

BUJA—MINISTER of Po lice Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, has charged Nigerians to make the promotion of internal peace and security the focal point of the New Year resolutions.

In a New Year message, he said: “Nigerians must recognise the fact that security has remained the most challenging of the nation’s problems over the past few years and we need to get more involved in the concerted efforts by government to

tackle it.”

He noted that without the support and full cooperation of the people, security agencies could do little or nothing.

Olubolade urged every Nigerian to be concerned with what happened around them, especially those related to the security of lives and property of their immediate community.

He also urged them to report all possible threats to law enforcement officers, as without security, every achievement in other sectors would be blighted.

The minister also asserted that in spite of the myriad of challenges posed by the activities of agents of destabilisation, a lot was achieved by the Nigeria Police and other security agencies as seen in the reduction in terrorist activities, armed robbery and other criminal activities, especially towards the end of the year.

He ascribed the relatively peaceful atmosphere under which Nigerians celebrated this year ’s Christmas to the alertness of the Nigeria Po-

lice, in concert with other relevant agencies, as well as the cooperation of well-meaning citizens who provided useful information which helped in curtailing the activities of miscreants.

He pointed out that 2013 held a lot of promises for the people, as government would build on the visible accomplishments of the out-going year to ensure a freer and more secure environment for them to operate, in line with the seven-point agenda of the present administration.

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

CPC faults INEC on deregistration of parties

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

I

LORIN—CONGRESS of Nigeria’s Political Parties, CNPP, Kwara State, has appealed to the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to stop the de-registration of existing political parties for not winning any elections and allow the democratic experience of the country to grow through the maintenance of multi-party system.

The association stated this in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman Lekan Alabi, and Secretary, Adebayo Lawal, a copy of which was made available to Vanguard in Ilorin.

The statement, however, commended INEC under the chairmanship of Professor Attahiru Jega for his effort in ensuring that the commission is sanitised.

It urged the electoral body to allow multiple party system for better development of democratic principles in the country.

Saraki preaches peace, love

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

I

LORIN—IMMEDIATE past governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki representing Kwara Central in the National Assembly, has urged Nigerians to be committed to peace, unity and love in the new year in order to move the nation forward.

Senator Saraki, in his new year message signed by his Media Assistant, Advocacy, Bamikole Omishore, said Nigeria’s darkest hour of the night was behind and that the dawn was just about to break in the new year.

He noted that though the challenges ahead are much, but that it is nonetheless surmountable with an enthusiasm spirit by all.

Saraki recalled the motion he sponsored that brought sanity to the oil sector.

SERVICE: From left—Nnanna Igbokwe; Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker and Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives, during the thanksgiving service at St. Micheal's Catholic Church, Ogwuama Ahiara, Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area, Imo State, Sunday.

UPP blasts Jonathan over ‘executive rigmarole'

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA—UNITED Progressive Party, UPP, yesterday, tasked President Goodluck Jonathan to sit up and tackle, head-long, issues of insecurity, corruption and poverty which have slowed the nation’s wheel of progress in recent times.

UPP, in a statement by Chief Ogbuechi Dike, its National Publicity Secretary, warned that it was time to stop executive rigmarole and provide democracy dividends to long-suffering Nigerians.

Describing 2012 as a perilous year for the nation, the party said: “We thank God for His mercies, guidance and protection throughout the turbulent 2012.

“Hell was let loose on Nigeria: unprecedented violence, flood, accidents, corruption, armed robberies, kidnappings, infrastructural decay, hunger and executive recklessness.

There was despair in the land.

“We call on the Federal Government to sit up and tackle insecurity, corruption and poverty head-on.

“This is in consonance with Section 14 (2)b of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which says ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.’

“It is time to stop executive

rigmarole and provide abundant democracy dividends to the long-suffering Nigerians.

“The New Year offers yet another opportunity for Nigeri-

ans to seek the face of God and resolve to build a strong, virile and prosperous democratic society.

“It is a time to heal. It is a

time to demonstrate exceptional patriotism and uphold those things that bind us as a united, peaceful and indivisible nation.”

... as Tsav flays Southern politicians over CIA prediction

BY PETER DURU

M

AKURDI—FORMER Commissioner of Police for Lagos State, Alhaji Abubaka Tsav, has accused political leaders in the south of encouraging the disintegration of the country to give credence to the prediction of the American Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, that the country would break up in 2014.

He warned that political leaders in the south were being reckless in their utterance with intent to heat up the polity and incite the disintegration of the country.

Tsav, who stated this yesterday in an interview with newsmen in Makurdi, regretted that political leaders in the south have disappointed all Nigerians with the way they are carrying on.

He said: “Never in the history of this country had the is-

sue of the disintegration of this country been on the front burner like what is happening currently.

“It is quite unfortunate because for several years northerners ruled this country and nobody heard of or thought of the country disintegrating. But regrettably, a minority from the south-south is in charge and it is as if the country is at the brink of disintegration because it has become the topical issue down south.

“But I must caution those beating these drums of disintegration that if Nigeria breaks up every one of us in this country and every fragmented part would suffer, because we all have our comparative advantages in all sectors.

“We must all move to stop this ugly trend or else we will deliberately walk ourselves

into the trap of that prediction.

“I have visited states like Yobe, Bornu and others and I was shocked. These states have been abandoned as if they are not part of Nigeria anymore, it is sad.

“Government must live up to its responsibilities to the people no matter the situation or challenge.

“We cannot abandon our own people to their faith when we know that the government can do more. My worry is that if this is not checked and the trend continues, the prediction of the CIA that the country might disintegrate could become a reality.

“That is why those in governance must lead by example and ensure that corruption, tribalism, sectionalism and nepotism were divorced from our system of governance to save this great nation called Nigeria.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013—17

T

Oh, come all ye fearful!

President Goodluck Jonathan: Hopeful that 2013 would be better.

That is the reality for many Nigerians today. Death stalks the land! Yet a very infinitesimal minority among us are living with vulgar ostentationas if it were their last day on earth! The most

MTN and credit filching!

T HIS has been going on for weeks now. My phone will be idle, and then a message from MTN informs me that my last session was XKB and the amount is something from N20 to N100! This, without my touching the phone! When I use the phone a similar message informs me of how many seconds I used it and the outrageous charge. But which one is this fraud measured in KiloBytes?

Every day I lose between N200 and N500 of my credit. A few people I have complained to have similar experience and they explain that such stealing happens when you load a lot of money, especially to take care of your BB. So many have resorted to not loading more than N200! How does that help MTN? It seems this credit robbery started when the NCC banned the networks from lotteries.

So we cannot do without being ripped

BY JOHN AINOFENOKHAI

T

HE abandonment of etiquette in the articulation of private fixations was manifest in Theophilus Ilevbare’s mumbo-jumbo, entitled: “Jonathan, Anenih and PDP Cahoot (sic)”, which was published in Peoples Daily edition of Monday, December 24, 2012 at page 13; and the hogwash in THISDAY of Thursday, December 27, 2012 at page 14, entitled: “Anenih and NPA” written by one Suleiman Abubakar.

Every paragraph of their so-called opinions reeked of invectives and malice.

They employed the instruments of direct and veiled attacks against President Goodluck Jonathan, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the re-appointed Chairman of the Board of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Tony Anenih.

By resorting to personal attacks,

off in this country? MTN must explain this or return all my stolen credits.

Odemwingie and Nations Cup

P

ETER Osaze Odemwingie is one Nigerian footballer I really love the way I love Nwankwo Kanu.

Odemwingie makes me watch West Brom. But honestly, I did not know that Odemwingie wanted to play at the final of African Cup of Nations coming up in South Africa later this month. His attitude during the qualifying matches did not suggest any interest. His recent ranting is, therefore, a surprise and a put off! From now on, the Super Eagles Coaches should insist that only those who show dedication during qualifying matches play in the finals of any competition!

expensive wines will spring from cellars to satiate the pallets of the stupendously rich. After all, that is why they pillaged our economy. The oil subsidy rogues and their wives will adorn themselves with the gaudiest apparels and jewelleries bought with our blood. Their imitators, the raving band of armed robbers and kidnappers, will show off, spray the loot and acquire chieftaincy titles with proceeds from dynamited banks and ransom. After all, that is why they have kept us sleepless!

If you have still not noticed, the recent happenings in our country must bring it home to you that we are

,

ODAY, New Year day, is supposed to be a happy one. Last week was Christmas which was expected to be merry. But many of our countrymen were weary and in excruciating grief as we celebrated Christmas. Many went to Church—if they did—with their hearts in their mouths because of terror bombers.

And for sure, the demons with who we share a country sent many to their graves and their relations into mourning. Instead of singing soul lifting carols, many sang elegies to loved ones. Many donned black cloths as they lowered to mother earth loved ones who should have been sitting at lunch and dinner tables with them.

Instead of passing the salt across lunch tables, many passed shovels of sand for the dust-to-dust rites!

Even as we usher in the New Year today, many will be digging new graves or pondering over fresh graves of loved ones buried few days ago.

Many who set out on a journey of season’s reunion with relatives ended the journey in a mortuary, thanks to our express death traps! There are many today who are in the captive dungeon of wicked kidnappers.

Many families are anxiously waiting for the phone to ring for the kidnappers to name the ransom or to continue negotiations for ransom.

Many have been denied the mirth of the season because of unemployment.

Millions are going hungry today because of poverty. Many walked past the giant shimmering Christmas trees that adorned the cities but did not see them! Yet, it was Merry Christmas and happy New Year?! Morbid?

My favourite quote of the year is still the legend on one of the anti-fuel subsidy placards: One day the poor will have nothing left to eat but the rich

,

now what the inimitable Fela called “Upside Down” country, where “Authority Steals”. The bad guys are waging a relentless war against the rest of us, and they seem to be winning. Some have been saying: “If you fight corruption, corruption will fight you back”. Naaw! It is worse than that! If you dare corruption, corruption

will crush you! Corruption now wields Executive, Legislative and Judicial powers, all combined! It is now the watchdog over the media! Step out of oga’s line, you get fired! Who does not want to live in a mansion and drive exotic cars? But, you see, corruption is smashing everybody; the guilty, the innocent, the pretenders and those who covered up! On the road, in the air and in the “safety” of homes, we are losing precious souls we need not lose. In the hospitals people who go to seek life get death. Those who bilk the funds meant for our hospitals fly abroad to pick jigger off their foot.

They run to our hospitals only when they are fugitives from the law or when they want a five-star cell to serve their rap-on-the-wrist prison sentence!

Taking back the country

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un totting vandals are sacking the country and we cannot even rely on those we gave our guns, uniforms and paid. The bad guys are after everybody. Tell me, who is safe in this country today? What does it take now to lose one’s life in this country? Never, in all my life as a Nigerian, have I felt so helpless! Does the President have a clue how to take back this country from the bad guys?

Oh, he has promised that 2013 will be better! We want empirical evidence.

Two weeks ago, 20 innocent primary school children were killed in a shooting in a school in Newtown, Connecticut, USA. The horror reverberated from Newtown to Notre Dame, Paris. But in our own case, our leaders just jostle for space for their press releases, have photo ops and move on, even though on a daily average we have 40 Nigerians killed in different avoidable ways. At the Inter faith vigil on Sunday 16 December night at Newtown, an outraged President Obama warned: “We can’t tolerate this anymore. Surely we can do better than this”.

For how long shall we continue to live in denial? For how long shall we tolerate our current abject condition?

Why are our politicians taking it for granted that nothing can give if we continue on this path? My favourite quote of the year is still the legend on one of the anti-fuel subsidy placards: One day the poor will have nothing left to eat but the rich! Is it that we cannot do better than this? I have my fears! For whatever it is worth, hope you had a, well, Merry Christmas and, if possible, a happier New Year! Maybe we see one another alive in the New Year! If we don’t, well…!

OPINION In defence of Jonathan, Anenih and the PDP they betrayed their predilection as sponsored commentators, whose perspectives to issues and deductions there-from as exemplified in their write-ups, were tainted by bias and commonplace allegations which are largely unsubstantiated.

Both their premises and conclusions, that because Jonathan re-appointed Anenih as Chairman of the Board of NPA, the President’s fight against corruption was lackluster, were nonsequitur. For sure, there is nothing creepy about Anenih’s reappointment as to threaten the anti-corruption war.

In fact, his reappointment is to continue the regime of fiscal discipline and prudence by ensuring accountability in the administration of funds by the management of the NPA, which he was able to emplace during

his first missionary journey at the Authority from Febr uar y 2009 to October 2011.

Had these hatchet writers chosen to be fair, they should have celebrated Anenih’s first successful missionary journey at the NPA the way they celebrated the denouement, which the “politically-motivated conspiracy, trial and conviction” of Anenih’s predecessor, Chief Olabode George, represents to them.

They should have also done their researches to objectively locate the achievements of the NPA under the direction of the Anenih-led Board, especially in the area of tackling ports congestion and other reforms aimed at sanitising the operations at the ports and the Authority.

The point is, had Anenih deployed

the instrumentality of his office, which is not an executive position, in any case, as these writers had tried to portray it, to divert the funds of the NPA in bogey contracts to fund PDP elections and other selfish interests, the opposition would have by now exposed the deeds. The NPA is a public trust: Its operations are not in the realms of occultism.

But it is amusing that these writers and their sponsors who are under a mental siege that once a PDP leader or member is appointed into the boards of these so-called lucrative agencies, it is for the purpose of plundering and pillaging the public funds domiciled there.

Continues on the Viewpoint page *Mr. Ainofenokhai, a political analyst, wrote from Abuja.

C M Y K

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most that has made it possible for evil to triumph. – Emperor Haile Selassie, born Tafari Makonnen (1891-1974, ruler of Ethiopia for 44 years) ALL signs are there that we will have a challenging year. From the economy to the political predictions about 2015, we are only moments away from vital decisions about our lives. If we are not careful, they would be made without any contributions from us.

The New Year begins, with peoples’ high expectations. They dream their New Year ambitions that are mostly built on nothing.

It is an annual ritual that helps brush aside failuf the past year, but does little else. The beginning of every year affords deep reflection on the past and the future.

To experience positive change requires serious planning, concentration, focus and sacrifices. Many want to begin a New Year on a fresh slate. Great support is required from governments’ policies for peoples’ plans to translate to reality. We must hold governments

Welcome To 2013 more accountable this year, it is an individual responsibility.

It is governments’ role to ensure their policies and programmes benefit the people.

Governments should provide enabling environment for the healthy growth of the nation and its inhabitants. These are high hopes.

Anxiety over de-regulation of prices of petroleum products remains. It is a move that would alter many calculations whenever it is made this year. The predictions are dreadful because all the promised savings from last year ’s increase have not been utilised in building infrastructure that would have

lessened individual generation of electricity, for instance.

Last year, like the past three years, was lost to insecurity in some parts of the country.

Government’s management of the security challenges is at most pendulous. It must do more.

We are a year away from the 100th anniversary of amalgamation of Northern and Southern Protectorates which became Nigeria in 1914.

It is a significant spot in the nation’s political history. What would improve ahead of the celebrations?

Politicians are bickering. Whether at the National Assembly, where they should tuck in their egos and get some work done or in the parties where discipline has broken down, the quest for power continues, sometimes dangerously. It could worsen as they ponder 2015.

Nigeria’s stability and the successes of its citizens this year, would largely be determined by the outstanding matters of 2012. Possibly the most crucial of them is security, especially government’s shoddy handling of it.

We wish our readers a happier and more prosperous New Year.

OPINION

BY OWEN OZUE

I

T is not in doubt that the clock is ticking away on the tenure of the incumbent governor of Anambra State of Nigeria and the end game is on. It is not a dream that Obi dreams to pick his successor and not a figment of anyone’s imagination that the voters in Anambra State, backed by the principle of democracy do not desire it so.

It is not a piece of propaganda that Obi is pushing this personal view of his which he is entitled to with all the fibre in his muscles and all the armoury in his arsenal including ,trust me ,Anambra State funds.

But do the people want to zone the chief executive position in a homogenous and mono-lingual state like Anambra?

Practically; on the street and beer parlours, in sponsored and neutral discourses the answers are mixed. Some emphatically say yes. In this category is the governor. Others say no. In this group is the usual army of gubernatorial hopefuls who happen to fall outside the zone unilaterally favoured by Obi to take the first slot in the presumed zoning? Even many politicians in Obi’s choice zone who cannot aspire in 2014 are in this group because time calculations will not favour their political future. Yet, others say that Anambra will decide when they meet for the purpose. Three views on the streets and their numerous variants, yet many more sown in the hearts of those who

C M Y K

The constitution of Anambra State of Nigeria speak only when the table is decorated.

Recently, November 26, 2012 to be precise, the mouthpiece of Anambra State Government- Anambra State Broadcasting Service (ABS) in a news commentary claimed that Anambra has agreed to propose ‘zoning of the office of governor across the three senatorial Zones ,starting from Anambra North Zone’ to the national Assembly for inclusion in the federal constitution. But according to ABS ‘ a few greedy and disgruntled politicians in the state are sabotaging that agreement’ We shall yet return to this commentary which largely triggered of this highly procrastinated piece; its deductions and assumptions; and the larger implications for democracy in Anambra State and Nigeria.

To understand the issues in the zoning discourse let us trace the issue from the root.

In the aftermath of a 1994/95 constitutional conference organised by the nation got bitten by the zoning bug. This followed a proposal introduced and made popular by Dr. Alex Ekwueme, speaking from the blueprint presented by Mkpoko Igbo, itself a product of the Igbo Intelligensia organisation Aka Ikenga. The proposal was for the rotation of the office of the President around six geo-political zones, drawn out on the basis of a mix of voting patterns in the country’s previous elections, linguistic/

ethnic blocs and sociological factors.

The proposal met with a stout resistance form the group led by Shehu Musa Yar’Adua ad largely supported by the north which was in the thick of their hegemony. So stiff was their opposition that they raised voices to shout down Ekwueme on the dais. It took the physical intervention of late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who was co-chairman of the well-prepared South –East delegation, to secure an audience for Ekwueme to espouse the subject. Ikemba who had to remain standing challenging the ring-leaders of the shouting match to make a whimper. Of course, the argument was to continue outside the plenary.

E

ventually, those who sought and failed to shout the motion down went back and built a consensus to defeat the view on the floor of the conference. But it was contained in the minority report sent in by Ekwueme, which made sense to Abacha, himself coming from a ‘marginalised’ group in the north.

So Nigeria informally recognised six zones and started applying it in their lives. Yet, not having had any opportunity between then and this month to discuss the making of their constitution as a people, it had to wait for this year for the people to vote yes to its inclusion in the federal constitution.

But in 1998, Ekwueme’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) inserted a watereddown version of the zoning arrangement in the party’s constitution, making it a twodash arrangement between North and South Nigeria, with many in it’s ranks, including the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi opposing it.

Even that party-inspired zoning manifesto faced its biggest challenge when President Umar Yar’Adua, took ill and eventually died, as there was clear reluctance to hand over power to his then Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan. And of course the constitution had the legal answers, but not the political.

Many argue that this is the origin of the emergence of the political Boko Haraam, which differs largely form the original one led by late Yusuf in 2009. A comment in that regard by the late former Security Adviser to the President cost him his job, but the plausiblility was not lost on Nigerians. And now with Abubakar Atiku beginning the political rounds in target of 2015 and Jonathan playing the ostrich game, the zoning issue is far from settled even now that it is outside the constitution. So it cannot be said to have succeeded.

Continues on the Viewpoints' pg *Dr. Ozue, a political analyst, wrote from Nnwei, Anambra State.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANAUARY 1, 2013— 19

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CHEREOME Nnanna in his Vanguard, Monday November 26, 2012 View Point explains why the planned Alliance between Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu “Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) and General Muhammadu Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) may not work. In the course of his explanation he brings to the fore the larger problem of the fate of opposition parties and the apparent futility of opposition politics in Nigeria. It is this latter problem that is addressed in this version of the Tuesday Platform. Nnanna calls to mind various attempts of parties to organise for the electoral defeat of incumbent parties. He observed thus: “We saw it in the first Republic when the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) consisting mainly of the National Council for Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) and the Action Group tried to upstage northern regional giant and ruling party at the centre, the Northern People’s Congress (NPC). In the Second Republic, the National Party of Nigerian (NPN) emerged as the dominant national ruling party, while four others – the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) and the Great Nigeria People’s

Party (GNPP) formed a group called the People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA). The effort also failed. At ensuring 1983 general elections, the NPN not only won the election, but also became even more mammoth, thus triggering fears of Nigeria becoming a oneparty state. In the 1998/1999 transition politics, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has established an early dominance and national spread… In other to attempt to head off its imminent emergence as the dominant national party, two regional rivals, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) which had swept the South-West, created a change contraption of a merger with the All Peoples Party (APP). The merger was only for the Presidential election.”

The PPA not only lost the presidential election, the alliance was not institutionalised for oppositional politics with a view of becoming a rival national opposition alliance capable of defeating the PDP in future elections. It seems a fairly predictable outcome that this pending planned ACN-CPC alliance may end in electoral failure in 2015. This prediction poses a question about the Nigerian political terrain, why it is inhospitable to the development of oppositional

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rivalry for electoral dominance at the three levels of government. A beginning of an answer to this question is provided by the pattern of party competition in the process of devolution of authority by the British Colonial Government to Nigerian Independence Politicians.

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or answer to this question we have to go back to the development of electoral party politics from the decade preceeding the granting of independence to Nigeria. In that decade it became clear that parties were being formed primarily for transfer of sovereignty from Britain to Nigeria through the agency of electoral parties. In this statement is the explanation of the difference between electoral politics in Britain and electoral politics in colonial and post colonial Nigeria.

In the Western liberal democracies elections were the means for resolving differences among factions of the ruling parties in the administration of the government in the service of a ruling class. The British ruling class was established through class struggle politics amongst contending rivals for sovereignty in the United

In defence of Jonathan, Anenih and the PDP(2) Continued from page 17

BY JOHN AINOFENOKHAI

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OULD they have wished that they and their opposition leaders were appointed into these boards, which are reserved for credible and competent members of the ruling PDP? The PDP could not have appointed Ilevbare and Abubakar’s godfathers in the opposition parties to occupy and superintend their so-called honey-pots which, according to them, the boards of the NPA, and other so-called lucrative agencies, typify.

The malicious campaigns they and their sponsors embarked upon against Anenih and other PDP leaders would not diminish the status of these patriotic Nigerians.

But in a bid, for instance, to demonise Anenih, the writers had re-echoed the trite claim that as Minister of Works and Housing from 1999 to 2002, he misappropriated funds to the tune of N300 billion meant for road construction and rehabilitation.

It is sardonic that politicians in the other camp have continued to regurgitate this allegation more than eight years after the former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, who made it in 2004, recanted the allegation, tendered a written apology to Anenih in a peace move that was brokered by the Oba of Benin, Omo N’oba N’edo

Uku Akpolokpolor, Oba Erediauwa.

Anenih had to consequently withdraw a libel suit he filed against Kalu in court.

Even the Senate, which probed the transportation sector in 2008, had received a presentation by Anenih through its Ad-Hoc Committee chaired

by Heineken Lokpobiri that the total amount that was released to the Ministry while he was in the saddle as minister (from May 1999 to October 2002) was N123, 240,812,239.00, out of which N120, 723,387,635.00 was expended on road rehabilitation and construction, while the sum of N2, 517,424,604.00 stood as balance that was left in the ministry’s coffer.

It is important to make these points so that likes of Ilevbare, Abubakar and their sponsors who have been deploying dishonourable tactics to tackle Anenih would know that their readers are capable of seeing through their antics and chicanery. As if both writers got their brief from the same source, they talked about Anenih losing grips as “Mr. Fix It” with the outcome of the July 14, 2012 Edo governorship election and therefore impliedly not suitable to sell Jonathan’s re-election in 2015.

If he has lost grip, why not forget about him? Why have they been very worried about his re-appointment as NPA Board Chairman? There is no doubt that whoever these bogus writers are, they know the capabilities of Anenih to rebound in the face of political

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Why opposition parties do not flourish in Nigeria

Politics in Nigeria is sovereignty politics formatted as electoral politics; domination not office holding is the objective of politics in Nigeria

Kingdom. British Liberal democratic elections were conducted by factions of the British ruling to resolve their policy differences class over the administration of the ruling class government. Their factional electoral parties were organised to offer alternative policies, programmes and projects for the implementation of the ruling class interest in power.

British colonial electoral devolution of sovereignty in Nigeria is therefore structurally different from what pertains in Great Britain. In Nigeria’s colonial and post colonial electoral politics the object of party formation is not office holding but the control of government for the purpose of partisan establishment of sovereignty. Politics in Nigeria is sovereignty politics formatted as electoral politics. Domination not office holding is the objective of politics in Nigeria. Unlike Angola for example, where the nationalist parties each had two objectives; the first to end the rule of Portugal over Angola; the second to establish themselves as successor sovereigns, Politics in Nigeria was organised technically as electoral control over the administration of government and substantively as contestations over sovereign ownership of society. Control of government was the means for achieving the sovereign proprietary dominance over society. It was this politics that led to the formation of proprietary regional electoral parties of the Northern People’s Congress (the NPC) the National Council of Nigeria Citizens (NCNC) in the East and the Action Group in the West. Because this was the essence of electoral politics in the regions, the First Republic Parties recognised the danger of extending the winner-take-all Regional electoral politics to the centre.

Thus, from first republic till date government at the Centre had always been “National Union” coalition Governments whose

Contrary to proposition by the opposition camp, it is not necessarily all about 2015 selfsuccession gambit; it is essentially about giving leadership responsibility to someone who deserves it

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adversities and temporary setbacks. To discount him in any political calculations, especially in relation to presidential power politics, is to commit a grave political mistake.

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nenih is a political strategist who knows how to plot his way to political victory and where he fails, how to retreat and re-plot for success. He also has the capacity to provide disciplined leadership in party administration; which is why, unfortunately for the opposition elements, the PDP leadership, acting in concert with the Presidency, may well saddle him with the task of chairing the Board of Trustees of the party.

Contrary to proposition by the opposition camp, it is not necessarily all about 2015 self-succession gambit. It is essentially about giving leadership responsibility to someone who deserves

wisdom is institutionalised in the Constitutions as the Federal and State character principle in the sharing of the spoils of office. As the structure of the federation was changed from units of regions to units of states, electoral contestations in the states continued the tradition of elections contested primarily for political and economic control of territory, populations and economic resources. Thus, Nigerian Politics of domination and dominance has been instituted as Civilian or Military Rule.

Indeed Civilian or Military sovereignty over society rather than constitutional electoral succession in office holding by factions of the same ruling party has continued to be the rationale of Nigerian Politics.

Experience shows that the group that is capable of putting together a nation-wide electoral alliance of chieftains and notables to dominate the first transition election from British Rule to Rule

by Nigerians and from Military Rule to Civilian Rule has been able to use control of government for organising proprietary ownership of the security forces and the economy. From this vantage position at the centre and the state they have organised successive elections in the context of proprietary control of government and society. The first Transition Ruling Parties whether NPC, NPN and now PDP have not been dislodged from government through elections. The rule of Transition Ruling Parties has been terminated by non-constitutional non-electoral process, and this has been the case in the centre. This course of politics has accounted for the inhospitability of the Nigerian Political Terrain to oppositional politics at the three levels of government both in terms of government culture and successions through elections. And it is from this perspective that the volatility of party dominance in the South-West is of national security importance.

it and has the capability to deliver. It is also not about recycling old hands when it comes to filling critical positions; it is about demonstrating courage, political will and wisdom in the discharge of responsibilities by the occupiers of the positions.

I do not see how these policy decisions conduce to corruption to warrant one of the writers’ warped conclusion that: “the Jonathan administration will readily go down in history books at the end of his four years as one of Nigeria’s most corrupt administration(sic) if the plethora of reports, investigation and other indices is a yardstick.”

I still shudder at the self-conceited and hypocritical pontifications in the closing thought: “President Jonathan has shown from his despicable appointment of Tony Anenih as NPA Chairman that he is in Aso Rock to perpetuate sleaze, entrench impunity and sustain the legacy of waste bequeathed to him by his predecessors.

It is a cinch that corruption has come to stay in his administration. As 2015 beckons, Nigerians must be vigilant and vote wisely.”

If this was the interpretation of Anenih’s appointment by one of the hatchet writers, then I sympathise with him for his little knowledge, which was further compromised by filthy lucre.

Was he saying that he did not know that the chairmanship of the Board of NPA is not an executive position? How would this appointment amount to perpetuation of sleaze in Aso Rock? Sincerely, I cannot understand these propositions.

Concluded *Mr. Ainofenokhai, a political analyst, wrote from Abuja.

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20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1 ,

2013

Police arrest man who swindles married women, stranded ladies through BB chat .I am on a revenge mission-suspect

BY EVELYN USMAN

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•Olalekan tims, who are members of the Youth Service Corps, were at the Ododuwa office of the command’s PRO yesterday. They claimed to have fallen prey to Olalekan tactics on December 20, 2012 while on their weekly Community Development Assignment, in Ibadan.

According to one of them who gave her name as Fadeke Adefemi: “ We stood at the bus-stop at Ishara, Ibadan waiting for a bus going inward Ibadan. We were in our NYSC uniform.

Then, a car pulled up and offered to take us close to our destination. He told us he stopped because we were NYSC members. Without having a contrary opinion, we all got into the car. But before we got to Guru,

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OLICEMEN attached to Ogudu division have arrested a man who specialized in using his vehicle to help stranded ladies at bus-stops, only to dispossess them of their belongings midway.

The suspect, Olalekan Kazeem, also specialized in luring his targets, majority of whom were married women through Black Berry chats, pretending to have job opportunity for them at the Nigeria Customs Service, only to swindle them at the end.

His modus oparandi according to spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide who paraded the 36-year-old suspect before journalists yesterday, included picking the ladies at bus-stops, only to pretend that the car had fault, midway into the journey.

He would thereafter, ask the ladies to help him push the car.

But immediately they alight from the vehicle and attempt to push the car, Olalekasn would zoom off, with the ladies belongings inside the car.

Explaining, Braide said, “ It is like the case of the late Cynthia whose killers got her through facebook. In this case, Olalekan started chatting with a woman, one Adebiyi Adenike Okunola on face book and they became friends. . He told her he was a medical doctor and that he was close to the Comptroller General of Customs and that he had a slot in the Customs and would help her secure a job in the Customs.

He requested for the sum of N200,000 which he said was to facilitate the employment.

So, on November 15, 2012, they met and set out for the journey to Abuja. But along the way, the suspect pretended as if his vehicle had developed a fault and asked the victim to come down and help him push the car. But as soon as the victim alighted, he zoomed off with her belongings which included a cash of N235,000 , jewelleries, two Black Berry phones, original credentials, ATM, PHCN card, etc.”

Aside Mrs Adenike, it was discovered that four other persons showed up at Ogudu division, claiming to be the suspects victims. Three of the vic-

Items recovered. zoom off with our bags, phones, cash and other personal belongings inside” A forth victim, Akinbo Janet, also told Crime Alert that she boarded the suspect’s vehicle at Berger on November 12, 2012, heading for Ibadan. But as usual, he reportedly stopped to buy fuel for his car and later asked Janet to help him push the car that it was faulty, only to zoom off. “ I had my laptop, phones, SSCE certificate, ATM card and NYSC Discharge Certificate inside my bag. When I dialed my number, he picked and told me to go to Challenge bus-stop to take my belongings. But when I got there, I did not find any of my luggage.

I am into this because I was also duped. I continued two years ago, after I was discharged and acquitted over similar offense.

Nude photos of female victims The suspect according to the PRO was arrested through intelligence report on December 23, 2012. Recovered from him were his Black Berry phones with pictures of his suspected female victims in their nude. Also recovered were International Passports, ATM cards with different names and female handbags,from where the victims were contacted.

I am on a revenge mission On further inquiry, it was discovered that the suspect who hails from Ogun state had been arrested for similar offense about four years ago. When approached, he stated bluntly that he was on a revenge mission,blaming his act on his inability to get a suitable job with which to feed his family.

Hear him: “I am into this because I was also duped. I continued two years ago, after I was discharged and acquitted over similar offense. I am a graduate of Civil Engineering from Ilaro Polytechnic, Ogun State.

When I met one of the ladies, she never told me she was married. We started chatting on BB and later met on three occasions at different eateries and a hotel. She told me she was looking for a job and I said I had a slot with the Customs.

But I do not know anybody there. It was merely part of the plough. To convince, her I told

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along the express, he stopped the car and said he wanted to buy fuel. He later said he had a flat tyre that we should help him push the car away from the express-road. Without suspecting any foul play, we got down and started pushing, only for him to

Next day, I went to the bank to withdraw my money because of the missing ATM, only to discover to my shock that the whole N104, in my account was withdrawn at about 1am that day”, she stated, trying hard not to betray her emotion.

her we had to travel to Abuja to see the Comptroller General of Customs whom I claimed was my friend and she agreed. It was while we were on the way that I asked her to get down to push the car , only to zoom off.”

Asked what he usually did with his victims belongings, he said, “I usually threw them away. I only go for the money.

This is because my wife is not aware of what I do.”

At this juncture, one of the victims, Mrs. Odubiyi Adenike who was to embark on the supposed journey with Olalekan, interjected: “he is telling lies! He told me his name was Prince Adekunle Oyekan and he used Nigeria Coat of Arms as his picture. So I concluded he was genuine.

While chatting , he asked what I was doing, I told him I just finished my one-year Service with NPA. He told me he was a surgeon at the Federal Medical Centre, Owoh and that he had a slot at the Nigeria Customs.

We were never into any relationship. Even on the day he said we should embark on the journey to see the Comptroller General of Customs, I told my husband and it was him(husband) who came to drop me at the meeting point.

Would I bring my husband into it if we were into any relationship?

I even told my husband that Adekunle requested for N200,000 but he refused to give me the money. So I had to withdraw the sum of N235,000 which was what I was able to save during my NYSC period.

But on reaching Alausa, on the way to the airport, he said he was going to urinate and when he came back, he asked if I touched anything in the car, that it refused to start. He then asked me to come down and help him push the car, only for him to zoom off. I was too stunned to speak. The painful aspect of it is my original certificates. He instructed me to come along with them, so as to present it to the CG Customs, for immediate employment”, she narrated.

The PRO, therefore, advised women; whether married or not, to be wary of the likes of Adekunle, wondering why anyone would enter into a private car without knowing the driver.

The suspect, she said, would be charged to court.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 — 21

Senate C’ttee on Industry to checkmate smuggling

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

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From left: Group CEO/GMD,Notore Chemicals, Mr.Okoloko Jite; Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development,Dr. Adeshina Akinwunmi and Director General, Securities & Exchange Commisssion, Ms. Arunma Oteh, during the workshop on Financing the Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector, in Lagos.

Insurers face stiffer sanctions for non premium collection in New Year

BY ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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ROM January 1, 2013, any underwriting firm that provides insurance cover without collecting the premium would be liable to a penalty of N500, 000 or lose its license, the Commissioner for Insurance Fola Daniel, has warned.

Daniel disclosed this in a Circular on ‘No Premium No Cover’ to insurance companies, made available to Vanguard.

The Commissioner said all insurance covers shall only be provided on a

146.25

-1.65

2,252.00

-3.00

19.42

-0.03

110.18

-0.62

90.62

-0.25

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYA KRONA SDR

154.77 249.396 203.9714 168.797 1.7967 0.2935 238.3891 24.833 41.261 27.332 238.578

155.27 250.2021 204.6303 169.3423 1.8025 0.3035 239.1593 24.9137 41.3943 27.4203 239.3487

SELLING 155.77 251.0078 205.2893 169.8877 1.8083 0.3135 239.9294 24.9944 41.5279 27.5086 240.1195

CBN Exchange rate as at 31/12/2012

strict ‘no premium no cover’ basis. He noted that consequently, only cover for which payment has been received, directly by the insurer or indirectly through a duly licensed insurance broker, shall be recognised as income in the books of the insurer.

He said any insurer, who grants cover without having premium in advance or premium receipt notification from the relevant insurance broker, shall be liable to a penalty of N500, 000 in respect of each cover so granted, and in addition, may be a ground for suspension of the license of the insurer.

He said irrespective of period of insurance, insurers shall ensure that at any point, they have received directly or indirectly, through the

insurance broker the full premium in advance for cover being granted.

Daniel noted that all brokers should within 48 hours of receiving premium on behalf of any insurer, notify the insurer in writing in each case, of the receipt of such premium, adding that all such notification shall be accompanied by the broker ’s credit notes, acknowledging indebtedness to the insurer. He said upon the receipt of such credit notes, the insurer shall issue cover and forward the policy documents along with the related debt notes to the broker.

He said any broker who fails to notify the insurer of any premium received on his behalf shall be liable to a penalty that is not less than N250, 000 in each case of failure to notify.

HE Senate Committee on Industry has said it would mobilise action aimed at checkmating the activities of rice smugglers.

The Senate which made the promise while receiving members of the Rice Millers, Processors Association of Nigeria (RiMIDAN) in Abuja, frowned at a situation whereby genuine millers would be making huge investments in the economy, generating employment and supporting the country ’s economic growth only for the smugglers to jeopardize it.

Senate President, David Mark, said RiMIDAN actually deserves the support of the relevant agencies of the Federal Government in its efforts to ensure food availability and that one way of doing this is to stop the smugglers who are spoiling business for the genuine millers.

Their action he said is also harming the policies of the federal government as it regards food availability and job creation.

He said the Senate would as part of its contributions and in the carriage of its functions collaborates with relevant agencies of government to ensure that the smugglers are stopped from ruining the rice business and by extension the economy.

The Senate promise is coming amidst increasing concerns by the RiMIDAN over the activities of the smugglers.

Tolaram Group acquires majority equity stakes in Lekki Port

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

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HE Tolaram Group, Singapore, through Lekki Port Investment Holding Inc. (LPIHI has acquired 61.85 percent equity shares in Lekki Port while the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) holds 20 percent stake in the project and Lagos State Government (LASG) 18.15 percent.

President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to officially launch the port construction in the beginning of 2013 and the port is expected to commence operations in 2016.

The aggregate impact of the port on the Nigerian economy is estimated at US$ 350 billion over the life of the concession.

Speaking during the signing

ceremony between the shareholders at the office of the Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Olusola Oworu, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, who signed on behalf of the State Government, said that the existing ports in the country were full and the port facilities no longer have the capacity and that this project was conceived out of the need to have a modern and truly deep-sea port that could take large vessels in the country.

Mr. Haresh Aswani, Managing Director of Tolaram Group, said that the agreement has demonstrated how the public and private sectors could collaborate to create world-class infrastructure for Nigeria. ”The development of Lekki Port through this partnership exemplifies Nigeria’s

readiness for foreign direct investment,” he said.

The Managing Director of NPA, Mr. Habib Abdullahi, said that the project would enhance the country’s economy because the central government has identified the maritime sector as a sector that has great potential of boosting the country’s revenue.

VANGUARD learnt that the project after completion will by far be the single largest private infrastructure investment in Nigeria.

The port will be a world-class multipurpose facility that will serve the West African region. The port will be equipped with modern infrastructure, equipment and terminal services to attract and serve large shipping lines.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

The ins titut or indus trial ttec ec hnology institut titutee ffor industrial echnology hnology,, isheri nor th lagos ssttat north atee

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From left: Mr. Babatunde Savage, Chairman International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria (ICCN) presenting a plaque to Dr. Patrick Kormawa, Guest Speaker at the ICCN dinner held recently while Mrs. Dorothy Ufot,SAN Treasurer (front) and Mrs. Osuntuyi, Secretary General (back) look on.

Agric sector offers N400bn potential interest income to investors

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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HE agricultural sector in Nigeria offers potential interest income of N400 billion to banks and other investors, said Minister for Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adeshina Speaking at a workshop on financing the Agricultural Revolution organised by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Adeshina said, “There are great opportunities to unlock together the agricultural potential of our great nation. We must create innovative financial instruments to address the needs of the agricultural sector, considering the different needs along the agricultural value chains.”

He said, “An assessment of the potential for agricultural lending in Nigeria shows promising results. As we embark on a structural change of the labor composition of the agriculture sector, we are developing a new generation of 760,000 young commercial farmers for Nigeria – called Nagropreneurs. Their working capital requirements alone presentan opportunity to increase bank lending by about 3 Trillion Naira. This is a potentially lucrative opportunity for forward looking financial institutions.

“The key to unlocking this opportunity is for such forward looking financial institutions to invest in developing systems to cost effectively and efficiently reach these customers, while working with partners to address some of the risks associated with lending to the agricultural producers. The rewards for such a financial institution would be great. The interest income from lending to this market, for just 10 strategic crops, is estimated to be over 400 Billion Naira.

“There is need to realign the banking and finance sector to lend more to agriculture.

Unfortunately, Nigerian banks are yet to harness this potential. In 2005, agricultural lending was only 2.44% of commercial banks total portfolio. This declined to an all-time low 1.37% in 2008.

To effectively deploy capital to the sector,the finance industry needs to be motivated by high expected returns relative to the risk and uncertainty. Public sector strategies and programs can be critical in C M Y K

facilitating this tradeoff.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture understands that to expand financing in agriculture, we must first get the sector to work. Government policies that drive profitability and growth of the sector, and private sector investments, are the prime drivers for agricultural transformation. If government policies unlock the value of agriculture, and we fix the agricultural value chains, banks should be able to find a money trail and lend more to agriculture.

Unitykapital Assurance profit drops to N299m in nine months

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

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NITYKAPITAL Assurance Plc has recorded marginal reduction in its after tax profit for the nine months ended 30th September, 2012.

A breakdown of the unaudited financial resulted made available to the investing public through the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, last week showed that profit dropped from N376.038 million in 2011 to N298.94 million in the review period.

The profit before tax for the period also declined to N350.550 million from N501.384 million in the equivalent period of 2011.

Other highlights of the result showed that gross premium earned rose in the three quarters of 2012 to N1.660 billion from N1.583 billion in 2011, while reinsurance cost dropped to N190.750 million from N326.210 million in 2011.

Net premium earned rose to N1.469 billion from N1.257 billion; Commission earned was N9.672 million as against N4.125 million in the previous year.

Net claims incurred also rose to N193.846 million from N166.230 million; underwriting expenses stood at N90.513 million from N95.763 million, while underwriting profit stood N847.983 million as against N889.167 million in 2011.

HE Institute for Industrial Technology, IIT, is an outstanding example of how to empower our young people with knowledge and skills that make them employable on graduation.

IIT is being featured so that similar schemes for young people covering various skills can be established elsewhere by other organisations.

IIT is located in Isheri North, Lagos State and it is a not-for-profit organisation set up by the African Development Foundation. This institute takes in secondary school leavers and transforms them in an intensive two-year programme into world-class, versatile, hands-on, electro-mechanical technicianengineers.

The students graduating from the institute are meant primarily for the manufacturing and process industries. During their training, the students are instructed and tested in the principles of electrical and mechanical engineering, electronics and industrial automation. Students learn to use modern equipment for making precision spare parts for replacement of malfunctioning parts in machinery. There are partners-companies providing students with the opportunity of incompany training at manufacturing plants. IIT has been equipped at some cost; its handson approach makes the students competent in and confident of their acquired abilities.

To reach IIT travelling northwards on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway from Ojota, Lagos, one exits at OPIC junction which is about 500m beyond the River Ogun bridge and just before the Gateway City Development Company complex. The access road is southwards to the Lagos State/Ogun State boundary from where it continues eastwards along the state boundary. Channels Television complex and the Riverview Estate of the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation are on this road before one reaches the first entrance gate to the Isheri North Residential Scheme, ISHN. IIT is located by the second entrance gate to ISHN on Road 10. The institute moved into these permanent premises in December 2006 but it has had to move out temporarily on 3 occasions due to floods in August/ September 2007, August/October 2010 and October/November 2011.

IIT needs our support in very many ways. The institute plans to expand its programmes to cover students to be employed in the electric power sector. Financial support is required for new and existing programmes and such that scholarships/ sponsorships can be given to qualified but disadvantaged students. The road link from the first gate of ISHN needs laterite filling and crushed

stone base course. The immediate past Director of IIT and I did write to the Executive Governor, Lagos State in February 2012 asking that approval be given to the Lagos State Water Corporation to extend its pipe network from Olowoira-Isheri Oke to ISHN. Our request remains outstanding. I want to assure the Executive Governor that any funds provided for potable water supply to ISHN will not be lost or wasted. There were no floods associated with the River Ogun system in Lagos State and Ogun State during 2012 because our communities have engaged the federal authorities to ensure proper management of water releases from Oyan Dam. The communities expect to continue with this engagement.

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hy have I chosen to write about IIT? Our educational policy suggests that secondary school students who are not doing well in traditional subjects such as Mathematics, English Literature, History, Chemistry, French etc should study vocational subjects. We appear to overlook the fact that any vocation requires one to be numerate, to be able to read and understand instructions, and make informed and reasoned choices. IIT students have to be good in mathematics and physics/chemistry. In the 1970s, I knew a graduate engineer working at Iju waterworks who could dismantle a big pump used at the waterworks and put the pump back together. He could do this because, in the first place, he knew the work of the different parts of a pump and the principles used in designing the pump. Also, he had the presence of mind to commit to memory the positions of component pieces in the pump as he dismantles the pump and he understood that the component pieces could only fit into one position in the pump.

He also had all the appropriate tools for dismantling the pump.

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he period of part closure of the Third Mainland Bridge and the withdrawal of commercial motorcycles from Lagos roads have shown that we require about four times the number of large passenger buses currently on Lagos roads.

There exists an opportunity for an organisation to set up something similar to IIT for the training of school leavers as automotive technicianengineers with the skills required for maintenance of diesel engines and the systems that keep buses moving. There could also be training programmes for diesel engines used in electric power generators.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013—23

Union Bank: ACA to invest money realised from MTN shares A FRICAN Capital Alliance (ACA), the core investor in Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, plans to invest the money harvested from the sale of its shares in MTN Nigeria.

THE CITIZEN learnt that the private equity company provided the bulk of the shares sold to Shanduka Group by three Nigerian investors.

ACA has invested about $500 million in Union Bank and plans to invest an additional $250 million in the bank as it was originally

agreed to in the purchase agreement.

A source close to the venture capital firm said that it treasures its stake in the bank and was in a hurry to revitalize the bank’s operations.

“Given the pedigree of Union Bank in Nigerian financial system, ACA believes that with the right mix of initiatives it won’t be long before the bank would tide over.

They project that under three years of consistent reforms they could turn the business into a cash cow.

ACA alongside two

other private investors including private equity company African Capital Alliance sold their shares to Shanduka Group. The deal is worth about $350 million.

MTN Nigeria, with the MTN Group valued at $36 billion and the Nigerian business alone valued at $10.8 billion.

MTN Group in a 2007 private placement, sold a total of 43,024,602 “MTN Nigeria linked units” or shares at $24.56 per unit, intended to raise the Nigerian ownership of MTN Nigeria to 21.4

percent. It was learnt that Standard Chartered alerted Shanduka Group to the opportunity and also helped

finance the purchase through debt and equity.

With the development the proportion of

interests held by Nigerians in the MTN Nigeria has further diminished.

How FCT attracted $6.6bn foreign investments in 2012 — Minister

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HE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) attracted over $6.6bn (about N1.086tn) Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in 2012, the Minister in charge of the Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, has said.

He cited some of the in-

vestments to $2.6billion for the Abuja Town Centre Development, and over $1billion being expended on the ongoing construction work at the Abuja World Trade Centre.

The minister, spoke last week in his office in

Garki, Abuja, while reviewing the activities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration in 2012, added that the FCTA had performed creditably well.

History, Mohammed said, was made during the year as the FCTA officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding with 13 landswap investors to immediately commence the opening up of eight new districts in the FCT, Abuja, a feat he described as unprecedented.

According to him, the fact that the investors paid the sum of N350m to the FCTA, being fees for survey maps, detailed land use plan, engineering design, demographic reports, legal documentation and other ancillary services to qualify, is an indication of the seriousness of the deal.

Microfinance association woos customers with subsidised gas cylinders

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HAIRMAN, National Association of Microfinance Banks, NAMB, South-West Chapter, Mr Olufemi Babajide, said the association has begun the sale of gas cylinders to their customers at subsidised rates Babajide, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), weekend in Lagos, said that the cylinders were to be paid for in six months.

He said that the initiative was to provide opportunity for those who could not afford quality gas cylinders to own one. He said that the project was being executed in collaboration with OANDO Plc and an undisclosed first generation bank. The NAMB chief said that a threekilogramme cylinder was sold for N6,800 instead of about N8,000.

“The initiative in the renewable energy is a demonstration of the association’s commitment to the well-being of its esteemed customers.

24—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Skoda unveils new, more efficient gas engines

BY THEODORE OPARA

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OUR-CYLINDER engines set standards in energy efficiency, lightweight construction and power.

SKODA has started the production of new gas engines at its main plant in Mlada Boleslav. The maximum production capacity for the 1.2 l and 1.4 l TSI versions of the EA211 series amounts to 2,200 units per day. The direct injection engines will be used in models by the brands SKODA, Audi, Seat and Volkswagen.

The advantages of the new engines: less weight, fuel consumption and emissions.

"We are continuing the expansion of our production capacities for engines and transmissions," says Michael Oeljeklaus, the SKODA board member for Production and Logistics. "The production of engines for the EA211 series strengthens our manufacturing base in the Czech Republic and underlines the important role the SKODA production plays for the Volkswagen Group."

Optimized internal combustion engines are very important for a responsible handling of resources within the framework of sustainable mobility.

That is the reason for the development of completely new generations of gas and diesel engines that will successively become part of the vehicle range of the Volkswagen Group.

The engine series EA211 by the Group consists of a total of four displacement variants ranging from 1.0 l to 1.6 l as well as three- and fourcylinder gas engines. The TSI four-cylinder engines with four-valves are setting new standards with regard to energy efficiency, lightweight construction and power. Lower internal friction, reduced weight and an optimized thermal management lead to significantly lower fuel consumption and emissions. TSI stands for 'Turbocharged Stratified Injection', a form of direct injection, and compression of the gas/air mix by means of a turbocharger.

The start of production of the 1.2 l and 1.4 l TSI ver-

sions of the new EA211 engine generation is already the second assembly start-up at a SKODA plant within just a few weeks. Since October, the SKODA plant at Vrchlabi has been manufacturing the dual-clutch transmission DQ200 for the Volkswagen Group. At the present time, its production capacity stands at 1,000 transmissions per day. The plant is scheduled to produce up to

1,500 transmissions per day until mid-2013.

The expansion of the assembly production is part of an extensive SKODA investment program in the Czech Republic.

Another part is the expansion of the development capacities. Thus, the manufacturer is currently enlarging its technology and development center in Cesana near the company headquarters in Mlada Boleslav. More

than 34 million EUR will flow into the construction of 21 new test stations for engines and components -- one of the largest investments in the development area currently being undertaken in the Czech Republic.

At the end of July 2012, the new 'Lean Center' -a training center for employees and suppliers for the optimization of processes in production and

administration -- was inaugurated in Mlada Boleslav. In mid-September, the new IT-center of the brand begun its operation. Furthermore, SKODA is currently extensively enlarging the SKODA Parts Center for parts and accessories in Mlada Boleslav. Finally, the reopening of the completely modernized SKODA Muzeum took place at the end of November.

Toyota dealer, Kojo Motors, crashes maintenance prices

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OJO Motors, one of Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) authorised dealers has introduced a new innovation to car maintenance in the country that could enable Toyota car owners service their car with as low as N6,000.

According to the companies Executive Director, Mr. Chinedu, the innovation, aptly tagged: ‘Kojo Motors Toyota Express Maintenance’ scheme was unveiled after careful study of customers demand for excellent regular maintenance of their cars.

Speaking to journalists on the new scheme, the executive director, explained that their research over the years revealed that people tend to believe that maintaining their Toyota vehicles at authorised dealerships like Kojo Motors could be expensive but this is what they are out to demystify.

Apart from the numerous advantages acrueable to customer for servicing their cherished Toyota cars at any Toyota dealerships, Kojo Motors has gone a step further by offering mouthwatering

discount as low as 30 per cent to customers when they book ahead of time to take advantage of Kojo Motors Toyota Express, which means right price, right quality, right now.

According to the executive director, "all the customers need to do is to book for an appointment with our highly trained technician on when it would be convenient for them to bring in his cars for quick service at any of their workshops across the country to enable us prepare for them. This means that before they

arrive we would have gotten all the parts and technicians ready for them and in less than an hour, the customer leaves the garage. The customer can call dedicated numbers for the quick service or book online at www.kojomotors.com/ Em. Kojo Motors has presence in Lagos, Abuja, Benin and Port Harcourt while plans are on, to set up more 3S centres across the country.

The executive director further explained that all

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013—25

911 GT3 Cup: New dawn for world’s most successful race car

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HE Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is the most successful race car in the world. Since 1998, a total of 2,395 units of the near-standard vehicle for customer sport were produced. The new edition of the 911 GT3 Cup is the motorsports version of the future 911 GT3 street legal model.

It is the first race car that is based on the seventh generation 911 -- the sports car icon from Zuffenhausen.

The 911 GT3 Cup will be run in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in 2013. Following this premiere, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East will be the first international race series to feature the new edition next year.

The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is powered by a 3.8litre six-cylinder flat engine. It generates 460 hp at 7,500 revs, surpassing its predecessor by 10 hp.

A six-speed dog-type gearbox developed by Porsche Motorsport transmits the power to the rear axle. For the first time ever in a Porsche brand trophy race car, the gear box is operated via shift paddles on the steering wheel.

The single piece race wheels with centre mount were also newly designed by Porsche Motorsport. The width of the Michelin race slicks was increased by two centimetres to 27 centimetres at the front, and by ten millimetres at the rear axle now measuring 31 centimetres.

A newly developed

race braking system further improves the excellent endurance qualities compared to its successful predecessor. The 380 millimetre slotted and inner-vented steel brake rotors at the front axle are decelerated by six-piston aluminium fixed callipers. The rear axle features a four-piston version.

During the development of the new car, a particular focus was put on the driver's safety. A newly designed safety cage enhances the protection of the pilot even more in dangerous situations. Physical safety is further increased by the development of a new race seat. It is distinctively shaped around the head and shoulders and can be adjusted individually with the help of padding. A rescue hatch in the roof provides easy access for primary medical attention and for the extrication of the driver.

Like its predecessor the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is produced in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen on the same assembly line as the road legal models.

At the Motorsport Centre in Weissach, it receives a special set-up for the circuit and is tested by a professional race driver before delivery to customers.

The basic retail price for the vehicle, exclusively available to drivers of a Porsche racing series and in white exterior colour only, is 181,200 Euro plus country-specific import duty and taxes.

NAC lists recipes for accident reduction P

ROMPT mainte nance of roads, enforcement of eight years limited for imported used commercial vehicles, and not driving under the influence of alcohol have been identified as the recipes for accident reduction on the nations roads.

Engineer Aminu Jalal, Director-General, National Automotive Council (NAC) who gave this suggestions at a seminar on "Safety on Nigeria roads,"organised by the Guild of Motoring Correspondents at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos recently, stated that the government has a big role to play in ensuring that the suggestions are enforced.

He noted that the road transport sector is vital to the nations economy especially new that the other transport modes such as rail, waterways are underdeveloped. He regretted that the nation’s transport has been blighted by high frequency of road accidents, despite the efforts of the Federal Road Safety Corps.

According to him, "road

accidents are major source of injury, fatality and economic loss all over the world particularly in developing countries, hence the United Nations launch of the ‘Decade of Action for Road Safety" in 2011.

The decade of action 2011-2020 by the United Nation is to stabilise and reduce forecast level of road traffic fatalities around the world.

The Director General stated that the reasons for this action on road death by the United Nations include the fact that 1.3 million people are killed on the world’s roads annually while the figure has been forecasted to rise to 1.9 million by 2020. Also 50 million people are injured with many disabled.

It has been identified to be the number one cause of death for young people worldwide, while its economic cost to developing countries has been put at $100 billion annually.

The NAC boss who stated that "road crashes are preventable" further identified indiscipline and recklessness on the part of drivers, bad roads, fake and sub-standard parts and tyres as other causes of road accidents.

To this end, he recommended a number of other measures to minimise road accidents such as training and re-training of drivers on the Highway Code and responsible/defensive driving.

Jalal said, "Drivers should rest for at least 15 minutes after every four hours of driving and do not drive for more than 10 hours in every 24 hours; maintain your vehicles using the manufacturer's recommendations and

ensure the use of genuine spare parts, especially tyres."

He also enjoined the people to buy vehicles with safety features such as airbags, antilock brake system and electronic stability programme.

"Join the road safety campaigns organised by the Federal Road Safety Corps and others, including the United Nations Decade of Action on road safety," he said.

The NAC boss expressed the concern of the agency about road safety, which prompted it to have taken some actions such as the establishment of 108 vehicle safety standards with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and other stakeholders in 20102012.

NAC, he said, was also establishing test centres in three locations in the country to check vehicles' safety parts and undertake vehicle homologation.

He said that the council was also involved in the up-to-date training of local automotive mechanics through the development of new curriculum and teaching manuals for the trade tests 3, 2 and 1.

According to him, NAC has developed a handbook on guide to proper selection and safety use of motor vehicle tyres in conjunction with SON and Consumer Protection Council.

"Road safety affects all of us, we should endeavour to assist in its promotion in any way we can," he said.

Toyota dealer, Kojo Motors, crashes maintenance prices Continues from page 24 their service centres have been equipped to cope with the huge traffic expected of the new scheme.

"We have the right equipment and personnel to render Toyota quality service at the right price to the customers bearing in mind that the longevity of automobiles depends on quality after sales.

"We want to add all value to our customers investment and this is the reason why we are offering this unbeatable quick service scheme to all our Toyota customers at very competitive price," he stated.

The advantage of the express maintenance is that the customer saves

time, money, and comes for service at his own convenient which is his own appointment time.

The Express Maintenance Scheme entails oil change, brake service, tyre service, wheel alignment and balancing at 30 per cent discount.

"We have realised that customer ’s constraints when it come to car maintenance include long wait and time wasting. This is what we are out to reduce or possibly eliminate.

So, if customers are able to pre-alert us, we will plan for their service by getting the right parts and materials before their arrival. And by so doing, we run more efficiently and maximise our time and transfer all the savings to the customers," he said.

26 — Vanguard,TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

CSR: Noah’s Ark takes photography, make-up to school STORIES BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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N furtherance of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative creative Advertising Agency Noah’s Ark Communications Limited has take a three-day workshop on Creative Photography and Makeup to students of Wasimi Community Senior School, Maryland. This also included an introduction to Entrepreneurship session.

The CSR initiative was carried out in partner-

ship with an online group of Nigerian Makeup Artists known as Nigerian MUA’s. Some of its members were present and others made donations of makeup products & supplies to the school; namely -Zaron Hair & Makeup Limited, Hegal & Esther as well as PortHarcourt based Gift’s Daughter. The initiative also enjoyed the support of the two major brands in the Agency’s portfolio - Indomie and Mr Biggs.

Speaking at the workshop, the Managing Director, Noah’s Ark Adver-

tising Limited, Mr Lanre Adisa explained that the company decided to expand the frontiers of its CSR initiative beyond the donation of solar reading lamps which was done

last year to empower the student and help them to shape their future by impacting on them skills in the areas of Photography and Makeup.

“For us at Noah’s Ark

as a socially responsible corporate citizen, we believe in contributing our quota to the society by giving back in our own little way, we started this last year with the dona-

tion of reading lamp to the students and this year we are trying to impact their world by helping them take up careers in Photography and Makeup.

Cadbury Yummy promo produces sixth millionaire

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HE sixth millionaire has emerged in the ongoing Cadbury Bournvita Yummy Life Promotion at the week 6 draw which was held on Friday, December 14, 2012 at the company’s head office, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos. Adedayo

Funmilayo Hannah from Ilorin, Kwara State-North West Nigeria became the lucky winner of the grand prize through the electronic draw witnessed by the regulatory Agencies and the Media.

Adedayo Funmilayo

Hannah, a secondary school teacher at Government Day Secondary School, Tanke, who was contacted immediately could not hide her joy and excitement. When asked how she intends to spend the winning, she declared that she

will pay her tithe to the church and invest the rest in profitable venture. She thanked Cadbury for changing her life for good.

Miss Adedayo joins five other winners of the ultimate prize of One Million Naira in the promotion which is the biggest by the brand in its 52-year history in Nigeria. The prior grand prize winners include Amina Ahmed, an undergraduate student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna, Tomori Oladejo, a petty trader from Lagos, Patience Akeraqh from Enugu, Mike Ukonu, a Businessman from Owerri and another student, Elekuro Adeyemi Oluwakemi from Ibadan.

Mouka rewards distributors at year end party

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N order to appreciate its partners who have worked suppotively in the year 2012, Mouka Limited has rewarded its numerous distributors across the country in the annual Mouka distributors’ End of Year Awards Party.

The Awards ceremony was organized in Ibadan, Lagos, Benin and Owerri for all Mouka distributors across the country.

At the colourful ceremony in Lagos which attracted the chairman and other members of the Mouka board of directors as well numerous distributors, the Managing Director, Mouka Limited, Mrs Peju Adebajo stated that the End of Year Awards Party not only provides the opportunity to reward excellence and performance but also creates an avenue to gather together while thanking God for his mercies all through the year.

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 —27

PROLOGUE

What A Year!

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T was challenging making choices in a year that left you with few options. All the unimpressive issues were thrown up when we were to make the choices, they were clear markers of the sort of year Nigerians had.

When we were not groaning and speculating further increases in prices of petroleum products, we faced daily stories of human beings bombed to death. We got so used to reading about deaths that they were mere statistics, the position it appeared government took.

What did it matter if hundreds died in a country of 167 million people and counting?

Those deaths meant more. The statistics were people. Families were fragmented. Lives lost without anyone appearing to care.

Nigerians believed less in their country, seeking refuge in primordial enclaves that turned out to be no havens.

Insecurity was a major challenge. Government admitting it was not enough. Are the big budget spenders, beneficiaries of the insecurity, hence they are

unwilling to do anything about it?

The same could apply to fuel subsidy which is a scam and a scandal rolled into one. Why is nobody (those who can) willing to deal with the matter? Will they throw up their hands in resignation as the Senate committee probing the despoliation of the pension funds has?

Meaningful change It was in the midst of these that we found the winner of our Personality of The Year, a choice that would appeal to anyone who craves for meaningful change. He was not chosen for his appeal or popularity, but for the ground breaking changes that he is making in Rivers State, a state that once presented the same challenges that Nigeria faces, particularly security.

Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has through personal decisions that border on the exceptional, made painstaking efforts to develop a State that has resources, but served as den of kidnappers, which was an excuse for not developing it.

Security has improved

remarkably and he is still working on it. Schools, hospitals, housing estates, transportation systems and farms of impeccable quality are springing up in various parts of the State.

Like a man in a hurry to get to the next project, he ploughs through the State, giving hope, to the poor, who stop him on the streets and he talks to them, and the women and elderly who are assured of quality free medical services in the hospitals.

Amaechi is a big dreamer and it is obvious that what he has achieved is only a small part of his dreams. Would things have been different if more Nigerians dreamt more? Real dreams for improving the country, not the crass for looting the public vault that is increasingly becoming the primary purpose of governments, instead of the welfare and security of our people, as the Constitution prescribed.

We present to you a young man, just 47, who has dared to dream and the consequences of his dream on Rivers State, now called Rivers of Possibilities. It is a journey we recommend for a new year…

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By Ikeddy ISIGUZO, Chairman, Editorial Board

Like a man in a hurry to get to the next project, he ploughs through the State, giving hope, to the poor, who stop him on the streets and he talks to them, and the women and elderly who are assured of quality free medical services in the hospitals

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ROTIMI CHIBUIKE AMAECHI

Statecraft Masters Competing Needs

By JIDE AJANI

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IGHTY-FIVE years after, a tradition that started in the United States of America, finds a worthy winner in our shores. When in December 1927, Henry R. Luce and Briton Hadden, founders of TIME Magazine, decided to choose a “Man of the Year”, they could never have imagined the universal effect that decision would have on journalism worldwide.

Today, the “Man of the Year” or “Person of the Year” or “Issue

of the Year” phenomenon is global.

On the morning of October 25, 2007, 42-year-old Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi headed to Nigeria’s Supreme Court for a judgment on his epic political ambition of claiming the governorship of Rivers State against the contenders he had once been in the same corner.

He was not sure of the verdict nor the impact he would make in Rivers States, and Nigeria, years on. The Supreme Court held that since Amaechi was supposed to be the Peoples

Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate for the April 2007 election, but was illegally shoved aside, the victory of the party at that election be transferred to Amaechi as the rightful candidate. That judgement, after eight years of this Fourth Republic, was a landmark judgment and could not have happened without the doggedness of Amaechi. That, in itself, is a feat; he was swornin the following day.

After a gruelling session where Vanguard Editors debated personalities like House of

Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Dame Patience Jonathan, Lady Folorunsho Alakija, The Kidnapper, The Okada Rider and a few other nominees, Amaechi emerged Vanguard Personality of The Year 2012.

Anything special!

So, what were the factors that swung it for Amaechi? He has been governor for about five years so what has suddenly become so

starling today that was not in years past? And in an environment of clashing political and socio-economic interests why should a state governor be acknowledged for merely doing what he has been elected to do?

Well, consider this: Within his first year in office, Amaechi established a state of the art primary school, Elekahia Model Primary School, in Port Harcourt.

Any governor can build a model primary school but what stands Elekahia out is that it serves as a leveller between the rich and mighty on the one hand, and the poor and very poor, on the other.

In order to accommodate more students into the primary schools, the government had to stop the building of the bungalow pattern of Elekahia, to continue with a

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28–Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Statecraft Masters Competing Needs new storey building design which would be able to take 25 classrooms instead of the usual 14 classrooms, with a standard of not more than 30 students per class - each equipped with ICT facility, internet connection, modern library, science laboratory, football field, basketball pitch, volleyball pitch and Nursery playground among others in a primary school.

Because of these amenities, the rich tried to appropriate it by withdrawing their children from expensive private schools to enrol in Elekahia.

Expensive private schools It took the intervention of Governor Amaechi to stop the enrolment of children of the rich.

He charged that Elekahia was for the poor with a promise to replicate same in every local government area and then every ward in the state.

He has delivered. Indeed, out of 500 new model primary schools being built across all 23 local Government Areas of the state, 254 are hundred percent completed, 92 are fully functional while the others are being furnished and equipped for students to move in. These are cogent and verifiable facts on ground.

The governor’s initial target however ‘was to deliver on the planned total of 750 primary C M Y K

schools by the end of his tenure, but due to the rush and increase in the number of pupils , the government has decided to stop at 500.

This is just a teaser about the Amaechi mystique. Now, governance or statecraft is about the philosophy of creating joy by spreading wealth to the largest number of people within a geographical entity. This relates to using statecraft as a leader to transport a people (in a Third World country like Nigeria) to the next level, just as Lee Kwan Yu did in Singapore.

In their book, POWER, AMBITION, GLORY, Steve Forbes, Chairman, CEO, and editor in chief of Forbes Media, and classics professor, John Prevas, provided intriguing comparisons between six great leaders of the ancient world and contemporary business leaders, setting out basic factors which led to greatness and the lessons you can learn.

Perhaps, Amaechi, a graduate of English of the University of Port Harcourt, who consumes literature like choice cuisine, may have read the book.

STRUCTURES DRIVING VISION Forbes and Prevas insist that it is not just enough for a leader to have vision but he must put in place structures to effect it.

They compared Cyrus the Great and Jack Welch and John Chambers and how their modern businesses were built.

Amaechi put security first.

Before he became governor, Rivers State was the high-profile kidnap capital of Nigeria, with Port Harcourt, the kidnap commercial hub.

Development paradigm Sensing that you can never engage any development paradigm in the absence of peace and security, he sought the help of security experts from Israel.

He established the C4i, an operational code name for the security engagement, with a high security training camp where selected personnel of the police receive first class training.

Then there is the situation room for C4i, where Port Harcourt (it has since been extended to other towns in the state) is kept under a bird’s eye view monitor.

The operation is so swift that any form of criminal activity in the capital is monitored, tracked and can be contained in minutes. That made Port Harcourt an investment hub once again; because it became safe.

BUILD CONSENSUS AND MOTIVATE The authors also say being a great leader requires knowing how to build consensus and motivate, using Xenophon of Greece, who put aside personal gains to lead his people out of a perilous situation in Persia (the same way Lou Gerstner and Anne Mulcahy did in rescuing

Continues on page 29

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Continues from page 27

Now, governance or statecraft is about the philosophy of creating joy by spreading wealth to the largest sum of people within a geographical entity

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 —29

Statecraft Masters Competing Needs IBM and Xerox), as an example.

Since assuming duties as Chairman, Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum, NGF, Amaechi has been consistent in his position that though most of the state governors are on the same PDP platform with the Federal Government, FG, that does not in any way obviate the reality of enthroning a regime of good governance for the benefit of Nigerians.

Therefore, unlike the seeming cosiness in the relationship between the FG and the NGF over the years (especially the person of the chairman of the forum), a relationship which had made the NGF an appendage of Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Amaechi’s leadership of the body has transformed it into a quasi check to FG’s whimsical approach to governance.

First is the management of the Excess Crude Account, ECA, and the Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF. Whereas the FG has made very forceful arguments for both, the points of reality which Amaechi and the NGF have made clearly flow from the need to ensure that Nigeria operates as a country where the rule of law is entrenched.

Investment decisions At different fora, Amaechi has made the following arguments: Has the FG showed enough transparency in the way it handles joint ventures with state governments – an example of which is the constitutionally guaranteed management of the Federation Account? Who has the final say in ratifying investment decisions regarding the SWF? Why should the FG make investments or savings on behalf of state governments? Even in the face of the shambles that Nigeria’s federation operates on, allowing the FG to get away with its continued stance on the ECA and SWF would be a grand violation of the laws of the land.

And NGF points to FG’s continued pillaging of the federal reserves from over $60billion in 2007 to just about $30billion in just about four years. Even the vexed issue of subsidy, the Amaechi-led NGF raised an alarm over how a N240billion scheme which was budgeted for, ballooned to over N2.3trillion.

The thread that runs in all of these is consensus building.

And you can not build consensus if you do not motivate.

Amaechi could have corralled his colleagues who are largely PDP members to kowtow in a conspiratorial manner, to the whims of the FG. But no! He is standing on the side of the people of Nigeria and not just members or leaders of PDP. Although some dispassionate

observers may argue that the NGF is merely posturing, the counterpoise to it is simple: should the forum allow the FG to continue riding rough shod over Nigerians?

Character in leadership Then there is character in leadership. Using the example of Alexander the great because of his exceptional leadership skills but destroyed through inability to manage phenomenal success, Forbes and Prevas drew a comparison with Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco, who at the head of his business empire lost his head – he is now in jail.

Amaechi, too, has turned Rivers State into a huge construction site. Attempts to draw a parallel between his achievements and other state governors have met with humility from him.

Whereas most politicians would not put in context the uneven revenue allocation to states, Amaechi easily admits that though some states earn more than others, there is a saying in his community that “when an individual receives a part on the back for doing something, he would seek to do more”. He is doing more.

And his choice as Personality of the Year is a pat on the back from Vanguard. Some have even touted him as a possible vice presidential candidate but he says his primary assignment is providing good governance to the people of Rivers.

He is not the first chairman of NGF. But his approach has brought something of a collective which is issue-based and not egobased. Let us draw a parallel here on the issue of personality and character.

The New Yorker, November 6, 2000, tries to put in context the debates between Al Gore and George Bush for the American presidency viz: “This may explain the paradox that while Al Gore was widely judged the substantive winner of all three of the candidates’ televised debates, and certainly the first and third of them, he lost the battle in the post-debate media echo chambers and, perhaps partly as a result, in the opinion polls. In the final debate, Gore stretched the rules (within the bounds of civility), while Bush complained and turned beseechingly to the moderator for help. Neither attribute is attractive, but it may turn out that fear of the first will outweigh contempt for the second."

By the same token, therefore, whereas the NGF effuses effluvium of angst which creates public opprobrium, Amaechi’s approach in seeking to situate the agitations of the NGF within the praxis of the need for a larger good for society places him on a pedestal of good leadership. So, while people may be

contemptuous of the NGF, Amaechi’s approach creates a shield of inoculation.

THINKING OUT OF THE BOX Ability to think out of the box is also crucial; and this, according to Forbes and Prevas was demonstrated by Hannibal who crossed the Alps in winter to challenge Rome for control of the ancient world.

The first monorail project in Nigeria would be completed in Port Harcourt soon, very soon.

When he decided that the project was worth pursuing, many saw him as going round the bend.

Though the chart of the monorail route has bends enroute its terminus, the succour this would bring to the people of the state would be immeasurable.

Ambition: Forbes and Prevas go further to say a leader must have ambition to succeed. Like Julius Caesar who had plenty of it, Amaechi breaths ambitious projects.

Rivers Songhai initiative, a centre for training, agricultural production, research and development of sustainable agricultural practices, is about 20 times the size of the model from Port Novo. The farm project sits on a 314-hectare land in Tai Local Government Area. It is an integrated farm which combines livestock, arable farming, fisheries, snail farming and poultry.

There is also a 2,000-hectare farm in Etche with a total available land space of 3,000 hectares. The farm is projected to cost $140 million. The State is contributing $100m; the investors $40 million. The farm would have 300 farming houses (to accommodate 300 farming families), agro processing facilities, and 3,000 hectares for farming.

These are aside from fish farms in Buguma, Andoni, Opobo and Ubima; not to mention a Banana Farm in Ogoni-100 hectares have been done out of the total of 250 hectares and expansion is still on.

24 secondary schools are being built across the State with facilities that would be the envy of our higher institutions. They are also being built with standard boarding facilities, fully equipped laboratories for all required subjects, sporting facilities etc.

In terms of infrastructure, they would compete favourably with any of the state owned universities in Nigeria.

There are 160 Model Health Centres spread across all 23 Local Government Areas in the State and most are already in use. The Free Health Care programme has contributed to a decline in the mortality rate of Rivers people particularly maternal and child mortality as the Health centres are

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Continues from page 28

Whereas most politicians would not put in context the uneven revenue allocation to states, Amaechi easily admits that though some states earn more than others, there is a saying in his community that “when an individual receives a part on the back for doing something, he would seek to do more

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30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

The Okada Rider (Runner Up)

BY VICTOR OMOREGIE

O

KADA refers to a town in the Ovia North East local Government Area of Edo state.

Its popularity was made possible by Chief Gabriel Osawaru IGBINEDION, the Esama of Benin Kingdom. Chief Igbinedion named his private airline service OKADA AIR. However the motorcycle got its present local parlance of being called ‘Okada’ from the unique and peculiar marketing style of the Okada Air Ticketing Staff. In the 80s Okada Airline had no particular route.

The flight schedule of the airline depended on the number of passengers on ground, which meant the airline headed for the destination with enough passengers.

Immediate travel arrangements Thus it became a regular feature at the airport for passengers to besiege the Okada Airline stand because they were sure of prompt and immediate travel arrangements.

This was different from other airlines, who either kept on rescheduling their flights, leading to long waits by passengers at the airports. It was this ability and fame of the Okada Airline at that

time to get to any part of the country promptly and safely that was translated in local parlance to describe a motorcycle, which could render the same kind of services on land.

The earliest recorded commercial activities of ‘Okada Riders’ was in the 1980s in Calabar, where they were called ‘AKAUKE’, meaning ‘where are you going’ in Ibibio language.

Owing to the deplorable roads in the Calabar metropolis at that time, the motorcycle was the fastest and easiest means of transport. Thus you found in every nook and cranny of the city, motorcyclists shouting at the top of their voices “Akauke, Akauke, Akauke” to attract every potential customer.

However what made the ‘Okada Rider’ to become the face of Nigeria’s most common professional was the down-turn in the economy. With the country’s poor economic policies that played out

during the 80s, a lot of Nigerians lost their jobs and were offloaded into the labour market.

From the youths in the rural areas to the university graduates that have been searching for the proverbial ‘white-collar jobs’ in the urban centres, being an Okada rider was the only option.

For most of these persons new jobs were not forth coming and the stringent conditions given by the banks to get loans to begin an alternative business venture, went further to worsen their condition. Coupled with the fact that most of the roads were not motor able for cars and other larger vehicles, the Okada rider became the King of the Transport profession.

Again the ever increasing population in the urban towns that was always on the move and wanting to get to their destination on time gave the Okada rider an edge over other profes-

sionals within the transport industry. The Okada Rider became the transition from being unemployed to getting a regular job. In time most State governments later legitimize the Okada riding profession by making it a symbol of their various poverty alleviation programmes.

With its ever growing number to be found in most urban centres of the country, the Okada riders formed unions to further legitimize their presence. In some states like Lagos where there had always been a problem with traffic grid-locks, the Okada rider became King.

His services were wanted by almost every Lagosian, who wanted quick and efficient services to get him to his destination on time.

The Okada rider became indispensable as he rendered services of all types within the community. From assisting families for

Continues on page 31

Statecraft Masters Competing Needs Continues from page 29 strategically sited to serve every part of the state. Indigenes and residents of the State are beneficiaries to the programme.

David Iyofo, Amaechi’s Media aide, once wondered “how Oga will complete all these projects”.

This was in the first two years of the Amaechi administration.

Asked two months ago what he now thinks, Iyofo said he now believes more in the saying that “ with God all things are possible”.

There is also the Greater Port Harcourt City Project, one that would create a city from scratch that may rival Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Is he not taking too much at the C M Y K

same time?

Tradition of man of the year According to TIME, The illustrated history of the world’s most influential magazine by Norberto Angeletti and Alberto Olivia, “The first “Man of the Year”, Charles Lindbergh, was named in 1927. The cover featuring his portrait was published in January 1928. The title is always designated in December and the issue is printed in late December or early January. Man of the Year was changed to Person of the Year in 1999.

The first American President selected was Franklin Delano

Roosevelt (1932) when he was president-elect. He was chosen twice again, in 1934 and 1941, and he holds the record for the American president who was most often on the cover – in 1932, he was president-elect and was chosen at a time of unprecedented economic crisis; in 1934, for having fervently battled the Depression; and in 1941 for preparing a reluctant United States to join the war.

Interestingly, Adolf Hitler was selected in 1938 and TIME gave it to him because he was “the greatest threatening force that the democratic, freedom-loving world” faced.

When in 1979 the magazine chose Ayatollah Khomeini during the Iran hostage crisis,

“thousands of readers sent protest letters”. Because they did not agree with the choice There may indeed be other Nigerians who may have achieved greatness in the year.

But after a gruelling debate session by Vanguard Editors, especially situating development paradigm in the context of governance and leadership which is a scarce resource in Nigeria, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi emerged as Vanguard Personality of The year, 2012. (A special feature on him would be published in Sunday Vanguard of January 6, 2013.)

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 —31

Insecurity: Everywhere You Are

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor

I

Accepted way of life Loss of lives from daily bombings of parts of the country became almost an accepted way of life. What did government do?

Nigerians heard the talks, and hardly anything more.

As kidnapping turned into a common criminal habit in certain States, it provoked equally hard responses. In Anambra, the administration moved to the demolition of the houses of renowned kidnappers. In Rivers State, the administration erected a security architecture that turned the evil venture into a very risky and lethal enterprise. By year’s end, the spate of kidnapping in those two States was ebbing as a result of the hard reprisals orchestrated by their governors.

Armed robbery had also for long been the pastime of many social deviants in the country.

However, in 2012 it transformed into a near national security issue with gangs of bandits staging contemptuous attacks on the police and people.

Lagos and Ogun States were targets in befuddling manners.

The police appeared unable to respond and the robbers took real advantage.

The highways – the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Benin-Sagamu Expressway – were notorious for attacks on people. The time of day was unimportant. The police responded with excuses, ranging from inadequate intelligence to inappropriate tools for their work.

Robbers shutdown Auchi at their pleasure. In late November operation, they killed three soldiers, 12 civilians and razed the police divisional headquarters in the town. The robbers who according to some reports numbered about 50, held the town hostage for hours before soldiers arrived. For days after the soldiers came in, Auchi was shutdown. While the soldiers searched frantically for the robbers, the traumatised citizens out of fear kept themselves indoors.

The gunmen left behind several burnt police vehicles, including patrol vehicles and Armoured Personnel Carriers, APCs that they saw at the Auchi Area Command.

However, the spate of attacks by terrorists group was by far the most pervading and shocking.

Apprehension about the group drew national and international concern. No institution or man was spared attacks from the group in the north where it operated.

The group was believed to have orchestrated the suicide attack on the Abuja and Kaduna offices of Thisday, and The Sun and Moment in Kaduna to mark its grouse with the media.

If that was not shocking enough, the staged attack on the Abuja headquarters of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, was even for an already shell-shocked population beyond

comprehension.

The SARS building in Abuja, located on the Karu-Nyanya Expressway, which even before the reign of terror was believed to be a well secured enclosure did not bother the gunmen who on November 26 stormed the facility to free their colleagues held there.

Attack of the military church located inside the country’s elite military training school, the Command and Staff College, Jaji was among bombings of numerous church buildings, police stations and other security posts during the year.

It has led to the economic abandonment of that section of the country. Political leaders of the north, both those based in Abuja and its governors, for most of 2012 stayed away from home.

Many touched base only on essential visits and then

,

N 2012 like in 2011, activities marking Nigeria’s independence were celebrated indoors – the President did not want to give anyone a chance to repeat the embarrassment of 2010, when Nigeria was bombed while marking her 50th independence day.

Though government officials were in denial, for many Nigerians the palpable pangs of death arising from the reign of terror was the looming reason for the constriction of the Independence Day celebrations to the Presidential Villa.

Only a select few including foreign diplomats were allowed into the presidential fortress in Abuja for the event.

The threat posed by explosions in cities in the North and Abuja, was in 2012 balanced by the surge of criminality (armed robbery, kidnapping) in the South, leaving the Nigerian citizen almost perpetually on the periphery of trauma anywhere he went.

Loss of lives from daily bombings of parts of the country became almost an accepted way of life.

What did government do?

Nigerians heard the talks, and hardly anything more

,

accompanied with the strongest security available to them.

Perhaps, no incident pointed to the reign of banditry in the south more than the kidnap in December of the mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Professor Kamene Okonjo.

Professor Okonjo, wife of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku in Delta State, was kidnapped, released

after five days after. The effrontery of the kidnappers showed the reach and brazenness of bandits that for most of the year held many parts of that section of the country hostage.

Insecurity was a common thread that touched all classes of Nigerians in 2012.

It is our Issue of the Year.

The Okada Rider (Runner Up) Continues from page 30 school runs to getting some very senior executives to meet up with very crucial board meeting. For these executives, their drivers could come later to pick them up, but arrival on time at very crucial meetings needed the services of the Okada rider. The state of most Nigerian roads gave the Okada rider a wide berth to operate.

These roads were in such deplorable states that only a motorcycle could navigate them.

Most of the hinterland roads that led to where a majority of the population lived were deplorable and the citizenry had

to depend on the Okada rider to bring them out to the nearest motorable road. The Okada rider became a profession that could be reckoned with. The profession became a legitimate bread-winner for most families that had already lost hope and in most cases one to be proud about. The Okada rider became the legitimate stop-gap to poverty.

Being an Okada rider, however, had its challenges. First came, the law enforcing agents, who took delight in harassing the Okada rider in order to collect their daily gratification. Then came the government agents of all sorts, from the local government revenue generators to their

state counterparts. At the end of the list came the criminal-minded individuals in the society, who the Okada rider must beware of at all times. This individual makes the difference between going home with a day’s profit or losing everything.

These criminals often time disguised as potential passengers, only to dispose the Okada rider of the daily takings and in worst case scenarios dispossessed the Okada rider of the motorcycle.

The advent of the Third republic politics brought with it a more definitive role for the Okada rider in the nation’s body politics.

The Okada rider became the first Continues on page 32 C M Y K

32—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Subsidy: An Evil Contrived W

ERE subsidy to be a man or woman, Nigerians, most Nigerians, would have stoned it to death. But subsidy is neither a man nor woman. It is an evil - as contrived by Nigerians.

The year 2012 started with the evil of subsidy and is about ending with same – what with all the fuel queues across the country.

Subsidy rattled the rich, the mighty, the not so rich and not so mighty; the poor; and worst of all, it sent chillers down the spine of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his administration.

The world over, subsidy is a governmental instrument used for creating soft-landing for businesses – be it the agro-allied business; or any business for that matter.

However, in Nigeria, the government, businesses and the ordinary people too, have twisted the essence of subsidy in a most convoluted manner.

And this explains why when on January 1, 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan wished Nigerians ill-luck for the year by removing the subsidy of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, bedlam struck.

At a time when most Nigerians were holidaying, some even travelling and some had travelled to their villages for celebration, having worked hard in the Year 2011 and with fat, slim or shoestring budgets, to run on during the festive periods of Christmas and New Year celebrations which only end in the very early days of January, the President decided to withdraw subsidy.

Mind you, some Nigerians were already getting used to the idea that the subsidy would be removed – especially after the town hall meeting in Lagos on the essence and benefits of the removal. Because the same government had consistently

maintained that whenever it was ready to remove the subsidy, Nigerians would be made aware well ahead of time and carried along, every one was relaxed.

True the masses were carried along.

But they were being carried to a place of despair with Jonathan’s decision because of the attendant hike in prices of commodities. As late as the last week of December 2011, spokes persons in government maintained that the removal was still some months away. So, Nigerians relaxed.

Until Jonathan struck! And with it came crisis after crisis.

Because of subsidy, the House of Representatives held a session on a Sunday to discuss the matter. Because of subsidy, some Nigerians lost their sense of respect for the office of President and Commander-in-Chief, hauling unprintable insults on Jonathan. Because of subsidy removal, Nigeria was grounded for one week owing to mass action. Because of subsidy, some innocent lives were lost, lives were ruined, businesses disrupted and destroyed for live.

Subsidy removal Because of subsidy, a new word crept into Nigeria’s lexicon: sting operation. Yes! The operation stung virtually everyone involved.

The House of Representatives which had set up a committee to probe the management of the funds set aside for subsidy that Nigerians were told was just hundreds of billions in excess of what was budgeted, unearthed a number of things. Meanwhile, as the probe progressed, it was discovered that over a trillion Naira had been wasted. Some of the importers of petrol who had collected the differential between the real cost of the pump head price and the government enforced price, which is what is

called subsidy, were indicted and were expected to pay back to government. Suddenly, news was that the committee itself had been compromised, with its chairman, Lawan Farouk, allegedly collected $620,000 from Femi Otedola, friend to President Jonathan and proprietor of Forte Oil and Zenon Petroleum.

Otedola claimed to have informed the Department of State Service, DSS, which in turn arranged with him to conduct the sting operation to entrap Farouk.

Yes, Farouk was entrapped. But President Jonathan suffered collateral damage because Otedola, as one of his closest friends and member of Jonathan’s economic team, was part of the scam within a scam. The DSS, too, got enmeshed in the mess; so was the House of Representatives.

A search is still on to retrieve the $620,000. Even the report of the Farouk Committee has been forgotten. Every month of the year something about subsidy made the headline – mostly for the bad reasons.

As the year ended, the issue of subsidy came up again.

Kidnappers abducted Professor Kamene Okonjo, mother of the Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, but subsidy thieves were fingered as being responsible.

Yet, talks of possible removal of subsidy are in the air again.

So, those long queues you see at gas stations recently is only because of the pointers to the fear that subsidy may be removed.

And even without the removal, station owners have already removed the subsidy across the nation as petrol sells for N110 in parts of Lagos and even more, in other parts of the country. That is why we have chosen subsidy (an evil contrived by Nigerians) as the first runner-up for our Issue of The Year.

,

BY JIDE AJANI

Suddenly, news was that the committee itself had been compromised, with its chairman, Lawan Farouk, allegedly collected $620,000 from Femi Otedola, friend to President Jonathan and proprietor of Forte Oil and Zenon Petroleum

,

The Okada Rider (Runner Up) Continues from page 31 line of support and defence for most of the ruling parties in the states. He became an ever present feature in every political rally. Local dispatch riders heralded the arrival of party chieftains and were used to propagate and circulate policies of these political parties to the nooks and crannies of the political party’s area of operation. The Okada rider came to represent the face of hope for the common man against all odds of poor governance and bad economic policies.

This was the glorious days for the Okada Rider. He became the “Beautiful Bride” for most political parties, because of the services he rendered.

However all of sudden the phenomenon called the Okada ridC M Y K

er is being gradually driven out of existence in the guise of protecting the lives of the citizenry and reducing crime.

In Lagos State, the government says it has restricted the operation of the Okada rider to 475 roads out of its 8500 roads. However this law also says that motorcycles below 200cc capacity cannot ply the remaining roads.

Putting the two clauses together, the Okada rider seems to have been banned entirely.

Meanwhile they are hounded all over the place by the police.

In Delta State, there is an outright ban of the activities of the Okada rider. All over the nation, state governments are issuing policies to either totally ban or restrict the movement of the Okada rider. As part of the excuses

being bandied about by some these state governments involved in the gradual extinction of the Okada rider is that persons with criminal motives have often times posed as Okada riders and then went ahead to commit heinous crimes. This they say is responsible for the increase in crime wave in the said states.

However the question being raised by some Nigerians is whether other means of transport like motor cars are not also used to commit crimes also. If so, why not also ban operators of such vehicles or restrict their movement to certain areas. In Lagos State where the Okada Rider has been restricted to 475 roads or not, the incidence of “one-chance” criminal act perpetuated in danfo vehicles, car snatching, armed rob-

bery etc has not reduced. Another laughable excuse to cut short the ambition of the Okada Rider, is the incidence of motorcycle accidents, which government say it is on the decline since the ban.

Okada rider’s membership in Lagos State alone stands at 250,000. Simple calculation to the barest realistic number would come to over 8,000,000 millions Nigerians from at least 25 states of the country that are being thrown back into the labour market. While other nations are searching for modalities to reduce unemployment, Nigeria is increasing its number. The rippling effect on criminal activities can be better imagined. What is needed is a better management of the activities of the Okada rider.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 — 33

34 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

appropriation bill through the Senate.

Anti-terrorism law Also adopting the report presented

by Senator Mohammed Magoro (PDP, Kebbi South) Joint Committee on National Security and Intelligence; Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and AntiCorruption, the Senate passed the Bill for Terrorism Act, 2011 and other related Matters as amended as part of moves to nip in the bud the present security challenges in the country.

With the passage by the Senate, it was expected that President Goodluck Jonathan would sign it into law against the backdrop that the House of Representatives had earlier passed the Bill.

*The Senate in session

BY HENRY UMORU

T

HE Senate will resume on January 19 to face a host of issues it carried over from 2012 after embarking on a recess on Thursday December 21, 2012 for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Prior to the vacation, Year 2012 began for the Senate with the January 1 fuel hike ‘gift ‘to Nigerians from President Goodluck Jonathan.

For 14 days running in January 2012, there was a general strike in Nigeria against an over 120 per cent increase in fuel price from N65 to well above N142 per litre. It was the biggest and the most widespread general strike and mass protest in Nigerian history.

Some critical issues the lawmakers would face include the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), constitution amendment, air fare disparity, anti-terrorism bill and management of oil subsidy funds.

Senate cuts vacation 2012 began on a stressful not for the senators, who were forced to cut short its vacation and resumed a week earlier than the resumption date. The leadership of the Senate headed by Senator David Mark undertook a mediatory role to see how to mitigate the situation that threatened the very root of the existence of

pending businesses

the current democracy in the country.

With tact the leadership of the Senate got the Federal Government on one hand and the organised labour on the other hand to come to a compromise on the matter and get the country back on course once again. The strike was suspended with a partial reinstatement of fuel subsidy and reduction of fuel price to N97. This was after a series of meetings both day and nocturnal with the Federal Government and Organised Labour.

Constitution amendment The fuel brouhaha over, the Senate, again, began the process of amending the 1999 Constitution with Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu (PDP, Enugu West) as the chairman.

The Committee organised a public hearing in Abuja and zonal public hearings in the six geo-political zones of the country.

Issues of state creation, autonomy for local governments, reducing the powers of the Federal Government by empowering the states with yet additional functions, constitutional role for tradition rulers, among others dominated the discourse.

Pension probe The upper chamber also contended with the unending

issue of probe of the controversial Pension funds by the Senator Aloysius Etok, PDP; Akwa Ibom led Joint Senate Committee on Establishment, Public Service and Local Governments with the Chairman of Pension Taskforce, Abdulrasheed Maina becoming untouchable as well as counteraccusations from both the Committee and Maina’s side.

Weeks after the adoption of the report by the Senate and calling for the arrest of Maina, the story was still the same and the anti-climax of the unfolding scenario was Maina’s refusal to appear before the Committee despite the warrant of arrest issued by Senate President David Mark that he should be brought to the National Assembly by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar.

Budget implementation The Senate and the Executive clashed on budget implementation with the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala becoming almost an everyday visitor to the National Assembly.

In fact, it was like warfare as the National Assembly disagreed with the implantation level of the 2012 budget.

There was also the rift between the Senate and the Executive on the attack on the

lawmakers by President Goodluck Jonathan’s men especially on implementation of resolutions by the President. When Jonathan’s men like Doyin Okupe, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and the Political Adviser, Ahmed Gulak, made some unpalatable statements against the Senate, President Jonathan was then asked to

Vehicle plate, drivers’ licence The Senate following the report of the Senator Dahiru Kuta, PDP, Niger East-led committeeFederal Character, slashed prices for new drivers’ licences and vehicle number plates issued by the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, from N6,000 and N15,000 to N4,000 and N8,400

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2013: Senate's

Oppose introduction of N5000 bill As the people’s representatives, the Senate during the year stopped proposed plans of Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi Lamido to introduce a N5,000 note.

Following the outcry of the people the lawmakers intervened and stopped it

With tact the leadership of the Senate got the Federal Government on one hand and the organised labour on the other hand to come to a compromise on the matter and get the country back on course once again

caution and call his men to order. Maku was invited to the Senate, he however showed remorse, and it became a case of ‘go and sin no more.’

2013 budget The Senate for the first time in recent years passed the budget before the end of the year following its early presentation to the National Assembly. The feat was accomplished through the goodwill in the chamber of the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emodi who put into play her political experience as a former senator to push the

,

respectively.

Air fare disparity Also during the year under review, the Senate directed the Senator Hope Uzodinma, PDP, Imo West-led Committee on Aviation to look at airfare disparity and unholy acts of foreign Airlines following complaints from Nigerians.

The report was presented, but stepped down because it failed to address the terms of reference that had to do with disparity in air fares charged by foreign airlines.

The lawmakers also rejected one of the recommendations that Arik Air be granted Continues on page 43

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 — 35

2013:

Abia goes for consolidation

BY ANAYO OKOLI

knows this much but in all fairness he is successfully laying the genuine foundation for a new Abia.

2

Conducive work house To engender efficient service delivery, the governor has started building a multi-million Naira secretariat. That edifice is almost completed and it is hoped that it will be commissioned early this year.

The need for a befitting secretariat for the workers in the state cannot be over emphasized. It is unarguable that with good and conducive office environment, the workers would put in their best thereby contributing effectively towards the development of the state.

International conference centre Besides the secretariat and the new government house, Orji’s government has also commenced the building of an international conference centre which is also nearing completion. The centre which will also serve as a tourist centre is expected to attract not only Nigerians from other parts of the country but also foreigners.

Rebuilding Umuahia Also, Orji recently laid the foundation stone for a new multi-million Naira Government House at Ogube Layout, where modern Umuahia as a capital city is being relocated. According to him, work would commence this month after the State House of Assembly would have passed a law authorizing the relocation.

Aba, the forgotten Enyimba City For Aba, the commercial city, the story was worse. The governor knows that he has a lot of work to do in Aba. He knows that if Aba works Abia automatically works. With this in mind he has begun to tackle Aba problems, beginning with roads and opening up the blocked drainage which in the main is one of the biggest problems of the commercial city.

Besides the decayed infrastructures, business activities were on the lowest level due largely to insecurity.

The city was virtually taken over by criminal elements, especially kidnappers who almost over ran the state,

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012 could best be de scribed as the year the foundation for the development of Abia State was laid.

Created 21 years ago, the state lacked virtually all needed infrastructures that drive development. Even the present Government House is still on temporary ground, there is no befitting secretariat for the civil servants. This accounts for why ministries and parastatals are scattered in Umuahia, the state capital, with some located in noisy environments not conducive for concentration to do proper planning and executing development initiatives. Indeed, Umuahia has remained until now a glorified town.

Indeed, the little development Abia has witnessed since creation gave Governor Theodore Orji serious concern upon his reelection hence his desire to effect a serious change. And today, the situation is changing.

Governor Orji is laying a foundation for the development of a viable Abia State. He has embarked on a mission to rewrite the socio-economic history of the state.

*Orji What is today the Government House of Abia State was said to be a guest house which was expanded and since then no administration had taken it as a priority to build one, yet the state needs it. These are infrastructures that are actually germane to proper foundation for development of a state.

Orji had once said that he values building roads to open up the state but that he values much more, building structures like the new government house, the secretariat and the international conference centre which will forever remain a symbol for the state. And in any case, he has done and is doing

a number of roads particularly in Umuahia and Aba, and other parts of the state.

In the health sector, the Government in line with the Millennium Development Goals [MDGs] has built over 200 health centres across the 17 Local Government Councils of the state. Most of the health centres, which are mainly located in the rural areas, have been equipped and health personnel have been posted to those already equipped.

It’s not Uhuru However, in spite these steps and actions, it is not yet Uhuru for the state in terms of development and the governor

visiting. The situation was that bad.

Governor Orji was worried.

Abia people, particularly Aba people were more worried.

Visitors, especially those who do business in the state became confused. The situation seemed insurmountable. Governor Orji took various measures.

Ultimately, Abia Government in collaboration with the Federal Government invited the Major General Audu [then a Brigadier General] led troops to the state to flush out the hoodlums.

Since then, Abia has been witnessing high level security with the governor procurring scores of vehicles for the security agencies in the state.

And from every indication, it is clear that the investment the Governor made in the provision of security has started paying off. Besides the investors that

In spite these steps and actions, it is not yet Uhuru for the state in terms of development and the governor knows this much

forcing some residents to flee the city. Some relocated to other states. In fact, everybody lived in fear because of the security situation.

For sometime, the state was a no-go area security wise.

Kidnappers and other criminal elements almost over ran the state, especially Aba. Indeed, Aba, the commercial city was virtually under their control.

Residents fled, visitors shunned the city, business in the city crumbled. Nothing was working there. Literally, there was no life in Aba, the great Enyimba city. Abia state as whole was about turning to a pariah state as people, indigenes and visitors alike, avoided coming home or

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have come to invest in the state, the people of the state are enjoying good security, as they now go about their business and sleep peacefully at night.

Among the prominent projects that are on-going include the reconstruction of 16 roads in the commercial city and the proper channeling of erosion. Also to restore sanity to the commercial city, the government has built a central motor park at Osisioma, along the Port Harcourt-Enugu Express road. The construction of the central motor park would decongest the city which has numerous chaotic motor parks scattered all over the town with the attendant nuisance.

Senate's pending businesses Continued from page 42

National Flag Carrier status.

The Committee went beyond its scope; it is an issue for another session as the Senate resumes next year.

Tackles PIB Following President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to deregulate the downstream sector of the oil industry by removing fuel subsidy, it became imperative to reform the oil sector hence the reintroduction of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB to the Senate. At the moment, Northern senators are not

comfortable with the passage against the backdrop that their perception that the South-South will benefit more if passed. This issue awaits the Senators as they resume in 2013 where very stormy sessions will be expected, a fight between Northern Senators and Southern Senators.

SURE-P debate During the year, the Chairman, Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, Dr. Christopher Kolade came under serious attack by the Joint National Assembly Committee on

Petroleum Downstream during the budget defence; it was a hot seat for him.

Others issues The Senate in 2012 also expected report from the Senator Magnus Abe led Committee on Petroleum Downstream which investigated the management of oil subsidy funds, the expectation is rife especially as the House of Representatives had come up with its own; it is hoped that come 2013, the report which has been laid will be discussed and adopted.

The State of the Nation address by the President also

came up and passed with threats that if not signed into law, the President would be forced to do that by the Senate exercising its veto power.

It is hoped that as the Senators return from the holiday and resume on January 19, 2013, these unresolved and unfinished agenda would be thrashed in the interest of Nigerians, even as Nigerians expect a more vibrant Senate especially from the opposition political parties even though the lawmakers have in the Seventh Senate adopted ‘one family’ slogan to place Nigeria above other issues.

36— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

2012 in retrospect: Turbulent ye for Lagos residents

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

A

S the world celebrates the beginning of a new year, 2013, today, much water has passed under the bridge of Lagos state. The year 2012, though, full of mixed grills across every sector of the state’s economy, witnessed wild protests against both federal and state governments harsh socio-economic policies The year started on turbulent side with the President Goodluck Jonathan’s shocker to Nigeria on the announcement of suspension of fuel Subsidy o January 1st 20112, with the attendant increase in pump prices of Petroleum Motor Spirit, PMS, from 65 per litre to N140 per litre.

As expected, labour organizations, concerned Nigerians, Human Rights groups, civil societies, Non Governmental Organisations, NGOs, political parties, converged on Lagos to hold rallies and strike dubbed “Occupy Nigeria” against the fuel price hike by the Federal government.

The Central bank of Nigerian, also commenced the pilot phase of cash-less policy in Lagos. On January 3, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state, signed into law the state’s Year 2012 Budget with a call on Lagosians to voluntarily pay their taxes to provide the government the essential tool to successfully execute the

•as subsidy removal, Okada restriction triggered fierce protests •LASU school fees hike anger parents •Tolling on Lekki- Epe expressway pitched Lagosians against gov

Protest over ban on okada

costs and soaring prices of food and other goods.

As prices at the pump skyrocketed overnight, Nigerians accused their leaders of corruption and of having squan-

,

The students are our children, we want them in school, we want them to have the best of education

budget for the benefit of the people.

The N485.292 billion Appropriation Bill, represented to the Governor for his assent with had an increase of N6.65 billion as the House jacked up the Budget to N491.941 billion.

Fuel Subsidy protest Jan 10 to 17 The Federal government announced a stop to payment of fuel subsidies January 1, which doubled fuel prices and led to higher transportation

,

dered oil revenues in a country where most citizens battle grinding poverty.

The effect of unprecedented over one week strike and rally, totally brought Lagos to a standstill as violent protest erupted across the state between January 10 and 17, leaving at least 10 people dead.

Armed Soldiers, deployed by FG to quell the protest, later took over the Gani Fawenhinmi Freedom Park, located at Ojota area to ward off any convergence of protesters. FG, lat-

er reverted the hike from N140 to 95 per litre after much negotiation with the labour leaders. Even at the end of it all Lagosians blamed their governor, Babatunde Fashola saying he invited the soldiers.

Dana air crash On a dark Sunday afternoon of June 3rd, a Boeing McDonnell Douglas (MD-83) with registration number 5N-RAM operated by Dana Airlines Limited from Abuja crashed into five houses on Akande, Poopola Streets, Iju-Ishaga in IfakoIjaye Local Government Area of the state, leaving three houses severely damaged and over 153 people killed in the process.

Fashola, in his magnanimity, adopted three children who lost their parents in the ill fated incident and had since been taken care of by the state government.

Okada restriction protests One of the land mark events

in the past year, was the signing of Lagos Traffic Law which has continued to witness great opposition from commercial motorcycles riders, known as Okada riders.

The law restricts their operation on 475 out of about 9, 000 roads in the state. Initially, the okada riders went to court and defeated the state government on restriction.

The victory was however short lived as Lagos government went back to trenches to perfect the law at the state House of assembly.

And on August 2, Fashola signed the traffic law which automatically, restricts activities of okada riders in some parts of the state.

Thousands of motorcycles were impounded and crushed by the state Taskforce on Environmental Offfences The rest is history as series of protests followed.

October 23 A commercial motorcyclist, whose name was given as Alagede, was confirmed dead

during a scuffle between police officers and motorcyclists in Alakuko, near the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Lagos State, on Tuesday.

While some witnesses say the deceased was shot by a police officer when he resisted arrest, others claim the motorcyclist was crushed by a vehicle as he attempted to escape police arrest.

Commercial motorcyclists and security officials have been on the warpath since the state government began enforcement of its ban on motorcyclists plying 475 designated routes in the metropolis.

A week after, an estimated 3000 motorcycles were impounded.

Following the death of Alagede, residents of the area and other commercial motorcyclists stormed the Alakuko Police Station, threatening to burn it down with scores of anti-riot police officers deployed to the scene.

November 6 The already edgy relationship between commercial motorcycle riders, commonly called Okada,

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 — 37

year

vt

Fire fighters at a collapsed building

Fuel price hike protest

Tragedy struck again in Lagos, February 13th, when a canoe capsized on the Lagoon in Ojo Local Government Area of the state leaving at least 10 children dead and several injured during an early hour rainstorm that was accompanied with gust of winds.

A

LASU

and the Lagos State Government further took a dive as the motorcyclists, went on a rampage in the Ilupeju and Magodo areas of the state over the alleged killing of one of their own.

It was alleged that a cop shot a motorcyclist after he evaded the policeman who was about to arrest him for violating the new traffic law in the state restricting the operation of commercial motorcyclists.

Witnesses claimed the cop, alongside his colleagues, immediately fled the scene of the incident.

The riot started after the shot motorcyclist was pronounced dead in a nearby hospital.

Riot policemen were mobilised to the troubled area to forestall complete breakdown of law and order.

December 19 Scores of police officers armed with AK47 rifles had to be stationed near the Nigeria Labour Congress secretariat, Lagos, in anticipation of planned mass action by commercial motorcyclists.

The police stopped a similar protest by the motorcyclists, popularly known as okada riders, a week earlier.

The motorcyclists, alongside some civil society groups, are protesting the new Lagos Traffic Law which bans then from plying 475 roads in Lagos.

The LASU school fees faceoff Activities at the Lagos state University, LASU, Ojo was early in the year paralysed following upward review of tuition fees by the state government. Still in response to the yearnings of students and parents, Governor Fashola Monday, January 23rd, 2012 for the second time extended for one month the registration date for all categories of students of LASU. Fashola, had on Friday, January 6, 2012, approved the extension of the deadline for registration of both fresh and returning students of the University, to Friday, January 13, 2012 from the initial date December29, 2011.

The students were also given the concession of paying their fees in two installments of 70 – 30 per cent. Responding to an appeal by a student of the University while fielding questions at a stakeholders forum to mark 1, 700 Days in office of his administration, the Governor, who said the Vice Chancellor of the institution had earlier made the request, gave the approval because, as he said, the students “are our children, we want them in school, we want them to have the best of education.”

Boat capsized killing 10 children

teacher at St Gregory College, Obalende was reportedly killed by a mast which collapsed on him. The roofing of many buildings, numbering over 150, were also blown away by the ranging wind leaving them homeless in the process. The other local government areas equally hit by the early morning downpour, included: Ejigbo, Onipanu, Obalende and Lekki.

Boko Haram threat In the wake of Boko Haram insurgence in the country, Fashola lamented the state of inadequate security at the Government Secretariat,

Alausa in Ikeja, noting that as it was lives and property were not fully secured and issued an executive order ordering the Ministry of Transportation to immediately clear the public car park, hitherto used as a dumping ground for impounded vehicles of traffic offenders by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA within seven days.

The executive order dated 15 February, 2012 and signed personally by the governor, stated that an alternative location should be looked for to move the abandoned vehicles.

2nd tolling on Lagos- Epe put off Also, following strong opposition and condemnation by members of the public, the state government, two weeks ago, after an emergency meeting announced the suspension of the proposed introduction of toll on the Lekki-Epe Expressway second gate, earlier

scheduled to commence on Sunday, December 16, 2012.

Ayo Gbeleyi, Special Adviser/Director-General Office of Public-Private Partnerships and the Acting Managing Director, Lekki Concession Company Limited, LCCI, Mr. Mike Edington., after a marathon meeting with Governor Fashola at the state House, Marina announced the indefinite suspension.

Christmas fire crackers inferno To crown the year, no fewer than 15 houses and dozens of cars were burnt last Wednesday in an early morning inferno caused by fireworks popularly called ‘banger’ in Jankara area of Isale-Eko, Lagos, leaving a sixteen year old girl burnt to death The fire started from a building, which served as a warehouse for the fireworks and spread wildly to other buildings around the area.

New year with little fireworks

BY BOSE ADELAJA

T

HE year 2012 rolled by just as the last darkness of the year has ushered in year 2013.

New resolutions are been made by people to govern them in the new year, prayers are been said everywhere by those privileged to witness the new year.

Unlike the Christmas and Ramadan festivals which are usually celebrated by people of diverse religion at different times, the new year is a unique one that concerns almost everyone Majority of the offices are under lock and key occasioned by the holiday, this makes economic activities to be on a low ebb to allow workers have time to celebrate with their families.

Yesterday which was the last day of the year, there was a half working day in the banking sector and majority of the multinationals.

At the transport sector, most motor parks were filled up with fares rising

astronomically for commuters moving in and out of the State.

Like the proverbial saying, one that fell into a ditch serves as a lesson to others, as a result of the fire works that resulted into an inferno that gutted about 12 buildings living one dead and several injured at Jankara market on the boxing day.

This ugly development seems to have reduced the careless use of fire works in some parts of Lagos though there used to be a ban on the use of fire works which has not been complied to until after this recent outbreak which has now awaken both the law enforcement agents and other stakeholders. Almost a decade ago, Yuletide and celebration messages used to be through greeting cards or radio wishes, nowadays, the emergence of the GSM and social media, has made it easier as people can send and receive their messages via these means thereby making the printing business obsolete. From the entry point to every parts of Lagos is radiant with the New year look.

38—Vanguard, TUESDAY, January, 1, 2013

Christmas without Ekaette I Most relationships, especially long term relationships do not always end on a happy note. Each of the partners often have to walk away, counting their losses and regreting their actions and decisions, thinking they ought to have done things differently.

The story you are about to read has every element of these.

Akpan, a 42 year old business man now says he understands why some men pour acid on women! I hope you will enjoy this for your Christmas holiday relaxation.

Happy reading!

We started the relationship in 2006. We hail from the same village in Cross Rivers State. She was working as an Auxiliary Nurse in a hospital in the village after failing to qualify for admission into the School of Nursing.

The relationship was no secret as both our parents knew about it. It was with her parents’ consent that I brought her to Lagos. We had plans to get married.

But as a University graduate, I felt that I ought to marry someone with at least a fairly average educational background.

That was why I brought her to Lagos so that she will go to school. She spent a year at Debis Computer College after which I secured admission for her at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Isolo, where she studied Banking and Finance. Because of her poor academic performance, she spent five years instead of the normal three years to obtain her Ordinary National Diploma. She concluded the programme last August after which she walked out of my life without an explanation. I had also assisted her in taking the professional examination with the Nigerian Institute of Bankers. I own three registered companies of which I named her as a shareholder in all. Everybody knew us together.

Though we were not formally married in the traditional sense, we had gone to the Lagos High Court to swear to a change of name.

A public notice was put up to that effect in a national Newspaper, while she bears my name officially. Thus, all her identification and papers show that she is my wife.

The only hurdle was that

I had not gone to perform the traditional rites. This is not because I didn’t have enough funds to do so as I was financing her education.

The opportunity to do it just never came up. Everytime we wanted to fix a date to that effect, something would always come up. It was either she would be ill or we would receive a message asking us to postpone it or something. I never took these serious because I felt that the main challenges had been overcome. Those being the love and understanding between us and the consent of both our parents to the relationship. To me, we were just

,

H

lage which many indegenes all love to attend.

Ekatte, along with my two younger brothers living with us were also going for the event. So, I decided that rather than me enjoying the convenience of traveling with Chief Udofia in his car, Ekaette would go with him and I will travel along the next day with my brothers. The Chief agreed and Ekaette went with him the following Monday. It was at the village that the problem started. As expected, Ekaette arrived at the village before us.

However, she did not stay in our house as she usually did but went to

To my disbelief, the brother told me that I should steer clear of his sister since she has called off the relationship. He asked me if I wanted to force her to marry me and said he was aware that I had spent a lot of money on his sister but that I should not regard it as a loss since I had been sleeping with her during the period the relationship lasted

bidding our time and would perform the necessary rites as soon as she completed her education.

I also hesitated about getting her pregnant because I felt we had all the time in the world to do that after we get married.

More so, I knew it would affect her studies because she is not particularly brilliant at all and I didn’t want that to happen.

I was working as a manager in a paint manufacturing company before I resigned my appointment to become a general contractor. Later, I took to Rafia weaving since we had it in abundance in my area. I have come a long way in the business as I have become well known in my chosen field.

The desire to expand the business made me seek out a loan in the community bank in our village. So, I sought the assistance if the bank chairman, Chief Udofia (not real name) who is also from our village. This marked the beginning of my predicament.

Last August, Chief Udofia and I had plans to go to the village in continuation of our business deal. Chief Udofia resides three streets away so, it was convenient to travel with him. The trip was to coincide with some other big events in the vil-

,

her parents. It was unusual but I thought my absence at the time she arrived, coupled with her mother ’s illness prompted the decision.

However, throughout the one week we spent at the village, she did not pass the night with me. She would only come in the morning, visit a few places from there and go back to her house in the night.

Sometimes, she would not even show up at all but I was not disturbed.

After that week, Ekaette informed me that she wanted to go back to Lagos to collect her certificate from school and also check if she has been retained at the bank she was undergoing her internship.

I had been instrumental to her getting the job.

I did not want her to go since I had not finished what I came for in the village. I told her that I was in touch with my friends in the bank and that her appointment had not been confirmed.

She refused to listen, so I had to go and report her to her parents. It was like a small meeting with her mother and father present. After stating my case, her father did not utter a word. But the mother said she should go. “I am the

mother and I have permitted her to go. She wants to go and collect her certificate and see about her job. Or don’t you want her to have progress”? She shouted. I didn’t know what to say because I believed they were my inlaws and should not be rude to them. Thus, my wife left the village that afternoon around 1pm. I was forced to round up what I was doing and return to Lagos two days later.

She was at home when we arrived. I did not talk about the disagreement with her nor touch her. All I did was ask one of my brothers to ask her why she had behaved in such a manner. At this, she started shouting that if all I can do is to start asking questions, she would just leave the flat for me. I did not believe my ears until I saw her bringing out her loaded suitcases. She had already parked all her belongings. That was how Ekaette left and I have not seen her till date.

At first, I thought she was joking but after a few days without any news of her whereabouts, I went to her office to ask. There, I met her friends who started asking me insulting questions. Anyway, I didn’t see her that day. I went to her brother’s place in Ajegunle where I reliably got information that she was staying. To my disbelief, the brother told me that I should steer clear of his sister since she has called off the relationship. He asked me if I wanted to force her to marry me. He said he was aware that I had spent a lot of money on his sister but that I should not regard it as a loss since I had been sleeping with her during the period the relationship lasted. Can you believe that?

It was later that I learnt that Ekaette had come to Lagos in the company of Chief Udofia and another friend of his. They had also spent the night in Benin as they could not complete the journey in one day due to the lateness in the time of their departing the village.

Chief Udofia and Ekaette had shared the same room. I later gathered that I had been a fool all along as the two had actually been dating secretly long before I solicited that he gave her a ride to the village. With my hands, I had innocently consented to their affair, or so it seemed. I also learnt that Ekaette had other boyfriends who had been visiting her at home and even my brothers had several times warned her to stop if she was actually cheating on me. It was shocking to discover that someone you loved, trusted and invested so much on, had actually been cheating on you, even right in your own home.

I have accepted my fate and I don’t want to do anything irrational about the situation. That is why

Changing the way you look at yourself

BY ONOZURE DANIA

D

AY after day, most of us have a painful war with ourselves. It is a constant fight that includes constant criticism, pressure, anger, sadness and endless cruel comparisons.

It is an everyday struggle that gets in the way and keeps you from seeing yourself for who you really are and achieving your true purposes in life.

Where did this war begin and why?

The answer to that question can be found in a well known and very often used word; self esteem. What exactly does self-esteem mean? Self-Esteem is the way you look at and feel about yourself. The word “esteem” itself, means to value something or someone, thinking and believing that something or someone is of great importance.

If you are always fighting with yourself and feeding yourself with thoughts that make you feel less valuable or not as important or attractive as other people, then you are suffering from Low SelfEsteem.

Unfortunately, most people suffer from this, but the good news is, you can kick low self-esteem out of your life, by inviting and living a high self-esteem instead. Living a life of great confidence can be challenging, but can be done. You might have even tried giving your self-esteem a boost, but were later disappointed to see that it did not quite work out the way you imagined. If this is true, do not run away just yet.

This behaviuor is very common. Like every other person, you have probably adapted and grown to believe that feeling insecure and feeling that you are not good enough is normal and impossible to beat; therefore you just accept it and set a subconscious rule that you need to and deserve to feel badly and poorly when you look at yourself. This is where you need to take a few steps back.

The thing about low selfesteem is that it cannot be cured in one day, or even soon for that matter. The first thing you need to stop doing is giving yourself and everything around you unrealisticdeadlines.

Accomplishing high selfesteem will not happen in an instant. It requires hard work and constant reassurance.When working on achieving high self-esteem, know that it can never and will never be achieved as long as you keep negative ingredients involved, such as giving up. This is one of the biggest reasons you look at yourself in such a valueless manner.

Yes, it will be hard to get rid of, especially because giving up is partnered with another negative ingredient named laziness. The truth is, you do wish to change the way you look at and feel about yourself, but you have grown to become too lazy to do anything about it. Why? For the factual reason that you find it easier to stay in the place and position that you are already in.

It does not matter if it is an extremely negative position or place. What does matter and needs to be realised is that you have chosen to stay in negativity for so long, that you have become so comfortable with the fact that you do not like yourself.

You may not have noticed, as most of the other low selfesteemed don’t, that you now crave and need to feel sorry for yourself and subconsciously enjoy victimising yourself and grabbing negative attention from others. This is exactly why terminating low self-esteem is difficult. You handed over all of your power and strength to it, allowing it to dictate your being and the way you handle life.

Once you have realised and accepted these facts, you can begin your boosting process. Begin by becoming a best friend to yourself instead of an enemy.

With this best friend, you stand up for yourself and face that low self-esteem in the face, along with all the fears that come with it.

I am using this medium could have spent it on my to quell my anger and let brothers for all I know. She the world know what has is not from a rich family happened to me. Do you which could answer for see why you cannot blame her desire for riches. In my some men who pour acid place, it is taboo for a man on women? If I do that, it to mess up a married will not be too much be- woman but people are saycause she has not only ing she is not my wife so disgraced me but she has she is free from any reperruined my life. If not to- cussions. I am doing this tally, at least for now. because I want all who Lucky, romantic and resides in Delta state,in what It is not21, alltall, men that can may be engaged do what I did for her. It is I did to learn from my misone thing to have the takes. money and it is another Asisted by Onozure thing to bring it out and spend it in that manner. I Dania

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 —39 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 CANCER; You’ve had enough of fun in the recent times and it’s now time you settle down for hard work in order to prevent avoidable trouble. Be patient please.

LEO; Your concentration level and determination are the pillars of your success today. Yet you’ll need to respect your senior colleagues and protect your image VIRGO; It’s true you’re willing to work harder but you just have to drop both aggression and mental arrogance to allow things to roll accordingly. Then, you’re accident prone within your working arena. Respect the law and its agents today.

LIBRA; Serious thought may be giving to matters of the heart but it’s better you tarry a while. Joint ventures of short duration today may be an invitation to avoidable trouble SCORPIO; If you back your financial plans with concrete and positive actions things’ll go according to your desire. If you fail to realise importance of your spouse you would work your way into avoidable trouble; aren’t you tired of crisis?

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

T

IME is money.

Unfortunately for some of us, we do not know how to manage and maximise our time well. We allow all manner of persons to steal our time.

If you are still in

Getting rid of time wasters in your life – 1

yourself, that friend that came to wake me up this early morning, what valudoubt as to the use of of the month, you will able thing did he disyour time in a day, I discover that valu- cuss with me? That advise that you do a able time have been woman that came to time audit everyday, wasted discussing me in the office toat the end of the nonsense and gos- day, what good news week and at the end siping. Now ask did she bring to me?...

TERROR MUDA

in “Never say goodbye”

By Lanre Kehinde

SAGITTARIUS; Your intelligence, competence and level of concentration may today bring you envy, which you don’t deserve within your working arena in a negative form but.

CAPRICORN; The Moon highlights your Solar second house of money which is good but, if you try to buy true love with money, you’ll be disappointed AQUARIUS; The Moon in your Star sign’ll gives you new confidence and with new supports from the powersthat-be, it’s like you are now un-stop-able. But be cautious, especially with the veterans within your base of operation PISCES; Better days are ahead of you but, you will today need to do away with non-productive argument and/ or agreement. Try to be more diplomatic now.

ARIES; If what you’re doing today ’ll depend on tomorrow’s event it’s better you’re more careful now. Even things may not go according to your personal plans today. Yet it’s important you plan both your immediate and far future carefully now.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

TAURUS; If you take to aggression, your ego would be deflated by your superior colleagues, but your being cooperative in a civilised way’ll prevent trouble GEMINI; Those willing to put you to shame one way or the other’ll be disappointed with the turn of things today.

It’s good to secure support of your spouse.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat tr ological datee and place of bir th ttoo the As Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

About my Success?

Dear Joshua, I am interested in your Astrological counselling. Kindly tell me everything about myself, especially my finance and career; would I be rich eventually, if yes what should I do to make it happen quickly.

Ishola, Ogun.

Dear Ishola, There are indications of financial success for you but you can not change what Almighty God Has designed for you talking about the timing (the quickness you talked in your letter) Certainly however no failure for you Mercury –the planet of education and Accountancy, together with mighty Sun at positive angle to planets in Virgo (another Accounting Star sign) attracted you to both Accountancy profession and the academic world.

Truly you did not make wrong choice of career.

Money will eventually come along this line but it’ll not be as faster as if you take to OIL RELATED BUSINESS. Because Neptune (the planet of OIL) was very comfortable when you were born. It will not be out of place if you have filling stations as time goes by, because you are basically a GAS PERSON. Another money spinning vocation for you include writing either along your line or for film making industry; it is important you exhibit the higher quotient of creativity in your innerself. Yes your dream of becoming A Professor will come to reality. Politics is another area you are not looking at now but will surely come. Do you say why? Because Aquarius is equally political Venus that was powerfully placed when you were born is all about MONEY. Thus you have special ability to make money. And as it was at positive angle to disciplined Saturn, you are not giving to serious frivolity. One major challenge here is envy by others but you will eventually overcome. Another source of challenges is your love life which looks not totally balanced.

Basically you are a family minded person. You are equally loving and caring. But sometimes your love of freedom get better off you to the resentment of your closer partner(s).Then some other times it is other party’s fault making love-business very interesting. And unless you are more careful and determined you may marry more than once.

VIRGINIA

Commen3

dadadekola@yahoo.com

by Lawrence Akapa

40—Vanguard , TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

2013: APGA expresses optimism

Landlords move to rid Lagos Island of firecrackers

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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ANDLORDS in Lagos Island have began verification exercise of goods sold by traders and shop owners in their houses as efforts to rid the area of illegal goods and firecrackers intensifies.

This came as a result of last week’s fire incident, which erupted from a building loaded with explosives at Jankara, Ojogiwa area of Lagos Island. The fire left one person dead and 40 others injured.

The fire believed to have started from a firecracker warehouse storing fireworks spread to eight buildings in the crowded area.

Several shops were also razed in the inferno while goods running into millions of naira were also consumed.

No fewer than 10 houses that were affected by the fire were demolished by officials of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency. General Manager of the agency, Mr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the demolition became necessary to prevent further damage to lives and property, adding that the state government would carry out a test to determine fitness of the adjoining buildings and those that fail to meet the required standard would be demolished.

Children of late Mrs. Theresa Akpan at the thanksgiving service after the funeral rites at her home town, Nkwuot, Ikono Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. 2nd left is Mrs. Christiana Udoyoh of Vanguard Newspapers.

From left: Member, House of Reps, representing Agege Federal Constituency, Dr Samuel Adejare, Chairman, Agege Local Government Area, Jubreel Abdulkareem and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, chieftain, Alhaji Adisa Adaranijo during a stakeholders forum at Agege Local Council.

BUJA—ALL Progres sive Grand Alliance, APGA, has predicted that year 2013, will be as an outstanding, remarkable, peaceful and eventful New Year for party faithful and Nigerians.

In its New Year message

by National Director of Publicity, Mr. Ifeanacho Oguejiofor, the party added that the country will experience transformation and become a prosperous nation within days of the year.

Oguejiofor said: “APGA enjoins Nigerians of all walks of life, to be up and doing and work assiduously together to make 2013 a year like no other. A year which the spirit of love, justice, fairness and goodness will ultimately overcome the anguish of hatred, injustice, marginalization and oppression.

“A year in which the desire and passion to work for the common good of all Nigerians and humanity will subdue the innate urge and compulsion to work for the privileged few, who find themselves in position of power and line of authority".

Outrage in Delta community over deportation of monarch's wife

Community dissolves exco, alleges ineptitude

zAs rights group threatens to report matter to UN

T

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—NATIONAL Coordinator of Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, yesterday, described the forceful ejection of the wife of the Obi of Igbodo from the palace because she was not an indigene of the community as “inhuman,” vowing to report the matter to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

However, the Iyase of Igbodo (the Prime Minister), Dr. Joseph Unomah told Vanguard that “what Igbodo people did was proper. They went to the palace to demand one thing from the Obi. To ask him why he has been disgracing the community.

“Why should he marry a non-indigene? The last straw

that broke the camel’s back was that he (Obi) brought the said lady to the palace. So the community rose, marched to the palace and demanded her evacuation.”

Ikimi said: “The Igbodo experience would be reported to the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja and same shall form part of our periodic review report on women’s right in Nigeria.

“That custom is cruel, inhuman, absurd and repugnant to natural law, equity and good conscience. There is, therefore, the urgent need by the Federal Government based on its firm commitment to the United Nations to intensify efforts in guaranteeing women’s rights against harmful traditional practices such as that obtainable in Igbodo by enacting legislation to prohibit such harmful practices against women and also embark on enlightenment campaign to eradicate such obnoxious practices.

“In the absence of such a legisla-

tion, our women would continue to be exposed to all forms of violence such as female genital mutilation, harmful traditional prac-

tices against widows, among others, in the name of traditional customs with minimal help from human rights groups.”

LG boss tasks indigenes on cleanliness

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—CHAIRMAN, Patani Local Government Transition Committee, Delta State, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, has urged the people of the council to key into the mission and vision of the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, insisting that the governor meant well for the state.

Speaking during the council’s environmental sanitation, Ekiyor said Governor Uduaghan was committed to the general cleanliness of the entire state and making it one of the cleanest states in the country.

Represented by his Vice, Mr Ebimobowei Ekpobetebe, Ekiyor charged the people to cultivate the habit of cleaning their surroundings regularly, adding “Patani town is a gateway to Delta State and deserved to be very clean at all times.”

Enjoining the people to clear refuse occasioned by the recent ravaging flood, which wrecked havoc in the council, among others, he said “our mandate is to focus on environmental sanitation and security and Patani council is ready to carry out the directives and policy of the state government at the grassroots.”

HE people of Be nikrukru community, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, has dissolved the Chief Jeffery Ojogun-led executive of the community over alleged ineptitude, high handedness and lack of respect for traditional institutions.

The community in a letter to Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Ltd, said the dissolution became necessary to restore the glory, reputation and dignity of the community and reconnect its leadership with the people.

The letter signed by Chairman of Benikrukru Elders Council, Pa John Oghio-Okrika and seven others, said the dissolution was unanimously carried out by the community’s Elders Council at a meeting on December 26, 2012, where a vote of no confidence was passed on the Ojogun-led executive.

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Jankara market fire: Experts canvass

HIGH POINTS

strict enforcement of development control, planning laws L

Environmental experts Against this backdrop, built environment experts have called for a strict enforcement of the Lagos State Development Control and Town planning laws.

Development control is seen as a potent tool for city management because it ensures that the continual growth and management of a city make for orderliness, improved city image, health and aesthetics. It also ensures that the environmental challenges as a result of city growth are reduced to tolerable levels. In Lagos, development control requires special skills because the authorities are confronted with a myriad of problems on a daily basis. These problems can be traced size and rate of increase of these settlements and the complexities of the tasks involved. The problems range from uncontrolled change of use of property to non compliance with

•Conversion of residential properties into commercial and industrial uses should no longer be allowed •Minimum setback approved for buildings in Lagos Island should be enforced

BY JUDE NJOKU

AGOS Island is unarguably the hub of business and economic activities, not only in Lagos metropolis but also in Nigeria. The Lagos Island Business District is home to several markets, banks and other corporate institutions. In fact, if a company does not have its head office or branch network in this commercial hub, such a company is seen to be still toddling.

The quest to have a foothold in Lagos Island has therefore led to the construction of substandard buildings by Shylock developers who charge outrageous rents; illegal conversion of residential apartments into commercial and even industrial uses and noncompliance with the planning and environmental laws/ regulations governing the Island.

Only last week, fire emanating from a building which was stockpiled with fireworks and other explosives, caused unprecedented havoc at Jankara market and its adjourning neighbourhood. The spread of the fire and the attendant destruction would have been reduced if rescue operations had not been hindered because of the inability of rescue workers to get access to the site of the disaster.

•There is an urgent need to enforce the development control and town planning laws in the Island

•Lagos Island Business District... planning regulations are not obeyed space standards and approved design as well as unguided and ineffective enforcement of building regulations.

Chairman, Building Collapse Prevention Guild BCPG, Mr Kunle Awobodu regretted that in Lagos Island, buildings meant for residential accommodation are rampantly converted to commercial uses and nobody raises eyebrow. He noted that those who engage in such illegal conversions care less about the structural implications of their actions.

Awobodu who is a former

chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Building, NIOB, enjoined the relevant arms of the government to do a proper follow-up on building approvals to enable them detect whether a building is being used for the purpose it was not approved for.

He also decried the noncompliance with the development control and planning laws/regulations in Lagos Island. According to him, the required setbacks between buildings are hardly observed, hence he called on the Lagos

State Government to find a way of addressing the cramping together of houses in the Island.

“The slow pace at which Lagos State Government is treading towards the implementation of the 2010 Physical Planning, urban regeneration and building control law will be inimical to the urgency required to correct the anomalies,” he said.

Continuing, the NIOB image maker said:Lagos Island is a peculiar case, therefore the setbacks were reduced. They normally approve a group of buildings for the Island. There

appears to be a fundamental error from the Ministry of Town Planning. Adequate setbacks to prevent the spread of hazards like fire disasters should be recognised. The situation in Lagos Island gives a lot of professional concern... It poses a serious challenge to the state government. They (government) should find a way of addressing the problem”.

Another issue which is giving Awobodu food for thought is the fact nobody inspects goods before they are packed in warehouses.

“There seems to be little anybody can do about this.

Goods stored in a building are not examined and this is common in Lagos Island. People import all sorts of things and store them anyhow.

The Market Associations and the Local Government Council should be vigilant to know what the contents of these cartons are, before they are stocked,” he said.

Also reacting to this development, a former chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP, Mr. Moses Ogunleye described the enforcement of town planning laws in Lagos as very weak.

How to stay safe in the comfort of your home Safety hazards lurk around nearly any home. In most cases you can take measures to lower the risk of injury or death. Common household items present more hazards in homes with small children. Be aware of potential dangers to stay safe in the comforts of your home.

Beds: You should avoid placing babies to sleep on adult beds to prevent suffocation from soft mattresses and injuries from falling off the bed or in between the mattress and the frame.

Make sure children use bunk beds responsibly and that the top bed has a safety railing to prevent falls.

Candles

Use candles with extreme caution.

Children can move them to unsafe places or unknowingly knock them over. Place burning candles away from pets and objects that can ignite, such as curtains, newspaper, magazines and bedding.

Appliances and furniture: Large appliances and pieces of furniture, such as refrigerators, china cabinets and bookcases, have a danger of falling over onto children or adults if not properly anchored down. A disaster may occur if small children attempt to climb on unstable shelving.

Bathrooms: Wet floors and electrical objects are

common hazards lurking in bathrooms.

Use rugs and mats to prevent serious injury from slipping, and keep electrical items, such as hair dryers and radios, away from showers, tubs and sinks.

Electrical cords and outlets Replace cracked or frayed cords and electrical wires immediately, and avoid overloading outlets to prevent fire.

Watch cord placement to prevent tripping, and avoid placing cords underneath rugs. Discourage small children from pulling on cords, causing objects to fall on top of them. Use outlet covers to prevent children from sticking objects into outlets and electrocuting themselves.

46 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Minanuel Housing Estate, Abuja after demolition

Estate surveyors, others rap FCTA over Abuja demolition •As subscribers demand justice STORIES BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

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ONDEMNATIONS have continued to trail the demolition of Minanuel Housing Estate, Abuja by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA. This is coming on the heels of a plea by subscribers of the 500-unit residential estate that justice should prevail. The FCTA had embarked on the demolition of the housing estate located at Lugbe along NnamdiAzikiweInternationalAirportRoad, Abuja about four months ago over what it called illegal occupation.

Condemning the demolition of the estate which had attained 80 per cent completion, the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIIESV said the FCTA’s action wasbadconsideringthehousingchallenges facing residents of Abuja Capital Territory.

In a statement signed by NIESV’s Publicity Secretary, Otunba. Victor Ayeye, the realtors wondered why FCTA should embark on demolition of houses within the Territorywhentheonesavailablearegrossly inadequate.

“Thegovernmenthasnotmadeconscious effort in improving lots of Nigerians in the area of housing in the last 10 years, a developmentthathasmadethecityofAbuja one of the most expensive in the continent if not in the world, the land experts said.

‘And if private sector developers are intervening to breach the housing gap, one wonders why FCTA which primarily should encourageandsupportsuchinitiativewould turn around and sabotage same through reckless demolition without considering the import of the action on the low income earners. What is more puzzling is the fact that the low income earners pulled their resources together, went through necessary government agency such as the National Housing Fund, NHF to raise the funds for the houses. . ‘’Some among these helpless Nigerians had invested all their lives’ savings on this project, and why the government waited this long before the demolition beats the imagination of the Institution,” the realtors said.. Equally condemning the demolition, Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands Housing and Urban Development, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim said the recent demolitions of estates and other structures

in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT and its environs by the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA were uncalled for,.

Senator Ibrahim who said this shortly after the 2012 induction ceremony for 274 newly registeredQuantitySurveyorsand19newly practicing firms and Quantity Surveyors professional clinic on ethics and values held at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, added that the demolition exercise was unacceptable most especially now that the country is facing housing deficit.

“To me this issue of demolition is crazy. In a country where people are grappling, fighting and crying for more houses and for somebody will demolish houses that are already built, to me it is crazy. Those who are charged with the responsibilities to look after building in the FCT should not allow people to do foundation put blocks, roofing and complete the building and then you come and demolished it. Why don’t you stop them?

Senator Ibrahim observed that the justification always given by development control department of FCTA that it gives defaulters a “stop work” order which they ignore was weak argument, adding that the relevant authorities should not allow people to engage and continue with structures in the first instance and should use law enforcement agencies to halt development of perceived illegal structures, instead of allowing such structures to be completed at all.

He said, “If defaulters don’t stop work, why not bring in law enforcement team to stop them? I don’t think Nigerians are so lawless.” If you asked them to stop work and the developers still continue work, why don’t you bring in the law enforcement agencies to stop them?

Meanwhile, the subscribers Union of Minanuel Estate have decried Senator Bala Muhammed,FCTMinister’sstatementthat the court is helpless on the matter filed against him by the developer of Minanuel Estate.Thesubscribersnotedthatitispainful and extremely sad that a Minister in a Democracywhoissupposedtohaverespect for the rule of law is the one telling the court that the case against him is medicine after death, pointing out that this is deed contemptuous and an affront on the court of law and the judiciary.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 20130—47

AIG-IMOUKHUEDE:

I will never be left behind at the tarmac again

By EMMANUEL AZIKEN

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R. Aigboje Aig-Im okhuede is a quiet man whose actions speak volumes. Yesterday, the last working day of the year 2012, was epochal in some sense for him.

It was the eve of his last full year as Chief Executive Officer of an institution whose culture and character has been defined by the persona of AigImokhuede and a few friends.

In under ten years, they not only turned around an institution, but redefined the style and system of the banking industry.

On his ninth floor office at Access Bank, Mr. Aig-Imokhuede, 46 was attired in a sky blue shirt upon a pair of grey trousers apparently at peace with himself. As the Vanguard team settled in for

turned into a motivating factor for the young boy. As the pains of being stranded hit hard on him, there at the tarmac, a spirit of competition arose in him.

The young boy vowed that he would never again be left behind by a plane, and certainly not in any other competitive endeavour.

It was a spirit that has in the last thirty plus years steered him through his various landmark accomplishments notably in the banking sector that has become his playground.

Through his stints at Prime Merchant Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and then Access Bank, he survived every storm in the industry turning every one into a stepping stone.

Remarkably, for Aig-Imoukhuede and his team at Access, every upheaval has been used as a stepping stone unto greater heights. When in 2004

,

He was not just avoiding a melee on the tarmac, he was apparently going ahead of his time, plotting a first class seat for himself in his next endeavours

an interview session - his first interaction with any newspaper - Mr. Aig-Imokhuede tried to hide the costs and challenges of managing one of Nigeria’s top five banks. His motivation it emerged was a fear of not falling behind in any game or competition.

More than thirty years ago, as an eleven year old returning for holidays in Benin, in the then Bendel State, Aig-Imoukhuede was left behind at the tarmac of Kaduna airport following a melee that often trailed boarding flights of the now defunct Nigeria Airways.

It was an experience that

,

the then Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Prof. Charles Soludo, gave a one year deadline for banks to achieve the N25 billion capitalization threshold, Aig-Imoukhuede immediately saw an opportunity in what many others considered a death call.

Before the meeting ended that day inside the CBN meeting room in Abuja, Aig-Imoukhuede sent a text to his deputy and close partner in the revolution at Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe.

“The CBN Governor has made an announcement that would make our dreams come

•Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede...survived every storm in the banking industry

through,” he remembered yesterday.

His success has inevitably brought national recognition, one of which was his appointment as a member of the federal administration’s Economic Management Team and chairmanship of the Federal Government’s Committee on Subsidy Payment Verification and Reconciliation. Such exposures have unavoidably attracted hostility from vested interests bringing in its wake, security concerns for Mr. AigImoukhuede.

Given the controversies that have trailed his involvement and the central role of the bank’s chairman, Mr. Cosmas Maduka in the deal with Capital Oil’s Ifeanyi Ubah, Aig-Imoukhuede refused to be drawn into the controversy. His simple response despite all entreaties was that the work of the committee was guided by professional dictates.

The work of the committee he said, was done irrespective of personality, asserting that the documents used by the panel speak on any issue. Just two years ago, Aig-Imoukhuede and his team had successfully taken over the former Intercon-

tinental Bank, a bank which by sheer size and structures around the country was considered an octopus in the industry.

Was it by a sleight of the hand, we asked him yesterday?

It was a question he apparently had been expecting and which he never had gotten the opportunity to respond to publicly.

Interest in a bank His response was enchantingly unnerving. His bank he claimed was apparently the only bank that showed interest in a bank that even if it was big, but had seen its financial fundamentals eroded.

Aig-Imoukhuede was formally appointed Managing Director of Access Bank in 2005, after acting in that capacity for a few years. Last year at the bank’s annual general meeting, Aig-Imoukhuede gave notice of his retirement as Chief Executive Officer of the bank. That is three years before his mandatory retirement from that position.

He was not just avoiding a melee on the tarmac, he was

apparently going ahead of his time, plotting a first class seat for himself in his next endeavours. As the Vanguard team sauntered into Mr. Aig-Imokhuede’s office, the picture presented to the team was that of a man at peace with himself and his future.

A holder of the national honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON, an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, University of Benin and Nigeria Law School, Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede was last year named as the 2011 winner of the “Ernest & Young West Africa Entrepreneur of the Year”, he was also named in 2012 as among the top ten most respected CEOs in the PricewaterhouseCoopers Most Respected Companies and CEOs Survey.

Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede, a man who has led the successful turnaround of one of the major banks in the country, taken it to greater heights and in the course won recognition from far and near is the first runner up for the Vanguard Man of the Year.

See full interview tomorrow

48—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

LAST MINUTE SHOPPING —Left: Last minute shopping for the new year at the Abubakar Gunmi Market Kaduna, yesterday. Right: Ladies in last minute shopping at the Oba Itire Market, Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Olu Ajayi & Biodun Ogunleye.

2013: What Jonathan should do — Eminent Nigerians Continues from page 5 the church, Alile enjoined Nigerians, irrespective of religion or creed, to fear God and abide by the principles He had enunciated in His Holy Bible for mankind and it would be well with the nation in 2013.

Keep your promises, Martins urges Jonathan On his part, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins called on President Goodluck Jonathan to match words with action in his resolve to make Nigeria a better place in the New Year.

Martins made the appeal in his New Year message signed by the Director of Social Communications, Very Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Osu. He noted that the only way President Jonathan could prove that he is truly committed to better the lot of Nigerians in 2013 is by urgently addressing, in practical terms, the myriad of challenges confronting the nation such as insecurity, poverty, unemployment and erratic power supply, among others.

Obviously referring to the Christmas message of the President in which he asked Nigerians to expect positive transformation in 2013, Martins said that the past two years or thereabout was enough time for President Jonathan to acquaint himself with the numerous problems confronting the nation and

come out with realistic solutions, adding that Nigerians were getting tired of listening to endless promises from their leaders without corresponding actions to show for it.”

Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gun powder – Ademowo To Most Rev. Ephraim Adebola Ademowo, Nigerians are becoming increasingly worried about the rate at which the nation is being dragged into debts through borrowings by the Federal and state governments, as well as the lack of safety in our aviation industry. He therefore called on the Federal Government to pay premium attention to the happenings in the aviation sector including the institution of proper investigation of the causes of recent crashes and ensure that internationally acceptable general safety laws are put in place.

On security and power, Ademowo warned that the alarming state of insecurity in our nation is worrisome. He urged government “to do something now to arrest this horrible situation. Lots of our youths are jobless and this is very unfortunate,” adding that Nigerians can still recall the billions of naira pumped into the power sector, from the past three administrations without much to show for the huge budgetary expenses.

Infrastructure and

youth unemployment, he argued, are fast becoming time bomb waiting to explode.

“Let me make this call to our leaders that it is high time to move away from politics of promises without performance, to politics of action and service. Let all of us serve our dear nation with all sincerity. God has given to us, and thus put our nation first, let our leaders show or demonstrate their love for this nation by way of example,” Ademowo enjoined politicians.

Place national interest above others –Jonathan Meanwhile President Jonathan has called on Nigerians to place the higher interests of national unity, peace, stability and progress above all other considerations and work harder in their particular fields of human endeavour to contribute more significantly to the attainment of our collective aspirations.

In a New Year message issued in Abuja, President Jonathan reiterated the commitment of his administration to ensuring that all the programmes and projects already embarked upon in the preceding years are brought to fruition this year.

According to the president, the task of making Nigeria cannot be left to government alone, noting that leaders and followers alike have critical roles to play in our march

towards the fulfillment of our great national potentials.

The president said his administration had recorded remarkable progress in various fields and would consolidate on these achievements in the New Year.

He pointed out that ‘Our objective for the year is to ensure by all possible means that more of the programmes and projects envisioned by this administration, and which are already being embarked upon are further brought on stream within the next 12 months to meet the yearnings of our people, and raise the quality of life.

It will be year of consolidation – Mimiko Also, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has assured the people of the state that 2013 would be for consolidation on the gains of the past even as he promised to tackle unemployment and provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state.

2013 will be better than 2012 –Fashola In Lagos, Governor Babatunde Fashola said 2013 would be better than 2012 if Nigerians exercise total submission to law and order and remain vigilant in their neighbourhoods.

He stressed that every-

one must realize that security is everybody ’s business and that those who make life difficult for the rest like kidnappers, armed robbers, suicide bombers and other criminals all belong and live in the communities.

“They are not ghosts but people like you and I and so must be known by some people. It is our duty, both as individuals and as communities, to expose such people.

Their activities only benefit a few while the majority of us suffer.”

Jonathan should convene national conference —Opadokun Also speaking, former Publicity secretary of the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, Chief Ayo Opdakun, said: “My expectation under President Goodluck Jonathan is that he should develop a political will to consult broadly for the purpose of convoking a National Conference where foremost questions will be asked.

Expect more disappointments —Junaid Mohammed To fiery Northern leader, Dr Junaid Mohammed, Nigerians should not expect much from the Jonathan administration in 2013 because of a series of broken promises.

His words: “My expectation from this Jonathan

government is disappointments upon disappointments because there is hardly anything they promise at the beginning of their term that they have achieved. In the first place, President Jonathan is not a presidential material, so Nigerians should not actually expect anything extraordinary from him."

Nigerians should resort to prayer — Balarabe Musa To wriggle out of the socio-economic quagmire, in 2013, former old Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, enjoined Nigerians to be more prayerful.

“I am not expecting anything good from a government that has appeared incapable of addressing the state of the nation. This is a government that cannot cope, so I am not expecting anything from them. As it is now, Nigerians should rather keep praying for the nation in 2013 because the government cannot do anything. People should resort to prayer,” he said.

We need disciplined governance – Fasehun Founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Dr Frederick Fasehun canvassed disciplined governance at all levels, saying: “Those who are in the position of authority should carry out their duties along the popular expectations of the nation."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013—49

2013: Year of mobile medicine

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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• What is the outlook for health in 2013?

APPY New Year! Welcome to the year of medical technology.

Considering the significant medical milestones of the outgone year, pointers as to what to expect this year are quite definite, so it’s no surprise the brand new year is already being so accalimed In retrospect, the medical world never had it so good in mobile medical technology as was witnessed in 2012, for that was the year some of the most astounding and accomplished advancements ever, in mobile medicine, mobile health technology and e-Health were recorded.

Today, smartphones are minature miracles in medical diagnosis and treatment. With the growing number of medical and healthcare applications (apps) within reach, smartphones are providing a big boost in care.

Year 2012 has just ended and with the brand new 2013 just a few hours old, Good Health Weekly has compiled a list of innovative medical and healthcare apps that could truly represent the future of mobile medicine.

In the coming weeks, these apps will be critically assessed in terms of benfits and advantages. These are apps that are expected to inspire developers and other healthcare providers to think outside the box when developing their own medical apps. Most of these apps, have been reviewed by iMedicalApps while others are in the process of being reviewed and have not been published yet. They are all downloadable free of charge online.

There are apps in different genres such as patient education, medical imaging, clinical reference, bedside mobile tools, etc. and others identified as “game” changers for the field.

All these only serve as insight again, be considered the best into what 2013 holds in store If place to be when one falls ill. you don’t yet own a It goes without saying that smartphone, you are strongly Nigerians have a right to urged to procure one in order expect the best from the health no to miss out. However, if you industry this year. Surely, do own a iPhone, iPad, that's not asking for too much? Android or BlackBerry It’s a new year, but the smartphone, get ready for the time of your life! expectations are old.

New year, old expectations in healthcare

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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T’S a new year, and at times like this, health is always a big issue for a developing country such as Nigeria.

Admitting that trouble exists in Nigeria's house of health would be a big step in the right direction.

This year, a significant and decisive shift is desired. One expects prioritisation of health.

With a health sector that is already in crisis, top on the list of expectations in 2013, is declaration of an emergency in key areas such as maternal health, as well as child and infant survival.

As long as Nigerian women and children continue to die of preventable and treatable causes, the nation will not progress. It will not develop, It will not grow.

Hence issues of maternal and infant/child mortality should be more aggressively tackled even if the nation may not attain the Millennium development Goals, MDGs, 4 & 5 by 2015.

There must be more realistic allocation of resources (minimum of 15 percent of the national budget) and better execution of health projects.

Comatose initiatives such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS must be repackaged and made more meaningful. The nearcomatose Primary Health Care system should be revived.

One expects a unified and more coordinated health sector that has the patient as its primary focus.

One expects to see less emphasis on age-long issues that punctuate the sector with health workers’ strikes, unrest and general crisis.

Healthcare delivery is teamwork so one expects to see doctors, pharmacists, nurses, laboratory scientists and other stakeholders mend fences and work as a team. One expects to go to the hospital and obtain the desired attention and care.

One expects that India will become less like the promised land for Nigerians seeking reliable healthcare, even

though, quite often, the solution is not even there.One expects to go to the healthfacility and not wait an eternity to be attended to by the doctor. a real struggle to get your doctor to properly listen to your concerns.

It is the hope of many this year, that the hospital will, once

Wood could replace bone implants

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HIS year, wood could replace bone as orthopaedic implants. The technology could exploit the hierarchical physical structure of rattan wood to render it useful as a scaffold, thus creating a synthetic material to replace damaged and lost bone.

An additional benefit is that such a material could be loadbearing, a factor that has precluded the use of earlier biomimetic materials.

However, the processing of raw wood to remove chemical components, which are incompatible with implants for humans, is long and complex.

But the professors believe the

benefits of producing a material, which is similar to bone, far outweigh such issues.

The process of turning wood into implants involves heat treatment of the wood to remove cellulose, lignin and other plant materials. This leaves behind a carbon skeleton that can be infiltrated and reacted with calcium, oxygen and phosphate to make a porous material, which in turn can chemically and mechanically mimic bone.

In concluding, the research team say that unlike metal alloys, ceramics and even

donor bone, their patented material is low cost, has very good biomechanics and is biocompatible. It can also be integrated into existing bone, thus properly assisting bone regeneration.

• Wood implant

50—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Impending drug price hike:

Community pharmacists send SOS to President Jonathan

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• (L-R): Dr. Emmanuel Enabulele,, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Health Writers Association of Nigeria, HEWAN, with Dr. Pamela Ajayi, Managing Director, PathCare Laboratories Nigeria and Mr. Azoma Chikwe, President, HEWAN at the HEWAN 2012 Symposium held at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. LUTH, Idi- Araba, Lagos recently.

• Nordica quadruplets marked one year recently in Lagos.

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

HARMACISTS under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, have passionately appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to wade into the impending hike in the prices of pharmaceutical drug products, likely to envelope the country as from tomorrow, January 2, 2013.

In the appeal, sent through the Secretary to the Government, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, National Chairman of the ACPN, Pharm. Olufemi Adebayo, said the Association was compelled to appeal for Presidential intervention, in order to save Nigerians the agony of contending with skyrocketing drug prices in Nigeria in 2013.

"The ACPN believes that government should promote policies that would encourage accessibility, availability and efficacious drugs in line with the National Drug Policy 2005. As partners and major stakeholders we posit that any factor that needlessly raises cost of production of drugs, jeopardises the spirit of the National Drug Policy which is not in public interest," Olufemi stated.

He said as part of its anti-counterfeiting measures, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, gave a compelling directive that importers/manufacturers of all anti-malarial drugs must put the SMS authentication sticker on packs of their brands as from January 2, 2013.

“This same directive has been extended to importers/ manufacturers of antibiotics with effect from March, 2013. To comply with this directive, the importers/manufacturers will have to, collectively, spend a minimum of N20-25 billion.

“This conservative estimate does not include the $7,500 infrastructure set up cost which is being demanded by Sproxil Limited, the Mobile Authentication Service, MAS, provider and a company promoted by a Ghanaian entrepreneur.”

Olufemi asserted that the ACPN is praying the Federal Government to investigate allegations of sponsorship and promotion of the MAS provider by a Ghanaian and why Nigerian entrepreneurs should part with up to N25 billion annually.

"If NAFDAC must implement the MAS, then we will advocate voluntary compliance through the current gradual optional adoption process. With time, the value (or otherwise) of the MAS will be apparent for all to see.

“As partners and major stakeholders we posit that any factor that needlessly raises cost of production of drugs, jeopardises the spirit of the National Drug Policy which is not in public interest,” Olufemi said.

Health expert warns:

Any food eaten after 8PM is poison ...As 4th Allure Vanguard WOW seminar holds

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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ARTICIPANTS at the 4th Allure Vanguard Women on Wellness, WOW, seminar, got a shocker recently when they learned that foods eaten after 8.00 PM, were essentially poisonous to their body systems.

But the Guest speaker at the seminar, erudite Professor of Anatomy and Reproductive Endocrinologist, Dr Oladapo Ashiru, who dropped the bombshell counselled Nigerians and everyone in general, to endeavour to eat their meals well before 8.00 pm in order to maintain good health and avoid undue strain and stress to their digestive systems.

“Any food eaten after 8.00PM is poison as the intestine shuts down after 8.00 PM. You should try to eat before 8.00 PM to avoid accumulation of undigested foods that are harmful to the organs,” Ashiru noted.

During the event which held at the Pearl Crown Hotel, Parkview, Ikoyi, Lagos, Ashiru, in his presentation entitled

“Defying Age”, observed that the ideal way to go was to eat slowly, chew well and drink water 30 minutes to one hour after meals to allow the food be digested in its real state as water dilutes the nutrients.

“People often violate the rules of the body when they do not follow the law of nature.

While it is natural that foods eaten should not go into the digestive system, swallowing our foods straight without chewing deprives the food from being broken down.

“Too much food and undigested food, lead to fermentation and subsequently, decay which eventually leads to other problems as undigested foods poison the body and it shows in the skin. Advocating that “we must only supply the body what it can take”, he noted that the intestine is the root system of the human body that is responsible for the most common cause of systemic damage.

Listing factors responsible for promotion of ill health and aging, he mentioned food intake, environmental factor such as diesel,

gasoline, automobile fumes and radiators as well as air pollution often caused by refineries, industries, waste.

As a factor that causes aging, Ashiru singled out bad eating habit and food incompatibility as knotty problems.

He frowned at the adoption of foreign lifestyle and penchant for foreign foods.

He discouraged the mode of preparation and manner of serving of food at public parties, describing the trend as unhygienic..

Calling for introduction of food regulators, Ashiru highlighed the Mayr method which he said proves that by fasting, known as modern Mayr medicine, diagnosis can be made as most illnesses are traceable to the intestine.

He advocated for a Mayr therapy-a therapy that entails a re orientation of eating habits and lifestyle.

“To cleanse the system, a manual abdominal treatment can be carried out to cleans the intestine, blood and fluid and consequently reduces pain, he said, while

• Professor Oladapo Ashiru proposing that everyone should do an ASYRA test, do a 3-10 day detox procedure or intestinal cleansing. “These along with removal of environmental poisons will help regenerate and renew life,” he argued.

Editor, Allure Vanguard, Mrs. Remi DiagbareP said essence of the seminar was to enable participants make healthy lifestyle choices.”We are often so wrapped up in fashion and style that we forget that lifestyle is an important part of wellbeing.

So we need to promote healthy lifestyle and that is what we are doing,” .

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 — 51

Wheelchair lets its user stand up STORIES BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

push of a button.

As a bonus, this device has in-built sensors that monitor HERE is better lease of life for persons vital signs such as blood pressure and respiration of its user. confined to the wheelchair in 2013, The i-Transport looks and functions similar to the Tek RMD thanks to a team at the National Cheng that also features a drive-in design for easy transfer to and Kung University in Taiwan.

They have developed a battery- from a bed or chair.

A release from the University said i-Transport utilises Altera powered, joystick-controlled wheelchair FPGA - a newly developed intelligent control chip with a called i-Transport that enables a person to multi-core processor for developing software and hardware stand up while still “seated” on a design of the cart’s control systems. wheelchair. All that is required to transit The control system includes the robotic arm, the electricfrom a sitting to a standing position is a driven vehicle wheel, and the operator control panel, whereas the control and drive system includes direct current motors for robotic arms, rim motor drives, operator control panel interface circuit and the FPGA-based intelligent control chip.

The FPGA chip serves as the core component of the system.. A warning mechanism is in-built for a set of physiological signals which can be quantified into physiological parameters in order to compare theoretical values and clinical data within the computer programmme.

• Bumbo Baby Seat: Fall hazard potential.

T

Safety alert on Bumbo Baby Seat L OOK around your home. Did you recently purchase or have always owned a product called “Bumbo Baby Seat”? If you do, you need to read this!

Nursing mothers, baby care centres, schools, hospitals and other consumers are being urged to be on the alert about the potential safety hazard linked to this product.

In a voluntary recall of batches of the faulty seats for repair or replacement , the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC,in cooperation with the manufacturer, Bumbo International Trust of South Africa, warn about the hazard associated with the seat of enabling babies to maneuver out of or fall from the seat, when placed on a raised surface - posing a risk of serious injuries.

The recall was first announced five years ago in the United States of America but it is believed some of the faulty seats are still in use in other oarts of the world. About four million units of the seats were recalled to provide additional warnings against use on raised surfaces.

At least 50 incidents had been reported after the 2007 voluntary recall in which babies fell from a Bumbo seat while it was being used on a raised surface.

Nineteen of the incidents included reports of skull fractures.

An additional 34 post-recall reports were recorded of infants falling or maneuvering out of a Bumbo seat used

on the floor or at an unknown elevation, resulting in injury.

Two of these incidents involved reports of skull fractures, while others reported bumps, bruises and other minor injuries. The bottom of the Bumbo seat is round and flat and constructed of a single piece of moulded foam and comes in various colours. The seat has • i-Transport “standing” wheelchair leg holes and the seat back wraps completely around the child.

On the front of the seat in raised lettering is the word "Bumbo" with the image of an elephant on top. Bottom of the seat has: "Manufactured by Bumbo South Africa Material: Polyurethane TATINS, a class of drugs best known World Patent No. PCT: ZA/1999/00030." for their ability to lower cholesterol, Back of the seat has several warnings could be the key to treatment of cerebral and seats manufactured since 2008 have malaria. additional label on the front of the seat Researchers recently discovered that warning against use on raised surfaces. addition of a widely used statin called Consumers are to immediately stop using lovastatin this drug to traditional the product until they order and install antimalarial treatment, prevented a free repair kit, which includes: a cognitive dysfunction in mice infected restraint belt with a warning label, installation instructions, safe use instructions and a new warning sticker that explains that the belt should always be used when a child is placed in the seat.

Even with the belt, the seat should never be used on any raised surface.

Further information is available at www.BumboUSA.com.

Anti-cholesterol drug stops cerebral malaria

S

Agbe-Davies seeks more enlightenment on HIV & AIDS

BY LAJA THOMAS

F

ORMER Permanent Secretary Lagos State Ministry of Health, and an expert in family health, Dr. Adetoun Agbe-Davies has called for more education, communication and awareness of HIV and AIDS to help in educating people about its prevention and management.

Speaking recently at the Rotary Club of Ikoyi lecture on “Stop the Spread of HIV / AIDS Now: Getting To Zero”,

Agbe-Davies said ignorance was a major hindrance to HIV control and prevention.

She said it is important for people to adhere to preventive measures including the old ABC - Abstinence, Be faithful to your partner and use a Condom if you must have casual sex.” She however emphasised that the greatest preventive measure is to remain faithful to one partner.

Agbe-Davies, who is presently the Chairman Lagos State Blood Transfu-

sion Committee and also a member of the Rotary Club of Ikoyi further said having the virus is not the end of the world even though no known cure or vaccine has been discovered, but it is vital for those infected to maintain a healthy lifestyle by using their antiretroviral drugs effectively, eatig well and living a healthy life style, which can make them live as long aspossible before the cure comes, as scientists are continuously working to find a lasting cure to the virus.

with cerebral malaria.

Addition of lovastatin decreased white blood cell accumulation and leakiness in blood vessels in the brain. Lovastatin also reduced production of damaging oxygen-containing molecules and other factors that promote inflammation. The new findings indicate that statins are worthy of consideration in clinical trials of cerebral malaria, according to an article in PLOS Pathogens.

Dr. Guy Zimmerman Associate Chair for research in the Department of Medicine at the University of Utah and senior co-author on the study says the molecular mechanisms that give rise to cerebral malaria and subsequent cognitive dysfunction are not yet known.

“Our findings are exciting because the clinical implications extend beyond cerebral malaria to other severe systemic inflammatory syndromes complicated by brain involvement,” says Zimmerman.

“We believe our observations are the first experimental evidence to support the possibility of using statins to reduce cognitive impairment in critically ill patients.”

Malaria is one of the leading infectious diseases worldwide. Cerebral malaria is a severe, potentially fatal neurologic complication of infection by Plasmodium falciparum.

At least 500,000 children develop cerebral malaria each year in sub-Saharan Africa, and persistent cognitive dysfunction in survivors is a major public health concern and a significant socioeconomic burden.

52 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

JANUARY 1, 20123

Fiscal cliff: Congress edges toward deal — Obama held “good” talks late into Sunday evening, a spokesman for Mr McConnell said The party previously only wanted tax rate

U

S politicians seeking a deal to avoid steep tax rises and spending cuts known as the “fiscal cliff ” were edging towards agreement, reports have said.

Democrats were said to have offered to extend tax cuts on couples earning up to $450,000 (£277,000). But divisions remain over spending cuts.

President Barack Obama was expected to speak at 13:30 (18:30 GMT), but is not expected to announce a deal.

Failure to reach agreement today could push the US back into recession.

Any deal needs to pass

U President Obama the 100-member Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, before heading to the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold the majority.

The American system

E

relies on human goodwill - that men and women can and will work together in their country’s interests” Mitch McConnell, leader of the the Senate’s Republican minority, and Vice-President Joe Biden

•Morsi Monday, last trading at 6.37 to the dollar on the interbank market.

The drop means the central bank has allowed the pound to slide by almost 3 percent over the

last two days after limiting its decline to only 6 percent since the uprising that removed Mubarak from power almost two years ago.

The pound’s fall, which is certain to increase the price of imported staples such as tea and sugar, underlines the economic crisis facing President Mohamed Mursi as his administration tries to contain the political fallout of his move to fast-track a contentious new constitution passed into law last week.

S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is under observation in a New York hospital after being admitted suffering from a blood clot.

Mrs Clinton suffered a concussion earlier this month after fainting and falling down.

She is being treated with anti-clotting drugs and will remain in hospital for at least 48 hours, her spokesman said.

Mrs Clinton, 65, is due to stand down before President Barack Obama formally begins his second term in January.

At the time of her faint, she was reported to have had a stomach virus and to have passed out after

LITE Syrian government troops backed by tanks yesterday battled to recapture a strategic Damascus suburb from rebels who have advanced within striking distance of the center of Syria’s capital.

Five people, including a child, died from army rocket fire that hit the Daraya suburb during the fighting, opposition activists said. Daraya is part of a semi-circle of Sunni Muslim suburbs south of the capital that have been at the forefront of the 21-month-old revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.

“This is the biggest attack on Daraya in two months. An armored column is trying to advance but it is being

held (back) by the Free Syrian Army,” said Abu Kinan, an opposition activist in the area, referring to a rebel group.

Clashes were also reported near the airport in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, which is in the north.

Insurgents have made that airport a target in the hope of limiting government access to Aleppo, which is largely under rebel control.

Rebels have taken much of the north and east of Syria over the past six months, but government forces still hold most of the densely populated southwest around the capital, the main northsouth highway and the Mediterranean coast.

Government forces scored a victory on

Saturday, pushing rebels out of Deir Baalbeh, a district in Homs, an important central city that straddles the highway linking Damascus with the north and the Mediterranean.

Hilary Clinton becoming dehydrated.

Doctors discovered the clot during a follow-up examination on Sunday, her spokesman Philippe Reines said.

“She is being treated with anti-coagulants and is at New YorkPresbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours,” he said.

BY VICTORIA OJEME

T

HE number of Nigerians that were issued travel visas to India in 2012, has been put at 40,000, 16% higher than what was recorded in

Some opposition activists have said scores or even hundreds of people were executed in Deir Baalbeh by troops that seized it after several days of fighting. However, reports of killings there on a large scale could not be

relations made available in Abuja by the Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev, over $4billion was invested in various projects in the country.

Ambassador Sachdev disclosed that, visa application from the business sector as well as student population rose significantly, under the People–to–People contact during the year under review.

The Indian Envoy stated that“The People-toPeople contacts grew and

CAR crisis: Rebels snub Bozize’s offer

R

EBELS in Central African Republic have dismissed the president’s offer to form a national unity government.

“We don’t believe in Bozize’s promises,” rebel spokesman Eric Massi told the BBC. He accused the security forces of attacking members of ethnic groups seen as rebel sympathisers, the

“They will determine if any further action is required.”

Clinton is due to give evidence before a Congressional committee in January in connection with the attack in September on the US consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

The US ambassador to Libya and three American officials were killed in the incident.

Mrs Clinton was appointed secretary of state at the start of Mr Obama’s first term, in January 2009.

Her most recent foreign trip was to Dublin earlier this month.

40,000 Nigerians visited India in 2012 2011. According to we expect to end 2012 with — Envoy highlights of Indo-Nigeria

Assad’s forces battle to retake Damascus suburb

E

increasingly desperate horse trading and public pronouncements, the “contours” of a deal were said to be emerging just hours before the midnight deadline.

Clinton in hospital for blood clot ailment

Morsi foresees currency stability GYPT’s pound fell to a record low yesterday as the president signaled his government would allow it to depreciate slowly for several more days to stop a drain on foreign reserves that has driven the economy into crisis since the fall of Hosni Mubarak.

Hit by a new bout of political turmoil in the last month, the pound had weakened to a record low on Sunday at a new dollar auction brought in by the central bank. It fell further at a second auction on

extensions for earnings under $200,000 (£123,000) for individuals and $250,000 (£154,000) for couples.

But after weeks of

government has previously denied such claims.

The rebels have seized several towns as they advance on the capital, Bangui, in recent weeks.

Mr Massi, speaking by telephone from Gabon, said that African peacekeepers must be deployed to protect northerners living in Bangui.

“If they don’t do that, we

will protect them ourselves,” he said.

He accused the authorities of handing out machetes and kalashnikov rifles to civilians and said more than 400 people had disappeared in recent weeks.

Government troops have pulled back to Damara, 75km (48 miles) from the capital, in the face of the rebel advance.

around 40,000 visas, up 16% over 2011. Business and Student segments grew even faster, showing that these ties are taking off. Medical tourism, too, grew albeit at a slower pace” “ Among the prominent visitors to India during the year were: Former Nigerian President HE Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, Ministers (for instance, from Nigeria: Works, S&T, Interior, and MOS(Defence)” he added.

Ambassador Sachdev stated further that Foreign Direct Investment from India amounted to over $4billion, under new bilateral projects and initiatives, namely, “Nagarjuna fertilizers ($2.4 bn), Indorama ($ 2.0 bn) and a Primary Alcohol Plant ($120 mn) in Ogun state.

He noted the decline in trade between Nigeria and India, “ largely due to lower Indian lifting of Nigerian crude. Indian exports to Nigeria grew by over 9%, Nigeria, nevertheless, still has a hefty trade surplus.

Vanguard,TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 — 53

C M Y K

54 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

JANUARY 1, 2013

END OF THE YEAR REVIEW NVBF decries low sponsorships in 2012 T

HE Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) on Monday decried the shortcomings experienced in the federation in 2012, saying it was due to lack of sponsors for its programmes.

The Vice President of the federation, Ebenezer Morakinyo, said “An assessment of 2012 for the federation may consider it as a dwindling year, filled with many challenges.

“The major events that will improve the lot of our volleyball players in Nigeria were not enough to keep the athletes seriously busy. “Getting corporate sponsorship was a big challenge for the sport as some scheduled competitions had to be put off.

“This did not really help the sport as our main objective is basically to grow the game in Nigeria to world standard,” Morakinyo said. The year, according to Morakinyo, however, took a turn around with the appointment of a Brazillian coach, Augusto Sebastian, to train the male and female national teams.

“There was also the distribution of N25 million worth of volleyball equipment like balls and nets to randomly selected 20 secondary schools nationwide in July. “The distribution by the NVBF, in conjunction with the International Volleyball Federation, was to promote the passion for vol-

leyball at the grassroots,” Morakinyo added. In his projections for 2013, he said that getting corporate sponsors to fund competitions and the rebuilding of the national teams were the federation’s major priorities.

“The federation’s major interest in 2013 is to sharpen the knowledge of the game in Nigeria by organising coaching programmes for coaches, including those in the schools,” he said. The vice president, however, noted that the SouthSouth Challenge, the Junior Championships and the Chief of Staff Naval Open, were held this year and would be continued.

Bolt’s AIPS athlete of the year

T

RIPLE Olympic champion Usain Bolt, the 2012 World Athlete of the Year, has been named the best athlete of 2012 by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS).

In a poll of 450 sports

•Bolt

journalists from 100 countries, Bolt was the overwhelming winner, amassing more than a third of all votes to beat US swimmer Michael Phelps and tennis star Novak Djokovic.

At this year’s Olympic Games in London, Bolt became the first athlete in history to win backto-back titles in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. His winning time of 9.63 in the 100m was an Olympic record and the second-fastest time in history, while his 19.32 in the 200m was a world-leading time. He joined with his Jamaican team-mates to smash the world record in the 4x100m, running 36.84.

The AIPS women’s honour went to US tennis

star Serena Williams with 15.8% of the votes, narrowly finishing ahead of Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis (13.6%) and Olympic 200m champion Allyson Felix (13.2%).

Sharapova savours banner year M

Squash: We have done well for 2012, says Sanni

H

EAD Coach of the Lagos State Squash Association (LSSA), Wasiu Sanni has described the outgoing year as a success for squash.

Sanni in his apprais-

C M Y K

al said that the sport recorded tremendous improvements, compared to previous years. The LSSA boss went on to say that 2013 would be a better year, based on plans that were being worked on.

COUNTER AT TACK •••A scene from a volleyball match between Niger State [blue], and Kaduna State [black] during the recently concluded 18th National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012 held at Tesilm Balogun Volleyball Court Surulere, Lagos. PHOTO; Kehinde Gbadamosi

•Sharapova

ARIA Sharapova said 2012 had been the most memorable year of her career after her victory at the French Open and carrying Russia’s flag at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics.

“A lot of things came together,” she said in Brisbane on Monday. “It was the grand slam that was going to take a little bit longer than the others for me.

“I knew that physically I needed a few extra years to get stronger to move more efficiently on that surface,” she said of her win on the French clay.

“The Olympic experience was one that I’ll never forget because it

was my first time being an Olympian. I was the first Russian female athlete to carry the flag for my country, so it was very emotional. It was such an incredible experience.”

Sharapova, competing in this week’s Brisbane International tournament, said there was more depth in women’s tennis than at any stage of her 12-year career.

“It’s much more physical than it has been,” she said.

“Maybe five years ago you go into a tournament and you would treat the first couple of rounds as, you know, not as a warmup, but you don’t have to go into the first round thinking, okay, this is where I really have to

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 — 55

regrets playing for Nigeria 2013 AFCON: Nigerian community No — Victor Moses mobilise suppor or Eagles supportt ffor C HELSEA forward, Victor Moses has said that he does not have any regrets playing for Nigeria. The striker who joined the London side from Wigan this season noted he made the right choice to play for Nigeria when there was also an opportunity to wear the shirts of England Moses who has become an integral part of the Super Eagles side currently preparing for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations revealed that he

M

EMBERS of the N i g e r i a n community in South Africa have started mobilising to support the Super Eagles during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The event has been scheduled to run from Jan. 19 to Feb. 10, 2013.

Frank Anagu, leader of the Nigerian community in South Africa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Johannesburg on Monday that 200 tickets for each of the matches had been purchased for distribution to Nigerians, to watch the Eagles’ group games.

Anagu said Nigerians living in South Africa and Mozambique were being mobilised to support the National team. “We have done a lot of mobilisation through the various Nigerian unions in South Africa and Mozambique for them to come out in their large numbers to support the team. “The Nigeria union has making arrangements to rent 46-seater busses to take us to Nelspruit, apart from individuals that will be travelling to watch Nigerian matches.

“Our plan is to travel a day before any of our matches, to have a ‘one on one’ encounter with our National team, to motivate and support them,” Anagu said.

Mikel Ogenyi Onazi, Kenneth Omeruo, Azubuike Egwueke (behind) and Ahmed Musa cool off during Saturday’s Super Eagles training session in Faro, Portugal

I’ll sacrifice e ything ffor or evv er erything Nigeria — Ambrose C ELTIC defender Efe Ambrose has said he would not bother if he loses his first team shirt on return from the Africa Cup of Nations, as he is determined to play for Nigeria at the competition in South Africa.

Ambrose knows that if the club did put the squeeze on him he would be in a tricky

Maigari confident of a better 2013

P

RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari on Monday reflected on a sweet Year 2012 for Nigeria football, while expressing confidence that the new year (2013) will be even greater “The year 2012 was a happy one for

•Maigari

has enjoyed every moment of his stay with the Nigerian National Team.

“Yes the opportunity beckoned on me to play for England, but I chose Nigeria because it has always been my ambition to play for the Super Eagles,” Moses told Goal.com.

“I don’t regret turning out in the colours of Super Eagles. I love Nigeria and I was prepared to come and play for the Nation.

Nigeria football, but I have conviction that the year 2013 would be even better. We are looking forward to great performances in a number of tournaments, and qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup among other objectives.

The NFF supremo was elated by an outgoing year in which the Super Eagles qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations, the Flying Eagles qualified for the African Youth Championship Algeria 2013 and; the Golden Eaglets are in the finals of the 2013 African U-17 Championship to be hosted by Morocco.

position.

“If the club says I can’t go, then I can’t go. It all depends on what they say.

“I believe the manager has his own opinion. If they say I can’t go, I don’t have any option.

But I believe they will come to the right choice for me.

I won’t be worried about losing my place. If that is the challenge I have to face when I come back, I will face it.

I will just have to fight

•Ambrose my way back into the team.

“That will give me more edge and more drive to play my way back in.”

Keshi Continues from B/P Martins was one of the top stars left out by Nigeria in the preliminary list for a pre-Africa Cup of Nations training camp in Portugal.

England-based defender Danny Shittu has opted out of the squad and there are still doubts over the availability of Newcastle United striker, Shola Ameobi.

“There is no word from Ameobi yet and Keshi has said he cannot force any player to feature for

the country. But he is still waiting to hear from Ameobi on his position and then he will take it from there,” said Alaiya.

Meanwhile, 20 players are already in Faro – nine overseas-based pros and 11 from the Nigeria Premier League. Turkey-based striker Uche Kalu was the last arrival.

Camp sources say USbased striker Bright Dike has been terrific in training as battle for places in the final AFCON squad has stepped up.

Continues from B/P for the camp immediately after the game together with Victor Moses,” he informed Mikel is poised for his fourth AFCON after he made his debut at the 2006 tournament in Egypt.

Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez had wanted to have his Nigeria stars till at least January 9 for the Capital One Cup semifinal against Swansea City.

“The tournament starts on the 19th (January), so

they will go one or two weeks before. Maybe we can manage to keep them a little bit longer.

“We will talk with them.

They know sometimes the players do not need to go early. But at least one week before the 19th, they have to be there,”said the Blues interim manager.

He hinged his argument on the FIFA statues that mandates clubs to release their players two weeks to the a tournament in which the players’ country are participating.

Super Eagles Continues from B/P about 7:15pm today, which will be 8:15pm Nigerian time.

Tomorrow ’s match against Catalonia that is managed by Dutch legend Johann Cryuff will be played at the home of La Liga side, Espanyol and the time of the game is 9:00pm Nigerian time.

The Eagles will file out in the friendly with either Chigozie Agbim or Daniel Akpeyi in goal as none of the team’s foreign-based goalkeepers is in Portugal yet.

Meanwhile, Celtic of Scotland playmaker, Rabiu Ibrahim is expected to link up with the rest of the Nigerian set up when the team arrives Spain today.

Ibrahim, was expected to have arrived earlier

but was advised to join the team in Catalunya in Spain instead of coming to Faro, Portugal, where the team is presently camped. That means, Ibrahim and hitman, Ikechukwu Uche will be the last two players that will join up with the Eagles before the game on January 2.

Earlier indications that midfield anchor, Nosa Igiebor will join the team may also have evaporated as the technical crew of the team were still awaiting words from the bowlegged player up till later Monday afternoon.

“We are still waiting words from Nosa at the moment, so we cannot say he will be in Catalunya or Faro for the game”, Team Secretary, Dayo Enebi Achor said.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Cape V erde tto o pla Verde playy Nigeria Jan 9

C

APE Verde’s preparations for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations will see them face Nigeria in an international friendly.

The AFCON

debutants, who are in Group A alongside hosts South Africa, Morocco and Angola, face the Super Eagles in a warmup game on January 9 in Faro, Portugal.

T

in Faro, Portugal for the past one week will jet out to Catalunya from Faro at 5am, Portuguese time(6am Nigerian time).

The team will train at

The Blue Sharks’ last official match was a 1-0 loss to Ghana in Lisbon in November.

Super Eagles land in Catalunya HE Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles will tomorrow take on Catalonia as part of its pre-Afcon 2013 training programme. The team which has been camping

Keshi slams door on Martins, others Continues on Page 55

•Keshi

Keshi slams door on Mar tins, other s Martins, others S

ON A MISSION: Super Eagles players arrive for an international assignment.

Tomorrow they will be facing one of their stiffest tests before the 2013 Afcon in South Africa as they take on Catalonia in a tune-up match.

PAIN-BASED striker Obafemi Martins will not get a late recall to the Eagles, contrary to speculations in the media.

“Coach Stephen Keshi

Mik el confirms Jan 5 arriv al in F aro Mikel arrival Faro M

IKEL Obi has confirmed he would report at the Nigeria AFCON training camp in Faro, Portugal, on January 5.

The Chelsea midfielder also played down a knock on his knee in an English Premier League game against Norwich City,

•Mikel TODAY'S

PUZZLE

saying he is fully fit even though he was not listed for Sunday’s clash at Everton.

Mikel told MTNFootball.com that he would leave for Faro, Portugal, along with club mate Victor Moses immediately after an FA Cup game against Southampton.

YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

“I have two more games to play for Chelsea before I will resume at the Nations Cup training camp in Faro, that would be the league game against Continues QPR and an on FAPage Cup 55 tie against Southampton on January 5. I will leave Continues on Page 55

ACROSS 2 Chasm (5) 7 Cool (5) 8 Turret (5) 10 Ship (5) 12 Nothing (3) 13 Wooden shoe (5) 15 Atomic pile (7) 17 Dress (6) 19 Era (3) 20 Blow up (7) 23 Worry (4) 25 Test (4) 26 Hermit (7) 30 Also (3) 31 Result (6) 34 Playhouse (7) 37 Foal (5) 38 Tavern (3) 39 Follow (5) 40 Invest (5) 41 Nose (5) 42 Printed (5)

has made it clear that he will not call up any new player as he has enough options to choose from for the Nations Cup,” disclosed Eagles spokesman Ben Alaiya from the team’s training camp in Faro, Portugal.

Levante striker martins

Continues on Page 55

2013 AFCON: Nigerian community mobilise support for Eagles — P.55

•Martins

DOWN 1 Reef (5) 2 Distribute (5) 3 Gay (6) 4 Prophet (4) 5 Grant (7) 6 Criminal (5) 9 Intelligence (3) 11 Understand (7) 13 Jeer (5) 14 Pugilist (5) 16 Previously (3) 18 Search (7) 21 Banish (5) 22 Friendship (5) 24 Lockjaw (7) 27 Cradle (3) 28 Gush (6) 29 Crevice (5) 32 Demon (5) 33 Strike (5) 35 Finish (3) 36 Jealousy (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Added 7, Spur 8, Unduly 9, Moose 11, Sea 13, Mar 15, Lend 16, Sad 18, Wake 19, Empower 20, Vain 22, Dial 23, Quarrel 25, Shut 27, Kin 28, Cast 30, Hue 31, Lay 33, Aloof 36, Skewer 37, Lock 38, Tarry.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Spree 2, Arm 3, Duo 4, Due 5, Odd 6, Bleak 10, Slap 11, Slavish 12, Antique 13, Marital 14, Reality 16, Smirk 17, Doyen 18, Wed 21, Nut 24, Rill 26, Husky 29, Sauce 32, Own 34, Oar 35, Fly.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.