ABDUCTED GIRLS: Outrage, protests spread by Vanguard Media Limited

...towards a better life for the people

VOL. 25: NO. 62134

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

MAY DAY: Southern delegates Labour leaders fight back, say 13% lament state of insecurity, too small 57 poverty 9

DERIVATION:

BOOK SERIAL

After losing the battle for the soul of Western Region to Awolowo and AG, Zik opted to go to the Central Legislature, nonetheless, via Wester n Region. He wrote Awolowo seeking AG-NCNC collaboration to frustrate colonial administration at the centre. What was Awo’s response and why? See pages 40 and 41.

Outrage, protests spread

ABDUCTED GIRLS:

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, HENRY UMORU, IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI & JOSEPH ERUNKE

•Started in Lagos, spread to Abuja, Kano •Mark leads 21 senators to Jonathan •PDP women want names of abducted girls released

BUJA—NA TIONAL protests which started in Lagos last week over inability of security agents to secure release of 234 female students abducted in Borno by Boko Haram terrorists

Continues on page 5

COLUMNISTS:

Confab 2014: The Diaspora vote debate •P.17

"Domesticating" of Fulani nomads •P.19

Between our locomotive and their train •P.19

Mr & Mrs

ABDUCTION PROTESTS—Top from left: Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Senate President, David Mark, and Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal in heavy rain at the National Assembly to receive Women For Peace, protesting the abduction of Chibok school girls, yesterday, in Abuja. BELOW LEFT: The protesters in Abuja. RIGHT: Protesters at the Kano Government House, yesterday. Photos: Gbemiga Olamikan, Abdulsalam Muhammad, NAN.

ELECTRICITY:

•Pgs.8

Consumers won't pay after 15 days power cut — FG C M Y K

Shell's assets sale may last one year

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POCKET CARTOON

FIDA'U: From left: Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State; former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Gambo Jimeta; PDP Chairman, Adamu Mua'zu; former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; Vice President Namadi Sambo; Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State; Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and the SGF, Senator Pius Anyim, during the Fida'u prayers for late younger brother of the Vice President, Capt. Sabo Yusuf Sambo at his residence, Wuse II, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

ABDUCTED GIRLS: Outrage, protests spread Continues from page 1 two weeks ago, spread to Kano and Abuja, yesterday, just as Senate President, David Mark will lead 21 other senators to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan this evening to push for full scale military action to rescue the girls. In Kano, various women and civil society groups staged a protest to Gov-

ernment House in Kano, demanding the immediate release of the girls. In Abuja, women from various civil society organisations (CSOs) defied a downpour to protest the delay in securing the release of the 234 abducted schoolgirls by insurgents. The women were also at the National Assembly to seek intervention from the lawmakers in the efforts to rescue the girls. The women, who wept

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Time decides who you meet in your life, your heart decides who you want in your life, and your behaviour decides who stays in your life. Life depends on where you see it from.

TAKE HEART BY ELLA RANDLE

Leading yourself well means that you hold yourself to a higher standard of accountability than others do — Dr. Maxwell

R. Maxwell surmises that learning to lead yourself well is one of the most important things you’ll ever do as a leader. His many years working with people have taught him an important truth: People seldom see themselves realistically. Human nature seems to endow us with the ability to size up everybody in the world except ourselves. If you don’t look at yourself realistically, you will never understand where your personal challenges are coming from. He says, that most people use two totally different sets of criteria for judging themselves and judging others. We tend to judge others according to their actions. It’s very cut-and-dried. However, we judge ourselves by our intentions. Even if we do the wrong thing, we let ourselves off the hook if we believe our intentions are good. Dr Maxwell’s advice is to get a more objective look at yourself. List all of your major goals and objectives, then mark each as either “achieved” or “not achieved.” Now show the list to someone you know and respect, and tell the person you are evaluating a candidate for a job. Ask them what they think based on the “candidate’s” achievements and failures. How does that person’s evaluation jive with your own? This will tell you a lot about your self-perception.

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inconsolably, before the Senate President, David Mark, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and Emeka Ihedioha, appealed to the Federal Government to deploy everything necessary in its military arsenal to rescue the innocent girls. Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesilli, one of the protest leaders and a former World Bank VicePresident, urged the government to respond proactively by making sure the girls were released from their captors safe in no time. Ezekwesili, who regretted government’s inability to secure the release of the girls two weeks after their abduction, said Nigerian women have been sleepless since the abduction, insisting that government must not fail the citizens in releasing all the girls immediately. She described the continued delay in securing their release as unbearable, saying they would not continue to tolerate further delay just as she reminded government at all levels of their primary responsibility to citizens, which she noted included welfare and security. Ezekwesili appealed to the Federal Government to intensify efforts to immediately rescue the girls. “There must be concerted efforts to bring back our girls. We are frustrated that 234 girls are lost and there are no adequate information about their whereabouts. “Our leaders must show

concern over the situation. We want to compel the right momentum for the search, and our activities are basically about bringing back our girls. “These young girls are our daughters, sisters, tomorrow ’s women and mothers. Those directly affected grieve, and we as Nigerians and human beings join them in their anguish and distress,” Ezekwesili said. Also speaking, Hajia Hadiza Usman, the Coordinator, Women for Justice and Peace, urged all concerned citizens, irrespective of religion and ethnic background to rise up against insurgency in the country. Usman said the abduction incident would discourage many mothers from sending their girlchildren to school. “No country will accept the missing of 234 girls, especially as government has not given enough information about the search for them,” she said. Senate President David Mark, while receiving the protesters, said the lawmakers shared in their pain and would work with them for the rescue of the girls. “Government is doing its best to address the situation. I therefore urge you all to collaborate with government to ensure we rescue the girls as soon as possible,” he said. He added: “Our hearts are with you at this critical moment. The Senators and members of the House of Representatives wept over this abduction. We have reached an unbearable stage. We can no longer tolerate this. “We are drenched, totally soaked in the rain. It is better to be beaten by the rain and get our children freed from their captors. If it means standing in the rain until the girls are freed we are prepared to do so. “We have lost words. We can only apologize that it is taking this long to get these girls released. We are not going to rest until the last of the girls is freed. All the security formations, all of us must get involved in this battle. There is no mistaking the fact that we are in a state of war. With God on our side, we shall triumph over evil”.

Release names, pictures of abducted girls Meanwhile, Christian and Muslim women of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, urged the Principal and management of Government Girls’ Secondary School, GGSS, Chibok, Borno State to release the names and pictures of the girls kidnapped by members of the Boko Haram 17 days

ago. The women who held a prayer session in view of the current security challenges facing the nation, focusing on the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls, described the moment as very solemn. They stressed that their hearts bled and were broken as mothers. Speaking, yesterday, the Convener of the prayer session and PDP National Woman Leader, Chief Kema Chikwe who decried the rate of kidnapping, terrorism, armed robbery and rape, however, appealed to God to expose those behind the heinous trend, just as they also prayed for victims of the Nyanya bomb blast. Chikwe who explained that the programme was designed for PDP women to pray for a peaceful and a united Nigeria said, “Please God, send the Chibok schoolgirls to their parents for the sake of mothers, set the abducted Chibok schoolgirls free. We plead with the school authorities to release their names and their pictures. Let God touch the hearts of those who know and have perpetrated this heinous act.“

FG appears helpless, says NBA

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, yesterday, expressed doubt at the Federal Government's capacity to effectively halt the over four year insurgency waged against the nation by the Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram. Speaking at a valedictory court session in honour of a retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Christopher Mitchell Chukwuma-Eneh in Abuja, the National President of the body, Chief Okey Wali, SAN, observed that the Federal Government has only been reacting to attacks by the violent group, rather than being proactive. The allegation was made both before the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Muhktar and the Attorney-General of the Fed-

eration and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN. “The pity of it all is that government appears helpless on how to stop these attacks, being reactionary all the time and not proactive”, the National President of the body, Chief Okey Wali, SAN, who read the speech, added.

Mark leads 21 senators to Jonathan Senate President, David Mark and 21 other senators are to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan this evening to push for full scale military action in the troubled North East, with a view to releasing the abducted girls. The delegation, according to Senator Mark, who announced this during yesterday’s plenary, included all senators from the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. The senators are expected to convey Tuesday’s resolution of the Senate calling for declaration of full scale war against insurgents in the North East to the president. Mark confirmed this in his announcement as he said the meeting is solely aimed at finding means of rescuing the abducted girls and end insurgency as a whole in the country. He called on all invited senators to meet in his residence in the evening for onward movement to Aso Rock Villa for the meeting which he said, would hold at 10 p.m. Recall that the Senate had, during its Tuesday’s plenary, passed a resolution calling on the president to move all military might and strength to the troubled states, given the dimension at which insurgency in the areas has gone. The Red Chamber equally asked the president to seek the assistance of ECOWAS and the United Nations to provide technological measure towards rescuing the abducted girls safely.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

Man, 45, rapes, impregnates 16-yr-old daughter

BADAN — An Iyaganku Chief Magistrate's court, Ibadan, yesterday, remanded a 45-year-old man, Ahmed Akintola, in Agodi prison for allegedly raping and impregnating his daughter. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Kehinde Durosaro-Tijani, gave the order pending the duplication of the case file by the Directorate of Public Prosecution, DPP. She, therefore, adjourned the case till May 11. Prosecutor Oluyemi Eyiaromi told the court that the accused unlawfully had carnal knowledge of his 16-year-old daughter. Eyiaromi said that the girl was carrying a three-month old pregnancy for her father, who resides in a one-room apartment with her mother and other siblings. He told the court that the girl said her father always come down from bed to rape her on the mat on several occasions. She said she complained to her mother's family but no help was forthcoming. Eyiaromi said the offence contravened Sections 357 and 358 of the Criminal Code of Oyo State 2000.

4 remanded over rape, robbery BY CHINYERE ABIAZIEM

AGOS— FOUR MEN, Tochukwu Ilom, Confidence Oziegbe, Simon Peter and Nnemeka Ugochukwu, were yesterday remanded by an Ebute Meta court over rape and robbery of one Amarachi Ogbonna. Ogbonna was on her way to work around 6 a.m on April 11 with her two friends, when they were attacked by the accused at Apakun area along Airport Road by Toyota. Her friends escaped the grip of the hoodlums but she could not, as she was shown a gun and forcefully taken away to a spot under the bridge where they had carnal knowledge of her. After raping her, she was also robbed of her phone and money valued at N62,000. The defendants were also charged for sexually harassing Uloma Reuben, Ogbonna's friend, the prosecutor Sergeant Ishola Samuel, said. Defending the accused, Mr F. S. Oladele said the accused, despite the charge, happened to be victims of circumstance and are presumed innocent.

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Hoodlums set 3 suspected kidnappers ablaze in Ota •Another rescued in Abeokuta BY EVELYN USMAN

BEOKUTA — PANDE MONIUM broke out, yesterday, on Ijoko road, Ota in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State when some hoodlums killed three suspected kidnappers and set them ablaze. The hoodlums also reportedly burnt the suspected kidnappers’ vehicle and rescued one Oluwole Elizabeth, 26, who had been kidnapped. An eyewitness told Vanguard that nemesis caught up with the suspected kidnappers when their victim screamed and alerted the people who killed and burnt their corpses to ashes. Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the hoodlums had burnt the suspects to ashes before Policemen arrived the scene. Adejobi, who also disclosed that the command had begun investigation into the incident, said the alleged victim was being interrogated. According to him, Oluwole Elizabeth, 26, who resides at Ajegunle Street, Atan-Ota said she boarded a cab whose number plate was not known at about 7.40 a.m from Sona Breweries, Sango-Ota to Ewekoro, but found herself at Gas-line area in Ijoko. According to Adejobi, “she screamed from the vehicle in which she was being taken to their den when she observed that she was in an-

other place and the people in the area blocked the vehicle, beat the occupants, killed them and burnt them to ashes. "We are going to use multifaceted approach, we want to know if there had been an interaction between the suspects and the victim. The jungle justice affected our case."

...another rescued in Abeokuta

Meantime, operatives of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Tuesday, prevented a middle-aged woman, Favour Okoye, from being lynched

by a mob for allegedly kidnapping a baby in Abeokuta. The incident happened at about 2:55 pm around Totoro area of Abeokuta. The woman was reportedly beaten comatose by a mob but was rescued by NSCDC operatives and taken to a hospital. The Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC in the state, Olanrewaju Kareem, in a statement said his men were alerted by a taxi driver. According to him, “a taxi driver alerted civil defence men keeping vigil on critical infrastructure around Akin-Olugbade/Pepsi/Totoro

areas. “The men raced to the scene to rescue the woman but appeal to the crowd by civil defence to allow the suspected kidnapper face the consequence through the legal process proved abortive as the mob insisted on killing the woman. "They threw available objects including bottles, planks, stones but the men were able to rescue the woman from being killed. “The woman, who was in a state of coma was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre where she is receiving treatment."

Some suspected robbers paraded by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police in Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube.

Epilepsy pushed me into robbery — Suspect BY OLA AJAYI

BADAN — AN epileptic man was among robbery suspects paraded at the Oyo State Police Command, Eleyele, Ibadan, yesterday. He said it was his condition which forced him out of primary school that led him into robbery. The suspect, who identified himself as Samson Eze, from Enugu State was caught robbing on Ijebu-Ode road. He said five of them had robbed at different times on the road. Speaking with newsmen, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Indabawa, said: “Following a tip-off that robbers were on Ibadan/Ijebu-Ode road on April 15, 2014 at about 10:40pm, the Divisional Police Officer, Idi-Ayunre swung into action and ar-

rested one Eze Samson.” Also paraded among the suspects was a three-man armed robbery gang who robbed one Muibat of N110,000 at a restaurant, in

Oluyoro area of Ibadan. After investigation, Bamidele Kayode and Ademola Olagoke were arrested in connection with the crime. Items said to have been found

on them included one locally made double-barrel pistol, one live cartridge and one motorcycle with number plate LUY 895 QC.

5 hoodlums nabbed over thuggery in Lagos village BY ONOZURE DANIA

AGOS — A crack team of detectives from the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Abuja, has stormed the Oke-Agbo village, Ikorodu, Lagos State and arrested five suspects with arms and ammunition, while over 20 of the hoodlums escaped, leaving guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons behind. The action of the police followed appeals and petitions by head and community leaders of the village to the

Inspector- General of Police, IG, over the invasion of their village by hoodlums. The villagers had asked the police boss to come to their rescue as the hoodlums had taken over their village, shooting indiscriminately in broad daylight, raping and forcefully dispossessing passers-by of their valuables. Most of the villagers who spoke to Vanguard on the basis of anonymity, said they were at a loss on how the situation degenerated, alleging that the hoodlums were

brought into the village by a popular leader of vigilante group, while some of the hoodlums are members of the dreaded secret cult called Eiye confraternity. A spokesman for the villagers, who also declined to be named, thanked the IG for coming to their rescue and called on the Police not to rest on their oars as the hoodlums are planning a return. A Police source confirmed that all the five arrested hoodlums had been transferred to Abuja for further investigation.

Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, MAY 1, 2014—7

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8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

FG earns N1.1trn from oil in 2 months —CBN z Overspends by N163.26bn BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

HE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has said the country earned N1.104 trillion from crude oil in the first two months of the year. The apex bank disclosed this in its monthly economic report for February released yesterday. The report indicated that revenue from oil into the federation account rose by 9.9 percent from N474.40 billion in January to N630.14 billion in February. Cumulatively, this translates to N1.104 trillion earnings from crude oil into the federation in the first two months of the year. Meanwhile, the report also showed that the Federal Government overspent its budget by N163.26 billion in January and February. According to CBN, Federal Government's deficit dropped by 47 percent to N57.7 billion in February from N105.47 billion in January. The sharp drop in deficit was occasioned by 8.2 percent increase in Federal Government retained revenue, which rose to N284.47 billion in February from N262.88 billion in January. The report said: “At N284.47 billion, the estimated Federal Government retained revenue for February 2014 exceeded the receipts in the preceding month by 8.2 percent, but was lower than the monthly budget estimate by 30.4 per cent. “Of the total amount, the Federation Account accounted for 82.6 percent, while FGN Independent Revenue, SURE-P, and VAT Pool Accounts, accounted for 7.5, 5.7 and 4.2 per cent, respectively. “At N342.25 billion, total estimated expenditure for February 2014 was above the level in the preceding period by 0.7 percent, but lower than the monthly budget estimate by 29.1 per cent.”

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Shell’s assets sale may take a year— CFO O

IL major, Shell may take up to a year to complete a planned sale of assets in Nigeria, and the process may be complicated by an election, the oil major ’s Chief Financial Officer, CFO, said. Shell is looking to make $15 billion in disposals worldwide this year and next, including the sale of its stake in four oil blocks in the Niger Delta, an area that holds a large share of Nigeria’s 37 billion barrels of oil reserves. “We can come to a good commercial agreement,” CFO Simon Henry said in a

conference call with investors yesterday. He said: “What is slightly more challenging and difficult to predict is how we can get the overall approvals across the whole of the stakeholder environment, including the government, because previous transactions had taken up to a year.” An election planned for February could have an impact on the sale process, he said, without specifying in what way. He said the Nigerian assets have attracted strong interest from potential buyers. Shell is divesting 30 percent of the four blocks, along with

the sale of 10 percent from Total and five percent from Eni. Analysts have estimated the value of the combined 45 percent at around $3 billion. “We have had over 20 serious bidders mostly in consortium, with a Nigerian operator often with overseas operational financial or operational backing,” Henry said. In the over 70 years that Shell has operated in Nigeria, it has faced problems in the Niger Delta region with oil theft, environmental damage, political protests and attacks on its facilities. As part of any deal, the oil major wants to minimise its

exposure to further risks there. Henry said: “Clearly, the terms of the sale aim to establish baselines against which we carry no liability if there are environmental or other issues after the point of sale. “Whether that can hold up in the future remains to be seen. “It will always be difficult to detach the Shell name from some of the activities in the Delta. “We have eyes open on this, but the legal protection will be solid. The reputational liability is impossible to divest.”

CONFERENCE: From left— Arunma Oteh, Director-General, Securities & Exchange Commission; John Jonah, Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State; Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and Alhaji Bature Masari, Director-General, SMEDAN, during the opening ceremony of the 20th International Conference on Small & Medium Enterprises in Yenagoa. PHOTO: Michael Owi.

ELECTRICITY: Consumers won't pay after 15 days of power cut— FG BY CHRIS OCHAYI

BUJA— THE Federal Government, yesterday, said with effect from today, electricity consumers that had no power supply for 15 days in a month are no longer required to pay the monthly N750 fixed charge to their respective Distribution Companies, DISCOS. The Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, who issued the directive at a briefing in Abuja, said it became necessary after the commission carried out investigations into complaints from consumers over continued payment of fixed charge even when service is not delivered. Amadi said: “While the commission has determined

that the fixed charge remains an essential component of the bill, it has, however, reviewed the continued retention of the fixed charge component in the tariff and payment of fixed charge in the light of consumer complaints, particularly with regard to continued payment of fixed charge even when the energy is not delivered to the consumer.

The order

“On considerations of these complaints by the consumers, and considering the role of NERC in Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, the commission, as provided under Section 32d, and Section 32f of the EPSR Act 2005, hereby order that effective May 1, 2014, where any customer of a distribution licensee has not received electricity supply for

a period of 15 days in a month, such a customer shall not be required to pay fixed charge.” Amadi, however, warned that the order stands provided the disruption is not due to nonpayment of electricity bill or other actions of the consumer such as tampering with electricity infrastructure, vandalism or unrelated to the fault of the distribution company. He stated that there have been several complaints from consumers over the fairness or legality of the monthly fixed charges which prompted the commission to embark on independent investigation that led to the order. “There have been a lot of comments from consumers about the fixed charge and the concern is whether it is fair and legal,” he said.

FG's assurance

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has reassured electricity consumers of improved power supply, following ongoing rehabilitation work on Kainji and Jebba power plants. Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who gave the assurance in his presentation to the Energy Committee of the ongoing national conference, in Abuja, said more power will be made available to Nigerians from the two facilities before the end of the year. Nebo said the two plants, which have not undergone maintenance for decades, are now being serviced for optimum performance. He also appealed to delegates to make recommendations that will lead to legislation for sufficient and sustainable power supply.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 —9

AGM: From left— Sunday Ekwochi, Company Secretary; Gbenga Oyebode, Chairman; Herbert Wigwe, Group Managing Director; and Obinna Nwosu, Deputy Group Managing Director, all of Access Bank, at the 25th Annual General Meeting of the bank in Lagos, yesterday.

MAY DAY: Labour leaders lament insecurity, unemployment, poverty BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG & KINGSLEY OMONOBI

S Nigerian workers join the rest of the world to mark the May Day today, labour leaders in the country, yesterday, said insecurity, poverty and unemployment had been the greatest challenges that confronted the Nigerian worker in the last one year. This came as fear of insecurity may mar workers’ rally in Abuja, with union leaders saying members have not recovered from the shock of Nyanya Motor Park terror attack that claimed over 100 lives and injured over 250 others. Among the labour leaders that spoke with Vanguard were General Secretary of National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers, NUCECFWW, Mr. Babatunde Liadi; President of the National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees, NUFBITE, Mr. Lateef Oyelekan; PresidentGeneral of Maritime Workers of Nigeria, MWUN, Mr. Anthony Nted; President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Igwe Achese, and General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Mr. Joe Ajaero. Liadi said: “We have been adversely affected by the insecurity and rising job losses. In fact, the issue of insecurity is really serious. “You cannot find any meaningful construction work going on in the North-East of the country. Every other industry is affected. The government appears not be focused because of this insecurity problem. On the whole, we have lost about

40,000 members in the last one year. Nted said: “The major problems we have faced in last one year have been insecurity and rising unemployment and poverty in the country. We are no longer talking of armed robbery, oil theft and pipeline vandals; we are faced with insurgent attacks.” Similarly, Oyelekan said that “the socio-economic situation in the country is very tough. The

inflation rate is on the increase and the purchasing power of the workers has been eroded.” President of NUPENG said: “In recent times, NUPENG has been vehement against outsourcing and casualisation and shall remain unshaken, undaunted as we will never give up, until outsourcing and casualisation of workers in the oil and gas industry is reduced to the barest minimum.” For Ajaero, “as we mark this

year’s workers day, it will be instructive to note that the Federal Government’s privatisation policy is aimed at destroying jobs, impoverishing many Nigeria families through consumer exploitation and profit maximisation by the new captains in the industry.”

IG assures of security

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday, assured

workers of adequate security during today’s May Day rally. The IG, in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, insisted that police would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian workers during May Day rallies. However, some labour leaders said the recent bomb blast in Abuja could mar the May Day rally. Liadi said: “What happened in Nyanya is still fresh in our minds. These insurgents are looking for attention and they always target crowds.” For NUFBTE President, “our members have been calling to know whether or not we will go to Abuja for the May Day Rally, because everybody is afraid.”

Politicians hail workers

In the mean time, former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Atiku Abubakar, in a statement released by his media office in Abuja, has extolled the patriotism, unbroken faith in Nigeria and sacrifices of the Nigerian workers in the face of tough times. In a statement in Lagos, yesterday, by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC said the past year had been particularly challenging for workers due to worsening state of social infrastructure, especially the dwindling power supply which has affected production and forced many companies to downsize or relocate to neighbouring countries.

Pan-Atlantic Varsity wins 2014 GEN Editors Lab-Vanguard Hackdays BY IKENNA ASOMBA

HE School of Media and Communication, PanAtlantic University, SMC-PAU, has emerged winner of the 2014 Editors Lab-Vanguard Hackdays. The institution, which developed an application called Verifi, was represented by Temitope Falade, Keli Oliseh and Kehinde Haastrup, with the score of 10.41. They will represent Nigeria at the Hackathon during the GEN Summit in Barcelona, holding from June 11 to 13. The event organised by Global Editors Network, GEN, in conjunction with Vanguard Newspapers was sponsored by Google. Vanguard, represented by Adekunle Aliyu, Joe Omeike and Akintayo Eribake, developed an application termed Pollswatch and came second with a score of 10.15. Television Continental, TVC; University of Lagos, UNILAG, and Channels Televisions, with applications called e15, VoicelessVoice and IVOTE, came

third, fourth respectively.

and

fifth,

Adefaye expresses delight

Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager Publication/Editor-inChief, Vanguard Newspapers said: “Let me say how delighted I am that this has happened. “It has happened in Nigeria and it has happened in Vanguard. For me, what is most important is that we were able to bring all of you together to do what others are doing globally. “I’m particularly happy about the performance of the School of Media and Communication and the University of Lagos, because they are the trainers. “I am happy that they have done well, so that when we send our staff to these schools they will get more knowledge.”

Participants react

The participating teams were Vanguard Newspapers, UNILAG, SMC-PAU, TVC and Channels. Others were Daily Trust, Leadership, The Nation,

The Nigerian Tribune, Tell newsmagazine, The News, The Sun newspapers and Cool FM. Expressing joy with her team’s success, Temitope Falade, of SMC-PAU, said: “Honestly, I’m excited and impressed because at the School of Media and Communication, we do a lot of hands-on training on digital media. “Coming to this kind of competition has actually shown the level of commitment on the part of the school in developing new ways for communication. So it’s a good feedback for us and very important to us.” Explaining their application she said: “Our application, Verifi, aims to ensure that there is participation from the citizens, INEC and government officials before, during and after the election. “There is also a way to verify the genuineness of the information that will be shared on the platform.”

Synergy

While announcing the results,

Mr. Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications & Public Affairs Manager for Google in West Africa, canvassed for the synergy of all media organisations in Nigeria towards bringing together all the applications developed on an independent platform. He said: “This must not just end here. We will look at a situation where all the applications developed will be brought on an independent platform. “It is obvious that some media houses will not be in support. But if we can have a minimum of 50 percent of the media houses in Nigeria supporting this application and are part of the team working for its development and success, then we can be rest assured that every nook and cranny of Nigeria will be reached.” There was optimism among participants that the applications developed will bring about a paradigm shift in the way the media will cover 2015 elections, and curtail electoral malpractices.

10— Vanguard , THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

Security Council recommends shoot-on-sight of criminals BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

A G O S — HENCEFORTH, any person found with illegal guns and other dangerous weapons in Lagos Island Local Government Area would be shot on sight. The order was said to have been issued after an emergency security council meeting summoned by the Chairman of Lagos Island East Council Development Area, Kamal Salau-Bashua. The directive, it was gathered, became necessary following persistent clashes between different groups of criminals, which had resulted in loss of lives and property in the area. Two persons lost their lives while several others injured and property worth several millions of naira destroyed in a violence on the island during the last Easter celebrations. In a statement released after the emergency meeting the council boss, Salau-Bashua said the order which was issued by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Lion Building, Oluwole Edger, to restore peace and order within the council area. He described the violence that marred the Easter period as c o n d e m n a b l e , retrogressive to the relative peace enjoyed over the last two years saying, security operatives are combat ready to prevent recurrence. Salau-Bashua lamented that; “Any form of violence on Lagos Island portends great danger to the economic activities since major businesses are located therein and also capable of sending wrong signals on peaceful coexistence in the state.” On his part, Edger warned criminals and hoodlums to steer clear of the Island noting his men have renewed commitments to stop violence in any part of the island. C M Y K

Lagos generates N7bn from Land Use charges BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

AGOS—LAGOS State Government, yesterday, said it generated N7 billion from land Use charge levy last year, even as it generated N192 million in the year under review from Wharf landing fees. Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation, Mr. Bola Shodipo spoke during the ministerial

...Targets more revenue from political posters briefing on the activities of the agency in the last one year as part of activities marking the seventh year of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration. According to Shodipo, in the last one year, focus had been mainly on ensuring efficiency and fairness in the administration

of Land Use Charge in the state. He explained: “A total of 3,368 newly developed property were captured and enumerated in addition to the 642,905 property enumerated previously. This brings the total number of enumerated properties to 646,273. Apart from the enumeration of newly developed property, details

... seals 317 illegal pharmacies, 28 health facilities BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO & GABRIELOLAWALE

AGOS—MEANWHILE, No fewer than 317 illegal pharmaceutical outlets and 28 health facilities in Lagos State were sealed in the last one year, aimed at protecting innocent lives as well as ridding the state of illicit health facilities and drug store operators. This came as the state warned residents to abstain from cremating their corpse without government approval, saying

“the passage of the Cremation Law 2013 does not allow citizens to cremate without government approval.” Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris and Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, disclosed this at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja during the ministerial briefing on the activities of the ministry within the last one year as part of activities marking the seventh year of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration. Speaking on the shut facilities,

Labour flays Fashola’s stance on minimum wage BYVICTORAHIUMA-YOUNG

AGOS—THE Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, yesterday called on Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State to stop his perceived campaign against retaining the National Minimum Wage, NMW, in the Exclusive Legislative list or face the wrath of Nigerian workers. The association in a statement issued in Lagos by its President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama and SecretaryGeneral, Alade Lawal, respectively, expressed surprise that the governor, who paraded himself as a progressive had continued to wage war against the N18,000 NMW approved by the Federal Government in 2011. According to the statement, “Why is Governor Fashola so pained that workers are being paid a paltry sum of N18, 000 monthly as minimum wage, whereas some political office holders including a good number of governors spend far more than that to feed one animal pet in a day. Is he saying that their pets are more valuable to the society than Nigerian workers?"

Lagos AG, others seek amendment to EFCC Act

AGOS—SOME stakeholders in the legal profession yesterday advocated that proceeds of crime should no longer be forfeited to the Federal Government but to victims of the crime. They called for the amendment of Section 30 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Act, which provides that such proceeds should be paid into the Federation Account. The stakeholders spoke at a workshop organised by the Continuous Legal Education Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja Branch, Lagos. Mr Ade Ipaye, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, said the priority of restitution should be on the victim, who was the owner of the property stolen, cautioning that the rights of Nigerians should not be trampled upon, under the guise of fighting corruption.

Idris said that the facilities were found to have violated health practices and the state had no alternative but to shut them, to avert any mortality. He stated that the state might shut another 114 health facilities out of the 1182 monitored in the last 12 months, adding that during the last year, 1,089 private health facilities registration were renewed and 305 new pharmacy outlets were opened, adding “45 new patent medicine shops were registered while approval for 84 premises are being awaited.

of 329 other properties that were redeveloped, renovated or reconstructed were also updated. 620,243 records were billed out of 646,273 records enumerated as against 622,125 records billed in the previous year.”

On tax defaulters

The chairman of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, Mr. Babatunde Fowler said 863 cases were filed against tax defaulters at the Lagos State High Court. According to Fowler, “Out of the 863, 413 court orders were given. Court orders were pursued and this translated to payments into the state coffers and through this effort, the state government was able to collect about N160 million. The Agency is also working on High Net-worth individual defaulters some of them are presently being prosecuted while a lot of others have opted out of court for full compliance on their tax liabilities with the attendant penalty payments for defaulting in the first place."

Vanguard , THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014—11

Ekiti police nab 3 party supporters with arms BY GBENGAARIYIBI

DO EKITI—AHEAD of the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, the police command yesterday said it arrested three members of a political party for gun-running and illegal possession of firearms. According to the state Commissioner Police, Mr. Felix Uyanna, the suspects were arrested at Ikere Ekiti at about 6.30pm on Tuesday following a tip-off. Uyanna said the case was reported to the police by some concerned citizens after hearing a gunshot. “Some members of the public heard a gunshot and alerted the police. My men after getting there raided the place and arrested the three men,” he said. Some of the items recovered from them, according to Uyanna, included four rifles and charms He said the suspects were presently being detained at the Criminal Investigations Department at the Police headquarters in Ado Ekiti. According to him, a driver working with Ilejemeje Local Government was among those arrested, saying the bus bearing the number plate of the council had been impounded by his men. The Commissioner said the suspects and others at large, including their alleged sponsors would soon be charged to court after investigation, stressing that his men were now on the trail of those now at large, saying; “They

were about eight or nine in number that committed the offence. We were able to arrest these three but we will get the rest arrested soon.” Meanwhile, the Ayodele Fayose Campaign organization has urged the police to resist alleged pressure to effect the release of a chieftain of a political party arrested for alleged gun-running. The Director General of the organisation, Dipo Anisulowo, at

a briefing in Ado Ekiti, addressed by his deputy insisted that the police must treat the suspect as robber, having been arrested with dangerous weapon, saying; “This case must not end like past murder cases of which the suspects are now moving free ly because we are aware of the pressure of the Commissioner of Police to release him. “There is serious arm build-up in the state. The aim is to create

tension and destabilise the state, so that the people will not come to vote and create room for rigging but we want to state that violence will not win this election for anybody. ''What we learnt is that there is a grand design by a party to spread arms to political thugs in all the 16 councils. They have recruited thugs, purchased guns to unleash violence on innocent citizens,” he said.

PRESS BRIEFING: From right—Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba; his Health counterpart, Dr. Jide Idris; Special Adviser to the governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Modele Osunkiyesi, during 2014 Ministerial press biefing to the mark 3rd year of second term of present administration in Lagos State.....yesterday. Photo by Bunmi Azeez.

Aregbesola denies ex-HoS' claim on indebtedness, lay-off

SOGBO—GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, has described as tissue of lies the allegation by the former Head of Service, Elder Segun Akinwusi, that the state government is indebted to the tune of N300 billion and that government is intending to retrench workers in the state. A statement yesterday by the Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, quoted Governor Aregbesola as describing as dishonourable for

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the former HOS whom he retained despite heavy pressure on him to remove him at the onset of his administration, to turn around and become an agent of wicked, naked lies. Akinwusi was the Head of Service inherited by the Aregbesola administration and retained as against the usual practice of new administrations retaining such officials. The governor said there was nothing wrong with the former HOS’s ambition, noting however that decorum and sincerity must be considered while seeking the electorate’s support. Aregbesola, while debunking the claims, said with all the policies initiated by his administration to uplift the standard of living of civil servants in the state, there was no doubt that his government was one of the most compassionate and workers_friendly. He said “I am disappointed.

This is somebody that reached the highest pedestal of his career and he is now behaving like this. Does he know the import of what he says? If a state owes N300 billion, ten percent of that amount is N3 billion, which is to be paid monthly to service the debt, if Osun is paying N3billion as debt servicing every month, where does Adewusi think we

will get the money to do all the massive capital projects we are doing? Where does he think we will get the money to pay workers’ salaries? With all the pressure mounted on me to remove him as HOS when I assumed office, out of compassion and my friendly posture, I retained him to complete his years in the service before he retired.

Court orders prison’s boss to vacate quarters BY DAUD OLATUNJI

BEOKUTA—AN Ogun State High Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, yesterday, ordered the comptroller of prisons in Ogun State , Lawal Adams, to vacate the government quarters within 30 days. Former Comptroller of Prisons in the state, Mrs. Victoria Oweh claimed to be the owner of the quarters, sued the Nigeria Prison Service, NPS, and the Comptroller in suit number AB/ 69/2013. The claimant told the court that she had bought the duplex and

boys quarters from the Federal Government in Abeokuta before her retirement and tendered the Certificate of Occupancy with number 009634 and registered as number 40 page 40 in volume 150 at the Federal lands registry in Lagos. In his judgment, Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje ordered the Comptroller to vacate the apartment within 30 days and pay N10,000 to the claimant. The judge said evidence had proved that the claimant was entitled to the possession of the building and that the defendant occupied it without her permission.

Daramola’s murder: I didn’t absolve Fayose – MONARCH

HE Onijan of Ijan in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Oba Samuel Oyewole Fadahunsi, has denied absolving former Governor Ayo Fayose of complicity in the murder of an illustrious son of the town, Dr. Ayodeji Daramola. The monarch was quoted as making the clarification yesterday when he received the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi in his palace as part of his campaign tour to communities in Gbonyin Local Government Area. Dr. Daramola was a World Bank consultant and a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant before he was murdered in cold blood on August 14, 2006 during the administration of Fayose. The traditional ruler, who was quoted to have exonerated Fayose from Daramola’s murder, maintained that he couldn’t have made the statement when the case was still in court. Oba Fadahunsi said: “When the news came, they said I exonerated him (Fayose) but that language was not mine and I didn’t exonerate Fayose because we are still in court. “I can't say directly that he is behind Daramola’s death and I can't say he is not, but it was during his tenure that Daramola was killed”.

Ondo APC stalwarts constitute parallel exco BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE—THE crisis rocking the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Ondo State, yesterday deepened as a parallel state executive was yesterday constituted by some aggrieved members of the party in the state. The new factional chairman, Capt Ademola Ariyo, (rtd) who led other state executive members to address a conference in Akure, said they rejected the last Saturday congress that produced Hon Isaacs Kekemeke as the Chairman of the party. Aroyo claimed Kekemeke was still a member of the rival Peoples Democratic, Party, PDP.

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12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

Edo 2016: Ogbemudia kicks off search for Oshiomhole’s successor BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

ENIN—AHEAD of the 2016 governorship election in Edo State, former governor of old Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, yesterday, said the search for Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s successor must start in earnest in order to find a credible candidate for the people of the state. It will be recalled that Dr. Ogbemudia and his Enunuedo group had, last year, expressed the desire to search for a credible Bini son to succeed

Oshiomhole. The elder statesman, however, pointed out that the search will not be limited to the seven local government areas in Edo South, but also Edo North and Central senatorial districts. He commenced the consultation with a visit to Oghovbe community in Ikpoba Okhai Local Government Area of the state, where he interacted with the Hausa and Ijaw community leaders in the area. Addressing the people, Ogbemudia pointed out that the search became

necessary to sustain Oshiomhole's developmental strides after 2016, adding that his group will ensure the emergence of a credible candidate, irrespective of the political party the person might belong. He said: “Oshiomhole has done well for Edo State and her people and that is why we must not go back to the dark ages. We believe that the search for Oshiomhole’s successor must be thorough and that is why we don’t need to wait till 2016. That will mean waiting till the eleventh hour and that will not help us to get a credible candidate.”

North inciting N-Delta against Jonathan over resource control —IYC BY EMMA AMAIZE & SAMUEL OYADONGHA

ARRI—THE Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, alleged, yesterday, that Northern leaders and governors were instigating the people of the Niger Delta to take up arms against the Federal Government under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan after they failed to use Boko Haram to achieve their hidden agenda. It will be recalled that in a position paper addressed to Northern delegates at the ongoing conference, the Northern governors, Arewa Consultative Forum and others, had demanded for the rejection of resource control, reduction of 13 per cent derivation to five per cent for only onshore oil,

scrapping of the amnesty programme for ex-Niger Delta agitators, NigerDelta Development Commission, NDDC, Niger Delta Ministry, among others. IYC, in its reaction by its spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, said: “The content of the Northern position papers, as it relates to ownership and management of hydrocarbon resources found in the Niger Delta region, is highly provocative, insulting, inciting, unpatriotic and deliberately prepared to instigate Niger Deltans to take up arms against the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of Jonathan. “Some Northern leaders want to achieve their hidden agenda of making Nigeria ungovernable for

Badagry monarch lauds Akpabio

HE Oba of Badagry, His Majesty Oba Mito, De Wheno Menu-Toyi I, has described Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State as a good son of Nigeria, a man of peace and honour. The Badagry monarch gave the appraisal when stakeholders of the Akwa Ibom State community, Lagos, visited him in his palace. He said that traditional institutions in Nigeria have a role in governance as members of the institutions were watching and assessing public office holders as well as politicians, adding that

the present day Nigeria needs pragmatic leaders as well as promoters of peace, love and unity. He expressed satisfaction on the state of development in Akwa Ibom State and challenged other Nigerian leaders to emulate Akpabio’s gesture, particularly in the area of prudent management of resources, security, health and empowerment. He described Akwa Ibom indigenes in Badagry as peace-loving, trust-worthy and serious minded people, saying that his greatest joy and achievement were ensuring peace for his people.

Jonathan, which they had failed to achieve through Boko Haram. We condemn the consistent opposition of some Northern delegates to the demand for resource control and restate the right of the people of the Niger Delta to the ownership of the oil and gas found in their lands."

Kutigi extends confab by 6 weeks By HENRY UMORU,JOSEPH ERUNKE & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

HAIRMAN of the na tional conference holding in Abuja, Justice Idris Kutigi, has extended the ongoing confab by six weeks. With this development, the conference is to come to a close on July 31, 2014 against the earlier June 19, 2014 it was scheduled to last. A new work plan released by the leadership of the conference, said the confab had been adjusted with July 21 24, being devoted to consideration of draft report of the conference. July 28 to 31 is for the production and signing of the final report. No reason was given for the extension of the conference, but some delegates who spoke to Vanguard hinted that “we still have a lot of areas uncovered.” It will be recalled that some delegates had earlier warned the leadership of the conference to avoid the temptation of extending the parley. Those who were against extending the conference feared same was likely to eat into the 2015 general elections.

Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, MAY 1, 2014—13

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14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

We must control our resources —Alamieyeseigha BY HENRY UMORU

BUJA — FORMER Governor of Bayelsa State and a delegate at the National Conference, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has berated those calling for the reduction of the 13 per cent derivation to five per cent, declaring that he would not give up fighting for resource control until the Niger Delta region begins to controls its resources. He said: “I put on the toga of resource control and I will never waver until we control our resources and determine what we

want to do with it and pay appropriate tax to the central government. I, for one, do see peace in this country. Our environment is destroyed. There is a new trend now that Nigerians do not know; it is the prevalence of cancer among our women. People are dying. The effects of oil exploration are so much and heavy on our people. " They are sharing money; they are not thinking of what we are going through back there. Oil is a wasting asset. If we destroy our land then we cannot even feed ourselves.” Asked what must be put in place to address the raging cases of oil

theft in Nigeria, Alamieyeseigha, a member of Committee on Public Finance and Revenue, who urged the government to write to foreign embassies that are engaged in oil exploration in the country, however, said that the Air Force rather than Navy should take total control of monitoring and checking oil bunkering. His words: “The way forward to me is very simple. We have identified the problem; it is because of the value change. Nigerian oil outside is very lucrative when refined. "There is also the banking system. When you make money, it is through the banks that you get

the money back into the country, so they are also involved. ”The people that are in the industry have the technical knowhow to get this crude oil from very high pressure pipes. The boys in the creek do not have the connections to bring ships from abroad, so in effect, we have buyers. If we don’t have buyers then the market would be saturated and it will not be profitable. ”So, how do we stop buyers of our crude oil that is so unique in the international market? You have to be very courageous and be ready to pay any price because they will try to bring your government down because it is huge

Police release strange helicopter that landed at Enugu Govt House BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU — THE Aero Contractors helicopter that mistakenly landed at the Governor’s Lodge of Enugu State Government House, Tuesday, was yesterday, released by the State Police Command after preliminary investigations. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who disclosed this in Enugu, yesterday, also said the three crew members, including two pilots and an

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engineer, who were detained for alleged security breaches, had been released. “We have done our investigation and decided to release the helicopter and will continue our investigation,” the police spokesman said in a text message sent to newsmen, yesterday evening. The pilot of the chartered helicopter had landed in front of the Governor’s Lodge with the erroneous belief that the building was Enugu State House of Assembly Complex where the aircraft was

meant to touch down. The development caused panic at the Government House as the armed security operatives were said to have taken positions to forestal any calamity, but the occupants alighted only to tender apologies for the grievous error. Governor Sullivan Chime was said to be present in the lodge when the helicopter landed suddenly in the premises. The three occupants were immediately arrested and later handed over to the State Police

Command by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP Fidelis Ogarabe, Chief Security Officer to Governor Sullivan Chime for interrogation. It was learnt that the chopper was chartered to convery the corpse of a deceased member of the old Anambra State House of Assembly, Sir Andrew Umeoji, to his Aguata country home after a valedictory session in his honour by members of Enugu State House of Assembly.

amount of money they are making. "So if you have the courage, the first step you should take is to inform the cartel through their embassies because ships are registered in their country and their destinations are also known. The type of business they do is also known, the routes they ply are also known. "So what are they coming to do in our exclusive economic zone, especially in the Niger Delta?” The former governor, who also accused the expatriates of being responsible for the proliferation of weapons in the country, especially from Ukraine, said: “They are the ones bringing weapons into the country, especially ships from places like Ukraine. They take the crude oil and pay in weapons. "We know all these and the information is available. So, the Federal Government should write the embassies operating in Nigeria, saying, ‘Look, this is our problem; inform your home government not to release their ships for these nefarious activities.’ "Give them time, they have been doing it for so many years, give them time say three months, after three months if we see any of your ships in unauthorised areas, we are going to destroy it."

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EDITORS' LAB/VANGUARD HACKDAYS CONCLUDED

Participants at the conclusion of two-day Global Editors' Network, GEN, Editors' Lab and Vanguard Hackdays,' at Vanguard head office, Apapa, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Akeem Salau

WINNERS: From left, Kelikume Oliseh, Temitope Falade and Kehinde Haarstup of Pan Atlantic University, Lagos.

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2nd place: From left, Adekunle Aliyu, Deputy Online Editor, Joseph Omeike, Deputy IT Manager and Akintayo Eribake, Deputy IT Manager of Vanguard Newspapers at the event.

From left, Mr John Abayomi,Online Editor Vangaurd Newspapers, Mr. Ameth Sokhna,Project Manager Global Editors Network,GEN, and Mr. Gbenga Adefaye,General Manager,Publications/ Editor-in Chief, Vangaurd Newspapers.

From right, Adediwura Aderibigbe,Online Reporter; Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, Managing Editor,Online and Bolarinwa Meekness, IT Manager, all of The Nation Newspapers.

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

Nigeria risks losing N4.9bn over AMCON private jet deal .We made a mistake — Chike-Obi .AMCON shields culprit BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

IGERIA STANDS the risk of losing $31 million, about N4.96 billion as Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, yesterday, admitted that it was a mistake on the part of the corporation to have acquired a private jet as part of its debt recovery efforts. He stated this while speaking at the Board of Directors Association of Nigeria, BDAN symposium on ‘The impact of AMCON on the Nigerian Economy’ in Lagos.

Indications emerged that AMCON might have difficulty in recovering the $31 million spent in the acquisition of the jet, as ChikeObi disclosed that AMCON "ïs currently experiencing difficulties in selling off the jet." It was learnt that the corporation had been incurring storage costs on the plane in the last eight months in order to continue to keep it airworthy. Chike-Obi said AMCON was offering to sell the jet for $28 million, but it has been gathered that prospective buyers are offering far below the amount. It was learnt that there was little

hope that prospective buyers would offer higher amount for the jet due to the falling prices of private jets globally. Explaining how the private jet was acquired, he said, it was collected from a business executive through an asset transfer deal in settlement of his indebtedness. According to him, AMCON had this customer, who was highly indebted. He came to them and said he had assets which he would willingly relinquish, but asked to be left with some of his assets amounting to just five per cent. That included his living house, a house in Abuja and others.

Chike-Obi said: “If we don’t do that, he will go to court and we knew it will cost us more than ten per cent if went to court, so we surrendered. "But as we were negotiating with the gentleman, we found out that he had deposited $4 million, (N640 million) with an aeroplane company for a private jet. So we said, 'no, you cannot be negotiating with us and be buying private jet.' “We told him that we will take over that $4 million, and he said he will give us back the $4 million, but the aeroplane company will not give us the money unless we complete the purchase of the private jet. “So we decided to complete the purchase and took delivery of the plane. But we have encountered difficulty in selling the plane. Regret “We did not anticipate such difficulty. Had we known that would happen, we would have let the $4 million go and that was a mistake on our part. "Everybody makes mistakes. It was an honest mistake based on the fact that we did not want to allow the customer to settle with us and go ahead to buy aeroplane.” He explained that AMCON put in additional $27 million to complete the purchase of the private jet as the total cost was $31 mil-

lion (about N4.9 billion). He, however, refused to name the customer that was involved even as he said that the corporation already had a buyer and they are close to disposing of the plane. Speaking on the extent of the debt recovery so far, he said: “We are recovering about 112 per cent and we are getting more than we paid for the loans so far. That means that on the non performing loans side, we are making profit, but we have other things. "We capitalised the banks with N2.3 trillion and that is not going to be wrapped together with the sinking fund.” He also disclosed that Enterprise and Mainstreet banks will be sold this month. “Enterprise will be sold first and then Mainstreet second,” he said. He added that he hoped that both transactions would have been concluded by September this year. He did not, however, disclose who the buyers would be, but said there are interested buyers, who cannot be named because regulatory approvals are needed from both Central Bank of Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory bodies.

Reps wade into ASUP/COEASU strike BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

BUJA — THE House of Representatives, yesterday, waded into the 10 months strike embarked upon by Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU, with a view to ending it. This is sequel to a motion brought under matters of urgent national importance by Raphael Igbokwe, PDP, Imo, on the need for the leadership of the House to interface with the Federal Government and the striking unions in order to resolve the ten months strike. Igbokwe, while leading the debate on the matter, told the House that the continuous staying at home of the affected students posed a great danger, not only to the educational development of the students, but also the social well-being of the nation in general. He explained: “It’s worrisome that the polytechnics and colleges of educaC M Y K

tion have been shut down for ten months, moreso that ASUP and COEASU began their agitation even before the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, embarked on their strike. “I remember that a platform was created by this House for its resolution, but surprisingly, nothing has been done about their agitations. The continuous closure of these institutions is inimical to the well being of our society.” The presiding officer, Emeka Ihedioha, admitted seeing protesting lecturers of the affected institutions at the entrance of the National Assembly on Tuesday and directed the Deputy Chairperson, House Committee on Education, Rose Okoh, PDP, Cross River, to make contact and report back to the leadership of the House on the way forward. He asked Okoh to brief the House on her findings. In her response, Okoh told the House that issues surrounding the agitation had been haphazardly handled.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 — 17

ESPITE my hope and preferred choices, I was made a member of the Political Parties and Electoral Matters Committee of the National Conference. Frankly, I had wanted, above all else, to serve in the committee dealing with political restructuring issues. There were too many ideas that have been bandied around over the years that I believe we needed to vigorously face off and interrogate. One of the points that I have noticed about the Nigerian public space is how people lap up very simplistic definitions and ideas which are then repeatedly mouthed and thrown up in discourse or in writing. They are often very emotive. These include “True Federalism”, “Resource Control” and “Restructuring”. They have been thrown around for so long in Nigeria as if they are silver bullets to take out all problems of the country. But scratch the surface, and you

National conference 2014: The Diaspora vote debate shown the utter deficiency of both the party system and the electoral process. The fact that politicians can simply decamp from one party to the other exposes the hollowness of these parties. They are platforms of access to power, and are devoid of any serious

Once we agree that Nigerians abroad can vote, we will have to organise such votes all over the world

discover that these are nebulous and emotional constructs that have not been rigorously thought through. The emotions are very deep and are often aggressively canvassed and like moving trains, can be used to crush whoever refuses to convert to the emotions of the multitude. It was to expose the hollowness of some of these ideas and interrogate those who have made a career of championing these ideas above all else, in order to hopefully help to get more accurate and mutually beneficial national platforms, that made me really want to work in the committee. As it turned out, the leadership of the National Conference has different ideas and they packed into the committee the dinosaurs of Nigerian politics, from North and South, to do what literally might be their final shouting matches in the twilight of their lives! Most of those asked to “restructure” our country are the old people, who more than ever, are stuck in the ideas and battles of the 1940s and 1950s. It is incredible that a country where the majority of the citizenry is under the age of 35 will entrust ideas about its future into the hands, heads and minds of people in their seventies and eighties. It is gerontocracy gone berserk! But in the end, working in the committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters has also been most useful as a platform of engagement with Nigeria’s political process. For me, as with all members of our committee, it is clear that we must get the political process and the party system sorted out if we truly want to have a responsible political process in our country. The experience since 1999 has

ideas or values. In any case, the Nigerian political elite seems united in their determination to run a political system which prioritises the creature comfort of its membership than any sense of commitment to the Nigerian people. I have no delusions about the issues at hand. The age of great political parties with serious ideas about how to organise society has passed; and that much I told our committee. As a political scientist, I know that the 20th

Century was the century of the great political parties: the Communist and Social Democratic Parties, National Liberation Parties, even Fascist Parties and idea-driven parties of conservatism. The 20th Century was the most disturbed in human history and it was therefore no surprise that great parties emerged to organise the millions of humans who entered the stages of human history in the titanic battles of the century. But contemporary capitalism does not want and it discourages great ideas. Today the thinking citizen who has duties and responsibilities, has given way to the consumer. Globalised capitalism does not need critically thinking individuals but consumers enamoured of the consumerism that is the hallmark of today ’s world. There is little to choose between the six and half a dozen of the ruling parties in the advanced capitalist countries. There is not much

really between New Labour and Conservatives in Britain; and there is no Chinese Wall dividing the Democrats from the Republicans in the issues of capitalist hegemony. Each is beholden to the imperialist interests and ambitions of contemporary capitalism. The ruling mantra in the centre of capitalism is reproduced in its periphery. It is, therefore, no surprise that the same political characters move around the political space in the neocolonial political setting of Nigeria. Those who were PDP or ANPP yesterday are APC today. Who knows what they will be called tomorrow? In the meantime, the Nigerian people are marginal to the calculations for power. One interesting issue which was brought to the fore in my committee’s work, was the issue of diaspora voting in elections. There were passionate arguments in favour, especially by the intellectuals, who probably have relations and friends in

the Western countries and North America. Diaspora remittances have now hit about $21billion annually, according to recent reports on the Nigerian economy. What is, however, unbeknownst to many was the size of the Nigerian Diaspora in regions of the world that they had never given a thought to. I have reported in several parts of West Africa; I did Hajj by road as a programme for the BBC in 1995; I was the first Nigerian reporter in Darfur and was a guest of the Government of Eritrea a few years ago. In these different regions of Africa, there are vibrant Nigerian Diaspora communities. Sudan alone has about four million Nigerians or so. It will be a massive logistic nightmare for INEC that is still grappling with the load it carries on the home front, to be saddled with the responsibility of elections amongst members of the Nigerian Diaspora communities. I think those vociferous about Diaspora votes only thought about Europe and America. But once we agree that Nigerians abroad can vote, we will have to organise such votes all over the world. It is simply going to be a nightmare. It was the realisation of the enormity of the task which made the Committee to resolve that the idea be shelved until a future date, when it is practicable. The wisdom of that can be extrapolated to a lot of the issues that often trigger emotions and have necessitated the National Conference.

Jigawa Television, London Railways, Nigerian Railways

am writing these lines in my hotel room, somewhere in central London, on Tuesday night. I am visiting the British capital for a few days. I took the Heathrow Express train to Paddington station on Sunday afternoon and was inevitably made to think about what became of the Nigerian Railways and all that we missed with their near extinction. I am very much a child of the period when the trains moved in Nigeria, and that much I have written about severally. As Editor of DAILY TRUST newspapers, I wrote at least three editorials at different points, including a front-page editorial, seeking for national action to revive and modernise Nigeria’s railways. The arguments for the railways are always compelling. A national railways system is one of the most important economic projects in any country and are often very central in terms of the multiplier effects they have on economic life: transportation of people, goods and ideas; the employment of thousands of working people; the knitting together of the country and especially a vast one like Nigeria and the roles which the institution can play in other social sectors from housing, heath care to sports! So important is the railways to India, for example, that the railways budget is the first item of expenditure which the Indian parliament debates annually! And who can talk about the huge country, without

the importance of the Indian Railways? Colonialism created the Nigerian Railways at the beginning of the 20th Century to extort raw materials for the industry of metropolitan British imperialism as well as to take the products of British industry into hinterland markets within colonial Nigeria. The railways were an amazing technological feat which were constructed with the labour of Nigerians, many of whom also lost their lives in the effort. There are old copies of NIGERIA MAGAZINE and the multivolume HISTORY OF THE NIGERIAN RAILWAYS in my library that I still read, on those pioneering endeavours. Those trains took Nigerians around their country and significantly, many of those who would impact on our lives, were born away from their home areas as a result of the railways. NnamdiAzikiwe was born in Zungeru; Cyprian Ekwensi in Minna and the writer Biyi Bamdele in Kafanchan. The trains that were constructed to aid colonial exploitation also conveyed people with anti-colonial ideas around Nigeria, helping significantly to develop the anti-colonial consciousness that led to the struggle for independence. It is this combination of factors that makes it so regrettable that Nigeria’s railways system was left to rot, until the recent efforts at their revival. Now a modern line is being constructed

between Kaduna and Abuja. We need to take the modernisation and construction of new railways around our country. The effort will dramatically impact positively on national development. As I rode the Heathrow Express these were thoughts that I turned in my mind. And in Jigawa State, test transmission begins this week of the new Jigawa State Television. I have been part of the Technical Committee and now the Interim Management Committee, since March last year. The Jigawa State Government and Governor SuleLamido, committed to creating, arguably, the best television station in Nigeria. The broadcasting complex in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, is the very best of its kind in Nigeria. I was pioneer General Manager of Kwara State Television and and being familiar with the television infrastructure around the country, I think the job done in Jigawa has been outstanding. They decided to go for the very best in terms of procurement and contracted the Pinnacle Communications/Harris combo to do the job. It is the successfully delivered job that we are test transmitting with effect from this week. Where there is commitment and honest intention, a lot can be achieved. In Dutse, Jigawa State, there is a significant shoot of broadcasting growth that we can be proud of!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, May 1, 2014 SPEECHES will be made. Workers will march, security permitting. Everything else about May 1, Labour Day, is uncertain; a reflection of the hard times and abundant disinterest of the authorities in the well-being of the people. Every year, hundreds of thousands of workers gather at various venues across Nigeria, make fiery speeches about the dearth of jobs; sing about solidarity, the shrinking welfare of the employed and the importance of labour. They listen to placating speeches from governments – they go home, waiting for next year’s speech. Things are getting worse. Government policies, poor security situation, and the ubiquitous challenges from electricity supply have combined to lower Nigeria’s attraction to investors. The rise on unemployment, rated as high as 50 per cent according to some statistics, is the evidence of the im-

Another Labour Day pact of policies that emphasise the welfare of politicians and top government officials, over the development of the infrastructure that would enhance job creation. Many who marched at last year’s rallies are currently jobless. The statistics are worse for youth unemployment with thousands of university graduates without jobs. More join the queue with every graduation ceremony. Four years ago, President Goodluck Jonathan won workers’ hearts when he signed the minimum wage law. The labour disputes the law spawned, with authorities refusing to pay, are among tensions around labour.

Hardly is there a part of the country without a strike over workers’ welfare. The attitude these days is to ignore the strike, whether it is by lecturers or doctors. If you expect to hear what governments have done since last year to increase employment opportunities, all you would get are phantom figures that are improvements on ones rehashed over the years. Where are the 11 million jobs Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, promised in 2011? His calculation was that each of the country’s 11 million medium and small-scale industries would create at least one job

in 2012 to make up 11 million jobs. The World Bank loans he promised and his prophecy of improved electricity, without which the capacities of these industries are doomed, did not materialise. Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, also talks about job creation in vacuous terms. Maybe she would not forget to add that her re-based economy has created millions of jobs. Labour Day, instead of a review of the progress made since last year, would be another round of promises, and lamentations. Strikes, agitations for better working conditions, the millions of the unemployed roaming the streets, and the links that security agencies make between unemployment and rising unrest are good reasons for government to create jobs beyond words. Promises have run their full course. They now sound hollow.

OPINION BY ANNABEL OGHENEGANRE

HE quest by Delta North to produce the next state governor, seemingly at all costs is worrying. Attempts to dignify the quest with other ideas betray the true motive of the advocates. If there is a core Delta in the state, common sense dictates that they constitute the core owners of the state. How come, one may ask, that the core owners of a property are not in custody of their prized possession? There is no gainsaying the fact that Delta State capital was taken from core Delta by Anioma, using militarist steroid provided by marital ties. It was the case of a person you called to come and dine with you running away with the only piece of meat in the soup! The reference to “hewers of wood and fetchers of water ” does not apply to Anioma, as they have Asaba which is one of the best and fastest growing capital cities in Nigeria. The only international airport in the state which former aviation minister, Stella Oduah, certified as worldclass is also located in Delta North. To single out Urhobo as “being most hostile and antagonistic in their attitude towards their neighbours” and that “this hatemongering attitude towards Anioma people...has taken a frightening and murderous dimension”, is to say the least mischievous. Over the years, Urhobos have been most accommodating of all the ethnic nationalities in Delta State. The two Urhobo governors, Chief Felix Ibru and Chief James Ibori, chose Simeon Ebonka and Benjamin Elue, respectively, from

Delta 2015: Power shift and the politics of hatred Delta North as their deputies. The fact that Igbos have lived happily in Warri, Ughelli and other major Urhobo towns, cities and villages pursuing their trades and businesses unmolested, not even once, further show that Urhobo people have nothing against the Anioma to warrant such attacks. In Delta State today, it is the Urhobos who are the majority ethnic group in the state and the fifth largest in the country that are being marginalised. Despite the huge investment of Urhobos in the present Federal Government, particularly during the 2011 presidential poll in which Delta Central gave as much as 800,000 votes to President Jonathan’s PDP, against a paltry less than 200,000 votes from Anioma, Urhobos have gotten nothing from the Federal Government in terms of appointment and federal presence. Most federal appointments from Delta State have been hijacked by our Anioma brothers, leaving Urhobos with nothing. Is this Anioma’s brand of the concept of equity and fairness that they preach?

he argument that Delta North made Uduaghan governor in 2007 is turning truth on its head. We all know how then Governor James Ibori, an Urhobo, helped Dr Uduaghan into Government House. Anioma should stop claiming any glory on that. Whatever votes Anioma people have given to PDP over the years, Delta Central District has given much more to the party. The position of Delta Central and Delta

South Senatorial districts which constitute the core Delta is that since the state capital has been domiciled permanently in Delta North Senatorial district against reason and the wish of the majority of Deltans, the only consolation that is acceptable to the people of core Delta is governorship of their own state. That is why it would be politically fatal for the PDP to cede the PDP ticket for any reason to Delta North because the core Delta, that is Delta Central and South, will always vote for their own in the general elections. It will be the height of political misjudgment to attempt giving the party ticket to Delta North on the basis of a nonexisting zoning plan. Elder Godsday Orubebe and Chief Tony Prest from the same senatorial district as the incumbent Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi from Delta Central who have shown interest in succeeding the incumbent are right in seeking the PDP gubernatorial ticket. So too are potential candidates such as the Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Utuama, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, and Professor Saliba Mukoro from core Delta should they decide to run. It will be patently wrong for the party to prevent anyone from Delta Central from vying for the highest political office in Delta State just because some people think it is the turn of Delta North. The core Delta still hurts over the injustice of locating the state capital outside the area that agitated for the creation of the state. The only compensation for them therefore is the

position of Governor of the State which they are not willing to concede, especially in 2015. Equity, justice and fair play demand a balance of economic and political distribution of power among co-habiting nationalities.

n all fairness, adding the governorship to this array of privileged positions in Delta North will be unfair to core Delta. Should the governorship go to Delta North in 2015, the lot of the rest of Delta State can only be imagined. With the very real danger of political vendetta, does it not stand to reason that the core Delta may suffer in such a scenario? Mindful of all these realities, which core Delta politician will genuinely support a Delta North candidate in 2015? Finally, the core Delta does not hate Anioma or anybody for that matter. Deltans are not fools and will not now pander to some power-shift argument to further tilt political power in favour of one section of the state against the others without subjecting interested aspirants to a transparent democratic process. It is only through such a process that the best candidate will emerge on merit. Zoning or any other undemocratic arrangement which bestows advantages on one ethnic group or a section of the state is antithetical to the search for the kind of leadership that would command the respect and allegiance of Deltans across the land.

*Ms Ogheneganre, a political analyst, wrote from Abuja

, ‘Domesticating’ of Fulani nomads A

FTER the spate of mayhems committed by insurgents masquerading as Fulani herdsmen in the South West, North Central and isolated communities in the Niger Delta, an expanded security meeting of the federal and state governments has resolved it is time to end the madness. Part of the plan, we hear, is to persuade the cattle Fulani to exit their nomadic lifestyle and embrace the ranching option, a policy an official inappropriately called “domestication”. Also, the old grazing pathways and reserves, which were created as part of the agricultural strategies of the defunct Northern Region will be revived so as to keep the free-roaming herdsmen, who are involved in the pastoralist branch of farming away from their counterparts who cultivate crops. Before I go further, let me point out that there has been this controversy over whether the “Fulani herdsmen” killing, maiming, robbing, sacking villages and setting fire to people’s property after chasing them into the bush are actually

“Fulani herdsmen” or insurgents, criminals and mercenaries masquerading as such. If you ask me, I will say the latter is the case. Why would a genuine Fulani cattle-rearer saddled with his precious cattle which he often values above human beings, carry weapons and launch attacks on communities where he grazes his animals on a daily basis? They do carry weapons but that is usually for self-defence against cattle rustlers. Going on the offensive means they do not want a peaceful atmosphere to graze their cattle. It can only mean that the gun-wielding “Fulani herdsmen” are agents of some political forces out to terrorise their victims for some unexplained reasons; either in vainglorious attempt at land grabbing or territorial expansion. Otherwise, why is it that is mostly minority hamlets populated chiefly by non-Muslim groups in Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states that are targeted? This puzzle must be solved by

The Fulani must do away with their ancient imperial mentality, which some of them exhibit; it has been a source of friction between them and other Nigerians

the security agencies and the real identity of the armed insurgents exposed and dealt with. Otherwise, the innocent, genuine Fulani nomad, who has droven his livestock through the terrains of the West African sub-region for ages with little friction, will become a target of assault wherever he goes if the awareness grows that he is a danger to their hosts. Secondly, we must be very careful in coming up with the solution to the dilemma posed by the cattle rearers. There must be a broad-based consultation before the grazing reserves in the North are reopened. Due to population increases, there will need to be a revision of the grazing routes to avoid conflict with farmers and landowners. I would rather suggest that the vast lands in the North should be mapped to reserve some areas as cattle or livestock parks, just as we have forest reserves. There must be memoranda of understanding with communities owning these lands to spell out terms of use. This will allow the herdsmen to know where to go with their cattle and what rents they must pay the own-

Between our locomotive and their train

T creation, all men were equal but the circumstances of birth and the accident of geography played major roles in determining the final outcome. In graduate school, we were at par with other students from the developed world, so-called. The difference only came in after we graduated and parted ways: while they were devoted to advancing their electoral process, we were assigned with the responsibility for seeking the best ways to rig elections. This was replicated in virtually all aspects of our society. In essence, while they moved forward, we moved backwards. Government and governance have become like one continuous campaign trail where politicians dish out some deliberate falsehood and we still clap for them. A presidential candidate would mount the rostrum and announce that if elected, he would air-condition all our roads and we applaud him to the high heavens. After victory and on assumption of office, he would not even lift a finger to fulfill the promise. Instead, he gets pre-occupied with smart thoughts on how to justify the promise, albeit dubiously. It soon occurs to him that, after all, all Nigerian roads have been air-conditioned by nature. He quickly engages a smart professor, not to find ways and means of air-conditioning our roads, but to embellish the fact that, truly, all Nigerian roads have been air-conditioned by nature. This is what he now records as a major achievement in the proverbial first 100 days in office and we applaud him. President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration suddenly came up with a transformation agenda in the transport sector, which seeks, among other things, to connect all state capitals with railway lines. My grandson asked if they had carefully considered the cost implication of the promise as well as the

clumsy nature of the rail network that would result from that achievement. He quipped: Do they think the map of Nigeria is drawn on a straight line? Or, are they doing some of the connections from the air? Our friend has tried to draw a distinction between the locomotive and the train. He owned up the other day that he had not bothered to check on the dictionary definitions of both words but rather, he has depended on their sound to know that the locomotive is Nigerian while the train is foreign. We intend to adopt his approach in the remaining part of this essay. Since the lowering of the Union Jack on October 1, 1960, not only has Nigeria not added an inch to what we inherited from the colonial masters, most of the tracks have also been vandalised and turned to trading posts in our cities. Lately, though, the much-touted transformation agenda may have succeeded in exhuming some of the rail lines that had been buried in the sands of time. Rather than add even a single coach to what we inherited from Queen Elizabeth at independence, the transformation agenda may have been procuring more colours to paint up the Elizabethan coaches to make them look new. This is a cosmetic approach to railways. But William Shakespeare has not forgotten to remind us that: “Anything that is amended is patched”.

ur locomotive is known for its cranky and noisy nature, understandably so. After all, Nigerian railways may not have been lifted far beyond the James Watts experimental level of the 18th century. Even the deaf is forced to hear and feel its presence because of the menacing noise and deafening horns. Over the years, our population has exploded and imploded but the growth of the locomo-

ers of the land. The same thing must also apply further South. Any community that does not want its land given to cattle herdsmen must not be forced to do so. We must persuade the Fulani nomads to do away with the rumoured assumption by them that, because they have been allowed to drove their cattle through other people’s lands for ages without let or hindrance it now gives them the right to claim “ownership” of those lands. That is a recipe for eternal conflicts, and being people without access to land, the Fulani herdsmen will be the ultimate loser. We don’t want any section of society to lose out. After all, the Fulani cattle and livestock are part of the food needs of the society and the herdsmen are providing an important service too. We must be ready to accommodate each other, but the Fulani must do away with their ancient imperial mentality, which some of them exhibit even in politics and governance. It has been a source of friction between them and other Nigerians. Usman Dan Fodio’s Jihads and amassment of the Sokoto Caliphate is a thing of the past and no community will be willing to surrender their lands to infiltrators under whatever guise. This reality must sink in once and for all. On the other hand, it is high time that the people of the Southern zones reawakened their own agricultural enterprises. It is not only the North that should engage in large-scale agriculture. The South has unwittingly abandoned their evergreen agricultural commonwealth and allowed the North to supply their food, both crops and animal products. That is highly anomalous and dangerous. A lot

tive has remained dwarfed. Consequently, a ride in the locomotive from say Alagbado-Apapa has become an ordeal. The congestion in those locomotives is simply horrendous. The overcrowding has reached the dangerous proportion where it is a rare luxury for a passenger to be

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014— 19

The idea of building train stations into airports must transcend the level of their sleeping in the master plan into concrete reality

able to secure the toilet compartment where he sits throughout the journey. What this means is that any passenger who loves himself should take care of his bowel before boarding the locomotive as the toilets are permanently encumbered. By comparison, an overcrowded molue bus is a lot better than the locomotive, particularly if by any stroke of hard luck, you are unable to sit by the window where you can get some semblance of air, and you end up on the seat edges, otherwise known as “sorry zone”, where all manner of people trample upon you from head to toe and all you ever get is “sorry”. Essentially, a ride on mass transit locomotive is almost akin to a self-inflicted death sentence because once you are there, the fans and

of young men and women who should be in the farms are loitering the streets of the major towns in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Aba – you name it, peddling worthless imported goods in the traffic. They are wasting their lives cultivating poverty rather than go back to their villages and engage in modern farming and become wealthy like the American farmers under our new agricultural deal. More pathetic is the fact that the various animals and crops that are peculiarly Southern are now beginning to go into extinction due to lack of people cultivating them for consumption. We have the Southern forest goats, which are stronger and more nutritious than the long legged savannah goats from the North we are forced to consume. We also have the native chicken and the short legged cows which in Igbo are called efi(as in Ogbu-efi, a prestigious Igbo title given to one who kills this type of cow to announce his arrival as a man of substance in society. That prestige was never for those who kill the ndama cows of the Fulani). There is nothing wrong in encouraging people to go into ranching of the native Southern goats and cows in the South as well as the ranching of the Northern goats and cows in the north. People can always choose which animal product to go for. Fulani cattle breeders can go into pacts with land owners, even in the South, pay rents and breed their cattle, always avoiding droving their cows through farmlands. It is possible for us to live peacefully and prosperously here in Nigeria, provided we adopt positive and realistic mindsets towards one another, eschewing asinine imperialistic antics.

the lights never work. All you have is total darkness while you sweat like Christmas goat. At destination, your white shirt struggles between black and brown.

lsewhere, the modern trend is that train stations are built into airports so as to make arrivals to, and departures from, airports easy. Modern trains are powered by electricity and so they are clean, fast and noiseless. A few examples will do here: one, those smooth machines that sneak up on you at Heathrow Airport; move you between terminals; and from there link you up with any part of the country, are trains. Two, when Norway won the right to host the 1994 Olympic Games, many good things followed. The Norwegian authorities built the Oslo Airport and also built a modern train station into it. The result today is that the two-hour train ride from Oslo Airport to Lillehammer is sweeter, smoother and safer than any flight in an airplane. If any transformation agenda is to move us from the locomotive to the train’s level, a few quick steps must be taken – resuscitate our railways, at least, to the pre-independence level, from where genuine expansion would begin; and the idea of building train stations into airports must transcend the level of their sleeping in the master plan into concrete reality. We must draw from our experience in road transportation where private participation has succeeded tremendously. All told, government has no business in rail business!

C M Y K

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, MAY 1, 2014

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 — 21

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

FRICAN ministers of trade and experts in trade and regional integration have agreed to boycott planned signing of Economic Partnership Agreement, EPA, with European Union. The signing of the agreement is scheduled for October 1, 2014. Speaking at the ExtraOrdinary Session of the Conference of African Union Ministers of Trade in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the ministers said the trade liberalisation deal with the European Union

FG foot-drags on implementation of new trade policy

Nigeria, Zambia, others to boycott EU trade agreement will have a long-term negative impact on the continent’s efforts towards industrialisation and job creation. The meeting was convened to discuss Africa’s common position ahead of the October 1st deadline for signing of the EPA with EU; the establishment of the Common Free Trade Area (CFTA) by 2015; extension of African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) by the American

government for 15 more years and Africa’s strategic response to World Trade Organisation negotiations, among others. While reiterating Nigeria’s position on EPA, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said rather than entering into the agreement, African countries should leverage their abundant natural resources and large market to develop industries and create jobs for their people.

“Nigeria’s position on EPA is very clear. Africa is on the rise. It is a very big and strategic market for any trading partner. That is what the EU wants from us but Africa must jealously protect what it has. “We should leverage our abundant natural resources and large market to develop our industries; create jobs for our people; increase intraAfrican trade and achieve regional integration. We must not be in a hurry to give away

By GODFREY BIVBERE

ESPITE assurances by the Federal Government that it will change its trade policy from the present Free on Board, FOB, to Cost, Insurance and Freight, CIF, before the end of 2013, there seem not to be light at the end of the tunnel. The FOB makes it mandatory for the buyer to determine who ships his goods, who insures the goods and the port of destination, while the CIF ensures that the seller determines who ships and who insures the goods bought from him. Presently, goods bought from Nigeria are on FOB basis, while Nigeria’s trade with other nations is on CIF basis. The position of the government which was made known to Vanguard last year by the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Maritime matters, Mr. Leke Oyewole, assured that the change would be made before the end of last year. However, in a chat with Vanguard at a breakfast meeting with stakeholders organised by the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, over its recent appointment as economic regulator for the ports, Oyewole, said he could not say exactly when the new policy will come into effect. According to him, “I did not promise anything, that was beyond anything I would have promised but we are working on it and I can tell you authoritatively today also that we are on it and closer than it was last year. “It is a major thing that some people hijacked long ago, you know exactly that not a drop of Nigerian crude oil has been carried on a Nigerian ship from this country to anywhere in the world, it has never happened.”

FROM LEFT: National Coordinator, National Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr. Nnenna Ezeigwe; Managing Director, Reckitt Benckiser Nigeria Limited, Mr. Rahul Murgai; Governor Theodore Orji of of Abia State; Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu and Abia State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah at the ministerial press briefing in commemoration of 2014 World Malaria Day in Umahia, Abia State.

what we have. We must not sign an agreement without first of all carrying out a robust economic analysis of the overall impact the agreement will have on the region, our children and future generations,” Aganga affirmed. He, however, cautioned against anything that would undermine Africa’s regional integration, saying, “Whilst it is important to look into the October 1, 2014 deadline for the signing of EPA, we should also fully examine the impact of the withdrawal of market access by EU after this deadline. If it is necessary, Africa should look at ways of compensating member countries that will suffer losses as a result of this withdrawal. We must not be in a hurry to sign an EPA if it will not be in the overall best interest of the continent.” Zambian Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Mr. Robert Sichinga, agrred with Nigeria’s position, noting that rather than jeopardising their industrialisation and job creation drive by hastily signing the EPA, African countries should work towards enhancing regional integration and intra-African Trade through value addition of their abundant raw materials, “especially in the areas where they have competitive and comparative advantage.”

Information on creditworthiness impeding SMEs’ access to financing — Okonjo-Iweala BY NAOMI UZOR

he Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala, has said that one of the major factors impeding access of SMEs to much needed finance is the absence of information about their creditworthiness and credible information. Delivering a speech at the Public-Private Dialogue on Credit Bureaux and Access to Finance organised by the Credit Bureau Association of Nigeria (CBAN) and Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), Okonjo-Iweala, who was represented by the Director General, Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, said, one of the major factors impeding the access of SMEs to much needed finance is the absence of information about their creditworthiness and without credible information. SMEs are generally

perceived as high-risk borrowers and with the establishment of credit bureaux in the country, the required information can now be obtained by prospective lenders on SMEs that require credit facilities. ”This information will enable the lenders to appraise the request for credit and take decision based on the credit history of the particular SME. The availability of information will also help to reduce the processing time for requests, provide a guide on pricing of the facilities and aid the lender in structuring appropriate conditions and monitoring policies for credit facilities. Thus, the information provided by credit bureaux are important decision tools for lenders and it can help deserving SMEs obtain the much needed credit facilities to further the growth of their businesses,” she said.

204.5

5.7

2,931.00

-14.00

17.03

0.09

109.09 +0.97 101.33 +0.49 CURRENCY BUYING DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA

154.73 259.8845 213.9606 175.2917 1.5103 0.3074 239.1355 RENMINBI 24.7583 RIYA 41.2569 KRONA 28.6505 SDR 239.6768

CENTRAL SELLING 155.23 260.7243 214.652 175.8582 1.5152 0.3174 239.9082 24.8387 41.3903 28.7431 240.4513

155.73 261.5641 215.3434 176.4246 1.5201 0.3274 240.681 24.9192 41.5236 28.8357 241.2258

CBN Exchange rate as at 30/04/2014

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

Shortlist announced for the African Banker Awards 2014 A

TTIJARIWAFA Bank, Standard Bank, GTBank, and Nedbank are among the shortlisted finalists for the African Banker magazine’s 2014 African Banker Awards. The shortlist revealed the 36 banks and financial institutions in the running for the top prizes available for the eighth edition of the competition. The final winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony and gala dinner on 21st May in Kigali, Rwanda, during the African Development Bank Annual Meetings. Omar Ben Yedder, Group Publisher of African Banker magazine and head of the African Banker Awards Committee, was particularly impressed

by the entries in the Deal of the Year categories stating: “It has been encouraging and fascinating to read the entries in the deal of the year categories, which are the most competitive of the lot. The transactions are encouraging because of their level of sophistication and also they highlight the amount of activity now taking place throughout the continent, some of which transformative, such as what we are seeing in the power sector. “Also, encouraging, is the fact that many of these deals are being financed and structured by local African banks in conjunction with global partners,” he said. The African Banker Awards was one of the first events cre-

ated exclusively for the sector to celebrate and recognise the individuals and financial institutions contributing to the rapid modernisation of Africa’s banking sector and to change perceptions of the continent’s domestic and international markets. It remains the only competition event exclusively for the African banking community to be endorsed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the High Patron of the event. The AfDB, celebrating their 50 th anniversary this year, will hold their Annual Meetings in Kigali, Rwanda from the 19th – 23rd May 2014. Commenting on the industry as a whole, Omar Ben Yedder, added: ”the banking and financial services industry

continues to develop rapidly, even though we’d like it to work harder and see it participate more actively in the real economy. It continues to be one of the fastest growing industries and we are pleased to see new entrants coming into the space, something we hope will help to elevate the bar in terms of products and services. This can only work to better serve the interests of the African consumer.” The African Banker Awards is organised by African Banker magazine and BusinessinAfrica Events.

riSefs BIT B Skye Bank announces Q1 2014 results

KYE Bank Plc has recorded growth in its net interest income for the first quarter ended March 31, 2014. According to the result released on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, the bank recorded net interest income of N13.6 billion during the period as against the N12.1 billion it reported during the corresponding period in 2013. This represents growth of 13.4 percent. Similarly, the bank’s operating income grew to N20.9 billion during the review period from N19.5 billion the previous year, an increase of seven percent. However, the bank said that its profit before tax declined from N4.6 billion during the first quarter in 2013 to N3.4 billion during the corresponding period in 2014. Profit after tax also fell to N2.8 billion as against N3.7 billion the previous year. The bank attributed the decline in profitability to increase in its operating expense of N17.5 billion compared to N14.9 billion in 2013. According to Skye Bank “Our operating expense increased during the review period by 17 percent from N14.9 billion the previous year to N17.4 billion as a result of increased statutory payments and other operating costs.

CBN extends deadline on e-payment security certification Chris Uwaje, former President, Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) (middle) presents Unified Payments Awards for E-Payments Solutions Provider of the Year 2013, to Sina Joseph, Director, Information Technology & Operations, Unified Payments while Titi Olubiyi, Group Head, PayAttitude, Unified Payments looks on at the Nigeria Commuications Week Media, BoICT Awards in Lagos.

Unity Bank’s Q1 profitability rises 26% to N3.14bn * Gets PCI DSS recertification U

NITY Bank Plc has recorded 26 percent increase in profit before tax for the first quarter (Q1) of its 2014 financial year. The unaudited financial result of the bank submitted to the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) shows that profit before tax rose to N3.14 billion from N2.49 billion in the corresponding period of 2012.. Similarly, profit after tax rose by 21 percent to N2.67 billion from N2.12 billion. The increase in profitability was facilitated by 9.1 percent growth in gross earnings from N11.69 billion in Q1 2012, to N12.76 billion in Q1 2013. The result also shows that operating expenses fell by about 8.5 percent indicating more effective cost manage-

ment while eearnings per share increased from N6.08 to N6.95 Meanwhile, the bank has successfully completed the mandatory annual re-certification of its Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards Certification (PCI DSS), and has received its Report on Compliance (ROC) from the external Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), NetHost Legislation Ltd. The PCI is a security standard for organisations that handle information about credit and debit card holders to reduce card-related fraud. With this development, Unity Bank customers can carry out their card-enabled transactions with confidence that all necessary security measures are in place to protect their data.

This is in line with the directive by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that all banks must achieve certification of the PCI standards. Unity Bank successfully attained the certification on April 5th 2013 ahead of almost three-quarters of the banks in the country and is also among the first to complete its annual recertification. Unity Bank has also disclosed that to ensure that it continues to maintain high security standards for the protection of card holders’ data and card production environments, it is putting resources in place to train its own team of Internal Security Assessors (ISAs) to lead future recertification exercises and work with external Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) to obtain Report on Compliance.

HE Central Bank of Niger ia (CBN) has extended the deadline for banks to comply with the global standard for securing electronic payment transactions. Known as Payment Card Industry Security Standards (PCIDSS), the standard was created to increase controls around cardholder data to reduce card fraud via its exposure. The extension of the deadline was announced by Mr. Dipo Fatokun, Director, Payments and Banking System (CBN), via a circular to all deposit money banks, e-payment switches and processors. The circular stated, “Consequent upon our circular on the need to combat card fraud, referenced BPSIDIR/GEN/CIRl01/08, dated 25th May, 2012, mandating all banks to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCIDSS) before 31st December, 2012, many banks requested for an extension of the deadline to enable them complete the certification process.“

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 — 23

24—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

Apologise to Ndigbo now, Uzodimma asks Nyako •Says Nyako preparing grounds for fresh Igbo killings •Seek urgent intervention in healthcare delivery BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

ENATOR Hope Uzodimma has described as incredible and treasonable, Governor Murtala Nyako’s letter to 18 northern governors claiming that President Jonathan, being an Easterner, was using the excuse of Boko Haram to kill innocent Northerners. Senator Uzodimma said it was sad that a man who swore on oath to protect the interest of all Nigerians irrespective of tribe or religion could descend so low to incite other ethnic groups against Ndigbo and Easterners, adding that it appeared the Adamawa State governor “is preparing the grounds for another progrom against Ndigbo.” He said while delivering a lecture titled “Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects,” last Thursday:“Let me, therefore, seize this opportunity to warn that Ndigbo and indeed Easterners will hold Governor Nyako responsible for whatever happens to them in the North henceforth. Be this as it may, I advise Governor Nyako to immediately apologize to Ndigbo and the Federal Government over his unguarded utterances or take full responsibility for the fate of Ndigbo in the North henceforth,” Senator Uzodimma condemned the murderous activities of Boko Haram, saying that the essence of good health is to preserve our God-given life, adding: “You must, therefore, appreciate why I was jolted to read of the letter written by Adamawa State Governor,

•Governor Murtala Nyako

•Senator Hope Uzodimma

productive citizenry that will create wealth for their nation.” Defining healthcare as: “The totality of the provision of medical services to a people; the process and facilities for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of any form of disease or illness as well as other human physical and mental impairments; the work carried out by medical practitioners in the actualization of the treatment and prevention of diseases,” he decried the parlous state of healthcare in the country in spite of the efforts of the three tiers of government. Despite having 34,173 health facilities across the country made up of 30,098 primary healthcare facilities located in the rural areas; 3, 992 secondary facilities and 83 tertiary facilities with the government owning 22,850 of these facilities while the rest 11,323 are privately owned, the senator said the facilities are grossly inadequate. How? Matched against a population of 150 million people, the availability of the facilities is at the

Ndigbo and indeed Easterners will hold Governor Nyako responsible for whatever happens to them in the North henceforth

Murtala Nyako to his colleague 18 State governors asserting that President Jonathan being an Easterner is using the excuse of Boko Haram to kill innocent Northerners. The governor said Boko Haram is a phantom organization and that President Jonathan is only replicating the killing of Northern Political elites of 15, January, 1966, which he said was done by Easterners.” Looking at the healthcare situation in Nigeria, which he dubbed “the health of Nigeria and Nigerians,” Uzodimma said there is need to boost healthcare delivery because “a healthy nation is undoubtedly a wealthy nation. It takes a healthy populace to be productive and it takes productivity to create wealth. A nation populated by healthy people will therefore have, in abundance, a

ratio of 3750 people to one. Although, Nigeria has one of the largest pools of human resources for health in Africa comparable only to Egypt and South Africa with about 66,162 medical doctors; 148,343 nurses; 101, 709 midwives; 1,400 medical Radiographers and 15, 911 pharmacists, Uzodimma lamented that the status of healthcare delivery in Nigeria offers little to cheer about. His words: “The 2011 MO Ibrahim African Government index rates Nigeria as 51 out of 53 countries in Africa. This implies that Nigeria has one of the worst healthcare delivery systems in Africa. Indeed our rating in the West African sub-region confirms this. Nigeria is ranked 13 out of 16 West African countries in healthcare. Ghana came first in the subregion and seventh in Africa.

“It is instructive that one of the factors that informed this disastrous rating of our health service provision is the alarming number of Nigerians seeking for medical treatment abroad, particularly India. A recent survey revealed that 20 per cent of foreigners seeking medical attention in India were Nigerians. What a shame! The medical treatment exodus is not restricted to India. Indeed many Nigerians are known to also seek medical attention in the United Kingdom, United States, France, Italy, South Africa, Egypt and even our next door neighbour, Ghana.

High disease burden This suggests that Nigerians have already passed a vote of no confidence on their healthcare system. It is also a statement of fact that Nigeria is said to shoulder 10 per cent of the global disease profile due to high disease burden in the country and our relative large population. “National Demographic Health Survey puts the life expectancy of Nigerians at 47 years. The least Developed Countries (LDC) average life expectancy age is 57. This means that the life expectancy of Nigeria is 10 years below that of the least developed countries. Also, Nigeria’s life expectancy at birth is lower than that of most countries with either lower or higher human development index (HDI).” Implications of healthcare delivery indices for Nigeria: Asserting that the Nigerian healthcare delivery system is not as robust and effective as it should be because a lot of preventable diseases still kill many Nigerians, maternal and child mortality is still high and malaria remains the highest killer of our citizens, the lawmaker said ordinarily Nigeria has all it takes to do better than it is currently doing. He identified poor funding as one of the factors militating against healthcare in Nigeria as household Out of Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) has remained, by far, the largest source of health expenditure in

Nigeria. Quoting the Federal Ministry of Health, he said OOPE in Nigeria was N489.79b in 2003 N656.55 b in 2005, and now accounts for about 70 per cent of total health expenditure in the country. “Technically speaking, this will mean that the health of Nigerians is in their hands and not in the hands of their government. This assertion is made even more lurid by the following figures from the FMOH. It revealed that the estimated health expenditure of private firms grew from N20.32billion in 2003 to N29.67billion in 2005. Contributions from the development partners to health sector stood at N48.02b in 2003 and increased to N78.78billion in 2005. “Quite startling are the contributions from the different tiers of government within the same period. Federal government contributed just 12 per cent of the total expendit u r e , state governments 7.6% and local governments 4.5 per cent. This w i l l m e a n that all the governments c o m bined contributed just about 24 per cent of the total expenditure. It is crystal clear therefore that it is Nigerians who practically fund t h e i r health expenses. It is

even clearer that the Nigerian governments have not been able to meet with the recommendation of the World Health Organization that a minimum of $40 should be spent per head on health in a given population. I am sure that at this point you will agree with me that the different tiers of government have truly not injected enough funds into the health sector to ensure effective and efficient healthcare delivery system in the land. This explains the huge economic burden of healthcare expenditure on households in the country. Sadly, majority of these households are the poor helpless Nigerians.” Prospect for healthcare in Nigeria: He noted that the Federal Government has done and is doing a lot to improve on the system especially through the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (Sure-P). He has recruited 3, 960 healthcare workers to provide quality antenatal, skilled birth delivery at birth and post-natal services for previously underserved rural, poor women ;enhanced access to maternal, neonatal and child health services in 500 SURE-P supported primary healthcare (PHC) centres across the 36 states and FCT and initiated the supply of essential drugs, health commodities and medical equipments to all 625 SURE-P supported primary and secondary health facilities, got all state governors and the FCTA Minister to sign a declaration to improve health outcomes in Nigeria. He hoped that state governments would take a cue from the Federal Government.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 — 25

‘Why are they looking down on us?' •Poly stakeholders decry unending disparity BY LAJU ARENYEKA

MIDST sprays of tear gas and hot water, students and staff of polytechnics and Colleges of Education held their ground, protesting at the front of the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday. Their grouse -that the Federal Government must bring an end to the many challenges facing these education sub-sectors which led to their protracted strikes. For Polytechnics especially, this is more than an issue of money or attention. One word runs through their every cry disparity. This word could simply be defined as inequality, a lack of similarity. For Poly stakeholders, these aren't mere words. The coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Zone D, Mr. Anderson Ezeibe while speaking to Vanguard Learning said: "Why are they looking down on us? Every challenge we are facing now is an offshoot of disparity. The Polytechnic Act for example has not been amended since 1993. More than 80 per cent of the Continues on page 26

Education, moneymaking enterpise Pg. 26

Fulani herdsmen and threat to the Nigerian Pg. 28 economy(2) RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Our Research policy must be people-oriented Pg. 29 C M Y K

*Sword versus the pen - Police authorities throwing gas canisters at members of ASUP, COEASU, ERC, NLC, and NAPS during a peaceful protest in Abuja on Tuesday

400 students to one teacher •Ajoki community laments in Edo State school where only principal teaches JSS1 to SSS3 •Allegation unfounded, mere propaganda— Education Commissioner BY IKENNA ASOMBA

SEVEN years after the establishment of Ajoki Secondary School, the only secondary school in Ajoki, an Itsekiri oil-producing community in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, the indigenes have continued to decry what they describe as government’s insensitivity to the plights of the school children. According to them, the students numbering over 400, from JSS1 to SSS3, have been left in the hands of one Principal, Mr. Victor Ogieva, to teach. Ogieva, they said, was posted to the school in 2008 by the state’s Ministry of Education. Worried by this situation, the President, Ajoki Trust, Johnbull Ebiareneyin, who spoke to Van-

guard Learning, said in the last seven years, the community has committed over N20m towards the payment of salaries and allowances of some of its youths whom they engaged to teach the students, as a way of complementing the efforts of the principal. Community leader According to Ebiareneyin, several attempts made by the community to draw the attention of the Edo State Ministry of Education have not yielded positive results, as the ministry has not responded to its letters. The community leader who noted that Ajoki is one of the five Itsekiri communities in IkpobaOkha LGA, which plays host to Nigerian Petroleum Develop-

ment Company (NPDC) and the Oziegbe South Flow Station, lamented that despite this, the community is still living in poverty as a result of government’s absence in terms of human capital development and the provision of basic social amenities. However, responding, Commissioner for Basic Education, Edo State, Hon. Patrick Aguinede described the allegation as unfounded and a mere propaganda to disparage the transformation agenda of the present administration of Gov. Adams Oshiomhole. Several letters Ebiareneyin said: “Ajoki Secondary School has not had any teaching staff, except the principal, Mr. Victor Ogieva since 2007, when it was built by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, as part of its com-

pensation to the community following an oil spillage. The Edo State Government has continually failed to post teachers to the school to complement the efforts of the principal. “The community has since then spent over N20m gotten through community contributions to pay some of our youths engaged to teach the students to complement the Principal’s effort, on a paltry salary of N20,000 monthly. About eight indigenes were employed to assist in teaching the school children. Several letters of appeal written to the Edo State Government to recruit these indigenes, have been unfruitful, as nothing has been done,” he said. “Before 2007, we had only Uwa Primary School, and we were left Continues on page 27

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

‘Why are they looking down on us?' Continues from page 25 members of the Governing Councils of Polytechnics are politicians who have no idea how the polytechnic system works. But University Governing Councils have 60 per cent from within the system, only about 40 per cent are from outside. Whether it concerns employment, entry qualifications or career growth, when it comes to polytechnics, there is always a high level of discrimination. It is only polytechnics that do not have a Commission, primary schools, Nomadic education, Colleges of Education - they all have their own Commissions. But there is no regulatory body specifically for the polytechnics. "Even during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, UTME, the cutoff mark for polytechnics is always lower than that of universities, giving students the idea that polytechnics are somehow inferior to universities. We have outgrown a lot of the policies being forced on us and we are tired of Government officials just saying, 'we want them to do what they say.' It would be recalled that Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, told newsmen recently that the dichotomy between Higher National Diploma (HND) and university degree holders will

than university graduates for doing the same jobs. Mr. Adeyemi Lukman, the Senate President of the National Association of Polytechnic Students, is more worried about his future after graduation, than the ongoing strike. He says: "If I want to work in the civil service after graduation, I have to begin from level 7 while my counterpart from the university begins from level 8. I cannot go beyond the level of Assistant Director with my HND. Even when Federal Government agencies are embarking on mass recruitment, I will be put together with school certificate holders. Even among the youths, there is disparity; although productivity figures show that we are usually more competent than university graduates, all Nigerians care about is the certificate.

Productivity figures

Education, money making enterpise BY TARE YOUDEOWEI

Even this ongoing strike is as a function of the disparity. We have been on and off strikes for the past 11 months, but no one seems to care. When the universities were on strike, Mr. President himself sat with the lecturers and saw an end to the strike, but the situation is different with polytechnics." The President, Association of Proprietors of Enterprise

I do not believe that universities have any business running engineering courses; such technical know-how is the responsibility of polytechnics

be resolved soon. According to him, President Goodluck Jonathan has set up a committee, headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, to address the controversy. This will not be the first time Government officials seem to be paying lip service to the issue. While in office as President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on January 5, 2006, at a meeting with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Education and the then Minister of Education, Mrs. Chinwe Obaji, approved a policy, which reversed the discriminatory policy restricting HND holders from rising above Level 14 in the civil service. Eight years later, polytechnics and their products are still being treated as second class citizens within and outside the education system. Some private companies do not even accept polytechnic students for industrial attachment, and pay polytechnic graduates less

*Students of Government Technical Colleges across Lagos State writing the National Business and Technical Examination Board Exam last weekend at the Government Technical Colleges, Ikorodu and Agidingbi, Lagos State.

Institutions, Dr. Andrews Jegede is also a product of the Polytechnic sub-sector. "Europe, where we copied the polytechnic system from, does not have this challenge. The polytechnics there are degreeawarding institutions. These policies have to be reversed, and institutions must learn to work within their jurisdiction. For example, I do not believe that universities have any business running engineering courses; such technical knowhow is the responsibility of polytechnics. But instead, tertiary education in this country has now become a playing ground where institutions do as they please. Because people are so crazy about university certificates, they don't seem to care about competence anymore." Polytechnic students have been at home for a total of 182 days because of the ongoing strike action. Tired of the 'half bread is better than none' attitude, stakeholders are calling for the full loaf or nothing.

ITH the rise in population over the years, the world Bank says, from approximately 140 million in 2006, 162 million in 2011 , to 174 million in 2013 and predicted 221 million by 2020, every aspect of the nation has experienced rapid change. The education sector is not left out. The increase in primary and secondary education providers is most understandable since the population of Nigeria is constantly on the rise. There has also been an upsurge in sub-standard schools owing to the fact that a viable and progressive market has been identified in the education sector. Since great things start from the scratch and such schools cater to the needs of a segment of Nigeria’s teeming population, one cannot outrightly write off these schools as they provide recourse to parents and guardians as public schools are overflowing with students. A booming sector does not, however, justify the conditions in which some schools operate. Upon investigation, Vanguard Learning came across a school that was constructed on the foundation of a one room apartment. With the school walls made of plywood, there is very minimal movement room and there is no playground. A building away, a threebedroom flat at the back of a compound had been converted to a school. It was gathered that the school started with the owner living in one of the rooms, “business” boomed and the

owner moved out to rent a flat elsewhere. As is the trend, little or no space is available for the children. Their graduation ceremonies are held on a small portion of the street. There are in fact, a large number of schools being run in three-bedroom flats and kiosk-like structures in the state and the nation at large. Parents deserve the protection of the government by way of ensuring only government approved schools exist or the populace is enlightened as to the government approved schools available to them.

Windows for ventilation The major issue on ground is identifying a government approved school besides a notice tucked nicely beneath the name of the school. On the requirements for setting up a school, Vanguard Learning gathered that it involves at least a 15-classroom block - which includes a wide corridor and large windows for ventilation, sick bay, laboratories, qualified teachers, quiet environment and grounds. The latter could serve as playground, assembly ground or sports field. Mr. Adesina Adelaja of the Federal Ministry of Education Inspectorate, Abeokuta added that to get an approval, a school is to invite the zonal school board to visit the site and upon inspection, approve the school if the school meets the requirements of the board.” He further stated that “what is prevalent is the setting up of schools, upon considerable success, expansion follows, then getting proper government approval may follow.” Currently, parents do not

have a means of verifying the approval state of their children or ward's school. Because the schools' syllabus and calendar tally with those of government schools, Mrs. Edith Oduka, a mother of two children, one in primary and another in secondary school, is assured that her children’s schools are government approved. Having been around for long and being well established, Madam Ozom knows her child's school is government approved. To this, Mr Tornyie Lezigha, a parent and teacher at Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, advised that “parents should not be carried away by beauty and go to the state zonal school board or state ministry to confirm the status of the prospective school. They can also make reference to Corporate Affairs Commission to support their investigation.” Both parents, as well as several others, lack a credible means of knowing if their children’s schools or prospective schools, are approved by government. Mrs. Oduka said that she had personally not seen a published list of government approved schools but had heard that it had been published about three years ago. Madam Ozom said that such a list does not exist. With a plea for annual or bi-annual publication of government approved schools, parents and guardians declared that if a list is published regularly, and they have access to it, they would ensure that they do not patronize mushroom schools because they want the best for their children and wards, since government approved private schools would operate at par with federal and state schools.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 — 27

Emo-Eferotu Foundation re-trains teachers By JOE AMINAH

400 students to one teacher Continues from page 25 to send our wards as far as Koko, by boat, to acquire secondary education. Some of our children got drowned on transit, then. When we asked the NNPD to construct the Ajoki Secondary School, in 2007, to compensate us for the oil spillage their activities caused on our land, we were happy that solace had come our way. But seven years after, our joy has diminished as the school is still bedeviled by lack of teaching, laboratory and library facilities. “Since 2008, only Mr. Victor Ogieva has been deployed here to teach our children and prepare them for the annual JJSSCE and the SSCE. That was why we decided to engage some of our youths, who are National Certificate Examination (NCE) and Ordinary National Diploma (OND) holders, to support the principal. These graduates are lamenting their poor pay. The N20,000 we pay them is not even enough to take them home, so we are appealing to our Comrade governor to come to our aid by employing these youths, who have shown enough commitment.” Link road, bridge The community which however, recognised Oshiomhole’s giant strides through his School Transformation Programme (STP), also appealed to him to construct a link bridge across the Ajoki creek or even construct a link road to Ajoki through Ajamogha. “Presently, we have to travel through Koko in Delta State and Ologbo before we can get to our community,” he said.

Situation unfortunate — Principal Speaking to Vanguard Learning, the Principal, Mr. Victor

C M Y K

Ogieva said: “I have been posted to Ajoki Secondary School since 2008 by the Edo State Ministry of Education, but since then, I have been the only one officially posted by government to the school. When I first came in, I was the only one teaching the children from JSS1 to SSS3, until the community rallied to get some of their youths who are now helping to teach the children.” Ogieva, however, pointed out that “since 2008, we have written several letters to the Ministry of Education, appealing that the community youths be recruited by the state government, but we are yet to get a positive feedback from them. Also, sometime ago, the Commissioner for Basic Education told us that his ministry was making arrangements to recruit the youths since the teachers it posted to the school have all failed to come here, but till date, the community is still paying these youths." Paltry salary Also speaking, Mr. Johnbull Lucky, one of the Ajoki youths who teaches Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths in the school appealed to Gov. Oshiomhole to come to their aid, as according to him, “the N20, 000 which we receive from the community as our monthly salary is so paltry and not even enough to take us home.” Lucky who joined the school in 2010 lamented the non-availability of teaching facilities in the school saying: “There are no available teaching facilities in this school. The laboratory is empty, the library is empty and the staff inadequate to actually prepare the students for national examinations like the JSSCE and SSCE. Similarly, Juliet Atuyota, who joined the school in 2009 said she teaches Christian Religious Knowledge, Basic Science and Physical Education.

According to Atuyota, “we are calling on the Edo State governor to use his good offices to come to our aid, because some of our colleagues are already leaving to seek greener pasture elsewhere because the N20, 000 we receive monthly as salary is not encouraging. It is not worth it, considering what we are giving to teach and shape these children into better citizens. Worst of all, we don’t even know our fate. We are not carried along by the government. All we have been hearing since 2009 when I came here is that government will soon employ you. When? we are asking,” she bemoaned.

Allegation unfounded — Commissioner Aguinede, who however described the allegation as unfounded said, “I want to receive this information with a wave of hand, because this situation is not in existence. In fact, we have no report either written or oral that a situation like this exists in Edo state, considering the fact that we have over 13, 000 teachers in our employ. There are enough teachers to be deployed to schools, so how can it be that there is just a principal taking the entire school as claimed? “If the community actually knows it has such a situation since 2007, they should have written the Commissioner or even sent a delegation to the Commissioner. Come to think of it, how can just one man conduct exams for students from JSS1 to SSS3? I don’t want to believe that. For me, this is just a conjecture, one of those cheap political propaganda by people who are not comfortable with the ongoing transformation especially in the education sector, by the Gov. Oshiomhole administration.”

O narrow the communication gap between the community private school pupils and others in the state through increased reading and writing in English Language, a non-governmental organisation, Emo-Eferotu Foundation, organised a programme in Abraka, Delta State, aimed at re-educating English Language teachers on how to improve their teaching abilities of the language as it relates to primary school pupils. The 10-week lectures/workshops jointly sponsored by Delta State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), was targeted at teachers in public primary schools towards developing their capacity in the grasp of English language described as a major tool in child education and improvement of pupils' communication ability in their future endeavoúrs. With the theme: English Language - the Pathway to Learning, the retraining programme commenced with a catchphraseStarting Off Right Initiative (STORI) spread among six primary schools in Abraka. The foundation, which is in partnership with Bayelsa- based Community Defence Law Foundation, Ministry of Education and the Chief Inspector of Education (CIE), Ethiope East Local Government Area, aims at bridging the communication gap in English Language between public primary school pupils in the

locality and others in the country. The aim, explained the foundation's co-ordinator, Ms. Pamela Esiri, is to build the pupils' capacity through qualitative teaching in English for them to be more productive to the society as well as groom them for future educational engagements. The courses included Oral English, Practical guide in alphabets and Instructional (aid) materials, Teaching of handwriting, recitation and spelling as an engagement of the pupils in practical identification of objects, gardening and short plays in English Language. Delivering a paper entitled Attitudinal Change for Sustainable Educational Development, Mrs. Selly Elakhame, one of the resource persons, said education is the key to sustainable development of any nation, pointing out that the education focuses on four cardinal foundations viz: "to know, to do, to live together and to transform oneself and the society." In her address, the facilitator of the programme, Mrs. Faith Aku, disclosed that teaching involves an intense and psychological process between the teacher and the student thus creating personal relationships. Teachers, she advised, should have the ability to leave indelible impressions on their student’s memories, challenging them to employ effective attitude and actions to make positive difference on their pupils and students.

357 tertiary institutions, firms partner Exam Ethics Summit BY DAYO ADESULU

ORE than 1000 students and principal officers of 357 universities, polytechnics, monotechincs and colleges of education in Nigeria are billed to attend the first National Exam Ethics Summit scheduled for 23rd May, 2014 at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. In a release, Ike Onyechere, founding chairman, Exam Ethics Marshals International said: “The summit is aimed at empowering students to promote best practices and resist sorting malpractice - the most dangerous mutation of examination malpractice and academic dishonesty whereby unscrupulous lecturers blatantly sell marks and grades for cash, sex and other material benefits to intimidated students.” He said that the summit will also witness presentation of prizes to winners of National Exam Ethics Open Essay Competition for undergraduates on Curbing Examination Malpractice and promoting Best

Practices in Tertiary Education. Other programmes include the inauguration of National Coalition of Exam Ethics Students Against Sorting; formal launching of Anti-Sorting Social Media Network; and the Students Support Services Call Centre. “Students Day of Inspiration with Leaders and Mentors will also feature as an important component of the summit,” he added. According to him, entries are being received from students in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and monotechnics across the country. Onyechere disclosed that a total of N1.5 million in prizes will be won by 1st, 2nd,3rd best essays and six best Zonal essays. He explained that the purpose of the essay competition is to generate new ideas to be discussed at the summit. He, however, noted that the deadline for submission of essays has been extended to May 14 to enable more students participate. “Winners will be announced at the summit,” he said.

28â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

Fulani herdsmen and threat to the Nigerian economy (2) OWEVER, before the shooting (verbal or guns) starts in earnest, it is necessary for all of us to get familiar with some facts which will not suddenly change and which might guide us when making collective and individual decisions on this matter. These might be called the Iron Laws of our economic (read FOOD) life in Nigeria today. Any rash step and we topple into the abyss - the end of which nobody knows. The first was made known to me by a retired Professor of Animal Science, from the University of Ibadan, Professor B.K. Ogunmodede. If you want to be intelligent, first ensure that one of your senior brothers is a professor. I was lucky in that respect. I had gone to pay a visit to Kabiyesi, as I call him and, like most city dwellers, started with

a barrage of complaints about the Fulani herdsmen and their destructive tendencies and why strong measures should be introduced to check them. Kabiyesi, not one to suffer fools gladly, especially, one he had known to be one from day one of his life, brought me up short with one statement (I hope it is quoted correctly.

Animal protein Even if it is not, this is one person who will not take me to court). Said Prof: "Whatever we do in this country, we must recognise the fact that the Fulani herdsmen hold one half of our food supply, the animal protein, in their hands. And they have done that from time immemorial. Any hasty action against them will result in dire consequences for all of

us." I was totally disarmed. Like most people, I was aware that we obtain almost all of our meat from the efforts of the herdsmen. Again, like most people, I had not given thought to how totally dependent we had become on them until that providential visit to the guru on human nutrition. From those words of

ongoing war between Fulani herdsmen/women and children is not just another conflict. It is also a major economic war which will eventually devastate all of us." Anybody labouring under the illusion that this is our own

Anybody labouring under the illusion that this is our own version of a "Rumble in the Jungle" will soon find hunger and kwashiorkor close at hand

wisdom, one can begin to discern the complexity of the problems needing to be solved, virtually, at jet speed, to avert a national calamity. The Second Law, which is just as vital to understand as the first states as follows: "The

version of a "Rumble in the Jungle" will soon find hunger and kwashiorkor close at hand. The reason is not difficult to discover. Boko Haram war has already driven thousands of

farmers from the land in several villages in the Northeast; skirmishes on the Plateau have sent more packing. A nationwide struggle between herdsmen and farmers will certainly ensure there will be scarcities of meat protein as well as grains, tubers and even fruits and vegetables. Those fighting for their lives seldom have the time to fight for the survival of plants or livestock. That was the biggest lesson of the Nigerian Civil War - which many of us have forgotten so soon. V i s i t : www.delesobowale.com or Visit: www.facebook.com/ biolasobowale

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014—29

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Our research policy must be people-oriented—SAM MOMAH GENERAL Sam Momah (re-tired) was Nigeria’s former Minister of Science and Technology. A military man, first class civil engineer, author, Momah has a doctorate degree in Strategic Studies. In this chat with Vanguard in his office at Abuja recently, he says for Nigeria to move forward technologically and otherwise, her research policy must be people-oriented, have a mass appeal and must be of maximum benefit to the maximum number of people. Excerpts:

By EBELE ORAKPO

ALTHOUGH General Sam Momah said he did not carry out any research per se in the field of science, but as Nigeria's Minister of Science and Technology (1995 to 1999), he greatly encouraged a lot of research efforts. How we operated: “While I was in the Ministry of Science and Technology, I tried to emphasise on the need to have a *General Sam Momah (rtd): We can save more than 60 per cent of the cost of research policy building if we go for red bricks rather than sandcrete blocks that is peopleHousing: “There are other ar- are the ones I can remember. oriented, has a mass appeal, eas we had researched partic- There are myriads of them. It’s and of maximum benefit to the ularly in the effort of making been a very long time so I canmaximum number of people. Nigerians build their own not remember them all,” he So I encouraged my staff, the houses. I had this Nigerian said. directors, particularly the one Building Research Institute at the National Institute for and the aim was to start using Pharmaceutical Research The four Ps of red bricks to build our houses (NIPR) then, Prof. Charles the ministry Wambebe. He was working on instead of using sandcrete sickle cell anaemia and did blocks. “Back then, I used to give reWe made sure we had offices achieve a lot of results that were search targets to my parastall tested abroad and found to in most of the big towns in Ni- atals; that was one thing I did. be very potent for the cure of geria at that time and we built I would go to each parastatal a model brick house in each sickle cell anaemia. state capital and I believe so and say ‘this is your target. much that we can save more Within so and so time, I want Mass than 60 per cent of the cost of this achieved.’ That really production building if we go for red bricks helped a lot because if you don’t give them targets, they rather than sandcrete blocks. “When I was there, I refused We have the red soil here and will keep beating about the to retire Wambebe though he it will also offer employment to bush so I used to give them tarwas due for retirement having millions of Nigerians because get because essentially, unless spent up to eight years. 'I said what we will do is just train we push them in a particular this man is very useful to the them on how to make the blocks direction, they will not move. country and for this research he and how to erect them and you I used to motivate them with has carried out, there was need will find that it will be like Chi- what I called the four Ps of the to pursue the mass production na where people build their ministry – Punctuality, Probity, of the items because many own houses. Patriotism and Productivity. countries abroad were anxious They get together and collec- Once you come to work on time, to go into partnership with us tively put up their own houses half the achievement is made. for mass production of the on weekends. That was the Then with patriotism, you will items. idea I had. That too is some- be able to produce and when But unfortunately, as soon as thing I wish we should pursue you produce, of course, there I left, they retired him and that and get to the logical conclu- must be probity so with all was the end of that very won- sion because until something these, I was able to energise derful achievement. This is one becomes effectively in use by the staff of the ministry and get of the things I know that if it the people, the effort is lost.” their psyche to be productionhad been pursued, by now, the Biotechnology: “In biotech- oriented and I think we had a patent would have been ours nology, we tried to see how we swell time. and we would have been able could do some seed multipliI was able to move the ministo go very far. I don’t know how cation, ie to cross-fertilise seeds try forward. I congratulate all far the ministry has gone about so that we can have a better those who are there now and it but whatever it is, I hope the breed. So the Biotechnology hope they will keep the flag flyeffort was sustained.” centre was doing that. These ing,” he said. Other areas of research:

Group seeks to restore educational values via Christian schools BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

GROUP, Association of Christian Schools International, ACSI, is seeking ways to restore values in the educational sector using Christian schools as platform. The group, which concluded its second Sub-regional Roundtable for 2014, titled: Raising Godly Generation To Transform Nations, is an interdenominational body with a vision to promote Christian education, provide training and resources to Christian schools and educators resulting public. Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, ACSI Director for West Africa, Mrs. Adun Akinyemiju, said that the educational system in the last 35 years has degenerated, unlike what it used to be in the 19th Century when missionaries came and established schools which enjoyed cooperation and collaboration from local communities and government to ensure proper funding and effective administration. According to her, “teachers were well trained and they came out devoted to their duties and graduates of such schools exhihibited Godly values and honesty, humility, diligence, sincerity and accountability. Unfortunately, most of these products are now old and re-

tired from work force and many have passed on. What we see today is greed, pride, lack of accountability on the part of the work force in all areas and at all levels, even among church leaders. Also speaking, Africa Regional Director, ACSI, Mr. Samson Makhado, said, “it is for the sake of the Nigerian and the African child that we have put this together because we will change Africa if we can train our children in the right direction. “The African continent is changing economically and moving towards the right direction and Nigeria is one of the leaders, but if you look at this move and some of the things that are helping them with the move, you realise that if we don’t prepare the people who are going to take this move forward, we will not get there. “Africa is changing economically but we cannot continue with corruption, paying lip service to administration, we cannot continue with people who are not leading us in the right direction. We need to prepare the next generation to take over from us. We can do that through Christian education to prepare to bring back and restore the values that we lost in African countries,” he said.

50 UK institutions to storm Nigeria, Ghana for 6th UKEAS edu fair By DAYO ADESULU

NE of the leading educational advisory organisations in Nigeria, the United Kingdom Education Advisory Service (UKEAS), is set to bring representatives from over 50 UK universities and colleges to Nigeria and Ghana for an International Education fair this April and May. The fair held on the 29th of April in Abuja and will hold in Lagos today before moving on to Ghana for the Accra event on the 3rd of May. The aim of this event is to provide prospective students who are desirous of international education and degrees with the opportunity to meet face to face with representatives of these universities and get all their questions about studying in the UK answered. There is also the possibility of getting on-the-spot admis-

sion offers from these international institutions if all the requirements are met. “There are a number of ways to access information on international education and one of the best ways is to have a one-on-one discussion with the UK universities. This is why we have organised this Study Fair, so participants can have that face-to-face meeting and ask all their questions right there,” says UKEAS Regional Manager, Nigeria & Ghana, Bukky Awofisayo. Entry to the Fair is free and UKEAS is also offering Free study and career advice, free application processing, free visa processing and free access to scholarship information. The 6th UKEAS Education Exhibition will be the largest yet with over 50 institutions attending the event in Lagos and Abuja while over 30 of the institutions are expected to be at the Accra event in Ghana. C M Y K

C M Y K

30 — Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, MAY 1, 2014

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1 1, 2014 — 31 ifychimexs@yahoo.com

Vol 02

No. 22 MAY, 2014

www.vanguardngr.com

Kirikiri command optimistic on increased revenue profile THE Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, KLT, command said it has generated N1.349 billion for the month of February 2014, showing an improvement when compared with N1.089 billion recorded by the command in the corresponding month last year. This according to theCustoms Area Controller, CAC, Comptroller Ralph Bellu, indicates that things are already looking up as the command is poised to meet and surpass her monthly revenue target in 2014. “We are hopeful for an increment this year. As the economy improves, more vessels will be stemmed to the command, and we expect a robust output because I have a winning team and together with team spirit, we are ready to work very hard for an increase in our revenue profile.” Comptroller Bellu has, however, vowed to block all

“P AAR so so far far,, ‘PAAR a success”’ Stories by IFEYINWA OBI

‘I

WILL say it is a success story. We have started since December 2013. However, we cannot look at the faces of Nigerians and say we have achieved a 100 per cent success, because there are hitches here and there. But, we sincerely thank and appreciate Nigerians for not creating any anxiety, because we have an option which we are working towards. So, basically, we inherited a backlog and we are trying to clear it. Then, we have new ones uploading in the system. “That one is clearly slowing the effectiveness of the PAAR. But, actually, we have gone far and we have the cooperation of Nigerians. In terms of compliance, we have seen a very big improvement from Nigerian importers. And in terms of

Arrival Assessment Report, PAAR, regime. Not known for pussyfooting over issues, these words of the Customs boss explains the intents of the PAAR regime and what has become of the scheme that formally took off in Nigeria’s international trade milieu in December 2013. The new Customs clearance procedure is meant to facilitate trade, plug leakages, and ensure generation and collection of appropriate revenue. The document, which replaced the Risk Assessment Report, RAR, issued by the erstwhile service providers, PAAR is a mandatory requirement for imports into Nigeria. Following the expiration of contracts for operation of the Destination Inspection, DI, regime by service providers, the Federal Government of Nigeria had directed an immediate

We have invested a lot preparing for this feat. Service providers took a minimum of five working days to issue their RAR

integrity, you know that some may want to exhibit bad habit. In terms of revenue, we have seen deep increase in revenue; better than what we have before. So, I can say that these are three things that I can say are the elements of the big success we have recorded so far.” That was the ComptrollerGeneral of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Alhaji Dikko Inde Abdullahi, speaking on the Pre-

takeover of the scheme by the NCS. Components of the DI regime taken over by the Customs include the management of scanning operations in designated seaports, airports, and border stations in Nigeria. The issuance of the first PAAR was announced on December 3, 2013, by the ComptrollerGeneral of Customs at a town hall meeting the Customs

Continues on page 33 •CGC DIKKO

Management held with members of the trading public to sensitise them on the nascent scheme. The Customs boss told the crowd at the venue of the event BBA Market, International Center for Commerce, ICC, Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria that the expeditious issuance of the document is indicative of the level of preparedness of the Nigeria Customs to handle the scheme efficiently.

Cheering audience An elated Abdullahi told his cheering audience: “We have invested a lot preparing for this feat. Service providers took a minimum of five working days to issue their RAR. We convinced Government that we can produce

the replacement in six hours. Now, we have achieved that in less than an hour.” Updates released from the Ruling Centre at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, FCT, gave the name of the historic PAAR’s importer/ beneficiary as Yaba, Lagos-based Waaz Ultimate Global Link Limited. With the number CN20130017589/001, the document covered the importation of children’s educational toys and glass cups procured from Hong Kong, China. Expressing his joy that his final documents had generated the Customs Ruling Centre’s maiden PAAR, the importer’s agent, Alhaji Usman Baba, confessed that he had had some apprehensions when submitting the documents.

He declared: “It was the first working day, and many of us thought Customs will find it difficult coping with the rush. I was surprised when I got a call from Abuja that my PAAR was ready. Since the consignment was routed to green, it means 48hour clearance is possible under the new system.” Baba had explained that he was in touch with his principal, who, according to him, had promised to effect immediate payment of the duties.

What an auspicious beginning for Nigeria’s PAAR regime!

The Apapa Area Command, Lagos, is the premier area command of the NCS, generating the lion’s-share of the revenue collections of the Service as a matter of routine. So, where best to assess the operation of the PAAR scheme, thus far, other than the NCS Apapa Area Continues on page 34

32 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1 ,

2014

in January with DPV of N36,057,600.million. “Also in February, four 40ft, two 20ft, one unpacked vehicles and four various offending imports which have a DPV of N22,476,000million were seized. “Because there is a high level of compliance, the level of seizures is not so high. You can observe that in March just two 40ft were intercepted , one unpacked vehicle and six various offending imports , with the DPV of N14,532,000. The goods comprises vegetable oil, textiles, furniture and assorted items. We have suspects in connection with the seizures and I want you to know that there are prosecutions going on with reference to the offenders who violated our laws.

PAAR has enhanced revenue generation —Compt. Jibril THE Pre-Arrival Risk Assessment Report, PAAR, introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, to enhance clearance of goods at the ports and land borders has improved the revenue-generating capability of the service. In a chat recently, the Area Controller Tin Can Island Command, Comptroller Zakari Jibril, spoke on a number of issues concerning the improvements in the Service and his command . According to him, PAAR has in no small measure enhanced revenue generation, clearing procedures, others.

AAR and Revenue: PAAR is the game changer for Customs. Aside simplifying the clearing procedures by ensuring things are done professionally, it has enhanced our revenue. You can see the difference between what we generated during the RAR regime and what we generated just within a month of PAAR. The Customs high command did a good job in PAAR. If you look at the revenue of the recent months, you will be surprised because the revenue has gone up when the PAAR took off in December 2013. The command generated N23.232 billion as against N16.959 billion realized in December 2012. Going further in January 2014 a total sum of N21,561billion surpassing the N16.344 billion the command generated in January 2013 with a whopping sum of N5.217 billion.

Service provider Also in February N21.671 billion was raked in which is N5.397 billion greater than N16.274 billion generated in February the previous year. The month of march was not exceptional as the command collected N16.663billion . Throwing more light on the some problems encountered by the service on PAAR, Jibril said: “The nature of Nigeria is that we don’t like change. We are changing from the Service Provider to the Nigerian Customs PAAR and they don’t want that change. We have said it times without number, that if you submit your genuine documents to the banks, you will get your PAAR, latest in six hours. Ask questions, you will discover that those importers or agents that refuse to submit their C M Y K

genuine documents are the ones telling tales. Some have e v e n submitted t h e i r documents genuinely and their PAAR is produced, they refused to collect it. The other ones have their PAAR produced, they collect it and hide it without utilizing it, but now, those that hide their PAAR earlier are now coming forward because there is no where to hide. Seizure: Moreso the Customs chief spoke on the command’s anti-smuggling effort , “the command within

•Compt. Jibril

We have suspects in connection with the seizures and I want you to know that there are prosecutions going on with reference to the offenders who violated our laws

the last three months has seized 14 40ft, two 20ft containers,two unpacked vehicles and 16 other various offending imports, with a total

Duty Paid Value DPV of N73, 065 million. The breakdown shows that eight 40ft, and six various offending imports were seized

Trade facilitation I have been able to encourage compliant traders by operating an open door policy. I have also applied wisdom in the administration of the command and intermittently parleyed with stakeholders and other security and extraministerial departments in the port and this has brought relative peace and calm in the environment. Officers have also been made to abide by all extant rules that guide c1earing of cargo from the port which is aimed at achieving prompt delivery.

PTML Customs command refutes agents, importers claims over PAAR’s ineffectiveness

HE PTML command has refuted recent claims by some agents that the service’s Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, PAAR is dysfunctional and waste of scarce resources. Describing the claims as a wicked allegation spread by unscrupulous elements who are bent on discrediting the landmark achievement of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde, PTML spokesperson, Steve Okoma, affirmed that the PAAR was working effectively for importers who abide by its rules. Okoma who however noted that at inception the PAAR had some teething problems said: “When we started the PAAR, it had some teething problems. Before, we used to have a lot of reports and complaints, but in recent times and even today, the reverse is the case. We thank God the management of the service quickly rallied round and came up with innovations, and today, I can comfortably tell you that PAAR is working.” Berating importers and agents who claim that the PAAR is ineffective, the

PTML spokesman said: “I wouldn’t know why some people will come up with such wicked allegation that people collect money for PAAR, which I personally sensitized stakeholders at inception and most of them have been receiving the PAAR in less than six hours. Even, we the officers don’t know those in charge of PAAR.

Planning to fail “It is said that if you fail to plan, it means you have planned to fail. What is PAAR in the first place, it’s Prearrival Assessment Report. Before your consignment arrives, you are supposed to have opened your form M file in all your documents. But the case of those complaining is that they come here when their consignment has arrived and now give their documents to agents to pursue their PAAR, and while the agents are pursuing that, the consignment is on ground incurring demurrage. This is the case of those screaming around.

“But when you do the right thing, follow the right meaning of PAAR which is pre-arrival assessment report, you will never find it difficult to clear your cargo. But the sensitization and enlightenment programme the service has put in place has improved the situation so much that I can beat my chest to say that within the last 48 hours, we have never had any complaint in this command.” Advising importers and agents to always follow the rules of PAAR to avoid delay in the release of their consignments, he said: “PAAR is destination inspection and from what is happening so far today, I think the agents are very comfortable with the Customs. The examination is open, they see it and we (Customs) also see it, because all along the agents are relying on what the importers tell them. But today, the importers see it, the agents see it and Customs also sees it. Whoever is telling lies is shown there black and white.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1 1, 2014 — 33

demonstration of our status as the number one economy in Africa with a drive towards industrialisation and reaching out to other countries in the sub-region through Benin Republic,” Obisakin said. Customs at Seme border and Benin Republic, according to him, will have an important role in getting industrialised goods shipped from Nigeria to other West African countries. The Ambassador further described Nigeria and Benin relationship as one that dates back to about 1,200 years, noting that both countries share about 778 kilometres border line and a number of other things in common, including both countries being founding members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the CoProsperity Alliance Zone (COPAZ).

120 cars handed over at the flag-off ceremony (CAC), Seme Area Command, Comptroller Willy Egbudin, Benin Customs Command, Captain Imorou Idrissou during the flag off of a new vehicle transit regime at Seme Border

New vehicle transit regime debuts at Seme F

OR ease of international shipment, the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has commenced a new transit regime for automobiles being imported into the country from neighbouring countries such as Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic. The new vehicle transit regime kick-started Thursday, with Seme Border Station as area of pilot implementation. The new scheme is expected to be replicated at other borders in Nigeria where there are Customs formations and vehicle imports business exists.

Customs administration The new policy, which is a fall-out of the March 26, 2014, meeting of the Customs chiefs of the five proximate countries held in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and is in line with the Transit Code, will see all Nigerianbound vehicles imported from the affected countries being handed over to the NCS by that particular country’s Customs administration after due clearance. The scheme, which has features of accountability, transparency and easy personal evaluation and monitoring, will have names of officers responsible for transfers and receipts of manifests/vehicles from both C M Y K

countries. It will also indicate location of formal handing and taking over of imported vehicles on transit. Speaking at a ceremony to flag-off the scheme, the Customs Area Controller, CAC, Seme Area Command, NCS, Comptroller Willy Egbudin, applauded the untiring efforts of ComptrollerGeneral of Customs Dikko Inde Abdullahi for his vision and high level of professionalism in bringing the scheme to fruition. Egbudin said that regional security, facilitation of genuine trade and improving on the existing synergies between the NCS and other Customs administrations sharing common borders with the Nigeria are expected to be enhanced under the new regime. The CAC added that the new scheme will lead to an interstate effort in the fight against smuggling and boost the revenue being generated from vehicle importation into Nigeria. The flag-off, which was conducted by the Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, Ambassador Lawrence Olufemi Obisakin, and witnessed by officials of government agencies of Nigeria and Benin, as well as other stakeholders, was with some fanfare. Obisakin told his audience that the scheme kick-started

The vehicles are to be parked at a designated place already prepared by the Nigeria Customs, thus eliminating the disorganised commercial car parks system that hitherto existed at the Benin end of the border. The first formal handover of the manifest was performed by Chef De Brigade, Benin Customs at Seme Krake, Captain Imouru Idrissou, and was received on behalf of the Nigerian Customs by Seme CAC, Comptroller Willy Egbudin. Idrissou applauded the new initiative while describing the relationship between Nigeria and Benin as that of kith and kin that cannot do without each other.

because of the fraternal ties services of both countries,” between Nigeria’s President Obisakin said. The Ambassador said that Goodluck Jonathan and Beninoise President Boni Yayi. Seme border is strategic for Obisakin described the event many reasons, including being as not just special, but also a sited between the two great milestone for the commercial capital cities of governments, business Cotonou and Lagos,which persons and entire citizenry of makes it the busiest land border Nigeria and Benin. He said in the West African sub-region. ”This is a further that the importance of such an epoch-making event cannot be overemphasized, as history, according to him, was being made. ”The official handover of imported vehicles Continues from page 31 forthcoming as complained by by the Benin loopholes that pave way for revenue agents, the customs chief assured Customs Service leakages as to meet government’s that PAAR has really taken a good to their Nigerian shape as the agents expectation on counterpart and importers have revenue generation represents the keyed into the platform and zero tolerance on palpable results of which has in return corruption. several years of made clearing He stated this in b i l a t e r a l procedures easy and his office recently relations.’ as well increased while giving an ”For this, we revenue generation. insight into activities have to thank “Even a new born of the command. God for the baby has teething According to him, friendly and problems. PAAR is an “activity in the fraternal relations innovation, so we command is on the existing between should expect some low side. The President teething problems. Comptroller Bellu command is G o o d l u c k But within a short dependent on the Jonathan and his time, the teething mother port for its sustenance, that B e n i n problems has been overcome. It has is, the Tincan Island Port”. He counterpart, come out stronger and better, more solicited for more vessels to be President Boni than the era of the service providers stemmed to the command to meet Yayi , as well as when the Risk Assessment Report, up with its revenue target. the diplomatic On the process of the Pre-Arrival RAR, was issued,” Bellu said. and Customs Assessment Report, PAAR, not

Kirikiri command optimistic on increased revenue profile

34 —Vanguard, THURSDAY,

MAY 1 , 2014

Continues from page 31 Command? Speaking on the PAAR scheme, Customs Area Controller, CAC, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Charles Edike, said: “The introduction of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, PAAR, is one of the best innovations of the Customs Comptroller-General to transform and modernise the process of import duty and clearing of goods. It was only put in place in December 2013 to replace the Risk Assessment Report, RAR, issued by the erstwhile service providers which were in charge of the destination inspection of goods. Despite that every new scheme must have its teething problems, the Customs has been able to make a success of the new policy. “So, it will be wrong for anybody to say that PAAR has failed. It has not failed at all. Imagine a situation where the service providers, on the eve of their departure left over 99,000 Forms M. I am now aware that the Customs Headquarters treats over 1,000 PAARs a day. And, so, if within the short period of time the Service took over the running of destination inspection from the service providers it has started treating such a high number of PAARs, can we now say that such a system has failed? The truth is that PAAR has not failed in any way. And it is not destined to fail, because the Customs have taken some necessary measures before the introduction of the new system to ensure its success.”

Classification and valuation Also speaking, the Project Manager, Automated System of Customs Data, ASYCUDA, Apapa Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Ibrahim Yusuf, said: “We started this PAAR with 250 transmissions per day in December, but the Comptroller-General of Customs said that was too small and ordered that we should increase it to two shifts, morning and evening. With two shifts, we transmitted 500 per day. He was not satisfied, despite the backlog of 99,000 Forms M left behind by the service providers. He said we should increase these to three shifts to be able to meet up with the challenge. With three shifts, we transmitted 850 PAAR a day. The CGC was still not satisfied and he asked that officers with wide knowledge of classification and valuation be gathered across the Customs formations in the country. They are made to work together with crops of young and talented officers who are computer wizards, and, with this, we now produce between 1,700 to 1,800 PAAR per day.” At any given time, relations between the NCS and Customs agents are at best combustible, but the matter of the PAAR scheme appears to have provided a meeting point and a convergence of opinions for both sides. A number of leading figures among Customs agents were unequivocal in aligning with the Customs. It is noteworthy that these agents did not pull punches in apportioning blames on whatever problems experienced by the PAAR scheme on agents and importers who fail to follow due process by making honest declarations and paying appropriate duties. Giving his perspective, the SecretaryGeneral, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, Dr.Emma Ogu Oparah, posited that the PAAR scheme would only succeed if only Customs would ensure that they do the right thing by paying the correct duties on their imports. C M Y K

‘PAAR so far, a success’

•CGC DIKKO

it work by doing the right thing always through payment of correct duties on their cargoes. Ogungbemile raised a poser: “The issue is that if the scheme has worked perfectly well in the United States, why will it not work in Nigeria?” Just like Kanikwu, Ogungbemile made a case for proper understanding of the system by Customs agents, as he suggested that agents prioritize being knowledgeable about computer operations. While the duo noted the matter of server breakdown as part of the “teething problems” of the nascent scheme, they were quick to add that the NCS was weathering these. The ASYCUDA Project Manager, Apapa Area command confirmed t hat the Service was indeed aware of “teething problems”, and had moved swiftly to cushion the effects when the PAAR scheme started. Noting that these were linked to transmission, classification, valuation, and migration from the initial platform to the second, Yusuf said: “The system is now so robust and fast that there are no backlogs.” In furtherance to this, he explained that the Comptroller-General of Customs has constituted trouble shooting committees at the various area commands to treat and resolve disputes arising from the PAAR scheme. The work of these troubleshooting committees, according to him, will check Customs agents running to the Customs Headquarters, Abuja over amendments to PAARs that have errors. He said that these committees have commenced sitting and are treating complaints as fast as possible, in line with trade facilitation and the directives of the Comptroller-General of Customs.

Adherence to due process, according to importers and agents in most cases that Oparah, will greatly facilitate the issuance cause delay in the issuing of PAAR by the of PAAR by the Customs within the Customs, and, as such, delay in the release stipulated time. and clearing of goods on the side of The Founder, National Association of Customs. Agents should ensure they make Government Approved Freight proper documentations, and they must get Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface themselves educated on the workings of Aniebonam, said. “Pre-Arrival Assessment the PAAR.” Report is a new regime and there is a Lending his voice to the issue, the Head, transition period. We know there would International Relations, and Coordinator, be teething problems. The Customs has Anti-Corruption Committee, ANLCA, Mr. created an opportunity for one month or Babatope Ogungbemile, submitted that two months using provisional release “there is no way the PAAR system will not mechanism. Using its power drawn from work.” According to him, it is a good Sections 27 to 29 of Customs law, scheme that has been well-packaged to thereafter there would be post-audit of accelerate cargo clearance.” what you have done. What else can However, he was quick to add that the Customs do? The truth is that importers extent of its success will be the extent to and agents are derailing the success of which Customs agents support and make PAAR by not making correct declaration for Customs purpose.” The former Customs officer added: “You know that the ComptrollerGeneral has said that, once your PAAR is given, you don’t need alert anymore, you go and clear your goods. N its determined efforts include, 4 by 20 container of But events have shown that to clampdown on rice containing 1,758 bags of most of the declarations smuggling activities, the 50kg each with DPV of being made by agents are Federal Operations Unit, FOU N21,668,800.00; three truck useless. So, if we want PAAR Zone ‘C’, Owerri of the Nigeria loads of poultry products to work, the onus is for us to Customs Service, NCS, has containing 3, 759 cartons with make correct declarations for made another major DPV of N36, 086,400.00; Customs purposes. breakthrough for the first container loaded with 860 quarter of 2014. It made 50 bales of printed wax textile Wrong seizures with Duty Paid Value materials with DPV of N101, declarations ,DPV, of N239,462,585. 582,650.00; truck loads of According to the Customs 1,497 pieces of used tyres with So, the first thing the Area Controller, FOU Zone DPV of N25,452,500.00; and agents need to do is self‘C’, Owerri, Victor Dimka “the 163 cartons containing tins of cleansing and not to anti-smuggling unit which vegetable oil with DPV of blackmail Customs.” covers the south-east and N3,300,750.00. The Secretary, ANLCA south-south states of the Reiterating the Tin-Can Island Chapter, federation, made 50 Mr. Davies Chuks Kanikwu, seizures with Duty Paid said: “The Nigeria Customs Value, DPV, of Service can indeed cope N239,462,585.00 and with the issuing of the Preunder payment Arrival Assessment Report recovered of in under six hours, like it N39,803,086.00, all has said. The issue is that t o t a l l i n g importers and agents must N279,265,671.00 with endeavour to make correct 13 arrests in connection declarations at all times. If with the seizures. The they can make proper record is against the 36 declarations, there would not seizures made in the first be any need for your quarter of 2013.” documents to be queried, He added, “the unit and, as such, they will even also impounded 28 get their PAAR in one hour. assorted vehicles with “So, it is the wrong DPV of N50,810,000.00. declarations and Other seizures documentations made by

FOU Zone ‘C’ impounds contraband worth N279.2m in 1st quarter

preparedness of his officers in combating the menace of smuggling in the zone, Dimka stated that “a formidable mechanism has been put in place to ensure that smugglers and those with the intent to indulge in the act are dealt with and compelled to face the full wrath of the law, with the support and cooperation of all patriotic Nigerians and other security agencies.” He added that “the synergy existing between the security agencies especially the Police, Army, the Department of State Services, DSS, and NAFDAC would be strengthened to reduce smuggling to the barest minimum in the country.” Speaking further, the FOU Zone ‘C’ Owerri boss said: “the story behind our success is the cooperation and support we receive from the Comptroller-general of Customs, Abdullahi Inde Dikko, and his management team.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 — 35

Osun pays pension arrears O

SUN State Government has released N1billion for the settlement of outstanding pension arrears of retired public workers who left the service in December 2012 due to the new contributory pension scheme. The retirees had on two occasions this year protested in Osogbo, to press home their demands. A statement by the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro, said that the government had commenced the immediate payment to the affected retirees. According to Bolorunduro, “the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in continuation of the fulfillment of his resolve to improve on the welfare of the citizens, particularly to the senior citizens, has approved that the sum of N1billion be released immediately to the retirees that were forced to retire by the last administration. The payment has thus commenced. Whereas the state continues to uphold the welfare of its senior citizens as one of its topmost priorities, it needs to be

C M Y K

stated that the issues leading to the pension arrears are actually not the makings of the current administration. The N1billion is an addition to the payment made on the 142% pension arrears. “The challenges actually commenced with the huge 142% pension arrears, the current administration inherited from the last administration in 2010. At the inception of the current administration, the state’s liability

on the 142% pension arrears was about N4billion. In demonstration of the magnanimity of the present government, up to N1.2billion of the inherited liability hitherto unattended to by the previous administrations was paid. “The impact of the mass retirement of the state’s employees late 2012, given their unwillingness to join the contributory pension scheme in

the state also contributed in no small measure to the current challenges and the origin of 2011/ 2012 Retiree forum. Aside from the fact that the previous administration that approved the forceful resignation of the group of the referenced retirees did not consider the cashflow implication when granting the approval of the forceful exit, it is also worth

mentioning that the administrative bottlenecks in processing retirees’ entitlements also contributed to the problem.” “The last administration failed to automate the manual processing of retirees’ benefits to take care of the surge in their number, thereby leading to delay of processing the Authority to collect (ATC) papers of the retired personnels. ”This consequently led to the situation whereby some people who retired since December 2012 were unable to submit their Authority to collect until later month such as November 2013.

Employees Compensation: We'll not fail — Abubakar BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE

HIS edition of Pen sion and You concludes our discussion with the managing director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, on the implementation of the Employees Compensation Scheme. The NSITF managing director, Alhaji Umar Munir Abubakar explained that its recent recruitment was essentially to enable the organization meet up to its responsibilities nationwide but it has also created job opportunities. He said staff recruitment is an on-going exercise.

Alhaji Munir Abubakar said, new offices are being opened and require human capital to facilitate its operations. Although he noted that the scheme is still at an infant stage, “. Nigerians are eager for us to take Employees Compensation Scheme to them.” He promised that the Fund will not fail them as we are “ doing everything within our powers to ensure all our offices nationwide are functional and conducive to all our staff. NSITF before now had offices in all the states of the federation. For now, he said, “We do not have

new offices apart from the two we have in Ado, Ekiti, Ekiti state and the one Zaria, Kaduna state”. He explained that the office in Asaba has been upgraded as it is now a regional office to oversee Edo and its environs. The Asaba office, now functions as a state office and a regional office.. Staff management - Asked how management expects a blend between the old staff and the new staff for the attainment of its goals, the NSITF managing director said, “Efforts are on to ensure that those whose promotions may have been stag-

nated are redressed to the satisfaction of all the workers”. Promising that management would be fair to all sides, he said “ management understands that it cannot succeed in an atmosphere of rancor and that is why we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring justice is done where most people will have a sense of belonging. “. For the Employees Compensation Scheme to succeed, NSITF, employers, employees and trade unions collaborate to ensure that injured workers are rightfully compensated.

36—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

BY DAYO BENSON (EDITOR)

Confab must correct our confused federalism — Adesina

r Dele Adesina SAN is former general secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association NBA. An active Bar man, he has participated in various NBA activities including its crisis period . In this interview he spoke on the role of the bar in the society, his expectation from the ongoing national conference on federalism and the justice sector. Excerpts.

What are your expectations from the on-going national conference in view of current challenges facing the nation? If the ongoing national conference fails to produce a new Nigeria then it has become a wasted exercise . Powers must be devolved to the component states. Let the states be viable, and this is directly related to the devolution of powers and fiscal federalism because once there is concentration of power in the centre as we have it, we must also have to back it up with money to run it. And that is why the Federal Government has about 62 or 63 per cent of the nation’s revenue. When you compare that with other federal systems in the world, you will discover that Nigeria’s Federal system is not working. That is why we are in some of these problems we have found ourselves today. Ours is neither unitary nor Federal; it is a hybrid situation as there are few examples to show that Nigeria is running a confused federalism. One of them is the issue of police structure. Issue of police force structure must be looked at by this conference. It has been argued that we are not yet ripe to have community police or

a state police on the grounds that it will be abused, misused and all that . But my response has always been that have you ever seen any item of human nature that has only advantages and does not have its disadvantages? No. but once the advantages are more than the disadvantages,then you find a balance of convenience in favour of doing that thing. There must be a practical and ideal federal system in place; there must be a serious

slashed . The National Assembly has been described by people as a drain on the economy;it is too expensive to run. In 1979, there were some members of the legal profession who were in the House of RepresentativesChiefs Debo Akande and Abraham Adesanya were a few example who were attending sittings at that time and were still running their chambers as they were attending to their cases in court while at the

Inheritance:

What role do you think the bar should be playing in the society especially at this critical stage of the nation’s democratic dispensation? We all know that law and order determine the function of a nation. Without law you hardly can have a system. When there is law and order in place there will be progress of not only the nation but also of individuals . And i don’t see how you can have an effective , functional and efficient maintainance of law and order without a very dynamic justice system, driven and powered by the Nigerian Bar Association.

I don’t believe that amendment upon amendment can cure the defect in the Constitution. It suffers popular legitimacy although it has legal and legitimate mechanism following a decree that backed it up but a Constitution must be a product of a popular will

consideration for devolution of powers with the federating units , so that it can be more viable ; so that the rush to the centre or national can be reduced and by the time that is done, it would impact positively on the electoral system. By this, many people will be more interested in becoming governors than president,and also want to go to the senate and the House of Representatives. Another issue is the way we are running the presidential system of government. Ours is the most expensive in the world;it does not have to be so. We have ministers in excess of 60 , because there are states that have about two ministers from the 36 states of the federation, after about 42 ministers, there are advisers of the same rank as ministers. The emoluments can be

same time serving as members of the House of Representatives. But today we have made it full time even when the Constitution arguably says it is a part-time. I am aware that the Constitution says once they sit for about 182 days in a year, they have satisfied the requirement of the provisions of the Constitution. So, these are some of the issues. Do you expect the conference to come up with draft of anew constitution for the country? There is the argument that we don’t really need a new Constitution . While some believe there is a need for a new one. I am one of those who believe there is need for a new Constitution. If we draw example from the practice we are in when you file your writ

Governors can’t appoint, remove CJ without NJC recommendation — Supreme Court (4) Page 37

and statement of claim and you are amending and keep amending, at a point the judge will tell you to withdraw it and refile. It was Chief FRA Williams at about the third week after the 1999 Constitution came into effect, precisely on the 18 of June, 1999 , who said the 1999 Constitution was a fraud against itself. I don’t believe that amendment upon amendment can cure the defect in the Constitution. It suffers popular legitimacy although it has legal and legitimate mechanism following a decree that backed it up but a Constitution must be a product of a popular will. South Africa did it and we can do it also. So , if the delegates at the conference can take us to this level, we would have a new Nigeria; the Nigeria of our dream. Do you think there is an ideal federalism in the true sense of it because democracy is an evolving process? We can have an ideal federalism. To have an ideal federalism is different from having an ideal democracy. Democracy is a system,not an end in itself. Democracy is a process that will keep fine tuning itself but we can have an ideal federalism. What we have today is not an ideal federal system. What we need to ask is: what are the features of an ideal federal state? You look at those features and the Constitution that we have, are those features present in the Constitution that we have? If your answer is yes, then the federal system is ideal. The features present in an ideal federalism is : There must be an autonomous state in a way that the state will not

depend on the centre to exist. Apart from Lagos and Kano states, how many states can exist on their own without the centre? Does Chicago need allocation from New York or Maryland in the United States before it can survive on its own? Two ,we have independent Judiciary; look at the case going on in Rivers state, can a state start and complete the process of judge’s appointment without recourse to the federal? In Nigeria , we have states without a coercive structure to maintain law and order except by federal police via Section 204 of the Constitution. The only police we have in Nigeria is the Federal Police. Federal Government has the federal police, the state does not have any state police. States make law but depend on the federal police for implementation, is this an ideal federal state? The answer is no. For instance , I was in Chicago sometimes ago and as I sat in a taxi, I observed he was going against the regulated speed limit and I said you are speeding looking at the speed limit, but the driver said no problem. Less that some minutes after he said no problem, problem surfaced simultaneously as there were two police formations, five in numbers, two in one car and three in another car belonging to two different local governments. We were at the threshold of leaving one local government to enter another one when they stopped us and immediately his driver ’ s licence was seized while they told the driver to take me to Continues on Page 39

Attempted DSS jailbreak: The truth needs be told (2)

Page 38

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014—37

Governors can’t appoint, remove CJ without NJC recommendation — Supreme Court (4) Continues from last week

AAT THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA

Furthermore, the condi- 1. HON.JUSTICE RALIAT ELELU-HABEEB (CHIEF tions specified under section JUDGE OF KWARA STATE) 292(1 )(a)(ii) of the Consti- 2. NATIONAL JUDICIAL COUNCIL tution for the exercise of the VS power of removal must be 1. THE HON. AT TORNEY- GENERAL OF THE satisfied before such power FEDERATION can be validly exercised by 2. THE HON. ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF KWARA STATE both the Governor and the 3. THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OF KWARA STATE House of Assembly. This is (PANEL OF JUSTICES) because any exercise of MAHMUD MOHAMMED JSC (PRESIDED AND READ power to remove a chief judge THE LEAD must be based on his: JUDGMENT) 1. Inability to discharge the WALTER SAMUELNKANU ONNOGHEN JSC functions of office or appoint- CHRISTOPHER MIT CHELL CHUKWUMA-ENEH JSC MUHAMMAD SAIFULLAH MUNTAKA-COOMASSIE JSC ment; 2. The inability to perform OLUFUNLOLA OYELOLA ADEKEYE JSC the functions of his office could MARY UKAEGO PETER-ODILI JSC arise from infirmity of the OLUKAYODEARIWOOLA JSC mind or of body: National Judicial Council 3. For misconduct; or All these 4. The contravention of the which is equipped with the personnel and resources to incode- of conduct conditions or vestigate the inability of the basis for the All these conditions or basis chief judge to discharge the functions of his office, the for the exercise of power to exercise of remove a State Chief Judge subject of disciplinary action power to remust be investigated and con- of removal through the firmed by credible evidence committees of the council, and move a State and placed before the where the infirmity of the Chief Judge Governor and the House of mind or body is involved, the Assembly before proceeding services of a medical board to must be into exercise their power of examine and submit vestigated removal granted by the appropriate report on the section of the Constitution. chief judge to be affected, For example, the ground of could also avail the council removal for inability to in the process of investigaperform the functions of his tion, li is for the foregoing office or appointment cannot reasons that I hold the view Judge of Kwara State from be ascertained and confirmed that m the resolution of the office without the participation by the Governor or the House issue at hand, the entire proof the National Judicial of Assembly in the absence visions of the Constitution of Council in the exercise. The of any input from the the Federal Republic of 3rd issue therefore is also National judicial Council Nigeria, 1999 in sections resolved against the 2nd under which supervision the 153(1)(i)(2), 27(i), 292(1)(a)(ii) respondent/cross-appellant. chief judge discharges his and paragraph 21 of Part 1 of The 4th and last issue is functions as judicial officer the Third Schedule to the whether the Court of Appeal and which body also is Constitution of the Federal did not err in making directly responsible for Republic of Nigeria. 1999 pronouncement on the with the procedure employed in the exercising disciplinary control dealing appointments removal and over the said State Chief removal of the 1st appellant/ Judge. It is not difficult to see exercise of disciplinary control cross-respondent as chief that for the effective exercise over judicial officers, must be judge when that point was of the powers of removal of a read, interpreted and applied neither an issue before it nor chief judge of a state by the together in resolving the issue even before the trial court. I Governor and House, of of whether or not the am afraid this issue has Assembly, the first port of call Governor of a state and the already been effectively by the Governor on his House of Assembly of a state determined and resolved journey to remove a chief can remove a Chief Judge of under issue No. 3 which I judge of the state shall be the a State in Nigeria without an have resolved against the input of the National Judicial cross-appellant. The entireCouncil. This is because the case in fact principally combined effect of these involves the procedure provisions of the Constitution has revealed very clear intention of the framers of the Constitution to give the National Judicial Council a vital role to play in the appointment and removal of judicial officers by the Governors and Houses of Dayo Benson Assembly of the State, in the result. I entirely agree with (Editor) Innocent Anaba the two courts below that having regard to these ( Head) relevant provisions of the Wahab Abdulah Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the Ikechukwu Governor of Kwara State and Nnochiri the House of Assembly of the State cannot remove the Chief

EDITORIAL TEAM

prescribed uncle- the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 for the removal or taking disciplinary action against a chief judge of a state. The court below was not in error at all in delving into the matter. Coming to the cross-appeal filed by the 3rd respondent, the House of Assembly of Kwara State, 12 grounds of appeal were filed in the notice of cross-appeal by its learned senior counsel from which the following 3 issues were distilled for the determination of the crossappeal in the crossappellant’s brief of argument. The issues are: (i) Whether having regard to the hostile nature of the proceedings coupled with the hotly contested facts in support of and in opposition to the originating summons, the Court of Appeal was not in error in upholding the use of originating summons in initiating the case. (ii) Whether the Court of Appeal was not in error in delving into the merit of the substantive case after having correctly held that the trial court lacked jurisdiction and making an order transferring the matter to the Kwara State High Court for hearing on the merit thereby depriving the Kwara State High Court of any opportunity to consider the case on the merit. (iii) Whether the Court of Appeal was not in error in the way and manner it interpreted the provisions of the Constitution especially section 292 thereof and in coming to the conclusion that the 2nd and 3rd respondents/ cross-appellants cannot remove the 1st appellant/ cross-respondent from office as Chief Judge of Kwara State without recourse to and input/ participation of the 2nd appellant/cross-respondent, the National Judicial Council and in setting up a new case for the 1st appellant/crossrespondent without hearing

Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar the cross-appellant herein.” These three issues in the 3rd respondent/crossappellant’s appeal have been effectively covered in the four issues identified and resolved in the 2nd respondent/crossappellant’s cross-anneal. In other words, on the interpretation and application of the provisions of section 153(1 )(i), 271 (1 )1, 292(1 )(a)(ii) and paragraph 21 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. the Governor of Kwara State and the House of Assembly of Kwara State cannot remove the Chief Judge of Kwara State from office without recourse to and input or participation of the National Judicial Council. That is to say for the purpose of emphasis, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, does not give the Governor of Kwara State acting in conjunction with the House of Assembly of Kwara State absolute power to remove the chief judge of the state from his/her office or appointment before the age of retirement without the recommendation or the National Judicial Council. Thus, in the final analysis in the appeals and the crossappeals in this matter, the appeal which succeed are hereby allowed, the

judgment of the court below which held that the trial court lacked jurisdiction in entertaining the action is hereby set aside. The judgment of the trial court declaring that it has jurisdiction to entertain and determine the matter brought before it by the plaintiff/ appellant is hereby restored and affirmed. In the same vein, the two cross-appeals of the 2nd and 3rd respondents/ cross-appellants having jailed, are hereby dismissed. Taking into consideration the circumstances of this case, I do not regard it appropriate to make any order on costs. Counsel: Chief A. S. Awomolo (SAN) (with him O. A. Aiyemowa) for the 1st Appellant/CrossRespondent. J. B. Daudu (SAN. (with him. E. O. Maduka (Miss) and O. 0. Kehinde) - for the 2nd Appellant/CrossRespondent. R.A. Lawal Rabana (SAN) (with him. Aliyu Saiki) - for the 1strespondent. A. 0. Adelodun (SAN) (with him. A Abuulraheem) - for the 2nd respondent/CrossAppellant. Yusuf Ali (SAN) (with him. K. K. Eleja. T.B. Olurode (Miss). T.E. Akintade (Miss.) and K. T. Sulaiman (Miss)) -for the 3rd Respondent/Cross-Appellant Concluded

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

Attempted DSS jailbreak: The truth needs be told (2) Continues from last week

DSS operatives shortly after the jailbreak

They started screaming ‘we are not Boko Haram. We are detainees!’ My neighbours and I saw the soldiers take the men to a place called ‘no man’s land,’ behind the University of Maiduguri. We watched as the soldiers opened fire killing all 56

notwithstanding the extremism and violence of armed groups that has brought much gutwrenching bloodshed and dislocation to our country. Our answer to extremist depravities cannot mirror and reproduce the brutishness and mindlessness we condemn, for then, we can’t say we have set a

standard by which we are entitled to judge and condemn others, for we can be no different from those judged. But more than that, we run the universal risk of exposing innocent people suffering to the injustice of stigmatization and victimization from mislabeling. That stigmatization has often

CORRUPTION CASES: The By CHRIS MOMOH

ombating corruption in Nigeria has been an uphill task. While many believe that the anti-graft war will remain rudderless until there is a strong commitment from the highest level of government, others argue that the courts have been the greatest cog in the wheel of the anti-graft war. Corruption cases litter our courts. Former governors who are having their day in our courts include Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Orji Kalu (Abia), Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), and Sani Ahmed (Zamfara) to name a few. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has also arraigned some former bank chiefs for alleged financial crimes. Foremost lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) is among those who are worried at the slow pace of prosecution of these cases. He said recently that “the Nigerian people

have justifiably blamed lawyers and judges for frustrating the anti-graft agencies from successfully prosecuting politically exposed persons and other members of the ruling class accused of corrupt practices and money laundering.” He also listed the Akingbola Case, Ibori Case and Halliburton Scandal as three cases “which have recently questioned the commitment of the country to tackle the menace of corruption.” I share the frustrations of the renowned human rights activist. However, it must be stated that the crises rocking the nation’s judiciary is not as simplistic as highlighted. Falana’s postulation can therefore not be the gospel truth, lest we mistake the symptom for the cause. While Ibori has had his day in court, the Halliburton Case was sensationally bungled by the prosecution. As to the Akingbola Case, it is only fair that due process is also followed. The zeal to

led to many deaths, unfair, unfortunate deaths. Nelson Mandela, that hero of the anti-apartheid struggle, was once branded a terrorist by the White government in Pretoria. Had he been killed the way the 21 inmates in the custody of the SSS were, the world would have been denied knowledge of the truth of who Mandela really was. Who is to say whether all of those persons in SSS custody were actually Boko Haram members in a country where people are picked up randomly and hauled to face fabricated crimes? In a country where security agencies are plumbing the depths of incredulity to make distorted claims of

an inquiry into the cause of death or disappearance shall be held by a judicial or other authority, either on its own motion or at the instance of a member of the family of such a person or any person who has knowledge of the case. When circumstances so warrant, such an inquiry shall be held on the same procedural basis whenever the death or disappearance occurs shortly after the termination of the detention or imprisonment. The findings of such inquiry or a report thereon shall be made available upon request... “ We also urge the National Human Rights Commission, by virtue of its statutory mandate, to undertake a thorough and independent investigation into what actually happened during the jail break and ensure that the truth is not buried under the weight of what is politically expedient for the SSS to claim at this time. After this investigation, the Commission should refer any matter of human rights violation requiring prosecution to the Attorney General of Federation. Joseph Otteh and Rita Patrick are of Access to Justice

Courts are not to blame court of their intention to call additional witnesses. In fact, the problems of the Nigerian judiciary are well known even to the average person. Most Nigerian judges still write in long hand, thereby causing delays. Libraries are non-existent and infrastructural decay is the

Today, the New York Times carried a story based on an Amnesty International Report that alleges that about 600 unarmed, recaptured detainees who had been earlier freed when Boko Haram fighters attacked the Giwa military barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State were re-arrested, and then summarily executed by soldiers in various locations in Maiduguri. “Amongst the testimony gathered by Amnesty International were the voices of witnesses who described what happened when the military found 56 of those who had escaped from the Giwa barracks. “The former detainees were in a classroom. They started screaming ‘we are not Boko Haram. We are detainees!’ My neighbours and I saw the soldiers take the men to a place called ‘no man’s land,’ behind the University of Maiduguri. We watched as the soldiers opened fire killing all 56. They were killed in front of us. All of them.” We cannot afford to be quiet when the State kills in circumstances like this,

their progress in winning the war against terrorism? Prisoners and detainees still have the right to life and where there is an attempt to escape detention, their lives cannot be taken whimsically, or as a retribution for the attempt to escape detention or cause political embarrassment. In the context of the location where this escape bid was reportedly launched, it is untenable to argue that there were no non-lethal means of preventing the escapes. The Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to life, and the government is under a constitutional responsibility to thoroughly and impartially investigate the deaths of any persons who die in custody. Many international norms and instruments obligate Nigeria to undertake credible, impartial and thorough investigations into the death of any persons who die in custody. For example, Principle No 34 of the United Nations Body of Principles for the Protection All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment provides that: “Whenever the death or disappearance of a detained or imprisoned person occurs during his detention or imprisonment,

I share the frustrations of the renowned human rights activist. However, it must be stated that the crises rocking the nation’s judiciary is not as simplistic as highlighted

*Erastus Akingbola combat graft and financial crimes must neither becloud our sense of fairness nor open the floodgates for trampling on the rights of accused persons as enshrined in our Constitution, moreso as the Constitution holds them out as innocent until the contrary is proved. It was the eminent English jurist Blackstone, J. who warned that “It is better to let nine guilty men free than to convict one innocent man.” That golden rule for judges

trial of Nigeria’s former bank chiefs is the Court of Appeal judgement obtained by former Finbank Managing Director Okey Nwosu in appeal NO: CA/ L/601/11. The court held that the Lagos High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the stealing charges preferred against

remains true today as it was hundreds of years ago. It can be argued that the Akingbola case cannot be singled out as the only case affected by the elevation of Justice Wale Abiru to the Court of Appeal, moreso as there were other critical murder and oil subsidy cases being handled by the cerebral judge. It is also on record that the case had not been concluded, as parties were yet to address the court. Defence lawyers had also reportedly informed the

norm. Aside from delayed and shoddy investigations, prosecutors are known to be in the habit of merely waiting to file fresh charges and re-arraign suspects. Even more fundamental is the fact that Nigeria’s criminal justice system is long overdue for an overhaul. Interlocutory appeals are a major thorn in the flesh of anti-graft prosecutors. However, it is now obvious that aside from the above challenges, what has remained an albatross for the prosecution in the

the former bank chief. Similar charges against former Intercontinental Bank chief executive Erastus Akingbola now pending before Justice Lateef Akapo-Lawal of Lagos High Court are equally being challenged. In line with the settled principle of stare decisis, it remains to be seen how lower courts determine these matters. It is recalled that the Supreme Court chided Justice Ishaq Bello of FCT High Court for ignoring this hallowed principle.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014—39

Lagos families ‘fight’ over Lekki land as court judgment generates controversy C

ontroversy has continued to trail a vast area of land that shares boundaries with the Oniru, the Elegushi, and the Olumegbon estates in Lekki area of EtiOsa Local Government Area in Lagos State. The battle is between the Ojomu Chieftaincy Family, the estate of Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu and the Lagos State Government, as a result of different interpretations the parties involved recently gave to a Supreme Court judgment. Vanguard learnt that the problem began in 1981 when the then Lagos State Governor, acting pursuant to the powers granted him under the Land Use Act, revoked all existing rights on the land in Eti-Osa and Ibeju Lekki areas of the state. The Ojomus, being owners of the land from time immemorial, had at that time, sold 254.558 hectares of land to the late Mr. Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu by deed of conveyance. The conveyance, dated August 23, 1977, was registered as No.36 at Page 36 in Volume 1648 of the Lagos Lands Registry. But the Ojomus challenged the acquisition of their ancestral land in court which reportedly ruled in their favour and invalidated the acquisition. In 1993, the Lagos State Government published another revocation notice No 20 Volume 26 (Revocation Notice No 34) of May 13, 1993. The government was said to have ignored the earlier judgment of the court and acquired the land belonging to the Ojomus for what it described as an “overriding public interest.” After this, representatives of the Ojomus had several peace meetings with the government and in 1994, the Lagos State Government excised land totalling 604.19 hectares to the Ojomus through an official gazette No 24 Vol.27, dated June 23, 1994. Vanguard further learnt that shortly after the revocation of 1993, the inheritors of the late Eletu challenged the right of the Lagos State Property Development Corporation, LSPDC, to use a portion of their land, which they bought from the Ojomus. They sought “a declaration that the applicants are the persons entitled to all that piece of farmland at Osapa in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.” The Eletus reportedly got a favourable judgment that a

portion of the land excised to the Ojomus by the government fell within the area that had been sold initially by the Ojomus to the late Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu before the revocation saga, which was said to be about 50 hectares. Trouble started when the children of late Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu wanted to take possession of the land after the court judgment. The Ojomus

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

If the revocation is valid, can the estate of Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu validly claim any portion of the land excised to the Ojomus after the revocation

sued them as trespassers. The parties reportedly agreed to submit their documents and ask the court to determine “what rights, if any, remains for either party, after the revocation of 1993” They also sought to know: “If the revocation is valid, can the estate of Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu validly claim any portion of the land excised to the Ojomus after the revocation?” Justice Moshood Olugbani of the Lagos High Court in his judgement held that the inheritors of late Eletu were trespassers on the grounds that their conveyance had been validly revoked by the Lagos State Government. But the Eletus took the case to the Court of Appeal, which was said to have upheld the decision of the High Court. The case also went to the Supreme Court, which ruled on the case on July 12, 2013. Vanguard Homes & Property gathered that the apex court held that the inheritors of late Eletu were entitled to the 10 hectares earlier granted to them in Suit No. M/779/93. The court was said to have affirmed and referred to the equitable interest in 254.558 hectares earlier conveyed to them by the Ojomus. The Eletus and their lawyers, reportedly got a warrant for 254.558 hectares and began to assert claim to the land, which was said to have affected some estates such as Pinnock Beach Estate, Arcadia Estate, Beach Resort Estate, Friends Colony, Nicon Town, and a host of others. The affected estates reportedly challenged the Eletus in a Lagos High Court. The court was also said to have delivered its judgment on the case on October 11, 2013, and quashed the warrant for “documentary irregularities.” The Eletus then went back to

the Supreme Court to ask that it pronounce them as having entitlement to 254.558 hectares, to wit “less the 37.8 hectares conceded to the Lagos State Government in the terms of settlement in Suit No. M/779/93.” The court delivered its second decision on the case between the Estate of Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu vs. Ojomu Chieftaincy Family on March 18, this year. It said the inheritors of the late Eletu were entitled to 216.758 hectares. The Ojomus stated that the Lagos State Government was not a party in Suit No LD/2642/ 1995, which resulted in the current judgment of the Supreme Court. The Ojomus said more than 180 hectares of the land awarded to the inheritors of late Eletu purportedly falls outside the 604.19 hectares excised to the Ojomus by the state government. The Ojomus then wondered what would become of the revocation by the Lagos State Government, the status of the notices of excision and Certificates of Occupancy issued by the state government and how the Supreme Court expected them to give the land outside their control?

Law Pavilion holds training for Lagos State Ministry of Justice Directors below are some of the participants.

From left: Adebayo Saliu, Mr. Jide Pearse (3rd) and others.

From left: Mr. Adetunji Dawodu, Ms Tutu Osinusi, Ekinuawo Hussein Ize and Mrs. Modupe Salau.

Confab must correct our confused federalism — Adesina Continues from Page 36 my destination having looked at time of my scheduled flight with an instruction that he should meet them at a particular police station. It was a community police not even a state police. So , when we are talking of decentralisation of policing system in Nigeria, we are not limiting it to the state police but also a community police. I learnt that in America, there are over 140 police formations. In those days we had effective security people at the University of Ife, who had coersive powers to arrest and lock you up before handing you over to the police. These are just a few fundamental principles of an idea federal system of government which you yourself can see and compromise under this present arrangement in Nigeria. How do you think the conference should address the problem facing the justice sector? Today, everybody has accepted that there is an undue delay in our justice system and the concomitant effect of this delay is located in the congestion in our courts. I have argued before that I don’t know any new issue that any lawyer may want to raise on jurisdiction that has never been raised before in any matter. Why does

a lawyer want to pursue an appeal on preliminary objection based on jurisdiction alone to the highest court in the land? While doing that the substantive matter is hanging. For me, the national conference must look at the possibility of terminating interlocutory appeals at the Court of Appeal so as to relief the Supreme Court of a lot of their cases. As at December 2013, the Supreme Court was still having 2009 cases, they were about three or four years behind, the workload was so much as people continue to file appeals there and a good number of these appeals arose from preliminary objections in the lower courts. So, there is no reason the interlocutory appeals should not terminate at the Court of Appeal, they must look at that. I do not see any reason why we have 36 states in a federation; every state having its own judiciary with some of them as many as 46 courts. In Lagos alone, there are 46 courts, each of them being presided over by a judge. So, we are having cases from 46 courts going to Court of Appeal from Lagos alone. Apart from the state High Courts, we have divisions of the Court of Appeal in virtually now all states of the federation. All these, like a

pyramid terminating at the Supreme Court. For me , I don’t see any reason why we cannot have appeal courts owned by the states; I also don’t see any reason why we cannot have the Supreme Court Justices in larger number than we have now as the ceiling in the Constitution presently is 21 Justices. So, this National Assembly or the national conference must look at the possibility of increasing the number phenomenally from 21 to much more than we have now so that at any particular point in time not less than three sessions of the Supreme Court can be running. So that we can still have Justices sitting in there chambers to either write their rulings or judgements and studying their files because the limit of 21 Justices is no longer feasible having regards to the number of Justices we have now. Every year we appoint new judges, every year new cases are filed. It is also very unfortunate that we have never had the full compliment of that 21 in the Supreme Court. The question is: what is limiting us? I have cause to say it many times that Nigeria’s Supreme Court is the busiest in the world; and I think they can be relieved a little.

40—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 VANGUARD'S EXCLUSIVE BOOK SERIALS Zik, Ndi-Igbo and their southern neighbours:

Charting a new political direction for Nigeria (3) YESTERDAY we gave you details of how hief Obafemi Awolowo convinced most of the 'minor parties' and 'undecided' to team up with the AG against Zik's NCNC, which blew its chances through some electoral mistakes. Today, we serve you the roots of the Igbo-Yoruba conflict in Nigeria politics and how Awo stopped Zik from going to the Central Legislature via the Western Region.

OW Awo stopped Zik from going to the centre from Western region

Even after the AG had taken the reins of power in Ibadan, the Western NCNC still insisted that Zik and Prince Adeleke Adedoyin were to proceed to the central legislature in Lagos. Dr Olorun-Nimbe, who collaborated with the Action Group and disobeyed party directive to step down for Zik earned the wrath of the party and was eventually expelled from the NCNC and soon sank into political oblivion. Adedoyin was prepared to step down for Zik on the condition that Olorun-Nimbe should relinquish the Mayoralty of Lagos to him. But Olorun-Nimbe would not budge either. But I suspect that even so, some members of the Western NCNC still expected Adedoyin to step down for Azikiwe, their leader.

paralyse the machinery of government and thus rip the Macpherson Constitution and usher in a democratic one. This means that if we come to power, we shall not only refuse to become ministers, but we shall use our majority to prevent budgets from being passed . . . I am no careerist and it is clear that salary for ministers can hold no attraction for me; it comes to only one-third or less of my earning. In fact, if I am offered a ministerial post, I will not accept it because I cannot serve in such a capacity in an inferior legislature of the colonial type. I speak for myself and those colleagues of mine who see with me on this issue. There are other NCNCers who hold a different view, but if their opinion subsequently prevails that will not make me change my mind about accepting a ministerial post

Azikiwe’s obvious plan was to use the hopedfor NCNC majority in the Black Parliaments in the East, West and at the centre to defer or kill every Bill from the British Governor of Nigeria in Lagos and the British Lieutenant Governors in Ibadan and Enugu

And because he did not do this, his popularity in the party may have suffered. Perhaps it was consequent upon this state of affair that Prince Adeleke Adedoyin left the NCNC and left the arena of Lagos politics in 1953. Subsequently he joined the Action Group and became Speaker of the Western House of Assembly as well as a member of the AG Federal Executive (See Sklar, Op cit. p. 117f). On further reflection, it would appear that most of Azikiwe’s colleagues, especially Adedoyin and Olorun-Nimbe and the defectors from his party did not quite appreciate or understand his plans for the achievement of national independence. A month or so to the 1951 elections, Azikiwe was quoted to have made the following statement; So far as I am concerned, personally, my aim in trying to get a majority in the regional and central legislatures is to firmly entrench the NCNCers in a strategic position where we would create a deadlock and

under the Macpherson Constitution because such a decision of mine is fundamental and irrevocable— Statement by Dr Azikiwe to a newsman before the Lagos election, Daily Times, November 23, 1951 (quoted in Coleman, Nigeria, p. 476 n. 49 & Sklar, Nigerian Political Parties, p. 116f) I believe that if Azikiwe’s colleagues had understood his intendment to torpedo the government from the Central Legislature, the clamour or insistence to be the central legislator would have been more subdued since its lifespan was bound to be cut short at Zik’s instance and prodding. For Zik was so focused on the achievement of this objective that he would have found a way of doing so even though the NCNC did not achieve parliamentary majority in the Central Legislature as a result of its defeat by the AG in the Western Region. If the NCNC had won in the West, it would have, by the

•Chief Obafemi Awolowo

dictates of the subsisting Macpherson Constitution of 1951 been in a position to produce the four central ministers due the Western Region as well as the representatives for the Western Region in the Central Legislature. That would have given the party majority in that House as well as eight possible indigenous ministers in the central Council of Ministers (each region produced four ministers) which it would have used to paralyse government and governance from the centre in much the same way as it ultimately did in the Eastern Region in 1953. Indeed, the central government and governments of the Eastern and Western Regions would have been torpedoed in 1952 and what became the Lyttelton Constitution of 1954 would have come in 1952.

Natural deduction Actually, I do not think that Azikiwe ever thought in terms of any governments emerging on the basis of the Macpherson Constitution and the 1951 elections. This conclusion is a direct and natural deduction from Azikiwe’s declaration above that he himself would not accept a ministerial position under the Macpherson Constitution. In effect, if Zik had had his way, that is, if the NCNC had won the elections in both the East and the West, Zik would have forestalled the formation of governments in the two southern regions and at the centre immediately after the inauguration of parliaments in the two regions and at the national level. There would indeed have been no ministers or Heads of Government Business (or what later became premiers/ prime minister) both in the Eastern and

Western Regions as well as at the national level. In retrospect, it is plausible that this was the reason why the NCNC or Zik did not get into the business of offering ministerial appointments to elected legislators/ political groups like the IPP that it hoped to ally with or of naming anybody or offering the position of Head of Government Business to anyone, like Adisa Akinloye, for instance. For Zik, the constitutional arrangement would have been torpedoed before the need for any such appointments could have arisen, and the decolonisation process would thereby have been speeded up. Azikiwe’s obvious plan was to use the hoped-for NCNC majority in the Black Parliaments in the East, West and at the centre to defer or kill every Bill from the British Governor of Nigeria in Lagos and the British Lieutenant Governors in Ibadan and Enugu.

Parliamentary majority This was exactly what he eventually did in the Eastern Region where the NCNC had parliamentary majority! With this plan, the Macpherson Constitution would have been ripped in January 1952. There would therefore have been no need and no room to get to the stage of appointing ministers or Heads of Government Business. Unfortunately, some of Azikiwe’s colleagues in the NCNC did not know or understand this, hence their dithering, defection and general intransigence. (Zik did not call a meeting of the elected legislators in the Western Region or those of them that belonged to the NCNC before the

inauguration of the Parliaments to explain this strategy and its obvious benefits and relevance in the achievement of national independence for Nigeria.) I imagine that if Azikiwe’s colleagues or elected legislators in the Western Region had imbibed this philosophy or were all privy to this Azikiwe’s strategy, then both the carpet crossing episode in the Western House of Assembly and the later inter-personal struggles for position or accession to the National Assembly within the NCNC would have been more checkered, subdued or even defeated. But then, it was possible that both Prince Adeleke Adedoyin and Dr Abu Bakar Ibiyinka Olorun-Nimbe acted the way they did because of an old inter-personal quarrel they had with Azikiwe previously. Impact of earlier internal squabble within the NCNC In 1947 when an NCNC delegation led by Azikiwe (Igbo) visited London to protest the Richards Constitution of 1945, the two men, Prince Adeleke Adedoyin (Ijebu Yoruba) and Dr Abu Bakar Ibiyinka OlorunNimbe (Ilorin Yoruba), were members of the delegation. Others were Malam Bukar Dipcharima (Kanuri), Chief Nyong Essien (Ibibio), P M Kale (Bakweri Cameroonian), and Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (Yoruba).

Personality conflict A personality conflict arose between Zik, and Adeleke and Adedoyin on the other hand. The twosome contended according to Richard Sklar, that the memorandum and constitutional proposals submitted to the Colonial Secretary were drafted by Azikiwe alone, a charge which assumes credibility in the light of its similarity to other documents [authored by Azikiwe], e.g., the Political Blueprint of Nigeria, [his earlier 1943 Memorandum to the Secretary of State to the Colonies] and various press commentaries. Possibly, the memorandum went further than members of the delegation had anticipated in setting forth a program for full independence in fifteen years. Upon their return to Nigeria, the rift between Azikiwe and the two other Lagos elected members became more pronounced; Adedoyin and Olorun-Nimbe, General Secretary and Treasurer of the NCNC respectively, were expelled [from the party] along with the Continues on page 41

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 —41

VANGUARD'S EXCLUSIVE BOOK SERIALS

Charting a new political direction for Nigeria (3) Continues from page 40 Vice-President, M A O Williams, at the First Annual Assembly in April 1948. But Adedoyin and Olorun-Nimbe were the standard bearers of the party in Lagos and their expulsions were neither permanent nor effective. (Sklar, op. cit., p. 63f) In August 1948, it was reported, the Chief Imam, Ahmed Tijani Ibrahim, and thirty Rabitis, backers of the NNDP/NCNC in Lagos, met with Azikiwe and mediated the return of the expelled NCNC executive officers leading to the readmission of Prince Adeleke Adedoyin and Dr A B OlorunNimbe to the party—West African Pilot, August 18, 1948; (Sklar, op cit., p. 71). Azikiwe’s post-election letter to Awolowo Anyway, Azikiwe was so focused on the achievement of this objective, the business of paralysing the colonial government to usher in national independence that he was prepared to work with even his greatest opponents and detractors for the purpose. According to Richard Sklar, Dr Azikiwe is reported to have sent a post-election [open] letter to Mr. Awolowo proposing that their two parties form an alliance in the Western Region that would ‘create such a deadlock . . . as to force the hands of Government to concede us a better constitution whose provisions would make party politics more effective’. – West Africa, December 29, 1951 (quoted in Coleman, Nigeria, p. 476, n. 49)—Sklar, Op cit. p. 116f.

National independence What Zik was saying in effect is that in the event the AG won the election in the Western Region, that Awolowo should cooperate with him to achieve the above object and speedily secure national independence for Nigeria. Why did Awolowo not immediately cooperate with Zik as requested upon coming to power in the West? Of course Awolowo was intelligent and sagacious enough to understand what Zik proposed and its workability. But perhaps he imagined that helping Zik paralyse government would entail pulling down governments in the regions as well, which would not be in his personal, party or class interest notwithstanding the fact that his refusal to cooperate would delay Nigeria’s independence. You see, if Zik’s proposal of paralyzing government would be at both central and regional levels, it would mean that the elections at the regional levels would also be repeated under a new constitution that would come. That constitution was expected

The Minutes of the Emergency Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Action Group, Lagos, March 24, 1953, shows that the party authorised the four Western ministers to support Anthony Enahoro’s self-government motion. Stoppage of Zik's movement to the central legislature It will be remembered that the Macpherson Constitution provided that the Lagos Capital Territory was to be represented in the Central or National Legislature by two elected legislators from Lagos. However, contrary to expectations, that Constitution did not allow that the two members would move directly from Lagos to the National Assembly. Instead, the Western House of Assembly was made the Electoral College that would elect from amongst the elected legislators from Lagos the said two representatives for Lagos. This indeed arose from the fact that the nation’s capital city, Lagos, was •Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Premier of Eastern Region, introducing Dr. Michael inadvertently, or as viewed in Okpara at NCNC rally in Urualla, Eastern Nigeria in 1959. Okpara later some quarters, mischievously became the Premier of the Eastern Region. made part of the Western to be a more democratic through direct elections, the AG Region by the British colonialists document that would stipulate lost to the NCNC in the Western in spite of the subsisting notion direct elections through universal Region. As already pointed out and practice that national capitals adult suffrage, which the NCNC above, it was for this same reason should never be subordinated to had been rooting for. Awolowo that the AG did not conduct a any one region of a country. could not be sure that his party snap election in the West and As already stated above, after would at that point in time win stayed in power for virtually the the 1951 Western Regional the repeat election in the Western entire five-year period to which elections in which the NCNC Region under the expected new it was elected in 1951. won all the Lagos legislative format. The point is that the AG first seats and following this You see, the only chance needed to consolidate power in constitutional provision, the Awolowo had of winning the the West before it could risk NCNC National Executive Western Region election at the another contest with the NCNC Committee decided that Dr material time was through knowing what it did to win in Nnamdi Azikiwe and Prince indirect elections, the format used 1951/52. However, it would Adeleke Adedoyin, President in 1951, in which vote buying appear that after the NCNC and Secretary-General of the and all forms of manipulations, National Executive NCNC respectively, were to including the use of the unsuccessfully canvassed or proceed from the Western traditional institutions, the Obas, campaigned at the party’s Port- Regional Legislature to the to flood and populate the Harcourt Convention for its Central or National Legislature electoral colleges with pliable central ministers to resign as a to represent Lagos. However, individuals or electors, were means of pulling the central there was a twist. possible. government down, Chief Awolowo cottoned unto the idea Parliamentary Indirect that the central government could majority elections be paralysed in this manner in order to usher in a new Having secured parliamentary And this was one of the reasons constitution without upsetting his majority in the Western House of why the British colonialists own government in Western Assembly, the onus fell on the insisted on the use of indirect Nigeria. Action Group to decide which elections in the 1951 elections. Hence he subsequently two of the elected Lagos They wanted to stop Zik and the mobilised the AG central legislators were to proceed to the NCNC by getting AG to win the ministers for an AG/Endeley National Legislature since the Western Region elections. manoeuvre in the Federal House House constituted the Electoral Similarly, it was designed to stop of Representatives on March 31, College for that purpose. Of Aminu Kano and the “radical” 1953 that delivered the coup de course this right or power was NEPU which was poised to win grace that induced the not absolute since the NCNC the elections in Northern Nigeria. constitutional conferences of July could have its way if there was It should be noted that because and August 1953 and the NCNC- unanimity of purpose amongst its the 1954 Federal elections were AG alliance that helped usher in elected legislators from Lagos. conducted under the Lyttelton the Lyttelton Constitution of 1954. Given that no Action Group Constitution (which was the Anthony Enahoro’s motion member qualified to be elected ultimate result of NCNC’s (March 31, 1953) of self- as representative for Lagos in the paralysation of the colonial government for Nigeria by 1956 National Assembly, it was hoped government in Eastern Nigeria gave expression to an Action in some quarters that the Action in 1953 as the orchestrated Group policy, adopted at that Group would in the spirit of give deadlock in the central or national party’s annual convention of and take allow Nnamdi Azikiwe legislature later that year) December 1952.. and Prince Adeleke Adedoyin to

proceed to the Central Legislature as decided by the NCNC, but the Action Group decided otherwise by electing Prince Adeleke Adedoyin and Dr Abu Bakar Ibiyinka OlorunNimbe. In taking that decision, the Action Group effectively blocked Azikiwe from leading his party in the National Legislature which ought to be his place in the scheme of thing as the leader of the NCNC. Of course matters were not helped by the insistence of Dr Olorun-Nimbe to go against his party’s decision on this issue by cooperating with the Action Group and accepting to serve in the Central Legislature as decided by the Action Group. Perhaps the Action Group’s decision was calculated to destabilise Zik and the NCNC— an action that could be viewed as normal in the perennial struggle for power and advantage among political parties, but I dare say that sometimes the import of such action is overrated by politicians and carried out without a thought to the future; the ephemeral nature of political power and the fact that they might someday need support, cooperation, even protection, from an erstwhile opponent in the unpredictable labyrinth of power and political manoeuvring.

Political maneouvering That in the long-run there is little to be gained from an overkill and the humiliation of an opponent, for this often leads to lasting enmity. There is wisdom in Nelson Mandela’s quip that “… I learned that to humiliate another person is to make him suffer an unnecessarily cruel fate. Even as a boy, I defeated my opponents without dishonouring them.” (Mandela, Nelson, Long Walk to Freedom, 1994, 1995, p.10) Indeed, Mandela’s resolve in this regard can be discerned from his handling of affairs between himself, the ANC which he led and President F W de Klerk in the months leading up to the latter’s relinquishing of power to the ANC in South Africa.

TOMORROW So much has been said and written about the Igbo-Yoruba conflict in Nigeria politics. What are the roots of this conflict? Does the conflict have anything to do with the Nigerian National Development Party (NNDP), Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) and emergence of the NCNC?

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

Edo APC:

Fire on the mountain

THOSE who once mocked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Edo State are now divided against themselves BY SIMON EBEGBULEM HE ward and Local Government congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state may have come and gone but the outcome of it is still reverberating. The congresses led to threats by loyalists of the former South South Vice Chairman of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu to dump the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Pastor Ize-Iyamu and his associates followed up that threat with a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan and Chief Tony Anenih, the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP on Monday and Tuesday. Anenih is the same man that Ize-Iyamu and his Grace Group had once taunted with that popular political maxim, “no man is God.” Before the meeting with the PDP leaders in Abuja, Governor Adams Oshiomhole had sought to make peace with Ize-Iyamu and his group in a meeting last Saturday, but the outcome of the meeting was inconclusive. Vanguard learnt that they informed the governor of their scheduled meeting with the presidency and informed him that their meeting with the presidency will determine their next line of action. The crux of the trouble is the unending plot by associates of Governor Oshiomhole to position themselves in the party structure for the succession that

Interestingly, the two men are from the same Orihonmwon Local Government Area in the Southern senatorial district. Ize-Iyamu who led the structure that brought Oshiomhole to power and was until recently the national vice chairman (South-South) of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN insisted on a full blown congress. Oshiomhole it was alleged, had appealed to the two men to share the ten wards in the council equally so as to avoid going for a full blown congress, they, however, disagreed on the issue of chairmanship of the party in the council.

Full blown congress Ize-Iyamu was said to have thus insisted on a full blown congress. The ward congress held on Tuesday April 8, was marred by several defects including the absence of materials and supervisors. Ize-Iyamu and his supporters condemned the exercise and called for its cancellation. After a review of the exercise, Governor Oshiomhole cancelled the exercise and fixed Saturday, April 12, for a fresh exercise. In the vote that held on the rescheduled day, Odubu’s candidates carried the day in his Urhonigbe North ward and five other wards. Ize-Iyamu was, however, stuck in his Ugboko ward 5. Due to the crowd that came out for the exercise, he suggested

The crux of the trouble is the unending plot by associates of Governor Oshiomhole to position themselves in the party structure for the succession that is not due until 2016 is not due until 2016. Indeed, before the commencement of the congresses, Oshiomhole had urged the party leaders to present consensus candidates so that the congresses would be a mere formality. In some places the message was taken, but not in Edo South Senatorial district where nearly every one agrees that the successor to the comrade governor should come from. Edo South is also the base of Ize-Iyamu and the deputy governor of the state, Dr. Pius Odibo, the two leading aspirants in the party to succeed Oshiomhole.

that the party members should be allowed to only display their party cards and vote rather than embarking on serious accreditation which according to him would take the entire day or more. But a leader of the party in the ward, Mathew Ehigie, who is known to be an ardent supporter of Odubu disagreed and insisted that accreditation must take place before the exercise could go on, alleging that Ize-Iyamu cloned the party’s card to distribute to people he described as his church members imported from Benin and Esan to come and

where they accused Oshiomhole of dictatorial tendencies and gave him seven days to cancel what they described as the “sham ward, Local Government and party registration exercise or they will dump the party”. The communiqué read by former state chairman of the party, Prince Tony Omoaghe, demanded that the governor should relinquish control and monopoly of the party in order to pave way for an inclusive political system which respects the sanctity of internal democracy and is “devoid of deliberate sponsorship of rancour and factionalization within the party and recognises the worth of all party faithful across the state”. But the tension in the party is heightening every day, as Vanguard was reliably informed that some political veterans who have always accused the governor of conceding to Ize-Iyamu on several political issues are watching with keen interest how the governor intends to resolve the matter.

Winners and losers •Oshiomhole: In the middle of the storm

•Odibo: Standing with the governor

•Ize-Iyamu: Left in the cold

vote for his candidate. Following the disagreement, the officials cancelled the exercise in the ward. Speaking on the development in his ward, Pastor Ize-Iyamu said: “the Comrade Governor did his best to make this exercise credible but there were still issues with the party ’s register due to the recent registration exercise of the party. And that was why I suggested that since the register does not have complete names of our members people should be allowed to vote with their party cards. But I heard that the exercise was poorly

conducted in most areas and where our people were winning the other side would initiate violence to disrupt the exercise”. On his part, Odubu hailed the exercise and commended the governor for allowing them test their popularity at the grass root. While the governor’s loyalists hailed the conduct of the ward and local government congresses, Ize-Iyamu’s supporters called for cancellation warning that they could dump the party for the PDP. The beef of the members of the group was manifested at a meeting last Thursday

This group mainly core loyalists of the governor are threatening to carry up their own arms if he panders to IzeIyamu’s interests once again. As one of them told Vanguard that “we don’t want to lose our members and we are happy with the effort being made by the governor to bring them back to the party. But the truth is that this is an issue of winners and losers. Those who are complaining lost their congresses so the question now is are you going to make those who lost kings and make those who won spectators? So the governor should be careful too, we also know how to call meetings and threaten too, nobody has monopoly of anything. We are watching, if the governor now wants to tell us that threats and fight is all he listens to then we may also take up arms. So while he is trying to pacify them, he must be careful too”. But given the past relationship between IzeIyamu and the PDP, particularly, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, many believe that it would be difficult for Ize-Iyamu to go back to the PDP. Even if he is accepted back, the place of reckoning he craves would remain elusive except the man of God that he is would sing “one man is a god”.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 — 43

My long journey to healthy eating (2) Continued from last Thursday AT the same time food production in Europe changed for everyone to see. Growing up on a farm, it became evident that traditional farming was no longer economical for the small scale farmers. My stepfather is one of them. After generations of farming he will be the last one. The son who was to inherit the farm, choose another profession (wholesaler in a machine producing company) It was clear that only industrial farming and industrial animal husbandry was the future. It would not take long before some new kind of reports made headlines in the 90s: hoof-andmouth disease, mad cow disease, bird flu, photos of the misery life of battery hen sprayed with nicotine for desinfection were published. Just recently I heard a similar story in Nigeria. Poultry farmers have started using a hormonal drug that increases the egg producing frequency of hens. That in itself is a sign of our food production taking similar steps away from nature. Unfortunately, a child ate an egg from the first batch directly after the hens were injected with hormones. That batch should have been thrown away, but not here. Resulting in a life threatening allergic reaction of the child. With the ever lingering mad cow

Hakeem Jimo

The Vegetarian

DIET

keemjimo@yahoo.com

disease and also fish being contaminated with heavy-metal particels, I was bound to leave out the meat, poultry and fish for good. That was 16 years ago. I am now 42 years old. My journey from a meat diet to a meat free and plant based diet was welcomed by a felt by an increase

in vitality as well as physical and mental fitness. Still my journey continued, to in finding the healthiest diet possible. Three years ago I realised that by leaving out diary products was another important step. Today, I am close to 100 percent vegan (no meat, no fish, no poultry, no eggs,

• Healthy eating begins from the garden.

no honey). Still, I am evolving, and discovering. In the last few months, I have found ways to significantly increase the quantity of my health by introducing raw foods such as uncooked vegetables and uncooked fruits. Starting VeggieVictory exactly one year ago – Nigeria's 1st Vegan

& Vegetarian Restaurant at Freedom Park on Lagos Island represents a milestone on this path giving Nigerians a healthy and delicious experience for example with Vegan Suya. I guess the journey for the most natural and healthiest diet is the story of life itself.

Novartis Pharma embarks on voluntary blood donation drive BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

S part of its Community Partnership Day, Novartis Pharma Services, English West Africa, last week embarked on a voluntary blood donation drive in Lagos. The donation drive which held at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH,Idi Araba, Lagos, was earmarked to raise about 120 units of voluntarily donated blood. Country Group Head, Novartis Pharma Services, English West Africa, Pharm. Vera Nwanze, observed that for too many patients around the world and in Nigeria in particular, safe blood through voluntary blood donation was unavailable or inaccessible. “This year we decided to go on a blood donation drive because of the need to have availability and sustainability of blood banks in the country. “The average donation rate in developed countries is 38.1 donations/1000 populations, 7.5 in transitional countries, and 2.3 donations per 1000 population in developing countries including Nigeria. She described voluntary

donation as the only way of accumulating blood at safe storage to meet emergency requirements for saving lives. “By motivating potential donors to donate blood voluntarily on a regular basis we will at least be achieving a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products, while encouraging a healthy lifestyle.” Head, Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, LUTH, Professor Sulaiman Akanmu, said the World Health Organisation recommends that 5 percent of the population, must have donated blood at least once in a year, or 10 percent of eligible blood donors of that population, must have donated blood at least once in a year. “I congratulate Novartis authorities for this initiative. This is indeed the way to go if we want to impact on health indices in Nigeria. The most important person in the transfusion mechanism is the blood donor. If there is no blood donor, there is no blood transfusion,” he stated.

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44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

YEJ urges Jonathan to run in 2015

NASU sues NLC for N100m BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE

ON-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, has instituted a N10 million suit against the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC before the National Industrial Court, NIC sitting in Jos, Plateau State, over alleged “blatant violation of the Constitution of the NLC,” by the parent labour body. The suit is the climax of an internal crisis rocking the NLC. The crisis began in 2011 shortly after the delegates’ conference of the NLC, which re-elected its incumbent president, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar. NASU in praying the court to among other things, restrain the NLC, its agents, servants, privies or anyone acting on its behalf or instructions from excluding or depriving the claimants (NASU), from participating in the affairs of NLC at any level, whether at local government, state or national levels.” It will be recalled that NASU had withdrawn from the NLC in 2011, following a disagreement over the conduct of the last delegates’ conference of the NLC,

OUTHS under the aegis of Youth for Ebele Jonathan, YEJ, have urged President Goodluck Jonathan to declare his intention to run for the 2015 presidential election. Edo State Coordinator of YEJ, Mr. Adjerhor George, said the group will mobilise for the President’s re-election in 2015. He said: “Mr. President has self-discipline, humanity and courage. We support Mr. President in his drive to fulfill his electoral promises in delivery lifechanging democratic dividends. “Mr. President has the capacity to lead this country beyond 2015 and we fervently ask him to declare for 2015 presidential election. “We urge the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to adopt him as the sole candidate by offering him right of first refusal.”

particularly the election. It however, resolved to return to the fold of the NLC as a result of the resolution taken by its members at the National Executive Council of the union held in Ilorin, Kwara State. However, NLC President, Omar in a letter to NASU dated, October 18, 2013 wrote “I am worried that while you did not offer the union’s reasons for returning to the congress in your letter which should have been for the exclusive consumption of congress, you chose to put

Ex-council commission boss faulted on 2nd term ambition BY FESTUS AHON

GHELLI—A group, National Justice and Equity in Governance has cautioned the immediate past Chairman of Delta State Local Government Service Commission, Chief Nkem Okuofu, to desist from blackmailing Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Itsekiri nation over her alleged ambition to do a second tenure. National Chairman of the

INSOLVENCY: PUNUKA lecture begins May 8

HE 2014 edition of the PUNUKA Attorneys & Solicitors yearly lecture will hold on May 8 at the Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island, Lagos, on the topic Employee and Pension Claims in Insolvency. The event, which will have Professor André Boraine, the Dean of the Faculty of Law University of Pretoria, South Africa, and Director of the Centre for Advanced Corporate and Insolvency Law

at the University as the lead discussant, will be chaired by a former Supreme Court Justice, Justice George Oguntade (rtd). Senior Partner of PUNUKA Attorneys & Solicitors, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN), said the topic was critical as it will focus on the extent of protection and guaranty over employees’ entitlements in the event of corporate restructuring and

forward those reasons to the public domain. In my thinking, this could be embarrassing to the leadership of the other affiliate unions. “General Secretary of NASU, as president of NLC, it is my responsibility to provide leadership to congress at least to the level of my ability and intellect. It is therefore, in the light of this that I seek these clarifications on behalf of congress.” Vanguard had in February exclusively reported that the founding president of NLC,

insolvency in today’s business world. Also speaking, Mr. Okorie Kalu, Chairman of the 2014 Lecture Committee and partner in charge of Insolvency and Restructuring Practice Group in the firm, said the 2014 lecture will focus on establishing protections available to employees under Nigerian laws in situation of corporate restructuring and insolvency, among others.

group, Mr. Gabriel Okesama, who addressed newsmen yesterday, accused Okuofu of refusing to handover to the most senior civil servant “knowing full well that her dream of a second tenure is a mission impossible, giving the law and principles guiding appointment of

members of the commission.” Okesama said: “It is annoying for Mrs. Okuofu to allege that a particular Itsekiri university don was putting pressure on the governor to prevent her from getting appointed to the commission for a second tenure.”

Alaafin lauds Oyo NUJ exco

BADAN—THE Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and a member of the Olubadan-in-council, Chief Lekan Balogun, who is the Osi Olubadan of Ibadan, have congratulated the new executive council of the Oyo State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ. Oba Adeyemi, in a congratulatory message to the Chapel Chairman, Mr. Ola Ajayi of Vanguard Newspapers, pledged the support of the palace to the new leadership. He said: “As the newlyelected chairman of the

chapel, I have no doubt that you will excel in your new office and with a confident assurance that you will take the chapel to greater heights. “It is my fervent wish and prayer that the Almighty Allah will grant you all the enablement to pilot the affairs of the distinguished chapel most creditably in the next three years.” Chief Balogun in his message, said the time of assumption of duty by Ajayi as the Chairman of the chapel “is very crucial in the political development of the country in general and our state, Oyo, in particular.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

Mr. Hassan Sunmonu, said “NASU is a founding member of NLC,” adding that the union cannot be stopped from belonging to the labour centre (NLC). Sunmonu had said “affiliates make up the Central Labour Organisation.” Claimants in the suit are NASU, its president, Mr. Ladi Iliya and NASU general Secretary, Mr. Peters Adeyemi. The defendants are NLC; NLC president, Omar; NLC Ag. General Secretary, Mr. Chris Uyot; Plateau State Council of the NLC; Plateau State chairman of the NLC, and Plateau State acting Secretary of the NLC.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On P-Square's reconciliation

strongly believe that the battle between them is over. Marriages often come with problems, but the solution is always somewhere in the head of the victim. They have to be wise to continue as a family. — Mr. Adewale Aremu-Faroye, Agric Economist.

OMEN, seriously speaking, have power. P-Square, you guys started well, so please also end well. I remember one of your songs that says “Peter and Paul na one no be two.” Let the spirit behind that song continue.— Mr. Oteri Sylvester, Student.

HAT do they want from each another? What are the terms of partnership? These are some things they must spell out to avoid recurrence. Their mum would not have wanted this to escalate to this level if she were alive.— Ms. Angela Olukoya, Worker.

HIS is one group that has translated energy into achievement and lent credence to the fact that with hard work success can be guaranteed. Thus, this development is very fortunate and we hope it lasts.— Mr. Edidiong U s u n g u r u a , Businessman.

HOWBIZ families have poor records of remaining intact when they start getting married. Marriages tend to break the bond between partners. Take a look at the Beatles, Jackson 5, among others.— Mr. Anyambuba Innocent, Worker.

P P-Square! I Hope they learn to respect each other. I understand that Peter reportedly gave conditions for peace. May God give them the strength to continue as one family and as an important brand.— Mrs Lydia A n u d j a , Businesswoman.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 — 45

Oghiadomhe gives kinsmen panacea for devt

Monarch urges Boko Haram to release abducted girls

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

HE former Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, has reminded his kinsmen in Fugar, Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, that the panacea for rapid development of the community was for the people to bury their differences, close ranks and learn to live in unity. Oghiadomhe spoke at the inauguration of the Board of Trustees of Fugar Progressive Union, FPU, where he was appointed as Chairman of its five-member body, which include Sir Peter Aliu, former Chief of Protocol to former FCT Minister; Chief Sam Azebiokhai, Chief G. Imhoede and Mr. Tony Opitoke, as members. He admonished his people to eschew rancour, stressing that hatred impedes community growth.

Delta guber hopeful lauds Jonathan, Uduaghan on devt BY FESTUS AHON

GHELLI—A DELTA State governorship aspirant, Ambassador Gabriel Oyibode, has applauded what he described as the innovations of President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in transforming Nigeria and Delta State respectively, despite the daunting challenges. He said that Jonathan demonstrated rare courage by inaugurating the national conference to save Nigeria while Governor Uduaghan’s initiative of Delta Beyond Oil and advocacy on climate change and the environment were hallmarks of a great statesman with vision. Oyibode, at a town hall meeting in Kwale, organised by the people of Ndokwa nation to review the ongoing confab in Abuja, expressed satisfaction with the President’s handling of security challenges occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency, saying it conformed to global standards. C M Y K

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B LAUNCH OF SAMSUNG WIRELESS PRINTERS: From right: Mr. Bennett Nwogwu, Product Manager, Printer Samsung Electronics West Africa; Mr. Mukoro Emomine, Managing Director, Coscharis Technologies Limited; Mr. Brovo Kim, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Samsung Electronics West Africa; Prof. Pat Utomi, Special Guest of Honour, and Mrs. Folasade Oyelayo, Head IT, Samsung Electronics West Africa, during the launch of Samsung wireless printers by Samsung Electronics West Africa, in Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Rivers APC denies pulling down national, PDP flags BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

ORT HARCOURT—ALL Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, has described as untrue, allegations by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and embattled Chairman, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Timothy Nsirim, that agents of the party destroyed PDP and Nigerian flags hoisted in several parts of Obio/Akpor council, ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan's visit on Saturday. In a petition to the state Commissioned of Police, Nsirim said that agents of APC pulled down flags hoisted in Rumuigbo Junc-

tion to welcome President Jonathan. State Chairman of APC, Mr. Davies Ikanya, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, said the allegation was part of a ploy to portray the party in bad light and to create bad blood in the state. Ikanya said: “The attention of the ruling party in Rivers State was drawn to a petition written by one Emma Uche, on behalf of Prince Nsirim titled; Desecration, removal and damaging of Nigerian flag, PDP flag and Obio/Akpor council flag, by agents of Governor Rotimi Amaechi-led government and APC members in the state. “It became necessary because

on Monday, the Commissioner of Police called our attention to it, that it was alleged that members our somewhere around Rumuigbo Junction, destroyed the Nigerian flag and other flags as mentioned. We felt it is necessary to call the attention of the whole state to another ploy by the PDP in Rivers State to cause mayhem in the state. “All our activities have been conducted in law-abiding manner. We wish to state categorically, that no member of APC did anything like destroy the flags of any political party, not to talk of that of Nigeria.”

Labour hails Oshiomhole on workers’ welfare BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

E N I N — N AT I O N A L President of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services Employees, AUPCTRE, Mr. Solomon Adelegan, has commended Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State for enhancing the welfare of workers in the state. Adelegan made the commendation when he led the national executive of the union on a courtesy visit to the governor, yesterday. He said: “For the first time in the history of this country, a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, is assuming executive position as governor. We took statistics state by state and found that the highest position ever given to a unionist was Special Adviser, but in Edo State, a former GeneralSecretary has been made a commissioner. “We know how Benin City used

to be five, six years ago, but today, you have transformed it. We are glad with the way you have been handling workers’ welfare in Edo State. The state Chairman of the NLC told us how you have been giving the union your support. The story of the NLC will not be complete without the name of Adams Oshiomhole written in capital letters.”

Responding, Oshiomhole charged organised labour to remain focused to realise its objective. He said: “Labour movement must remain as a school to produce leaders. Government will come and go, but the labour movement will forever remain.”

Wike didn't set up GDI to promote personal interest —Debekeme BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

ORT HARCOURT—DELTA State Chairman of Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI, Mr. Solomon Debekeme, has dismissed allegations by political opponents in Rivers State that the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, set up GDI to promote his personal interest. Debekeme, who spoke in Amasoma, Bayelsa State, said GDI "is

a political group formed to promote the political interest of President Goodluck Jonathan and the good of the nation." He called on the Grand Patron of GDI, Mr Wike to embark on a tour of the various state chapters of GDI under the national Chairman, Mr Bright Amewhule, adding that if the GDI had been formed to promote Wike's interest, it would not have had chapters in several states including Lagos and Delta states.

ENIN—THE traditional ruler of Ewattoland in Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo State, HRH Sylvanus Ikhumhen, has appealed to the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, to release the innocent school girls its members abducted in Borno State without harm coming to the girls. The monarch, during the celebration of the annual Ukpebakor festival in the town, condemned the abduction, saying that the action was against humanity. “We, the traditional rulers strongly condemn these acts of terrorism and wanton destruction of lives and property in the country,” he said, adding that the activities of the Islamic sect were not only affecting the Northerners, but should give all right thinking Nigerians serious concern.

Madam Onasanya for burial

ADAM Felicia Abimbola Abike Onasanya is dead, aged 68. She died on Monday April 28 after a brief illness. A statement by the family said wake-keep comes up on May 1, 2014, at 101 Lawanson Road, by Oremeji Bus Stop, Ikate, Surulere Lagos. Interment takes place next day at Ipetoro town, Abule, via Ogijo Gbaga, Ogun State. She is survived by a widower, Mr. Onasanya Mufutai, brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren.

Late Madam Onasanya

46— Vanguard , THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

National Health Bill: Minister appeals for understanding

Anambra judge weeps over high rate of divorce BY VINCENT UJUMADU

BY ANAYO OKOLI

EALTH Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu has asked those opposed to the National Health Bill to reverse their position, saying no law was perfect. The Bill had drawn the ire of professionals in the health sector in the country, except medical doctors, who saw it as a document designed to favour only doctors. But speaking at the commissioning of an ultramodern eye centre built by Abia State government in Umuahia, the minister said the Bill contained so many provisions that would be of immense benefit to Nigerians. He noted that the Senate had already passed the Bill and expressed optimism that the House of Representatives would also pass it. He said: “The other thing that I think will be a game changer apart from the universal health coverage is what is before the National Assembly which is the health bill.

Why I accepted to serve as commissioner —EX-DEP GOV BY ENYIM ENYIM

NITSHA— FORMER deputy governor of Anambra State under Mbadinuju’s administration, Dr Chinedu Emeka, yesterday said he accepted his appointment as commissioner for public utilities and water resources because of his burning desire to serve the people of the state. The former deputy governor told Vanguard in an interview that he accepted the appointment because he had worked very closely with the state governor, Dr Willie Obiano, and knew he would move the state to the next level. He said: “Having worked closely with him in the course of his electioneering campaign, I saw he had a genuine commitment of upliftment and betterment of the people of Anambra State." C M Y K

WKA — AN Anambra customary court judge presiding at Igbokwu Customary Court in Aguata local government area of Anambra State, Mrs Chinelo Egili, was yesterday overwhelmed by the increasing rate of divorce cases in Nigerian courts as she broke down

emotionally over a divorce case. Speaking in her court, Egili urged women to devise ways of keeping their marriages as, according to her, no marriage is ordained to fail, She observed that children usually bore the brunt of failed families. In the case before her, Mrs Chizoba Ezekwo was dragged to the court by her husband, Eze

Samuel Ezokwo, who was seeking for divorce against his wife’s alleged involvement in extra-marital relationship. The judge said: “We cannot be coming here to preside over family matters all the time. Let’s take law out of this, this court hates divorce, it is not right before God and man, we don’t like coming here all the time to talk about families wanting to separate. “Couples must look for ways to keep their families intact. If you

DRAWS: Category Customer Marketing Manager, Diageo Brands Nigeria, Mr. Kayode Oluwo; Johnnie Walker Step up to VIP Lifestyle Promo Winner, Mr. Ismael Nwagugbo and his friend, Mr. Fred Akpan at the presentation of the grand prize, a BMW car during the draws in Port Harcourt.

No honourable member is planning to impeach me, says Ebonyi Speaker allegations against the affected BY PETER OKUTU

BAKALIKI—SPEAKER of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Chukwuma Nwazunku, has debunked insinuation that some aggrieved members were plotting to impeach him from office. Briefing newsmen yesterday at his residence in Abakaliki over

the suspension of the Deputy Speaker, Blaise Orji, Eni Uduma Chima and Frank Onwe during Tuesday’s plenary in the House, the speaker asserted that the suspension was to enable the affected members retrace their steps and exhibit characters worthy of their personality. According to him, a committee has been set up to look into the

Approve more fund for training, civil servants tells Fashola BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

AGOS State civil servants have urged Governor Babatunde Fashola to approve more funds for training, especially those at the local governments, to enhance productivity and efficiency. They lamented that civil servants in the 20 local government areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs had no privilege for frequent training that would put them at par with their colleagues in the ministries and agencies. They stated this at the recent graduation ceremony for 147 civil

servants at Lagos State Public Service Staff Development Centre, PSSDC, Magodo. Speaking on behalf of the grandaunds, Mrs. Anthonia Dada, said: “We are appealing to state government to provide avenue for civil servants in the local government councils to go for training. ''When we go for training frequently, it will give us the opportunity to be at par with our colleagues in ministries and MDAs.” Dada appealed to Fashola to allocate more funds to training of civil servants, especially those in the councils.

members. Stressing that the attitude of the members would determine the period of their suspension, he said: “If any human discovers that I have done something wrong, he or she should tell me and I will apologize and if anybody is not comfortable with that, I am not afraid of any impeachment. “Let me state categorically that no honourable is planning to impeach me. I’m saying this authoritatively but the issue is that if you misbehave, we will correct you and after that if you refuse to accept correction then we use the diplomacy within the house to checkmate you. “All of them elected me and so I am not afraid of impeachment; if two or three gathered against me, other will not be happy with the persons; the remaining members of the state House of Assembly will beg them to leave this man who was elected by the House. If they beg them and they do not agree they will use diplomacy to handle the matter. “I’m not having any problem with anybody; if any member decides to behave in a manner not worthy of his or her status, decisions will be taken to put the person on the right course."

cannot come together because of the agreemeent you signed, then it should be for the sake or the children. “As you seek to divorce what becomes of the children that the marriage was blessed with?” Egili advised the couple.” Answering a question during cross examination, Chizoba told the court that her husband had not been fending for the family. She also denied her husband’s allegation that she was always moving around with different men, including one Lawrence Umeakuka, who she said was her distant cousin. However, Ezekwo, who is a chartered accountant and the traditional ruler of Igbo people resident in Yaba, Lagos State, said he dragged his estranged wife before the customary court seeking for divorce on account of infidelity. He also asked the court to grant him the custody of his five children, adding that his wife had abandoned the children and eloped with a lover. During cross examination yesterday, Chizoba said it was a lie that she abandoned her responsibility, saying she had for years been fending for the children, including paying their school fees. The judge adjourned the matter to May. 13.

Rabies scare in Imo BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

WERRI—THE death of a three-year-old girl, Miss Eberechi Njoku, has started fueling palpable fear of an outbreak of rabies at Umunumo, Ehime Mbano local government area of Imo State. Reports coming from the community revealed that little Eberechi and two other children were bitten by a dog suspected to be infected with rabies. Vanguard gathered that while Mr. Emmanuel Ezineme, the father of two children, took them to the health centre for treatment, Eberechi’s father chose to move his daughter to a traditional herbal home. It was further gathered that while Ezineme’s children survived the dog bite, little Eberechi died after a few days. A villager, who simply identified herself as Ikechi, wondered why people still believed in the efficacy of traditional medicine. “It may be true that traditional medicines may be potent in some instances but I am not comfortable when people rely wholly and entirely on it when there are more reliable options,” Ikechi said, adding that the little girl would have survived if her father had taken her to the health centre.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 47

BRIEFING: From left, Mrs. Oluwande Muoyo, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Ogun State/Chairman, 2nd Edition Investors' Forum; Senator Ibikunle Amosu, Ogun State Gover- AWARD: Lagos State Accountant-General, Mr. David Sunmoni (left), renor; Mrs. Ronke Sokefun, Commissioner for Agriculture Ogun State, and Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, ceiving the 2014 ICAN Merit Award, from the 49th President, Alhaji Kabir Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, during Ogun State 2nd Edition Investors ' Forum Mohammed, during their Annual Dinner and Awards night, in Lagos. press briefing, at Governor's Office, in Abeokuta. Photo: Salau Akeem

SCHOLARSHIP: Ex-Super Eagles defender and coach, Augustine Eguavoen, addressing teenagers, during the screening exercise for MTN Football Scholarship, at the FUTA Sports Complex, in Akure.

FAIR: Dr. Andrew Iwobi of Swansea University (left), counselling a prospective student, during the ongoing UK Education Advisory Service fair, at the Swansea booth, in Abuja.

PROMO: From left, Branch Manager, First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Ltd, Sagamu, Ogun State, Mr. Babatunde Onadeko, presenting prizes to Alhaji Kukoyi Oladokun, Mr. Olatunji Rufai, winners of refrigerator and LED television, respectively, and Team Lead of Consumer Unit of the branch, Mr. Mustapha Balogun, during FCMB 30th Anniversary promo, in the South-West Region.

LAUNCH: From left, Managing Director, Total Nigeria Plc, Mr. Alexis Vovk; Totalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mr. Safety, Mr. Tunde Ita, and General Manager, Health, Safety, Environment and Quality, Mr. Koleade Adegunle, during the launch of Mr. Safety by Total, at World Day for Safety at Work, in Lagos.

COURSE: From left, Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Euraclyn Williams; Deputy Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Hon. Sale Dumba; Director, Debt Management Department, West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management, WAIFEM, Mr. Baba Musa, and the Advisor, Business Development Unit of WAIFEM, Professor Douglason Omotor, during a course on Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, and Medium Term Sector Strategy, MTSS, organised by WAIFEM, for Bauchi State legislators. C M Y K

COMMISSIONING: From left, Mr. Bimbo Ashiru, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Ogun State; Mr. Waheed Olagunju, Acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry, representing Minister of Trade and Industry, and Mr. A.K. Mirchaandami, Chairman, Shonghai Group, during the commissioning of Shonghai Technology Ltd and Shonghai Recycling Ltd, at Sango Ota, Ogun State.

FORUM: From left, Jacob John, National Sales Manager, Personal Care; Amarjeet Singh, Regional Sales Manager, both of Fareast Mercantile Co. Ltd; Solomon Nlemigbo, Accounts Officer, Fubason Investment Ltd; Vishal Manwani, Business Manager, West Africa, Wipro-Unza Oversees Ltd, and Anil Menon, General Manager, Fareast Mercantile Co. Ltd, during the Enchanteur Dealer Forum & Prize Distribution ceremony, in Lagos.

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Three-day fidau prayer for late Sabo Sambo

NTI partners Education ministry on mobile technologies

BUJA – NATIONAL Teachers Institute, NTI, and the Federal Ministry of Education have commenced a fresh initiative towards Information, Communication and Technology, ICT, development involving the use of mobile phones to train teachers. Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, stated this at the sensitisation workshop of the NTI in collaboration with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, and British Council on mobile technologies and teacher development in Nigeria, in Abuja, yesterday. Wike said there had been significant improvements since the launch of the first phase of the programme on March 29, 2013 and 57 primary school teachers of English Language alongside five master trainers actively participated in the workshop that is why the ministry have decided to partner with NTI for the second phase of the project. The minister, who was represented by Special Adviser (Technical), Dr. Olu Ayewoh, said: “At the first phase of the programme, there was significant improvement in the teacher. It is in pursuant of this and in view that British Council decided not to partner with NTI on the project again, the ministry have decided to partner with them. In his welcome address the Director General and Chief Executive, NTI, Dr. Aminu Sharehu, said it was a landmark achievement in the teaching and learning process in the country.

From left: Former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and his counsel, Mr Sadau Garba at the hearing of a suit filed by Al-mustapha against Sheikh Sanusi Khalil for defamation and character assassination at the Upper Shariah Court, Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Jukun, Tiv, Fulani herdsmen sign peace agreement in Wukari BY JOHN MKOM

ALINGO — PEACE seemed to have returned to Wukari in Taraba State following a tripartite peace agreement signed among the people of Jukun, Tiv and Fulani herdsmen in the area following about three weeks of tension occasioned by communal clashes involving the Jukun and Tiv on one hand and the Fulani herdsmen on the other. The peace accord was brokered by the acting Governor of the state, Alhaji Garba Umar. Last week, the state House of Assembly passed a resolution, asking the Federal Government to take over the security of the state, saying the state government had failed in its responsibility to maintain law and order. At the peace parley held in

Jalingo, the state capital, the three parties agreed to live in peace as good neighbours, before the agreement was signed at the palace of the state Chairman, Taraba State Council of Traditional Rulers and Aku-Uka of Wukari, His Royal Highness, Shakarau Angyu in Wukari. The Chairman of Miyeti-Allah, Taraba State chapter, Mallam Sambore Mafindi; President, Jukun Cultural Association, Mr. Zando Huku and President General, Tiv Cultural Association, Mr. James Nugwa, signed the agreement on behalf of their tribes. Others who signed included the traditional rulers of Wukari, Ibi, Takum, Gasol and Donga local government areas as well as the chief of Hausa community. Those who signed the peace agreement later took their turns to appeal to their followers to lay

INEC lacks structural autonomy to conduct free, fair elections —Don BY MARIE-THERESE NANLONG

OS — A DON and delegate at the ongoing National Conference, Prof. Samuel Egwu, has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, lacked structural autonomy, saying this had made it too weak to conduct free and fair elections in the country. Egwu, a Political Science lecturer at the University of Jos, UNIJOS, however, asked the commission to re-strategize before 2015 to enable it perform better. He spoke, yesterday, in Jos at a symposium entitled: “The Labour Movement and Nigeria’s Democratic Rebirth: The Challenge of the 2015 General Elections” or-

ganised by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Plateau State chapter to mark this year’s May Day celebration. He said: ”The 2015 general elections will be a litmus test for the democratic resilience of Nigeria and its continued existence as one national entity. The most critical issue is the battle for the Presidency, the debate on which region and ethnicity should produce the President are evidences that the stakes will be high in 2015." According to Egwu, who was the guest speaker, “despite the confidence in the electoral process on the basis of the 2011 elections, Nigeria is far from being a democratic society that the citizens aspire to be. "Political parties have remained

irresponsible and cannot perform the basic function expected of them as institutional foundations of democracy. Election related violence remains a key challenge as a result of desperation by political parties and candidates to win at all costs.” He said so far, INEC cannot claim that it has overcome basic logistical challenges of managing elections in a vast country like Nigeria hence the need to work harder, pointing out that the heroes of the present Nigerian democracy are not the “G18 and later the G34 that confronted the Abacha regime with a charter of demand for return to democratic rule but the labour movements and the professional groups who challenged the authoritarian military rule.”

down their arms and give peace a chance for the purpose of development. Umar, who also spoke on the occasion, lamented that in recent days things had not been easy,for the state government as a result of unwantom killings, destruction of property and displacement of people due to the crisis. He urged the people from the affected local governments areas not allow anybody outside the state to use them to disrupt the developmental efforts being put in place by the government. He said: “There are some devilish people who have come into Taraba State to divide us and destroy our efforts to develop Taraba State. I man calling on you to resist them strongly and let us live together as one." He called on Tiv, Jukun, Fulani and Hausa to use the opportunity of this peace accord to forgive one another as government was not going to blame or victimize anybody for the instigation or escalation of the crisis. Herdsmen attack village Meanwhile, as the peace meeting was going on in Wukari clashes were also simultaneously raging at Iwari village in Gasol Local Government Area of the state. The clash occurred along Sabon-Gida-Seseni road where suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked the villagers. An eye witness, Mr. Tervee Kanu, who spoke to Vanguard said the attackers, numbering over 200, were armed with sophisticated weapons. Kanu said that he saw the attackers setting houses ablaze while in his farm and hid himself in a heap of yams.

BUJA — THE three-day fidda’u prayer for late Capt. Yusuf Sabo Sambo, 58, the immediate younger brother of Vice President Namadi Sambo was held yesterday, at the late Sambo’s residence, Wuse II, Abuja. Late Capt. Sambo died last Sunday in an auto accident along the Bill Clinton Drive, Airport Road, Abuja. The Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Abuja, Ustaz Musa Mohammed led other Muslim clerics to pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased and also for Allah’s mercies and blessings to be showered on those left to mourn him. The clerics also prayed for continued peace, progress and development of the country. A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Umar Sani said the prayer session was graced by several dignitaries including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State; former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, as well as the Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, among others.

Group donates treated mosquito nets to Eti-Osa community BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

AGOS — A group, Devel opment Africa, in a move to prevent malaria, has donated treated Total mosquito nets to Ajiran community in Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State. The group also enlightened health workers in the area on new ways of treating malaria. Speaking at the event organised by the Development Africa in collaboration Total Nigeria to roll out malaria from Ajiran community, Country Director of the organisation, Mr. Joshua Kempeneer, said “the programme is aim at equipping health workers in the community with latest treatment on malaria as well as enlighten the immediate community on the easy measures of preventing mosquito bites using the free treated Total mosquito nets and sanitizing their immediate community.” On his part, Managing Director ofTotal Nigeria said the company identified with the celebration of 2014 world malaria day by providing free mosquito nets to abate the wide spread of malaria from Sub-Saharan African.

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BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

ARSON: Fayemi raises alarm

OVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko who has backed all successful gubernatorial candidates since the advent of the old Ondo State including himself, has thrown his support behind Labour party ’s Opeyemi Bamidele saying he doesn’t back losers. Speaking during a courtesy call on the Ewi of Ado Ekiti , Oba Rufus Adejugbe, Governor Mimiko also blasted the education policies of the APC controlled Lagos and Ekiti administrations saying they have taken higher education out of the reach of the lower class. While canvassing votes for Bamidele, he said “ we are coming to make a difference in Ekiti State and I don’t support a loser or somebody that will put me to shame and I can only call on Ekiti people to vote Bamidele in the election,” Mimiko said. Mimiko said “ we have university in Ondo State, others build universities in Ekiti and Lagos for example, but the difference is in the quality and access by the people to the facility. In Ondo State, students in our university pay N25, 000, while in Ekiti they pay over N100,000 and in Lagos they pay over N250,000. How many people can send their children

BY DAPO AKINREFON

•National chairman of Labour Party, Mr Dan Nwanyanwu, Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State and Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, during a visit to his palace in Ado-Ekiti by the Labour Party chieftains.

I 'll not support a loser — Mimiko to such schools?” On his part, Labour Party governorship candidate, Mr Bamidele, vowed to make life abundant for the people of the state. Bamidele promised to use his position to better the lots of the people of the state without any bias or discrimination. Bamidele noted that he had garnered enough experience in

both private and public sectors to lead the state well. “I thank God that from a humble beginning, God has raised me to sit among princess and princesses and I know how to handle issues to make life more abundant for the masses. “The state lacks potable water, there is no where in the state where people have 24 hours access to water. Our state is

agrarian and we will mechanise agriculture and reposition education in our state,” he said. In his remarks, the Ewi called on politicians to exercise restrain and imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship in the outcome of the election. He equally urged politicians to shun violent act and be peaceful in their conduct.

No more darkness in Ekiti — Fayemi BY DAPO AKINREFON

KITI State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has said the darkness brought to the state by the misrule of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not be allowed to return, adding that his administration has brought light to the state. Dr Fayemi also promised that the opposition will not be allowed to plunge Ekiti, which is enjoying a new lease of life, into darkness. He further promised that the people living in rural areas of the state are to enjoy more dividends of democracy just as he pledged to empower more people at the grassroots to boost the local economy. The governor, who noted that most of the rural areas are far from urban life, said if rural dwellers are well-empowered, they would be self-dependent enough to cater to their needs and the needs of their families. Fayemi spoke during his campaign tour to four communities in Gbonyin Local Government area of the state which include Iro, Egbe, Imesi C M Y K

and Agbado. Addressing the people of Egbe-Ekiti, Governor Fayemi said his government had provided basic amenities such as roads, quality health care, among others, in rural areas in the state to make life easier for the people in those communities. He added that increased empowerment of the people in rural areas would be a major programme of his second term in office. The APC candidate also said his party remains the best platform for the consolidation of the transformation being witnessed in the state.

Light in Ekiti While he urged the people of Egbe not to be intimidated and stand by their votes to prevent candidates who represent darkness from coming to power again in the state, he said: “Nobody can intimidate you here, there is no way you can see the right way and head into the bush. There is light in Ekiti, we are no longer in darkness.” Further, he said “ we are

already witnessing progress in Ekiti and we will never retrogress again. We have done a lot but there is still more to do and by the grace of God on June 21, something great will happen through your votes for the APC”. At Iro, the APC candidate in t h e J u n e 21 governorship election reeled out •Fayemi his projects in the community, stressing that the APC would continue to build on its performance in all the 132 communities in the state. Fayemi said the community secondary school renovated by his administration now radiates beauty that will see teaching and learning conducive to teachers and students. He added that the special Rural Allowance now paid to teachers posted to remote areas has attracted more teachers to rural communities for pupils there to benefit. The governor assured residents that the community health centre will attract the

attention of his government to make healthcare delivery available to more people in Iro. Fayemi said: “I know you have seen our works in this community and there is no way the good works can continue if you fail to come out on June 21 to vote APC for all these good works to continue. ”This government will not abandon our people in the rural areas. We will not also neglect our people in the urban centres and that is why you must vote in favour of our party and stand by your votes.”

HE Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation has raised an alarm of alleged plans by the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, Mr. Ayo Fayose to burn his campaign office at Adebayo road and blame it on the All Progressives Congress, APC. A statement by spokesperson for the organisation, Mr Dimeji Daniels said “ we gathered from reliable sources that Mr. Ayodele Fayose who is known for such stunts in the past will any moment from now set his campaign office on fire and rush to the press to blame it on APC.” According to the organisation, few weeks ago, he planned with his thugs to be shot so as to gain sympathy of the electorate and this explains why he started wearing bullet-proof jacket to his campaign rallies. He only dropped the idea when he realised it has leaked. The campaign organisation said “ we wish to state for the umpteenth time that the APC-led government under Governor Kayode Fayemi is peace-loving and this explains why the state has been peaceful in the last three and a half years until recently when Mr. Fayose’s emergence brought back the forgotten days of one week one trouble.” It pointed out that should Mr. Fayose’s office go on fire, “he is responsible for it as we don’t have anything to do with it.” The statement read: “The excellent performance of our candidate in the last 42 months in office is enough campaign for us, so we don’t need violence because Ekiti people are with us. Mr. Fayose should tell the Ekiti electorate what he wants to do better than Kayode Fayemi rather than playing pranks like a primary school pupil.” “We call on all well-meaning Ekiti indigenes and Nigerians to prevail on these harbingers of retrogression to desist from their evil ways as the collective interests and wellbeing of Ekiti is greater than all,” it stated.

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Oil/mineral resources: States should be involved in exploration — C'ttee STORIES BY HENRY UMORU & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

FTER days of verbal fisticuffs among members on whether or not oil and other mineral resources should be moved to the concurrent list or retained in the federal exclusive list, the Committee on Devolution of Powers, yesterday, reached a consensus on the matter. The consensus is that the items will remain on the exclusive list but the states where the resources are domiciled shall be involved in their exploration.

Derivation:

A statement signed by cochairmen of the committee, Obong Victor Attah and Ibrahim Coomassie on matter at the end the committee session also urged the Federal Government to make funds available for the exploration and development of such resources that had not been tapped hitherto in the states. The committee instantly got divided last Thursday when the issue was raised with southern and northern delegates being on one another’s throat. Whereas most southern delegates opted for the

decision.” Another northern delegate, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu said the committee resolved the issue amicably, adding: “What we have done will benefit the oil producing areas, non-oil producing areas and the entire country. We are more interested in how the government can develop mineral resources in other states.” Ms Annkio Briggs, a NigerDelta activist and member of the committee said, “We are in agreement with the decision.”

Southern delegates fight back

•Say 13% is too small, don’t annoy us

OUTHERN delegates are not taking lightly to the clamour of the North through a document circulated to northern delegates that onshore/offshore dichotomy should be applied and derivation should be reduced to five per cent for oil resources explored onshore. Let them try and see – Ankio Briggs Ms Ankio Briggs, a Federal Government delegate said: “If they like they can call for zero derivation. If they are calling for a reduction from 13 percent, which we are saying we want increased to 50 per cent, I would want to see where it is coming from. Let us all be sensible here. If we remember, in the 2005 conference, the agreement was 18 percent. It is documented and the demand was for 50 percent derivation; immediately 25 percent and subsequently increased every year until it reaches 50 percent. That was what the South-South requested for at that time. And when it was refused the SouthSouth walked out. That was what we requested for and we rejected the 18 percent. I don’t think any reasonable person is going to expect that we will take anything less than what we have requested for at that time or will accept anything less than even the 18 percent that was offered in 2005. So, anybody who wants to be troublesome and is requesting reduction from 13 percent to 5 percent, the person will see the reaction of the people on whose land the oil is coming from.” It is not possible –Erhagbe On his part, Professor Eddy Erhagbe, Edo State delegate and member Devolution of Power Committee, said: “There is no doubt that there are different positions in terms of the

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concurrent list, their northern counterparts insisted that the status quo must be retained. This prompted the co-chairmen to ask for closed door session on Tuesday, which did not pay off. However, after yesterday’s deliberation that lasted for about three hours, the committee members reached a consensus on the controversial matter. A northern delegate, Alhaji Buba Galadima, said, “We reached a consensus, we agreed that oil and mineral resources should remain in the exclusive list. Everybody is happy with the

percentage. The South-South and others who are directly benefiting are asking for an increase on the 13 percent while those from the non-producing areas are asking for a reduction. These are two extreme positions but I believe that we are likely going to work for a compromise as has been exhibited in other decisions this committee has already reached. I am very optimistic that at the very worse, we will retain the 13 percent that is on the ground. Going below it, I don’t think is going to work because the real challenges that led to that being inserted in the constitution still remains and for you to now change it, you have to go through the whole hog of constitutional amendment. And I am sure that without necessarily threatening, the South-South will be able stand on its own to say that that issue should not come down but instead it should go up because that is the constitutional provision we have right now.”

I’m not aware of reduction demand – Attah Co-Chairman of the Devolution of Power Committee and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, said: “Who are these people that are demanding for reduction? I am not aware. The northern delegates in this committee have always behaved with the greatest sense of responsibility and with authentic and genuine desire to live together with their brothers in the South, West and every where else and they have demonstrated the maturity I must admire, otherwise there was no way we could have reached where we have reached with the decisions that we have taken in this committee. So, I am not aware of that. What has even been

muted in this committee is the fact that derivation is the issue and we have been looking at ways to increase it since indeed every part of this country is going to enjoy derivation based on whatever resources that are obtained from their area that contribute to the federation account. I have not been able to identify

the author of this collective demand. Don’t just bring a paper and make a collective demand. I deal with this committee and I will take the report of this committee to plenary and I believe that the report of this committee will show that what is been speculated or circulated cannot possibly be true.”

••King Spiff, Isekhure, Edosomwan react

IRST civilian Governor of Rivers State and a Southern delegate, King Alfred Diete- Spiff took a swipe at the northern position, saying that states must be allowed to develop at their own pace. King Diete- Spiff, the Amayanabo of Brass, Bayelsa State, told Vanguard in a chat: “People should take it easy. There is nothing to it, you could call it resource control, you could call it true federalism, the issue is, this American system that we have copied; how does it work? If Federal Government tomorrow decides that it is acquiring all the oil, there will be war. The owners of the land where the oil is found will definitely not agree with this colonial mentality that they have come to acquire all the wealth of everybody, everything on earth is their own, everything under the sea belongs to the Federal Government. “It is a matter of saying, let every state develop at its own pace and this is what Zik, Awolowo and Sarduana agreed in 1957 at the London Conference. It allowed every federating unit to develop at its own pace. Don’t slow others down and this is the same principle we are working on.” On his part, a delegate on the platform of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, the Chief Priest of Benin Kingdom and a member, Committee on Land Tenure and National

Boundaries, Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, described those calling for five per cent derivation as victims of self-imposed ignorance. He stressed that they must tender an unreserved apology, adding, “Current agitators are victims of selfimposed ignorance. If they know the simple meaning of federalism, they will tender an unreserved apology for their pristine advocacy.” Also speaking with Vanguard, a delegate representing Edo State and a member of the Committee on Judiciary and Legal Reform, Chief Charles UwensuyiEdosomwan, SAN, said: “The unreasonableness of any position that would want to mark a revenue allocation principle in this country of largely expropriated peoples on derivation at five per cent must be obvious to those who proffer it. The insincerity of the same proponents rankles when you realise that when their resources held sway, 50 per cent was seen as proper. “Let it be known to all that no one Nigerian owns another and that the much talked about unity of this most brittle of countries shouldn’t be taken for granted. Unity for Nigeria should be an inviolate principle of our nationhood but it cannot be unity at all costs. Only brotherliness, justice, equity and fairness would promote that unity.

Consensus group endorses additional state for S/East BY EMEKA MAMAH

HE Consensus Committee of the National Conference has approved an additional state for the South East geopolitical zone. Demand for additional state for the South-East is not listed among the contentious issues before the National Conference. Sources at a meeting of the Consensus Group, which met at the Asokoro Area of Abuja, Monday, to review contentious issues recommended by the various committees, did not find an additional state for the South East as a problem as they believed that that measure would address a long standing problem of marginalisation. The committee was said to have agreed on creating an extra state for the East after former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and leader of the Yoruba delegation, Chief Olu Falae urged the committee to do more to ensure that the six zones in the country had equal number of states and his motion was unanimously approved.

Unanimous approval Senator Ike Nwachukwu said that since the federating units were expected to have equal number of states, there was the need for the conference to address the issue of imbalance especially as it concerned the South East. The meeting which lasted till 1.30 am Tuesday, enjoined the Plenary to adopt the recommendation in order to address the issue of imbalance and marginalisation in the country The South East delegates had earlier met at Rock View Hotel and approved the creation of Adada State from the East, saying that it met the criteria for such an exercise. Earlier, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State was said to have addressed the South East delegates and asked them to always strive to stand for national unity and cohesion. South East delegates, who attended the meeting included the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Enwo Igarryway; Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Dr Joe Nworgu; former Governor of old Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife among others. They however, asked other areas of South-East agitating for their own states to continue to demand such states in case there is need to increase the number of states in each of the six zones of the country to seven.

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May Day: What hope for Nigerian workers? Today, Nigerian workers join millions of workers all over the world except the United States of America to mark 128th anniversary of May Day. This special edition of Labour Vanguard takes a look at the relationship between the average worker and the trade union. What are the challenges for the average worker? It’s a special May Day Edition. Only in Vanguard BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE & VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

Trade union movement The views of CDWR signed by its publicity secretary, Chinedu Bosah are similar to those of Joint Action Front; another pro-labour Non- Governmental Organization, the Joint Action Front.. JAF stated "Our reflection on the state of the trade union movement in Nigeria revealed that Nigerian workers over the years have been weakened organizationally and ideologically by the anti-worker policies of global neoliberalism. This has been responsible for the reduction in the numerical strength of the unions, attacks on jobs, indecent work conditions and environment, poor and slave wages and violations of workers’ rights as guaranteed by local and international labour instruments”. JAF in its response to our enquiries endorsed by its chairman, Dr. Oladipo Fashina and General Secretary, Abiodun Aremu noted “ that the leadership of Nigerian trade unions across board have not lived up to the expectations of the Nigerian C M Y K

NLC members during a rally. (Above) Abdulwahed Omar, NLC President working people in organizing against the inimical policies of the neo-liberal policies of privatization, deregulation, casualisation, contract staffing, etc”. CDWR on its part stated, “ In celebrating the 2014 May Day, the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) should shift its focus to workplace conditions and work out clear-cut programmes on how to challenge all anti-labour practices taking place in all workplaces and establishments” The NGO suggested, “ This should include mass mobilization and sensitization of workers and the public for a sustained struggle to win more concessions for workers. Rank and file workers have

to put more pressure on the trade union leaders as a means of engaging employers of labour”. The Joint Action Front listed critical challenges before the trade unions” and this include, “The need for a renewed commitment to the ideological and political education development of the rank and file workers in the formal and informal sectors of the economy. *A trade union movement that should be committed to organizing the unemployed and the informal sector workers. *A trade union movement with an agenda for the unemployed and social security, Decent Work and living wage and that should ensure that employers and Government implement collective

agreements reached with workers. *A trade union movement committed to struggle to ensure that Agreements reached with the polytechnic and colleges of education striking workers 9 ASUP,

OR the average worker in Nigeria, a lot has happened between the last May Day and now. Issues of insecurity of lives and property, uncertainty of jobs, unemployment, and the effects of an ailing economy are some of the issues which the Nigerian worker had to contend with in the last one year. The challenges notwithstanding, thousands of workers will be at several venues for rallies organized by their trade unions and the labour centres. However, it would appear that some are not impressed by these rallies. The Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights ( CDWR) said of the rallies, “. Unfortunately, May Day celebration is largely characterized by jamborees and partying rather than sober reflection of the appalling and worsening condition of the working class. We shall see display of company names and brands just for promotional values in addition to speeches from trade union leaders that lack a clear path to political and economic emancipation of the workers and the masses”.

will be committed to provide leadership for a nationwide struggle against the policies of privatization and deregulation and for full industrialization drive that could ensure massive employment and expansion of infrastructure. *A trade union movement prepared to work with its main partner in the civil society – JAF – under the platform of Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) towards the emergence of a genuine mass party of the working class and the poor as the political alternative to the political parties of the ruling class of exploiters. The CDWR insists that “ trade union leaders are doing little or nothing at unionizing and organizing defenseless workers in many workplaces who are in dire need of a union platform to defend their interest. Cases abound of union leaders who betray workers struggle or do little to defend workers rights and interests. A whole lot of anti-labour policies abound in workplaces that are left unchallenged. Casualisation and contract staffing is replacing secured employment in many workplaces including the public sector”. It noted that the national minimum wage is yet to be implemented in many states and organized labour seems helpless”. Though, the tempo of labour’s activities has drastically declined, it has a history to be proud off. Nigerian workers need to be vigilant and participate actively in the next election of the NLC

In celebrating the 2014 May Day, the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) should shift its focus to workplace conditions and work out clearcut programmes on how to challenge all antilabour practices taking place in all workplaces and establishments

SSANIP and COEASU) and the entailments due to the pensioners are implemented soonest. *A trade union movement that

scheduled to hold in February next year so as to elect leaders they can be proud off.

The crisis within •NASU files N100 million suit against NLC

LL is not well within the Nigeria Labour Congress . Since Comrade Abulwaheed Omar’s letter, practically asking a founding affiliate of the NLC, the Non- Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) to stay away from the NLC even after the union indicated its decision to return to the NLC after it voluntarily withdrew for about two years, the crisis seems to get messier. NASU has filed a N100million suit against the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress “ as damages for the blatant violation of the Constitution of the NLC or impunities by the 2nd , 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th defendants”. NASU in the suit filed at the Jos Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court ( NIC) stated that the Plateau state Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress conducted an election which deliberately excluded NASU. The Claimants are ; NASU, its president, Comrade Ladi Iliya and NASU general Secretary, Comrade Peters Adeyemi. The defendants include , Nigeria Labour Congress, 2nd Defendant, NLC president, Comrade Abudulwaheed Omar and 3rd defendant NLC Ag. General Sec-

retary , Comrade Chris Uyot. The 4th to 6th defendants are, Plateau State Council of the NLC, Plateau state chairman of the NLC, and Plateau state acting secretary of the NLC. NASU prayers before the court include: A DECLARATION that having not been suspended by the Council or Congress of the 1st Defendant as an affiliate Union/organisation of the 1st Defendant on account of any misdemeanour as envisaged in Article 36 (2) (b) (iii) of the Constitution of the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Defendants have no right or justification to exclude and/or deprive the Claimants from fully participating in the affairs or activities of the Nigeria Labour Congress. (d) A MANDATORY ORDER compelling the Defendants, to give free hands to the Claimants, particularly the 1st Claimant to fully participate in the affairs or activities of Nigeria Labour Congress including but not limited to attending meetings, functions, receiving notices, invitation letters and fielding candidates for any elective post at any level of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the 36 States of Nigeria, in all the Local Government Councils in Nigeria and at the National Level.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 — 59

Top stars jet in for Okpekpe race O

VER 20 elite stars who will battle their Nigerian counterparts for the USD$118,000 prize money on offer at Saturday ’s second Okpekpe 10km road race will arrive Lagos today for the world acclaimed event. Yusuf Ali,the technical manager of the event revealed that the bulk of the foreign cast of elite athletes for the race will come from Kenya,Ethiopia,Eritrea

and Uganda. ‘According to their schedule of arrival all the athletes will arrive Lagos today from where they will be flown to Benin enroute Auchi where accommodation has been reserved for them,”said Ali who was a former Nigeria and African long jump champion and record holder. Ali also revealed that the athletes and their Nigerian counterparts will undergo an

Yobo Continues from BP loss to West Brom on April 5. But with Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi expected to announce his provisional World Cup squad in the coming days, Yobo has cleared up any lingering doubts about his fitness. He told allnigeriasoccer.com: “I have been declared fit by the doctors at Norwich. And I can confirm to you I will make the squad for the final two games against Chelsea and Arsenal. “I have been training with the full squad since

last week. I was omitted from the squad announced last weekend for precautionary reasons. “The last two games of the season are crucial and they want me to play a part because it will determine our fate in the Premier League. “I will be fit for the National Team. I am super fit and there is no cause for alarm.”

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“This is not good for the image of the country and the football federation. Everything we did to qualify Eagles for the 2010 World Cup is recorded. “I want NFF to try to find out if anybody in the name of Presidential Task Force engaged in such a criminal act without my knowledge.” Lulu also queried why the match-fixing allegations are coming so close to the NFF elections in August. “It is also curious that this is coming at a time that elections into the board of the NFF are around the corner,” he said. “I feel this is an attempt to undermine the credibility and integrity of some people who are seen as potential threats in the forthcoming elections.”

a n o t h e r successful,world class hosting,’further said Ali who was once the head of the technical subcommittee of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria.

IGERIA’S contingents to the on-going Airtel/Arsenal Soccer Clinic in Rwanda have earned the admiration of the entire Arsenal technical crew as they have shown that they are not just good footballers on the pitch but also exceptional students of football psychology, history and analysis in the classroom.

Abia Governor hails Maigari's achievements

HE Executive Gov ernor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji on Tuesday poured encomiums on the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari on the latter ’s leadership style and several accomplishments in the past four years in office. “I must praise your excellent leadership style, which has been commended by several leading stakeholders of the game in Nigeria, Africa and the world, and it is obvious that your style is working. “Our country has never had it so good on and off the field of play.

Dosu

Continues from BP group because we have South Africa, Sudan and [probably] Libya that won the home based Nations

Lulu

Continues from BP Eagles qualified for the World Cup. The NFF immediately dismissed these matchfixing allegations, but the former NFF boss is not impressed as he has insisted that someone somewhere is up to mischief. Speaking to AfricanFootball.com, Lulu alleged that those who are behind the match-fixing report are out to rubbish Super Eagles qualification for the 2010 World Cup under his leadership. He said, “I was directly in charge of everything that had to do with Super Eagles qualification for the 2010 World Cup. I have never met that man and I don’t know anything about match-fixing. “I want the NFF to immediately commence investigation into the serious allegations.

inspection of the route on Friday. ‘All arrangements,both technical and administrative are in place for a hitch free race on Saturday. I want to assure Nigerians of

Cup. It is definitely a tough group,” Dosu told Goal. “But then as Nigerians we know how to scale through. If we can win our first two games, I think it will be easy but then at the beginning it will be very tough. “You can’t write off Nigeria because we are African champions and we know how to make our way through,” he continued. The draw is seen as a rekindling of the rivalry between the Super Eagles and Bafana Bafana, a side that is longing to earn its first victory in a competitive match against the reigning African champions. “South Africa will be hoping to take their pound of flesh but Nigeria I think we will continue from where we stopped from. The last time we met them, even with our home-based team, we emerged victorious. “I think it’s a continuous process for the Super Eagles and the South Africans will need to work hard because we will continue from where we stopped. The Eagles will be too strong for them,” Dosu concluded.

Your administration has achieved so much within its less-than-four years in office, with triumphs at the FIFA U17 World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations

having been followed by qualification for the FIFA World Cup.” Stating that Maigari’s administration has far surpassed all before it.

Nigerians impress coaches at ARS soccer clinic in Rwanda During the Classroom session on Day 1 of the clinic, Joy Falegon, a Nigerian female participant, was the cynosure of all eyes when she emerged the overall best student in a quiz that was based on Arsenal and English Football history. Aside scoring the highest mark in the 30 minutes multiple choice academic exercise, she also took the lead in providing practical solutions on another exercise that focused on notable quotes from Arsenal legends.

World Team T/Tennis Championship: Nigeria beats Bosnia-Herzegovina

EAM Nigeria on Wednesday in Tokyo showed the Super Eagles how to beat Bosnia-Herzegovina at the World when the Segun Toriola-led side

thrashed the European side 3-1 at the ongoing 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championship. Toriola started the onslaught, while Aruna Quadri increased the tal-

ly to 2-0 but Ojo Onaolapo fell in the third game to put the game at 2-1. Like a true leader, Toriola rounded up the match with a win to give Nigeria a 3-1 win.

60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

CBN Open: Sponsors present improved package By Solomon Nwoke

ENTRAL Bank of NiC geria (CBN), the sponsors of the Nigeria Tennis Feed-

EVEN IN THE AIR— Cristiano Ronaldo is now the world’s best player and a superstar in every sense of the word

eration (NTF) Senior Open Tennis Championship yesterday announced an improved sponsorship package of N14.3Million for this year’s edition of the tournament. Last year ’s budget was N9.06Million . The championship which enters the 36th edition serves off simultaneously with the 2nd edition of the Wheelchair Tennis Championship from May 7th to 17th at the Tennis Courts, National Stadium Lagos. Not less than 300 players from across the federation will participate. Winners in this year’s Men and Ladies’ singles will cart home the sum of N700,000 each while the runners-up in both categories will go home with the sum of N500,000 each Speaking at the media briefing held in Lagos yesterday, the Acting Director, Corporate Communication Department of the nation’s apex bank, Isaac Okorafor said since its incep-

Ronaldo has finally blown Messi away A

T a function for one of his sponsors in Spain last week, Cristiano Ronaldo was handed a microphone to do a question and answer session. ‘You’ll understand, I am from Portugal so I am going to do this in Portuguese,’ he said, looking at the master of ceremonies. He speaks English well, but he’s Ronaldo and he does what he wants. That extends to wearing a diamond stud in his left ear. It extends to a £1million Bugatti Veyron and an estimated collection of 19 other cars. It extends to including his girlfriend, Irina Shayk, in Nike’s latest World Cup advert. Ronaldo is a superstar. He is also the best player in the world at this moment. Lionel Messi will come again. So will Barcelona. Injuries happen and this season has hurt the quiet little artist from Argentina. Perhaps he has not been so mortally wounded as some would have you believe – 40 goals across 43 games is not too shabby. But Ronaldo, like one of his runs, continues to accelerate, while Messi C M Y K

has not captured the breath in quite the same manner this time round. Messi continues to be brilliant, continues to dink the keeper, continues to run through small spaces with those little legs and that sheepish grin. Messi continues to be Messi, only with

more limps. But Ronaldo is making greater progress. On Tuesday night in Munich, Ronaldo stole one of Messi’s many records and tied another. His 15th and 16th Champions League goals of the season took him past the mark of 14 that Messi

reached a couple of years ago. He is now level with Messi on 67 Champions League goals overall. Both men are only four shy of Raul’s record. That will go sooner rather than later. The immediacy of sport makes it hard to contex-

tualise this rivalry in history. But has there been a pair of players so dominant in the same era? A huge element of the aura comes from the raw statistics, those mindblowing, barely believable scoring numbers from Ronaldo and Messi.

Guardiola blames self for Bayern’s defeat

•Guardiola

EP Guardiola takes full responsibility for Bayern Munich being dumped out of the Champions League, claiming his side didn’t do enough in possession to warrant progressing. The Bavarians were taught a lesson in counter-attacking by a slick Real Madrid outfit who picked their hosts off at will and went through with surprising ease. Two goals apiece from Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo condemned Bayern to a humiliating defeat. It was all their own doing - Ramos wasn’t picked up properly for either header in a fourminute spell - but Guardiola was more incensed with his side’s lack of incision on the ball.

‘The reason for the defeat is that we played too little with the ball,’ he said. ‘In Manchester and also in Madrid, we have made it outstanding, not today. ‘If you do not have control of the game, you have no chance against this team. ‘We played badly, that’s my responsibility. We are at the highest level in Europe and such errors are punished. ‘I’ll try to lift the play-

ers.’ Having already sealed the Bundesliga title, Bayern only have the German Cup to play for. The way in which they crumbled when hit on the break will have been alarming to those inside the Allianz Arena. Not least captain Philipp Lahm, who added: ‘The disappointment is huge. We did not play well tactically, we played an open game way too early.

tion in 1979, the championship has produced talented players that have flown Nigeria’s flag at several international tournaments such as the Davis Cup and the All Africa Games. “We are of the view that the timing of this year’s championship would afford the NTF the opportunity to select players to represent Nigeria at the Davis Cup tournament scheduled to hold in September 2014,” Okorafor said.

Ikhioya restates vision for NIS BY JACOB AJOM HE Director and T Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports, Lagos, Dr. Sunday Ikhioya has said the vision of the current management team for the institution is to make it “a first class institute transforming Nigeria and sustaining it as a world leader in sports.” Speaking at the matriculation ceremony for the 2014/2015 academic session students yesterday, the director said to achieve this vision, the institute has in its ranks versatile, knowledgeable and dedicated staff “ who are ready to tap from this reservoir of knowledg.” He told the students that the import of the ceremony was that it offered a platform through which they could be registered and inducted as students of the institute. “It is important to realise that the pledge you made today is more than a mere declaration, it also entails total loyalty to the institute, diligence and discipline as members of this great community. ‘You must strive to develop a fresh and critical thinking that will enable you to acquire the latest information and trends in your choice of course,” Ikhioya said A student of Stadium Management, Mr John Udo-Sunday, who spoke on behalf of the matriculating students promised that they would be good ambassadors of the institute. no fewer than 100 students for the 2014/2015 academic season.

Beckenbauer: Something’s not right at Bayern

RANZ Beckenbau er continued his recent criticism of Pep Guardiola’s Bayern side: “Something’s not right at Bayern. This is something we’ve known for

weeks. It’s a huge disappointment”. The Germany legend said the team had taken its foot off the pedal: “From August until the season restarted a few

weeks ago they played at the top of their game and were fully focused. Then began a period of weakness and lack of concentration that has carried on through to now”.

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62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, MAY 1, 2014

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VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESULT Chelsea 1 Athletico Madrid 3

Eagles ‘ll be too strong for Bafana — Dosu

Match-fixing claims

Lulu demands probe F

ORMER Nigeria F o o t b a l l Federation (NFF) president Sani Lulu has demanded a full-scale investigation into claims by a convicted Singaporean match-fixer that he qualified Nigeria to the 2010 World Cup. Lulu also said this was a deliberate attempt by some persons to undermine his achievements in office. Wilson Raj Perumal from Singapore, who recently confessed to match-fixing charges, had said in his book that he helped the NFF in 2010 to fix a qualifying match that ensured the Continued on Page 59

ORMER Nigeria goalkeeper Joseph Dosu has tipped the Super Eagles to scale above their opponents in Group A of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying rounds. Nigeria have been drawn alongside South Africa, Sudan and the

winners between Namibia/Congo and Libya/Rwanda. Although the Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medalist acknowledged the group as a tough one he remained optimistic that the Super Eagles will make it to Morocco. “I think it’s a hard Continued on Page 59

I’m fit for World Cup —Yobo S

UPER Eagles and Norwich City defender Joseph Yobo has calmed fears in Nigeria that he could miss the World Cup by declaring himself fit to face Chelsea. The experienced centre back, signed on loan from Fenerbahce in the January transfer window, has not played an official game for the Canaries since the 1-0 Continued on Page 59

Eagles celebrate Afcon victory last year

•Yobo

Nigeria beats Bosnia-Herzogovina — Pg. 59 QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Grasp (6) 5 Vessel (4) 8 Passage (5) 9 Astern (3) 10 Overlook (4) 11 Flag (4) 12 Range (5) 13 Rush (6) 16 Ogle (4) 18 Whirlpool (4) 20 Snake (3) 22 Insane (3) 23 Colour (3) 24 Instrument (4) 25 Detail (4) 28 Shy (6) 30 Cheese (5) 32 Ooze (4) 33 Thought (4) 34 Wrath (3) 35 Jump (5) 36 Dregs (4) 37 Ball-game (6)

DOWN 1 Opportunity (6) 2 Hidden (8) 3 Force (6) 4 Scrapped (9) 5 Mule (7) 6 Present (4) 7 Go by (4) 8 Donkey (3) 14 Prompting (9) 15 Strange (3) 17 Consume (3) 19 Deception (8) 20 Prohibit (3) 21 Pertinent (7) 26 Threat (6) 27 Niche (6) 29 Image (4) 30 Jeer (4) 31 Append (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 3, Astir 9, Profit 10, Bitter 11, Rapid 12, Onus 15, Alto 17, Romance 20, Led 21, Eager 23, Avid 25, Limp 26, Diver 28, Bid 30, Disease 33, Acid 35, Rota 36, Rival 38, Avenue 39, Little 40, Grade.

DOWN: 1, Spoor 2, Forum 3, Air 4, Stance 5, Ibis 6, Rid 7, Stall 8, Brood 13, Nomadic 14, Sapid 16, Tempest 18, Eased 19 Gel 22, Rider 24, Din 27, Ribald 29, Diced 31, Aorta 32, Eaten 34, Pier 36, Rug 37, Lie.

How to Play Sudoku

lace 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.

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