CHIBOK GIRLS: Outrage, as Mbu bans rallies in Abuja

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62157

MUBI BLAST: I

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

saw people cut to pieces —14Survivor

CHIBOK GIRLS:

Power situation to worsen

Outrage, as Mbu bans rallies in Abuja 8

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, KINGSLEY OMONOBI, DAPO AKINREFON & EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

•Ezekwesili, Keyamo, Usman, others threaten court action •Say Mbu should receive free lecture in "Democracy 101" •I'll lead senators to back protesters — Ojudu A

BUJA—OUT RAGE, yesterday, trailed the decision by the Commissioner of Police of the Federal Capital Territory, Joseph Mbu, to ban all protests over the kidnap of more Continues on page 5

COLUMNISTS: We are all Boko Haram •P.17

How the West beats the rest of us 6 .5 P •

Mr & Mrs BUILDING COLLAPSE—An uncompleted four-storey building collapsed, yesterday at St. Andrews Anglican Church, School, Odo-Akpu, in Onitsha, Anambra State, killing 15 workers, while others were trapped. Below: A trapped worker (left) and an injured person (right) being rescued. Photos: NAN.

Doctors' strike 9 paralyses health services nationwide C M Y K

I've lost count of persons I kidnapped, 6 says suspect

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 3

4 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014—5

POCKET CARTOON

CHIBOK GIRLS—Schoolgirls who have escaped from Boko Haram

kidnappers in the village of Chibok, arrive at the Government House to speak with Governor Kashim Shettima in Maiduguri, yesterday. Shettima met with 28 schoolgirls that escaped from the abductors, their parents and parents of more than 200 missing girls to seek ways of assisting them. Photo: AFP.

CHIBOK GIRLS: Outrage as Mbu bans rallies in Abuja Continues from page 1 than 200 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.

The ban announced by Mr. Mbu, yesterday, was declared as illegal, unconstitutional and a deliberate attempt by the government to protect its image at the expense of the lives of the captured girls.

Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, who has led daily demonstrations in Abuja that have drawn worldwide publicity under the aegis of the #Bring Back Our Girls, in condemning the ban, told Vanguard yesterday, that Mr. Mbu was deficient in the primary rudiments of democracy. Mrs. Maryam

Uwais, wife of former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Uwais, who is a member of the group, said the movement would contest the issue in court as she disclosed that they were still deliberating on the next line of action.

Civil rights lawyers, Bamidele Aturu, Festus Keyamo and Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, president of Women Arise also flayed the police ban.

Keyamo said it was like mercilessly beating a child and choking the same child so that it would not cry.

Why we banned rallies— Mbu

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

T. S. Eliot said, ‘Whatever you think, be sure it is what you think; whatever you want, be sure it is what you want.’

TAKE HEART

I

BY ELLA RANDLE

F your new-found growth causes you to push against the old ways, you may need to realize you are bigger now and accommodate newer enhancing changes — Steve Goodier A potted plant grew beautifully for about twenty years, but then began to sag and discolour. The leaves and branches drooped lower each day as its life slowly ebbed away. Finally a few half-dead leaves and stem were re planted in a small pot.

The new small plant grew strong and healthy. But the original finally died. When we dug it out of its ceramic pot we could see why – its roots were a tangle of knots. They had grown so massive they threatened to burst the sides of the pot that held them in. Our once-beautiful plant died because it outgrew its environment – it became root-bound.

People, too, can become root-bound. When they are committed to personal growth and development, when they make the kinds of changes in their lives that lead to greater fulfilment and happiness, they often discover they have outgrown their environment.

Mr. Mbu in a statement issued yesterday said: “You will recall that the first peaceful protest on the “#BRING BACK OUR GIRLS” (Chibok) took place on April 28, 2014 which I took part in the procession until when the Senate President and Speaker addressed them.

“The protest continued and on May 22, 2014 they were again addressed by more than 10 ministers, SGF and others.

“They are still unrelenting; the group has now shifted to Maitama Amusement Park. This area is very close to the residence of diplomats.

“Again a new group, RELEASE OUR GIRLS suddenly emerged and started the same protest.

It has degenerated to the extent that they are now selling and cooking at the Unity Fountain.

“The trend is now posing a serious security threat to those living around and citizens who drive through.

“We are all aware of what happened, yesterday, (Sunday) in Mubi, Adamawa State.

“As the FCT Police boss, I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness.

“Information reaching us is that too soon, dangerous elements will join the groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosives aimed at embarrassing the government.

“Accordingly, protests on the Chibok Girls are hereby banned with immediate effect.

“I urge all to encour-

age our security agencies in this war and appreciate them for the sacrifices we have made and are still making.”

Mrs. Ezekwesili alongside Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, wife of former Chief Economic Adviser in the Umaru Yar‘Adua government, Tanimu Yakubu, have led a daily protest gathering in Abuja to focus on the abduction of the girls. The group penultimate Thursday led a demonstration to the Presidential Villa where President Goodluck Jonathan in a written address read on his behalf told the group to address their demonstration to the Boko Haram Islamic sect which kidnapped the girls.

Ezekwesili, others slam order Condemning the police ban on the demonstrations yesterday, Ezekwesili told Vanguard: “Someone should quickly offer Commissioner Mbu a free course in Democracy 101. He seriously needs to know how powerless the constitution has made people like him on matters of Rights of Citizens to peaceful assembly.”

We'll head to court today —Usman Ms Hadiza Bala Usman on her part told Vanguard: "We shall challenge him in court on the right he has to deny us our constitutional right on freedom of expression. We shall file the suit tomorrow morning (today) at the FCT High Court."

In his reaction, Aturu called on the federal administration to call the Police Commissioner to order.

“Our answer is a very simple one. Our constitutional right of coming together to protest on any issue whatsoever cannot be taken away by anybody. I will advise the President and the Police authorities to call Mr. Mbu to order because he has no right to do what he has done. It will make us a laughing stock in the comity of nations.”

Also condemning the order, Dr OkeiOdumakin said: “It is condemnable, people have their rights as enshrined in the constitution to freedom of assembly and freedom of association, as far as they do not break the law. Such freedom should not be abridged.”

It's shocking — Keyamo

Keyamo in his reaction articulated in a statement made available to Vanguard said Mr. Mbu’s order was a violation of the constitution and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.

“It is shocking that the Federal Government, hiding under the facade of the Police, has finally openly displayed its disdain for public outcry over the kidnap of those innocent souls. The Federal Government would really have wished that we all went about our normal businesses and live in denial like it did for many weeks.

“The Government has shown that it is more concerned with its image and self-preservation than the safety of those girls. This is the height of irresponsibility and insensitivity to the plight of the Chibok girls and their family members. At a time when government has not shown a capacity to protect lives and property, it is even denying the citizens the basic right to cry out about Government’s inaction.

“It is like beating a child mercilessly and choking the child at the same time to prevent the child from crying out. It is inhuman, it is degrading and it is humiliating.

“That order by the Commissioner of Police should be rescinded immediately or else the Federal Government should be prepared to arrest and lock up all Nigerians. Even the military did not succeed in muzzling Nigerians like the Federal Government wants to do by this feeble order.”

Earlier yesterday, the #Bring Back Our Girls’ group said it won’t be provoked by those who have attacked it in various ways and urged protesters across the country to maintain a high level of civility.

The declaration fol-

lowed a mild drama in Abuja when members of the group were locked out of the Maitama Amusement Park by people suspected to be security agents.

The group had earlier been driven from the Unity Fountain by an opposing group last week which prompted the Ezekwesili-led group to relocate to a privatelymanaged Amusement Park.

Despite the lockout, the group, which had come out every weekday for the past 33 days vowed that it would not be deterred in its campaign to highlight the fate of the girls.

“We have been coming out for the past 33 days, insisting that our girls, who were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary school Chibok be released by their abductors,” one of the leaders, Aishah Yesufu said yesterday.

“We will not change our position. We will not rest until our girls who are in their impressionable ages of between16 and 18, are released.

Their abductors may try to change their world view. We insist everything must be done to bring back our girls”.

I'll mobilise senators to back demonstrators —Senator Ojudu

Senator Babafemi Ojudu threatened to mobilise senators to champion the cause of the #Bring Back Our Girls group if the ban was not immediately reversed. He said Mbu’s statement appeared like a hangover of the controversies that trailed his stewardship as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State.

Senator Ojudu said that it was shocking that at a time Nigerians were united in the call for the release of the girls, Mbu would lead the Nigeria Police to take draconian actions that were against the principles of democracy. He thus called on the Inspector General of Police to reverse the ban.

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Bauchi commercial sex workers lament low patronage

I've lost count of persons I've kidnapped — SUSPECT ...as Police parade 13 others for various offences

BY SUZAN EDEH

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AUCHI — Commercial sex workers in Bauchi state have expressed concern over decline in patronage following insecurity in neighbouring states of Plateau, Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

Checks by Vanguard reveals that most of the owners of hot spots and brothels around some major streets within the metropolis have equally lamented the low patronage from clients who usually engage the services of the sex workers.

Some of the popular spots visited by our correspondent including Ogbonna Hotel, Focus Brothel, Time out by junction, Peoples Club and Benco Hotels also recorded low patronage.

Two sex workers (names withheld) at Bayan Gari, a suburb in Bauchi metropolis, said since the bomb explosion in Jos last month, most of their rich clients who are predominantly visitors had not been coming to the state again.

FedPoly Idah registrar kidnapped

BY BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

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OKOJA —THE Registrar, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Mr. Kareem Abu, was, weekend, kidnapped by gunmen in Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The registrar was said to have been kidnapped at his premises after gunmen stormed his residence.

The registrar is the third staff of the institution to be kidnapped in the last 12 months.

Rector of the institution, Mr. Matthew Akpata was few months ago lucky to escape from his abductors when the car the kidnappers used in conveying him had an accident and he was abandoned in the booth of the car.

Also, the institution's Librarian was last year kidnapped at the premises of the polytechnic.

Phone calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Emeka Umeh, for confirmation were not answered.

It would also be recalled that between last year and now over six persons have been kidnapped in the state.

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA — OKWUDILI Nnagbo, a kidnap suspect fleeing to South Africa, arrested after boarding his escape aircraft to South Africa at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, last month was yesterday paraded at the headquarters of the State Anti-robbery Squad, Awka, Anambra State, alongside 13 other suspects caught for various offences.

Nnagbo, from Nri in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state, said he had been in the business of kidnapping for many years, adding that he had lost count of the number of persons he had kidnapped in the past.

He said he decided to quit kidnapping when one of his relations in South Africa invited him over, noting that he thought he had covered his tracks only to be arrested at the point of departing the country.

Also paraded were Chukwudi Chinedu from Okija, and Kevin Obi from Umuzu who allegedly

Onyeka Ozoigbo and Harrison Amaukwu caught with 85 telephone handsets

Okwudili Nnagbo, the South Africa–bound kidnap suspect

Chukwudi Chinedu and Kevin Obi who raped a pregnant woman

raped the pregnant wife of a man they robbed of N66,000 and Uba Christian Chukwuemeka from Oji River in Enugu State who had been involved in the kidnap of female students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka where he enrolled for a diploma programme few years ago.

Chinedu said he was living in Lagos and was looking for money to transport himself back to Lagos and blamed the devil for his action.

Another gang that includes Onyeka Ozoigbo, a vulcanizer,

and Harrison Amaukwu, both from Uli in Ihiala Local Government Area were caught with 85 telephone handsets stolen from various people.

Luck, however, ran out on them when one of the people they approached to buy one of the phones at N1,700 alerted the Police and they were apprehended, while one member of the gang, who scaled the wall on sighting the police, is still at large.

Another suspect, Mr.

Chiagorom Ihejiagwa, from Akokwa in Imo State admitted that though he had a shop in Asaba, he was involved in buying stolen cars.

The one that landed him into trouble, he said, was the Honda Pilot SUV which he bought at N1.5 million, adding that he knew that it was stolen before he bought it.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka also displayed various arms and ammunition recovered from the suspects.

Auxiliary, ex-NURTW boss charged with murder

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN — A former fac tional state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in Oyo State, Alhaji Lamidi Mukaila, aka Auxiliary, has been remanded in Agodi Prisons for alleged murder by a magistrate court in Ibadan.

Ex-leaders of the union, Auxiliary and Alhaji Lateef Akinsola a.k.a. Tokyo, had been declared wanted by the Oyo State Police Command in connection with violence that occurred at Iwo Road interchange on June 4, 2011 where scores of people were killed in cold blood.

During the bloody incident, former National President of the Nigeria Medical Students Association, Mr. Bala Usman Shanono, a 500-level medical student of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was among other travellers felled by bullets.

Following the incident, N500,000 ransom was placed on Auxiliary by the Police.

While Tokyo approached the court for exoneration from the incident at the Federal High Court in Ibadan, Lamidi went into hiding.

Tokyo later got a judgment which ordered the Police not to arrest him in connection with the incident.

About a week ago, Auxiliary was arrested and paraded in Lagos for alleged illegal possession of firearms.

When he was arraigned in a magistrate's court in Ibadan, yes-

Mukaila Lamidi, a.k.a. Auxiliary at Iyaganku magistrate's court, yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube

terday, Auxiliary, who did not show any sign of remorse, threatened to break cameras of the photo journalists taking his photograph after the court session.

After reading the charges, he pleaded not guilty.

Arraignment political —Counsel

Counsel to the drivers’ union leader, Mr. Olumuyiwa Fatiregun, described the arraignment of his client as political. He said his client was accused because of the 2015 general elections.

He said: “He has been in detention for the past seven weeks.

There is no prima facie evidence

against Auxiliary. It is just to hold him so that at the end of the day, he would be out of circulation.”

According to the charge sheet, he was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on murder and felony.

The prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Fatola stated: “That, you, Auxiliary, with others at large, on 2nd day of March, 2014 at about 2210hrs at Mustard filling station, Iwo Road, Ibadan Magisterial District did conspire with others still at large to commit felony to wit: murder and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 324 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol.11 laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.”

Though the incident happened on June 4, 2011, it was contained in the charge sheet that it happened on March 2, 2014.

The second charge read: “That you Mukaila Lamidi ‘M’ (a.k.a Auxiliary) and others at large on the same date, time, place and at the aforementioned Magisterial District did cause the death of one Adekunle Oladipupo, ‘M’ by shooting him with gun and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 319 of Criminal Code 38 vol. II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000."

The case was presided over

by Magistrate O. K. Omotosho who adjourned it till June 18, 2014 for further hearing.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014—7

15 die as school building collapses in Onitsha

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA — NO fewer than 15 persons were feared dead and several others sustained injuries, yesterday, in the commercial city of Onitsha when a four-storey building under construction collapsed.

The building, which was nearing completion along St. Christopher’s Anglican Church

by Old Cemetery Road, Onitsha, in a dramatic manner, became a rubble over alleged use of poor quality and sub-standard construction materials.

The victims were mainly labourers said to be putting finishing touches to the building.

It was gathered that late arrival of rescue teams marred the survival of some of the victims.

The ill-fated building was being constructed by the Diocese of Niger to serve as classroom blocks for pupils of St Christopher's Primary School.

However, there were conflicting reports over the safety of the contractor handling the projects as some eyewitnesses said the contractor left the ill-fated building few minutes before it collapsed while others said he was still inside the building when it crashed.

However, late arrival of heavy equipment for the evacuation of the rubbles to save some of the trapped victims was attributed to the high level of casualty as sympathizers watched helplessly while those trapped inside the rubble perished.

Ojukwu Transport vs Bianca: Court grants application for extension

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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Tractor removing rubbles of the building.

One of the deceased, whose identity was not known at press time was crushed by the rubbles with his head smashed, ripping open his brain. It was gathered that the deceased was among those serving the mason men in plastering the walls of the building before the incident.

One of the teachers at St Christopher's Primary School, who pleaded anonymity, said before the building collapsed, primary school pupils and their nursery counterparts were inside the building playing during recess, adding that the building came crashing few minutes after the bell signalling end of recess rang.

"This place has been where our

children run in to play each time there was break, so today, as usual, these children were inside the building playing and once it was 12.30pm, we rang a bell to call them back to their classes.

"Shortly after that, we heard a loud noise with dust flaring over the entire compound. We looked with astonishment, it was the building where our children were playing inside few minutes ago that collapsed," she said.

Meanwhile, efforts to evacuate the rubble and the deceased lingered due to non-availability of heavy forklift as sympathizers resorted to self help by using hands and hammer to break the concrete walls to know if they could save any of those trapped in the building, but that was after four hours

of the incident.

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, who was alerted by our reporter, immediately cut short his official engagement and ordered some major contractors working in various parts of the state to mobilise their equipment to the scene to save some of those trapped.

However, it took extra one hour before the equipment could come but before then, policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Central Police Station, CPS Tope Fasugba and the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Unit Commander, Onitsha, Mr. Chukwuemeka Metta were already on ground to control the situation.

AGOS— JUSTICE D. O. Oluwayemi of a Lagos High Court, in Igbosere, sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, yesterday, granted the application for extension of time for expiration of writ of summons in a suit filed by Ojukwu Transport Limited against Bianca Ojukwu.

The court also granted application for substituted service against the defendant.

Justice Oluwayemi further granted the claimant’s second application of an order that the writ of summons, statement of claims and its accompanying processes be served on the defendant by posting same at the entrance gate of the premises at 29, Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queen's Drive) Ikoyi, Lagos.

The firm, through its counsel, Ike Ubahakwe, in motion ex-parte, prayed the court to extend the writ on summons on Bianca Ojukwu after the expiration of the first writ of summons over the property situated at 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, formerly Queen's Drive, Ikoyi.

After listening to the motion moved by Ubahakwe, counsel to OTL, the judge granted all the prayers.

She adjourned the matter till June 23, 2014.

We almost suffocated inside cabin, stowaways recount ordeal •Blame action on unemployment

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BY EVELYN USMAN

AGOS — TWELVE stowa ways — 11 Nigerians and a Ghanaian — rescued by personnel of the Nigerian Navy ship, NNS Beecroft, Apapa, Lagos, from a Spain-bound vessel, MV African Osprey, weekend, narrated how they almost suffocated inside the cabin they hid.

The stowaways, discovered to be casual workers on the ship, told Vanguard that had the crew members delayed in opening the cabin where they hid, they would have died without reaching their dream destination.

The suspects identified as Boniface Douglas, a Ghanaian and 11 Nigerians: Mustapha Ayinla, Bernard Amadi, Azinabor Gideon, Isaac Delight, Daniel Timothy, Justice Agburum, Anthony Oladipupo, Emma Okon, Idowu Adeyemi, Philip Israel and Holly Osatwie, blamed their action on unemployment in the country.

Douglas, the Ghanaian, said

the latest arrest was his sixth futile attempt to leave the country illegally.

I made 6 earlier attempts

Hear him: " I work as a labourer in the ship. We all planned it without the knowledge of the crew members. We sneaked into the ship on a Sunday because we were aware that the ship would be sailing next day to Spain.

"We decided to hide in one of the unused cabins. We entered from Apapa. I went with chin-chin, three bags of pure water and garri, cassava flakes which I sneaked into the ship without the knowledge of the cabin crew.

"I have similar attempt six times. The first was to Brazil but I was deported on reaching there.

The second was Senegal, in 2002, others are Santos, Conakry, Abidjan and Togo. I was deported because I was without the necessary documents.

Daniel Timothy, 23, on his part said : "We almost suffocated. If the crew members had delayed in

The stowaways opening the cabin we hid in, we would have been dead by now.

"While inside, we were praying to get to the country safe and also planned how to sneak out of the ship at night. But three days into the journey, we started perceiving a foul odour. We endured for some time.

"At a point, we could not breathe any longer. I suggested we started banging the door to attract the crew members in order to go back to our country alive rather than dying without reaching our destination.

"Others suggested we should

hold on. When I couldn’t bear it, I started banging on the cabin door because we could not open it from inside. Others joined me and in the process, the crew members came and opened the cabin.

That was my third attempt and I promise never to leave the country through such means again."

I excreted inside polythene bags

For 24-year-old Agburum, who claimed that was his first attempt , he said: "I was tempted

to embark on the journey because some of my friends succeeded through same means.

"On the night we sneaked in, I had a running stomach. I took several polythene bags because I was told that we would not come out once we have entered. I excreted all though the night inside polythene bags, as the nauseating feeling aggravated my condition. I almost died. I only managed to eat eight wraps of sausage rolls out of the 15 I went with.

I do not intend to attempt it again because it was not a pleasant experience."

Handing them over to personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ilesanmi Alade, said the arrest and subsequent rescue were done in conjunction with personnel of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. He however, appealed to ship owners and all seafarers to ensure thorough security checks were conducted onboard prior to departure from harbours.”

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Total, Seadrill sign $1.1bn oil rig deal

BY MICHAEL EBOH, with agency report

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OTAL Upstream Nigeria has signed a five-year $1.1 billion (N176 billion) deal with Seadrill Limited for work on the Egina project, offshore Nigeria.

Total contracted Seadrill’s new ultradeepwater drillship, West Jupiter, worth around $600,000 per day (N96 million), including mobilisation, to work on the project.

A statement by Seadrill said West Jupiter is one of eight sixth-generation drill ships under construction for Seadrill and is expected to be delivered in August from the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in Geoje, South Korea.

The company said the drill ship will be outfitted to work in up to 10,000 feet (3,048 m) of water and to drill to subsurface depths up to 37,500 feet (11,430 metres).

Per Wullf, Seadrill Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are very pleased to have been chosen by Total and its partners for this important project.

“This contract provides an opportunity to deepen our relationship with a key customer and strategically increase our rig fleet in Nigeria, adding the West Jupiter alongside the West Capella have been operating in the Usan field Offshore Nigeria since 2008.”

APC CHAIR: Tinubu re-strategises as Ikimi, Jaja emerge main contenders z Odigie-Oyegun, Sylva in contention; two blocs emerge

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor

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ORMER Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi and erstwhile deputy national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, have emerged favourite candidates of two major blocs in contention for the office of national chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC. Two other aspirants, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, who are also in contention, are being propped up as fallback options by the two blocs

that have been built around the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and northern governors in the party.

Odigie-Oyegun, who was earlier being promoted by Tinubu, Vanguard learnt, may have lost out in a recent realignment that has seen the Tinubu camp shift allegiance to Sam Jaja.

Ikimi, who is being backed by a number of former governors and some northern governors in the party, Vanguard learnt, has received the full endorsement of erstwhile governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who has noticeably become a rallying point for the

anti-Tinubu forces in the party.

Zoning the slot

Vanguard gathered that following the determination of the interim national chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, to step down at the convention due in two weeks, and the determination of those opposed to Tinubu to zone the office of the national chairman to the South-South/South-East, Tinubu had set his eyes on Odigie-Oyegun as the next national chairman of the party.

Odigie-Oyegun, a former governor of Edo State and Tinubu were arrowheads in

Opposing forces

OIC VISIT: From left— Dr. Ahamed Abdel Aleem, Director, FIQH Academy; Ambassador Aminu Wali, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Eyad Madani, Secretary-General, Organisation of Islamic Countries, OIC; President Goodluck Jonathan; and Vice President Namadi Sambo, during a courtesy visit to the President in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Power situation to worsen as FG shuts 2 gas stations z Egbin, Omotosho power stations affected

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

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BUJA—THE power supply situation is expected to worsen over the next three weeks as the Federal Government, yesterday, announced plans to shut down the gas power plants that supply electricity to Utorogu and Ughelli East in Delta State for maintenance.

the move to validate the 1993 presidential election won by Bashorun Moshood Abiola.

They were subsequently colleagues in the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO. However, sources close to Tinubu disclosed that he recently changed his plans and opted for Sam Jaja, a candidate being pushed by governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.

The move by Tinubu, Vanguard learnt, may have been a calculated one by the former Lagos State governor to regain his momentum in the party by dividing the ranks of the governors who had recently united to stop some proposals backed by Tinubu.

In working with Amaechi, the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, Tinubu, it was learnt, would hope to break the unity of the governors who had recently risen as a group to oppose proposals favoured by him.

Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who made the announcement in Abuja, explained that the action was in line with efforts to consolidate on successes recently recorded in improved electricity supply to homes and businesses in many parts of the country.

The minister, who spoke

through his Senior Special Assistant, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, via a statement in Abuja, said the planned shutdown began yesterday and will be completed on June 22.

The statement said at the completion of the maintenance and upgrades, the facilities will be recommissioned and it will improve gas production and ensure quality output from the lines to the power plants.

It added that the ongoing maintenance will slightly affect power plants fed by these gas facilities, which also include Egbin and Omotosho power stations.

It said the maintenance works, which is being carried out by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Corporation, NPDC, is regrettable, just as the minister requested understanding and support of Nigerians in the task of revamping the sector.

Besides influencing the appointment of one of their own, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, as chairman of the Convention Planning Committee, the governors also prevailed on the rezoning of the office of the national chairman to the South-South and the decision to host the national convention in Abuja.

Those backing Ikimi were last night hopeful that the Tinubu synergy with Amaechi would come to nothing.

“Tinubu is having problems with backing Ikimi because he believes Ikimi cannot be easily nudged,” one Ikimi supporter said yesterday.

The Amaechi factor

The move concerning Amaechi and Tinubu is despite parallel moves by associates of President Goodluck Jonathan to woo the Rivers State governor.

As part of the efforts in thawing the ice, the Federal Government last week released the Rivers State government-owned aircraft impounded by the Ministry of Aviation and gave permission for the authorities in Port Harcourt to import two armoured helicopters earlier procured to boost security in the state.

Efforts to get a reaction from the Rivers State governor and his aides were unsuccessful last night.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 —9

Doctors'strike paralyses health services nationwide

BY TONY EDIKE, SIMON EBEGBULEM, CHIOMA OBINNA & GABRIEL OLAWALE

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REGNANT women, children, the aged and patients seeking care in public hospitals are bearing the brunt of the three-day warning strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD. The strike was called yesterday to press for payment of outstanding salaries and allowances, and training opportunities for its members, among other demands.

In Lagos, the strike took most patients unawares as they arrived early to keep appointments at various clinics, as only skeletal services were available.

Activities at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba; NeuroPsychiatric Hospital, Yaba; National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi were severely hampered as most of the outpatient clinics, though open, were almost deserted as little or no activity was going on.

When Vanguard visited LUTH around 10a.m. yesterday, the Accident and Emergency ward was shut, and new patients were turned back.

The Ante-Natal Clinic and Children Out Patient Department were also bereft of activity as there were no doctors attending to patients.

The victims

A woman, who simply identified herself as Joyce, said she, her aunt and baby were at the hospital as early as 7a.m. only to be told that doctors were on strike.

She said: “My aunt has been inside with them. The consultant has only attended to few patients on appointment.

Others were asked to go back home.”

At the Ear, Nose and Throat, ENT, department, few patients on appointment were seen being attended to by a consultant.

Several pregnant women waiting at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of LUTH said none of them had been attended to. One said she arrived at the hospital by 6:30a.m. but was still waiting to be attended to by 1p.m.

A similar scenario was on at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, Lagos, where only senior medical consultants, nurses, ward aides and other auxiliary staff were seen attending to patients in the wards and the Accident and Emergency unit of the hospital.

The outpatient clinics were open but devoid of the usual activities. A hospital source disclosed that contingency measures were in place to

WAITING IN VAIN: Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba. PHOTOS: Chioma Obinna.

zCoincides with LUTH's indefinite strike zUNTH, NOHE, ESUT yet to join cushion the effects of the strike.

At the Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital Yaba, dozens of patients booked for appointment, left the hospital premises in annoyance after waiting for long hours without getting attention, while a few patients were observed sleeping in the waiting room.

Some of the patients that spoke to Vanguard said they had no choice than to wait until they were attended to. Such was the case of one Mr. Kunle Ibukun, who accompanied his mother to the hospital.

One of the consultants, who spoke on condition of anonymity, complained of being overworked.

He said: “As you can see, I have to attend to two patients at a time. Patients whose cases are not too serious are asked to come back but we believe that very soon everything will return to normal.”

It’s indefinite — LUTH-ARD

Speaking to newsmen, President, LUTH ARD, Dr. Omojowolo Olubunmi who disclosed that the industrial action at LUTH was in line with the NARD's three-day warning strike, also explained that the strike at LUTH was indefinite.

He said: “It is just coincidence that our strike coincided with the three-day warning strike called by our national body, but the strike in LUTH is indefinite and we have decided not to back down until our demands from management of LUTH are met.

“We decided to resume our strike due to lack of appreciable progress in our negotiations and deliberations with the hospital management

on the issues raised. We have found ourselves left with no other choice.

“We are gravely concerned about the impact the astronomical increase in hospital charges is having on patients and this is also affecting our training as resident doctors, as many patients cannot afford these fees.”

Olubunmi, who spoke to Vanguard shortly after a meeting of the hospital management and other workers of the hospital, said although they had made little progress in their negotiations, the contentious issues they are demanding for are yet to be touched.

He said: “To show human face, we have allowed our house officers to work in conjunction with consultants.

At least, to take care of patients already on admission but we are not admitting new patients.”

LUTH still open— CMD

LUTH's Chief Medical Director, Professor Akin Osibogun, who stated that the strike was not in the interest of the patients, declared that the hospital was still open for patients.

Osibogun, who defended the management’s stand on some of the outstanding issues with ARD, urged the warring parties to exercise patience.

He said: “The hospital is open and running. I will just appeal to anybody who is contemplating a strike to consider the interest of the patients even if there were inadequacies. Going on a strike cannot help the patients.

“If you want to help the

patients you continue to provide services and discuss with appropriate management level so that we improve on what we are doing. So it is not a strike that is likely to be in the interest of the patients.”

Igbobi, Yaba, Yenagoa

President of ARD, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, Dr. Akindele Akintayo, said the doctors can only attend to emergency cases.

On his part, President, ARD-Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Dr. Olusegun Akinwotu affirmed that if their demand is not met, there is tendency of embarking on an indefinite strike come July 1, as earlier directed by their national body.

In a related development at FMC, Yenagoa, services were grounded as doctors stayed away from their duty posts.

Also taking part in the strike were members of the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, at the FMC, Yenagoa, over non-payment of promotion arrears.

Dr. Ugoeze Asinobi, Chairman, FMC, Yenagoa chapter of NARD, said members of the association complied with the directive of their national body.

Mr. Simon Barnabas, an executive member of JOHESU, said the unions were compelled to embark on a warning strike over nonpayment of promotion arrears.

He, however, regretted the hardship faced by members of the public and appealed for understanding.

In Benin

The University of Benin

Teaching Hospital, UBTH, complied with the warning strike, unlike their counterparts at the Benin Central Hospital, who shunned the action.

Vanguard observed that consultants took over responsibilities of resident doctors at UBTH. President of the Association of Resident Doctors, UBTH branch, Dr. Goodluck Imoudu, said the warning strike achieved hundred percent success, saying “it was a directive from the national secretariat and we must comply.

“But as doctors, we do empathise with our patients. So some resident doctors have to properly handover their cases to consultants. We had to do that so that the patients will not suffer.”

Vanguard, however, observed that the doctors were at work at the state-owned Benin Central Hospital. A source close to the resident doctors explained that “this is just a warning strike. We believe that the life of the patients are more important. But we are hoping that the matter will be resolved amicably.”

Patient appeals

Chioma Ukandu, a patient, appealed to the government to intervene and resolve the grievances of the workers.

Ukandu said: “I am surprised to find out that workers are on strike, even as health workers are supposed to render essential services.

The feuding parties should consider the health of members of the public and resolve these issues without delay.”

However, in sharp contrast, normal services were maintained at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Enugu; National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, NOHE, and the Enugu State Teaching Hospital, Park Lane, as doctors ignored the call to embark on strike.

The issues

An official of NARD, UNTH chapter, said that the union would hold a rally today to review the strike action and thereafter take a decision on whether or not to join.

NARD is demanding parity in salary between doctors and other health workers as well as skipping of grade level 12, failure to produce a blueprint on residency training in conjunction with the association and other stakeholders, which would consist of all aspects of residency training, including local training modules, funding and overseas attachments, among others.

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Strike: LASU directs students to go on recess

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AGOS—THE authorities of the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, yesterday directed students of the institution to proceed on recess with immediate effect.

In a statement in Lagos the management said the directive affected the full-time, part-time and postgraduate students. it said that resumption of academic activities would be announced in due course.

“In view of this directive, all students of the university are expected to vacate the premises, female hostels inclusive until further notice,” it said.

Meanwhile, The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Kayode Sutton, said that the management took the decision to avoid any unforeseen circumstances.

Sutton said that the students stay in the school premises was not necessary since academic activities were not in progress.

“Since the lecturers are on strike, there is no point keeping the student in the school,” he said.

Activities at LASU have been paralysed following the ongoing strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, LASU chapter.

Insecurity, threat to 2015 polls – FASHOLA

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS—AHEAD of 2015 general election, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday said the level of insecurity in the country was a threat to free and fair elections.

The governor, who spoke during a courtesy visit by the students from the Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom, UK led by Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren, at the State House, Alausa Ikeja, said; “Insecurity is a threat every time. It is not only to electoral

...Gov proffers solution to pipeline vandalism process, even to human existence and business activities.

“I hope we will be done with this in a short time; in a way that it will not impede the ability and desire of Nigerians to make a choice at the next election.

“Every election brings up the contest of idea and opportunity to make the choice either to keep the incumbent government or to elect another party to govern the country. And I don’t think that it will be different in Nigeria next year.”

He, however, debunked the claim that the All Progressives Congress, APC had concluded plans on the party’s flag bearer for the 2015 presidential election, saying; “I believe everyone who has aspiration will be given fair chance to express and ventilate that aspiration.

“There is nothing unusual in the emergency of the presidential candidate for APC. It will be an open activity and high level of accountability.

“I believe everyone who has

Labour wants PHCN sale probed BYVICTORAHIUMA-YOUNG

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COMMISSIONING: From right—Founder/Patron, Nobelhouse College, Chief (Dr.) Olatunde Abudu, Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba (Dr.) Adedotun Gbadebo and Former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan during the commissioning of the newly-built Obafemi Awolowo Hall to commemorate the 4th Founder's Day of the college and 85th birthday of Abudu in Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday.

Subsidy murder: Victim died of blood vessel damage – OBAFUNWA

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS—A prosecution witness and Lagos State chief pathologist, Prof John Obafunwa, yesterday, told a Lagos High Court, sitting at Igbosere, that the death of Adedamola Daramola, who was murdered during subsidy protest, could be attributed to severe bleeding and damage to the major blood vessel of the right thigh sequel to a missile injury involving the right thigh.

He also told Justice Olabisi Akinlade, of how the body of the victim, was first x_rayed for external objects like bullets but that there was none on him.

Obafunwa, said; “Being a gunshot victim, the body was first x-rayed for external objects like bullets but there was none on him, “Apart from the bruises on the victim’s face and back, two holes were observed on his right thigh”.

aspiration will be given fair chance to express and ventilate that aspiration. Nothing unusual will happen. There will not be anything behind the closet.”

Meanwhile, Fashola said the recurrent cases of pipeline vandalism across the country would end if the Federal Government could intensify its investment in education especially in the provision of technical and vocational skills across the country.

He said that the most important resource any nation could have were its people because oil and gas as a resource today was only a seasonal resource, saying “It is important to pay attention to the strategic resource that provides the sizeable portion of our income and revenue to date. We should pay attention to the people in the way they utilise the resources and that will be the bases for real diversification, educate and strengthen the citizens in terms of healthcare and life expectancy, ; providing skills for them through education. It is only those skills that can form the bases and the totality of the understanding that the resources itself is not an end.''

The holes according to him, are Justice Olabisi Akinlade, entry and exit point, adding that adjourned the matter, after the hole at the rear part of the listening to both counsels to July thigh is smaller than the one in 11 for continuation of trial and front. defense.

Obafunwa, who is a pathologist Fabunmi was accused of killing at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, also stated that the holes can be described as a missile injury which means anything projected with force or velocity and it can be bullet or BYBARTHOLOMEWMADUKWE arrows.

AGOS—A property agent, The defendant’s counsel, Funmi Joseph, was George Oguntade (SAN), during cross examination, said that yesterday arraigned before a Obafunwa had not mentioned if Lagos High Court sitting in it was a gun injury but only Ikeja, for allegedly defrauding a pastor, Dr. Dennis Oyakhire, of likened it to a missile injury.

Oguntade, also argued that if the sum of N4.8millíon, after the victim had been provided with placing an advertisement in a prompt treatment, he wouldn’t magazine.

Joseph was accused by the have died.

However the prosecuting Economic and Financial Crimes Counsel asked the court for an Commission, EFCC, for adjournment date to enable defrauding Oyakhire, who is a her call on her last witness and Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG pastor in a property close her case.

Adedamola Daramola and causing grievous bodily harm on Alimi Abubakar, Egbujor Samuel and Chizorba Odoh during protests against fuel subsidy removal in January 9, 2012.

Property agent charged for duping pastor of N4.8m transaction through

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her company, Rockdays Synergy Limited.

Under examination by the prosecution counsel, Ben Umbi, the clergy said he is also a veterinary doctor and social worker with Shell Development Company in PortHarcourt, Rivers State.

He told the court that sometimes in March 2011, he saw an advertisement in a magazine, Castle Week Magazine, where the accused advertised the sale of a property at Redemption camp, Lagos Ibadan expressway.

AGOS—ORGANISED labour in the nation’s electricity sector, yesterday in Lagos, called on the Federal Government and the National Assembly, to set up an investigative panel to probe the Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, especially its privatization of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. Under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, labour said it was worried that money meant for the payment of workers benefits as well as money released for pre-retirement training might have developed wings while the BPE was busy misinforming Nigerians on frivolities.

A statement by NUEE General Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero, said “For sometime now, the BPE has been referring to alleged N7billion union dues deduction as money paid to the unions and therefore asking people to find out what the money has been used for.The Central Executive Council, CEC, of NUEE just rose from a meeting in Abuja on May 25, 2014 and the income and expenditure of the union was submitted to the organs for scrutiny. We are worried that the BPE is diverting attention from paying the entitlement of workers in the sector."

Vanguard , TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014—11

INEC celebrates corps member for rejecting N8,000 bribe

BY DAYO JOHNSON

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

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K U R E — T H E Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday publicly recognised a member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Ismail Lawal, who rejected monetary inducement to rig the by-election held in Ondo State in favour of a political party.

Lawal, who was a presiding officer in the April 5, 2014 byelection, was offered N8000 to doctor the results but rejected the money.

Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Ondo State, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, who recognised the corps member at the inauguration of the State Advisory Committee on Voter Education and Publicity in Akure, promised to recommend him for employment in Abuja.

Orebiyi said he was deployed as a Presiding Officer in Ese-Odo for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo federal constituency by-election and was approached by members of one of the political parties that participated in the election to rig in their favour.

According to him, the people offered the Corps member N8,000 to rig the election and he brought the money to the commission but rejected the inducement by the party.

The REC declined to give the

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SEND FORTH: From left—Secretary to Osun State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola;Managing Director, Osun State Investment Company Limited, Mr Bola Oyebamiji; and Owamiran of Esa -Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, during the send forth ceremony of 31 indigent graduates to Germany for Mechatronics training, in Osogbo yesterday. name of the political party that bribed the Corps member while the Corps member himself kept sealed lips when cornered by newsmen after the ceremony.

Orebiyi noted that Lawal showed probity, honesty and integrity in the conduct of the election, saying Nigeria needed the like of the Corps member for its progress and development.

Fani-Kayode, APC trade words

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ORMER Aviation Minister, Mr. Femi Fani Kayode, said yesterday he was no longer a member of All Progressives Congress, APC, citing alleged allocation of all key positions in the party to Muslims.

According to him, "it is unacceptable for APC to also want to present a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2015 presidential elections."

But the APC in a swift reaction, said Fani-Kayode was never its member, saying his claim of being a leader of the party was a figment of his imagination.

Fani-Kayode, who said he had returned to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, also accused the APC of playing politics with every issue in the country.

APC spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had claimed in an interview with Premium Times magazine yesterday that the former Aviation Minister was never a member of the APC but Fani-Kayode said he could no loner fraternise with a party that had relegated Christians within its fold to the background.

He said APC was being run as a cult, wondering why the party was always faulting every move

NASU decries WAEC’s anti-union posture, others

made by the federal government to checkmate the fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

He said: “I have never been and will never be part of a cult and the fact that people like Mohammed and those he represents within the APC are not comfortable with any form of admonition or criticism from senior party members like me speaks volumes.''

Meanwhile, the Commission said none of its official, no matter how highly-placed could

Gen Adebayo compares Aregbesola to Bola Ige ...Says he is unforgettable

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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SOGBO—THIRTEEN years after late Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Chief Ajibola Ige was murdered in his bedroom by yet-to-be identified assassins, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, yesterday began a process of immortalising him, when he inaugurated the Bola Ige Mechatronic Institute and sent 31 graduates for training in Germany to learn new automobile maintenance technology.

This came as the former governor

Coscharis Tech partners Seagate on IT solution credible partner, out of a good

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HE quest to continually retain its lead position in sales and distribution of quality Information Technology products and reduce, if not totally eliminate the influx of refurbished hard drives in the Nigerian market, has compelled Seagate Technologies Limited, world number one data storage company to shop for a credible partner in Nigeria.

This was evident from the statement made by the Channel Relationship Manager, Seagate Tech. Plc in Nigeria, Mr. Wahid Ali, as he emphasised in his words, “while searching for a

compromise anymore because of the process and structure put in place by the commission.

number of Companies were considered, we painstakingly screened and finally chose Coscharis Technologies limited (Costech) who from our findings, has the qualified credentials and pedigree that fit into our requirement”.

The Managing Director of Costech, Mr. Sunday Emomine Mukoro, who was elated by this landmark achievement, used the opportunity to thank the Management of Seagate Tech.

Plc for the confidence it has reposed in Costech and promised to move Seagate products to the next level.

of old Western Region, General Adeyinka Adebayo said that Chief Bola Ige was a practical man who worked for the growth of Yorubaland and Nigeria as a country.

According to Adebayo, “You are a practical man like Bola Ige, I cannot forget Ige until I die because he worked for Yorubaland and Nigeria. I am happy for being here. Bola Ige was my commissioner for one year. Ige was a workaholic, instead of me making him the Attorney-General, I made him my commissioner for Agriculture. Bola Ige was the foundation that the South western states of the federation are enjoying in Agriculture.”

Aregbesola, at the ceremony, said the Mechatronic Institute was another way of improving the economy of Osun and that of the country.

According to him, “Osun is the first of all states and federal institutions to establish this world-class Automotive Skillgap Bridge in Nigeria meant for promoting skills needed for employability of our graduates, technicians and improvement for artisans in the sector."

The German World_renowned Auto Didactic Equipment Manufacturers, Messrs LUCAS NULLE, Kerpen, Germany was awarded the equipment supply contract with the Letter of credit.

ON-ACADEMIC Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, has decried perceived anti-union posture by some of the registrars of examination bodies; zonal coordinators/branch controllers of WAEC and directors of library boards.

The union called on the governing councils of the examination bodies, Head of the National Office, HNO, of WAEC and management of state libraries to caution erring officers to avoid industrial disharmony.

Leaders of WAEC/ Libraries and other trade group council of NASU, at their first regular meeting in Ibadan Oyo State, however commended the Federal Government for rejecting the recommendations of the Steve Oronsaye Committee on the merger of the National Examinations Council, NECO, with the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, and outright scrapping of the Unified Tertiary M a t r i c u l a t i o n Examinations, UTME. They however urged the Federal Government to strengthen the two Examinations bodies by providing them with enough resources to be able to achieve the objectives of setting them up.

A communiqué at the end of the meeting said “The Council viewed the rejection as a welcome development and expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for its decision to retain the two Examinations bodies for the educational development of the country. The Council-inSession frowned at the unbridled arrogance and unwarranted high handedness of some of the Registrar of Examination Bodies; Zonal Coordinators/Branch Controllers of WAEC and Directors of Library Boards.

The Council is worried that these Managements are in the habit of not granting Union Executives permission to attend Union assignments for example the Branch Controller, WAEC, Makurdi.''

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Climate change: Edo steps up action against illegal logging

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said that his administration will take decisive action against illegal felling of trees as a step towards protecting the environment and battling climatic change.

The governor, yesterday in Benin, at the inauguration of the Forestry Management Committee and Edo City Transport Service, said: “The challenge before you is enormous. It is not only about collecting revenue from those involved in logging. I think the first task is to protect our forests.

“We need to protect our environment. If we don’t protect the forest, we could become part of the savanna. The issue of climate change is real and the damage which people who fell trees for selfish reasons do to the environment is something that we must confront head-on. Ensure that our forests are not devastated by illegal felling of trees. We need to revisit the books and know what new laws we need to protect our environment.”

On Edo City Transport Service, Oshiomhole said: “I trust, as men and women of responsibility, you will be able to

value to the management of the transport sector. We are working hard to raise funds to increase the fleet so that we can have more buses plying streets in the city. They currently have 100 buses and we intend to increase the number.

“It will be to your credit if we are able to achieve this. I ask

you to scrutinise the management and ensure that they do the right thing. Ensure that the company is run efficiently and profitably.

Ensure that there are no wastages and above all ensure that there are no intrigues that will undermine the management,” he said.

Responding, the Chairman of Edo City Transport Service, Chief Sunny Uyigue, thanked the government for the opportunity given to them to serve, and promised that they would strive to improve on the legacy of their predecessors.

JONATHAN MEETS OIL STATES GOVERNORS: From left, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, during a meeting President Goodluck Jonathan held with governors from oil producing states, in Abuja yesterday.

Edo PDP demands copy of tribunal judgment on Esan N-East LG poll

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN—EDO State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has alleged that the state Local Government Election Appeal Tribunal had breached the provisions of the constitution by its refusal to make available to it, a copy of the judgment that delivered on the disputed Esan North-East Local Government election that was delivered on May 17, 2014.

State chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, in a statement in Benin, alleged that the Appeal Tribunal had declined to make available to it or the main petitioner in the case and its candidate in the election, Mr. John Yakubu, a copy of the judgment in line with the dictates of the constitution.

He said: “The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria establishes that every court in Nigeria shall furnish all parties to a cause or matter determined, duly authenticated copies of the decision

within seven days of its delivery thereof.

“For some strange and personal reasons, the Local Government Appeal Tribunal, which heard the PDP suit in the infamous Esan North-East council election had refused to make available to the PDP within the constitutionally specified

period, the read verdict of the appeal tribunal judges.

“This action violates the provisions of Section 294, subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.”

The party called on relevant authorities to note the

judicial deprivation and accord the appropriate sanctions on the erring judges.

Counsel to the PDP in the case, Mr. Ferd Orbih, SAN, in a telephone chat also said that efforts at getting the written judgment of the tribunal had proved abortive.

Youths protest against NLNG cripples P-Harcourt

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT—HUNDREDS of youths of Niger Delta, yesterday, staged a protest against alleged failure of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, to remit its three percent annual contribution for the funding of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC projects in the region.

The protesting youths, under the aegis of Niger Delta Youth Stakeholders Forum, disrupted

traffic for several hours on the Eastern by-pass in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

A statement by National coordinator of the group, Mr. Edisemi Yiki, gave NLNG 21 days within which to remit its contribution for funding of the commission.

“You are strongly advised to start remitting funds due to the Commission within 21 days as the action will increase economic activity in the oil rich region,” the

group said.

According to the group, the NDDC Act, Section 14, made it mandatory for oil and gas companies doing business in the region to remit three percent of their annual budget to the commission, a directive they said the NLNG had failed to comply with.

Efforts to get comments from the NLNG on the issue was futile as a text message to a staff of the media department was not responded to at press time.

Group tasks Jonathan on N-Delta devt

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EADERS and stakeholders in the Niger Delta have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to direct relevant agencies to embark on the rapid and infrastructural development in the region.

They spoke under the aegis of Peace, Development, Security and Humanitarian Rights Association of Niger Delta PDSHRA. The group made the plea in a letter to President Jonathan.

President of the group, Mr. Mike Tiemo and acting Secretary, Mr. Clement Ehimen, in the letter, demanded for the establishment of three refineries in the Niger Delta, to be managed, controlled and supervised by oil producing communities.

They explained that establishing the three refineries will create employment, boost economic activities and infrastructure development in the region as the people have suffered greatly due to oil companies' exploration, exploitation activities in the region.

Fashola to host public presentation of Tourism in Nigeria

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HE governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, will on June 5, host the public presentation of Tourism in Nigeria: The Incredible Journey into the Heart of Nature, by Fidelia Folami.

The event which will hold at the Nigerian Institute for International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, will have as Chairman, Mr. Patrick Oke, CEO, Patrick Oke & Associates, while the chief launcher will be Bashorun J. K. Randle, FCA, OFR. A statement by the organisers said the book will be reviewed by Comrade Wale Ojo-Lanre, Editor, Tribune Tourism Magazine, while the keynote address will be presented by the Minister of Tourism, Culture & National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014—13

Amaechi bags UN award

Delta LG Commission Chair: NAIG rejects plan to trade Itsekiri slot

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ARRI—THE National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG, has kicked against alleged plan by the Delta State Government to deny Itsekiri ethnic nationality of its opportunity to produce the next chairman of Delta State Local Government Service Commission.

The Itsekiri graduates, in a statement in Warri, noted that the rotational arrangement on chairpersons of the Local Government Service Commission should be maintained in the interest of equity.

“It is the turn of an Itsekiri to head the Delta State Local Government Service Commission. The rotational arrangement should be maintained in the interest of equity and justice,” it said.

NAIG President, Miss Alero Tenumah, in the statement, called on Delta State House of Assembly to reject any nomination that does not reflect the established rotational arrangement.

Monarchs caution against call for reduction of 13% derivation fund

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— TRADITIONAL rulers in the Niger Delta have cautioned against calls for the reduction of the 13 percent derivation fund accruing to the region, saying that such calls were capable of threatening national peace.

Speaking yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the end of a national executive committee meeting, spokesman of the Association of Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria, HRH Mene Suanu Baridan, Gbenemene of Bayle Kingdom, said it was wrong for anybody to contemplate reduction of the 13 percent derivation fund at a time the region was asking for more.

DOWNSTREAM STAKEHOLDERS CONFERENCE: From left: President, Nigerian Economic Society, Prof. Akin Iwayemi; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Rep. Dakuku Peterside and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, at the Third Downstream Stakeholders Conference in Abuja, yesterday.

NJC never appointed Okocha as administrative judge of Rivers —A-G

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IVERS State Attorney-Gen eral and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wogu Boms, yesterday, dismissed rumours that a judge of the state High Court, Justice Daisy Okocha, had been appointed as an Administrative Judge of Rivers State by the National Judicial Council, NJC. Boms, shortly after a meeting of the State Judicial Service Commission in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said that the NJC and the Rivers State Judiciary were incapable of making such appointment and urged the general public to disregard such rumours. He also warned those peddling the rumours to desist forthwith, or be ready to face the wrath of the law.

He said: “The Rivers State Judicial Service Commission is a body established by the constitution, which is equivalent to NJC at the national level. While the NJC takes care of federal judges, the state judiciary takes care of state judges and staff of the judiciary. We are not aware of such development that Justice Okocha had been appointed administrative judge in the state.

Our attention has not been drawn to such development, either by the chief registrar, who is like the secretary of the judiciary or anybody at the NJC level.

“It remains a rumour. However, the attention of the state JSC has been drawn to a publication by the Rivers State Government that they are aware of such possible development by the NJC. This is because NJC met last week, and it may be possible that they are working on such issues, but, right now, there is no official report or communication to that effect by the NJC to anybody on that matter.

“The NJC does not have the powers to make such appointment in Rivers State for the judi-

ciary, whether they call it Chief Judge, acting Chief Judge or Administrative Judge, however described. It is illegal and the NJC is practically incapable of making such appointment.”

He maintained that it was only Governor Rotimi Amaechi that is constitutionally recognised to appoint a judge or chief judge, and not any other body or commission, as widely speculated.

“The only authority recognised by the constitution to appoint a judge or a chief judge is the governor of the state and not any other body or commission, and such body will be acting absolutely illegally to do so,

and cannot do so, if they are led by anybody to do so.”

Boms added in pursuant to the issues at stake, that the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission at its Monday meeting had passed a resolution directing the chief registrar to inform all staff of the judiciary that disciplinary measures, including dismissal awaits any staff that deals with any judge as chief judge, acting chief judge or administrative judge not duly appointed by the governor of Rivers State.

Bayelsa community pickets health institution over compensation

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA—ACADEMIC activities were yesterday paralyzed at the Bayelsa State College of Health Technology, as aggrieved indigenes of Otuogidi, host to the institution, barricaded the premises over alleged delayed payment of compensation for their land acquired by the state government for the school.

Vanguard learnt that the issue of delayed payment of the balance sum for the compensation put at over N38 million has been lingering since the administration of former Governor Timipre Sylva.

The immediate past administration, it was learnt, had agreed to pay the community in installments until the amount was defrayed, but allegedly reneged after the initial payment of N5 million.

The problem, a source said was inherited by the current administration of Governor Seriake Dickson.

It was further learnt that Governor Dickson had, three weeks ago, approved payment of the compensation with a view to putting an end to the lingering disturbances from the community.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ayibatonye Owei, it was also learnt, had earlier set up a committee to address the need of the institution, including the issue of the unpaid compensation.

But the aggrieved indigenes of the community, yesterday, stormed the campus at 8a.m., and blocked the gates, preventing people from going in and out thereby, crippling activities at the institution.

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

ORT HARCOURT—GOVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State will today receive the Associated Fellowship of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research in Geneva, Switzerland.

Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, in a statement, yesterday, said that the award was in recognition of the governor’s “contribution in the education sector, placing Rivers State as the best state in Nigeria with 21st century educational facilities."

She added that it was also for his outstanding contributions to UN Institute for Training and Research Programmes in Nigeria, and for promoting overall UN activities in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria and provision of an outstanding facility that can house over 15 UN agencies in Port Harcourt.

Protest stalls Kusimi, Shell trial

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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ARRI —HEARING in the case between Kusimi, a Warri South-West community and Shell Petroleum Development Company, before a Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, yesterday, could not go on, as the community's youths besieged the court premises in protest.

Over 100 placard-carrying Kusimi young men and women stormed the court premises.

Some of the placards read, “Kusimi Community houses marked for demolition by Nestoil Surveyors,” “Neconde & JV Please stop the demolition of our houses/crops,” “Shell, no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), no work,” among others.

Kusimi Newman, leader of the protesters, said “This is a case of Shell and its partners in OML24, Seconde and Nestoil executing a Forcados Gas Pipeline through the heart of our community involving community stakeholders without an Environmental Impact Assessment on the project."

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Anambra resuscitates operations of VIOs

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA — AS part of activities to sanitize transport system in the state, Anambra State government has started the training for newly recruited Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIO. The VIOs are being trained by officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, as well as some private outfits.

E s s e n t i a l l y, t h e y would be trained on vehicle inspection for issuance of road worthiness, inspection of accident vehicles, testing of prospective drivers before certifying them fit for drivers’ license, road checks, traffic control and marking off bad vehicles off road.

The state commissioner for transport, Chief Chuma Mbonu said in Awka that the decision to resuscitate the VIO was to ensure efficiency of the officers in the discharge of their duties.

The commissioner said that the VIOs would be inaugurated

by Governor Willie Obiano at the end of the training.

Ehime-Mbano indigenes meets

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AGOS — The EhimeMbano indigenes Association, Lagos Chapter, a socio -cultural group, charting a course for good governance in the land, will on July 7, 2014, inaugurate the association’s full existence and induction of new members in Lagos.

According to the Chairman of the association, Mr. Simeon Chikezie in a press briefing during the executive members meeting last weekend, "we are using this platform to bring all the sons and daughters of EhimeMbano resident in Lagos to one umbrella for a common goal."

Mubi blast: Survivors tell tales of gory experiences ...as 37 die in clash Joint that housed the football viewing centre and club bar in Mubi, told Vanguard in a telephone interview that two tricycles laden with explosives had parked in front of the hotel for a long time as the owners pretended to be among the crowd watching football or relaxing in the club.

Ibeh said: "I never knew it was the tricycles that were carrying the explosives. Not quite a few minutes after crossing the road to enter the chemist opposite my hotel, I heard a loud bang. The bang

sent me into the gutter and I lay there unconsciously for over 20 minutes. I started regaining my conOME OF the survivors of science when people started crySunday's bomb explosion in ing and wailing for help. a viewing centre in Mubi, Ad"When I raised up my head from amawa State, which claimed 18 the gutter, I saw human beings cut lives, recounted their experiencinto pieces which littered the frontes, yesterday, even as no fewer age of the hotel and on the road," than 37 people died, yesterday, Oscar Ibeh regretted. when a militia formed by some Another survivor, a local tea sellvillages clashed with Boko er, who simply identified himself Haram terrorists. as Shagari, said he too escaped In his account, Mr. Oscar Ibeh, death by the whiskers during the a hotelier, who owns the Oscar bomb explosion.

Shagari, whose tea spot is directly opposite the Oscar joint, claimed that some of the victims who were hit by the blast died in his tea shop.

Meantime, a key suspect in the r bomb explosion that rocked the Kabang community in Mubi, Adamawa State, Sunday evening, has been arrested.

The arrest of the suspect, according to the Director Defence Information, Major -General Chris Olukolade, was done by troops who cordoned the area in a swift response to the explosion.

“The suspect was nabbed as observant members of the public confirmed sighting him alight from the vehicle used in conveying the explosive device that detonated in Kabang shortly before the explosion.

"So far, 19 persons woundVISIT: Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha ed in the explosion have (right) receiving the PDP umbrella from Dr. Emeh Njoku, and assisted by Okenze Obinna (middle) - leaders of PDP in Ngor Okpala Local Government been evacuated and are receiving medical attention in Area, Imo State, during his consultation visit, weekend. hospitals while 18 others have been confirmed dead.

“Also, our patrol troops have successfully repelled an ambush in Buratai community in Biu, a town in Borno State. The troops who and cleanliness were key elements of

BY TONY EDIKE their practice, stressing there was no fell into the ambush laid by geographical or secret society cleavag- the terrorists while on patrol, engaged the terrorists NUGU — ENUGU State Chief es in the judiciary of Enugu State.

Judge, Justice Innocent UmezuHe said: “The Magistrate Court is in a fight, killing four of like, yesterday, swore in 20 new mag- the window through which the public them and capturing one istrates, with a charge to be fair, fear- assesses or measures the efficacy or ef- alive.

"Also in Kawuri in Borno less and forthright in the dispensation fectiveness of the nation’s judicial sysof justice. tem. The cases you handle are various State, troops in a patrol have Addressing the new magistrates and and varied. And they help to shape the killed five terrorists in a their well-wishers at the ceremony at opinion of the public about justice de- shoot-out. The troops also Enugu High Court complex, Justice livery and dispensation in Enugu captured two AK 47 rifles and two vehicles used by the Umezulike said the office of a magis- State." trate was as important and strategic as In an interview, Mr. Ifeanyi Mamah, terrorists,” Olukolade statthat of any judicial officer in the three who was appointed Chief Magistrate ed.

Meanwhile, Boko Haram tiers of the nation’s judicial system.

II, thanked the State Judicial Service He reminded them that hard work Commission and the State Chief Judge terrorists who attacked the villages of Attangara and for the opportunity Agapalwa in the Gwoza disgiven them to contrict of Borno, yesterday, tribute their quota towere ambushed by a local wards the effective militia that killed 37 of them. administration of jusAccording to a church tice in the state. minister and chairman of the He promised to disstate chapter of the Chrischarge his duty dilitian Association of Nigeria, gently by dispensing Titus Ponna, "these villages justice at the lower are over 80 per cent Chrislevel of the judiciary tian and Boko Haram have without fear or in the last two weeks atfavour tacked them, killing many

BY BEN AGANDE, UMAR YUSUF & NDAHI MARAMA

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Enugu CJ swears in 20 new magistrates

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villagers, but yesterday, they were able to defend themselves and killed 37 Boko Haram members Also, a resident of Attagara, Matha Yohana who fled from the attack said, “the attack occurred in the morning at EYN Church (Church of Brethern in Nigeria) while the service was on.

"Our church has some men who volunteered to keep watch when service is on. As we were holding service, we started hearing gunshots and everybody fled, some through the windows and ran into bush.

"Some whose houses were close to the church also ran to their houses. Men in the community immediately mobilised and pursued the Boko Haram men. They were more than 10, they came with motorcycles and a car.

"Our vigilante killed four of the Boko Haram and arrested three. I later discovered that nine of our men in the church security group were shot dead.

Boko Haram criminal, Anti-Islam —OIC scribe Meanwhile, the Secretary General of Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Eyad Ameen Madani has described members of the Boko Haram as criminal terrorists whose activities are anti-Islam.

Addressing State House correspondents after meeting with President Jonathan, the OIC scribe said Boko Haram’s activities have no place in Islam and should be clearly seen as what it is - terrorism.

“The OIC has issued statements that are very clear, that these people are outlaws. What they do is criminal act, it has absolutely nothing to do with Islam, Islamic teachings, the religion of Islam, the history, the culture, the civilisation of Islam and we should identify them for what they are, as a terrorist group.

“We are here to express our solidarity with Nigeria in facing up to this terrorist organisation and to condemn the terrorist acts they have been committing, and to show our condolences to the Nigerian people, to the families of those who were affected.

“We listened to the President and we offered what OIC could do in terms of expressing its support, its willingness to be actively involved in facing up this terrorist group” he said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY,JUNE 3, 2014—15

Alleged N165bn oil bloc scam: Malabu Oil drags Reps, AGF to court ...seeks N2bn as aggravated, exemplary damages

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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BUJA — SEQUEL to a resolution of the House of Representatives on February 18, 2014, which directed the immediate cancellation of alleged fraudulent sale of a lucrative oil bloc, marked OPL 245, to two oil companies, Shell and Agip, a firm fingered in the deal, Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, yesterday, took the matter to court.

The plaintiff, which is a company owned by Mohammed Abacha, son of former military dictator, Sani Abacha, and operated by a convicted erstwhile Minister of Petroleum, Chief Dan Etete, was said to have pocketed the sum of $1.1 billion (about N165 billion) from the said illicit transaction.

An ad-hoc committee of the House of Reps, which recently probed the transaction, aside recommending its outright cancellation, also okayed the drafting of a new agreement and the prosecution of all the government officials that facilitated the deal.

However, dissatisfied with the decision, the company, in the matter it filed before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court yesterday, prayed the court to determine “whether having regard to the provisions of sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, with respect to the investigative powers of the House of Representatives, same can over-ride the provisions of section 4, 5 and 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

It also prayed the court to determine “whether the House of Representatives can by virtue of sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, exercise judicial powers which are the exclusive prerogative of the judiciary, pursuant to the provisions of sections 6 and 251 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.

“Whether the decision and/or resolution of the House of Reps of Tuesday, February 18, 2014, interpreting or purporting to interpret the specific agreements between the Federal Government of Nigeria, Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, SNEPCO, and Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, NAE, dated April 19, 2011 with respect to various ob-

ligations of the parties to the agreements is not a violation of section 6 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, and therefore unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful, null and void and of no effect.

“Whether the House of Reps and/or its ad-hoc committee (on transaction involving the Federal Government and Shell/ Agip Companies and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited in respect of Oil Block OPL 245) not being a court established by section 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, or a court of law within the provisions of section 251(1)(e) of the constitution, can exercise judicial powers of resolving disputes or any dispute between the Directors and/or shareholders of the

Line-up of the national delegates/candidates, at the All Progressives Congress, APC, local government election, in Kaduna State, weekend. Photo: Olu Ajayi

Group advocates new federal structure

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coalition of South East, South South and South West Professionals, has advocated a new federal structure based on regional autonomy.

The group’s stand was made known in a statement released to the media at the end of its meeting in Lagos, last weekend.

The statement, endorsed by various stakeholders from the three zones, who

have been coordinating the activities of the emergent group, insisted that true federalism, fiscal federalism and lean or less dominant central government, should form the new terms and conditions that will define a new, greater and equitable Nigeria of the future.

The coordinators, including Professor Pat Utomi, Olawale Edun, Jimi Agbaje, Sam Ohuabunwa and others, further stressed that ev-

ery indication showed that the Nigeria project was not working, but rather experiencing an incipient tug-ofwar, marked by a gradual but unmistakable slide into a state of anarchy.

“There is an urgent need therefore, for agreement on drastic restructuring and remapping of the country, which appears to be the only panacea that can arrest the current slide,” the group reiterated.

Clarifying its position on

Mbu gives last warning on tinted glasses in Abuja

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

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he Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Joseph Mbu has announced a ban on all permits for tinted glasses in all vehicles in Abuja.

Mbu in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, said earlier permits issued by the police authorities have been

revoked.

Mr. Mbu in the statement said the only exception to the order are permits issued by the Inspector General of Police “Let me warn for the last time that the ban on tinted glasses is still in force, the police have given enough period of grace, the only authority to grant tinted glasses permit is the Inspector General himself,

under his hand and signature.

"Yes there is a period when permit was granted but the recent security challenges have made the Police authority to revisit the permit issue and have resolved to revoke same and the permits issued so far remain revoked.”

“You are hearing this from my mouth as the FCT Police boss, CP Mbu Joseph.”

regionalism, the group enumerated at least five of the potential benefits that could be derived from a regional structure as against the current structure, which was highly unstable for Nigeria, claiming that such benefits were aimed at creating a balanced, peaceful and prosperous nation.

According to the group, the proposed regional structure with express autonomy will lead to a balanced and true federation that will be more stable; stronger parts leading to a stronger whole, as the multiplication of federating units make them weak and fragile.

It also includes cost savings by eliminating unnecessary governance structures; power at the centre becomes less attractive and political struggle for it, less acrimonious and less corrupt; and regional aggregation of resources to empower regional economies will lead to overall growth of the national economy.

plaintiff company.

“Whether the House of Reps decision and/or resolution of Tuesday, February 18, 2014, determining and/or purporting to determine the ownership dispute of the plaintiff ’s company, a company duly incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, is not a piece of legislative judgment contrary to the provisions of section 4, 5, 6 and 251(1) (e) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, and therefore unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful, null and void and of no effect.

Aside the House of Reps, other defendants in the suit are the Speaker of the House of Reps, the Clerk, and Leo Ogor (for himself and on behalf of other members of the ad-hoc committee The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was also joined as the 5th defendant in the matter.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed adjourned the case till July 8, following a contention by two lawyers over who was duly briefed by the company to handle the litigation on its behalf.

Jonathan calls for global collaboration to combat illicit arms ...as ECOWAS supports efforts to rescue Chibok girls' rescue

BY VICTORIA OJEME

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BUJA — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has called for collaboration among nations of the world to combat illicit transfer of arms.

He made the call at yesterday’s National Stakeholders' Consultative Forum on Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons, SALW, Proliferation in Nigeria, organised by Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons, PRESCOM, in Abuja.

Represented by the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, President Jonathan traced the sources of illicit arms in Africa to the preponderance of conflicts in parts of the continent.

He said: “Invariably, resources that could have gone towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals are squandered in the efforts to resolve Africa’s myriad of conflicts.

“Therefore, addressing the challenge of illicit small arms and light weapons demands the collective action of the international community. Since globalisation and internationalisation of terror have made every country vulnerable to the devastating impact of small arms and light weapons, global collaboration is therefore imperative in mitigating their impact.”

On his part, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, said the issue of illicit weapons had been a major problem, especially in West Africa, noting that the kind of arms and ammunition recovered in the North-East was worrisome.

Badeh noted that the domestication of laws to fight the menace would be a welcome development.

Delivering his welcome address, the Chairman, Presidential Committee, PRESCOM, on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Amb. Emmanuel Imohe, said the proliferation of weapons had been fuelling insurgency, not only in Nigeria, but also in neighbouring countries.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 16

Fracas in Bukuru over ‘killing' of residents

BY MARIE-THERESE

NANLONG.

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OS—THERE was tension in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State yesterday, over alleged killing of some residents in Gyero area of the local government.

Unconfirmed reports stated that the tension started following a rumour that two dead bodies including that of a scavenger were found near a dustbin in the area.

A resident who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that some boys who learnt about the death of the two persons went on reprisal attack in the Christian dominated areas and reportedly killed six women suspected to be yam sellers who went to the nearby morning market.

According to sources, it was, however, discovered eventually that no dead bodies were found near any dustbin.

“No dead body was found and nobody was killed except one person who was injured in the fracas," it was said.

Sati Caleb, a resident of the area told Vanguard that; “Christians in the area suspected that some Muslim youths were trying to plant a bomb in their area and tried to interrogate the suspects; a fight ensued, thereby causing Muslim youths trying to go into the Christian area but security agents prevented the fight from escalating. No one was killed but some people sustained injuries.

However, spokesman of the Special Task Force, STF, Capt.

Ikedichi Iweha debunked the claim, saying “nobody was killed in the incident.”

Iweha said: “A fracas involving some youths ensued in Gyel District in Bukuru in the early hours of today (yesterday). Troops were deployed to arrest the situation and the area is now calm.

“There was no major issue there except that some youths were trying to take laws into their hands but the situation was put under control.”

He called on residents to desist from spreading false rumours and report suspicious movements or people at the nearest security outfit or police station adding, “please put the record straight, nobody was killed.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Felicia Anselm also confirmed the incident, saying “there was a little problem but the situation is under control now.”

N2.5BN SURE-P FUND: Nasarawa Assembly summons commissioner

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AFIA—THE Nasarawa State House of Assembly yesterday in Lafia summoned the state’s Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Dan’Azumi.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the commissioner was summoned over the N2.5 billion Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, fund.

The assembly gave the order during a motion under matter of public interest, moved by Mr. Francis Orogu, the House Committee Chairman on Public Account.

Orogu, member representing Keana constituency, alleged that the ministry spent the state local councils’ SURE-P fund without approval from the assembly.

He said: “My colleagues, I

wish to draw your attention to one of the sensitive issues affecting our local governments in the state.

“In the course of my committee's oversight function, we discovered that an average of between six million Naira and N12 million have been allocated to the various local governments in the state under SURE-P by the Federal Government."

Kaduna APC chair, others petition Akande over ward congresses

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

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ADUNA—THE Kaduna State Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed and seven other chieftains of the party in the state, yesterday warned the National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, over imminent collapse of the party in the state, following what they described as “damaging setbacks, incompetence and compromised” ward congresses conducted weekend.

Apart from Ahmed, others who signed the petition were Mr.Matiamaki Maiyashi, Abdullahi Garba Abbasa, Abubakar Abdullahi, Sen. Aliyu Lawal and Sadi Maman Lagos, Umar Isa, Mikah Sule and Ahmadu Yaro Coca-Cola.

Pointing accusing fingers at the National Deputy Secretary, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, they said that if the issues surrounding the controversial ward congresses were not resolved, there wouldbeviolenceduringFriday,June6, state congress of the party in the state.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 17

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WAS fifteen years old when the civil war broke out in Nigeria. Although we were living in Ibadan in the South-west at the time, my sympathies were totally and unequivocally with the Igbos.

When a people have been so brutally butchered by their countrymen as happened to the Igbos, I felt they had no choice but to insist on leaving the country.

Therefore, I understood why the Biafrans went to war and what they were fighting for.

But I could not, for the life of me, understand what those on the federal side were fighting for. Why would anybody fight for Nigeria?

I lost a first-cousin fighting on the federal side during the civil war. I wish I could have found out first-hand from him why he gave his life “to keep Nigeria one.” Did he really believe in Nigeria? I doubt it.

Why then did he join the army after the war broke out and die in the war? What about those who fought and did not die?

What was in Nigeria for them?

How did Nigeria justify their sacrifice of blood and gore after the war?

Fighting for Nigeria: The question is still pertinent today as we mobilise to fight the scourge of the Boko Haram.

Why would anybody fight for Nigeria? What is in Nigeria for us? There is a difference between joining an army for career purposes and believing in Nigeria. There is a difference between joining the Nigerian army because you need a job and dying for Nigeria.

There is a difference between going to war and getting killed and dying for Nigeria. For a man to die for Nigeria, he has to believe in Nigeria. For a man to believe in Nigeria, Nigeria has to mean

Girls.” This makes us no different from the Boko Haram.

The Boko Haram kidnapped these girls because they are not theirs. Neither do we consider them to be ours. They cannot be ours as long as we do not believe we are all Nigerians. Therefore, all our “bring back Our Girls” posturing is just for show.

Nigerian Boko Haram

We are all Boko Haram assistance of the Americans, the British, the French and others. But the truth of the matter is that only a Nigerian can fight for Nigeria against the Boko Haram. Only a Nigerian can have the necessary commitment to endanger his life in fighting against the insurgents.

However, there are few Nigerians in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, most Nigerians are Boko Haram in one fashion or the other.

Nigerian foreigners I was upset when I read about a Nigerian who died fighting in the U.S. Army in Iraq. He not only became an American, he fought and died for America. Every year, thousands of Nigerians play the American lottery, hoping to relinquish Nigerian nationality. Every week, thousands mass at European, American and other embassies, hoping to travel out of Nigeria for good. I even met a Nigerian barber in poor Gambia and wondered what he was doing there. What was he doing in Gambia when

,

We are Nigerians, but we hate Nigeria. We are Nigerians, but we see nothing good in Nigeria

something for him. Nigeria must have something to offer him.

John Kennedy said: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” That is all well and good; provided we have fulfilled the first requirement which is to identify our country. Most Nigerians have yet to do this. We are Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and every other possible abridgement or classification but not Nigerians.

We are Christians and Muslims but not yet Nigerians. Even after 54 years of Nigerian independence, and after 100 years of Nigerian amalgamation, most Nigerians still do not really consider themselves to be Nigerians.

We can acknowledge the

,

there are better business opportunities for him in Nigeria; unless anywhere else is better than home?

The Lamido of Adamawa threatened that if things don’t work out in Nigeria, he would simply pack his bags and move to Cameroon. It would appear then that the Lamido is actually a Cameroonian living in Nigeria. Most countries go to war to secure more territories for themselves.

The Russians recently used the opportunity of a little crisis in Ukraine to go annex the Crimea. However, Obasanjo gave away a big chunk of Nigeria’s Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. It did not matter to him that the people of Bakassi are Nigerians and not Cameroonians. While we are shouting “Bring Back Our

Girls” today, we forgot to ask Obasanjo to bring back our Bakassi Nigerians yesterday.

Hatred of Nigeria: So many theories have been adduced as to why the Boko Haram prevail in Nigeria.

Some attribute this to the acute poverty in the Nigerian Northeast. However, there are countries in the world far poorer than Nigeria, and they don’t have their own versions of the Boko Haram.

There are countries with greater income disparities than Nigeria, and they don’t produce the Boko Haram. No matter how poor are the states of the North-east, they are not poorer than the adjoining countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon. And yet, there is no Boko Haram in these poorer countries.

Bombs in market places There is also nothing really Muslim about the Boko Haram.

Other Muslim countries in Africa and beyond don’t have Boko Haram.

When the Boko Haram plant bombs in market-places; the bombs are not programmed to differentiate between Christians and Muslims.

Recently, the Boko Haram attacked some Emirs, killing one of them. Surely, the Emirs were not Christians but Muslims.

In effect, the Boko Haram is a wonderfully Nigerian phenomenon.

There is something in Nigeria that provides a fertile ground for the Boko Haram. That thing is not limited to the Northeast. That thing bedevils the whole of Nigeria.

That thing is lack of national identity. That thing is hatred for Nigeria and for other Nigerians. The hatred of Nigeria by Nigerians is so deep and ingrained in us North and South; East and West.

We are Nigerians, but we hate Nigeria.

We are Nigerians, but we see nothing good in Nigeria. We are Nigerians, but we would rather be something else. If push comes to shove, we would have no qualms picking up a gun and killing another

Nigerian in the name of whatever other allegiance we hold dearer.

Battle for independence:

Because there are actually very few Nigerians in Nigeria, it is difficult to fight against the Boko Haram. To fight against the Boko Haram is to fight against ourselves. Every Nigerian is either a Boko Haram or a potential Boko Haram.

A Boko Haram is a Boko Haram because he does not believe in Nigeria. The rest of us are Boko Haram because we also do not believe in Nigeria. We hate Nigeria with a passion. Murtala Nyako can fight for his citizens of the North. Femi Fani-Kayode will readily call his Oduduwa Republic to arms. MASSOB will easily rally the troops for Biafra. But there is practically no one left to fight for and defend Nigeria.

Only Nigerians can fight the Boko Haram, but there are few Nigerians in Nigeria. That is why it has been difficult for us to close ranks in the face of the Boko Haram onslaught. That is why it is easy for the Boko Haram to get new local recruits in the fight against Nigeria.

Potential Boko Haramite That is also why it is difficult to identify the Boko Haram among us. The Boko Haram and the potential Boko Haramite is anyone and everyone who hates Nigeria and does not wish Nigeria well. That means the Boko Haram are practically every one of us.

The fight against Boko Haram is a belated fight for Nigeria’s independence. In order to fight the Boko Haram successfully, we have to become Nigerians. Other countries fought for their independence but we never did in Nigeria. Suddenly, we are now saying “Bring back Our Girls.”

But these Chibok girls were not “Our Girls” before they were kidnapped. And even if, by the grace of God, we were to secure their release tomorrow; they would immediately cease to be “Our

Nigerians only become Nigerians in the rarefied context of a national football match of short duration. But even while we are united in supporting the Super Eagles, we equally support Arsenal and Chelsea football clubs in England. There was no report of any Spaniard dying as a result of the recent Champion League football match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Nevertheless, two Nigerian supporters of Real Madrid died out of anxiety arising from the match. Because we are Boko Haram, we even kill ourselves over matters that don’t pertain directly to us. I am still waiting for the day that I go to London and find Britons wearing T-shirts with Enugu Rangers or Kano Pillars football clubs emblazoned on them.

Because we are not Nigerians, we readily adopt foreign “nations” that don’t recognize us and call them our own. Because we don’t believe in Nigeria, we are easily seduced to take on other “nationalities.” Because we don’t believe in Nigeria, we can easily be led to believe in another “nation.” We are easily persuaded to become Boko Haram.

Because we hate Nigeria, we become Boko Haram instead of Nigerians. We plant bombs in the market-place. We bring Nigeria down instead of building Nigeria up. Since the children of Chibok are not our children, we steal the money meant for enhancing their education and use it to send our children to school abroad.

The Boko Haram is not only the man who blows up buildings and kills the innocent. The Boko Haram is also that man who ensures that fake drugs are sold in our pharmacies, and that our hospitals are places where people go to die and not to be healed.

The Boko Haram is not only that man who says “Western education is a sin.” The Boko Haram is also that public official who sits while our universities are closed down for six months over an industrial dispute. The Chibok incident has brought all these tendencies into sharp relief. We are the Boko Haram and the Boko Haram are us.

18— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 AN erroneous belief that relevance of oil approximates to the life span of Nigeria’s oil reser ves partially fuels the contentment with which the authorities treat diversification of the economy. Concer ns over dependence of the economy on oil raged more than three decades ago. Now the issue is total dependence on oil, yet the matter is discussed as one of several issues beleaguering Nigeria.

No, oil is about the only issue that makes and mars Nigeria with a rapacity that is lost on Nigerian leaders. Nigeria is mostly about oil and its depleting consequences on developing national resources, some of which are in more abundance and could provide more multiplier effects on the economy than oil.

Oil devastates with a rapidity few enterprises impose on its surroundings. The billions of Dollars it heaves into national

Nigeria’s Oily Economy coffers kills thoughts for the perpetual penury its exploration ordains for the surroundings. Agitations for equitable use of oil resources fail in securing renewal of the ruined environment.

Perhaps more frightening, with all the positions on laying more solid foundations for the economy, away from the volatility of oil, not much has been done in more than 40 years oil assumed podium position in our economy.

Oil could become irrelevant quicker than the most optimistic predictions. Its damages to the environment, its unpredictable high prices that task planning,

even for the most advanced economies, the West’s inability to control the vital resource, are increasing the pace of searches for alternatives to oil. America is making advances in this direction.

Plans for the Nigerian economy are primed on oil. They would have been as simple as re-investing some oil revenue in other sectors of the economy. They have remained unimplemented.

According to the World Bank’s Nigeria Economic Report for May 2013, “Despite the recovery in oil prices, Nigeria expanded its fiscal stimulus significantly, increasing consolidated spending by an

estimated 2.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, GDP, and drawing down the remaining balance of the Excess Crude Account at the same time that many other oil exporters were building back their reserves.”

Oil still accounts for 95 per cent of exports and 75 per cent of consolidated budgetary revenues.

Its mismanagement throws the economy into a spin. When the prices dip, or more thieves help themselves to the oil, as seems to be the case now, the economy wheels almost to a halt.

Conferences have drawn attention to the precariousness of oil-based economy in the past years. They have ended without the authorities taking the economy away from the grip of oil. Without a thorough planning of the economy, an indiscernible future awaits Nigerians. Our governments should rescue Nigerians from the blight of oil.

OPINION

BY ZIK OKAFOR

O

NLY some weeks ago, I wrote a piece on the gradual erosion of professionalism in Nollywood, the sight assaulting nude films and the booming ritual of cutting movies into four to six parts. I also stated in lucid terms that there was a long, curious silence and inactivity from the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), wondering if it had abdicated its critical monitoring responsibility.

Well, a few weeks ago, NFVCB seemed to be saying that they still had their fiery force and that Nollywood’s misguided and untutored Producers need to wake up. But the NFVCB isn't drawing a battle line. What it gave was a vista of hope for the industry as it enunciated an agenda for change.

It was tagged Stakeholders Meeting. Venue was Nigeria Film Corporation (NFC), Ikoyi, Lagos.

It was a gathering of who is who in Nollywood. Gabriel Okoye (Gabosky), Andy Amenechi, Zeb Ejiro, Mahmood Ali Balogun, Nobert Ajaegbo, Mike Nliam, Alex Eyengho, Dan-Chris Ebie, Chris Ekejimbe and representatives of the various guilds and associations.

The Director General of NFVCB, Patricia Bala, matronly looking, with more grey hairs than ever before, broke the silence. You could almost vow that coping with the whims and pressure of Nollywood must have added to her now

Nollywood: A new dawn at Censors board? glittering hair. But she was calm, relaxed with a soft smile caressing her lips.

“We have not been silent”, she opened up. “We have been working tenaciously to make things work better in Nollywood. But we are not making noise about our efforts”.

She would go on to explain that there were a few decisions or actions she could not take pronto because she had been working in an acting capacity. But now she is a substantive DG and there would be increase in tempo of planning and execution.

But even in an acting capacity, Bala had taken some crucial steps to set at least an agenda for a more professional and productive Nollywood.

A visit to Ghana Board classification Bala explained that late last year she took a team of Nigerian professionals from Nollywood and NFVCB to Ghana for talks with the Ghana Board of Film Classification. “We had to visit Ghana because there were so many nude films from Ghana in our markets and a lot of their films were released in Nigeria without passing through NFVCB for censorship.”

Talking tough, she stressed, “we couldn’t take that any more. We had to put an end to it. And the only way

to do it was to sit at a meeting with our Ghanaian counterparts” The meeting was successful. Bala and her team met with the Ghana Board of Classification and the Ministry of Information. At the end of the day, they reached an agreement to continually exchange information on movies duly censored and classified in both countries so that each could easily track and locate movies that are illegally released. It was a revelation that attracted ovation from the respected stakeholders who had bemoaned the alarming increase of nude movies in the film markets.

The NFVCB also got its Ghanaian colleagues to address the issue of high taxation and discrimination against Nigerian films in Ghana.

Consumer forum There is no question that there has been a drastic drop in the sales of Nollywood movies. But there had never been a constructive effort to carry out a research on the reasons for this dwindling fortunes of Nigerian Movies.

“We in Censors Board felt that we are not going to sit in our offices and just censor films. We are concerned about the reduction in the sales of movies”, Bala stated with concern.

To tackle this critical issue, the NFVCB has now begun what it called Consumers Forum around the country. This forum is a gathering of Nollywood film fans and buyers. Here, the NFVCB engages them to find out their complaints, the kind of movies they like to see, what they do not like and what the buyers would like to see more in Nollywood movies. “We believe that if the producers know what the consumers like and are able to produce such films, the demand for movies will increase and that will be good for the Nollywood and of course the “NFVCB”, she enthused.

Digital censorship The analogue way of censoring movies that keeps producers shuttling the NFVCB office like a grocery store is also about to end.

The Plateau State born DG told the Stakeholders that the NFVCB has commenced online censoring of movies. “Once submitted, you can now stay in your office and monitor the stages of censorship your movie had passed and exactly when you should come for a final chat with us,” she said beaming with smiles.

This application of IT in censorship which the NFVCB calls the Magpie Method, will surely reduce drastically the time wasting and frustration that arise from

endless visit to the Board’s offices for censorship of movies by producers.

But NFVCB wasn’t done just yet.

Bala is worried about the absence of Children’s movies in Nollywood.

She wants producers and directors to begin to look at possibilities of making more children friendly movies including animation even if she has to call on the Nigerian Film Corporation to seek a synergy in this area.

She acquiesced to the Stakeholders demand for a review of the censorship guidelines and graciously agreed to involve the stakeholders. The NFVCB is also poised to check the excesses of quasiprofessional producers who dismember their films into ridiculous parts, sometimes up to eight. The entire gathering agreed that it was time for Nollywood movies to begin to serve as an instrument for the renaissance of our cherished values and reconstruction of the image of our country through illuminating Nigeria’s noble story and inspiring ideals.

For the stakeholders, the meeting with the NFVCB indeed created a confluence of hope as everyone left with high expectations and robust confidence in the future of Nollywood.

Did you say a new dawn in Nollywood? We say kudos, Nollywood Police! *Mr. Okafor, a film producer,, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014—19

T

HE challenges of Nigeria's leadership have been examined at various fora and they are many. Not a few people are of the opinion that if Nigeria can cross over the leadership challenge, the country will, in no time, take its rightful place as a giant, in the comity of nations.

In this piece, I will touch on one very vital aspect of leadership, that has not been properly addressed by Nigerians. I am referring to the Vision perspective. I want to submit that we have failed to deliver in our various initiatives because of the absence of visionary leadership. With the exception of the early founders - whose vision was freedom and universal adult suffrage, all others, since Gowon, have been leaders thrust upon us by circumstances of the times.

People, who were not groomed and psychologically hyped to steer the ship of State. I will come back to this.

Vision is the picture you see ahead of you. It is the vision that will direct you to your destination.

It is based upon the vision that you set goals and it will also determine your strategy- that is; how you intend to achieve your goals.

Our leaders have failed to deliver because they are not visioners, and because they lack vision, they have continued to lead the nation without a compass.

So, like Jonathan and his ministers, the vision is how each of

the individual minister sees it. The one with the stronger character shines with his own - agriculture, works, finance- while others are subdued. Whereas, the over all vision and direction is supposed to be encapsulated in one policy document from the presidency, covering all areas of governance and how the programmes are to be executed.

There is no nation on earth, that has successfully developed without the input of visionary leaders. In the case of Nigeria, our leaders initially set out to free the nation from the grip of the colonial masters, and each one of our leaders then, who were more of regional/ tribal leaders than true nationalists, had perspectives of what they want their people to become. Chief Obafemi Awolowo knew that for his Yoruba stock to come out strong in the comity of a united Nigeria, the people must first be educated and so, he made free education the strong point of his government, followed by strong agricultural policies, every other thing, that led to the dominance of the old western region in all spheres of life, developed from there. Awolowo sold his vision and programmes to his people, they bought it wholesale and got committed with doggedness. Today, the result of that exercise is very visible amongst the Yoruba race. Whether you like it or not, the Yoruba politics is the most sophisticated amongst all the ethnic groups in Nigeria. You cannot fail to perform

Politicians must stop imposing leaders on the people; let the prospective leaders sell themselves and their vision to the people and allow the people to decide

,

and expect to be re-elected, no matter how hard you try to rig.

That is why they thrive in the opposition, unlike in a state, where the governor's father had to beg for his son to be re-elected on resit basis, since you go for re-sit when you fail exams.

A

hmadu Bello had a vision of a united north - even with handicap of limited educationleading the political affairs of the country and so, he introduced deliberate policies to empower them by enrolling most of the willing youths in the military and the civil service. His united north did not discriminate between Christians and Muslims, so you had a very united north in the midst of the civil war crises. The vision of Ahmadu Bello in positioning the north for leadership can be seen from the strong position of the north, in the nation's politics up till today.

Nnamdi Azikiwe wanted

Islam and Boko Haram: Sultan of Sokoto's voyage of discovery

BY GODWIN ETAKIBEUBU

T

HE most respected Sultan of Sokoto; His Eminence, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar 111, is also the President of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. He fits into that office appropriately and deservingly too. The office of the Sultan of Sokoto, being the Head and ruler of the Caliphate, bestows on the occupant the privilege of "first among equals" within the world comity of Islamic brotherhood. When he speaks, the gods have spoken. And he is actually a "god" both to the Muslim community and Islamic matters, even beyond Nigeria. The Sultan is even larger than life if you add the reality of his military background to the fact that before he ascended his ancestors' throne, he was the Defence AttachĂŠ to Pakistan - a country loaded with terrorism.

His recent declaration, that "terrorism has no place in Islam", though coming belatedly, is worthy of clinical and comprehensive evaluation therefore. But first, we must give kudos to the vibrant prominent Northern Nigerian rights activist and author; Shehu Sani, for prompting the Sultan into speaking on the Boko Haram and Islam religion. Sani had earlier challenged the Sultan of Sokoto to do more in bringing to an end the Boko Haram insurgency. Sani pointed out that the Sultan, with other prominent Islamic religion leaders from the North should do more in finding solution to the Boko Haram embarrassment [for sure, Boko Haram is an embarrassment to Islam religion and its leadership]. Thus, the reverent Sultan was dragged out of his shell to the public arena of discourse, on Boko Haram, by a deserving son of the North.

In coming out, the Sultan made a few

statements on the situation of terrorism in the North/East of the country. First, he stated that we should not "associate Islam with Boko Haram". Adding that "Islam is a religion of peace" [which it ought to be], and finally noted that "terrorism has no place in Islam". We may need more academic tutoring, maybe, by the Sultan himself, for the "uninitiated" Nigerians [a group l may belong to] to be able to understand and assimilate this subject matter and acceptance of same.

It is a most difficult assignment persuading people not to "associate Islam with Boko Haram", as the Sultan pleaded, for just few reasons that can be quickly evaluated. And these reasons had earlier been part of demands made known by Boko Haram. Boko Haram demanded, amongst many others: One, an Islamic State for Nigeria. Two, it demanded for a Sharia law for the whole country - in other words, Nigerian must be an Islamic Nation, then Dr. Goodluck Jonathan; a Christian incumbent President, "must covert to Muslim".

With few demands of the murderous gang called Boko Haram, enumerated above, it becomes an exercise in futility for anyone, the most reverent Sultan inclusive, to say that "Boko Haram" should not be associated with Islam". Terrorists in religious matters; mostly of the Islamic dynasty, preach the Koran, say prayers in the Islamic manner, performs every other religious obligation in consonance with Koran injunction, "kills" for Allah, and do all these other atrocities in the name of the great Prophet Mohammed. It is therefore, ipso facto, a difficult one not associating Islam with Boko Haram, for it is a common saying that "by their fruit you will know them". By violence of jihad, core

,

BY SUNNY IKHIOYA

,

Why our leaders do not deliver

freedom for Nigeria as one united nation. That was his focus and he achieved it. Because of his example, so many southerners from the eastern region were encouraged to go to school and until the civil war crises, most strategic government positions were held by easterners. Even in the midst of persecution, the easterners have continued to hold their own in the comity of Nigerian nations. The only problem was that, Zik's vision of one united Nigeria was not bought wholesale by his contemporaries from other regions and so, divisions according to ethnic thinking continued till this day.

Now that was the end of visionary leadership as far as Nigeria, as a nation is concerned.

From Yakubu Gowon, every other leader was either forced on the nation or came in through coup de tat. Those who came in through coups pursued their personal agenda. They first came in the guise of messiahs, to sort out the corrupt, inept government but ended performing worse than their predecessors. So, we had Gowon, Murtala Mohammed, Obasanjo, Buhari, Babaginda, Abacha, thrust on the people, against their will. Soldiers who were trained to be disciplined, contented and die for the country's cause, became the avenue for the pillaging of our common wealth.

They took decisions that benefitted only them and their own people in the creation of states, land use acts, contract awards to friends and cronies, without even taking the people into consideration. For example; oil wells were allocated to friends, without consideration for the owners of the land the oil is drilled from, not even a percentage of the profit.

It is the fulfilment of a threat made by some Northern Muslim leaders in 2011 "to make Nigerian ungovernable if a South/South minority should be a President of Nigeria"

,

Muslims are known.

It means therefore that either the Sultan wants to admit it or not, the Islamic religion organisation he heads in Nigeria cannot be separated from the Boko Haram metamorphic display. He needs to accept one truth that Boko Haram jihadists, to those of us who are uninitiated, is a full package of Islam. All members of the sect [Boko Haram] are the Sultan's subjects, with Spiritual Divine respect for him as their spiritual father. He can and expectedly too, call them and order them to lay down their arms so that Nigeria can be. He is not to be alone on this mission but must be assisted by all other Islamic leaders from the north - the core north - in tackling this group to total submission.

W

ithout any disrespect to the person of the Sultan, l am however full of sympathy for his presentation, in demanding what the Muslim North needs, probably for peace to fully return. "Muslims want and also demand to be treated with equality, with justice, with fairness and inshi-Allah [God's willing] things will turn around", he was quoted as saying.

If there is really an imbalance between

In fact, results show that every coup regime ended worse than its predecessor. They had no vision for the country, except their selfish ones. Thus, they all failed. That was the era when every new regime will begin fresh projects without bothering to conclude existing projects. It was so bad.

Shagari, Obasanjo, Yar adua and Jonathan were all thrusts on the people by the ruling cabals.

Obasanjo was quoted as saying that he did not leave anything behind at the presidency, so he does no have any reason to go back, only for him to recant. Shagari had senatorial ambitions before he was persuaded to go for the presidency.

Jonathan was already set to govern Bayelsa state before he was summoned upstairs. The same for Yar' adua who wanted to return to lecturing.

The point to note is, all of them did not assume leadership with a deliberate vision to rule Nigeria, hence, they all did not perform to the expected standards.

To aspire to rule a country like Nigeria requires deep thought process, sound analytical mindset, deep sense of judgement, As we look forward to future electoral excercises in this country, we must begin to search for people with the qualities listed above. Politicians must stop imposing leaders on the people. Let the prospective leaders sell themselves and their vision to the people and allow the people to decide.

Until we leave the contest open to the free choice of the people, our leaders will continue to fail us.

*Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

the North and the South, will there be any justification for the Sultan to hold the South responsible? Did the pro-North British Empire not bring both the south and north protectorate together at the same time? Did the south ever hold the north down at any given time in education or any other human endeavours, even when the Empire pushed Northern interest over and above that of the South? For example, I am aware that on the eve of Nigeria's Independence, Southern Nigeria has one hundred and nine secondary schools as against only nine secondary schools in the north. Who do we blame for that? Did the North not stop Henry Carr Commission [on the feasibility of establishing secondary schools across Nigeria] at Lokoja for reasons only known to the North? Is the present interpretation of "Western education is evil" being propagated

by Boko Haram a reality of moving the Northern academic interest forward?

Without being sarcastic, it is safe to say that Boko Haram is an Islamic religious instrument of prosecuting a political agenda of the core Northern Muslims to bring the leadership of Nigeria back to Northern control. So it is a war against the South/ South as presently represented by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan's presidency. It is the fulfilment of a threat made by some Northern Muslim leaders in 2011 "to make Nigerian ungovernable if a south/South minority should be a President of Nigeria".

Boko Haram is the Core Northern Muslim leadership's instrument of war to fulfil the "promised making of Nigeria ungovernable". This is the simple truth.

This is where l will implore the retired military Eminent Sultan of Sokoto, in collaboration with [his] other travellers, for the sake of posterity, do all within their power to tell their subjects that the game is over. Hold the bull by the horns Sir.

*Mr. Etakibeubu, current affairs commentator, wrote from Lagos.

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 21

36 states, FCT to contribute N522m for SGDP compilation

Nigerian stocks hit 4-month high after MSCI re-weights index

N

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

T

HE 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory are to contribute N522 million, representing 50 percent of the total cost the federal government is to spend on the compilation of State Gross Domestic Products, SGDP in the country.

The total cost the federal government wants to spend in the compilation of SGDP across the nation in 2014 is N1 billion, out of which it will contribute N323 million, representing 30 percent while it’s donor partners will cough out N208 millio, representing 20 percent of the balance.

The Supervising Minister for National Planning, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, told the Niger State Gover nor, Dr Babangida Aliyu when he led a delegation of NPC executive management and it’s agencies to the Government House during the 2014 National Conference of Directors of Planning, Research and Statistics, DPRS in the public sector in Minna, Niger State on Monday.

Yuguda said six states – Niger (North-Central), Gombe (North-East), Kano (North-West), Lagos (SouthWest), Anambra (South-East) and two States- Cross River

BRIEFING: From left: Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, Aloysius Etok; Co-Chairman, World Pension Summit, Eric Eggink; Acting Director General, National Pension Commission, Chinelo Anohu-Amazu and Chairman, World Pension Summit, Harry Smorenberg, during a press briefing on the forthcoming World Pension Summit-Africa Special in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan. and Rivers from the SouthSouth serve as the pilot project.

The Minister said the Niger State GDP has been on upward growth from 2009 to 2011 even as he encouraged the state to keep up the pace.

Yuguda said: “The first phase for the six pilot states GDP had been concluded awaiting the validation of the report, while efforts for the second phase expected to end by December this year is presently underway by the commission.

“The GDP survey is

categorised in three parts, agricultural sector, industrial sector and the service sector and that 243 staff were deployed for the first phase of the project with 2,239 establishments visited during the survey.”

He added that the survey of Niger State shows that the state economy was diversifying with the industrial and service sectors witnessing a surge, while the agricultural sector remains the dominant player, engaging more than 60 per cent of the population.

He then recommended that

the state invests in mechanised farming technology in a bid to improve food production, irrigation services as well as good investment in the tourism sector to harness the potentials of the sector.

According to Yuguda, “the GDP compilation is intended to serve as a veritable platform upon which States economic activities can be pro-actively measured, collaboratively co-ordinated and sustainably managed for improved and evidenced based data management in the country.

FMBN promises to deliver on mandate

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

T

HE Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN has assured Nigerians that it would strive to deliver on its mandate of providing quality and affordable housing to Nigerians in order to bridge the housing gap in the country which currently stands at about 16million units.

Chairman of the Board of the Bank, Chief Bisi Ogunjobi, made the declaration at the conferment of sterling Award for Excellence in Leadership and Entrepreneurship on the managing Director of the Bank, Gimba Ya’u Kumo by the Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) in Abuja.

Ogunjobi said the current board and management of the bank has been trying its best to change the perspective Nigerians have of the bank by putting actions and policies in place that have impacted on its ability to deliver on its mandate.

Commenting on the award, National President of AYF, Alhaji Ibrahim Gujungu said the award was initiated as part of the Forum’s overall effort to promote the public and private sector-led socio-economic de-

velopment in Nigeria with the view to recognize, honour and encourage leaders that have promoted and excelled in leadership activities.

Gujungu said the main objective of the award is to hold out these individuals as a source of inspiration and motivation to upcoming leaders and future generations of Nigeria.

In his remarks, Managing Director of the Bank, Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo said he was humbled by the award describing it as an encouragement for someone doing little to be able to do more.

He said the bank is committed to providing affordable housing to Nigerians and commended the board and management for their support so far.

While commending the group on the award, the MD said Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians and urged Nigerians to strive to contribute their best to the progress of the country.

“This country belongs to us and we will keep on doing our best because no one will do it for us. We will continue to do more to make Nigerians proud” he said.

DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA

IGERIAN stocks surged to a four-month high yesterday, after equity index provider MSCI increased the weight of Nigeria economy in its frontier market index.

MSCI increased the weight in the index to 19 per cent, from 12 per cent, making it the second biggest after Kuwait. It added oil firm Forte Oil and pan-African lender Ecobank.

Forte surged the maximum allowed 10 per cent. Ecobank added 6.85 per cent Listing in such indexes brings in investors who track them.

Nigeria is struggling with a weak currency and beset by political risk over upcoming elections and the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls by Islamist group Boko Haram.

Its stock market is flat on the year to date in dollar terms. “We are seeing increased buying activities from foreign investors.

The market reacted positively on the back of the index news,” said Akinbamidele Akintola, vice president, Africa equity sales at Renaissance Capital.

Nigerian stocks rallied 3 per cent on Friday ahead of the rejig and rose again on Monday to hit four-month highs. The index of Nigeria’s top five oil and gas firms climbed 7.15 per cent, helping the index rise above 40,000 points, a level last seen in January.

Average traded volumes hit $72 million on Friday, compared with an overall average of between $20 million to $30 million this year, Renaissance Capital’s Akintola said.

177.50

-4.5

3,059.00

+13.00

17.37

0.11

154.73 259.049 210.6494 172.5357 1.5219 0.3021 237.6395 24.7611 41.2547 28.2158

109.54

-0.43

102.85

-0.73

155.23 259.8861 211.3301 173.0932 1.5268 0.3121 238.4074 24.8415 41.388 28.307

155.73 260.7232 212.0108 173.6508 1.5317 0.3221 239.1753 24.922 41.5214 28.3982

CBN Exchange rate as at 02/06/2014

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

INVESTORS Top 10 performing stocks

INDEX MOVE

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

O

N the top 10 performing stocks last week were the shares of Custodian and Allied Plc, Forte Oil Plc, Ashakacem Plc, UAC of Nigeria Plc, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Plc, and FBN Holdings Plc. Others were Fidson Healthcare Plc, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Access Bank of Nigeria Plc and FCMB Group Plc. Custodian and Allied again emerged top on the gainers list dur-

ing the week, rising by 16.07 percent or N0.45 to close at N3.25 from N2.80 per share. Analysts believe that recent interest in the company’s shares was borne out of the need to buy into low priced stocks with growth potentials. It is one of the few insurance companies that have been consistent in updating the investing public with information on its financials and other things of investment interest. The first quarter unaudited financial statement for period ended March 31, 2014, was a consolidation of 2013 performance as it showed significant improvement in all measurement indicators. The profit before tax for the period rose by 78.5 percent to N1.3 billion from N746.9 million in 2013. Also, the profit after tax increased by 90.7 percent from N587 million to N1.1 billion. While the gross written premium rose to N5.9 billion from N4.1 billion in 2013, representing 41.8 percent increase, the Group’s asset base increased from 45.6 billion as at 31 December 2013 to N47.6 billion for the first quarter ended 31 March 2014, indicating 4.2 percent growth within the three-month period.

Forte Oil, which had set itself apart for being the first company to release its 2013 annual reports and accounts two months ahead of the filing due date, recorded 14.66 percent or N27.34 price increase to close at N213.88 from N186.54 per share. It has recorded yet another positive with its inclusion in Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Frontier Market Index. MSCI is a

leading provider of investment decision support tools to over 6,000 clients worldwide. Listed on petroleum and petroleum products distributors, Forte Oil is the most highly priced stock in the sector. It grew revenue by 41 percent to N128 billion in 2013 compared to N91 billion in 2012. The profit before tax increased by 467 percent to N6.52 billion compared to N1.15 billion recorded in 2012, while profit after income tax increased by 397 percent to N5.00 billion compared N1.01 billion. It recommenced dividend payment with N4.31 billion, translating to N4 per share in 2013.

Ashaka Cement appreciated by 12.91 percent or N2.57 to close at N22.47 from N19.90. The company recently disclosed plans to commence N100 billion fresh investments to assist it to expand its operation. The amount, according to the company, would help to increase the plant production capacity to 2.5 million metric tones. It recorded 7.74 percent growth in revenue for the first quarter ended March 2014 with the figure growing to N6.51 billion from N6.04 billion in corresponding period in 2013. The profit after tax for the period grew by 69.45 percent to N1.92 billion as against N1.13 billion posted the previous year, while the earning per share rose to 86kobo from 51kobo within the same period. For the year ended December 31, 2013, shareholders of the company will be going home with 42kobo dividend.

As for UAC of Nigeria, which placed fourth with 12.07 percent or N7.00 price appreciation, it has been a season of acquisitions. As at the end of 2013 financial year, UAC had acquired significant stake in Chemical and Allied Products Plc, Livestock Feeds Plc and Portland Paints and Products Plc, thereby spreading its tentacles to some key sectors of the economy.

The Board of Directors has already recommended payment of 175kobo dividend to be approved by shareholders at the annual general meeting later this month. The first quarter financial result for March, 2014 showed four percent rise in revenue to N19.89 billion from N19.09 billion. Gross profit rose by the same margin to N4.36 billion from N4.18 billion. The profit after tax at N1.96 billion was 49 percent increase over N1.32 billion recorded in the corresponding period in 2013.

ETI went up by 11.04 percent or N1.67 to close at N16.80 from N15.13; FBN Holding advanced by 10.07 percent or N1.40 to close at N15.30 from N13.90; Fidson appreciated by 9.38 percent or N0.24 to close at N2.80 from N2.56; Flourmill added 8.72 percent or N6.15 to its share price, rising to N76.65 from N70.50; Access Bank went up by 8.60 percent or N0.80 to close at N10.10 from N9.30, while FCMB appreciated by 8.59 percent or N0.34 to close at N4.30 from N3.96 per share.

Matters arising from SEC’s Invest

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

L

AST week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) indicated its intention to establish a National Investors Protection Fund (NIPF). For this purpose, it unveiled the Exposure Draft of the Rules and Regulations that will guide the operations of the Fund. By this, the Commission expects comments and inputs from members of the public on the content of the rules and regulations.

For this purpose and in furtherance of its quest to enlighten the investing public, Investors Forum will devote some series of articles to critical section of the draft rules for the NIPF. At the core of the Fund is the issue of who (investors) the Fund is meant to protect. Another way to put it is who can enjoy the protection of the Fund? This is addressed in Part 1 Section 2(c) Part 3, and Part 7 Section 20, 21, 22 of the draft Rules.

Section 2(c) states, “The Fund shall be for the purpose of compensating investors whose losses are not covered under the Investor Protection Funds administered by the Securities Exchanges and Capital Trade Points” Part 3 states, “These rules shall apply only to defalcations by insolvent or bankrupt Capital Market Operators not dealing members of Securities Exchanges or Capital Market Trade points may be compensated under this Fund” These provisions automatically exclude shareholders of all listed companies from the protection of the Fund. It also rules out investors that participate in collective investors’ schemes or mutual funds. The provisions also imply that these categories of investors should be protected by the Investors Protection Fund of the Nigeria Stock Exchange and other exchanges or capital trade points in the market. But the provisions did not specify what happens in Exchanges or capital trade points where such Investors Protection Fund

WS MARKET NE

Infraction: SEC bars Shalom Investmen

from capital market activities

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

F

OLLOWING its resolve to stamp out infraction and all forms of malpractices from the capital market, the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, has barred Shalom Investment and Financial Services fro participating in any capital market activity.

The suspension, according to information on the Commission’s website, took effect on May 20, 2014, and also affected all its sponsored individuals.

The commission observed that the suspension on the firm was as a result of its failure to purchase client’s shares paid for since 2008 in full, resolve

other complaints against it and to also pa penalty imposed on it by the Commission.

On its website, the Commission said it fail In a related development, the Nigerian S Exchange, NSE, recently revoked the registr of former Managing Director of Lakesw Investment & Securities Limited, Mr. Ka Awotile, as an authorised clerk over unautho sale and transfer of client’s shares.

This, according to notice on the NSE we signed by Olufemi Shobanjo, Head, Broker D Regulation, NSE, was part of the resolution pa by the Disciplinary Committee of the Nat

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 23

S FORUM INVESTORS SPEAK

MENT

Why e-dividend has not stopped rise in volume of unclaimed dividend (2)

tors Protection Fund does not exist.

A significant gap in these provisions and in fact the whole draft Rules is the definition of who a Capital Market Operator is. In this regard, SEC should take a look at the many exposure drafts issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Furthermore, if shareholders of listed companies or investors who are clients of dealing members of securities exchanges (i.e. NSE) or capital trade points are excluded from the protection of the NIPF, then, who are the investors that can and who will benefit from Fund? While it is true that the scope of the capital market extends beyond these categories of investors, the issue is, they however constitute the bulk of investors in the Nigerian capital market, and in fact, those who need the protection of the NIPF. This leads to the issue of what manner of investors’ protection fund that investors expect from SEC. Is it an investors’ protection fund that excludes the class of investors, who are the most vulnerable, or one that excludes the clients of some operators, or one that offers protection to all investors? (Your opinion in this regard is welcomed through vanguardinvestorsforum@gmail.com)

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y the

led to Stock ration worth ayode orised

ebsite Dealer assed tional

Council of the Exchange in its meeting held on 26 February 2014. the notice stated, “That the registration of Mr. Kayode Awotile, the former Managing Director of Lakesworth Investment & Securities Limited, as an Authorised Clerk be and is hereby revoked pursuant to Rules 45 and 167 of the Rules and Regulations Governing Dealing Members (‘the Rules”) for contravention of the Rules in relation to the unauthorised transfers, sales of shares and failure to carry out the directives of the Committee”.

The NSE, therefore, warned all dealing member firms and their employees to desist from any dealings with Awotile in all capital market related activities.

The introduction of electronic trading and other electronic platforms in the Nigerian stock market, specifically the introduction of the electronic dividend payment which requires all shareholders to open bank accounts or update their bank account information and forward same to their registrars, was expected to lead to decline in unclaimed dividend .

But this has not been the case, Rather , the volume of unclaimed dividend has continued to rise, bouyed by declaration of considerably good dividend by companies. This however puts a question mark on the achievement of the Timothy Adesiyan objectives of the introduction of e-dividend.

Consequently, there is the perception that the e-dividend has achieved the desired result. Some shareholders who spoke with Vanguard Investors Forum shared some of their encounters with operators in the market, which they consider as jeopardising the success that ought to have been recorded on e-dividend by now, while suggesting the way forward. Excerpts:

By WILLIAM JIMOH

G

ODWIN EDE, National Coordinator, Evergreen Shareholders Association of Nigeria: I think by and large, the challenge facing e-dividend as a policy is that some shareholders are illiterates. This calls for proper education and enlightenment of members by the various shareholders’ associations, especially on the need for them to subscribe to edividend. This would enusre that every dividend warrant of quoted companies where they have shares will be credited to their bank accounts. This will go a long way in reducing the volume of unclaimed dividend every year. I believe that if every shareholder subscribes to e-dividend, the amount of unclaimed dividend will reduce drastically or even be eradicated all together.

Another major factor contributing to the growth of unclaimed dividend is dividend payment to deceased shareholders. There are many shareholders of companies who have passed away, whose dependants and children may be discouraged from claiming their dividend considering the idea of going to the law court to obtain letter of administration and the cost attached to that. This also contributes to increase the volume of unclaimed dividend on a yearly basis.

Also, shareholders’ associations should not only educate members on the importance of e-dividend, but also on the various e-platforms in the market. For instance, we encourage them to embrace e-trad-

ing which entails certificate dematerialisation. We also tell them there is need to register all their shares with the Central Securities Clearing System, CSCS, so that they will not have any problem regarding disposing their shares. This will only require them to take the share certificate to their stockbroker, who will then help them to complete the process of dematrialisation and thereafter, the shares can be sold.

Chief Timothy Adesiyan, President, Nigerian Shareholders Solidarity Association of Nigeria (NSSA): The problem with e-dividend starts with the banks. Shareholders are required to present their account information with the statement of such accounts to be collected from their banks. The bank, however, will not do this free of charge before you can get the statement. When you are through with your bank, the next problem will be with the registrars who will demand for other charges apart from what the bank charged you.

If the registrars will accept the photocopy of the bank’s statement of account, which most shareholders present for their e-dividend processing as the real owners of the accounts without any other internal attachment, the volume of unclaimed divivided will reduce.

If any other information is needed, the operators should be able to exchange information as regards shareholders information and not that shareholders will be made to be moving from one place to another repeating the same process.

If for instance there is information a shareholder submitted to the CSCS,

Godwin Ede that is supposed to have the comprehensive list of shareholders account details through the registrars, nothing stops other operators and regulators from accessing such information without necessarily stressing the shareholder.

In other words, regulatory authorities should mandate operators to share data that is already with any of the operators, rather than complicating the whole issue for shareholders.

In addition to this, there are some shareholders that are holding expired dividend warrants who cannot approach the registrars because of the status. But I think it would be helpful if we honour such dividend warrants, since what we are looking for is a way to reduce the volume of unclaimed dividend.

If they are presented and honoured, maybe that will also reduce the backlog of unclaimed dividend. It is not a matter of literacy level. This should not stop anybody from making their e-dividend registrations because if the most illiterate person in Nigeria knows that money is hidden somewhere, he will do all within his power to get it and if it is a matter of right, he will claim it. It is due to certain challenges that investors face while attempting to carry out this process that discourage most people.

On the last note, the market authority should also encourage those seeking to claim the dividend of their late relatives with the appropriate papers. I mean the shares of deceased shareholders need to be given special consideration when relatives present the needed papers. It is usually very difficult most times to obtain letter of administration, which is another limitation to ensuring that this category of people also claim the dividend of their late relatives.

Mr. Nona Awoh: I think that companies should in conjunction with the registrars and other investment relation units ensure that the list of unclaimed dividend is posted on the websites of companies and their registrars, without indicating the amount, with the hope that people will be attracted to go to those websites and find out what is outstanding in their names.

24—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Power: Lack of fund stalls operations of TWG

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

M

ORE than one month after the inauguration of the Technical Working Group, TWG, by the Federal Government, lack of fund has stalled the operations of the committee.

The TWG was set up to develop operational guidelines on industrial relations for the power sector, aimed at establishing a National Joint Industrial Council for the Power Sector.

The committee was set up in the wake of unresolved and reoccurring industrial relations issues before and after the hand-over of the assets of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to new owners in November 2013.

The committee comprising representatives of stakeholders in the sector has a three-month time frame to complete its assignment, with the Ministries of Labour and productivity as well as Power serving as its secretariat.

However, information available to Vanguard revealed that TWG is yet to meet since inauguration, meaning it has less than two months to do its assignment.

Investigation revealed the Labour Ministry is expecting the Ministry of Power to fund the activities of the Committee, but the Power Ministry is not

forthcoming as the time of this report.

A concerned stakeholder who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said, “As it appears, the TWG is as good as dead unless the two ministries sort things out. We understand that the Labour Ministry has approached its Power counterpart to fund the committee, but as we speak, that has not happened. That is why since April 28, when the committee was inaugurated, it has not reconvened.

All efforts to speak with officials of the two ministries yielded no result as none was prepared to speak on the issue.

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, had on April 28, 2014 inaugurated the TWG, to develop operational guidelines on Industrial Relations for the reformed power sector aimed at establishing a National Joint Industrial Council for the Power Sector.

On coming on stream, it would be established and empowered with a structure of Collective Bargaining, CB, consistent with global best practices in the sector.

Chief Wogu, who spoke at in Abuja at its inauguration, said the Federal Government was committed to ensuring the entrenchment of fair labour practices and decent work in the new employment relations arising from the restructuring and privatization of the Power Sector of the Nigerian economy.

Executive Director Personal Banking, Access Bank Plc, Victor Etuokwu and Group Head, Product Development & Business Analytics, Chinwe Uzoho with children of Access Bank Staff during the children’s day celebration held at the Access Recreational Centre in Lagos.

NBCC to boost foreign investment with UK trade mission

BY NAOMI UZOR

T

HE Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce, NBCC, has announced plans to undertake a trade mission to the United Kingdom, with the aim of increasing foreign investment in Nigeria.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, ahead of the forthcoming trade mission scheduled to take place starting from June 10, 2014, Mr. Adeyemi Adefulu, President, NBCC, said the mission is designed to network, encourage business engagement and attract foreign investment into the country as well as find outlets for Nigerian businesses, products and services in the UK. He maintained that corruption poses a great threat to the development of the Nigerian economy and remains a formidable inhibition to attracting local and foreign investment into the country.

He said, “We are in agreement that confronting this scourge cannot be left to government alone. Indeed, it must involve a nation-wide mobilization. To that extent, the Clean Business Practice

Initiative (CBPI) underscores the need for the Nigerian public and private sectors to collaborate to fight corruption and we at the NBCC welcome this initiative.

“However, the leadership position of the Federal Government in this fight cannot be over-emphasised. It cannot afford to be seen to be weak or compromising in the area of

fighting corruption. We therefore urge the Federal Government to go beyond mere rhetorics and show demonstrable leadership and commitment to fighting corruption.

Automotive Policy: Firm targets job creation with auto centre

BY ANOZIE EGOLE & ANINO AGANBI

K

UNECH Investment has pledged to help grow the Nigerian automotive industry. It also said it will create employment opportunities for youths in the country.

Speaking at the launch of Precision Auto Care a five star ultramodern car servicing and sales company in Lekki, Etiosa district of Lagos state, Chief Executive Officer of Kunech Investment, Mr. Ugochukwu Nsofor, said the company is passionate passion for the Nigerian youths and wants to help build the skills and create opportunities for them to excel.

He said the automobile training and development which also serves as a youth employment and entrepreneurial ini-

tiative, provides full scale services to different kind of cars ranging from, Peugeot, Nissan and many other products.

Nsofor described the idea as a technology transfer programme that can help to create more jobs for the youths and reduces cost.

“Instead of people traveling outside the country or having their cars flown outside the country for servicing, they can bring it here and we take charge of the whole thing. We service and sale different kinds of cars,” he said.

In the same vein, Nicholas Ledingham, COO AutoNation Africa, said, “We have partnered with technical institutions in Africa, and with this Automotive Academy, we will offer world class training in Nigeria, bringing opportunities for youth

employment and entrepreneurs alike. We take pride in bringing international standards of care and trust to the automotive industry in Nigeria. Precision has 35 years’ of taking care of cars and now services over 2.5 million vehicles every year around the world”.

According to him, the Group is committed to youth development in Nigeria and Africa and also, an unrivaled dedication to building businesses within Nigeria and African continent. “The Automotive arm of Kunech concentrates on high levels of Institutional sales, backed up by a new, high quality after sales facility delivering, while-youwait services, and OEM standard body repair facilities," he noted.

NIM partners Delta Poly on managerial training

T

HE Nigerian Institute of Management has reached an agreement with Delta State Polytechnic, OtefeOghara, to strengthen their collaboration in the area of student’s training in professional management under the Institute’s students’ scheme.

The agreement was reached when a team from the Institute led by its President and Chairman of Council, Dr. Nelson Uwaga, paid a visit to the Polytechnic.

In her address, Rector of the Polytechnic, Mrs. Clara Sogbaike, who said that the Institute has been working over the years to bequeath well groomed professional managers to the nation described the on-going collaboration as a laudable initiative and said that it has not only sharpened the professional management skills of the students but has also helped to keep them focused and make them use their time more profitably.

She also commended the Institute for the very visible contributions it has been making towards nation building in the last fifty-three years of its existence.

She went further to say that the Institute’s training which centres on skills acquisition and self reliance is in tandem with the vision of her administration.

Seplat boss gets EY award

T

HE Managing Director of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Mr. Austin Avuru is set to join 60 other exceptional entrepreneurs, representing 51 countries across the world to be inducted into the ‘Enrest and Young World Entrepreneur of the Year ’ Hall of Fame and compete for the world title.

Recall that Avuru was crowned winner of the Master Category 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year Award, EOY West Africa.

EY Entrepreneur of the year leader for West Africa, Mr. Bunmi Akinde, in a statement said the ‘Hall of Fame’ award is not only designed to honour the contributions and achievements of successful entrepreneurs but also serves to inspire other budding entrepreneurs across the region.

Commenting on the origin of the award, Akinde explained that the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme started in 1986 in the US, adding that ?by 1987, the programme was held across 11 US cities while in 1993, it has started expanding internationally, with West Africa joining the programme in 2011.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 25

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

and Olusanjo and a team which included two anesthetists, two obstetricians, four neonatologists and theatre nurses.

“The quadruplets were delivered in about three minutes beginning at 9am.

First to come was a female, 1.35 kg followed by the boy, 1.25kg, then a female 1.2 kg and another female 0.90 kg, The anesthestia was spinal and so the mother was awake all through the procedure and she could hear her babies crying as the medical team kept her company throughout. All babies are alive and well and are currently placed in the neonatal unit with specialised, ventilators, respirators and individual incubators, light phototherapy sets and monitors.”

World class maternity

• The quadruplets in the neonatal unit

How couple gave birth to quadruplets after 4 years of childlessness

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

A

LTHOUGH Helen and Bernard tied the nuptial knot with fanfare and great expectations, they had to wait four years to be blessed with the fruit of the womb. Exactly 12 days ago, Helen, 31, was delivered of a set of quadruplets three female and a male - courtesy of Assisted Reproductive Therapy, ART. In a chat, the couple told Good Health Weekly how their long search for a child ended at the MART Medicare - Obstetric Unit of the Medical ART Centre, MART, in Lagos, where the babies were delivered.

Bernard, 40, recounted that the end of their journey to parenthood began in August 2013 when he and his wife visited the Fertility Unit of the MART Group of Healthcare Services.

Diagnosis & treatment “My wife was about 30 years of age at that time, and I was 39. We had been desperately looking for help to achieve pregnancy and successful childbirth after four years of marriage with no babies. After series of tests at the Centre, my wife was given a diagnosis for lack of ovulation and polycystic ovarian disorder, while I was diagnosed for male factor infertility.”

Bernard said he and his wife commenced series of treatments immediately to address their indicated fertility challenges. In October 2013, they were put through a two-level procedure called the fallopian tube sperm perfusion (artificial insemination). “It involves washing and processing of the sperm before injection into the fallopian tube.

The initial perfusion was done by Dr. Chisara Okeke, and the second was done

by Dr Jaiyeola Adeyemi - both IVF

physicians at the Centre.”

Helen went home but returned to the Centre two weeks later and was confirmed positive by the Beta HCG (bHCG) pregnancy test. She said it was to her delight and amazement, two weeks after the perfusion, that result of a pregnancy test she had, came out positive.

“It was the happiest moment of my life to discover I was pregnant. Five days later, the following week,a Reproductive Endocrinologist and Fertility/IVF Specialist, Dr. 'Kemi Ailoje Ibru, performed series of ultrasound scans and found that there were four gestational sacs, meaning I was carrying four babies.”

Scans: Helen recalled that the doctor was doing the scans one at a time and each time an additional sac would be found meaning another baby. “It got to a stage, my husband and I requested that the scans should be discontinued just in case more babies would be discovered. By the 10th week, I was transferred to to the MART Medicare for antenatal care.”

Speaking on the medical feat, the Group Medical Director/CEO, Medical ART Centre, Professor Oladapo Ashiru said the initial scan post positive test was done to determine the position of the implantation. “One week later another scan was done to confirm gestation, which showed twin gestation.

Quadruplets: The 7th week scan showed triplet gestation and by eight weeks, the quadruplet gestation was confirmed. “She was managed at MART Medical Art Center high risk/multiple pregnancy care unit, and was transferred to MART Medicare from the 10th week for continued routine monitoring”.

Ashiru, an experienced endocrinologist and joint pioneer of IVF in Nigeria and West Africa, explained that at the MART Medicare, Helen’s case was taken over

by three consultant obstetrician/ gynaecologists led by Dr. Lateef Akinola, Dr. Moses Olusanjo, and Dr. Seun Makewu. The trio carefully monitored her antenatal care till the 16th week when a cervical cerclage was inserted under spinal anestethestic to ensure that her cervix was intact.

Plan of delivery “By the 20th week, the patient was brought in to admission at the maternity ward of MART Medicare so that she could rest and prevent early miscarriage. She was readmitted at 20 weeks for close monitoring and plan of delivery. At 33 weeks, she had elective Caesarean Section by a team of specialists led by Drs. Akinola

Ashiru, who was elated at the successful delivery of the babies, recalled they were not the first set of high order multiple pregnancies at the MART, as previous sets of quintuplets , quadruplets, triplets conceived from the clinic through IVF had been delivered in other hospitals in Nigeria, India, the UK and USA respectively.

“This is a great feat for us as we have achieved the one stop plan for our patients to be taken from infertility management to delivery in the same facility, reducing the stress on patient and medical tourism outside the country. MART is happy to collaborate and complement government effort in the reduction of Maternal Mortality and Morbidity in the country.”

No case of hospital infection Ashiru attributted the overall success to the efficiecy of the theatre where no case of hospital or post-surgery infection has been recorded. He recalled that at inception of MART in September 2013, the vision was to set up a world class maternity centre where everything would be done at its best to ensure the safety of the mother and child with zero tolerance for mortality with state-of-the-art services, so people would not have to travel abroad to deliver their babies.

“For us and to me, I regard this as a feat for this private Centre. To deliver a 0.9 kg baby successfully and ensure it survives is a significant achievement. This has been made possible because of the dedication of the staff and fact that all the equipment needed are available.

• The medical team of the Medical ART Centre, Lagos, that concieved and delivered the quadruplets. L-R: Consultant Obstetrician/Gynaecologist, Dr. Oluwaseun Makewu; Clinical Cordinator, Mrs. Abiola Adewusi; Reproductive Endocrinologist/IVF Specialist, Dr. Chizara Okeke; Consultant Obstetrician/ Gynaecologist, Dr. Lateef Akinola; Group MD /CEO, Prof. Oladapo Ashiru; Reproductive Endocrinologist/IVF Specialist, Dr. Kemi Ailoje Ibru; Chief Nursing Officer, Mrs. Adenike Awokola; and IVF Physician, Dr. Jaiye Adeyemi.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 27

‘Why Nigerian children are malnourished’

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

M

ALNUTRITION remains a global public health concern, however, in Nigeria, many children are malnourished not because there is not enough to eat around the house, but due to ignorance.

While nutrition, maternal, child and infant mortality rates have improved steadily over the years, the figures remain unacceptably high in Nigeria which ranks among the 20 nations that contribute to over 80 percent of child deaths in the world.

Over one million Nigerian children under five die annually from malnutrition and vaccine preventable diseases, even as the 2013 NDHS, rates Nigeria with a stunting rate of 37 percent, wasting, 18 percent, underweight 29 percent and exclusive breastfeeding 17 percent.

Though an improvement from

the NDHS 2003 and 2008 respectively, experts say the situation is still life threatening and undermining child development and survival.

Immediate past National President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, NSN, Dr, Ignatius Onimawo, said malnutrition which accounts for over 53 per cent of under-five deaths in Nigeria could be prevented through appropriate complementary feeding practice within 1000 days of a child’s life.

Unfortunately, complementary feeding is yet to be understood by most Nigerian mothers and currently fuelling malnutrition.

Onimawo, at a Complementary Feeding Workshop held by the Nestle Nutrition Institute Africa, in collaboration with the NSN in Lagos, blamed high malnutrition in Nigerian children on inappropriate complementary feeding by mothers. “The best

way to fight malnutrition and secure a healthy generation is by imbibing complementary feeding practice during the first 1,000 days of life. This stage in a child`s life is critical because this is when a child is vulnerable to infections and even death.”

He described complementary feeding as a practice adopted when breast milk alone is insufficient to increase nutrient composition for the growth and development of a child.

“Children who suffer malnutrition have very low immunity, making them more prone to treatable illnesses and infections like colds, diarrhoea, malaria etc. Such children are also dull, unhappy and have little interest in their surroundings.

“The development of their brain is affected since the first five years are very crucial in human development. As a result, malnutrition has diverse effects

on his/her capabilities more especially in education. But with adequate nutrition, a child’s growth, development and health is guaranteed and the future of the nation is secured,” he said.

Complementary feeding The importance of breastfeeding during complementary feeding, reflects in a malnourished girl child because it affects the development of the pelvis. Such girls, when they become women cannot give birth naturally, except through Caesarean Section.

Onimawo noted that for the first six months of life, breastfeeding provides the best nutrition, but after six months baby needs more nutrients.

“We can make complimentary foods from our locally available foods in such a way that they will be adequate in nutrients.

Complimentary foods must be filled with key vitamins, minerals, the right energy and other essential nutrients to bridge the

gap between what is provide by breast milk and nutrients needed by your growing baby,” he stated.

He recommended examples like pap mixed with soya beans, groundnut, crayfish that is well prepared, as essential in meeting a child’s requirements.

Chief Nutrition Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Mrs Oluwatoyin Adams, said malnutrition occurs through inadequate intake of micronutrients. She decried the poor implementation of nutrition policies and urged government at all levels to place high priority on nutrition as a form of preventive medicine.

In her remark, Professor Ngozi Nnam, National President, NSN, who was represented by Dr Bartholomew Brai, called for increased awareness on complementary feeding for growth and development of a child.

Coordinator, Nestle Nutrition Institute Africa, Nigeria and Anglophone Countries, Central and West Africa, Mrs Chioma Emma Nwachukwu, said the Institute was established to address nutrition and health challenges in Africa to help people to live longer and healthier lives.

NIMR tasks students on medical research

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

T

•L- R: Chairman of Committee, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Dr Batholomew Brai, Chief Nutrition Officer, Lagos State Mrs. Oluwatoyin Adams, Coordinator Nestle Nutrition Institute Nigeria and Anglophore Countries Central and West Africa Mrs. Chioma Emma-Nwachukwu, Former President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo at Complementary Feeding workshop organised by Nestle Nutrition Institute Africa in Lagos, recently

CEDPA seeks functional ambulance services in Lagos State

BY GABRIEL OLAWALE

I

N a bid to address the incidence of obstetrical emergencies at the primary healthcare level in Lagos state and to ensure functional ambulance services, the Centre for Development and Population Activities, CEDPA, has recommended a merger of the Lagos State Ambulance Services, LASAMBUS, and existing ambulance services at the Primary Health Care, PHC, level.

Making the recommendation during a two-day stakeholders meeting to address delays in referrals from the primary to the secondary health care level in the state, Programme Director, CEDPA, Dr. Irene Osoata disclosed that the result of their findings indicated the urgent need for the merger.

Osoata opined that a policy change harmonising services at the two levels in the area of coordination, maintenance and even the training of personnel would be overseen by one body, boosting service delivery and reducing maternal death on the long run.

“As of now, ambulance services at the PHC is under the control and care of the Local Government. We are not saying the State should take over. We are only saying there should be connection between the state government and the Local Government to maintain standard.

For instance, Alimosho LG has ambulances that are not up to standard like those under supervision of LASAMBUS. We are looking at LASAMBUS standard because that is only what can be compare with as at

present. The essence of all this recommendation is the fact that .

Lagos State government is ready for change and all the stakeholder have decided to look into area where improvement is urgently needed.”

Osoata advocated a call center to be established at the PHC to act as the direct link to LASMBUS call centre at LASUTH. She noted that ambulance personnel required training in proper emergency obstetric skills, to help reduce number of referral cases.

The Chairman Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Babs Sagoe said the merger would be a political decision because the LGA is responsible for maintenance of ambulances at the PHC and only a policy change could alter the arrangement.

HE Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, has urged secondary school students to show more interest in medical research with a view to contributing towards national development.

Making the call during a symposium to herald this year’s Children’s Day in Lagos with the theme; “Educate a Child Develop The Nation”, the Director General, NIMR, Professor Innocent Ujah, noted that the medical field, like scientific researches generally, is the pathway to successful life and improved national wellbeing.

Ujah who said the Institute was marking the day with mixed feelings, when over 200 schoolgirls abducted from Chibok, Borno State were still missing, opined that the desire to “catch them young” had been the motivation in the last four years, to engage young and up-coming Nigerians in science, technology and innovations, which form the building block of development.

“We do so by stimulating their interest in health research, with early emphasis that sound education drives research for national development.

“Any child who is inquisitive is very likely to grow up intelligently to become a great man or woman, which will assist in contributing to knowledge and subsequently, national development.”

He explained that research is used to establish or confirm facts,

reaffirm the results of previous work and solves new or existing problems. To be a good researcher, a child must be inquisitive, asking many questions.

“Any child can perform or participate in research if properly trained and mentored, but such child must be grounded in the fundamentals of intelligent discussions, inquisitiveness and should have the will to investigate. Researchers like other professionals contribute a great deal to national development.

Research scientist Further, Ujah said: “The career as research scientists begins with basic qualifications in any field of human endeavor capped with requisite training in research, planning and management. It is on this basis that we have decided to engage this young and upcoming boys and girls in the art of strategic thinking and analysis.”

Deputy Director of Research and Head of Clinical Science Division, Dr. Oliver Ezechi regretted that despite its importance, research has not been given its pride of place even among Nigerian children. “We wish to stimulate their interest right from secondary school age.

We want to catch them young. We are encouraging children to embrace research from secondary school,” he stated.

28 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

World Milk Day: FreislandCampina supports dairy farming in Nigeria

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE NO less than 350 farmers have been trained and registered under a Dairy Development Programme, DDP, designed to increase yield of local milk production, even as 72 farming communities are being supported to be actively engaged in dairy farming nationwide.

Already, under the initiative, four highly equipped Milk Collection Centres, MCCs, and Milk Bulking Centres are in operation in Fasola, Alaga, Maya-Eruwa and Iseyin communities in Oyo State.

Beyond just making bones stronger, daily in-take of low-fat or fat-free, nutrient-rich milk and other dairy foods can help improve overall nutrient intake and reduce the risk of various chronic diseases.

Disclosing this in Lagos in commemoration of World Milk Day on June 1, Public and Regulatory Affairs Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Ore Famurewa, said farmers who benefited from the initiative were trained in various aspects including raw milk hygiene and quality, financial education, animal health, tsetse fly control, small holder dairy farming system, among other essential programmes.

Strategic sustenability The DDP is a strategic sustainability initiative and a key Corporate Social Responsibility priority amongst others like, Health and Nutrition and Sustainable Value Chain. In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, FrieslandCampina WAMCO has been working in the communities to build capacity in dairy

farming over the last four years.

“As the leading dairy nutrition company in Nigeria, FrieslandCampina WAMCO is passionate about milk and is committed to ensuring that Nigerians get the best dairy nutrition every day. The company embarked on the DDP since 2010, to ensure that it increases yield of local milk production, making milk accessible to Nigerians and increasing the prosperity of local dairy farmers,” Famurewa asserted.

The 2014 World Milk Day with the theme “World Class Nutrition” is a CSR-driven activity to enlighten Nigerians on the unique nutritional benefits of milk.

Famurewa said it reinforces the

commitment to continue to provide premium dairy nutrition in the understanding that milk is a primary source of vitamins and minerals and a near complete food required to promote health and wellness throughout life.

Goodness of milk “June 1 is celebrated every year throughout the world as World Milk Day to draw public awareness to the goodness of milk. The theme for this year’s World Milk Day celebration- World Class Nutrition - reinforces FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s commitment to continue to

• Milk is a great source of all healthy nutrients required by the body. It provides ready-made energy that gives healthy teeth, strong bones and bright eyes that help children improve their cognitive abilities .

provide premium dairy nutrition that supports our consumers because we understand that milk is a primary source of vitamins and minerals and a near complete food required to promote health and wellness throughout life.”

Activities for the Day began with the Children’s Day celebration on May 27, where young consumers were engaged on the goodness of milk as they explored various ways to “Do More With Milk”.

FrieslandCampina WAMCO employees and their families also joined in the fun through the “#milkselfie”, a photo self portrait where people share pictures of in an activity involving the use of milk.

World Milk Day was first celebrated in 2001 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, with the mission to increase public awareness about the importance of milk and milk products such as the nutritional value, variety and economic importance.

Milk is a great source of all the healthy nutrients required by the body. These include calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, iron and potassium.

Others are folates, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B12, protein, and healthy fat. Milk as an energetic diet provides instant energy to the body as it contains high quality proteins including both essential and non-essential amino acids and fatty acids.

As milk is an important food for everyone, the WMD has brought effective revolution about the importance of milk. It is a perfect opportunity every year to send and recieve new messages about adding milk in the balanced diet.

World Milk Day celebration was initiated by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in 2001 to encourage common social public about the milk and dairy products consumption as their daily diet.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

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DANA CRASH: Two years after, relatives wail, await compensation

BY MONSURU OLOWOOPEJO

T

ODAY marks the second year anniversary of the Dana plane crash. Widows, widowers, children, relatives and friends of the victims will throng the crash site in IjuIshaga, Lagos, to remember their beloved ones, who died in the crash.

Memories of their beloved ones and the day-Sunday, June 3, 2012, will flow back at everyone. Tears of sorrow will flow freely on the checks of the relatives as they lay wreath in honour of the victims.

The ill-fated Dana air flight 992 left the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja on June 3, 2012 for Lagos, with 147 passengers and 10 crew members on-board but crash landed and exploded in Iju-Ishaga axis of the state killing everyone on-board

of the ground victims, said: “The compensation falls into different category-tenants, landlord and others. We are yet to receive any compensation from Dana Airline for the loss we suffered two years ago. And that was why we have asked our lawyer to file a suit against Dana Airline.”

He noted that the compensation paid on September 3, 2013 by the Lagos State Government was for five landlords whose lands were acquired by the government for the construction of the Dana Cenotaph.

Mr. Gbenga Eguntola, counsel to 10 of the 167 victims and 141 residents who suffered lose due to the ill-fated flight, said that they have filed a suit against Dana and the insurance company.

Eguntola lamented that “some residents, who suffered

,

,

We believe that it will not be proper to put the relatives through another painful experience

including 10 people on the ground, which increased the casualties to 167.

As the relatives lay their wreaths and console one another, they will hope that the recurring issues of compensation, omission and misrepresentation of victims will be resolved sooner than later and that the coroner conducting an inquest into the cause of the crash will submit its verdict today at the EbuteMetta Chief Magistrates’ Court.

Also, residents of Akande Community Development Area, CDA will hope that the Lagos State Government will complete the construction of access roads to the crash site as promised last year before the first anniversary.

Dana yet to compensate us —Victims In an interview with Vanguard, Pastor Fredrick Akingbe, who spoke on behalf

injuries, loss of property and others were forced to relocate to Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA relief camp, where they lived for few months. Due to the loss suffered, some were forcefully relocated out of the community because it was not conducive for them to live there anymore.

Despite all these, Dana is yet to pay any of the claims. The letter written to us by Mr. Yemi Osikoya & co, the solicitor to Dana Airline informed us that they are not liable to the loss suffered by the residents.

“We took our time to wait whether the airline will have a change of heart. But they did not. The truth is we can no longer wait in perpetuity. We believe that Dana has already moved up with their businesses, forgetting the plight of these people. Since they refused to listen to us, we decided to seek for justice in

Cenotaph erected in memory of crash victims the law court. We filed our suit Some of the victims were badly Ogbogoro, public relations on Wednesday, May 28, 2014 burnt and the DNA could not officer of Dana Airline said that at the Federal High Court, march. That doesn’t mean that he was not aware of the suit Ikoyi Lagos. And this is in they did not die. At the filed by the affected residents.

Non-completion of access consonant with the law. The law moment, no one could say says that we must file our suit where these people are,” he roads Chairman of Akande within two years. And we have said.

We’re not aware of suit — Community Development done that in order not to violate DANA Area, CDA, Mr. Adewale the law,” he said.

Contacted, Mr. Sam Speaking on the omission, Continues on page 37 Eguntola said the residents do not have grievances

BY DOTUN IBIWOYE against the treatment by social workers to make her s t a t e fit into the society, adding that neglect AGOS has joined the list of mega government of psychological treatment could lead cities of the world that have a special over the to unforeseen circumstances on the part clinic for rape victims. As laudable as omission and of the rape victim. the project may sound, victims may not misrepresentation The foremost reason many incidents patronize the clinic because of of the of rape go unreported in Nigeria is the stigmatization. victims’ personal humiliation of being exposed A recent study by the Medical name as a victim of rape in a community.

Research Council stated that only one “The entire Other reasons include the fact that the in every 25 women reports rape cases death claims offender is often known to the victim and in most African countries.

I have are frequently a member of the victim’s Lagos State Government opened the n o t family, many survivors lack access to Special clinic at Lagos State University processed in services, fear of retaliation or Teaching Hospital, Ikeja because rape Nigeria. intimidation by the perpetrator. cases require special attention.

They are The possibility of negative financial Special Adviser to the Governor on done in consequences, particularly if the victim Youth and Social development, Dr Florida, is a child and her family relies on the Dolapo Enitan Badru disclosed this USA. We are perpetrator’s income to survive and the during the press briefing by his ministry also in court extreme suffering that goes hand-inin Commemoration of the third year of in Florida. hand with rape as a psychological the second term of the Mr. Babatunde We have trauma is another major reason. This is Raji Fashola’s administration in the informed compounded by the stigma associated state. stakeholders with rape and the fact that many people He said it takes two steps to treat rape about the in Nigeria subscribe to myths and victims- after the medical treatment, she omission. stereotypes about rape. should also undergo psychological

Rape victims get clinic

L

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

— 37

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

O

N May 27, protesters mainly former political office holders from various councils in Lagos, who served between 2004 and 2007, stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja for the payment of their outstanding seven years salaries and allowances. Also, on May 29, they gathered at the Ikoyi residence of former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demand for immediate payment of the money estimated at N1 billion, owed them during the period of withheld council funds by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo-led Federal Government over the creation of 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs. On assumption of office, late President Musa Yar ’Ádua, ordered the release of the seized council funds which were released in tranches.

The group with 750 members alleged that some of their colleagues have died waiting for the payment while about seven have been confined to wheel chairs with the government being insensitive to their plights.

The former council workers had earlier petitioned the state House of Assembly, which subsequently, at its plenary ordered the payment of the money. The House directed the state’s Accountant General, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice as well as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to work out modalities for immediate payment of the money.

Govt is deceiving us The protesters, led by Hon Tijani Ojo, alias, “Ota”, former secretary to Odi-Olowo Mushin Local Government Area, claimed that they were being deceived by both the state legislative and

Protesting ex-council workers

Withheld funds: Council workers plead with Tinubu over 7 years unpaid salary, allowances executive arms of government because there was no concrete effort to pay the money in spite of several appeals.

Ojo lamented that they were being owed salaries and allowances for 23 months out of which six months was paid after appeals by Tinubu, who promised that after the payment of the next tranche of the withheld allocation we will be

Dana crash: Two years after, relatives wail, await compensation Continues from page 36 Oriowo, lamented that the access road should have been completed before now.

The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Ben Akabueze during the Year 2013 budget analysis, said that funds to complete access roads to the cenotaph were included in the 2013 budget.

Oriowo said that some of the roads like Okusanya Street, Akande Street and Sanuaje Street are yet to be completed.

Govt reacts: Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed, said that second year anniversary of the crash will not be elaborate like that of last year because “we believe that it will not be proper to put the relatives through another painful experience. Do not forget that less than half of the

relatives live in Lagos State.

Asking them to all converge in Lagos is like opening the wound that is almost healed.

But we will pray for the deceased.”

On the omitted names, the commissioner said that the relatives of the victims whose names did not appear on the tomb complained after the first anniversary “and we made adjustment.”

For the access roads to the cenotaph, he said that the state government had awarded the second phase of the project to the contractor (HFP Construction Company) “but I must tell you that we have completed larger percent of the access roads to the cenotaph.”

The second phase includes completion of the existing road project and construction of new roads.

paid our outstanding salaries and allowances amounting to over N700 million for 753 ex-political officers.

“We have written several appeal letters to the lawmakers and Governor Babatunde Fashola without any positive response.

They were just making empty promises. Hence, we have decided to take our destiny in our hands by taking the protest to Asiwaju’s residence.”

The protesters converged on Tinubu’s residence with various materials such as lantern, cassava flakes, known as “garri,” water, fish and mats, etc., indicating their readiness to stay there for as long as possible until their demands are met.

Ojo said: “This is a continuation of the initial protest. We are confused because during the extra budget session, Asiwaju was invited to the state House of Assembly despite the fact that he was a former governor and he was the one that made the two parties to come up with the agreement that would bring peace. We don’t want division in the party.

“So we want him, Tinubu to come in and prevail on Conference 57 (comprising of 20 Local Government Areas and 37 LCDAs) Chairman, Hon Akeem Sulaimon, to pay our unpaid salary arrears. The state is solvent enough now. If the councils cannot pay, the state could be a

saving grace.

“We are here on democracy day to say Asiwaju you are the symbol of democracy in Nigeria.

Secondly, as our salary is concerned, we believe today is the right day to tell him that a lot of honourables are suffering in hunger, in silence just to save the image of the party.”

Ojo continued: “We have employed dialogue through party leaders, meetings with the governor, speaker and the conference 57 chairman as well as Commissioner for Local Governments and up to date after seven years no payment… We are suffering and dying in silence.

Most of our members have died of hunger.

Responsible fathers As we speak some of us are in the hospitals receiving treatment on one ailment or the other. A lot of our children are at home, we can no longer pay their school fees. Our children no longer see us as responsible fathers and mothers. House rents are hanging and the pathetic situation is that at this period they are planning to mobilise us again for the elections when we are no longer respected at home.”

Ojo affirmed that the group had resolved to stage the protest at intervals. “We will be here on

Tuesday (Today), with our wives and subsequently, with our children until we get justice. The total salary arrears is not up to N1 billion and presently, the state is making up to N25 billion as Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, monthly.”

Why we are not in court Asked why they did not go to court, Ojo said: “We, the 20042007 set, see ourselves as the first child of Tinubu because it was a tenure that witnessed a lot of challenges. Even our severance is supposed to be 300 percent but we were prevailed upon by Asiwaju to persevere because of the economic situation of Lagos State then. So we think that court would not be the solution, it is still a party affair. We don’t want to give it a political colouration.

We don’t want people to say they have been bought by other parties. We believe it’s a matter that can still be settled within the party “When we met Governor Babatunde Fashola, his body language was that it is purely Local Government affair, that we should meet conference 57, but conference 57 said we served Asiwaju; he was the one that directed them to pay us six months out of 36 months. Who is deceiving who? That is why we have resorted to public protest.

Hon. Kunle Akinsheyinwa, one of the affected persons from Surulere Local Council is down with an ailment.

38 — V anguard Vanguard anguard,, TUESDAY, JUNE 3 , 2014

NORTHERN AGENDA:

A backbone without coccyx?

Map of the South South region

The South South region in this presentation reacts to the "Key issues before the Northern delegates to the 2014 National Conference", articulated by the North at the conference

P

REAMBLE: Part of the fun damental considerations for the convening of the on-going National Conference is to provide a platform for Nigerians across ethnic and geo-political divide to sit together to resolve all divisive issues that appear to have set our dear country in the recent past on the seeming state of conflagration.

No one discerning mind will contend the fact that our country has been besieged with polemics of interests over resource appropriation and management, resource ownership, right to perpetual rule, marginalization and all conceivable issues. Therefore, for the sake of national interest, as clearly evinced in the President’s admonition at the inauguration of the National Conference on March 17, 2014 conferees and all other interest groups are expected to be broad minded, with a clear sense of accommodation in their articulations as we seek resolution of the several divisive tendencies for the sake of national unity, peace, stability and progress of our dear country.

Compendium of myths The people of Southern Nigeria were, therefore, astonished when a document titled “Key issues before the Northern delegates to the 2014 National Conference” was circulated to conferees in the course of the various committee works. Quite sadly, rather than convey articles of progressive and centripetal blocks of nation building, it was a compendium of myths, fallacies and misrepresentation of facts. As

a people desirous of sustaining truth we find it compelling to state the unblemished facts of history, not only to educate all discerning minds but also to, indeed, ensure that Nigeria as a country belongs to all of us and no one group of people or tribe can claim greater patrimony.

After taking a perfunctory look at that document one discovers the catacombs of historical falsity, chalice of myths, fallacies, misconception and misrepresentation of issues, facts and events in Nigeria’s march towards nationhood. We wish to note that these gamut of lies being peddled and canvassed as sterling new issues are, after all, not new at all to all students of political history. Two statesmen and elders of Northen extraction, Alhaji Auwalu Yadudu in 2005 and Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, only a fortnight ago, attempted to resurrect these same moribund and infantile claims.

The more robust document under reference is thus an amplification of Yakassai’s memorandum to conferees. Whereas those hired to tilt the course of history could bemuse themselves for “a supposed” scholarly work, it is indecorous within the presumptive refinement of intellectualism to use such uncouth, unrefined and crude language and the unrestrained use of invectives and innuendo to vilify institutions, groups and regions in a document that should stand time. As part of our obligations as enlightened citizens we have taken the responsibility to respond to fight negative ideas because bad ideas stick if left unchallenged and evil thrives where good men keep quiet.

Unmasking the Hausa-Fulani hegemonic national development agenda: We note sadly that there is a strong retrogression of

our embrace of cultural and highly cherished national values.

From the high pedestal of urbane, disciplined, and respect for cultural values and ethos our precursors were renowned, the recourse to provocative use of language to convey a “plight” deserving of humane consideration smacks of arrogance and profanity. A critical analysis of the “so called Northern agenda” that recommends a “fight to finish spirit” for all Northern delegates at the on-going National Conference clearly establishes a certain mindset and preconceived assumptions. Firstly, in a country where all citizens are equal stakeholders there appears to be an assumption of “complex” deriving from the well crafted colonially induced legacy of hegemony of the North over and above every other region.

Privileges and patronage The authors, however, tried unsuccessfully to mask the HausaFulani as the North who have always been providentially positioned to dispense privileges and patronage to the rest of Nigerians. The unholy claim of Northern Nigeria being the Backbone and Strength of Nigeria, by merely ascribing 80 per

cent land mass to the North as against 20 per cent for the entire South is as pejorative as ridiculous. It is of course laughable!

We are learning for the first time that a barren unproductive land could confer strength on a country.

For example, Liechtenstein in Europe, with a landmass of about 160 square kilometres has the second highest GDP per capita of US$98,432 and ranked second in Europe in 2012. South Korea with a landmass of only 97,100 square kilometres has a GDP per capita of US$32,500.16 in 2012.

Similarly, Switzerland with a

,

BY AYAKEME WHISKY

Without doubt the North since the amalgamation has been dependent on the fortunes of the South to service their recurring annual deficits

landmass of only 40,000 square kilometres, with a per capita GDP of US$53,367 is ranked the fifth highest in Europe in 2012.

Where thereof lies the “strength” in a barren unproductive landmass of 786,754 sq. km as claimed? At best the so called landmass has been an economic burden and drain on the national treasury funded exclusively with revenue from petroleum resources from the South-South geo-political zone.

We are little surprised at the deliberate recourse to bigotry because despite the economically induced marriage between the North and the South to off-load the liability of the North on the British tax payers to the South, their progenitor, Sir Ahmadu Bello exposed their hegemonic flanks thus”

Conquered territory

Continental crust

willing tools and the South as a conquered territory and never allow them to have control over their future.” (The Parrot, October 12, 1960) This attitude of belligerence evinces a contradiction from a people who only seven years earlier in 1953 premised their opposition to Nigeria’s self government in 1956 on their lack of education and sophistication to manage an independent Northern Nigeria. Perhaps it would be expedient to recall the words of Lord Harcourt, the then Colonial Secretary, in an attempt to justify the proposed unification of the

“The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather, Uthman Dan Fodio.

We must ruthelessly prevent a change of power. We shall use the minorities in the North as

,

Northern and Southern protectorates before the British Parliament: unification of Nigeria demanded both ‘method’ and ‘a man’. The man was to be Lord Lugard and the method was to be the ‘marriage’ of the two entities. We have released Northern Nigeria from the leading strings of the Treasury. The promising and well conducted youth is now on an allowance on his own and is about to effect an alliance with a Southern lady of means. I have issued the special licence and Sir Frederick Lugard will perform the ceremony. May the union be fruithful and the couple constant.

Without doubt the North since the amalgamation has been dependent on the fortunes of the South to service their recurring annual deficits. What, therefore, confers on the thinking of the authors of the Northern agenda a claim to being the “strength” of Nigeria? Can there be strength without economic prowess? We wish to state unequivocally that the present level of impoverishment experienced by the South, especially the South-South states would have been different were Continues on page 39

V anguard anguard,, TUESDAY, JUNE 3 , 2014 — 39

A backbone without coccyx?

Continues from page 38 it not for the burdens of the parasitic North these states have been magnanimously shouldering. Indeed, with a total landmass of only 94,942sq. km. and about 31,000,000 people, the South-South states that generated about US$154,186,189,948 between 2010 and 2012 only would have had one of the highest GDP per capita in the world like Norway, Monaco, Luxemburg and Liechtenstein. The people of the South deserves a pat and not reprobation and insults from the Northern beneficiaries.

It may be instructive to place on record for the umpteenth time that unlike some other ethnic nationalities who were conquered and/or ceded their territorial right and sovereignty to the British powers, the people of South-South (and in particular the Ijaws), the city states and indigenous communities of the precolonial Oil Rivers Protectorate were not conquered. At the time of contact with the Europeans, the city states have grown their political administration, trade and foreign relations to equate with the standards of modern government.

Modern government The Treaties of Friendship and Protection and the payment of Comey Subsidy (customs duty) to the sovereign kings of the precolonial city states attests to this independence. That through political manipulations aided by their British benefactors, who saw them as beautiful bride to be massaged, they assumed unearned vantage position to leadership and ascribe to themselves a clout of hegemony, does not confer a

Cross River gov, Liyel Imoke

Akwa Ibom gov, Godswill Akpabio

Delta gov, Emmanuel Uduaghan tion our dear country for our collective development and progress. What makes it sacrilegious for the authors to think of maximally exploring and exploiting the abundant natural, human and material resources that abound in each of the states of the federation for our collective benefit?

Thirdly, it is criminal and a travesty of justice for historical facts to be falsified and distorted to serve the narrow interest of the North, primarily to confuse and sway undiscerning minds. We wish to state that the recommendations of the Selborne Report were taken out of context and adopted carte blanche as the dic-

Edo gov, Adams Oshiomhole

,

The attempts to rest arguments on population census figures which have been subject of controversies from the beginning is fraudulent right of perpetual dictators on them to rule over others in this 21st century Nigeria.

Secondly, the entire agenda is bereft of any production and wealth creation model in our collective attempt at recreating a Nigeria where the creative energies and potentials of its people would be harnessed for our common good. Rather its central philosophy drums the parasitic eulogies of distributive-consumerism, to continually sap and milk the fortunes of others, particularly the oil producing South-South states.

We regret the lack of patriotic intellectualism in a supposed research work to support the present day clamour for federalism where enterprise and creativity would be promoted to reposi-

,

tate and basis of our amalgamation and nationhood to satisfy the imagination of these hegemonists. The calculated denial and obscurity of the deliberations at the pre-1957 Legislative Councils and the constitutional conferences of the 1957 and 1958 is a fraudulent attempt to rewrite history.

The fallacies and misconceptions Let us first deal with the contextual claims that are grossly fallacious but infused with deafening spirit of truth to mislead.

Engaging in intellectual sophistry and bandying convoluted statistics, the proponents stated: “The argument that creation of states should be on the basis of equality irrespective of the population and land mass is incon-

sistent with elementary concept of justice, since injustice is not only when equals are treated unequally but also when unequals are treated equally.”

The manufacturers of these misleading half-truths and their cohorts should be reminded that justice is not only when equals are treated equally but also must be based on sound moral and equitable principles. Equity is not where everybody is treated equally but when respect and honour are given to deserving people based on strength, resources, competences and capacity. Creating states on the basis of population and landmass without due regard to economic viability and sustenance is not justice. Therefore, the attempts to rest arguments on population census figures which have been subject of controversies from the beginning is fraudulent. Everybody knows that the population census figures have been openly deprecated by the authorities themselves.

For instance, only few months ago, the immediate past National Chairman of the National Population Commission, Eze Festus Odimegwu, stunned the nation when he said: "No census has been credible in Nigeria since 1863.

Credible census "Even the one conducted in 2006 is not credible. I have the records and evidence produced by scholars and professors of repute. This is not my report."

Also, it would be recalled that Mr. R.K. Foyer, the British census officer for the Eastern Prov-

Rivers gov, Rotimi Amaechi

Bayelsa gov, Seriake Dickson

inces between 1952 and 1953, reported that only Calabar, Bonny, Opobo, Degema and Brass were covered in the census of 1911 in the southern flank of the East. By implication the headcount was limited to the headquarters of these city states. The rural communities which were part of the provinces of these city states were left out in the exercise.

Similarly the 1921 census figures being given scientific adoration were all ‘estimates’ even in the words of Mr. Meek, the colonial officer who conducted the exercise thus: "Whilst it is not pretended that the counts made for the natives in the provinces was anything more than approximately accurate, the statistics nevertheless furnish a great amount of valuable information."(Everybody’s Guide, 1990).

Also the National Population Commission (NPC) in 1998 repudiated the scientific validity of the 1921 figures.

The questionable nature of all census figures is evidenced by the fact that they have been repeatedly rejected by successive governments. Indeed, it is a matter of historic truth that the Supreme Court nullified the results of the 1963 census and this should have laid to rest any iota of claim to scientifically conducted census figures. As Richard Akinjide (2000) said, it is only in Nigeria that population dynamics work in favour of deserts and

savannah belts contrary to global reality.

I would like to point out that, if you look at the map of West Africa, starting from Mauritania to Cameroun, and take the population of each country as you move from the Coast to the Savannah, the population decreases. Or conversely, as you come from the desert to the coast, right from Mauritania to the Cameroun, the population increases.

The only exception throughout that zone is Nigeria. Nigeria is the only zone whereby you go from the coast to the North that one finds the population increasing while from the North to the coast, the population decreases.

Population decrease Yet, at the slightest opportunity academics and intellectuals from the North have chosen this path of aberration to justify their pontifications as scientific. In order to finitely rest all arguments about the accuracy of our population census, Nigerians must wholeheartedly do one of and/or both of two things; we must seize the opportunities offered by advancement of technology to conduct precision head-count through the capture of nature’s bio-metric attributes of every citizen of this country.

To be continued

40 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

some weeks ago. They demanded the swapping of their members who are in detention for the freedom of the girls and I don’t really see anything wrong with that because to free the girls, you must either use force or negotiate.

To use force, you need to know where they are and to take cognisance of the fact that something can go wrong and that these girls can be killed. In negotiation, what you only need is a small team of mediators, who would guarantee both sides and ensure the honesty and sincerity of the negotiators. The team would ensure that the girls are released by their abductors and also the government should free all those who have been detained without trial.

•Sani: The speech of Mr. President is full of contradictions

Detention without trial

Boko Haram:

It is after that we can use any method to confront the insurgents- whether we want to use force, nuclear weapons or anything. But we should note that you cannot shoot at the insurgents without shooting at the girls. The girls are not just abducted people but they are hostages and they are there as human shields.

I believe that anyone who has a daughter among the girls will not see anything wrong with swapping these girls with the insurgents. We should not forget that the insurgents have been storming police and military cells and freeing their members. So the issue of saying not getting them out will embolden the terrorists does not arise. No. Given your frustration in the hand of the government in the past, are you still willing to assist in spearheading further negotiation with the sect in order

SHEHU Sani, an activist has in the past made efforts to mediate between the Federal Government and the Boko Haram Islamic sect. Sani in this interview says he is still willing to take the negotiation further and outlines steps the Federal Government should urgently take to ensure the release of the over 200 girls seized by the sect from the Government Secondary School, Chibok and end the menace of insurgency in the northeast. Excerpts:

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

W

HAT do you make of the speech by President Jonathan to crush Boko Haram and also give them amnesty?

The speech of Mr. President is full of contradictions. On one hand he is saying that is has declared to total war against Boko Haram and on the other, he is saying the door for amnesty is still open for the insurgents. How can the insurgents come out and enter the open door of the amnesty when there is a price tag on the head of the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, by the United States, which was also supported by the Nigerian government? How can the insurgents enter the open door of the amnesty when already there is an anti-terrorism law that outlaws the group and criminalises any form of communication with its members?

How can the insurgents embrace the open door provided by the amnesty when there is a state of emergency in places that will go after any insurgent that rears his head up? How can the insurgents embrace the amnesty when Nigeria sponsored the resolution at the United Nations that blacklisted the group? How

can the insurgents avail themselves of amnesty when Nigeria invited the United States, Israel, France and Britain, whose drones are already hovering over their heads? I think what we have is a President that is confused and does not know how to handle the Boko Haram situation.

Why did your previous efforts to bring the Boko Haram members to the negotiation table fail?

There were two or three attempts to negotiate with the insurgents. They all collapsed because the government changed its mind at the end of every deal.

Negotiating with insurgents When we travelled to Maiduguri with former President Olussegun Obasanjo, we came back with some suggestions and advice from the insurgents themselves on how to end the violence. But when we took the suggestions of the insurgents to the government, they threw it away. At that time, it was the then National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Andrew Azazi, who felt that they were on top of the situation and that they were determined to crush the insurgency once and for all. As

such, we were humiliated and disappointed by the action of the government.

The second attempt was the one that Dr. Ahmed Datti made in his capacity as the representative of the Boko Harm group. He too was frustrated and disappointed by the same government.

Now, the Federal Government also appointed me as a member of the Dialogue Committee and I declined to serve because at that time I made contacts with the insurgents to find out if they had the interest of dialoguing further for amnesty and they told me they were not interested because the outcomes of the previous two attempts were not honoured by the government.

After that, I had no other option than to pull out and I declined the offer to serve on the committee. A week after the Chibok girls were abducted, I reached out to the government and gave them the name of the person, whom I believe would be in a position to talk to the Boko Haram leadership to free the girls.

Surprisingly, the government never got back to me but went directly to the person and he mediated and negotiated with the insurgents. The girls would have been released about two weeks ago but the President cancelled the deal upon his return from France. This has always been the attitude of the government.

What were the conditions given by the Boko Haram sect for the release of the girls?

The conditions are not really different from what they stated in the video the sect released

,

How the presidency bungled it — Shehu Sani

insurgents. These clerics should serve as the team of negotiators.

The government only needs to recognise and empower them and encourage them to reach out to the insurgents to free the girls.

Islamic clerics in northern Nigeria are very crucial in resolving the issue and I believe that with their intervention we can get the girls back.

Two to three people can free these Chibok girls once they have the right contacts with the insurgents. It is even more impacting than a million people protesting because the insurgents are not moved by protests. They even do not consider the Bringbackourgirls campaign as an issue that concerns them. They see it as an issue between the protesters and the government of Nigeria. All they know is that the protesters will not come to them and what they are saying does not involve them.

What do you think about the involvement of foreign troops in the bid to free the girls? Some say it may compromise our sovereignty and pride as a nation.

It is unfortunate and shameful that Nigeria, which has been undertaking peacekeeping missions around the globe is now resorting to assistance from other countries. Nigerians have a misconceived opinion that the West is here for fight our war. The Western world does not fight any war unless it threatens its own national security or a direct attack on itself. The U.S for instance is not even prepared to go into Ukraine to drive away the Russians apart from imposing sanctions. They backed down in Syria. Even when they were fighting Gaddafi, they did not enter the city but shot from the sea and air. I have heard the President raising some false

A week after the Chibok girls were abducted, I reached out to the government and gave them the name of the person, whom I believe would be in a position to talk to the Boko Haram leadership to free the girls

to end the violence in the Northeast?

Yes, I am prepared to assist in terms of working out the possibility of getting out the Chibok girls through negotiation. But I cannot do it alone. This is something that requires the collaboration of many others. What needs to be done for now is in two ways. The first one is for the government to tell the insurgents to send their team to sit down and negotiate with the government on how to free the girls.

They should also ensure that members of the families of the sect who are in detention are released. The second step is to invite Islamic clerics in northern Nigeria, who have been neutral and have not made their feelings about the insurgency known and still enjoy the respect by the

,

sense of hope thinking that with their intervention they would help us. If you look at the kind of people the U.S sent to Nigeria, you will discover that they have only two set of people: intelligence experts and experts in hostage negotiations and some aircraft to do some surveillance around Yobe and Borno states. So, the presence of foreign military experts is not in the best interest of Nigeria. We have a role to play in Nigeria and other parts of the world.

We need to do is to fund them and equip them to be able to deliver on their mandate. The recent discord between the Ministry of Finance and the military over the money that was allocated for defence and security is very clear that we are having

Continues on page 41

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 41

We must join hands to fight terrorism — Ben Obi

Boko Haram:

SPECIAL Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi, spoke to some journalists in Ado-Ekiti, last Wednesday after organizing a sensitization workshop for stakeholders in the June 21 Ekiti State governorship election. Among others, he said Ekiti will have rancour-free and credible polls; Nigeria will overcome Boko Haram insurgency with the Nigerian spirit; fears of military coup is a storm in a tea cup and that Nigeria will not break-up in spite of the US prediction. He said Nigeria would have been on top of the insurgency if his two bills on antiterrorism and establishment of anti-terrorism agency were passed in 2005. Excerpts:

H

IS take on the Ekiti governorship election sensitization workshop A good number of the candidates did not come.

According to them, they were involved in one campaign or the other. There is one policy I attach to this workshop. I ensure that I personally speak to all the candidates. I spoke to each of the 18 governorship candidates, from the present governor to the former governor. I got their confirmation that they would attend, that the date was okay.

My conscience is clear.

The main thrust of the workshop is the pursuit of free, fair and transparent election—one man, one vote; one woman, one vote; one youth, one vote; and one governor, one vote, which is the cardinal principle of my principal, President Goodluck Jonathan.

That is why the President encourages this workshop and approves of it, saying ‘go and make sure that you create an atmosphere that will be devoid of rancour and violence.’ To that extent, I have done what I know I should do.

On whether the absence of 14 governorship candidates including Governor Kayode Fayemi would not undermine the goal of the workshop The CSO (Chief Security Officer) of the governor and the protocol men came and said the governor was on his way. Being a state chief executive, anything could have cropped up that would have warranted his not being present. But the important thing is that officials that conduct elections—INEC, security agencies, diplomatic corps and the diplomatic community and

other bodies that assist in election were present. It is all about making sure that the election comes out well. The operatives are the ones that really count in as much as you expect that the candidates will cooperate.

Because of the poor turnout of the candidates and the way the PDP Candidate (Ayo Fayose) spoke, I pleaded with the Chairman, General David Jemibewon (rtd) that the Commissioner of Police (Felix Uyanna) should be allowed to react. At past workshops we did not allow the commissioners of police to speak even though they attended. But because of Fayose’s direct attack, we allowed the commissioner of police to speak, he spoke and we now know exactly where we stand on all of these.

Approaching elections We have done our bit, the temperature will come down. I keep saying it, when elections are fast approaching, the temperature rises but as soon as you move closer and closer to the election date, it drops because by that time you would have reduced the shortlist to one or two, three maximum. You know where the flashpoints and likely outburst are and it becomes easy to monitor and check them. As we move closer to June 21, the atmosphere will be convivial for the election. That is my reading of it.

His take on recurring electoral violence in spite of the workshops at a time other countries like Ghana are having violence-free polls All politics, they say is local. We

How the presidency bungled it — Sani Continues from page 40 some problems somewhere and corruption is a contributory factor in sustaining insurgency in the north. We don’t need the US, France, Israel and Britain in combating terrorism and protect us. We should be able to see this problem as part of our history and the challenge before us is that we should not allow it to be our

albatross. What is needed now is national solidarity, unity, resilience and the need to stand up and fight the threat because it is very clear that it is threatening our freedom, democracy, national unity and is becoming a dark chapter in the annals of our country. We must be able to find the path through the light to move by ourselves.

Preparing for rainy day

•Obi: Nigerians have a way of overcoming this kind of problem have our style of doing things and Nigeria’s style has been like that. Before 2011, can you beat your chest and say I know of any election apart from the June 12, 1993 election that you can refer to as an election? Can you hit your chest also and say this is an election that international and local observers say this is it?

We are hearing such now. We are hearing international and local observers saying, ‘yes, you are getting there.’ We are not there yet, there is still a lot of room for improvement.

We have to understand that we are a country where a lot of people want to express them selves in their own way or manner. And if you say, ‘this is wrong.’ They say, ‘how dare you tell me this is wrong?’ They feel they have control of the situation. We must exercise a lot of caution on how we talk to our people.

I try in my own way as InterParty adviser to communicate with the opposition parties knowing that I belong to the PDP and also knowing that the success of my job depends on how I can interact with the opposition.

So, I try to do things in a way that will give them some sense of confidence. Whatever I say to them is nothing but the truth. If I betray that trust, I won’t be talking about the workshop. I won’t be saying that I called Governor Fayemi, for instance. I spoke to him and he gave me his word. I gave him the date and he said it was perfect. The text messages are there. I spoke to the other

parties and Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC). If I don’t establish that kind of trust, there is no way we can make headway.

We are talking about the Allpoliticians’ summit now. I spoke to the leaders of all the parties: ‘This thing is in everybody’s interest. It is not a question of cheap popularity for the PDP, me or anybody.’ When you talk to them in a language they will understand and they understand that what you are saying is real,

,

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

agreed that we need the intervention of the international community and they have joined forces with us but mark you; terrorism is new to this country.

The earliest reference that you can make is 9/11. When the 9/11 happened, it took many years before the United States of America could nail Osama.

I keep reminding people that when I went into the Senate in 2005 as against 2003 because of legal battles, two months after I was sworn-in, I put in two bills, one, anti-terrorism bill and two, establishment of anti-terrorism agency. The reason was clear; I was trapped at the pentagon on the day of 9/11 and for me that witnessed that, it was clear to me that we needed to prepare for that rainy day.

Maybe if we had gone through those bills and established an anti terrorism agency, by now, we would have been on top of the situation. It is a long story regarding what happened, how President Obasanjo got the Attorney General and Minister for Justice to bring in another bill, word-for-word what I proposed.

Here we are. Our security agencies are just going through first training to be able to acquaint themselves with the act of terrorism. That is why I said we need to hold ourselves together, be united and committed to fight the battle because the enemy will not let go. I have never dreamt in my life that things could get to a stage where I will see a Nigerian carrying explosive tied round his waist and get it detonated to be able to wipe off other Nigerians.

I believe that we will overcome this. Nigerians have a way of overcoming this kind of problem, they have a way of coming together and making sure that

The fact is this security challenge is a major problem before us. We have to face the reality that what we have is naked terrorism. The only way out of it is that all hands must be on deck

they will agree with you.

When you are doing things like this, you must also put them into consideration. The luck is that when you talk to the President of the country, if it is a good idea, he will say, ‘go ahead.’

On Boko Haram insurgency and threat to 2015 polls I am a practical and realistic politician. The fact is this security challenge is a major problem before us. We have to face the reality that what we have is naked terrorism. The only way out of it is that all hands must be on deck. It is not a question of saying it is the responsibility of President Jonathan.

Everybody must hold himself or herself responsible for making sure we end it. We have also

,

Nigeria remain a great country.

And that which is the Nigerian spirit will help us to overcome the present challenge that we are facing and I see us going through the 2015 general election in a most successful manner.

His take on 15 years of democracy So far, so good; that we are experiencing handover from civilian to civilian is a major achievement because one shift of ground will take us many miles down the road and I don’t think that is what we want to experience. Our democracy is growing by the day, we have not got there yet, we still have room for improvement.

42 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

TAURUS; It’s important to differentiate between enterprise, gambling and adventure, because you may not go free by unnecessary mistake. Take love very seriously.

GEMINI; Many people are not in the mood to take thing lightly probably because of tension generated by the Moon and Saturn. Thus you’ll need to be prepared to take responsibility of whatever you do and/ or say.

CANCER; Unnecessary argument can not help your cause today, no matter how logical you think you are.

Take domestic issues more seriously than before.

LEO; good results, your mood looks less buoyant.

Whatever this is the wrong time to gamble with matters of the heart.

VIRGO; Since you cant run away from your shadow it is better you face challenges coming your way both at home and in the office. Eventual success’ll be yours very soon.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

E

VERY life should be an asset. Unfortunately, not every life is an asset.

Yes, life could be a liability if we fail to utilize it.

In order for our life to be an asset, we must

Is your life an asset? do the needful — what are those things we need to do? We must add value to humanity. It is no use coming into this world and

TERROR MUDA

Therefore it is not compulsory that we must live. If our goal is to add to the problem of the world then of what use is our coming?

also existing the world the same way we met it. It is the impart we make on people that makes our life an asset.

Life is a privilege. Think about it!

in “Never say goodbye”

By Lanre Kehinde

.LIBRA; Although, partnership related issues are becoming seriously, today you will need to rely on your creative mind to get the desired results.

SCORPIO; Similar to yesterday as money continues to dominate issues. This is the wrong time to rely too heavily on friends either for assistance or advice.

SAGITTARIUS; You’ll continue to be relevant in the scheme of things, although you’ll be made to operate under pressure through career/business related affairs but great success indicated for you today. Be stable.

CAPRICORN; It’s your day when good luck’ll crown your efforts. The more secretive you are the better for your cause. Avoid unnecessary argument.

AQUARIUS; Reliable associates of yours may unconsciously disappoint you .Nursing false hope may force emotion to run very high. Be patient please.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

PISCES; If you like to cut-corners you’ll need to prepare for unpleasant surprise as those you least expect’ll disappoint you. Prepare to protect your image.

ARIES; Relying on the element of luck today may fail to give you the desired results. Then it’ll be wrong of you to disrespect the law and/or it’s enforcement agents.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

Who am I? Dear Joshua,

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Kindly analyse my star and tell me the type of person I am. Because not only other people do misunderstand me I do not sometimes know myself. Please tell me the truth.

Ndubisi, Benin, Dear Ndubisi, As you were born when both career-oriented-Saturn and loving Venus were prominent in the heaven, you are giving to both ambition and love related issues.

And with Venus having more powers than Saturn, PEACE, LOVE and harmony will always have final influence whenever you are to take important final decision.

As loving, gentle, caring and good hearted as you are, with your final-dispositor (Venus) at 90th degree apart to rebellious Uranus in Kingly Leo, FREEDOM and JUSTICE must come to play before the said love and peace will get your final approval.

Naturally Cancer makes it’s natives to appear timid and cool headed but another vigorous aspect in your chart is conjunction formed by aggressive Mars and manipulative Pluto when you were born; thus your will-power is very strong, making it difficult for people to manipulate you at will.

To crown it all the Moon (an indicator of sub-conscious-self ) was placed in genius related Aquarius.

Therefore will power strengthened by educated mind will always want to have FREEDOM. With your natal Sun (basic selfhood) and Moon placed in Cancer and Aquarius respectively, you are mainly a Cancer born person and partly Aquarian; meaning that basic characteristics of the two said Star sings (Cancer and Aquarius) are highly pronounced in your inner-self.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 —43

Plan to send off VC sparks protest in UNN

INEC extends voters’ registration in Enugu by 2 days

BY EMEKA MAMAH

N

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU—THE Inde pendent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has extended by two days the ongoing voters' registration in Enugu State.

This followed complaints from some local governments in the state that several voters were not registered before the exercise ended on Sunday.

In a statement issued Sunday night by INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in the state, Dr Lawrence Azubuike, the commission said “the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise in Enugu State has been extended for two days -Monday and Tuesday 2nd and 3rd June, 2014.”

The statement directed eligible persons who have not registered before to avail themselves of the remaining days to do so.

FAYEMI WITH IGBO WOMEN: Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State (left) dancing to a cultural display by the women wing of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ekiti State chapter, in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday.

Orji nominates 17 new TC bosses

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA—GOVERNOR Theodore Orji of Abia State has nominated another set of Transition Committee chairman to run the affairs of the 17 local councils in the state.

The last set of council chairmen was dissolved early last month by the governor.

Vanguard, however, learnt that this set may be the last transition committee as the state is said to be working out modalities to conduct local government elections within the year.

The last council election in the state was held in 2008 by Governor Orji.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof

How Borno govt co-funds fight against Boko “This over N10bn has been Haram, by SSG spent in acquiring and donating

L

AGOS—BORNO State government has invested over N10 billion to procure armoured personnel carriers, patrol vehicles, hundreds of trailers of petroleum products, provision of material logistics and accommodation to support security agencies in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

This is against the paltry N200 million received from the Federal Government since 2011, Secretary to Borno State government, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda, said in an interactive session with journalists before he left Lagos at the weekend.

Jidda said the state had earlier decided not to make public its expenditures on the fight against Boko Haram because Governor Kashim Shettima always told officials not to embarrass the Federal Government, since it was its (FG) responsibility to fund security under the exclusive list.

Jidda said the governor reversed his position given series of allegations leveled against the state by mischief makers, part of which is a claim that the state was not supporting the military.

He said: “First of all let me say we were pushed into making public, these things I am about to say. For three years we dealt with these challenges without any noise since the government was doing it for Borno people.

“Some people are being made

to assume that a certain security vote is provided to state governments, this is not true. No state gets a dime from FAAC as security vote. Every state makes its own budget it intends to spend from its own normal allocations for security, not that external funds from the Federal Government accrues to any state.

“For us in Borno, we have spent over N10 billion in the last three years to support security agencies in the counter-insurgency. This doesn’t include our losses. We have lost thousands of citizens and in terms of material loss, we might be talking in tens of billions and in all of these, Borno has received only N200m from the Federal Government as support.

We have been co-funding the security that is exclusive preserve of the Federal Government.

over 20 brand new ultra modern Armoured Personnel Carriers to the Nigeria Police Force.

Government has acquired and donated about 400 brand new Toyota Hilux Patrol vehicles each costing between N6m to 7m. We have a filling station that is dedicated to regular fueling of these vehicles.

Nwodo elected Beta Sigma Int'l President General, Alex

T

HE Beta Sigma Fraternity International, at its biennial convention held at Enugu, has elected Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, former Governor of Enugu State, as its President for the next two years.

Other elected officers include; Dr Duke Igwilo, UK-based Forensic Psychiatrist and Director

Abaribe lauds Orji on devt projects

A

BA—A clear-headed personality must be allowed to sustain the various legacy projects conceived by Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, Senate spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has said.

Addressing supporters and stakeholders in Abia South senatorial district at Rowmay Hotel, Aba, weekend, Abaribe observed that Abia State was strategically located at a triangle that would attract investors.

Besides, he said the

Mkpa Agu Mkpa, said the names nominated had been forwarded to Abia State House of Assembly for screening.

The nominees include Dan Kalu Orji for Aba North, Dr. C.N. Okoli for Aba South, Onny Igbokwe for Arochukwu, Emma Ukwu Rocks for Bende, Dom Onwuzuruigbo for Ikwuano and Ginger Onwusibe for Isiala Ngwa North.

Also nominated are; Dr. Chris Nwagboso for Isiala Ngwa South, Mrs. Amarachi Dede for Isuikwuato, Prince Nwabiaraije Obinna for Obingwa, Udensi Ekea Ulu for Ohafia and Christian Kamalu for Osisioma.

Others include; Maurice Nwuzor, Ukwa East, Loveday Chigbu for Ukwa West, Ezebunwa Ubani for Ugwunagbo, Deacon Iyke Nwoke, Umuahia North, Charles Ekwueme, Umuahia North and Emma Ajalla for Umunneochi council.

entrepreneurial spirit of the people of Abia would complement the effort of government, adding that what was needed was to create the enabling environment.

“Aba is the best place in Nigeria in terms of manufacturing and trading. The made-in-Aba trade fair that was held in Abuja sometime last year showed the ingenuity of the people, and also attest to the fact that Abia is a veritable platform to pilot Nigeria’s industrial revolution.”

Ekwueme Foundation, as Vice President; Mr Valentine Okechukwu as Registrar, Dr Emeka Obieze as Deputy Registar, Mr Charles Ekwulugo as Financial Secretary and Damian Obiora as Publicity Secretary.

In his acceptance speech, Nwodo, enjoined all members to live up to the high ideals for which the Beta Sigma was formed in Nigeria.

He stated that "at a time when our society is plagued by socioeconomic problems and security challenges, members should extend hand of fellowship to the less-privileged and the poor in our communities."

He said activities to mark the golden jubilee of the Fraternity will be announced soon.

The Beta Sigma Fraternity International is a sococultural, philanthropic and international service organisation for graduates and undergraduates worldwide.

SUKKA—THE de cision by a section of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, to organize send-off ceremonies for the outgoing ViceChancellor, Professor Bartho Okolo, has sparked off fresh agitation in the institution.

Okolo’s tenure comes to an end on June 9.

Trouble however, began when mainly seniour personnel of the institution who have worked under Professor Okolo decided to organize series of events to mark the end of his tenure as Vice Chancellor. The group is headed by an education Professor, S.O. Onyegegbu.

The coalition of workers’ unions in the university on the platform of Joint Action Committee, JAC, reacted with a strongly worded public statement dissociating their members from the arrangement arguing that Professor Okolo did not deserve a celebration in view of serious allegations of maladministration leveled against him.

Forum appoints Zack Orji as lead ambassador

O

RIENT Progressive Social Forum has appointed Nollywood actor, Mr. Zack Orji, as its lead ambassador.

Speaking on the occasion, held at Ojez Restaurant in Lagos, President of the group, Felix Okwudili, who presented the lead ambassador plaque and certificate to Orji, described the forum as a body of young, resourceful and enterprising minds from the Igbo-speaking region in Nigeria, comprising the five South East states and other state with Igbo population in Nigeria, and even the diaspora.

“The touchstone of the forum is to, but not limited, serve as a bridge that will inspire and promote development and economic growth of the region, oneness, love, peace, a strong Igbo voice and further entrench the rich Igbo cultures among our people, our children and to showcase it to the world.

“It is also to build the Igbo region into a world-class tourist hub and put Igbo region on world map.

44—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

‘Don't tax churches, go after saboteurs, illegal oil bunkerers'

Tebite lauded

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI & AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

BY EMMANUEL OKOLIE

W

ARRI— THE people of UghelliSouth constituency have passed a vote of confidence in the member representing them in Delta State House of Assembly, Olorogun Talib Tebite, urging him to run for another term.

The vote was the high point of a meeting at the Ekpan residence of Olorogun Oviri Okwagbe, attended by top political representatives of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, across the kingdoms in Ughelli South constituency.

Chief Vincent Oduaran, former PDP Chairman, Ughelli-South initiated the vote, following a call by Chief Sam De Taylor, another PDP stalwart in the locality, who noted that Tebite deserved another term over what he termed “very productive representation.”

A

GBOR— FOLLOWING the resolution at the ongoing national conference that churches in the country should be taxed, the Bishop of Anglican Communion, Diocese of Ika, Delta Sate, Rt. Rev. P. I. Onekpe, has urged the Federal Government to dismiss the proposal, stressing that nothing tangible could be generated by taxing churches, as most churches in the country are non-profit making.

He said that the move will make the government unpopular, adding that those behind the proposal were “playing to the gallery.”

Onekpe called on the Federal Government to pursue and apprehend ‘oil bunkerers’ whose activities strongly work against the

country’s economic interest.

He said: “If what is generated in the country is well harnessed, and those sabotaging the economy are checked, the government will have enough funds to better plan and manage the country, rather than seeing churches as a means to generate revenue.”

Speaking at St. Peter ’s Anglican Church, Boji-Boji Owa, Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State, on the sideline of the 13th

Annual Diocesan Bible Study Conference of Ika Anglican Youth Fellowship, the cleric added that taxing churches would “make the government infamous.”

Noting that some churches are rich, and that some pastors buy private jets, he said that they are few, adding that most of the churches focus on preaching the gospel to win souls for Christ.

He said: “On what basis are

Ighrakpata hails Uduaghan over transformation of Uvwie

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI— FORMER member of the Delta State House of Assembly, who represented Uvwie

constituency, Chief Solomon Ighrakpata, has commended Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of the state for the rapid infrastructural development of the area.

Former NBA scribe makes case for lawyers' welfare of our judiciary and enhance quality services to members in

Okpe APC gets new exco

BY INNOCENT ANABA

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ORMER Secretary General of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Deacon Dele Adesina (SAN), yesterday, called for the reduction of poverty among young lawyers in the country by ensuring that they are well paid.

Adesina, who is contesting the NBA Presidency in the association’s national election slated for July, insisted that in addition to the promotion of the welfare, security and economic advancement of lawyers in the country, he intends to deliver, develop and sustain

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HE All Progressives Congress, APC, in Okpe Local Government Area, Delta State, has inaugurated its 25-man executive officers to oversee how the party would win the forthcoming council polls.

The Chairman, Mr. Robert Atagbasha, said it will work to move the party forward by winning all elections in the country, especially the forthcoming local government elections in Delta State.

order to maintain standard living conditions, best practices and professionalism of the legal profession.

On attaining an efficient and effective judiciary system, he said: “NBA, under my leadership, will mount a sustained campaign for the provision of adequate funding for the judiciary, which must be constitutionally guaranteed as a first charge on the consolidated revenue fund and enhancement of salaries emolument and incentives of judicial officers to make the bench attractive to some of our best brains in both public and private practice.”

On judicial corruption, he said: “To protect the sanctity

its credibility and integrity, the NBA under my leadership shall in a sustainable manner, campaign against corruption and the very contagious perception of the nation’s judiciary as corrupt.

“A n t i - c o r r u p t i o n committee of the association shall be adequately strengthened to discharge its onerous responsibility.

“The monitoring team shall be a watchdog of both lawyers and judges. The association under my watch shall campaign and pursue a process of speedy procedure in the disciplining of erring lawyers and judges.”

Ighrakpata spoke to newsmen during a thanksgiving service organised by Governor Uduaghan to appreciate God for his victory at the Supreme Courtlast week.

He said: “The construction of a fly over at the Effurun Roundabout is another landmark project by Uduaghan that is worthy of commendation. Since he (Uduaghan) assumed office, he has not relented in the development of the council and all parts of the state.

“As we speak, the Bus Rapid Transport, BRT, scheme will soon commence operation in Effurun and Warri and you will agree that this will help reduce traffic in Effurun and Warri metropolis.

“Take a drive round the Uvwie and other parts of the state, you will see the great works the governor is doing.”

He congratulated Uduaghan on his victory at the Supreme Court and called on the people of the state to continue to support his administration.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

you going to tax churches? It is true that some persons who are general overseers run their churches like business organisations and are buying private jets, building universities. But they are very few.

“If somebody establishes a university, there is a way to tax the university. How much are taxes from churches going to generate? You will run into unnecessary trouble if you tax churches.”

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On amnesty for Boko Haram insurgents

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F amnesty is given to Boko Haram insurgents, what will the Federal Government of Nigeria or Mr. President grant the family of those murdered by the sect?

We should be fair when we negotiate, not play a one-sided goal post soccer.— Ms. Esther Adichie, Student.

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HAT kind of leaders do we have in this country? What amnesty are we talking about? What of innocent lives being wasted by this evil group? They have no justification to embark on the killing spree they have unleashed on us.— Mr. Kazeem Aremu, Businessman.

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NTIL the top leaders and sponsors of Boko Haram are caught or killed, there should be no mention of amnesty. In the case of Niger Delta militants, they did not hide their identity and they knew what their struggle was about. — Mr. Jerome Samson, Worker.

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F amnesty is granted to Boko Haram because it was granted to Niger Delta militants, then we should be ready for another terrorist group that is coming after Boko Haram. Amnesty should be declared to anyone who makes any kind of noise. —Mr. Chuks Maduka, Web Developer.

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MNESTY for what?

For shedding innocent blood or for burning houses of worship? Everybody is tired of this forced marriage. It is time for us to allow everyone go to his/her tent. I disagree with granting of amnesty.—Mr. Nelson Nwamara, Communicator.

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HE solution is not amnesty. It still lies in the hands of Muslims leader. When amnesty was declared for Niger Delta militants, it was because they were fighting for their rights.

What are these ones fighting for?— Ms Maggie Oluchi, Graduate.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 45

Warri indigenes make case for resource control, true federalism

2015: Group urges Emetulu, Uduaghan to contest for guber, Senate

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

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HE people of Warri, Delta State, have cautioned that for the Niger Delta region to remain stable and peaceful, the issues of resource control and true federalism must be included in the constitution by the on-going national conference.

Speaking through a Niger Delta activist and former Labour Party candidate for Warri North constituency, Delta State House of Assembly, in the 2011 general elections, Mr. Adanse Felix, the people warned that anything short of that would not augur well for the country.

They said: “Everything must be done to correct the age-long oppression, injustice and marginalisation of the people of the oil rich Niger Delta region by the other parts of the Nigerian state."

A-Ibom's Pension Law provocative —Umana

BY CHIOMA ONUEGBU

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YO—THE immediate past Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government, Mr. Okon Umana, has condemned the amendment of the state pension law for former governors of the state, describing same as provocative.

Speaking with newsmen in Uyo, yesterday, Umana said any accountable government should have allowed for a review of the bill to take away those controversial provisions kicked against by the citizens of the state before it was finally signed into law.

Umana described as provocative, the provisions of the law approving N100 million annual medical allowance for a former governor and N30 million for a former deputy governor, N60,000 annual allowance for domestic staff and a 5 bedroom mansion either in Abuja or in Uyo, for former governors.

He said “These sections of the law are highly offensive and insensitive to the plight of Akwa Ibom people and therefore unacceptable."

PRESENTATION: Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State (middle), receiving his permanent voter’s card from the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Bayelsa State, Mr. Edwin Nwatarali (right), and the wife of the governor, Dr. Rachael Dickson, at Toru-Orua community, in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state. Photo: Michael Owi.

Navy assures on sustained fight against piracy, others

BY EMMA UNA

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ALABAR—THE Nigerian Navy has said that it significantly reduced oil theft, bunkering, piracy and other criminal activities on the country’s territorial waters in the first quarter of the year, in its sustained battle against sea crime.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jubrin, at the end of the Fleet Evaluation Exercise to mark the 58th anniversary of the Nigerian Navy, at the Bight of Bonny, said constant training of naval personnel and effective use of

boats and ships had greatly improved the morale of the personnel and their fighting capabilities.

He said: “In recent times, we have drastically reduced sea crime on the country’s territorial waters, particularly oil theft, which in January was about four million barrels, to about one million barrels in April, and we are not resting in order to ensure that we eliminate the evil practice.”

Jubrin, who was represented by Rear Admiral Duke Osufa, Navy Secretary, said that more fighting capacity of naval personnel will be enhanced through additional training and acquisition of more com-

bat vessels for which order had been placed.

“The objective of this exercise is to assess the capacity and capability of the Nigerian Navy built through training and I am satisfied with what I saw during the exercise and can say that sea criminals and terrorists are in for a hard time.

“In vessel boarding and searching, NNS Special Boat Service, borne on board NNS Thunder will proceed to specific target ships or platforms, board and search the ship or rig for specific items, make arrests and confiscate documents where necessary," he added.

Ignore defectors, elder statesmen tell Oshiomhole

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—SOME elder statesmen in Benin Kingdom, led by Chief Igbinokhuae Ediagbonya, Ohen-Igie n’Ogbeson, have called on Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State to ignore defectors from his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, saying that the defectors have no value to add to the development of the state.

The elder statesmen (Ohens), during a courtesy visit to the governor at Government House, Benin City, said they were amused that the defectors left a people-oriented government to join a party which did not make any impact in the almost 10 years it was in the saddle. They assured the governor that they were solidly behind him as he had performed

beyond the expectations of people in the state.

Chairman of the association, Chief Ediagbonya, said: “For sometime now, we have been observing the decamping of some APC members to the opposition party. Do not allow such melodrama to worry you in anyway, because our association is solidly behind you.

“The defectors need to be reminded that the opposition couldn’t establish mass-oriented programmes for the almost 10 years they were in power, but as soon as your government came to power, you swung into action by transforming the entire state to a level that could make it a point of reference to other states of the federation.

“Before you come in as governor, our state capital could not be compared to some local

government headquarters in the country, due to the absence of a good leader. Your coming made us to realise that a state could be developed even with scarce and lean resources. Majority of the indigenes never knew we could have a six-lane road in any part of the state or have walkways for pedestrians on all the major roads and adjoining streets. Since you came in, our roads can compare to those in Abuja, Lagos, Rivers and some other states.”

They urged the governor to ignore the defectors, saying “for those that defected, leave them to their fate. Be rest assured that over 99 percent of the indigenes of the state are solidly behind you due to the massive transformation you have brought to the state.”

pressure group, Proper Inheritance Political Associates, PIPA, has called on the Delta State Commissioner for Energy, Mr. Charles Emetulu, to contest for the governorship seat of Delta State in 2015.

The group, in a statement by its Chairman, Mr. Eugene Eyube, also called on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to contest for the Delta South senatorial district seat, saying that he has the experience and qualities to be at the Senate.

It will be recalled that PIPA had earlier urged Dr. Meyiwa Erewa to contest for House of Representatives, Warri Federal constituency; Mr. Daniel Mayuku for Delta State House of Assemb l y , Warri South-West Local Government Area; Mr. Andrew Aganbi, for Chairman, Warri North LGA., Engr. Lucky Akuruli, for Delta State House of Assembly, Warri South II Constituency and Mofe Edema, Chairman, Warri South LGA.

Boro’s daughter advocates empowerment of N-Delta youths

BY FESTUS AHON

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G H E L L I — DAUGHTER of late Niger Delta activist, Isaac Adaka Boro, Ambassador Esther Adaka Boro, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Adaka Boro I Care Foundation, has called on people of the South South geo-political zone to promote peace and youth empowerment.

Boro, who made the call at the 10th anniversary of the Niger Delta Peoples’ Salvation Front, NDPSF, in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, noted that the amnesty programme introduced by the late President Musa Yar’ Adua had not effectively addressed the problem of youth unemployment in the region.

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Accountability: APC backs Okonjo-Iweala zAsks FG to lead by accounting for its own share

BY EMMANUELAZIKEN,

POLITICAL EDITOR BUJA—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, threw its weight behind Finance Minister, Mrs. Ngozi OkonjoIweala’s charge for more accountability from governors to Nigerians but said that the Federal Government should lead the way.

The party in a statement issued by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala was very right in asking Nigerians to demand for more accountability from their governors on the use of federally shared revenue.

The party was, however, insistent that the Federal Government should account for its share of the Federation Account in view of what the party said was the federal administration’s poor record of development.

The party said: “Yes, Nigerians should seek accountability from their state governments, but it is important to note that the biggest challenge should be directed at the Federal Government, because it takes the biggest chunk of the monthly budgetary allocations. ‘’While all the 36 states together collect only 26.72 per cent and all the 774 local governments collect a total of 20.6 per cent, the Federal Government alone takes 52.68 per cent, hence it bears the greatest responsibility to Nigerians in terms of the

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provision of social amenities, creation of jobs and infrastructural development ‘’Since education, agriculture and health, for example, fall under the concurrent list, Nigerians must in addition to challenging their state governments, ask the Federal Government what it has done with its huge chunk of federal allocations, against the background of massive unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure and the poor health facilities that have seen public officials, including the President,

scurrying to foreign hospitals for medical treatment.’’

APC said there is no doubt that whatever achievements the Jonathan-led Federal Government has attributed to itself since assuming office have constituted a mere tokenism compared with the quantum of funds that have accrued to it. ‘’It is therefore imperative that he who must come to equity must come with clean hands, and that those who point a finger at others must realise that four others are pointing at them. It is not just enough to say certain states

have received certain allocations, Nigerians also want to know how much the Federal Government has received in total to date and what it has done with it. ‘’The Federal Government must lead the way in ensuring accountability for the funds from the Federation Account, just as local and state governments have a responsibility for accountability,’’ the party said, warning against using such allocations as an instrument of blackmail by a non-performing Federal Government.

COMMISSIONING: Chairman Ilorin West Local Government Area, Alhaji Tajudeen Oloje (2nd right), cutting the tape to commission the water project executed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba (3rd right), and others, during the CPS's empowerment programme in Ajikobi Ward, Ilorin.

Cement firms sue SON over new standard order

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

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AGOS—LAFARGE Cement WAPCO, Ashaka Cement and Unicem yesterday said that they have instituted a court action against Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, over its plan to limit the application of the 32.5 cement grade they produce.

The three cement manufacturing companies at a briefing in Lagos said: "We have instituted a suit against the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, over its recent pronouncement and plan to implement a new Mandatory Industrial Standard Order for cement manufacturing, distribution and usage in the country.”

They said that the 32.5 cement grade remains the most preferred application and multipurpose product widely used, saying it has never been

C M Y K

associated with building collapses. The court action instituted by the companies is coming on the heels of a recent publication by SON, restricting the application of 50kg of 32.5R grade of cement to plastering only.

General Manager, Industrial Performance, Lafarge, Mr. Lanre Okpakunle, stated this during a media chat at its Ewekoro II Cement Plant in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where it

expressed concern over the motive behind the planned gradual phasing out of 32.5 cement grade in the country, which has been widely known and used as the general purpose cement in the world.

Gombe Emirate gets new kingmakers

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OMBE—GOVERNOR Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State has reconstituted the eightmember committee of kingmakers for Gombe Emirate.

Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Abubakar Bage stated this in a statement in Gombe, yesterday.

The statement said the reconstitution was based on the powers vested on the governor by section 4 of the

Creation of Emirates, Districts, Villages, Wards and Appointment, Deposition of Emirs and Chiefs Law 2004.

According to the statement, the traditional title holders that make up the kingmakers are the Wazirin Gombe as Chairman, Ubandoman Gombe, Deputy Chairman and Danlawan Gombe as member.

Others are Sarkin Malaman Gombe, Sarkin ban Gombe, Chief Imam of Gombe, Ajiyan Gombe and Durbin Gombe as

members.

The statement said the kingmakers were to start work immediately.

NAN reports that with the reconstitution of the kingmakers, the successor to the late Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar, is expected to be named any moment from now.

A reliable source told NAN that those who had declared interest to succeed the emir are two of his sons, Alhaji Yahaya ShehuAbubakar and Abubakar ShehuAbubakar.

Kebbi govt worries over health Workers' poor conduct

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IRNIN KEBBI— KEBBI State Government yesterday decried the poor conduct of health workers in the local governments in the state, saying it was affecting effective healthcare delivery.

Director of Medical Services, Dr. Aminu Bunza, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Birnin Kebbi that health workers’ poor attitude to work was already affecting the sector.

According to him, redeployment of the staff to a state agency will reverse the poor attitude to work by the councils workers across the state.

His words: “Their poor attitude to work has compounded the dearth of health personnel and other challenges facing the health sector in the state.

“The redeployment of the staff to a state agency would ensure proper monitoring, reward and punishment that would ensure maximum utilisation of health facilities and effective service delivery.”

He said the state had 36 functional general hospitals, 630 primary healthcare centres, 563 nurses and 30 laboratory scientists that were inadequate for healthcare delivery.

The director told NAN that government was making efforts to change the poor attitude to work by the local government health workers.

Bunza said the efficient provision of healthcare services to patients was a top priority of the government.

According to the director, without the patients, the medical doctors, nurses and health workers will be irrelevant.

He said the government had earmarked N3.5 million on monthly basis for the services of consultants in all the state general hospitals.

Vanguard, TUEDAY, JUNE 3, 2014—47

Marginalisation of Muslims: NYF faults Sultan

We'll complete all ongoing projects —Yero

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ADUNA — THE North ern Youth Forum, NYF, has lambasted the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, for allegedly heating up the polity by complaining that Muslims were being marginalised.

NYF, in a statement signed by its National Director of Mobilization, Sirajo Gwaramyo, in Kaduna, yesterday, said its attention was drawn to the statement credited to the Sultan,where he was quoted to have said that Nigerian Muslims were marginalised and therefore, not happy.

It said the Sultan’s statement was uncalled for at this time in the country due to its implication to the unity and security of the country and must not be left unanswered.

“Based on the available statistics at our disposal, there is no evidence to show the marginalisation of Muslims in public offices,” it said.

Seminar participants lament poor renumeration for nurses in Zamfara

BY SALISU MARADUN

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USAU — PARTICI PANTS at a health seminar have lamented over what they described as poor renumeration for nurses and midwives in the state, pointing out that this is the major reason why the health workers reject government jobs in the area.

Speaking at a round-table meeting between a coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs, and officials of Save the Children International, SCI, Zamfara State, the participants also lamented the poor state of health in the state.

An official of the Health Service Management Board in the state, had explained to members at the meeting that of 200 vacancies advertised for nurses and midwives, only 16 applied for the job and were immediately employed but only four accepted the offer eventually.

In his comment, Deputy Chairman of the coalition of NGOs, Mr Joel Aliyu Sani advised the state government to improve on health workers’ remunerations in the state, even as he commended the government for providing the enabling environment for the NGOs to function in the state.

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Alumni Association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, AANI, General Secretary Comrade Issa Aremu; President, Maj. Gen. Lawrence Onoja (rtd) and Publicly Secretary, Dr. Bello Rabi’u Alkali addressing pressmen on Boko Haram crisis, in Abuja.

Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

INSECURITY: Don't engage foreigners to manage our reputation, NIPR advises FG

BY ETOP EKANEM

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GAINST the backdrop of cur rent security challenge in the country, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, has warned the Federal Government against inviting foreigners to manage the country’s reputation, saying “there is no stranger that can manage our privacy more than us.”

Addressing newsmen on "#Bringbackourgirls: Media review," in Lagos, the institute’s President and Chairman of Council, Dr Rotimi Oladele said: “If you ask your house help or another stranger to manage your bedroom better than your children, you might be calling for artful lodger, those who will pretend to be serving you while they are milking you.”

Oladele commended the Nigerian media in a way they have

been able to report the current security challenge in the country so far “for not burying our heads under the blackmail and playing to the gallery of international media most of whom have their invested and vested interests.

“If you look at all the warfare in the world in the past 30 years, two classes of professionals stand out —Nigerian media and military, including the Police. You cannot fault their performance.

Globally, Nigeria media is not a second class. We are trained with supreme professional intelligence combat strategy.”

He also lauded the Federal Government for putting in place a good synergy of information management for the current disaster, saying it should not be a one off step.

According to him, “This team that has been put in place should not be an ad hoc one. It should

be sustained, equipped, reinforced and sustained so that there would be injection of ideas, materials and gadgets for us to do preventive measures and preevent management and postevent management. What has happened so far about this abduction is that it has been over politicised locally and internationally.”

He urged the Federal Government to put in place “a very good plan to secure our children, particularly those in the schools. We need a formidable security system in the schools.”

The NIPR president called on the terrorists “who still have blood in their veins that what they are doing today they should realise that no matter how much they are paid, they are planting doom for their generations. What you sow is what you will reap. There are often other civil ways of addressing such shortcomings.”

...Education suffers setback in Borno, Yobe due to attacks

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BY SUZAN EDEH

AUCHI — THE Yobe State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Mohammed Lamin, has said that education has suffered serious setback in Borno and Yobe states, following atttacks on schools and students by Boko Haram terrorists.

Lamin spoke, yesterday in Bauchi during the opening of a five-day training workshop for 262 facilitators with the theme: “Revitalization of adult and youth literacy in Nigeria,” organised by Borno and Yobe States’ Agency for Mass Education in collaboration with NMEC and UNESCO. He said the frequent attacks by insurgents in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the two states were discouraging many parents from sending their children to school, hence the level of

education in the state had deteriorated over the past one year.

He said: ”Yobe State, despite the insecurity challenges, had been rated as one of best states doing well in education, but the continuous attacks on schools have prevented students from going to school. ”With a precarious situation like this, the state will continue to record a poor level of education if the security situation in the af-

fected states does not improve.

Some parents have started to relocate their children to schools in the south and other states of the federation where schools are not under attack. ”We are calling in the Federal Government and other donor agencies to come to the aid of Yobe and Borno States by ensuring that education is revitalised as our resources have been overstretched.”

ADUNA — GOV ERNOR Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State has said his administration remains committed to completing all ongoing projects initiated by his predecessors in the state.

Speaking, yesterday, in Kafanchan at the occasion of distribution of empowerment materials to women and youths by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman (PDP, Kaduna South), Governor Yero said it amounts to wastage for government to abandon projects initiated by past administrations.

According to him, “our administration has not and will not dump any projects initiated by regimes before us. While we continue to allocate scarce resources to tackle numerous demands, it is imperative to ensure completion of ongoing projects to ensure prudent spending of public funds.

"It will amount to wastage and retrogression if every administration dumps projects initiated by its predecessors and we shall not fall into such trap."

The governor said the state government had made budgetary provision of N8.2 billion this year to be expended on funding ongoing road projects in Southern Kaduna Zone.

He said: “In Zone Three alone, there are 15 ongoing road projects that have been earmarked for funding in the 2014 budget. While most are at various stages of completion, our administration has successfully completed the Zonkwa-Yarbam road, Tum-Madakiya road and the College of Education Gidan Waya road."

7-day prayer for murdered Emir of Gwoza moved to Maiduguri

BY NDAHI MARAMA

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AIDUGURI — The three and seven-day prayer for the repose of the soul of the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Shehu Idrissa Timta,

who was killed by suspected Boko Haram members during an ambush last Friday, has been shifted to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, following fear of possible attack by the sects.

Vanguard sources said the

three-day prayer was held at the house of his younger brother and former Head of Service in the state, Alhaji Haruna Idrissa Timta, yesterday, in Maiduguri while the seven days prayer would be held at the same venue.

48 —

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

PRESENTATION: From left, Mr. Azuh Arinze, Publisher/Editor-inChief, YES International Magazine; HRH, Oba Joel Ajayi Olonibua, Oniropora of Iropora- Ekiti State; Hon. Dele Alake, foromer Lagos State Commissioner for Information & Strategy, and Mr. Adesina Adetola, during the public presentation of the book, entitled, 'Midnight Whispers - A Collection of Contemporary Poems on Africa, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe

LAUNCH: From left, Godwin Eton, Area Manager, Akwa Ibom, Ecobank: Mr. Kingsley Umadia, Executive Director, South South/South East, Ecobank; Lady Valerie Ebe, Deputy Governor, Akwa Ibom State; Mrs. Ekaette Akpabio, wife of the governor, Akwa Ibom State, and Dr. Precious Gbeneol, Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, at the official launch of MDGs/Family Life Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT, scheme for benefiting households in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

TOUR: From left, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim; Samsung Electronics Brand Ambassador, Ms. Kate Henshaw; Head, Business Development, Information Technology and Mobile, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Olumide Ojo, and Director, Information Technology and Mobile, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas, at Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy 11 World Tour, in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

CONVOCATION: Festus Ahon of Vanguard Newspapers, his wife, Vivian (left), and their son, Christian Ahon, during his graduation ceremony, at Delta State University, Abraka, weekend.

UNVEILING: From left, Mr. Roger Vakayil, Director of Finance, Emirates; Mrs. Ibiye Ekong, Executive Director, South South, Skye Bank Plc; Mrs. Merkie Idowu, Head, InformationTechnology and Channels, Skye Bank Plc, and Mrs. Uloma Egbuna, Managing Director, Tour Brokers International, during the Unveiling of Premier and Priority Banking Summer Holiday Offering by Skye Bank Plc and Emirate, at Lekki, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

PROMO: From left, Somoye Habeeb,Brand & Marketing Manager, Startimes;Andy Liao,Assistant Marketing Diretor, Viju Milk; Anetor Nehemiah Irete, Public Relations Manager, Startimes, and Mrs. Emetoh Esther, Startimes Customer, during the first monthly draw of the ongoing StarTimes ExtraTime promo, in Lagos.

Photo: Akeem Salau

VISIT: From left, Engr. Mohammed Sulaiman, Registrar/Chief Executive, Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM, (Chartered); Dr. Abraham Inikori, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, Oghara; Dr. Nelson Uwaga, President and Chairman of Council, NIM, and Mr. Grant Orugbani, National Treasurer, NIM, during the Institute's courtesy visit to DELSUTH.

ANNIVERSARY: From left, a knight of John Wesley, Methodist Church Nigeria, and Chief Executive Oficer, Unity Hospitals Group Ltd, Sir Charles Oladeinde Williams, presenting an award to the Diocese of Lagos Methodist Church, Nigeria, represented by Babatunde Tandoh, accompanied by his wife, Barr. Olawunmi Tandoh, at the 2014 annual 23rd anniversary of The Light Bearers, Wesley Cathedral, Olowogbowo, Lagos.

PRESENTATION: Mr. Junhwa Jeong, General Manager, Air Conditioning and Energy Solutions, LG Electronics (left), and Mr. Mohammed Fouani, MD, Fouani Nigeria Ltd (right), during presentation of LG Mosquito Away Air Conditioners to the winners, from 2nd left: Mr. Oluwole Mayungbo, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Demuren, Miss Titilope Oyediran, at LG Electronics Competition, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 49

50 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 51

Nigeria requires US$300 billion over 30 years to tackle housing deficit

By JUDE NJOKU

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ITH a housing deficit estimated at a whopping 17 million units, Nigeria would require a minimum investment of US$300 billion ( about N4.8trillion) for housing construction costs alone over the next 30 years, if the dream of providing shelter for these homeless Nigerians would be realised.

Minister of Lands, Housing & Urban Development, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi told participants at the World Bank/IFC 6th Global Housing Finance conference in Washington DC, United States of America, that about one million housing units per annum, would be required to achieve a significant reduction in the national deficit. She put the unit cost of each of the houses at US$10,000, adding that the housing deficit would be eliminated by 2043, if this is done.

Mrs Eyakenyi who spoke on “Affordable housing finance: the role of the government”, identified the most important constraints to housing in the country as lack of access to serviced/titled land and sustainable

long-term finance. She posited that the removal of these two barriers would reduce poverty and assist in the achievement of sustainable development.

The Minister described the provision of affordable housing and urban basic services as a veritable policy instrument for ensuring that the prosperity of the society is shared more rationally and beneficially by the citizenry.

Foreign direct investment She explained that through the approved National Policy on Housing and the National Policy on Urban Development (2012), progress has been made but a great deal still needs to be done.

Mrs Eyakenyi listed some of the measures taken by the present administration to provide a favourable macroeconomic, political and social environment for both local investment and foreign direct investment into the housing sector. They include: •Assistance to developers in the supply of unencumbered

land and promotion of the use of alternative building materials and new technologies in housing delivery.

•Partnering with strong and competent non-government actors for community mobilisation in the delivery of mass housing projects and ensuring amicable resolution of conflicts.

•Creating institutional interventions, including the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission ICRC for the promotion of PublicPrivate Partnerships, PPPs •Strengthening the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria FMBN, for enhanced mortgage penetration •Launch of the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company, in January 2014, with a target to grow the mortgage portfolio ten-fold over the next five years and •Undertaking reforms to strengthen and reposition the Federal Housing Authority, including the on-going process of commercialising the Authority and the development of a Social Housing Bill, which is awaiting passage in the Na-

Mrs Akon Eyakenyi discussing with Simon Walley while Alassane Ba and Xing Quan Zhang watches.

tional Assembly.

The Minister noted that with the launch of the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company, 10, 000 new housing units guaranteed by the Federal government for low and middle income earners, would be delivered at the end of this year (2014).

Aside these measures, Mrs Eyakenyi informed that the primary mortgage institutions PMIs in Nigeria have been recapitalised and transformed into primary mortgage banks PMBs. She declared: “Currently there are about 40

strong PMBs in the country”.

Other policy measures to reduce the rate of homelessness in Nigeria, according to the Minister include; •Development of a National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, NIIMP 2013-2043, with a strong housing and urban development component •Implementation of land swap policy, the development of a roadmap for the housing and urban development Sector and the adoption of the PublicPrivate Partnership, PPP for the delivery of affordable mass housing.

52 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Orchid Court lights up Ikeja GRA landscape

BY KINGSLEYADEGBOYE ESSRS Briscoe P r o p e r t i e s Limited, the real estate subsidiary of R.T. Briscoe Nigeria Plc, has unveiled its 25-unit luxury residential estate in Ikeja GRA, Lagos. Named Orchid Court, the estate comprises family homes and apartments..

Orchid Court, according to the developers “is a delightful gated estate carefully designed to accommodate the needs of today’s housing, while offering exceptional levels of comfort and modern convenience to just 25 families in the serene low density of the area”.

Presenting the estate which is the third to be developed by the company to investors and prospective home owners, the Managing Director, Mrs. Shade Hughes, an architect, said the company had successfully completed ‘Aloe Vera Court’ and ‘Heliconia Court’,located in

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Maryland and Yaba respectively.

On the new estate, she said: “Orchid Court offers elegant apartments built to top unique architectural standards with European-standard finishing materials for your enjoyment now and in the future.

There are seven different types of residential units to choose from at Orchid Court each with its unique view and serene spatial arrangement.

Spatial arrangement “In today’s ever-evolving world of competition, we are proud to differentiate ourselves from our competitors by seven distinctive unique selling points. First, we offer our clients and stakeholders an assurance of capacity for delivery and quality.

Secondly, by providing facility management services, we offer our investors and stakeholders a

•Orchid Court commitment which goes far beyond the initial sale of the property, to ensure your peace of mind today and for years to come.

Buyers of the property, according to Mrs Hughes,

would have a very secure title, with an unexpired residue of 99 years from the year 2005.

The estate is equipped with a private recreation area for the comfort and enjoyment of residents. Other facilities in the

estate include beautiful landscaped outdoors, Children play area, swimming pool, recreational gym, and generous terraces and safety features like electric fence, intercom and video door phone.

Stakeholders endorse Imo’s new international market

By JUDE NJOKU

T

HE proposed multibillion Naira Heartland

Gateway International Market to be sited on 28.097 hectares parcel of land at Mgbidi in the Oru West Local Government Area

of Imo State, has received the endorsement of the Lagos State chapters of Ohaneze Ndigbo and Imo State Towns Development Association, ISTDAL. The Amalgamated Tr a d e r s Association comprising Igbo traders in Lagos, has also given its nod to the development of the ultram o d e r n market. The market is hinged on a design, build, operate and t r a n s f e r, D B O T agreement between the Imo State Government of Nigeria a n d Graceland Channels Ltd. The groups which noted that Ndigbo have invested heavily in Lagos and other parts of the country, lauded the vision behind t h e development of the market.

According to them, it is a bold step to “go back home and open up

Igboland (Akuruo ulo) so that as some of us are getting older, we can now do our business from home (Igboland) and leave our businesses in Lagos and other parts of the country to our younger ones”.

Unveiling the details of the market to these key stakeholders at different fora in Lagos, the promoters led by Chief Meckson Okoro explained that “ after 44 years of neglecting the development of Igboland, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has challenged the Igbos in diaspora by donating a wonderful piece of land along Owerri-Onitsha express way at Mgbidi junction with Oguta, an excellent location, to Graceland Channels Limited, for the development of Heartland Gateway International Market”.

Okoro who is the Principal Partner of M.I. Okoro & Associates, a firm of estate surveyors and valuers and marketing consultant to the project, explained that he is not new to such schemes. He midwifed the development of the multi-billion Naira Auto Spare Parts Market, (ASPAMDA) at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.

The project: Heartland Gateway International Market, according to Chief Okoro, will be the most ambitious international marketing in the country. On completion in the next 24 months, the market will have about 10,000 lock-up and open shops and 3,000 housing units.

“The shops will differ from the usual shed or lock-up shops we are used to in Nigeria. As we can see, the world is now developing into a global village and any

thing like this kind of market must reflect what you see abroad like China, UK or any part of Europe and America,” he said.

The market is envisioned as a multi-purpose commercial and business services centre which will serve as a key destination for Imo state. “The market which will be located along Okwelis-Oguta junction, is proposed highprofile mixed use commercial development which will seat on approximately 28.097 hectares of land which has been fully prepared for this development.

The entire land is presenting housing a market which will be demolished to give way to the new development,” Okoro explained.

Giving further details, he said, “Shop sizes include 8sqmetres, 12sqm, and 16sqm. More than 80 units of warehouses, each measuring 68sqm, will be provided to take care of the needs of those who may want to store their goods”. Prominent ancillary facilities earmarked for the scheme include banks, a trailer park, a car mart, food court, ample car parks, a clinic, Creche and good roads network. Others are a modern police station, fire stations, sewage treatment plants, waste management networks and international and medium sized hotels.

Participation: Chief Okoro disclosed that his firm and the developer -Graceland Channels Limited- have secured the participation of First Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank and Keystone in the scheme. These banks will coordinate traders and other stakeholders financial contributions.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 53

Dangote demands enforcement of new cement standards

BYEMMANUELELEBEKE

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HE President of Real Es tate Developers Association of Nigeria, REDAN, Chief Emmanuel Olabode Afolayan has assured Nigerians that the 10,000 housing units promised by the Federal government, would be delivered before the end of this year. Chief Afolayan disclosed this in a chat with Vanguard Homes & Property in Abuja.

“As a responsible body saddled with the responsibility of supplying the market, we took it upon ourselves and ever since then, we have been working with relevant bodies including the office of the coordinating minister and supervising ministry. Today, I am reassuring the public that those houses will be built and will be available in a short time. We are •An estate under construction aware of the fact that we are running out of time, but by our own programme, the construction of these house will commence in June.

On our own, we have called a meeting of our members who have expressed their interest. For us, is the advocacy programme. We discovexpression of interest is beyond intenered that the financial institutions we tion. We have asked them to provide us have been talking to, see it as a direcwith information and such information tive of government and the response must be substantiated with facts and fighas been very good,” he said. ures,’’ he said.

REDAN he said, has received the The REDAN President was optimistic backing of Nairobi-Kenya based Shelthat the association would invite the ter Afrique. The continental mortgage President and his ministers to flag off finance institution would act as an adthe construction of these houses in June, visor to the developers. It will also synnot only in Abuja but across the entire dicate the funds for the construction of length and breadth of Nigeria”. the houses. Shelter Afrique is owned Afolayan said the government is not by 44 African countries, including Niproviding REDAN members with money geria which is the largest shareholder. to build the houses. However, it is pro“What gladdens our heart is that for viding the enabling environment. the first time, Shelter Afrique is look“We might have the money but may ing at the possibilities of providing not be in a position to come up with that funds for us in Naira denominated cost kind of structure and another thing govso that the risk aspect of the foreign exernment is doing through the ministers change will be eliminated completely.

BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

D

REDAN pledges to deliver FG’s 10,000 housing units in December We are mindful that we are going to borrow; instead of reaching out to beneficiaries individually; we have decided to come up with the approach of meeting people in a group. We have written letters and identified key and essential workers through their unions, so that these houses will be built across the country. We are reaching out to local government employees, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Police, aviation workers etc because we do not want to build for a speculative market. We want to build for a target market,” the REDAN boss said.

On the sourcing of building materials, Afolayan said REDAN is already talking to major dealers on building materials.

World Bank, AfDB, others back Nigeria’s water and sanitation with $638m

BY FUNMI OLASUPO

A

S part of efforts to boost water supply and improve sanitation in the country, the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), French Development Agency (FDA), and Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), have pledged to support Nigeria with a new financial commitment. of $638million The Country Directors of the donor agencies announced the new financial commitment in Abuja during a two-day workshop on: “Strengthening the Implementation of Urban Water Sector Reform in Nigeria.”

The World Bank Country Director, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly disclosed that the bank had provided a support bank financing of $250 million for the third phase of water sector reform in Bauchi, Rivers, Ekiti, and Cross River state.

She said the lack of access to water and sanitation in Nigeria was not acceptable, adding that women spend months looking for safe drinking water. She called for increase water coverage in the rural parts of the country.

The Deputy Country Director AfDB, Mrs. Babara Barungi said the bank was providing a finance facility of $205million to boost water supply and sanitation in Rivers State. According to her, the bank has since 1986, invested $760million in the sector. She called for improved financial management in states where the projects are located.

The French Development Agency AFD, Country Director, Hubert Dogin said the agency will assist Ogun State with $33million in its urban water reform project.

He said the funds will assist the World Bank investment in its third phase programme to increase access to water, sanitation.

On its part, the JICA Country Director, Seki Tetsuo said the Agency is approving $150million on development of water facilities.

He said JICA was working towards building capacities of State Water Board Agencies to improve the provision of utilities to consumers.

Responding,, the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe said that

despite the intervention of the donor agencies, the states were not doing well in implementing the urban water sector reform.

She urged governors of benefiting states to give support and create enabling environment for the project to thrive.

Ochekpe said: “We are now close to ten years into the implementation and none of the five project states have achieved the much envisaged sustainability status in terms of appropriate institutional frame work, financial viability, and reliable service to customers. “This is a cause for concerns that beckons for urgent need for robust and appropriate actions and synergies that would turn around the situation.

With the collaborative, solemn, and concerted efforts of participants and donor partners, I believe there would be continuous improvement in our water sector. I therefore call on governments of the benefiting states to create necessary environment and give strong support toward the effective implementation of the reform programmes in their respective states.” the minister said.

ANGOTE Cement Plc has called on the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON to immediately begin the enforcement of the standardization and classification of cement in order to rid the nation of sub-standard cement and the attendant incidents of structure failures.

The company which hailed the move by SON to review standardization of cement in the country, said it would finally resolve the problem of substandard cement in Nigeria which is seen as a major factor responsible for collapsed buildings in the country.

Making the call last week in Lagos at a media parley organised by Dangote Cement to make its position known on the controversy surrounding the new classification of cement types, Mr. Ekanem Etim, a director at Dangote cement, said the review came too late, after the nation and its citizens had been subjected to harrowing experience of loss of lives and properties. He enjoined the regulatory agency to spare no further time to enforce the implementation of the new standard.

“It is only economic saboteurs and profiteers that would kick against the new standard for cement production,as other countries of the world have moved up beyond the level and the low grade being canvassed by some of the manufacturers opposed to the new standard,” Etim said.

He explained that the Technical Committee of the SON which comprised stakeholders in the building and construction industry including all cement manufacturers, met to review the standards in the wake of wide spread protest against the collapse of structures across the country in which accusing fingers were pointed at low quality of cement.

“The Committee at the end of the meeting came up with a review of the standard and classified cement into three grades and stipulated their exclusive uses to guide against misapplication and adulteration. A report on the reviewed standard was adopted and forwarded to the SON Governing Council which looked at the reviewed standard and approved it before sending it to the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry for final approval for implementation.

54—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 BRIEFS

DAY 50

Shettima to relocate escaped Spain’s monarch, Juan Carlos Chibok school girls to other quits states S M

By NDAHI MARAMA

AIDUGURI— THE Borno State Government is to relocate the escaped abducted Chibok school girls to other schools in Zaria, Abuja or Lagos in order to complete their secondary education.

An American counsellor has also been hired to enable the girls forget their trauma following the ugly experience.

The counsellor will be invited to Maiduguri for the 57 escaped school girls, as parents do not want to part with their children and wards, during the counseling sessions.

Each of the schoolgirl, would complete their secondary education at the cost of N1.5 million.

However, the school girls and their parents who were at the Government House, Maiduguri, yesterday, declined to speak to newsmen, as they kept sealed lips throughout their stay.

The completion of educating programme for abducted the school girls was made known yesterday at the Government House, when Governor Kashim Shettima had a closed door meeting with their parents, the Chairman of Chibok Local Government Area, Mr. Bana Lawan and the school girls.

It was also learnt that 32 parents, 27 school girls and the the local government chairman, attended the meeting where the governor announced the relocation programme for the school girls in any of the three cities in the country.

His words: “The abduction of Chibok school girls by the Boko Haram gunmen, does not only affect parents here present in this council chamber, but all of us, including my humble self and other stakeholders in Borno State. I have daughters too; and as a leader, people’s lives and property must be protected, including the rehabilitation of traumatised girls and their parents. These

girls have no any other place to go.

“We have no plans to politicise the abduction of over 200 innocent school girls from their school on April 14, 2014 by suspected Boko Haram gunmen. If any person has doubts about the abduction of the Chibok school girls; let him or her go to the affected town and meet

the parents.

“We are taking these girls here in this council chamber to a school in either Zaria, Abuja or Lagos, but we will not disclose the name of the secondary schools in which they will complete their secondary education, which has been interrupted by their abductions since April."

The Australian cleric, Dr. Stephen Davis, said to have been hired by President Goodluck Jonathan, to negotiate for the release of the Chibok girls, who were abducted in their school on April 15.

Educate a girl, end insurgency, says US Pulitzer prize winner

U

S Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and columnist, Nicholas Kristof, has said that education of the girl child will end the Nigerian insurgency.

“The greatest threat to militancy in the long run comes not from drones but from girls with schoolbooks,” Kristof said.

In a documentary on BringBackOurGirls yesterday by Yahoo news, the award winner

added that: “The government is responsible for protecting its students.

The biggest treasure isn’t oil, it’s children.”

Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi OkonjoIweala also expressed outrage over the missing girls. She thanked business leaders for coming together in support of the missing girls and helping to launch a safe schools initiative.

WIMBIZ joins bring back our girls' campaign

By PROVIDENCEOBUH AGOS—THE Women in Management, Business and Public Service, WIMBIZ, yesterday joined the bring back our girls campaign, through its Town Hall Meeting.

The WIMBIZ town hall meeting was organised with the aim of proffering practical solutions that individuals, NGOs, CSOs, communities and corporate organisations can apply in the immediate, short and long term to address the challenges facing the girl child particularly in the

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troubled areas of northern Nigeria.

A summary of the issues discussed at the meeting showed that the situation in Borno State had lingered because Nigerians until recently did not appreciate the devastation, chaos and trauma caused by the insurgency in the north.

Speaking, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Adefulire, said that the state was ready to give support, whenever it was called upon, urging that everyone remain should security conscious.

PAIN’S King Juan Carlos is abdicating after almost 40 years on the throne and his son Prince Felipe de Borbon will succeed him, the Spanish prime minister has announced.

Juan Carlos, whose health is failing and has had a number of hip operations in recent years, is stepping down for personal reasons, Mariano Rajoy said yesterday.

“His majesty, King Juan Carlos, has just communicated to me his will to give up the throne,” Rajoy said.

“I found the king convinced that this is the best moment to change the head of state in all normality and for the transition of the crown to the Prince of Asturias (Prince Felipe),” he said.

Prince Felipe, a former Olympic yachtsman, has been relatively un-

King Juan Carlos scathed by the scandals that battered others in the family.

Juan Carlos’s daughter, Princess Cristina, and her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, are under investigation in a corruption case.

Once popular Juan Carlos, 76, who helped smooth Spain’s transition to democracy in the 1970s after the Francisco Franco dictatorship, has lost public support in recent years due to corruption scandals and gaffes.

His popularity also dipped following royal scandals, including an elephant-shooting trip he took in the middle of Spain’s financial crisis that tarnished the monarch’s image.

The Botswana trip, which came to light after he broke his right hip and was flown home for surgery, undermined the king’s earlier declarations that he lost sleep thinking about unemployed young people.

Malawi’s new president wows China

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ALAWI newly elected president has said his country will look for “ new friends” in countries such as China and Russia.

Peter Mutharika said yesterday that economic

stability and national unity would be the focus of his government. ''We will continue with traditional relationships, but we are now looking for new friends in emerging economies such as Brazil, China,

Malawi's new president Peter Mutharika, acknowledging cheers from supporters.

India, South Africa and Russia “We will continue with traditional relationships, but we are now looking for new friends in emerging economies such as Brazil, China, India, South Africa and Ru s s i a , ” M u t h a r i k a said.

Mutharika, who takes power in one of the world’s poorest countries where 40 percent of the budget comes from aid, said the donor nations were “ welcome to stay”.

His inauguration ceremony on Monday, at a stadium in the commercial capital Blantyre, was boycotted by outgoing president Joyce Banda.

Republicans slam Obama over Bowe Bergdahl swap

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EPUBLICANS are suggesting President Obama might have conceded too much in winning the freedom of prisoner of war Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. But the president isn’t likely to see it that way.

He broke the laws that govern transfers at Guantánamo Bay. He has strengthened the enemies of the Afghan government that the United

States has fought to establish with blood and treasure for a decade.

Mr. Obama has opened himself to all these charges with his decision to transfer five high-level Taliban detainees from Guantánamo to Qatar Saturday in exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the only US prisoner of war in Afghanistan.

Yet in the administration’s answers to all these

criticisms, it becomes apparent that this weekend’s prisoner swap is about more than Sergeant Bergdahl. It is a statement of Obama’s deeply held views about American foreign policy, which unapologetically sees the world in innumerable shades of gray and are willing to challenge how the country has conducted itself internationally in the past.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 55

56—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

How the West beats the rest of us

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HE late Guyanese scholar and po litical activist, Walter Rodney, years ago wrote a masterpiece titled “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.” Today, he might have done some re-thinking and come up with another title that could read “How African leaders further underdeveloped Africa.”

The West does not beat us in intellectual aptitude. Sometime ago, I was surfing the Internet when I came across the name, IlesanmiAdesida, a man of Nigerian origin. He is the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,the flag-ship university in the state of Illinois, and one of the prominent academic institutions in the United States. It turned out that from 1985 to 1987, Adesida served as the Head of the Electrical Engineering Department at TafawaBalewa University, Bauchi state.

Another name I am more familiar with is that of Pat Obi, a long-time finance professor at Purdue University, Calumet in Indiana. He was recently named the White Lodging Professor of Finance in Hospitality and Tourism Management, an endowed and high-profile position in recognition of his sterling contributions within and outside the academic community.

Where did his academic journey begin?

As a student at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) in Enugu state.

You can multiply such names in the U.S. and other countries in the so-called developed world to show that in terms of matters cerebral in academic and non-ac-

ing in money that was four times more than the U.S. allocation to infrastructure.

President Obama’s ideas are not a piece of novelty. As a military officer governing what used to be Nigeria’s Bendel State, Brigadier Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, used to pay attention to road network development in his state. In those days, once you drove into Bendel State you had a good feeling and enjoyed a smooth ride until you left the state to once more face the terror of tumbledown and dangerous roads. Partly because of the good roads in Bendel, the state’s transport corporation known as Bendel Line was such a thriving business that the private transportation businesses in the state were given a run for their money. Brigadier Ogbemudia did not have to be a native of a developed nation to understand the importance of good infrastructure in any economy.

In his book, “The Trouble with Nigeria” the late sage of literature, Chinua Achebe, sarcastically described the roads in his country as places you dared not claim much familiarity with. He expressed the thought that the good road you used in the morning may have been reduced to a series of trenches in the evening by workers from the ministry of works who do more damage to roads in the name of repairing them. He elegantly put it that our highways are full of surprises.

Businesses will naturally gravitate towards where there is good and efficiently run infrastructure. A road journey that takes two hours to accomplish in Europe and the U.S. might be undertaken in trice the time in most African and developing nations. Businesses done in such an One of the crucial areas where governenvironment will have to pass on the ments in West beat their African countercost of proparts is in paying attention to infrastructure extra duction to hapless development consumers. And that inevitably ademic circles, Africa can always stand leads to the recycling of poverty and disshoulder-to-shoulder with the West. Sad- tress among the people.

Political posturing aside, President ly, the comparison ends where our governments start. One of the crucial areas Obama’s visit to Tarrytown is a dire warnwhere governments in West beat their Af- ing that while the Republican Party stalrican counterparts is in paying attention warts in Congress are stone wwalling over to infrastructure development. But for the the issue of refurbishing the U.S. road advent of cellphone technology, some of network, the country might begin the slide us old enough to recall the terror that was into economic doom. Already, some of the the Nigerian telecommunications sector, experts are beginning to classify some airwould not wish that that era ever returned. ports in the country as fit for a ‘third world’ However, this piece is about transporta- economy.

But, here is the irony. What President tion sector, and more precisely the road/ Obama sees as decadence about the roads highway and bridge networks.

At the beginning of the month of May, might be an aspiration in several developPresident Obama traveled to a small vil- ing nations. Last summer, I visited Kuwait lage called Tarrytown in Westchester Coun- and was enthused over their elegant road ty (New York) and made a forceful case for network. You might argue that Kuwait is his country to spend more on infrastruc- virtually a city-state that has billions of petture rebuilding and maintenance. His ad- rodollars. True, but someone had the good ministration has already come up with a sense to invest some of the money in good $302 billion program to revamp road net- road network.

The road network is one area most of works and bridges in the U.S. The program is expected to add about 700,000 jobs Africa cannot compete with the West. Good to the U.S. economy. In his speech, the roads give a boost to commercial activipresident said something that sounds like ties, create jobs and make traveling a fun an eternal truth: “Businesses are going to thing, that is, if you are in a part of our come where there’s good infrastructure.” world where the leaders have not made it He then warned that the U.S. risked lag- their mission to underdevelop their counging behind, as China was even plough- tries.

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014—57

We've left Labour for Bamidele — Former LP members

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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NE man’s meat is another man’s poison, so original members of Labour Party, LP have said in their denunciation of the take over of the party by Opeyemi Bamidele and his supporters.

It was as such not surprising that the LP over the weekend suffered a major set back when scores of its members dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC). Their grouse was that the national leadership of the party offered the party to Bamidele without considering the interest of the original founders of the party in the state.

The defectors, who were led by a former deputy chairman of the party, Mr. Ojo Ademola, also had Mr. Adedamola Tayo, Hon. Ajiboye, Ojumoola Olayemi, Comrade Sola Ajayi, Mr. Peter Ademilua and Faleyimu

•Bamidele Ademilua as defectors.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, the former deputy chairman of the party, said those parading as members of the Labour Party in Ekiti State were

Lack of water: Bamidele

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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OVERNORSHIP candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele has berated Governor Kayode Fayemi for his inability to provide portable water for residents of Ekiti State after over three years in office.

Bamidele disclosed this in Ikun Oba Ekiti in Ekiti East Local government, where he held political meetings with people of the community.

The LP governorship candidate attributed Fayemi’s failure to make water available to Ekiti residents to poor planning, implementation and administrative incompetence.

He also lamented the governor’s failure in the water sector which he described as very critical to corruption as allegedly experienced in all ongoing water projects in the state.

He condemned the development despite existence of three major dams in Ekiti now, some of which functioned last under old Ondo State government.

He listed the inherited dams to include those of Egbe, Ureje, Ero and Itapaji dams, which are spread the three senatorial districts of Ekiti.

Bamidele, who cited instance of the re-awarded multi-million naira Ero Dam project given to Biwater Ltd by Fayemi administration as a monumental fraud said “the current administration in the last three and half years could not give water to Ekiti people due to

a few disgruntled PDP members whom Bamidele brought with him when he joined the LP. He maintained that original members of the party had all left due to the commando-like manner in which Bamidele hijacked the party structure.

Ademola said he was shocked when the LP governorship candidate, who complained of being muscled in the defunct ACN, joined the LP and out of desperation to contest the governorship election in the state “threw all caution to the wind by subverting democratic principles to install his cronies who were hitherto PDP members as executive members of the Labour Party.”

He explained that they chose to join the APC due to the unrivaled performance of the incumbent governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who “is the only governorship candidate in the state who has

berates Fayemi

corruption, incompetence and maladministration”.

He added that “Ekiti has four major dams including other ones spread across the state, yet Governor Fayemi can not give water to the people despite several millions of naira pumped into these projects.

Besides, he boasted that “my government when elected shall serve you people, it shall give you water to drink and other basic needs. Any government that fails to give the people water to drink is a failure as you have seen since 2010 October. Go to Ero Dam in Irepodun/Ifelodfun local government for instance, they claim to have re-awarded

•Fayemi that contract to Biwater Ltd at several millions of naira, yet we didn’t see water to drink. "

demonstrated seriousness through the public presentation of his second term manifesto.”

The other candidates, he said, have been busy trying to mudsling the governor and have not been able to tell the electorate in specific terms what they would do better if elected.

He said “as far as I am concerned, they have been

Ekiti Doctors’ strike:

Fayose chides Fayemi

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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HE PDP candidate, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has berated the State Governor and APC candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi for the strike action embarked upon by all doctors in the State.

He said: “The governor ’s refusal to pay Doctors in the State General Hospitals the Consolidate Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) is a show of insensitivity to the plights of the people.”

Reacting to the doctors strike through the DirectorGeneral of the Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO), Chief Dipo Anisulowo, the PDP candidate said it was wrong for the governor to have stopped the payment of CONMESS that was being paid before he became governor.

Doctors in the State General Hospitals embarked on an indefinite strike action last week Friday, to demand for the payment of

••Bamidele a master of mischief — EKSG

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HE Ekiti State Government yesterday described Opeyemi Bamidele, the LP candidate a mischief maker for allegedly trying to play politics with the issue of water supply in the state.

The government in a reaction through the State Commissioner of Information, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo, said it was quite unfortunate that Mr. Bamidele who should know better has chosen to play politics with facts.

The Commissioner pointed out that Dr. Fayemi had made the perennial problem of water one of his priority projects and had been addressing it since he mounted the saddle over 3 years ago, the way an inexperienced Bamidele would not have done.

“Lack of potable water is a national problem, but the

pragmatic and intensified efforts of the state government towards eradicating scarcity and improving accessibility to hygienic water has improved the state ranking as one of the best two (2) in the water sector in the country,” Ekundayo said, adding: “To show that we have concrete plans in place to combat water problems, we on assumption of office in October 2010 met water provision at 25% and we have been able to increase it to 57% three years after.

We are approaching the problem in a three-pronged manner: The short, medium and long terms.

“For the short term, so many boreholes have been sunk in many communities. For the medium term, we have completed and commissioned five miniwaterworks in Ido Ile, Efon, Erijiyan, Okemesi and Maryhill

providing us comic relief. The other thing that I notice they have been doing is going about with imported thugs to unleash terror on Ekiti people”.

Receiving the defectors, the Interim Chairman of APC in Ekiti State, Chief Jide Awe, promised that they would be treated as equals with other members of the party.

in Ado Ekiti, while for the long term, water pipes are being laid in addition to the ongoing turnaround maintenance of Ero Dam for which government has released N1.4billion.”

Ekundayo recalled that the last time water pipes were laid was during the era of the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. But the present government is laying new pipes state-wide spanning 400 kilometers to replace the dilapidated ones and they are near completion.

The commissioner also flayed Bamidele for trying to drag the traditional ruler of Ikun Oba, Oba Timothy Oluwagbohunmi Ibiyinka, into his mudslinging, saying that it was typical of MOB to distort the view of the traditional rulers and exploiting such for his own political advantage.

•Fayose CONMESS, while their colleagues in the State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti joined the strike today.

Fayose said; “With the strike action, the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ido-Ekiti is the only public hospital functioning in Ekiti State, and what sick people and their relations will be going through now is better imagined than experienced.

“Painfully, Fayemi is going on as if nothing is amiss simply because, himself and his family members are not affected with the strike".

In addition, he said: “In Ekiti state today, pensioners are being owed their pension and gratuity, students are being owed bursary, health workers are not paid their Consolidated Health Salary Structure, doctors are not being paid their CONMESS, Civil Servants and Local Council workers are being owed leave bonus, yet Fayemi is spending billions of public fund on his reelection.

“Ekiti people should therefore vote out Fayemi and his oppressive and inhuman government on June 21 and return PDP to power so that our people can begin to enjoy what is due to them.”

58 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Confab on Subsidy: From left, Okoye Festus discussing on Fuel Subsidy with Senator Shuni Ladan and Comrade Issa Aremu at National Conference in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan

Delegates lament non-payment of allowances for 6 weeks •Delegates' aides, drivers kick over welfare packages

BY HENRY UMORU AND LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

B

ARRING security respite today, the National Conference may witness some disruption following the inability of the secretariat to respond to welfare packages demands made on it by aides and drivers of delegates.

The matter which had raged on for a while now, however, assumed a disturbing dimension on Monday when the Deputy Chairman of the conference, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi read a petition written to the Inspector General Police (IGP) by the aides.

According to him, the aides had resolved to stage a peaceful protest today to press home their demands.

This came on a day delegates lamented that they had not been paid their allowances for six weeks.

Akinyemi, who explained that the Federal Government did not make any monetary provisions for the helps of the delegates said that the conference would not allow any form of disruption, stressing that security men might be unleashed on the aides should they go ahead with the planned protest.

He said :”We have a letter referred to us by the IGP because

the aides and drivers of delegates have petitioned the IGP. The IGP has referred this to us. Now, the Honourable Chairman appealed to delegates to appeal to aides and drivers. We don’t want an unpleasant situation. If you can’t control these aides and drivers, the security men will.

“So, please talk to your aides and drivers, don’t give the impression that they are doing this with your connivance. The Police now are under instructions to ensure that nothing disrupts our work here. We’ve explained we didn’t draw up our budget.

Government drew up this budget and gave it to us and made no provision for your aides and

NPA yet to remit N713b to FG since 2009

T

HERE were revelations yesterday that the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA has refused to remit a total sum of N713 billion to the Federation Account for a period of six years from 2009 to 2014.

According to the report of the Senator Adamu Aliero led Committee on Public Finance, which came under consideration at plenary, the NPA, which raked in N172 billion as of May 2014 as internally generated revenue, did not remit any kobo to the Federation Account.

The report disclosed that N91 billion was recorded as revenue by the NPA in 2009 while only N5.2 billion was returned as “remitted to federation account.”

The Committee, which alleged that the authority operates under an ambiguous and faulty

framework that needed to be amended, cited lack of information on the form and content of concession agreement as part of the bait used by the NPA to perpetrate the high level fraud.

“The level of remittance when compared to revenue is ridiculously low and unstable in spite of the Authority ’s explanation that a large percentage of the revenue was expended on operating costs and capital expenditure,” it said, adding that “information on concessionaires were not disclosed.”

The Committee therefore sought amendment of NPA’s law “regarding remittance of its surplus”to remove any provisions that contravene Section 162 of the constitution as

it affected remittance of revenues into the federation account. “The laws of the Nigerian Port Authority and Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency should be harmonized to avoid conflicts and promote collaboration and synergy.”

According to statistical findings by the Committee, in 2010, the NPA generated N102 billion and remitted N3.5billion, amounting to 3.5 per cent. In 2011, N120billion was generated, but a paltry N1billion was remitted, representing 0.8 per cent. In 2012, it generated N128billion and remitted N17.8billion, amounting to 13 per cent while in 2013 the agency realised N131billion and remitted N3.2billion, representing 2.4 per cent.

drivers. We are appealing to you to help us avoid any ugly incident that may happen.”

Responding to the letter when debate was opened on it, a Labour Party delegate, Dan Iwuanyanwu in a rather

surprising manner told Akinyemi that the protest plan may have been masterminded by the aides of the secretariat.

The issue further opened a sore part which was the non payment of allowances of the delegates.

He said: “The last time you gave us notice of the intended protest, I personally did my own investigation. It may also shock you to know that you may also talk to your aides and drivers, because they are behind it. They are complaining about their own welfare.

“I expect that the secretariat should also make provisions for them. Maybe they are not aware that you have not paid us here for accommodation and transport for six weeks and yet we are coming.

“Some of the empty seats you see here, they’ve driven them from hotel because hotel bill is paid upfront. It is not in arrears, but those of us committed to this cause, we are here. Six weeks you have not paid the delegates in this house.

“Maybe the drivers and the security men should also be told that everything is not about money but we advise you also talk to your security men, your own staff because they are complaining that you are not taking care of them.”

Clearing the fog, Akinyemi told the delegates that the presiding officers of the conference hadn’t

Organised Labour, CSOs oppose fuel subsidy removal

T

HE Organised Labour and Civil Society Delegates yesterday kicked against the removal of fuel subsidy as recommended by Committee on Public Finance and Revenue.

According to the Organised Labour, more than 70 per cent of productive activity in the economy rely almost exclusively on PMS power generators for their electricity generation asked the delegates to throw out the recommendation.

In a motion by the Joint Labour and Civil Society Delegation led by the President, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Omar Abdulwaheed; PresidentGeneral, Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Boboi Kaigama; Civil Society Delegation leader, Mr. Femi Falani (SAN); NLC Acting General Secretary, Chris Ufot; TUC General Secretary, Musa Lawal; and a civil society delegation, Jaye Gaskia and cosponsored by 41 others, they warned that if the recommendation sailed through and approved by the government, it was not only capable of inflaming passions, it would also provoke another round of of crisis comparable if not bigger than the anti-fuel subsidy removal protests of

January 2012.

Opposing the removal, the delegates attributed the huge sum being paid on subsidy to what they termed, “ monumental corruption in the management of subsidy regime, adding that the prostrate state of power generation has given rise to the fact that homes and small businesses generate more than 80 per cent of their own power needs, adding, “This is exemplified by the fact that subsidy payments before 2010 was below N600bm annually, whereas this figure jumped to N2.5tn in 2012, and dropped to N2.3 tn in 2013 after the mass and popular anti-subsidy removal protests of January 2012.

“The impunity that encourages and drives this monumental corruption, such that although daily consumption rate for PMS jumped from below 30 million litters per day up to3011 to almost 60 million litres per day in 2011, before dropping to 39 million litres per day in 2012, and lower than 38 million litres per day in 2013 without anyone ever being successfully indicted, prosecuted and punished for perpetrating, perpetuating, and providing official protection of this monumental corruption.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 59

N

I G E R I A ’ s preparation for the Brazil 2014 Fifa World Cup will step up a notch when the Super Eagles take on the Greek national team in an international friendly in Pennsylvania, United States at the PPL Park, Chester 12 am tonight..

Coach Stephen Keshi has pruned down his 30man squad to the final 23 that will wear Nigeria’s colours at the prestigious tournament.

It is expected that Keshi will use this game to test the core of his squad after reliables like John Obi Mikel, Vincent Enyeama and Kenneth Omeruo were left out of the 2-2 with Scotland at Craven Cottage last week.

Like the proverbial shepherd tending his flock, Keshi will look to lead his charges into the game to see how far the team have come and what he needs to do in time for Nigeria’s opening Group F fixture against Iran on June 16.

Greece are certainly no pushovers and they have continued in the same manner that saw them conquer Europe at Portugal 2004 where they stunned the World by adopting an ultra defensive formation principled by German coach, Otto Renhagel.

Coach Fernando Santos, will look to polish his wards as they also get set for the World Cup where they will face Colombia, Ivory Coast and Japan in Group C. The June 3 meeting with Greece will be the fourth time the Super Eagles will engage the Greek national team at senior level.

Nigeria edged Greece 2-0 in 1994 at the Foxboro Stadium, United States of America in her maiden World Cup appearance. Goals

THANK YOU ALL . . . Super Eagles’ striker Peter Odemwingie (2ndL) thanks the fans after their international friendly match against Scotland at Craven Cottage in London ahead of the FIFA World Cup . Photo: AFP

Eagles set for Greek test from now assistant coach, Daniel Amokachi and Finidi George gave Nigeria victory on the day.

Greece beat Nigeria 20 in a friendly international in November 1999 in Kilkis with Nikos Machlas

gritty 2-2 draw with Scotland at Fulham’s Craven Cottage where the Super Eagles had to come twice from behind to claim a late draw.

Keshi started the game with a second string side and must have seen enough for him to

decipher what needs to be done to make his players as cohesive as he would want them to be.

Goals from Michael Uchebo and Uche Nwofor late on salvaged a draw for the Super Eagles. The team were

brilliant in patches and Keshi will surely want a wholesome consistent game from his players when they play Greece.

Santos’ wards played out a goalless draw with Portugal last Sunday in an international friendly towards the World Cup.

Danagogo deplores state of facilities at National stadium Lagos

BY JACOB AJOM & EDDIE AKALONU

A •Danagogo

Chosen ones

Continues from BP ENG),Ogenyi Onazi, Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers), Gabriel Reuben (Beveren/BEL), Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis/SPA), Sunday Mba (CA Bastia/FRA), Michael Uchebo (Cercle Brugge/BEL) Forwards: Ahmed

scoring both goals. The last time the two teams met, Nigeria lost 2-1 to the Greeks at the Fifa World Cup in South Africa, where Sani Kaita got sent off as Greece rallied back from a goal down to beat Nigeria.

Nigeria played out a

Musa (CSKA Moscow/ RUS), Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United/ ENG), Victor Moses (Liverpool/ENG), Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce/TUR), Osaze Odemwingie, Nnamdi Oduamadi (Varese/ITA)

S is traditional with every sports minister appointed in recent times, the new Sports Minister, Dr Tamuno Danagogo visited the National Stadium Lagos yesterday and was startled by what he saw of the state of facilities in the complex.

Addressing sports journalists after a factfinding tour of the sports city which was followed by a meeting with staff of the National Sports Commission, the minister said, the poor state of facilities at the national stadium was unacceptable and that everything would be done to rectify the situation.

The minister expressed helplessness in the face of the dilapidated state of facilities, saying that government operate on budget. “We can only act when the budget for the repair of facilities is released.But be rest assured that everything would be done to ensure the facilities are given a face lift soon.”

He recalled the Presidential Retreat on Sports held last year in Abuja and said a committee had been formed to look into the recommendations of the retreat and point the way forward.

“We will follow the road map as expounded in the recommendations of the presidential retreat and implement them.”

The minister harped on the benefits of Public Private Participation in the development of sports and pointed out that government would encourage every initiative that will attract private participation in the scheme.

“We want to explore ways that can bring the private sector into sports development,” he said, adding, “we want them to see sports as some form of business.”

Eto’o ridicules Mourinho again F

ORMER Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has for the third time insulted Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho after scoring for Cameroon in a friendly game against Germany that ended 2-2 on Sunday

night.

Mourinho, earlier in the just concluded season said on camera that the quality of the strikers were poor, and suggested that Eto’o could be older than he claims to be.

The 33-year-old striker

netted the first goal against Joachim Low’s side on Sunday, and repeated the celebration he first unveiled against Tottenham where he held his back in mock pain and used the corner flag as a walking stick.

60— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Drogba, Toure warn Eagles over Bosnia I

V O R I A N international Kolo Toure has sounded a note of warning to African champion, Nigeria ahead of the 2014 Fifa World Cup finals in Brazil.

Toure is full of respect for one of Nigeria’s group opponents at the finals, BosniaHerzegovina, which he described as a side full of “top players”.

“Bosnia have top players. Emir Spahic will be one of the better defenders at the World Cup,” Toure said during the post-match conference after the Ivorians lost 1-2 to Bosnia-Herzegovina in a friendly international decided at Edward Jones Dome on May 30.

Toure’s international teammate, Didier Drogba, went a step further to describe the Dragons as “ very dangerous team with star players.” “ ( B o s n i a Herzegovina) have yet to show their best at the World Cup. It’s a very dangerous team with star players,” he said.

Nigeria and BosniaHerzegovina will go head to head in a Group F game at the 2014 World Cup on June 21 at Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá.

Brazil 2014: Adamu tips Eagles for quarter-finals

F

ORMER FIFA and CAF Executive Committee member, Dr. Amos Adamu, has tipped the Super Eagles of Nigeria to get to the quarter-finals of the Brazil 2014 World Cup, as he declared that the present crop of players in the teamaregoodenoughtotake the country to that stage of the competition and even beyond.

He stated in Lagos yesterday that, Nigerians should be confident that the Eagles will compete favourably against all the top teams in Brazil despite the average performance against Scotland in last week’s friendly international.

Adamu advised that, ecstatic Nigerian soccer fans should wait to see the Eagles play their first game against Iran in Group F of the World Cup.

Chelsea reject Inter bid for Mikel

French Open Wozniacki, Serena hook up in Miami

C

HELSEA have turned down a bid by Inter Milan for Nigeria star Mikel Obi. Inter, who are looking to strengthen ahead of a UEFA Europa League and Serie A campaign, have moved their attentions to the English Premier League.

Nigeria midfielder Mikel is the player who has caught the attention of the Nerazzurri and they have approached the London club to try and initiate a deal.

Reports in the English newspaper, The Daily Mirror, suggest that Inter have initially inquired about a loan move for the 27-year-old midfielder, but that has been refuted by Chelsea, who have in turn responded by making the player available for a 11 million price. The Nigerian star, who moved to Stamford Bridge after a controversial transfer in 2006, has gone on to make over 300 appearances for ‘The Blues’.

•Drogba

Germany name one striker in final World Cup squad

J

OACHIM Löw has made the final three cuts to his Germany World Cup squad with Shkodran Mustafi, Marcel Schmelzer and Kevin Volland missing out.

There is only one striker, the veteran Miroslav Klose, listed in the final group of 23, although Lukas Podolski, André Schürrle and Thomas Müller provide a significant attacking threat from midfield.

As their training camp wrapped up, Low said: “I was amazed at how all the players presented themselves in South Tyrol.

“Each individual has worked excellently. Players have done what I ask for. It is very hard to make this decision and Shkodran, Marcel and Kevin are naturally very disappointed. I understand that as they had every right to hope to be going to Brazil.

“Of all the players selected I have 100% confidence. We have the right mix of youth and talent and players with lots of experience. Our squad is balanced, with two play-

Girl power: Caroline Wozniacki (right) poses with BFF Serena Williams on the beach in Miami

C

AROLINE Wozniacki and Serena Williams helped each other get over their early French Open exits as they hit Miami Beach on Saturday.

The two spent some quality time together in their sexy swimwear. Serena went for a leopard print one-piece to show off her curves while Caroline chose a blue and white striped bikini that displayed her trim and taut figure at its best. The Miami jaunt came after Wozniacki not only was out of the French Open in the first round, but also that she had split with golfing pro Rory McIlroy.

Sharapova survives Stosur scare •Klose ers in every position. Our players have character, this team has character, and we will go to Brazil with confidence and with big goals.”

The players were taking a day off on Monday before meeting in Mainz on Friday to play Armenia.

They are due to head to Brazil on Saturday.

Cameroon name World Cup squad

J

ean-Armel Kana Biyik’s hopes of emulating his father and playing at the World Cup finals were quashed on Monday as he was one of five Cameroon players left off the final 23-man squad for the upcoming tournament in Brazil.

Coach Volker Finke finalised his selection hours after a 2-2 draw with Germany in a warm-up friendly in Moenchengladbach on Sunday returned some confidence to a Cameroon squad struggling to find their form in recent months.

Power: Russian Sharapova fires down a serve during his victory over Stosur on Court Suzanne Lenglen

M

ARIA Sharapova deployed her famous com petitive fire to fight back from a set down and beat Sam Stosur to reach the quarter-finals at the French Open. At a set and 3-4 down, it looked like the tournament might be about to lose another star name, but Sharapova did not drop another game in a 3-6, 6-4 ,60 victory.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 61

62 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 — 63

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Today’s matches Kick-off time 12.00 a.m.

Drogba, Toure warn Eagles over Bosnia Stories inside

•Osaze

•Mikel

•Emenike

•Moses

The 23 Chosen Ones!

BY TONY UBANI

S

UPER Eagles head coach Stephen Keshi released his list of 23 players for the Brazil 2014 World Cup yesterday but the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, failed to release the list to Nigerians.

A board member who

begged for anonymity yesterday said that the list was released but they had instructions to release it to the media tomorrow(today).

Another board member jokingly said that they were not thinking of the deadline of the Nigerian Newspapers. ‘’We’re keeping the list

to our chest. We don’t want the world to spy on us. They’ll meet us on the pitch in Brazil’’, he joked.

Another said that the time difference delayed the early communication with Nigerian media but assured that they met FIFA’s deadline which was yesterday.

Some Nigerian journalists spoke against the ‘hoarding’ of the list yesterday, noting that serious contenders to the World Cup released their lists without the secrecy employed by Nigeria.

However, we stumbled on the list which did not come from the NFF but

which, to a larger extent, may be a reflection of what Keshi released.

Find the list below: Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille/FRA), Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United), Austin Ejide Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (Monaco/ FRA), Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC/SCO), God-

frey Oboabona (Rizespor/TUR), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough/ ENG), Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC/ISR), Joseph Yobo (Norwich City/ENG) Midfielders: Mikel Obi (Chelsea/

Continues on Page 59

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

DOWN ACROSS 1 Ornate (6) 1 Lubricant (6) 2 Bird (6) 5 Drug (6) 3 Dross (4) 9 Troubled (5) 4 Consumed (5) 10 Stew (6) 5 Learnt (5) 11 Counsel (6) 6 Whirlpool (4) 12 Joyful (5) 7 Loathsome (6) 14 Pace (4) 8 Required (6) 17 Bow (3) 13 Revel (7) 18 Silent (4) 15 Candle (5) 20 Disliked (5) 16 Foot-lever (5) 22 Pondered (5) 18 Wall-painting (5) 23 Papers (7) 19 Principle (5) 24 Started (5) 26 Domesticated (5) 21 Fellow (3) 22 Encountered (3) 29 Spoken (4) 24 Warplane (6) 30 Marry (3) 25 Gemstone (6) 32 Tardy (4) 27 Sell (6) 33 Seraglio (5) 28 Notched (6) 35 Prohibited (6) 30 Paddled (5) 36 Voucher (6) 31 Dissuade (5) 37 Revolt (5) 33 Present (4) 38 Decayed (6) 34 Distance (4) 39 Reclined (6)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 4, March 7, Redeem 9, Col Bed 12, Rebut 13, Coil 15, Newer Refuse 19, Tube 20, Spear 22, Tar Desired 27, Tot 28, Seedy 31, Kris Muster 35, Teeth 37, Roll 38, Below Eel 41, Net 42, Delete 43, Aster

10, 17, 24, 33, 39,

DOWN: 1, Precis 2, Admire 3, Web 4, More 5, Alert 6, Crumbled 8, Menu 11, Destitute 14, Lead 16, Wear 18, Fret 21, Peerless 23, Rest 25, Some 26, Deer 29, Eroded 30, Yelled 32, Stone 34, Shed 36, Ewer 40, Leg.

How to Play Sudoku

P

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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