We ’ve not been paid – Marketers They’re lying – FG

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61703

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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N150

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

How I killed Bin Laden •P.35 & 54

CBN 'll reser ve N5,000 reserve notes to banks, heavy cash user s, sa sayys National users, Planning Minister •P.4

FG VS MARKETERS:

We ’ve not been paid – Marketers They’re lying – FG ‘We’re owed N200bn and will not import until further notice'

•Fuel stock not short enough to cause panic — DPR •NNPC insists on 33 days sufficiency

‘They were paid from $7bn Escrow Account'

By CLARA NWACHUKWU, EMMA UJAH, and VICTOR AHUMA-YOUNG

S

OME oil marketing and trading companies, OM&TCs have insisted that they have not been paid despite the Ministry of Finance publication Continues on page 5

Bomb scare in Delta Cabinet Office

The EdoKebbi bridge

—P.11

•P.17

In memory of Gani Fawehinmi, master of the rolls •P.19

Mr & Mrs

BOOK PRESENTATION. From left: Prof. Anya O Anya, Chairman, Nigerian Summit Group, NESG, and chiarman of the occasion; Mr Ray Ekpu, co-author, and Mr. Bala Ngilari, Deputy Governor, Adamawa State; dispaying the book Moving in Circles ByDan Agbese., Soji Akinrinade, Ray Ekpu and Yakubu Mohammmmed at the NIIA, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Diran Oshe

Poor leadership, bane of our development —Eminent Nigerians

—P.10

zGowon ceded Bakassi to Cameroun—Anya

Delta bans Okada, gives September ending as deadline —P.11

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 — 3

4—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

CBN 'll reserve N5,000 notes to banks, heavy cash users, says National Planning Minister

BY GABRIELOMOH&

BENAGANDE

T

HE proposed N5000 note will not be for mass circulation, National Planning Minister Shamsudeen Usman said, yesterday. He said the N5,000 note would be reserved for banks and heavy cash users.

The minister spoke in an interview with the State House Correspondents after a meeting of the Economic Management Team (EMT) presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan Usman, just as the Federal Government, yesterday, formally endorsed the introduction of the note despite the criticism that has greeted its introduction.

At the meeting of the Economic Managament Team chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, the CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido, also explained the restructuring of the currency.

The team also dispelled the fear that the introduction of the note will lead to high rate of infla-

tion, saying that there was no link between inflation and currency denomination. It said that rather, the introduction of the higher currency would help shore up the value of naira as most people who stored money in hard currency would now embrace the high denomination.

The minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, who fielded questions from state House correspondents said that the higher denomination did not violate the cash-less economy proposed by the CBN. Shamsudeen said like the 5000 Euro note, the new N5000 note would not be in normal circulation but would be reserved for the banks and few other heavy cash users to store higher value. He said the meeting had endorsed the proposal by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to introduce the big note and coinage of N5, N10 and N20. Shamsudeen, who is also a member of the team, said the team endorsed the monetary policy after a presenta-

tion by the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

He said the introduction of the N5000 notes would neither lead to inflation nor encourage corruption as argued by those that were opposed to it. The minister also said the new coins would run concurrently with the notes to test ground if they would be accepted by the public.

“Clearly, the N5000 note unlike some people misrepresent, is not going to lead to higher inflation. There is absolutely no link. I am an economist, I had been deputy governor operations of the Central Bank. The last review of the introduction of N1000 note and the various coins I was deeply involved, it was my responsibility at the Central Bank.

There is absolutely no link between inflation and the currency denomination. So, obviously the discussion today was basically to endorse. Mr. President had already approved, that is the only requirement by law. The CBN is to propose and Mr. President is to approve. And since Mr. Pres-

ident has approved, really what is important is to just e x p l a i n .

“I personally had some concerns about the coins but since some discussion with the CBN governor, he has actually clarified that even the media didn’t get

it well. The coins are being introduced on an introductory basis so that if people accept them and are using them, then gradually they will withdraw the other notes but they will run concurrently together with the notes.”

Shamsudeen debunked the argument that the introduction of the N5000 notes would lead to corruption, noting that the allegation of

corruption had always been in dollar denomination. He said: “A 100 dollar bill is N16,000 while N5000 note will be 30 dollars, so which one is bigger to carry if you are doing corruption? So, I do not think is necessarily going to increase the level of corruption. Those doing corruption will probably find that too small than 100 dollar bill, which is still bigger than the N5,000 note.”

Soldiers arrest MASSOB leader, 18 others in Onitsha

BY VINCENTUJUMADU

A

WKA—THE Onitsha Region 4 adminstrator of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Arinze Igbani and 18 other members of the group were, yesterday, arrested by soldiers from the 302 Artillary Regiment, Onitsha over yet to be disclosed offences.

Igbani was arrested in a native orthopaedic centre where he was receiving treatment following injuries he sustained from a motorcycle accident in June this year along with five

MASSOB members who had allegedly gone to visit him.

After the accident, Igbani was admitted to a private orthorpaedic hospital in the commercial town, but had to be moved to the native orthopaedic healing centre as a result of uncontrolled number of people that have been visiting him which does not allow him to have enough rest.

It was not clear at press time what led to yesterday’s arrests, but MASSOB's Director of Information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said that 13 other members of the group were arrested in different locations at the slum set-

tlement of Okpoko in the outskirts of Onitsha which is very close to where Igbani and the six other members of the group were staying at the time.

Madu, who addressed reporters in Onitsha over the incident, claimed that electronic gadgets which Igbani was using in the hospital, as well as five motorcycles belonging to the five people that visited him and six handsets, were seized from them.

He alleged that the soldiers aggravated Igbani’s fractured leg, adding that some traditional othopedic equipment used in treating patients at the center were

Vanguard, WEDNESD AY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012—5 WEDNESDA

POCKET CARTOON

FG vs Marketers: We've not been paid—Marketers Continues from Page 1 of subsidy claims that have been verified and paid.

But the Debt Management Office, DMO, told Vanguard exclusively that the marketers were lying and were being paid from an Escrow Account worth about $7billion, which is derived from the Excess Crude Account, ECA. The agency, which insisted that government was not broke, also said there was no way marketers could claim that its Sovereign Debt Notes, SDNs, are not backed by cash, since marketers were being paid from a dedicated account. It added that “whatever delays that cropped up must have been procedural in terms of documentation and payment processes.”

The Ministry of Finance, yesterday, called the marketers’ bluff and published the names of marketers whom they claimed to have paid amidst controversies over widespread scam involving the subsidy regime in Nigeria.

But some of the independent marketers, who spoke in confidence said, “We don’t know why government is deliberately misinforming the public, but the truth of the matter is that we have not been paid.

Despite their publications, the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama, deliberately instructed the DMO not to pay some of us whose claims have been verified and approved for payments. We don’t know

what his reasons are.”

As the drama of who owes whom between the Federal Government and the OM&TCs continues, fuel stock level, particularly of petrol and kerosene, which are under subsidised by government, continue to deplete, notwithstanding the assurances by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, that “the stock level is not low enough to cause panic.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, also insisted on its claim of 33 days sufficiency reserves at 35million litres per day.

But among all the marketers contacted by Vanguard in separate telephone interviews as at the time of filing this report, only NIPCO Plc could confirm that “We received our payments last Thursday,” unlike Integrated Oil, which revealed that, “As we speak, we have not been paid. We don’t know why government is saying that we have been paid.”

Fuel stock depletes As the drama unfolds, the Chairman of Major Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, Mr Wale Tinubu, reiterated that, “All marketers (MOMAN) have stopped importing products until further notice. We are owed over N200bn, and we cannot afford to continue to import, as the banks say what is paid is not enough

LIFEWORDS

D

BY PASTOR ITUAH

ON’T throw away your confidence, it will one day be rewarded. Hold on to what you have and use it well.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Love does not cost anything. Kind words and deeds do not cost anything. The real beauty of the world is equal for everyone to see. It was given by God equally to all, without restrictions — Carla Masterson

E

VERYONE was given a beautiful vehicle in which to express love to others. Feelings are free to express and give to ourselves and each other through our willingness to give and care.

What is complicated about this? There is no need to make other persons feel they have to climb mountains and swim oceans in order to make a difference.

All we need to underasstand is that human life was given equally to us all, not partially but in totality. The sun was given to all. It does not shine on few. So, just as nature is indifferent to our station or situation, we need to know that we are all equal.

We need to focus on the things that are constant and not place our values on things that can be blown away with the next great wind.

Value life, for we will understand that the only law we were meant to follow, was to love ourselves and each other. Love heals and makes all things beautiful.

to sustain their continued support.”

Tinubu, the Group Managing Director, Oando Group, who could not however confirm whether his company has been paid as published by the Finance Ministry, noted that the burden of fuel importation was now solely that of the NNPC’s.

One of the independents also revealed, “I have not been able to import any product in the last three months, because we are being owed more than N10billion, which belongs to the banks. The banks are not willing to lend us money anymore, and we continue to incur all manner of charges. In my company, we have over N30million overhead costs and as it is, we may be forced to start retrenching workers.”

Another major marketer reacting to the Ministry of Finance publication further argued, “The Sovereign Debt Notes that government is giving will go into a bottom less pit in the banks because we are being owed so much and because of the rising interest charges, the SDN’s are just being swallowed up.”

Confirming Tinubu’s claim of no imports by the majors, a top management of DPR told Vanguard that, “Most Major marketers are not importing as much as they used to because of some challenges they are facing.”

Nonetheless, he noted that apart from some independents importing new cargoes in the Lagos area, vessels were also being discharged in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Calabar depots to meet national fuel demand.

But without being economical with words, some members of MOMAN said, “In deed and in truth, the fuel stock level is very low. Only NNPC/PPMC has brought in fuel at the Apapa depot, which it will share among the majors and NIPCO.”

Available fuel stock According to DPR, the regulator of Nigeria’s oil industry, there are at least 67million litres of petrol currently being discharged in Lagos. “As we speak, we have some cargoes coming in from the independents depots. These cargoesof at least 19 illion litres each are currently discharging at Ascon, Dee Jones, and Swift. Techno Oil finished its discharging two days ago,” our source told Vanguard.

NIPCO, one of the independents that have throughput arrangement with the NNPC, also confirmed that it “received 20 million litres from the NNPC and we have pushed out about 10 million litres.” The company happily added that it was bringing in its first set of cargoes after receiving its subsidy payments within the next seven days, which will cushion some of the shortages in supply.

The majors also confirmed that they were depending on the NNPC stock, saying, “Currently at Apapa Jetty, NNPC is discharging 18 metric tonnes, MT, to be shared among the six majors and NIPCO. NNPC is also bringing in additional 33,000MT or 44million litres to be loaded out at between 8000MT and 7,500MT daily. But this means that the 33,000MT will just be four days stock because one MT is equivalent of 1,341 litres.”

NNPC also said that in addition to its 33 days sufficiency, it also has another three vessels waiting to discharge at its Apapa Jetty, and as such, there is no scarcity nd warned consumers to desist from panic buying.

NUPENG dissociates self from strike The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, said there were no petroleum products to load at the fuel depots, even as the price of petrol went up to N110 a litre in Awka, Anambra State.

Dissociating members from the fuel scarcity currently being experienced in parts of the country, especially Abuja and Lagos, NUPENG insisted that members were working but had no products to lift in some depots.

NUPENG in a statement by its Acting General Secretary, Comrade Isaac Aberare, challenged the Federal Government to explain the reason for the shortage of products to Nigerians, after it boasted a few days ago that it had stock that would last for 45 days.

The statement said “NUPENG is therefore not responsible for the growing queues in filling stations as it is being speculated. The Union is not on strike and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers are ever ready to lift products. NUPENG members are working but have no products to lift in some depots, which are empty, as a result of the non-re-

fusal of some oil marketers to import fuel due to nonpayment of their claims.”

“Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, alone cannot meet the huge demands of fuel importation in the country, coupled with the vandalisation of the corporation’s supply pipelines in Arepo village in Ogun state which pumps fuel from Lagos to Mosimi depot in Ogun state. NUPENG union calls on the federal government to quickly intervene on the lingering issues so that the shortages of petroleum products will not spread to other parts of the country.”

The union advised the Federal Government to put appropriate security arrangements in place to nib the activities of vandals of pipelines in the bud and called on the “Minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to release money to verified claims by marketers so that they can import fuel and make their jetties and depots active again to meet the shortfall.”

NUPENG implored the “government to quickly repair the vandalised pipelines in Arepo, so that fuel supply can resume to Lagos, Ibadan and Ilorin axis.”

Other areas Already there have been visible fuel queues in Abuja since Monday with long where long queues of vehicles waiting to buy fuel at various filling stations.

Black Market operators are cashing on the scarcity and are selling a 10 litres of petrol for N3,000 against the normal price of N970.

One of the young parallel market operators, Akeem Muson, said he travelled to Keffi in neighbouring Nasarawa State to buy fuel for sale when he noticed the queues on Monday night.

The Deputy Supervisor, Total Fuel Station Area 3, Mr Moses Audu, blamed the scarcity on inadequate supply of the product to Abuja.

He said his station ran out of stock after the last supply of product on Monday. “We are not getting regular supply in Abuja; we only had one yesterday and we have sold all. Unlike before we do have regular fuel supplies but since yesterday, we only had a supply of one truck which we discharged and sold to customers until about 10 a.m. today (Tuesday) when we ran out of stock. In an attempt to find out from the tanker drivers, they also told us that even the depot in Lagos had only 12 trucks to distribute nationwide but I believe before the end of today, we may get another supply.”

At Conoil, Area 1, Mr Atai Obaka, a dealer, also claimed there was a shortage of supply from Lagos to Abuja, adding that most marketers were not importing petroleum.

“The marketers are not importing because most banks are not ready to give us loan as they are not sure of getting back their money. Right now, I have 240,000 litres of petroleum to be discharged and more is still expected to be transported down to Abuja but I don’t know if we can get more. I feel government should rescue the situation by compelling the bankers to give loans to importers,” Obaka said.

At the NNPC Mega Station, Central Area, Mr Stephen Yohana, said he did not know why there should be fuel scarcity after NUPENG had met with the Federal Government and agreed that there would be supplies of the product nationwide.

According to him, “For me, I think it’s out of panic that most stations hoard the product; as for us, we have 300,000 litres underground and four trucks standing to be discharged.

We are selling at the normal price to customers.”

Mr Andrew Obande, a bus driver who plies the Wuse Market route, said passenger fare was still normal but might be increased if the scarcity continues.

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

N5,000 note: Sanusi plotting Jonathan's fall in next election—Enang zSays it's at variance with cash-less policy

BY SONI DANIEL

A

BUJA—AS the controversy over the planned introduction of N5000 note deepens, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmaker, Senator Ita Enang, has accused the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi of plotting the fall of President Goodluck Jonathan with the ignoble plan.

Many Nigerians have kicked against the move by the CBN to issue the new note on the grounds that it would induce inflation and worsen the nation’s fragile economy but the bank is adamant over the issue.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, Enang, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Business and Rules, described the arguments in favour of the new note as pedestrian and lacking in intellectual depth.

According to him, the plan amounts to a direct devaluation of the Naira in response to the demands of the World Bank and an effort on the path of those the bank had seconded to Nigeria in the name of employment to fulfill its mandate.

He also said apart from being at variance with the cashless policy of the CBN and the Money Laundering Act, the planned introduction of the higher currency would add no real value to the Naira or its purchasing power.

“I pray Mr. President should be sensitive to this and take action against the move because I am certain the plan is intended to embarrass the President of the Federal Republic of

Nigeria and to make the government of Goodluck Jonathan unpopular in years to come so that people will not like to vote for him in the next election.

“I think what Sanusi is aiming at with the introduction of the plan against Nigerians is to ensure that the people will be so unhappy with the President that in the next election they would not like to vote for him.

“Mr. President should therefore call the CBN governor to order with immediate effect,” the lawmaker stated.

Enang also warned the 19 Northern governors of the consequences of their agitation for a review of the controversial onshore/ offshore dichotomy, which was laid to rest eight years ago.

Northern Governors Forum had last week called for a review of the oil dichotomy to make more revenue available to the Federation Account for onward sharing to all the states. They argued that it was wrong to pay revenue accruing to the country from offshore proceeds to the nine littoral states.

He noted that the renewed attempt by the governors for a review of the law constituted a treasonable offence.

The lawmaker said, “The protagonists of the review should be ready for the consequences of their action. They should know that any action in that regard would trigger another round of crisis in the oil sector and possibly reduce production from the present 2.7 million barrels per day to 700 barrels per day.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN MEETS ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT TEAM— From left: President of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Managing Director, Forte Oil, Mr. Femi Otedola; Managing Director, Visafone, Mr Jim Ovia and Managing Director, Access Bank, Mr. Aigboje Imoukhuede during the Economic Management Team meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: State House.

Liability mgt coy to pay N330bn to PHCN creditors zGovt agencies owed PHCN over N120bn debts—Agbogun

A

BUJA—LIABILITY Management Company is to pay N330 billion to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, creditors before privatisation, Managing Director of the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Ltd, NELMCO, Dr Sam Agbogun has said.

Agbogun said the company needed more than N330 billion to settle creditors of PHCN before a smooth and full privatisation could take place.

Agbogun told newsmen in Abuja that the debts

owed by PHCN was quite substantial because it was more than N330 billion and was increasing everyday.

He said, “Majority of the debts owed by PHCN are now with the Independent Power Producers, IPPs, who are generating power now and PHCN cannot pay them because of the low tariff it is charging. So, everyday as power is being consumed, we owe the power producers more, but for other liabilities that are stationery or stagnant, such as landed property, nothing is being added to them.

However, I am happy to report that close to N120

billion of the debt owed the producers came from the Federal Government and its agencies.

“They include the Federal Inland Revenue Service, ITF and other institutions but we hope to discuss all these with the Ministry of Finance so that we can find a way to swap these liabilities.”

The managing director explained that the agencies were owned by government and that the liability management company would settle the debts through directive from the Ministry of Finance.

Agbogun said NELMCO

We 're not responsible for SSS data leakage—PenCom

BY SONI DANIEL

A

BUJA—PENSION Commission of Nigeria, Pencom, yesterday, washed its hands off the leakage of State Security Service, SSS, data on the internet.

The commission, which manages the pension funds of Federal Government's workers, said that it had no reason to work against a fellow Federal Government agency.

Last week, rumours

were rife that the records of 60 current and past SSS staff and their immediate family members were leaked to a group sympathetic to Boko Haram, although the service promptly denied the leakage.

A source had informed Vanguard that the information poured on the Internet had the semblance of the data they submitted while filing their pension forms.

The source suggested that the information might have been sourced

from the archive of the Federal Government agency following the pull out of the SSS from the commission.

It was learnt that following persistent outcry that SSS retirees were not getting appreciable and commensurate retirement benefits from Pencom, the Presidency recently ordered the spy agency to disengage and float own pension scheme to cope with the demands of its staff.

Head of Communications of

Pencom, Mr. Emeka Onuarah, told Vanguard yesterday that the commission did not feel bad over the withdrawal of SSS from its pension scheme to warrant toying with the data it might have supplied.

Onuorah said, “Pencom does not have any reason to be angry with a fellow Federal Government agency. Once an order has been given by our employers it is mandatory to carry it out happily. There was no bad blood in the first place to warrant any

action.”

The media head also explained that the commission did not collect the data of close family members of SSS and that it could not have been its data that was displayed on the internet.

“We don’t have the data of SSS family members as claimed and we want to make it categorically clear that the information said to have been displayed on the unnamed website did not emanate from Pencom,” the spokesman said.

would find a way to settle debts owed by PHCN and g o v e r n m e n t establishments, adding, however, that some were foreign liabilities, which the Debts Management Office, DMO, would deal with.

He said some power stations, such as Kainji and Jebba were built with foreign loans, noting that the loans had not been fully paid, hence NELMCO would allow DMO to clear up such debts. He listed the debts/liabilities owed by PHCN to include PHCN’s pensioners, IPPs, financial institutions and other creditors, foreign and local, who had supplied PHCN with materials or services for their functions but are yet to be paid.

According to him, the major challenge facing NELMCO is how to manage the more than 12,000 pensioners from PHCN, who are to be settled before a maximum of five years that the company will last.

“NELMCO will be liquidated in a short period because it is a short-term company,” the mmanaging director said. NELMCO was set up to inherit and resolve outstanding liabilities incurred by PHCN and unions in PHCN and government is required to work out a strategy to resolve all outstanding issues.

—7 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012—

Mr. Innocent Anaba, Chairman, Vanguard Newspapers NUJ Chapel (2nd right) during the visit by Chapel of Vanguard Newspaper to the family of late Mr. Ogbonnaya Amadi at their Ogba residence in Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Sylva Eleanya.

A cross section of Vanguard Newspapers NUJ Chapel members at Ogba residence of late Mr. Ogbonnaya Amadi, former Vanguard Entertainment Editor, yesterday.

APGA faults Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala on Niger Bridge, erosion menace in S-East

BY TONYEDIKE

E

NUGU—THE All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, yesterday, faulted recent statements by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister for Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha and different erosion menaces in the South East states would be financed through concessional agreement and loans, respectively.

The party said that President Jonathan’s plan to construct the Onitsha Bridge through concession meant that his administration has not made any financial commitment to the project, more so when the concessioner is expected to recover the money invested in the project through toll gates that would be erected at entry points of the Onitsha and Asaba cities.

National Chairman of APGA, ChiefVictorUmeh,whospokein aninterviewwithnewsmenatthe Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu shortly on his return from England, also disagreed with some Igbo personalities who recently pledged their support for Presi-

Passage

C

HIEF GODSPOWER Nwaka, 63, of Umudraro Ozuoha, Abajah Town, Nwangele Local Government Area, Imo State is dead.

There will be a Christian wake keep today. in his home town, Umudaro Ozuoha, Abajah Town while funeral holds tomorrow at the same venue.

Late Godspower Nwaka

dent Jonathan’s second term, if he eventually chooses to contest, saying he can not see any reason why the Igbo should not produce the president of the country in 2015.

“I know that the yearning of

our people is to produce a President for this country at the highest level. If there is any reason why the Igbo should not produce President for this country in 2015, it is not by jumping the gun and making noise. If we have the op-

portunity in 2015, we shall take it,” he said while reacting to the endorsement of Jonathan’s second term proposal by the group which meeting with Jonathan was allegedly facilitated by Governor Peter Obi.

Elcrest acquires Shell OML 140 for $154m

L

AGOS—ELCREST Petroleum Production Company, an indigenous upstream oil and gas company last Friday acquired 45 per cent interest in Oil Mining Lease, OML 40, previously held and operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC. Elcrest, is a joint venture company between London-based, Eland Oil and Gas Limited and Nigeria’s Starcrest Nigeria Energy Limited. The Chairman, Chief Emeka Offfor, promised to keep to agreements.

“On behalf of Elcrest, we are here to guarantee that we are going to put this asset to very good use. As you know, we are an indig-

Opening

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AGOS—OCEAN Bas ket, a seafood restaurant chains with headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa, will today open its first outlet to customers in Lagos.

Speaking on the new outlet, Mr. Kayode Olu-Martins, the Chief Executive Officer of OCBN Limited, who are the Master License holders of the Ocean Basket Franchise in Nigeria, said that Ocean Basket has come to Nigeria to stay and that within the next few months, it will open more outlets in Lagos and other parts of the country

enous company and we need all the support from the bigger companies,” he said.

OML 40, which is expected to hit 2,500 barrels daily production within the next six months, is expected to push Nigeria’s crude oil production currently at 2.7m/bpd to about 3m/bpd during that period.

This is the fourth of such oil blocks that have been sold by Shell since the past two years when it started its divestment programme from Nigeria’s onshore Niger Delta, to concentrate

on its offshore and deepwater portfolios.

At the agreements signing ceremony, which held at the NNPC Towers in Abuja, the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, and the Country Chair of the Shell Group in Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, also took turns to explain the controversy over operatorship, which has significantly reduced interests in the Shell operated blocks.

FG to clean up worst lead poisoning with $4m

A

BUJA—THE Nige rian government is preparing to release more than $4 million to clean up the site of the worst outbreak of lead poisoning in modern history.

International aid group Doctors Without Borders says it fears that without measures to ensure the funds reach the communities, thousands more children could be infected by what they call “staggering” levels of poison.

A few years ago, gold prices surged and smalltime miners in Nigeria’s Zamfara State increased their incomes as much as tenfold, to $10 or $15 a day.

Since then, lead poisoning associated with the mining has killed hundreds of children and about 4,000 are

still sick.

In June, the Nigerian government pledged more than $4 million to clean up the lead.

Now, as they get ready to disperse the funds, some people worry that with so much cash being spread around in a country well known for corruption, some of the funds may disappear.

“I think everyone in Nigeria has seen programs gone awry due to issues of accountability. It is my fervent hope that this will be an exception because this is not a game. Children are dying. It’s really important that corruption not derail this effort,” said Ivan Gayton, head of Nigeria’s Doctors Without Borders."

Abia was an abandoned project —Gov Orji

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MUAHIA—ABIA State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, yesterday, said that Abia was an abandoned project because it had existed without a proper secretariat, government house, conference centre, sustainable water, electricity, good road network and reputable hospitals since after its creation.

In a statement by Mr. Ben Onyechere, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communication, the governor said his administration is saddled with enormous task of building a state from the scratch which is the reason “we are in a hurry to meet expectations of our people.”

He said: "My determination to rebuild Aba derives not only in the fact that it is the commercial nerve centre of the South East, but also to realise the dream of Mr. Sam Mbakwe, a former governor of

the old Imo State, who shed tears at the state of the dilapidation of infrastructure in Aba at the inception of his tenure, which was the only real last effort to upgrade Aba before I came to power.

“The reconstruction of Aba which is presently hindered by the rainy season is the centre of my administration’s policy thrust and as such cannot be toyed with not only because it is the commercial nerve centre of the South East but as well as a unifying factor among the Igbo, particular when we remember the Aba women’s riot of 1929 which was a protestation against the taxation of women.

“The insinuation that government is not meeting its target in the city can only be made by people without the requisite experience both in pubic and private endevours."

He urged Aba residents to brace up with the impending construction work that will commence after the rains.

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF ‘MOVING IN CIRCLES'

From left— Prof. Anya O. Anya, Chairman, Nigerian Summit Group, NESG, and the Chairman of the occasion; Dr. (Mrs) Doyin Abiola, Guest of Honour, and Mr. Ray Ekpu, co-author, at the public presentation of a book, Moving in Circles, by Dan Agbese, Soji Akinrinade, Ray Ekpu and Yakubu Mohammmmed, at NIIA, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTOS: Diran Oshe.

ABOVE: From left— Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Editor, Vanguard Newspaper; Folake Balogun and Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspaper.

From left— Mr. Kayode Soyinka, Publisher, Africa Today; Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed and Chief Yakubu Ejima, Onu Igala.

From left— Dr. Adeleke Ipaye, representing Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Dr. Chidi Amuta, CEO, Wilson & WeizMan Ltd. and Prof Akachi Ezeigbo, Department of English, University of Lagos.

Mr. Dare Babarinsa (left) and Mr. Tunji Alapeni.

Mr. Chuka Momah (right) and Mr. Mitchell Obi.

CONDOLENCE VISIT TO THE FAMILY OF LATE OLA VINCENT, FORMER CBN GOVERNOR

From left— Mr. Segun Aina, President/Chairman in Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN; widow, Mrs Vincent and Mrs Olubunmi Craig.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (left) and Mrs Adenike Vincent, widow of late Mr. Ola Vincent, former CBN Governor, during a condolence visit to the family in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTOS: Lamidi Bamidele.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku (left) and Chief Philip Asiodu.

RIGHT: Mr. Akintola Williams (left) and Chief Philip Asiodu.

Chief Joseph Sanusi, former Governor of CBN signing the condolence register.

From left— Senator Bajomo, Mr. Sebanjo, Dr. Bimbola Ogunkelu and Mr. Ademola Cole.

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 —9

Vanguard NUJ visits Amadis, eulogise late colleague

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

T

HE Vanguard Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, disclosed yesterday that it will be difficult to fill the vacuum left behind by the deceased Group Entertainment Editor, Ogbonna Amadi, who died last Wednesday after suffering from an asthma attack.

Speaking through the Chairman of the chapel, Mr. Innocent Anaba, members of the union who paid a condolence visit to the deceased’s family in Ogba-Ijaye, Lagos, said the late Amadi was a journalist who was dedicated to his job and also friendly with his colleagues both in Vanguard and on his beat.

According to Mr. Anaba, Amadi’s death came suddenly when he was mostly needed by Vanguard media, “especially by those young journalists drinking from his well of his experience in the entertainment journalism.”

The NUJ chairman said late Amadi was friendly with old and young members of staff .

He said, “Your late husband, father, brother was so dear and loved by us all. He was the type that was so free and cordial with his colleagues as well as others he met in the course of his duty.

Missing him, is a big

deal for us in Vanguard.

However, we cannot query God for taking him away now. God is the one that knows the best and He has done that.

“However, we take solace in the fact that he did his best, especially the depth he gave to the coverage of entertainment industry for Vanguard and the nation. I therefore urge you the wife and the children to take heart and keep faith with God.”

Cooperation of extended family Soliciting the cooperation of the extended family for the wife and three children left behind by late Amadi, Anaba said, “I want you to regard and treat the children left by Amadi as your own, take good care of them and not allow them to feel their biological father is no more,” he admonished.

He promised the support and prayers from Vanguard NUJ for the family at all times.

Another senior member of the union, Mr. Tony Ubani also mourned the late Amadi, who he described as ‘my brother’.

According to Ubani, it will take a long time to get somebody who will occupy the space left behind

by Amadi in Vanguard.

Ubani said: “He sits beside me in the office, we drank from the same cup

and we shared jokes together. As you know about journalism, Vanguard is the second home for Amadi. As he is no more, it is a painful exit for all of us here and those who could not make it here today. Definitely, all of us will miss him so dearly.”

Ubani urged the woman not to mourn, but give glory to a life well spent by the late Amadi.

In his response, elder brother to the late Amadi, Pastor Uchenna Amadi expressed his appreciation for the visiting Vanguard team. He reassured the support of the family for the wife and children left behind by him, saying, “Toyin, Amadi’s wife, is our wife and mother.

God will give us the strength to take good care of her and the children."

He said “the only way to keep remembering Amadi was to keep the flag of entertainment reporting he loved flying.

Please, don’t allow the job he loved so much to die with him.”

A prayer session was later held for the Amadis.

COURTESY VISIT... L-R: Government Service Manager, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Sola Balogun; Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu; Executive Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Sesan Sobowale, during a courtesy visit paid by the management of Guinness Nigeria Plc at the Governor’s office in Abeokuta.

L-R: President, National Association of Female Teachers (NAFET), Lady Chikanele; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina and Minister of State for Education, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, unveiling the female teachers Journals, during the 5th Annual Conference of the Association, yesterday in Abuja.

PHCN retirees protest pensions non-payment

BY LAZARUS IBEABUCHI

P

OWER Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN Pensioners, will today, across the country, protest over alleged stoppage of their pension by the man-

agement.

At a briefing yesterday in Lagos, the pensioners, under the aegis of National Union of Pensioners, Electricity Sector, accused the Executive Director, Market Operation in PHCN, Mr.

Air Nigeria suspends operations, sacks staff ...Sets up 50-man committee to restart within 12 months

A

IR Nigeria has an nounced the suspension of all its operations -local, regional and international - with effect from Monday, September10, 2012.

The suspension, ac-

cording to the management of the frontline airline, is largely due to staff disloyalty and environmental tension, “which are not conducive for business in the aviation sector.”

In a statement yesterday, the management of the airline expressed regrets for any inconvenience the decision would cause its loyal passengers on all the routes and advised passengers to contact agents from whom they had purchased tickets for refunds.

Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the airline, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, OFR, said it was difficult to continue further investment in the airline, with the high level of staff disloyalty and weak business environment.

“But we are strongly committed to ensuring that Air Nigeria survives,” he added.

He said about 50 loyal staff from various departments of the airline had been selected with a man-

date to recommence business within 12 months, while other staff had been relieved of their employment effective from the last day of work on their various routes.

Mogbo Evarestus of ordering the stoppage of their pension without reason or consultation, putting many pensioners in undue hardship.

President of PHCN NUP, Chief Temple Ubani who claimed all the pensioners’ Pay-Centres were directed not to pay their August pension, described the directive as wicked and inhuman, saying: “It would be recalled that in view of the Power Sector Reform and Privatisation, the Federal Government has established an agency called Ni-

geria Electricity Liability Management Limited, NELMCO, to be responsible for the payment of pensions to the current PHCN pensioners.

“However, for this agency to fully assume its functions, it is necessary for PHCN to supply all the necessary personal detail/ data of the pensioners but this PHCN Management has failed to do in spite of pressure being mounted on them in the past four months. Suddenly, they stopped the payment altogether.”

Labour Party seeks support for Mimiko

T

HE Labour Party in Lagos State, yesterday, urged citizens of Ondo State to support the second term bid of Governor Segun Mimiko to enable him to complete the good work he was doing in the state.

The party said in a statement by its publicity secretary, Tony Okorocha, that Governor Mimiko has brought smiles to the faces of his people more than any other chief executive since the creation of the state, stressing that he has impacted on agriculture, education, health and work-

ers welfare.

While urging the people of Ondo State to protect and defend their gains, the party said the people should not be deceived or misled by those who were jostling to the Labour Party for their selfish purposes, stressing that those politicians were out to plunder the sunshine state.

The statement said: “Their history in the areas where they hold sway is obvious and their activities are very clear. They do not mean well for anybody, they are simply political investors

who will stop at nothing in recouping their investment a thousand fold to the detriment of the people.

“These undemocratic elements do not believe in the principle of Government of the people by the people and for the people. They strongly believe and operate in the government of self aggrandizement. They thrive on propaganda to deceive the people and when they capture the seat of power everybody becomes their slaves.”

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Poor leadership, bane of our development —Eminent Nigerians zGowon ceded Bakassi to Cameroun—Anya

BY UDUMA KALU & GBENGA OKE

L

AGOS—AGAIN the reason for Nigeria’s underdevelopment has been blamed on bad leadership. This was the view of eminent persons, who gathered in Lagos, yesterday, for the presentation of a collection of essays, Moving in Circles written by four former directors of Newswatch magazine, Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese, Yakubu Mohammed and Soji Akinrinade Chairman of the event, Prof. Anya Oko Anya, in his speech, lamented the inability of Nigeria to have a training programme for her leaders which he said had undermined Nigeria’s development. He attributed Nigeria’s loss of Bakassi to Cameroon as one of the leadership problems, alleging that former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon donated Bakassi to Cameroon and former President Olusegun Obasanjo completed the exercise without consulting the indigenes or the National Assembly.

And the comments made by eminent guests, who came to support the four erudite journalists to condemn, not just the suspension of the almost 27 years old magazine from the news stands but the sack of its founding directors.

Leadership, partriotism From media chiefs to politicians, academia, journalists, including almost all the governors of the federation, who were represented, the message centred on leadership and the imbroglio involving the ex-directors and the magazine’s new publisher, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim.

However, Adamawa State Governor, Alhaji Murtala Nyako, who was represented by his Deputy, Bala Ngilari, expressed faith in Nigeria’s continued unity, adding that the book has provided the nation a platform to chart a new future. He argued that if Nigeria was to experience any change, it would come from journalists, whom he said speak the truth.

Also, his Kano State counterpart, Malam Rabiu Kwankwaso, represented by the Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief of the state newspaper, Triumph, Mr.

Kabiru Muhammad Gwangwazo, hoped that the book would help to end Nigeria’s vicious cycle of underdevelopment because it has a lot to offer the people.

Reviewer of the book, former Managing Director of the defunct Post Express, Dr Chidi Amuta, said the essays spanning nearly four decades recollect the recurring nature of Nigerian history and society showing the repetitive profile of the country’s problems such as electricity, health, education, political violence, corruption, political repression of opposition and loss of faith in the country among others.

Nigeria's problems not Jonathan's fault Presenting the book, Anya noted that President Jonathan was grappling with problems he did not create, arguing that Nigeria’s problems had accumulated over the years and were often ignored.

He said: “This book made me remember two problems we have in Nigeria which are leadership and patriotism. Unfortunately, Nigeria does not have a training programme for its leaders, we just see it happen. We do not have processes and procedures that enable us to select leaders, they just come on board. Cast your mind back, Gowon just happened, Murtala Mohammed just happened, Olusegun Obasanjo just happened, General Buhari just came on board, Ibrahim Babangida just happened but none of these men went through a process of training on what is the most important assignment in life which is leadership, they just emerged.

“On patriotism, how will you be patriotic about a country that does not care for you? I can see a young American ready to die for his country because America is ready to go to war just because of one American. But what do you have in Nigeria today?”

Anya said the manner in which Nigeria lost Bakassi to Cameroon without Nigerians and the National Assembly being consulted before the oil rich zone was ceded was a pointer to the twin problems in Nigeria.

“Right now on the table is the issue of Bakassi.

These are Nigerians and not strangers. Before the colonial people came, Bakassi was part of Nigeria.

When we were getting Independence, Bakassi was part of Nigeria. Then we woke up one day and they said it is no more part

BAKASSI INDIGENES PROTEST MARGINALISATION—Senator Florence Ita Giwa, flanked by Bakassi indigenes, displaying their voters' cards while protesting marginalisation by the Federal Government at the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, premises, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday.

of Nigeria. There is a process by which such matters are decided in countries that are serious.

Ceding a territory is not something you decide without proper consultations with the elected representatives of the people, which is the parliament.

“On this matter, the National Assembly, as far as I know, has not been involved. It was alleged by Harold Smith, the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, in his memoirs, that he was surprised at the way General Gowon was prepared to give away Bakassi. I hope one day I would have the opportunity to ask Gowon this question because Harold Smith alleged that when he asked, he was told that they wanted to make sure that the Eastern part of Nigeria had no access route to escape in case of a future war. That is the man that declared at the end of the civil war, ‘no victor- no vanquished’ but he was already planning how to avoid a future war by denying Nigerians what God gave them.

“If you must donate Nigerians, you must first ask the people whether they are ready to be donated and if you say that Gowon started the problem, what of Obasanjo that completed the process?

As elected leader, you do not give away your country under any circumstances without having the backing of your country. It is Obasanjo that should have taken the matter to the National Assembly but he

did not and that is an indication of the quality of leadership we have and how committed they are in the interest of Nigerians.”

In his welcome address, Chief Executive officer of MayFive Media, publishers of the book, Mr Ray Ekpu, said he and his colleagues were in the business of starting a new life in the writing and publishing arena which gave birth to the new book.

His words: “Since the four of us who are authors of this book retired from Newswatch on May 5, 2011, we registered a company called Mayfive Media Limited to reflect that watershed date of our exit from an enterprise we painstakingly nurtured for 27 years and we have so far published two books namely Ojukwu edited by Ray Ekpu and the Columnist’s Companion; the Art and Craft of Column writing by Dan Agbese while the third book is Moving in Circles which was just unveiled.

“For the four of us, this has been an incredible journey because we have known each other for 30 years and worked together in different combinations, although originally it was a four-man journey with Dele Giwa at the helm of the affairs. But it still remained a four-man journey with Soji Akinrinade joining the train and it has been a journey garnished by undiluted friendship, mutual respect, professionalism and rigorous intellectual exchange.”

Speaking on the face-off between them and the new core investor, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, Ray Ekpu said

they had thought that judging by the discussions they had with Ibrahim, the original vision of the magazine would be enriched by a value adding investment.

Newswatch and Jimoh Ibrahim “As you already know, Newswatch magazine has been killed, its assets are currently being stripped, staff are in quandary and there is vicious strategy of ethnic cleansing going on at the office, even in our wildest imagination, we would never have thought that a magazine we had nursed for 27 years through rain and sunshine would come to such grief.”

He went on: “We thought Mr Ibrahim came to help journalism not to harm it, we thought he came to support journalism not to scuttle it, we thought he came to buy and build not to buy and bury our dear magazine. When you kill a publication, you kill the hopes and aspirations of million of readers, advertisers, distributors, vendors, researchers and the general public because Newspapers are more of a business, they are a nation’s battle-axe, the keeper of the nation's conscience, the sentry on guard duty, the nemesis of scoundrels, dictators and other sundry; they defend the underdog against the top dog, the weak against the strong, they give voice to the voiceless.”

He however added, “Mr Ibrahim has been m o u t h i n g incomprehensible

sentiments about our dear Dele Giwa, trying to fraudulently ingratiate himself with the iconic journalist. The Dele Giwa we knew would never have contemplated the nonpublication of Newswatch even for one week.

NEVER!” According to him, “To see things that irked us more than three decades ago still dominate our public discourse today would justify the title of this volume. They include unreliable power supply, bad hospitals, rising inflation, falling education standards, corruption in high and low places, incompetent governance, decay in infrastructure, the celebration of decadent values, neglect of the welfare of the masses are all themes that will not go away.

Present at the event were Publisher of Vanguard, Sam Amuka; Dr Chidi Amuta; Dr Doyin Abiola; representative of Anambra State governor, Prof Akachi Ezeigbo; Dr Segun Babatope; Mr Rufai Ladipo; representative of Bayelsa State governor, Mr Francis Agbo; representative of Minister of Health, Prof Dele Oluleye; Kayode Soyinka; Mr Mike Awoyinfa; Dimgba Igwe; Ernest Okonkwo; representative of Osun State governor, Dr Adeleke Ipaye; former AIG, Tunji Alapini; Chief Yakubu Sanni; Dare Babarinsa; Editor-in-Chief/General Manager of Vanguard, Mr Gbenga Adefaye; Editor of Vanguard, Mr Mideno Bayagbon; Nollywood actor, Mr Nobert Young; Mr Mitchell Obi, and Prof Ralph Akinfeleye among many others.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012—11

JTF's raid on Ugborodo: Youth leader alleges set-up

BY EMMAARUBI

W

ARRI-A YOUTH leader in Ajudiabo in Ugborodo community, Warri SouthWest Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Endurance Anderson, has said that the raid on the community by Joint Task Force, JTF, codenamed Operation Puolo Shield, operatives, un-

der the guise of destroying illegal refinery, was intended to punish some persons by the factional leaders of Ugborodo.

He said that during a search on his home last Saturday by the soldiers, nothing incriminating was found, adding that two of his friends and a girl watching television in his house were arrested.

Edo NUJ council dissolved ...Vanguard's Simon Ebegbulem emerges caretaker committee scribe

B BOMB SCARE: Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (2nd left), with Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, during the governor’s briefing on a bomb scare in Asaba, yesterday.

Bomb scare in Delta Cabinet Office

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—THERE was panic, yesterday, at the Cabinet Office, Asaba, Delta State, where the office of the Head of Service is situated, following a bomb scare.

Workers who reported for duty ran out of their offices on discovery of a strange object which looked like a bomb placed at the gate.

Incidentally, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG zone 5, Mr. Hashimu Argungu, was in Asaba on an official visit at the time.

The office complex, which is close to Government House and the Governor’s official lodge as well as the state Police headquarters, was immediately cordoned off, while anti-bomb experts moved in and combed

the area.

Although police, after removing the strange object, assured the panic-stricken workers gathered far away from the scene to return as the complex had been certified free from risk of bombing, some of them were reluctant to go in while others sneaked back to their homes.

The suspected object was later taken to Government House, where

the visiting AIG was paying a courtesy visit to the governor.

The object which looked like a bomb with a wrist watch attached to it had wiring connections round it and looked like an explosive device.

Addressing reporters at Government House while displaying the object, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, said: “This is just a prank to

Senate c'ttee expresses concern over awaiting trial inmates

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—THE Senate Committee on Interior has expressed worries over the number of innocent persons languishing in Nigerian

prisons. It blamed Directors of Public Prosecution, DPPs, across the country for the cases of awaiting trial prisoners in prisons in the country.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, who led other

Delta bans Okada, gives September ending as deadline

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

S A B A — D E LT A State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday, announced the ban of commercial motorcycles otherwise known as Okada in Asaba, the state capital and other major cities, with effect from this month.

Uduaghan, who received the new boss of

draw unnecessary attention. As far as we are concerned, this is nothing.

It is perhaps the handiwork of our enemies who are trying to bring down the government.”

Also speaking, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, said: “From the Commissioner of Police and the anti-bomb expert, there is no way this thing would have exploded because it was not an explosive device."

Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, in Delta State, Commander Ada Ajenge, who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House Asaba, said: “I have constituted a committee headed by the Commissioner for Transport to liaise with the various Okada unions to oversee the purchase of tricycles.

“We are hoping that by the end of this month, we may not have Okada in

our major cities, especially Asaba, Warri, Effurun, among others.

We are going to give them till the end of this month, by which time we do not expect to see Okada in any of these cities.

“We shall gradually move to the other parts of the state but in the interim, the ones that are allowed to operate in other parts of the state must go about their trade with their helmets."

members of the Committee to Oko Medium Prison in Benin City, Edo State, observed that no fewer than 900 inmates were awaiting trial in the 608-bed capacity prison, which was built in 1988, adding that the committee embarked on the tour of prisons to ensure better welfare of staff and inmates and ensure that innocent people were not made to suffer in prison.

He said: “We are interested in understanding the welfare needs of the staff and inmates and the security needs of various prisons. We at the National Assembly and the Senate in particular, are concerned about awaiting trial detainee problems because we feel that people should receive prompt justice and there is the need to look at those who are in the prison that ought not to be there."

E N I N — N A TIONAL leadership of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has set up a 4-man caretaker committee to run the affairs of the union in Edo State for three months, pending the election of a new state executive.

National Secretary of NUJ, Mr Shu’aibu Leman, in a statement, said the committee was set up following the expiration of the tenure of the Friday Obanor-led executive.

Members of the Com-

mittee are Mr. Simon Ebegbulem of Vanguard as Secretary while Mr. Tunde Egberemole of the Observer Newspaper is chairman. Others are Eghobamien (NTA) and Friday Isewede.

Leman said: “The former executive led by Obanor has been directed. They are to hand over all union property in their possession to the Interim Management Committee and to cooperate fully with the committee to ensure a smooth transition."

Delta community to build modern palace for monarch

BY IGHRODJE OGHENE

E

VWRENI commu nity in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State is to build a modern palace for its monarch.

Speaking at a meeting of the executives of Evwreni Clan Improvment union, ECIU, an umbrella body of all Evwreni sons and daughters in Nigeria and

the diaspora, president general of the body, Prince Lucky Oruma said the project would be executed in record time.

Four adhoc committees namely Finance, Building/Planning, Publicity and Project monitoring, which have as chairmen Messrs. Joseph Obahor, Moses Ovwiovwio, Ighorodje Oghene’ Joseph and Prince Obrorhie Kumane were also inaugurated.

Delta monarchs eulogise late other traditional rulers in colleague

BY FESTUS AHON

U

G H E L L I — CHAIRMAN, Traditional Rulers Council of Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, HRM Oharisi III, the Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom, yesterday, described the late monarch of AgbarhaOtor as a promoter of peace and a community developer.

The monarch, who led

the area on a condolence visit to the family and people of Agbaraha-Otor kingdom on the demise of their colleague, HRM John Okorefe, Ebelle II, also felicitated with the new king.

Noting that the late HRM Okorefe, would be greatly missed by the council and people of the kingdom, he said that a befitting passage right was given to the late monarch by people of the kingdom.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Why S-South leaders are meeting —Clark

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, Deputy Political Editor

D

VISIT: From right: Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu, and the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku-Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, during a courtesy call by the management of Guinness Nigeria Plc to the Oba in Benin, Edo State.

Airhiavbere vs Oshiomhole: Guber election tribunal kicks off ...as Tribunal strikes out PDP from petition

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM & GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN—THE peti tion challenging the declaration of Mr. Adams Oshiomhole as winner of the July 14, 2012 governorship election in Edo State, by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, at the tribunal, kicked-off yesterday, in Benin City.

The legal fire works heightened when counsel to PDP, Mr. Kingsley Obamogie and that of Gen. Airhiavbere, Mr Afe Akpofure, SAN, engaged in a war of words, as Obamogie accused Airhiavbere of not getting the permission of PDP before including it in the petition as the party had since declared that it was not interested in challenging the result of the election.

The two counsel argued for one hour and 34 minutes before the panel ruled and granted Obamogie's application striking out PDP from the petition.

Meanwhile, chairman of the tribunal, Justice Suleman Ambrusa, appealed for cooperation from members of the bar and parties in the case, noting that they would not be intimidated in the discharge of their duties.

He said: “We solicit your cooperation throughout the duration of proceedings. On our

part, we assure that we will abide by our oaths of office. We will give parties fair hearing and ensure that justice is done to all parties. We will, however, not succumb to any form of intimidation in the discharge of our duties. We urge you to

give the best to your clients to ensure fairness in the temple of justice. We should not hang on certain technicalities to delay this matter.”

Speaking to journalists shortly after the sitting, Edo State deputy governor, Mr Pius Odubu

called on Airhiavbere to tow his party’s line by withdrawing his petition.

ISTURBED by the growing wave of insecurity in the country and controversies trailing removal of dichotomy in the sharing of onshore/offshore oil revenues, leaders of the South-South geo-political zone will meet in Warri, Delta State tomorrow to delibrate on the issues.

The parley will also articulate the zone’s position on burning issues for inclusion in the on-going constitution amendment exercise.

Holding on the banner of the South-South Peoples Assembly, SSPA, at the instance of elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, the meeting will attract South-South leaders drawn from the six states of the zone, according to SSPA National Secretary, Chief Ayakeme Whisky.

On the agenda of the meeting, Chief Clark told Vanguard that they would address issues that would

help cement Nigeria’s unity as well as development of Southern Nigeria.

His words: “South-South is one of the six zones of Nigeria. Recently, leaders of Southern Nigeria met in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and took certain decisions.

This meeting will consider the Uyo decisions of Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA. We want to look at the things to be done to foster the unity of Nigeria. We will also look at the onshore/offshore dichotomy in the sharing of oil revenues. The onshore/ offshore dichotomy is a matter that had been laid to rest by the National Assembly but now that it is being resuscitated by some people, we are going to discuss it. We are going to look at the various amendments to the constitution.

“We have not met for a long time. It is going to be a forum for us to express our views on things that are happening in the country: insecurity; what type of federation to have.

We will take a position on whether or not to support state police.”

— 13 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012—

14—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 5, 2012

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012—15

BRIEFING: Mr. Teemu Kiijarvi, Head, Ecosystem Developer Experience, EDX, Nokia West-Africa (left), and Mrs. Awawu Olumide-Sojinrin, Marketing & Business Operations Director, Microsoft Nigeria, at the Microsoft/Nokia Developer/Imagine Cup Phone Awards briefing in Lagos, yesterday.

Flood kills 5, displaces 300 in Niger

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

M

INNA—DIRECTOR-General of Disaster Management

Agency in Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Shaba, yesterday, disclosed that flood resulting from heavy rainfall and water from Jebba and Shiroro dams have killed five people, while over 300 have been dis-

Performance agreement: Police Ministry, stakeholders meet

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

A

BUJA—MINISTER of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), has said that the critical elements of the Performance Agreement Contract, PAC, signed between President Goodluck Jonathan and all the ministers at the Federal Executive Council meeting of August 22, are key performance indicators.

He said they provide a scientific basis, rather than the rule of thumb for the measurement of performance in any organisation.

Olubolade spoke in Abuja at a roundtable session with the top management in the ministry, Inspector-General of Police and representative of National Planning Commission, NPC. He said for the Ministry of Police Affairs, the key

performance indicators are provision of policy, regulatory and administrative services for effective and efficient policing; protection of lives and property; and maintenance of law and order.

The minister called on the key drivers of the ministry and the Nigeria Police Force, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Tukur Ingawa and the Inspector-General, Mohammed Abubakar, respectively, to give maximum attention to the content of the new policy to deliver on the mandate of securing lives and property.

Representative of the NPC, and Director, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Commission, Dr. Lawal Zakari, said the tool of the PACwillensuretransparency, promote accountability in the service, improve productivity and bring about total trans-

placed.

He said 145 communities, across 10 local government councils in the state, were affected with a lot of farmlands submerged.

Shaba told newsmen in Minna that the affected local governments included: Mokwa, Lavun, Edati, Chanchaga, Shiroro, Borgu, Bida, Bosso, Munya and Wushishi.

He said Borgu had the highest number of affected communities with 51 of its villages and hamlets affected, while Bida had the lowest number of affected communities with only three communities affected.

He said the estimated total value of property lost in the flood was N500 million, adding that foodstuffs, especially rice, will be affected due to the flooding caused by excess rainfall, as most of the rice farmlands in the state were affected.

He said that N50 million was needed to cater for the people affected by the flood in the state, adding that the Internally-Displaced Camp set up by the agency to help accommodate those who were displaced by the flood had gulped over N2 million.

Police nab 8 Okada thieves in Kogi

BY BOLUWAJI OBAHAPO

L

OKOJA—KOGI State Police Command has arrested eight persons, alleged to specialise in stealing motorcycles in the state. The suspects (names withheld) were apprehended by Adavi Division in Okene with 15 different brands of motorcycles.

A statement from the of-

fice of the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ajayi Okasanmi, said the arrest was based on revelations made by the gang’s leader.

It said: “On August 7, acting on a tip off, men of the Ambush Squad attached to Adavi Division Okene, arrested a man from Osisi Adavi LGA with a new motorcycle and in the course of investigation he confessed

to being the leader of a 10-man syndicate that specialises in stealing motorcycles.”

The statement said the suspects, made up of technicians and mechanics, carry out their operations within and around the state, adding that their professions make it easier for them to dismantle and assembly motorcycles at will and then resell.

16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Jonathan mourns Vincent, interment tomorrow

BY BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, joined other eminent Nigerians to pay tribute to the late former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Ola Vincent, who died last Monday.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Communi-

Forget Offa, ACN tells PDP

A

CTION Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has advised Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to forget about ever regaining political control of Offa Local Government Council no matter the its level of political shenanigans, intimidation or hallucination.

In a statement in Osogbo, yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party urged its members and the people of Offa to ignore threats, grandstanding and intimidation of the PDP-led government of Kwara State.

According to ACN, only a party with no sense of history will dare toy with the collective resolve of the people of Offa in Kwara State.

It said the people of Offa had established their progressive and independent democratic credentials even before some of the present leaders of the party were born.

Burial

A

community leader in Obukpa, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Hon. Theophilus Eze is dead.

Burial ceremonies will kick off today with a wakekeep at his compound, Umuagede village, while body leaves Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka, for burial tomorrow.

Left to mourn him are his widow, Regina, many children and grandchildren.

Late Hon. Theophilus Eze.

cations, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the President joined members of the Vincent family, his friends, associates and all who knew him in mourning the passage of the illustrious economist and banker, who served Nigeria meritoriously in several capacities during his long public service career.

He said: “As they mourn him, however, the President urged them to give thanks to God Almighty for Mr. Vincent’s very successful and fulfilled life of service to his family, community and the nation.

“The President believes that Mr. Vincent’s very distinguished service in the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank and the African Development Bank, for which he received the national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, in 1982, will stand to his eternal credit in the collective memory of Nigerians.”

Meanwhile, Captain Olajide Vincent, head of the family said, the remains of late Vincent will be laid to rest tomorrow at his residence.

MEETING: From left— Ambassador Bashir Yuguda; Senator Bala Mohammed, Minister of FCT; Mr. Mike Onolememen, Minister of Works, and Chairman of the occasion; and Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Minister of Communications Technology, at a conference of the Committee for Infrastructure Investment/Business in Abuja.

Late Cynthia's BB found with Port Harcourt-based bizman

BY ALBERT AKPOR

University of Ado-Ekiti, were shot dead last night.

When Vanguard visited the scene of the attack in Maiduguri, near NNPC depo t , t h e i r bodies were lying in the pool of their blood with bullet wounds in their heads. They were later evacuated by the Police to Biu Local Government, where they hailed from, for burial.

Bor no State Police C o m m i s s i o n e r, w h o newly assumed office,

Abdullalahi Yuguda, confirmed the incident.

A relation of the dead, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “The university lecturer was in Maiduguri to enroll his 12-year-old son in one of the colleges in Maiduguri.

“He came in yesterday (Monday) and insisted on sleeping in the house of his best friend, the local government secretary. He was supposed to deliver a paper at the Nigeria Law School today (yesterday) in Abuja.”

gos, after the deceased’s BB pin number was retrieved from her father.

This is coming on the heels of the discovery of a bizarre video recording of how Cynthia was allegedly raped by her suspected killers. The video was seen in the laptop of the suspects.

In the video, Cynthia’s face and brutalised body was clearly shown being raped, while the faces of the rapists were blurred.

Apart from being tied and forcefully raped, the rapists also bit her deeply and several times in her breasts, buttocks and back .

Vanguard gathered that although Cynthia’s BB has had all information pertaining to ownership of the handset flashed-off in an attempt to make pass for a brand new phone, detectives led by the Area Commander, ACP Daniel Okoro, were able to use the pin number to get the number of the SIM Card of the current holder.

According to sources, one

Unlimited in the state, weekend, the oil workers numbering over 1,000, warned that they would no longer tolerate further delay by the oil company to pay them off.

Some of the placards carried by the protesters read: Mobil pay us our entitlement don’t punish us in our land; Federal Government, please intervene, Mobil is pushing us into violence; Mobil, delay is dangerous, pay us over entitlement; Mobil,

respect Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA, our families are suffering, among others.

Vanguard gathered that in the last few months, the sacked oil workers had staged similar protests and also sealed-off the QIT premises in Ibeno for two days, until the state government and security operatives intervened.

Mr. Joseph Okon and Godwin Idim, Mobil Producing Nigeria, MPN,

Service Workers Forum Chairman and Secretary, respectively, who led the protest, called on the Federal Government to wade into the matter as the crisis could impact negatively on the economy of the nation.

They told newsmen that Mobil had entered into agreement with them since 2006, that those to be affected in the job cut would be settled based on the MPN-Labour Contract system of CBA.

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HE last may not have been heard on the gruesome murder, in a Lagos hotel, of Miss Cynthia Udoka Osokogu, the Delta State-born 2009 second runner-up of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria,

MBGN, with the recent recovery of her Black Berry, BB, mobile phone from a Port Harcourt-based businessman.

The middle-age man (names withheld) was arrested by detectives attached to Area ‘E’ Command Festac Town, La-

Gunmen kill don, council scribe in Bornu

BY NDAHI MARAMA

M

AIDUGURI— BARELY 48 hours after six persons were shot dead by gunmen in Sulimanti Ward of Maiduguri metropolis, Secretary of Bama Local Government Council of Borno State, Mohammed Salisu, and his friend, a university lecturer, Abubakar Salihu, have been shot dead by gunmen.

Salisu and Salihu, a Senior Lecturer in Faculty of Law, Federal

of the detectives then put a call to the Port Harcourtbased business man to say that the BB in his possession was a stolen one.

Through the information on his registered SIM Card and the receiving mast, detectives moved to Port Harcourt, where his residence was located. But they did not meet him at home.

It was said that the phone buyer openly admitted that he bought it through a friend in Lagos, adding that it was sent to him through courier services.

The source said: “When the detectives were able to get the pin number from Cynthia’s father, they started work on the theory that all the information contained in her handset may have been deleted.

“But with their knowledge of BB, they know it can never have two pin numbers. So they started working on that theory, and it bore fruits.”

Launch

Sacked workers, ExxonMobil on warpath over D benefits

BY TONY NYONG

U

YO—SACKED Nigerians working for Exxonmobil as contract staff are spoiling for war with the company over the refusal of the oil major to pay them their terminal benefits, six years after their disengagement.

At a protest march in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, one of the catchment local government areas of Mobil Producing Nigeria

RUMBEAT Newspaper, a communitybased publication to serve the interest of the people of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, has been launched.

Publisher of the newspaper, Mr. Emeka Agbo, at the launch of the publication at the IgandoIkotun Local Government Council Hall, Ikotun, Lagos, said: “The vision of the newspaper is to become a leading community newspaper of reference for cross-fertilisation of ideas and highlighting of community development issues.”

— 17 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012—

“Unity among the cattle makes the lion lie down hungry.”

Nigerian Proverb

including many foreign diplomats, will disregard the threat and reports of insecurity, and inconveniences of long-distance travels in remote parts of the far North to witness a threehour event that was largely symbolic, but profound in terms of its statement about the people of Nigeria.

I

T

hen you got to Koko, a town founded in 1907 by 50 people who left Jega to find better farming land. Famous for its sons who reached great heights in Western education and public service, you may be taken aback by its relatively small size and predominantly rural

T

The Edo-Kebbi bridge ceremony rich with symbolism, sincerity and openness. In those 36 years, the man had acquired a doctorate degree from Oxford, and served in many capacities, including being Nigerian Ambassador to Switzerland before becoming Permanent Secretary in quite possibly the most difficult Ministry to lead. You could tell from the crowd that followed him to Koko that he led a life which touched a lot more than a young class in 1976.

T

•Governor Dakingari of Kebbi State economy. Driving to the palace, you were stared at by thousands of young people and adults who would not attend the turbanning because security will be too tight for ordinary citizens.

But when you got to the palace, you would have been amazed by the huge turn-out of people, hundreds of gailydressed camels, horses and donkeys, and an elaborate presence of security personnel equipped to fight a war. If you were not intimidated by the water-tight security, you would have witnessed a truly remarkable event that was profound in its implications for the present state of our nation, and its future.

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ll that elaborate gathering of the nation and the world was to help the people of Koko and Kebbi State express their appreciation to a man who, at the age of 22, was sent by the Federal Government in 1976 to Government Secondary School Koko to teach during his NYSC. He was from Edo State, and had read History at the University of Ibadan.

Obviously this young man, who today is Ambassador (Dr) Martin Ohumoibhi, K.S.J and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, must have left a profound impression on the community and his former students. Thirty six years since then, they honoured him with a title normally reserved for princes, in a

here was no evidence that Mar tin lobbied for, or paid in any manner, for this symbolic gesture of appreciation from a community to an individual. The huge entourage of

,

N the midst of doom and gloom re garding the future of the nation, a spark of hope was ignited in a small town in Kebbi State. On Saturday 25th of August the small town of Koko was filled to the brim with Nigerians from every nook and cranny of the nation, and a rich assortment of representatives of the international community.

Even the Emir and Governor of Kebbi State said they had never seen anything like it in the history of Koko town. Everything you would expect in the circumstances of our existence today was there. There were thousands of locals, horses and camels, musicians, praise singers and many, many politicians. There were also hundreds of soldiers and policemen, and a curious group in bright red obviously organised around law and order and security put together by the state government. In short, a small army and thousands of curious and cautious locals gathered around an occasion which was entirely novel: the turbanning of a man from Edo State as the Dan Majen Koko by the Sarkin Koko, Alhaji Salihu Koko.

To get to Koko town, if you were one of the hundreds of the powerful, privileged or foreign diplomats, you flew to Birnin Kebbi or Sokoto, and then drove for about two hours on roads that could do with some serious rehabilitation. You drove through the heart of the Muslim North, a rich agricultural land and friendly and hardworking people battling the odds to stay afloat in a rural economy. You saw no evidence of Boko Haram insurgency on the faces of the people, but many villages in danger of being swept away in this year’s heavy rains.

You would have seen bumper harvests of millet and guinea corn, and hardworking villagers hoping to survive the rains and harvest them. You would not have seen small or medium-scale agro-allied industries, but hundreds of petrol tankers and lorries which ferret fuel and other goods to neighbouring countries, quite possibly against the law. You would have passed numerous police and army checkpoints, and most probably, you would have been persuaded to part with some money to show appreciation for the diligence of security men under arms, exposed and vulnerable to the elements and enemies they suspect could be anyone.

Those who listened to Ohumoibhi will be struck by the feeling that there are many Nigerians who genuinely believe in preserving our unity; those who listened to Governor Dakingari were struck by his admission that money has corrupted Nigerian politics, but good people in politics can mitigate its damage

,

Nigerians from many parts of the nation, particularly those from his home state must have been impressed by the sincerity of the gesture without the usual political trappings. The Koko and Kebbi State community itself must have been pleasantly surprised that such numbers of V.I.Ps,

hose who did make the journey will have many tales to tell. First time visitors will marvel at the serenity and beauty and peace of rural Hausaland. They would also have been struck by the poverty of the population living in a simple economy, without the industry to add value to the agricultural products that line every inch of the land. Infrequent visitors will be shocked by the huge explosion of population and the sheer number of young people with little or nothing to do, even making allowances for school holidays. Those who listened to the speeches were struck by the outpouring of sentiments which highlight the values of sacrifice and hard work. Those who listened to the inspiring remarks of Ambassador Ohumoibhi will be struck by the feeling that there are many Nigerians who genuinely believe in the utility of preserving our unity, and are willing to work towards it. Those who listened to Governor Dakingari were struck by his admission that money has corrupted Nigerian politics; but good people in politics can mitigate its damage. Those who noticed the large numbers of local Igbo and Yoruba people (whose chiefs were also turbaned at the ceremony) would draw the conclusion that the roots of this nation go very deep indeed; and they are the artisans, shopkeepers, chemist operators, distributors and millions of other small operators who brave all the odds to travel to and live in communities thousands of miles from their original homes, trusting that they are safe.

Above all, those who attended the event would have come away with the strong impression that a good man will stand out wherever he is. Ambassador Uhomoibhi built a bridge all the way from Ewatto in Esan South Local Government Area of Edo State to Koko in Kebbi State. The class he taught during his National Service produced many people who made their marks on the nation, including two state governors. The people of Koko have preserved that bridge by acknowledging that there is still room in our hearts as a nation for appreciating sacrifice and service. There are profound lessons in the turbanning of the Dan Majen Koko, and it says that the leaders who play the dangerous game of pushing our nation to the brink, can be challenged by others who believe in it, and who work to salvage it.

OPINION

BY OHWEVWO UFUOMA EUGENE

T

HERE is no gainsaying that 2015 could be a defining moment in Nigeria’s political history going by prevailing political events in the country. While to the politically naive 2015 looks a long while away, but to the politically discerning minds, 2015 is just around the corner. Already different ethnic nationalities and regional powers are plotting and strategizing to make the most of the 2015 general elections to their advantage, particularly the presidential election.

No one needs to be told that the

Urhobos and 2015 Urhobos, until now, have been relegated at the national level for reasons best known to the powers that be at the centre, and this is in spite of the fact that they are the fifth largest ethnic group in the country and are home to vast amount of the nation’s crude oil and gas reserves. Politically, the Urhobos with their numerical strength are suppose to have a high bargaining power in Nigeria’s political equation, but unfortunately they have failed to take advantage of this leverage as a result of disunity in their ranks.

However, as the nation looks forward to the 2015 general election, they need not be told told that they must do everything possible to put their house in order lest they remain politically irrelevant at the national and state level.

At the federal level, they must ensure that they lend their support and line behind any political party or candidate that would uphold and protect their collective interests notwithstanding where the candidate hails from.

The idea of supporting a candidate

because of regional sentiments and emotions must be put behind them as it has not helped the Urhobo cause in any form as can be observed in the present administration.The Urhobos' interest should be paramount and above regional or party interest which has not brought them any good, but rather backwardness and dire neglect.

The Urhobos have no other time than 2015 to assert and stamp their political influence and power. They must make hay when the sun shines.

A word is enough for the wise!!

•Mr Eugene wrote from Warri

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

N Monday, September 3, 2012, the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, O with the Minister of Finance and Coordi-

nating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and other top officials in tow, launched the second edition of the Youth Enterprises With Innovation (YOUWIN2) at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja. Unlike the first edition rolled out last year, the second phase will be reserved for young female budding entrepreneurs.

Two main reasons were adduced for reserving this year’s phase for women between the ages of 18 and 45. The first was that last year when a total of 1,200 successful beneficiaries were advanced sums ranging from one million to ten million naira to start their businesses, only about ten per cent were women. The second reason was that women had a considerably higher propensity than men to manage funds well and respect the terms of credit by repaying when due. These facts have long been established through the various

YOUWIN for lady tycoons traditional and contemporary thrift systems.

It is reasoned that with more women involved and enjoying a virtual parity ratio with their male counterparts, the chances of this very interesting innovation towards the creation of jobs through the private sector being successful will be much higher.

As time goes on, it will engender a new thinking to the effect that school leavers should no longer look up to government or the stagnant private sector alone for nonexistent jobs. As they explore their innate potentials for self-reliance the army of job seekers will plummet.

As a newspaper, we welcome any venture aimed at bringing up the capacity of women to assert their hidden abilities. Quite

obviously, the lopsided access to opportunity to the disadvantage of women is largely to blame for the social disequilibrium we suffer today. Any policy aimed at reducing any form of marginalisation of Nigerians based on gender, ethnicity, religion or geopolitical section will have our full support.

But we wish to caution that reserving any programme such as YOUWIN for a gender may be overdoing things. Our young men do have their excesses, which are sociologically traceable to enormous pressures they face either as breadwinners or prospective breadwinners. Making our brilliant young men who could become the next Dangotes, Adenugas, Innosons and Bill Gates lose a whole year of this programme is not the best thing to do.

Rather, the programme should have followed a pattern of affirmative action aimed at bringing the number of ladies to par with men in the second phase. But stronger emphasis should really be on people who qualify and have the character and track record to respect the terms of engagement, while keeping an eye open for affirmative action.

OPINION

BY GODWIN UKAUDU

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HEN I read the story titled “Aba Res idents Unhappy Over Infrastructure" published on page 18 of The Nation Newspaper of August 21, 2012 where some residents of commercial city of Aba lamented over what called poor state of infrastructure and taxation, I was surprised. My surprise stemmed from the fact that the story was one-sided as there was no government’s side in it, which is unethical in journalism.

Balance and objectivity is a major ingredient of any reporting or writing. Where they are missing or lacking the motive of such report or write-up becomes suspect.

Besides, I was born and brought up in Aba and my parents are still residing there, precisely at the Ogbor hill area. Before I left Nigeria to the US three years ago, I knew the state of infrastructure in the city.

When I visited the city in April this year for Easter celebration I saw impressed by the level of infrastructural development, unlike what was on ground when I left the shores of Nigeria.

One such example is the restoration of sanity at the notorious Osisioma junction by clearing and beautifying it, which was amazing. So also was the reconstruction of the Aba/ Owerri road which has significantly reduced traffic jam on that road. It was obvious to me that some of the link roads in the city that were impass-

Between Abia govt and Aba residents able some years ago were rehabilitated and now accessible.

The city was also clean unlike before when refuse dump sites were ubiquitous eye sore. During my two-week stay in the city, I realised that there were still some infrastructure challenges calling for government and individual attention, which I know cannot be achieved overnight due their complexities bordering on human and natural tendencies. From my observation, it was obvious that the present government in the state is committed and passionate about tackling the challenges in the city, judging from what they have achieved so far and are still doing.

So the lamentations of the so-called residents of the city in the story reminded me of my days in the city, especially during the long years of military rule in the country. I was one of the ardent critics of every government in the state then over the neglect of the city, especially in the area of infrastructural development, despite the huge revenue being generated from the city by the government.

In those days, I severally mobilised and led Aba residents on a protest march to Government House Umuahia over the state of decayed infrastructure in the city.

During one of such protests in 1997, the

then military administrator of the State, Col. Moses Fasanya, told us that while Aba is the major commercial city in the state and generated revenue for the state, there were other cities in the state like the state capital Umuahia that required more developmental attention than Aba. He said that the government would not abandon other places in the state to concentrate development in Aba. The statement became a food for thought for us. It also reminded us of the Niger Delta region which has remained the hen that lays the golden egg for Nigeria in terms of revenue generation, but has suffered and continue to suffer neglect and deprivation more than any other part of the country. his is because the Federal Govern ment needs to use the revenue from the region to develop other parts of the country, because Nigeria is one legal and indivisible entity that requires unity and development in all ramifications. Onitsha main market in Anambra State is the biggest market in West Africa today, generating so much revenue for the state government, but its residents are still facing some infrastructural challenges. But that does not mean that the government in the state is not working.

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That is the reality of governance all over the world. Taxation is a source of income for government and it is even higher in the developed countries, whereas government there will not provide everything for the people. In most developed countries, governments only provide conducive environment for private investors to operate, and do not provide all the needs of the people.

Economically, human wants are insatiable and that is the typical case of an average resident in Aba. This is because they have suffered lack of basic amenities for years, so some of the appreciable inputs or efforts by the present government in the city seem to be nothing to some of the residents for reason best known to them. For how would Uko Kamalu, a landlord on Ehi Road be blaming government or complaining of tenants defaulting in their rental. The question is, what has government got to do with the business of collecting rents for landlords? It is important at this point for the residents of Aba city to develop a synergy and partner with the present government in the state in its effort in sanitising and restoring the city. Aba did not decay in a day, month or year, it took several decades of neglect and abandonment by successive governments in the state coupled with the flouting of the city’s master plan by the greedy landlords. *Mr Ukaudu, a system analyst wrote from Houston, USA

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012— —19

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ET'S just say last week was the week of choice for President Goodluck Jonathan and his media team to take on their critics, real or imagined. The President's remark that he was the most criticised president was prime news. So was a widely circulated piece, written by the President's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati. The President attacked the Nigerian media for what he said was its bias against him. According to him, the media simply couldn't see what is good about his administration and his self-avowed effort to turn the country around. In Dr. Abati's article, dripping with 'insider' insights and knowingly titled, "The Jonathan they don't know", anyone and everyone who has ever had anything slightly critical to say about the President, from those he called uninformed devotees of social media and street side gossips to more talented people who, nevertheless, fritter away their talent on worthless criticism of his boss, as he perceives it- all got their share of the 'publicist's' harsh judgement. Are these words of the President and his media adviser justified? Are they right in their reading of Nigerians' perception

of this administration? May be not, as I would, hopefully, show in the following comments, basically rereadings of Abati's comments. The 'he' in the title of this article therefore refers to Abati, the President's spokesperson, in the fashion of the 'they' in his own article that referred to critics of the President. We need not elaborate on the obvious turnaround in Abati's public position from a harsh, sometimes impudent critic of the President to an avid supporter of his administration, a sagely and sympathetic reader of human character, especially, the President's character and heretofore hidden talents. No, we need not comment on all of thisand I honestly mean it. His present job requires that he defends the President and the position of his government as best as he could. It is not always possible to know all about an individual from our understanding of their public persona. Which goes without saying that once you come close to people, know them with a measure of intimacy even of mere acquaintanceship- to know them at any of this level is to come away with insights that might bring about a change in how we view

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them. The outcome is usually more sympathetic and understanding than many may care to know or realise. Therefore, it would be very shallow indeed to see Abati's present defence of the President as a consequence of his being invited to partake of the unending pork that many Nigerians believe public service entails. Rather, let us see it as genuine change in his view of the man. But is this view wholly correct? That's the question we have to answer.

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irst to President Jonathan: Is he the most criticised Nigerian president or leader, to say nothing of the world? The answer is a resounding No! Where would we put the likes of General Olusegun Obasanjo or General Ibrahim Babangida, even Sani Abacha, who in and out of office, dead or alive, have never enjoyed any respite from the avalanche of criticisms/scorn they have often been covered in, if President Jonathan begins to see himself as the butt of Nigerians' criticism? He overstates his case and Nigerians' criticism, mainly of his (non)performance without reference to his person as they tend

In memory of Gani Fawehinmi, master of the rolls

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N September 5, 2012, it will be three years since Gani Fawehinmi died of cancer and joined the ancestors. The void he left in our political life remains unfilled, for so large was his presence while he breathed. The park at the Ojota area of Lagos named in his honour has since become Nigeria’s primary spot where the suffering masses gather to expose their wounds and protest their unrelieved oppression worsened by the staggering corruption of their so-called leaders. There is no doubt that every true patriot, every lover of freedom, democracy and good governance, mourns still the untimely departure of Fawehinmi. On September 8, 2009, a slightly different version of the following tribute appeared in the defunct NEXT newspaper. I also republish it here in the light of the declining influence of lawyers and the Nigeria Bar Association in our public life.

The office of Master of the Rolls does not exist in Nigeria. And even if, given our stunning lack of self-belief, we had also copied that most British aspect of the administration of justice, the post could not have been held by Gani. Why then do I permit myself this allusion? Because I first “knew” Gani while a freshman law student. As virtually every Nigerian law student will testify, the late Lord Alfred Denning, Master of the Rolls, added something exhilarating to the rather staid and predictable study of law. And he personified the office in a way no predecessor or successor did. Denning’s many astounding, even if occasionally controversial, decisions had unprecedented impacts on the development of the common law. A man of great erudition, his writing style, more flexibly literary than rigidly legalistic, was cultivated for the purpose of simplifying the law in homage to the great dictum, Ubi jus, ibi remedium: for every wrong, the law provides a remedy. So

dedicated to this principle, whether the plaintiff be a smug citizen or a harried immigrant, was he that Denning often wrote the dissenting opinion. He would even abdicate his seat on the House of Lords’ appellate division just so that the plaintiff might have one more chance of obtaining justice! Denning became known as “the people’s judge” and retired as perhaps the greatest jurist of his time. In the late Sapara Williams, Gani found the embodiment of this principle of the lawyer as the conscience of his society.

In Gani’s dogged commitment to the law as an instrument of social change, he became for me the master of the rolls, that is, keeper of the records of our travails. You could take this literally and point to his meticulous documentation of the decisions of our superior courts of record through the law publishing arm of his practice. Every judge and lawyer, whether friend or foe, would gladly admit that without Gani’s law reports and indexes legal practice today would be a portrait straight out of Charles Dickens’s Bleak House. To be sure, the courtrooms remain, by and large, owlish edifices that admit no light of day but for the illumination provided by Gani’s Weekly Law Reports and other publications. But that is hardly the half of my meaning. The untrammelled reputation Gani enjoyed was as much a product of his forensic legal mind as of his role as the people’s plaintiff who filed countless suits to challenge the excesses of power.

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et, though he swore by constitutional means of struggle he saw clearly that “the mountains of costly nonsense” that emanate from the courtrooms could not be expected to break the yoke of tyranny, military or civilian. In filing case upon case, then, he merely sought to bring into the court of public opinion those high crimes and

to do of Obasanjo and to a lesser degree of Babangida, whose performance in office or otherwise as well as their personal conduct are often fair game for critics.

Nobody has yet taken President Jonathan to task on what are his personal choices with regards to the way he lives his life. No dirt has been dug up about hidden girlfriends or children. Not many have found it necessary to comment on his children, their identity or conduct. Except for the way and manner his permanent secretary wife has been carrying herself in recent weeks, it's as if the President is a bachelor whose life revolves simply around his official responsibilities. No Nigerian leader has been this lucky. Yet, President Jonathan makes loud claims about a biased media. His spokesperson rounds in on his critics and seeks to make fools and liars of them all. No, not too fast Mr. President. Things could definitely have been and could yet be worse, no matter how many more Doyin Okupes are hired to take on his critics many of whom have solid grounds for their criticisms.

The truth is that right from the moment he emerged as the governor of Bayelsa to the time he became president following a concatenation of providential events, Goodluck Jonathan had become Nigeria's favourite child even when he had little else to recommend him beyond his apparent good luck. People were prepared to make excuses for him and tried to see light when darkness was all that was evident after he became president and things didn't look like what many had expected of a man some also celebrated as Nigeria's first president with a PhD. In the same manner many felt disappointed in

malfeasances that would otherwise be protected by secrecy. Inevitably, he embraced defiant political activism, too often in ways that alienated many natural allies, and offered his body as the notice board of the nation’s woes. In and out of prison, at certain periods more than he was in and out of the courtroom, his body bore in every tissue the whip and lash of our successive governments’ terrorism. I speak of Gani, then, as the embodiment of the rolls of wrongs that our self-appointed leaders have unrelentingly visited on us for five decades.

,

The Jonathan he might not know

It's stretching imagination too far for either the President or any of his minders, therefore, to see him as the most criticised Nigerian leader

The untrammelled reputation Gani enjoyed was as much a product of his forensic legal mind as of his role as the people’s plaintiff

,

I said that I first met Gani as a law student and it is on that more personal note that I wish to end this brief tribute, too brief, alas, to be just to his greatness. In collaboration with Professor Itse Sagay, founding dean of law at the University of Benin, Gani had endowed an annual Justice Idigbe memorial lecture. Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, then still on the Supreme Court, had come to deliver the second lecture in the series. Imagine this for a starry-eyed law student, awakening to a social consciousness that bode no peace of mind if restricted to the complacent acquisition of knowledge and who wasn’t sure his future lay in law. The cast was assembled for me, you might say. Following my subsequent involvement in the student

their expectation of a likely cerebral administration following the election of Umaru Yar'Adua (may his soul rest in peace) as Nigeria's first president with a university degree, so do they feel frustrated now by the nonperforming Jonathan. It's stretching imagination too far for either the President or any of his minders, therefore, to see him as the most criticised Nigerian leader. He does not come within the first five of such leaders that could rightly claim they've had a bad run of the press. He has had far better romance with the press than his score sheet justifies. If in spite of his too obvious shortcomings in office he still wants the press to keep mute, he must be asking more than is appropriate for his own good. He does more harm to himself and his place in history if one were to judge him by his growing sensitivity to criticism while he blunders his way through office. It would have been better if he makes effort to mend his ways or the growing but distracting influence of his wife.

These are the issues he should reflect upon and proffer solutions to. Not much would be achieved by his self-pitying cry or the name calling of his media publicist. If Nigerians are today critical of him, it is not out of any personal hatred but the fear that their hopes in him are being dashed. More importantly, his failure reflects badly on the aspirations of the minority groups of Nigeria who believed his rise would provide a fresh start away from the failures of past leaders from so-called majority groups. But alas the President is setting the bar far lower than the most incompetent of his predecessors.

Continues next week

and democracy movements, I became a regular visitor to Gani’s Anthony Village chambers. I had managed to complete my studies, in any case, thanks to the legal precedent of fair hearing he had fought to establish on unshakable grounds in what would become the locus classicus on the subject: Garba & Ors vs University of Maiduguri. I recall now two visits in 1992 that helped in no small measure to resolve the conflict I was undergoing as to which to make a career: law or literature? On the first, I had gone to seek Gani’s counsel and help on my return from Makurdi after completing youth service. Counsel given, he wrote a check for N1000 to help me with the immediate need of furnishing the room Sagay had kindly given me rent free in the Boys Quarters of his chambers in Alaka Estate, Surulere. When on the second visit I presented a money-making venture that would purportedly help me to meet the costs of setting up practice, Gani chuckled and dismissed it out of hand. Then he looked at me and said: “Ogaga, you are a writer. I believe that is your true calling, not that of going to court everyday to nod and say, My Lord this, My Lord that. I think you should follow your heart’s desire”.

I didn’t get the loan I had asked for to underwrite my business venture, but what I got was validation of a sort that every budding writer needs. And it was even more valuable because we do not think of Gani in literary terms. If he could discern promise worth encouraging in my tenderfoot days, then I had just been handed a fatter cheque than he could have written. In this, too, Gani was a master of my personal rolls.

20—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY,, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Debate of the masses

Lagos traffic laws and Okada riders

BY EBELE ORAKPO

M

*What was left of Abdullahi Aliyu’s house after the ancient wall fell on it, killing him

When an ancient wall collapses, killing two, injuring four persons I

T was yet another day of mourning at Nassarawa Jahun ward of the Bauchi Metropolis when a part of the historic Bauchi wall, constructed in about 1804, collapsed on an adjacent building, killing two people and injuring four others.

Vanguard Metro, VM, gathered that a day before the tragedy being Saturday, there was a heavy rainfall in the state that lasted several hours. It was also learnt that the tallest historic wall which is over 100 years had cracks on it due to rainfalls from previous years but nothing was done to renovate it, until it eventually collapsed on the fateful Sunday around 12.50 pm.

The two victims, Abdullahi Aliyu, 50, a father of five and his neighbour ’s wife, Bilkisu Yayaya, 38, were in the house when the incident occurred. The surviving two daughters of the late Abdullahi Aliyu could barely control their emotion when VM sought their reaction on the incident. In tears they said: “ It is the will of Allah ‘’ and could not say more. Asamau,

17 and her sister Hafsat, 15, disclosed that their father was sleeping in his room when the ancient fell on their house and killed him.

Asmau whose body was covered with red dust from the collapsed building said: “I was sitting inside the parlour with my sister when the house started falling.

My father was inside his room already asleep when the building collapsed on him. It was just like a bad dream because nobody ever envisaged that such a

,

BY SUZAN EDEH, Bauchi

wall collapsing and before we knew it, it fell and there was dust everywhere. I was rescued”.

The Chairman, Bauchi Local Government Area, Sagir Baba Maji, who was represented by the Education and Social Development Officer, Aminu Yaya, described the incident as sad, saying: “We accept this tragic incident as the will of God and although we are sad because the collapse of the wall led to the death of two persons,

My father was inside his room asleep when the building collapsed on him; it was just like a bad dream because nobody ever envisaged that such a tragedy will befall us

tragedy will befall our house”.

Another survivor, Mallama Jamila Salihu, said she was preparing food for the wedding of a neighbour with Bilkisu in Abdullahi’s compound when the incident occurred. Jamila said: “I was in the kitchen when I heard the

,

we know that whatever is destined to happen will eventually happen”.

The Bauchi local government chairman condoled with the family of the deceased and urged the people to build their houses as least 20 metres from the ancient wall to avoid another

disaster.

In his remark, Ibrahim Saidu Jahun, Galadiman Bauchi, said there had been signs that the wall would collapse and attributed the incident to the early morning rains that occurred the previous day. Jahun, the immediate past Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Rector observed that people should build their houses far away from the wall to enable the authority to carry out repairs on it.

“It is a very sad incident and I pray Allah to grant the families the fortitude to bear the loss. It is sad but one needs to submit to Allah.”

The deceased were being taken for burial at the time of this report while two who were critically injured were rushed to the hospital Residents of the area who trooped to the scene lamented that the traditional ruler’s wall poses a threat to them and appealled to him to demolish and rehabilitate the out-dated building with a view to protecting their lives.

They also called on the government to compensate the families of the victims in order to alleviate their sadness.

Y God!!” ex claimed John as passers-by watched as an Okada rider knocked down a pedestrian at the Berger Yard Bus stop on the Mile-Two – Apapa Wharf road Monday evening. The Okada rider was definitely in the wrong because not only was he going on a oneway traffic (going from Apapa to Mile-Two on the lane meant for vehicles going from Mile-Two to Apapa), he was on high speed, as if the devil himself was after him.

As he hit the pedestrian, both of them came crashing to the ground right in the middle of the express road. The victim quickly got up and moved away from the road. The motorcyclist also got up, picked up his motorcycle and was about to move when the victim descended on him, landing him a blow on his back and was about to give him another blow when other Okada riders came to his rescue.Said Abu, one of the motorcyclists, to the victim: “Oga, leave him alone. It was your fault.

You did not watch the road very well before attempting to cross. You should thank God that there was no oncoming vehicle. You would have been killed.”

Replied John: “What are you trying to say?

That your colleague who was going one-way was right?”

“Yes. Everybody is taking one way, so before you cross the road, you should look very well,” said Abu.By this time, the usual Lagos crowd, popularly called Lagos onlookers, had gathered at the scene of the accident. “But I thought there is a law in place against driving one way in Lagos State?” asked Mufu.

“Yes. Governor Fashola signed the new traffic bill in Lagos into law since August 2 and it has taken effect. The law says

that anyone caught engaging in one-way driving risks three-year jail term after psychiatric examination,” said Nkechi.

“So what is stopping the law from taking effect in this area? Abi Okada riders dey above the law?” asked Oni. “The annoying thing is the impunity with which they do it. They are committing an offence and brazenly at that!” noted Titi.

“Do you blame them?

LASTMA, FRSC officials and the police see them and look the other way as if the Mile-Two-Apapa axis is not part of Lagos State. That is why they maim and kill people almost on a daily basis here,” said Oni. Said Eno: “The worst is that many of them are under-aged. I am sure most of them don’t even know how to ride motorcycles, not to talk of understanding and obeying traffic laws.” Turning to the motorcyclist, she said: “Just look at this boy, is he up to 15 years? I doubt it very much.”

Retorted Ibrahim, another motorcyclist: “You, I no be small boy. I get am for wife like you for my house.”

“You mean you are married? Liar! You no fit,” replied Nike.

“Walaihi, me I don marry. Come to my house, you go see am for my wife,” insisted Ibrahim, a lanky young chap, not looking older than 19 years. “The government should act urgently to save lives on this road. So many people have been incapacitated by these emergency motorcyclists,” said Titi.

“Why do you call them emergency motorcyclists,” asked Mufu.

Replied Titi: “Because they come to Lagos as night guards, before you know it, they open a small kiosk where they sell sweets and biscuits. Before you say Jack Robinson, they become motorcyclists over night because it fetches more money”.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 — 21

POFON raises alarm over removal of tariff on imported palm oil

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

P

LANTATION Owners Forum of Nigeria, POFON, has expressed concern over the move by some individuals to pressurize the Federal Government to remove the existing 35 per cent tariff on importation of crude palm oil in Nigeria, saying that it will cripple activity in the industry.

The association’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Fatai Afolabi, noted that since similar pressure on the federal government resulted in lifting of ban on palm oil importation in 2009, Nigeria has diminished from its third to fifth position in palm oil production in the world, behind Thailand and Columbia.

He said, “If the Nigerian government should allow the surreptitious move to dump cheap and low quality palm oil in Nigeria, much more than the loss of corporate investment, our rural economy will be dealt a devastating blow.

Palm oil industry “Equally, Nigeria’s natural resources and biodiversity will be adversely affected in the process.

“It is only in Nigeria’s oil palm industry that secondary producers and end users cannot show evidence or model for commodity value chain linkages.

They must insist on importing palm oil because it is cheaper in Malaysia and Indonesia.”

He observed that the dumping of cheap and unfortified palm oil in Nigeria also has implication for the oil palm component of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the present administration, saying that it was also a way of siphoning the country’s foreign exchange.

“In all, it will send a wrong signal that government is paying lip service to agriculture by relegating it to a posi-

166.80

+3.90

2,475.00

+78.00

19.79

+0.21

112.30

-1.29

94.87

-1.28

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING DOLLAR 154.8 POUND 245.7814 EURO 194.6146 FRANC 162.0094 YEN 1.976 CFA 0.277 WAUA 234.6356 RENMINBI 24.4128 RIYAL 41.2756 KRONER 26.1173 SDR 235.6056

155.3 246.5853 195.2432 162.5327 1.9824 0.287 235.3934 24.4921 41.4089 26.2017 236.3666

155.8 247.3792 195.8718 163.056 1.9888 0.297 236.1513 24.5422 41.5422 26.286 237.1276

CBN Exchange rate as at 3/09/2012

L-R: Governor of Khomas Region, Botswana, Honourable Samuel Nuujoma; Publisher, Aviation and Alllied Business Journal, Capt. Edward Boyo and Minister of Works and Transport, Republic of Namibia, Hourable Erkki Nghimtina, at the 18th Aviation and Allied Business Leadership Conference, held at Windhoek Country Club Resort, Windhoek, in Namibia tion of subservience to industrialization. The ideal position, given the stated policy thrust, is to enhance the position of agriculture to enable it drive

industrialization.

“The proposed tariff review will ultimately open a floodgate to Crude palm Oil, CPO, imports, the debilitating effect of which Nigeria may not recover

from. This may be likened to the imports of refined petroleum products that started as a short-gap measure but has been perpetuated,” he added.

••We want to check importation of cheap CPO — Adeshina M EANWHILE, the Minister for Ag riculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has said that his ministry is out to check arbitrary impor-

tation of Crude Palm Oil, CPO, into the country, saying it was economically suicidal for Nigeria to throw open its ports to import of cheap palm oil.

Stakeholders lament Nnaji’s resignation …Warn against vested interest

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

S

TAKEHOLDERS in the power sec tor have expressed worry over the sudden resignation of the Power Minister, Prof. Barth Nnaji, warning President Goodluck Jonathan to be mindful of some Nigerians who may want to rock the ongoing reforms in the power sector due to their vested interest.

They specifically cautioned the president not to allow the relative stability in power supply witnessed under the leadership of the former minister to dwindle.

The stakeholders blamed the shocking resignation of the minister on those who allegedly do not want the success

of the ongoing privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, that has yielded some level of stability in power supply.

In his submission, the Managing Director of Blue Diamond Logistics, Mr. Festus Mbisiogu, who frowned at the manner Jonathan, received the resignation of the minister enjoined him to ensure that the next person that would head the ministry of power does not return the nation to darkness.

Mbisiogu who expressed worry that the minister’s exit might stall the ongoing reforms in the power sector, noted that stability in power supply witnessed in the country in the last few months was beginning to attract foreign investors.

Making this known in Abuja at the signing of cooperation agreement between the ministry and 18 participating oil palm estates in the 2012 Nursery Field Plantation Activity, Adeshina said that those clamoring and making clandestine moves for the reduction of tariff on crude palm oil from 35 to 5 per cent should know that the government would not allow that to happen.

He said, “We cannot mortgage the future of Nigerian farmers. Farmers and oil palm estate owners are now expanding cultivated area under oil palm. They are planting new high yielding varieties with expectations that they will find markets. If we allow crude palm oil from Malaysia to flood our markets, we will be dashing the hopes of these farmers and further sabotage the Nigerian economy.

“Our view is that the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme’s (ETLS’) Rule of Country of Origin provision should not be exploited to bring in Crude Palm Oil at an unauthorized and ridiculously low price that discourages local investment. I want to be very clear on this: we will not allow imports of cheap CPO that will undermine our palm oil transformation agenda as a country.”

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Analysts warn against investing SWF in govt debt instruments

By LAZARUS IBEABUCHI

A

NALYSTS at Cowry Assets Management Limited have advised against investing the Sovereign Wealth Fund in any government debt instruments as such investments maybe in jeopardy during periods of national economic crises thereby, negating the primary purpose of the SWF. The company in its last weekly financial markets review and outlook said that the asset location challenges for the fund managers could include a restriction of investments to fewer eligible global financial instruments or assets given the

goings on in troubled Eurozone, aweakened Chinese economy and a slowly growing U.S. economy.

“Consequently,we expect the fund managers to focus more on funding of local assets particularly with the infrastructural fund so as to close the yearning gap in the country’s infrastructural base,” the company said.

The Federal Government had announced the constitution of the Board of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). The SWF is to manage excess oil dollar earnings above the national budget benchmark crudeoil price.

The Fund’s managers are

L-R: Registrar and Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, Mr. Emmanuel Ajayi; Workshop Committee Member, Mr. Abayomi Sanya; 1st Vice President, CIS, Mr. Emmanuel Ohanwusi and President/Chairman of Council, Mr. Ariyo Olushekun, at a media briefing on the 1st Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers Annual National Workshop at the Nigerian Stock Exchange, (NSE), in Lagos expected to provide guidance for the operations of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) which was established in May 2012 and given the mandate to build a savings base for future generations of Nigerians;

enhance the development of Nigerian infrastructure and promote fiscal stability for the country in periods of economic stress.

In addition to the aforementioned positives, the benefits of the SWF savings

CIS to assist FG to track budget performance ••

To hold national workshop

By PETER EGWUATU

T

HE Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has expressed its determination to assist the federal government in tracking budget performance that will boost its transformation programme and enhance the general wellbeing of the people.

The institute has also resolved to influence government policies by generating ideas that will contribute immensely to the transformation of not only the capital market, but the national economy as a whole.

Speaking to newsmen, yesterday, in Lagos, President, CIS, Mr. Ariyo Olushekun, said the institute has resolved to engage key players in both the public and private sector of the economy to brainstorm and generate ideas which will serve as useful input to national budget and enhance the quality of the policy making process. He disclosed that the institute will hold its first national workshop on September 13th, 2012 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja with the theme, “Working the transformation Agenda: The Real Issues”.

According to him,” The workshop will focus on Agriculture, Telecommunication and Power sectors of the economy. It goes without saying that these critical sectors hold strategic importance to the realization of the vast potentials of the Nigerian economy, and reinvigoration of the capital market.”

While giving insight of the

forthcoming workshop, Mr. Albert Okumagba, Group CEO, BGL Plc and Chairman of the Workshop Committee, said.The performance of the capital market is an impetus for economic growth and development. The c capital market has the potentials to induce growth but has not contributed significantly to economic growth of Nigeria due to low market capitalization, small market size, few listed companies, low volume of transactions, illiquidity among others.”

Transformation agenda According to him, “The workshop is expected to host the movers and shakers of the Nigerian economy from both the public and private sectors.

Speakers at the event will include the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Nnamadi Sambo who will make the keynote address on the workshop theme: Working the Transformation Agenda – The Real Issues. The Honourable Minister for Finance, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is expected to participate in the event along with key members of the Economic Management Team.

He emphasized that the role of capital in the production process and economic performance of a nation has long been recognized, noting that capital provides the impetus for the effective and efficient combination of

factors of production to ensure sustainable economic growth.

According to him, the effective utilization of productive resources accumulated over time would determine the pace of growth of an economy. Growth in productive activities and its distribution determines the social wellbeing of the population.Commenting on the forthcoming national workshop, Okumagba, said, The focus at the workshop will be on the Agriculture, Telecommunications and Power sectors of the economy and therefore we have invited the Honourable Minister for Agricul-

ture, Mr Akinwunmi Adeshina, to make a presentation on Agriculture as a business – The Funding, Instruments and Policies whilst the Honourable Minister for Communications Technology, Mrs. Mobola Johnson would make a presentation on Telecoms as a catalyst for democratizing wealth creation.”

The Director General of The Bureau of Public Enterprises, Ms. Bola Onogoruwa has also been invited to speak on Power specifically to give us an insight into the roadmap and status of the plans for delivering power.”

could, in the short term, favour the monetary side as less spending by the fiscal side would help rein in inflationary pressures.

The Fund has three windows: a stabilization window, which will be a means of stabilizing the macro-economy and manage volatility; an infrastructure window which will allow investment in infrastructure development in the country and to attract coinvestors into the sector; and a future Generations window to make room for a solid savings base for the economy and save for the future.

Each of the windows will be assigned 20 per cent of the entire funds, bringing in to 60 per cent, while the Board and management of the NSIA are statutorily empowered to take investment decisions on the balance of 40 per cent.

The SWF currently has $1 billion drawn down from the Excess Crude Account which currently stands at $ 7.35 billion.

European stocks rise as ECB hopes eclipse grim data

E

UROPEAN stocks ended higher on Monday, extending the previous session’s rally as investors’ hopes of further stimulus measures from central banks overshadowed grim manufacturing data from China and Europe.

The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares ended 0.8 percent higher at 1,091.61 points, with the index experiencing its lowest trading volumes since last December’s Christmas week, due in part to the fact that Wall Street remained closed for a public holiday.

The euro zone’s blue chip Euro STOXX 50 index added 0.9 percent, to 2,463.17 points. The rally was broad based, with

French pharma group Sanofi adding 2.2 percent and Italian lender UniCredit gaining 1.7 percent.

Despite figures showing the euro zone manufacturing sector contracted faster than previously thought last month and data from China signalling that the pace of the country’s economic growth will weaken well into the third quarter, investors continued to focus on this week’s European Central Bank (ECB) policy meeting.The ECB is expected to unveil details of a plan to buy bonds from Spain and Italy to lower the two countries’ borrowing costs and ease the region’s debt crisis.

On Monday, ECB President

Mario Draghi was reported as saying that the purchase of sovereign bonds with a maturity of up to three years by the central bank would not breach EU rules, easing worries about the plan’s potential hurdles.Despite Monday ’s gains, Francois Chevallier, strategist at Banque Leonardo, warned that equities will struggle to extend their rally started in late July.

“The ECB’s plan to buy bonds is pretty much priced in at this point. The risk is now on the downside, if investors are disappointed by the central bank’s programme or the conditions attached to it,” he said.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 — 23

EDITED by Adekunle Adekoya

DIARY

BY EMEKA AGINAM

Select ICT events

HERE are renewed protests in the telecommunications sector against the Federal Government’s inability to enforce the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council Act, (NIPC) of 1990.

The Act has to do with local content and expatriate quota and those clamouring that it should be enforced in the telecoms sector are saying that it will ensure the inclusion of local contractors and engender adequate youth employment.

The protesters are saying that although non implementation of local content law is not limited to telecoms sector alone, there was danger in the trend which if not reversed urgently, perennially pins Nigeria down as a digitally colonized nation by the western economies.

At the forefront of the protest is the Lead Advocate, Constitutional Rights Advocacy Initiative, (CRAI), Barrister Ikechukwu Ikeji.

According to him, major contracts and employments presently are given only to foreign expatiates while smart Nigerians who can as well deliver the same jobs are left behind.

zInternet Show Africa. Holds Sept 1112 in Johannesburg, South Africa. z Submarine Networks World. Holds Sept 11-13 @ Marina Bay Sands - Singapore. z The Mobile Show Africa 2012.

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Preview

New inventions shaping life and living

Cat tunnel sofa

T

HE Cat Tunnel Sofa concept was created to provide a more harmonious seating situation for humans and their feline companions.

Designed by Seungji Mun of South Korea, the sofa features a cat-sized tunnel that travels along the side, back and arm of the sofa. The tunnel gives the cats a way to play and exercise that complements their natural tendencies while allowing the owners a new and easy way to interact with them during their own couch-time.

Although still in the concept phase, Cat Tunnel sofa could come to market in early 2013.

I N S I D E

T

Less than 10 per cent human capacity control in telecoms: Ikeji, at a press conference with IT Journalists in Lagos last week disclosed that Nigeria has less than 10% human capacity control in telecoms market in spite of the impressive growth of the industry.

However, he is not alone in the struggle. The Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has also condemned the trend saying that it was killing local enterprise.

Raising his own voice, ATCON President Engr Lanre Ajayi said that “I would like to join the call for Government to devise strategies that ensures an

Ericsson prepares ground for M-commerce adoption —Pg 24

Omobola Johnson,, ComTech Minister

Stakeholders rise over local content policy in telecom sector improved participation of local companies in the Nigerian Telecoms sector. Big telecoms companies should be encouraged to patronize the services of local companies.

“A situation where such big companies award contracts to foreign companies only for such contracts to

Apple's files more patent suit against Samsung —Pg 24

be subcontracted to local companies should be discouraged. Local companies should be supported to grow in order to have capacity to employ more Nigerians”.

He said that ATCON was working on a self regulatory scheme that would ensure that member com-

panies conform to certain code of conducts which, hopefully, would fascinate other companies to do business with them. It is believed that with enhanced confidence in member companies of ATCON, those of them that provide support services to other telecoms providers would receive

Broadband in schools: MainOne toes American FCC example —Page 26

better patronage.

Earlier, Ikeji had condemned the practice of mobile network operators awarding in-country services that were provided by local firms to foreign equipment vendors who in turn repatriate the proceeds to their countries, saying that Continues on Page 25

Network congestion gets dynamic solution —Page 27

24 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Sony unveils new flagship Xperia smartphone, tablet

S

ONY Mobile un veiled a new flagship smartphone and its first tablet at the Ifa consumer electronics show in Berlin. The Sony Xperia T smartphone will launch globally in the next few weeks and feature in the upcoming James Bond film ‘Skyfall’. The phone boasts of a 4.6-inch screen, 13 megapixel camera with 1080p video recording, NFC and 1.5GHz dual-core processor. It will come with Android 4.0.4 and be upgraded to 4.1 at a later date. It can also slot into an Xperia TV Dock with MHL-to-HDMI converter to display images on a TV. A similar phone called the Xperia V will come with a slightly smaller screen, LTE and what Sony claims is the highest level of water resistance in a smartphone.

The Xperia V will launch in Q4, as will a new entry-level phone called the Xperia J. J has a 4.0-inch *Sony Xperia tab

Apple files more patent suit against Samsung

A

*New Sony Xperia phone

FWGVA screen, 5 megapixel camera and illuminated social media alerts. The Xperia T and V have a recommended price of EUR 499, and the Xperia J is priced at EUR 249.

The Xperia Tablet S will be available in the coming weeks. The Android 4.0 device features a 9.4inch display and Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor. With all Sony smartphones shipping from September, the company is offering a free 60-day trial of its Music Unlimited streaming service. The new devices also come with the latest Walkman, Album and Movies applications from Sony.

PPLE has filed a new intellectual property lawsuit claiming that four Samsung devices, including its flagship Galaxy S3 smartphone, infringe the same patents that were part of the case in which it was victorious two weeks ago .

Immediately after the verdict last week Monday, Samsung’s shares fell by 7.5 percent, wiping more than US$12 billion off its value, although the stock rebounded by 1.8 percent on Tuesday.

But Apple is now claiming afresh that the S3, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy S2 in its carrier-independent form, infringe the same design patents that Samsung was found to have contravened in the earlier case. The patents include the bounceback response and tap-tozoom features in the iOS interface and design patents such as the system used to display text and icons.

Samsung was ordered by the federal court in San Jose California to pay Apple US$1.05 billion in damages as a result of the jury’s verdict. The jury rejected claims that several of Samsung’s patents had been infringed by Apple.

There is also a potential US sales ban for eight of the Samsung devices that are still available , although a decision on this will take place following the conclu-

sion of Samsung’s appeal against the initial decision.

The new lawsuit has been filed at the same US court as the first case, the District Court for the Northern District of California.

An injunction hearing is due to take place on 20 September and will be overseen

by US District Judge Lucy Koh, who presided over the original trial. If the injunctions are granted, Samsung is likely to ask them to be

put on hold until the outcome of its appeal is known.

Google and its recently acquired Motorola unit could suffer as a result of the trial verdict, as the products found to infringe Apple’s patents run on the Android OS. According to the BBC, Google said it doesn’t want the ruling to limit consumer access to Android devices.

It said that the court of appeals will review the validity of the patent claims, most of which don’t relate to the core Android OS, and some of which are being reexamined by the US Patent Office.

The verdict could also mean other handset vendors using Android, which accounts for two-thirds of the US market, may need to look at making design c h a n g e s .

In South Korea last week a judge ruled that both Apple and Samsung were guilty of infringing patents , with both companies being fined and subject to sales bans. Apple is still involved in lawsuits with Android handset vendors Motorola and HTC. Meanwhile, in contrast to the legal decisions in the US, a court in Japan found last week that Samsung did not violate any Apple patents involved in the synching of mobile devices and computers.

Ericsson prepares ground for M-commerce adoption

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

E

RICSSON has commenced preparations for a seamless adoption of m-commerce in Nigeria. To create the awareness, the company hosted a global stakeholder engagement roundtable in Lagos for leaders from the banking, financial, telecoms and government sectors of the country.

The focus of the gathering was to explore opportunities across the eco-system for accelerating the adoption of next generation M-commerce in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Country Manager, Ericsson Nigeria, Kamar Abass, who described the event as a boost to the initiative, said that it will be beneficial to other industry sectors like the banking, retail and utilities sectors.

According to Abass, all sectors stand to benefit from the transformational efficiency and productivity gains made accessible by the new application.

The round table follows the release of a new report from Ericsson’s ConsumerLab, which gives a hint to the transformational potentials of m-commerce across

the region.

The report which based its findings on in-depth, and extensive interviews with mobile phone users in Ghana, South Africa, and Tanzania, has four key findings: that consumers are constantly looking for new ways to improve their personal budgets; the speed and convenience of m-commerce points to great potential in the market; current behaviors and social structures indicate that the use of mobile payment services will expand; and that consumers need more information about the functionality and security of Mcommerce transactions.

Another conclusion of the report is that people who use m-commerce keep little separation between private and business accounts.

The Senior Advisor, Ericsson ConsumerLab, Anders Erlandsson said that many consumers were entirely self-employed and are prompted to make transfers from private accounts for business purposes, so they gain experience

with m-commerce.

Citing his experience of the study, Erlandsson said that experience leads to greater trust as the report found that 44% of non-users of m-commerce are very worried about the integrity of their account information in case of theft or loss of their phones.

“Just as personal access to a bank leads to higher acceptance of more abstract

bank services, trust in mobile services also grows with personal experiences, “Face-to-face introductions are crucial, when an agent meets consumer, he added.

The report gives some insight into how household finances are traditionally handled and guidance for telecom operators in launching services that consumers will like and use.

Where men and women

share a household, men are generally expected to be breadwinners and women responsible for household finances.

In the report, a 45-year old man in Tanzania said “If we are out of money and we have to buy something, my wife usually solves it somehow. I don’t know how she does it, women always have their ways.”

Mobile payment services According to the Ericsson report, consumers said that they use mobile payment services for person-to-person transfers and purchasing airtime on their mobile subscriptions, and that they like the convenience of accessing money everywhere and at any time, regardless of service hours. In Tanzania, for example, 38% of subscribers send money person-to-person over the mobile phone.

*L-R: Head of Compliance and Risk Control, Mr. Tunmbi Idowu; Head of M-Commerce Sales, Mr. Lars Arvidsson; Country Manager and Head of Regional Accounts, Mr. Kamar Abass; Senior Advisor, ConsumerLab, Mr. Anders Erlandsson and Head of M-Commerce, Mr. Adam Kerr all of Ericsson at the Lagos launch of the Ericsson Consumer Insight Summary Report on M-Commerce in Sub-Saharan Africa today…

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2012—25

Stakeholders rise over local content policy in telecom sector Continues from Page 23

Hi-Tech mourns Amadi, the pioneer ICT Journalist

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

U

NTIL the passing away of Vanguard’s Entertainment Editor, Mr Amadi Ogbonnaya, last week, not many people knew that he actually started his journalism career as a telecommunications reporter.

Incidentally Amadi was not just an ordinary reporter, he built bridges between the telecommunications operators then and their customers, thereby endearing himself to the top brass of the industry. This gave him accesss to stories at a time when breaking major telecommunications stories was like squeezing water out of stone but Ogbonna made it look easy.

No wonder his friends with whom he plied the trade as a crack telecom reporter still refer to him as Amadi the scooper.

The man bestrode the telecom industry as a reporter between 1985 and 1990. These were days when the scope of news coverage was limited to the Ministry of Communications, NITEL, Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and a few private companies such as Siemens of Germany, Ericsson of Sweden, Marubeni West Africa of Japan and GEC of United Kingdom.

He, along with a band of other reporters including Mr Aaron Ukodie, who is now the Publisher of eWorld Magazine, Fidel Otuya, now Chief Executive of GLOBANet TV, Enyi Moses, Publisher of IT World International magazine, Goke Odeyinka, Chief Operating Officer of Numbers Communication and Ebhohon Ikhurionam of Tell Magazine, could be described as pioneers of ICT reporting in Nigeria.

As the news of his death broke, these colleagues stormed Vanguard, wearing long faces, shedding tears with total disbelief that their colleague could bid them bye in such a bizarre manner. But

,

,

Amadi Ogbonnaya

and privatisation of the telecommunication sector. He provided valuable input to the creation of the industry regulator, NCC. He was a torn in the flesh of public officers who were not willing to be accountable to the Nigerian people.

"We can vividly recount one incident when Amadi and some of us were invited by a top official of NITEL, who wept profusely ing the stuff that earned Amadi while begging us to reduce our the scooper tag. unearthing of goings-on in the or“You guys may not know what ganisation because his job was at you have lost to death. Amadi was stake. a journalist in all sense of it. In “Senate President, David Mark 1985 when Amadi was asked to and Major-General Tanko Ayuba, cover the telecom beat, he joined who were Ministers of Commume, then of the Guardian, Olu nications between 1985 and Adebayo of New Nigerian News- 1990, no doubt would have very paper, Waheed Odusile, of Con- fond memories of Amadi who cord, now Managing Editor of the gave them no breathing space Nations and Waheed Olagunju of with his reporting.

NTA, now General Manager, Cor“Even as we covered the teleporate Communications, of Bank com beat then which was more of Industry (BOI). Subsequently, about what the minister said or did, it was by and large about We can vividly recount one what NITEL incident when Amadi and some and NIPOST were. We bondof us were invited by a top offied well with cial of NITEL, who while weepone another and ing profusely, begged that we also worked our separate efforts reduce our unearthing of goin search of exings-on in the organisation clusive stories because his job was at stake for our newspapers. Our desire was to write stories that made front page or Otuya, Ikhurionam, Enyi Moses back page lead. and Goke joined the train months “Amadi was never found wantlater. ing. And it is difficult to describe Then, we tried to outdo one anAmadi in one sentence because other in search of stories but evhe was fun to be with. Amadi was erybody could still confess that not selfish even though he was Amadi was something else.” not materially loaded. He was Ukodie also recounted that becaring and would ask about your cause press releases were virtufamily whenever we met”. ally absent at the time and News Ukodie was right because Amaconferences and press briefings di’s biggest asset was to crack were few and far between coupled jokes. He was an extrovert that with the fact that editors at the time desired to be on the go all the would not take excuses for not time. This might have accounted getting a story, Amadi had to emfor why he was drafted to the Enploy all known tricks in the trade tertainment desk. to gather a pool of stories that can Truly if every account his friends sustain him and his colleagues. had given of him, were true, Ama“ Amadi was a leader in excludi deserves better burial rites from sive news gathering, but most of the ICT industry because the best the news stories that could not be standard practice he left is what accommodated in Vanguard, he other reporters who have used would quickly send them out to their pens to shape this industry us. He witnessed the evolution of inherited. People like Okoh Aihe the telecommunication industry and Reuben Muoka, now of NCC from the creation of NITEL in Janand the latter crop of reporters in uary 1985 to the early days of today’s Hitech desk. commercialisation, liberalisation that is death!

At a point, everybody including this writer broke down in tears as Mr Ukodie went down memory lane narrat-

only would continue to promote capital flight.

Network operators depend on foreign vendors He also lamented that mobile network operators were over dependent on foreign vendors who even import towers and equipment shelter that could be locally fabricated, thereby encouraging capital flight.

“This has created series of hardship and unhealthy competition for the local firms in the industry, some of whom have been forced to close shops and return their employees to the labour market, thereby defeating the government policy on job creation,” he said.

He added that if the situation is not reversed, it could diminish job creation capacity at a time when the country was expected to reap the benefit of the liberalised telecoms sector.

He said that jobs that were previously done by Nigerians were now being done by foreign players to the detriment of youth employment in the country.

Fabrication of equipment According to him, at the beginning of GSM in the country, local companies were involved in fabrication of equipment like towers, equipment shelters, among other ancillary services. But today, reverse is the case.

He noted that the benefits accruing to indigenous players were insignificant compared to the level of investment to the sector.

Need for local content legislation: According to him, local content legislation is part of the inevitable structural changes that developing and ambitious economies must engage in.

By enacting local content act in all areas of the economy especially telecoms, there will be reasonable access to opportunities for domestic firms contrary to what is presently obtainable.For him, there was need for immediate intervention in enforcing local content policy as provided for in the Nigeria Immigration Act and the NIPC Act of 1990 Laws of the Federation to check the ugly trend in the telecoms sector.

Part of the intervention, according to him would be to create a local content unit in the Communication Technology Ministry to take care of local players that have been left behind in employment and awarding of contracts.

Replicate oil & gas local

content in telecom: Ikeji further argued that enacting a law that will replicate the oil and gas local content legislation in other critical sectors of the economy starting from the most urgent like the telecommunication, would create enabling environment for local players .

“We cannot continue like this. This is not good for our economy. We hate any form of colonization. What is worrisome is that Nigerians are beings used to the same contract given to foreign players. Nigerians have the same technical capacity like their foreign counterparts.” he said.

Appeal to government: The appeal to government, according to him is to set up a body with a mandate of enforcing our local content participation and technological advancement especially in the telecoms sector and every aspect of our national lives. Other economies like South Africa, Australia and Malaysia, have developed their own telecom local content strategy.

“It is even worrisome when you watch or listen to broadcast and digital commercials in Nigeria, and see that models used are mainly foreigners.

There is difficulty in understanding the double speak in encouraging the continued beaming of foreign sports content like the Premiership by foreign broadcast houses.” he said.

Supporting the views of CRAI, a group of telecom consultants and legal practitioners under the aegis of Youth Arise for Nigeria,(YAFN) noted that Nigeria may miss the opportunities of digital economy if foreigners were allowed to do major contracts in the country .

The National Publicity Secretary of YAFN , Mr. Liborous Oshoma, said that lack of local content has led to massive entrance of foreigners and foreign companies in areas of the telecoms industry where indigenous operators are known to have the required capacity.

He said that YAFN investigation had revealed that over 900 cell sites recently deployed by mobile network operators in Nigeria were done by foreign equipment vendors and technology companies such as ZTE, Huawei, Ericsson, Alcatel -Lucent and Nokia-Siemens.

According to him, the situation has remained like this due to the Federal Government inability to enforce the local content policy in the telecoms industry.

26 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

BROADBAND IN SCHOOLS: Main One toes American FCC example

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

T

HERE are strong convictions among world renowned telecom analyst that given the exponential influence, mobile devices powered by the potency of the broadband capacity may replace books.

Statistics have also proven that it takes just right policy framework and investment in broadband capacity, to turn any economy around no matter the poor state. Therefore it is only economies that are comfortable to play catchup that would hesitate in taking advantage of broadband ubiquity.

Perhaps that is why Nigeria’s frontline cable company, MainOne is tailoring its broadband roll out plan towards the American style to ensure that Nigeria’s education benefits from the ubiquity of the broadband access.

The company is saying that recognizing the imperative of quality education in building and developing a socio-economically virile society, it has commenced the process of integrating Nigeria’s higher institutions to other global institutions of higher learning through the deployment of internet broadband capacity.

Applause and commendation This initiative by Main One has drawn applause and commendations from the various benefiting schools across Nigeria. In the last count, three higher institutions of learning, namely: American University of Nigeria, University of Nigeria, and Lagos Business School have directly benefited from the initiative.

Chief Executive Officer of Main One, Funke Opeke said that “the effort is hinged on strengthening global competitiveness of the Nigerian student and the need to get Nigeria’s educational institutions relevant on the global stage through improved access to ICT”.

Opeke therefore went on massive deployment of broadband capacity in many learning institutions in Nigeria. For example, Main One Cable Company recently provided bandwidth capacity to the American University of Nigeria,

Yola, Adamawa state. The new connection is already contributing significantly to academic activities, improving online learning as well as supporting administrative processes on the campus. An elated President of the institution, Margee Ensign confessed that the initiative has helped the school in the implementation of its mission as a development university. She also expressed hope that the initiative will improve

significantly the level of the educational system and the knowledge base of students; thereby increasing hope for the country.

Similarly, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka is also regarded as one of Nigeria’s digital universities today, thanks to Main One’s provision of broadband capacity in October 2010.

In the South West, the company has also connected the Lagos Business School and as well provid-

ed internet broadband capacity of up to 155 Mbps recently, to Addyson Limited which is University of Lagos, UNILAG’s internet services company.

Expressing happiness at the gesture, Dean School of Media & Communication Studies, LBS, Prof Emevwo Biakolo stated that this singular initiative from Main One would further assist the institution, sharpen the students research skills and broaden the scope of their studies.

*The new Samsung Ativ Tab

Samsung unveils Windows 8 Ativ line

S

AMSUNG has intro duced a new range of mobile products based on Windows 8 under the Ativ, the reverse spelling of the Latin word for life, Vita. The Ativ S is the first smartphone announced with Windows Phone 8 at the IFA show in Berlin Germany. It features a 4.8-inch HD Super Amoled display with Corning Gorilla Glass 2, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, an 8MP autofocus rear camera, 1.9MP front-facing camera, a choice of 16GB or 32GB storage and a 2300mAh battery. No details on a launch date were announced. Samsung is also showing at Ifa a 10.1-inch tablet called the Ativ Tab,

*A cross section of the university students at a digital class

which runs Windows RT. Two new ‘slate PCs’ were also unveiled, called the Series 5 and Series 7 or Ativ Smart PC and Ativ Smart PC Pro, which can transform from a laptop to a touchscreen tablet. These come with 11.6-inch screens and S Pen stylus for writing on the screen. The Series 7 runs an Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, while the Series 5 Slate comes with an Intel two-watt processor, 2GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD. They’re priced at USD 1,199 for the Series 7 and USD 749 for the Series 5 with a keyboard dock and USD 649 without. The slates will launch in late October.

ASUS Mobile PCs make inroads into Nigeria, partners with NEPTECH

A

S part of its com mitment to make an inroad in every emerging market, global leader in the new digital era, ASUS last week in Lagos launched its range of Mobile Personal Computers into the Nigerian market.

ASUS also used the launch platform to introduce its preferred distributor partner for Nigeria, NEPTECH Limited.

NEPTECH is a dynamic technology distribution company with a profile partnership with some of the most reliable brand icons in the ICT world.

Unfolding the company’s plans for the Nigerian competitive IT market during the introduction of its various state-of-art Laptops, Mini Notebooks and Tablets PCs, ASUSTek’s Country Product Manager for West Africa, Mr. Simplice Zaongo informed the gathering that the ASUS success story is evident in the strong presence the brand shows in more than 50 countries. With offices in Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Americas, and South Africa, the company is ready to win in

Nigeria Being global top 3 in Consumer Portable PC, he disclosed that ASUS has consistently posted significant year-on-year growth in terms of consumer portable PC units already shipped to various markets.

Acknowledging the presence of foreign and local brands in the market, he

said with optimism that ASUS has the capacity to initiate a rapid growth and maintain strong presence in the Nigerian market.

“We are aware of competition in the market. Our after sales service support and price will be our selling point. Nigeria is an important market for us.

ASUS will cover all market

segments in Nigeria and have products suitable for every consumer, adding that , we are dedicating an ASUS pre-sales office for Nigeria by fourth quarter of 2012, and we will continue to collaborate with NEPTECH to provide reliable and high quality products, marketing and service to the customers in Nige-

ria”.

According to Simplice, ASUS will target many channels including computer shops dedicated to selling Laptops ,computer and electronic shops: selling laptops and other electronic devices , IT Shops: not selling laptops, but selling smartphones, mobile phones and tablet PC.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 —27

28—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2012

Globacom makes more millionaires through text4million promo

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

F

ROM the time Second National Operator, Globacom, flagged off the second season of its text4million promo, penultimate week, no fewer than six common Nigerians have erased their former statuses and climbed the millionaire ladder.

However, the most interesting part of the development is the heart rendering testimonies they share after the winning While some describe their prize money as lucky return on investment, others attribute it wholly to divine intervention to their aspirations.

For instance an Ibadan based regional Manager of Friesland Wamco Campina, Mr Oluwole Agboola, who went home with a whopping N6million at the first draw of the promo, penultimate week, said the prize money was a return on investment. “I can only say I am lucky to have re-

turn on my investment.

Immediately the promo was re introduced, I quickly bought recharge cards and started texting and from that time till I was contacted as a winner, I can tell you that I invested heavily.

In fact I also invested same way in the first season of the promo without any luck.

“But having said that, this prize money is a dream come true. I have an ongoing building project and you can see that the money has come at the right time” he added.

His counterpart, Mr Yusuf Olaitan Lukman, a trader who deals in building materials also went home a millionaire, pocketing a whopping N1.5 million as a winner in the promo.

Lukman’s prize money, according to him, could pass as a birthday package from God as he was already planning to celebrate his birthday a few days after receiving the prize money.

Besides the birthday, Lukeman also said he will invest part of the money into raising the standard of his business.

However, Oluwole and Lukman were not the only ones who emerged victorious on the day. Comrade Hossana Fetimi also went home richer with N300,000 while Mujidat Odunoye also admitted that the Edel Fitr celebration brought

the luck her way as he went home N60,000 richer.

Meanwhile, it was another jubilation time, last week, at Globacom’s corporate headquarters in Lagos as another businessman who trades in electrical appliances, Mr Shittu Shodeinde carted home a whopping N12 million as the winner of the first monthly prize in the promo.

zGlo lucky winners display their mock cheques.

Apart from Shittu, two other traders Ifeanyi Ahuzuru, from Ondo state and Abideen Alao Abiodun from Lagos also went home with N6m each as eight others who had won various prizes in the promo also collected cheques for various sums ranging from N30,000 to N6 million.

Making the presentations, Globacom’s Head of Value Added Services, Samson Isa said that the presentation was in line with the company’s promise to always reward its subscribers for their loyalty.

“Today, we are here to witness the presentation of prizes to some lucky winners in Season 3 of the promo. These winners, who are from several states across the country, will begin to see a positive trans-

formation in their lives as they collect their prizes.

They, indeed, can confirm that it truly pays to be on the Glo network”, he said.

The winners expressed surprise at being drawn as winners in the promo. They commended Glo for its commitment to rewarding its loyal subscribers, adding that their emergence as winners is a clear demonstration that the Glo “text4millions” promo is “fair, credible and transparent”.

Glo “text4millions is an sms-based promotion that simply requires subscribers to send WIN to a short code (2012) and accumulate points in order to qualify for the daily, weekly and final draws where they stand to win fantastic life changing prizes running into millions of Naira.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 — 29

CBN sanctions Stanbic, others for infractions in N200bn agric scheme

BY MICHAEL EBOH

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, sanctioned Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc and Access bank for various infractions in the N200 billion Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme, CACS. According to data obtained from the CBN, in the CACS report for the months of April to July 2012, the banks were also penalized for various contraventions in the scheme.

The CBN said the sum of N470 million earmarked for one project was withdrawn from Stanbic IBTC between January and June 2012, while the bank was also charged N47.708 million for various infractions on the CACS guidelines.

In the case of Sterling Bank, the CBN said the sum of N936.775 was withdrawn from Sterling Bank in respect of Karma Industries due to contravention of CACS guidelines in May 2012.

In the case of Access Bank Plc, the CBN is charging the bank the sum of N19.999 million for the infractions.

The sanction on Sterling Bank was in respect of its dealings with Al Bookies while Access Bank was sanction over its dealings

with White Gold Ginnery.

According to the CBN, from inception till July ending, 19 banks, namely, Access Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, Eco Bank Plc, Skye Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Union Bank of Nigeria, Keystone Bank, United Bank for Africa, Unity Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Sterling, Citibank, Wema, Mainstreet Bank, Enterprise Bank and FCMB participated under the Scheme.

The CBN stated further, “The balance of CACS funds as at July 2012 is N1.826 billion, while the balance of CACS repayment account as at July 2012 is N7.534 billion in respect of 16 expired facilities.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had stated that it disbursed N198.178 billion to 258 beneficiaries under its Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme, CACS, since inception in 2009 to July 2012.

According to the CBN, in the CACS report for April to July 2012, among the 258 beneficiaries, 228 were private promoters while 30 states received N38 billion.

According to the report, from inception to date 19 banks participated in the scheme, namely, Access

Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, EcoBank Plc, Skye Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Union Bank of Nigeria, Keystone Bank, United Bank for Africa, Unity Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Sterling, Citibank, Wema Bank, Mainstreet Bank, Enterprise Bank and First City Monument Bank.

The report stated further, “The analysis of number of projects financed under CACS by value chain showed that out of the 228 CACS private sector sponsored projects; production accounted for 48.64 per cent and dominated the activities funded while processing accounted for 38.64 per cent.

“These activities were distantly followed by marketing, storage and input supplies which registered 7.27 per cent, 5.0 per cent and 0.45 per cent respectively.

“With regards to the value of funds released, processing accounted for 51.7 per cent followed by production which accounted for 33.8 per cent of the value of enterprises financed.

These were followed by marketing, storage and input supplies which registered 9.6 per cent, 3.83 per cent and 1.1 per cent.”

Interswitch supports education with Exposure Robotics Initiative

D

RIVEN by a passion to help mold a generation of students that would acquire technical specialization and be ready to compete in the global market place, Interswitch, an integrated payment and transaction processing company, in its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive, supports the Exposure Robotic League, an educational programme that exposes secondary school students to computer programming, robot design and construction.

Explaining the rationale behind the programme,

Mr. Mitchell Elegbe, Managing Director/ CEO, Interswitch stated that the decision to support the programme was borne out of the company’s passion to support educational development and entrepreneurial pursuit, which is in line with its corporate social responsibility goals.

According to him, “the current educational system in the country places emphasis on memorization of topics taught in order to pass examinations. As such, students forget all they have learnt once the examinations are over and, this does not add any value to the

students beyond the attainment of grades”, this initiative encourages students to apply classroom knowledge to real world scenarios, thereby ensuring that this knowledge is part of them and can be applied to every area in life.

Mr. Elegbe stated that supporting the Exposure Robotic League programme, offered the company an opportunity to give back and help nurture future leaders in their prime, thereby enabling them fulfill their dreams and providing them with an edge to compete globally with their counterparts.

30 — Vanguard,WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Let me go, Ronaldo tells Real

C

•Ronaldo

RISTIANO RONALDO put Manchester giants City and United on red alert after admitting he wants to quit Real Madrid.

A source said: “Yes, Cristiano told president Florentino Perez he wants to leave the club.”

It follows the Portugal superstar’s bombshell on Sunday after scoring twice against Granada. Ronaldo, 27, did not celebrate either of his goals and said afterwards: “I am sad and the people at the club know about it.

“It’s about professional issues.

I can’t say any more.”

Megabucks City and his old club United will keep a close eye on developments – along with Chelsea.

New deal for Chamberlain

A

LEX OXLADE-CHAM BERLAIN will be rewarded for his stunning impact at Arsenal with a new contract.

Talks should start later this month over a fresh deal even though the England midfielder, 19, still has four years to run on his current agreement.

Manager Arsene Wenger has seen the likes of Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri quit the club, despite his attempts to keep them.

Now he hopes by showing faith in Oxlade-Chamberlain, he can build a new dynasty.

And with The Ox signing up, it may persuade his friend and mentor Theo Walcott to do the same. Walcott, 23, is in the final year of his contract and has still to thrash out new terms.

He is able to talk to other clubs in January if no agreement has been reached.

available for any position T

•Chamberlain

Vidic still likes the boss N

EMANJA VIDIC has thrown his support behind Alex Ferguson.

The Old Trafford skipper is still in awe of the ruthless commitment shown by his boss, even at the age of 70.

•Ferguson

C M Y K

Van Persie: I am

Fergie celebrated his 1,000th League game with a trademark injury-time winner against Southampton on Sunday. Vidic said: “He is an inspiration for us. When you look at his 25 years here you see that every year he has that hunger to win games.

“His positive energy he has sent to us. He has set up that mentality in the dressing room. Not just in games but on the training ground. This is important.

“And if you look over the years, Manchester United have won so many games in the last minute. That’s not coincidence.

“This is what the manager is asking from the players. To always go for the win. You are never happy with the draw.

he Manchester United striker faces the prospect of starting on the substitutes’ bench after new coach Louis van Gaal overlooked him for their friendly loss to Belgium last month.

Van Gaal instead opted to start Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who scored in the 4-2 defeat, to further fuel the debate over which of the forwards was best for the Oranje.

Van Persie misfired during

the Netherlands’ disappointing UEFA EURO 2012, after topping the goalscoring charts in the Premier League last term, to reinforce criticism he saves his best for his club.

The 29-year-old has revealed he has since spoken to Van Gaal about his place but, despite netting a hat-trick for new club United against Southampton at the weekend, he remains unsure whether he will get his chance against

Turkey and Hungary over the next week. “I’m just available,” he told reporters when asked where he was likely to play. “It does not matter what I think. Those are questions for the coach. I am available for any position.”

Asked about his discussion with Van Gaal, he added: “It was a good talk.” Despite the possibility of being left out, Van Persie, who has scored 29 goals for the Dutch, said he would always remain committed to his country.

Galatasaray move to sign Toure M

ANCHESTER City centre-back Kolo Toure has emerged as a transfer target for Turkish side Galatasaray, according to manager Fatih Terim.

Despite the English Premier League transfer window closing on August 31, clubs in Turkey have until midnight on the September 5 to conclude all late deals.

Galatasaray’s interest in the defender was sparked when stalwart Tomas Ujfalusi was ruled out for up to four months after collapsing during training.

Kolo Toure may well be considering his options and could deem a move to Turkey a viable option given that he has become something of a bit-part player at the Etihad Stadium.

The Ivory Coast international lost his first team spot after seeing Vincent Kompany and Joleon Lescott forming an excellent understanding as a centre-back pairing when he was out with a drugs ban and Roberto Mancini has been loathed to break up the pair to accommodate the former Arsenal man.

The 31 year old made just eight Premier League starts last term and could see a move to Galatasary as a chance to re-ignite his career.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 — 31

Celebrities who spice up US Open this year Eva Longoria

Robson shrugs off food poisoning to enjoy spotlight

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Russian duo exact revenge on Williams sisters •Serena

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USSIANS Nadia Petrova and Maria Kirilenko avenged a pair of stinging London defeats by beating Venus and Serena Williams in the women’s doubles at the US Open last Monday night.

Petrova and Kirilenko claimed a 61 6-4 victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium court for their first victory over the American sisters, to reach the quarter-finals.

The Williamses beat the Russians 3-6 6-3 9-7 in the second round at the Wimbledon championships after Kirilenko and Petrova had led 41 in the third set in their first meeting. The Americans went on to claim their 13th grand slam doubles title.

Serena and Venus then returned to the All England Club and beat the Russian pair 7-5 6-4 in the Olympic semi-finals before going

on to claim their third gold medal together.

“It feels great,” said Kirilenko.

“It was a good victory for us,” added Petrova. The Russians said playing on the Flushing Meadows hard court rather than London grass had made a difference, giving them a better chance at returning serve and getting into the points.

Petrova and Kirilenko were virtually immaculate with their groundstrokes, committing only three unforced errors in the match.

“We played clean tennis, very consistent,” said Petrova, who was coming off a three-set loss to Maria Sharapova in the fourth round of singles. Petrova said it was good to come back the next day and win.

“Especially against the Williams sisters,” Kirilenko quickly added.

AURA ROBSON leaves New York on a real high — even if she got a kick in the guts.

The British No 3, 18, produced career-defining displays against Kim Clijsters and Li Na before going out to reigning US Open champ Sam Stosur. Robson was going to celebrate by hitting the Big Apple shops but was laid low by a bout of food poisoning.

Nothing, though, could take the gloss off her best Grand Slam push to date.

She said: “I’m up there with the top girls in terms of level.

“I can take a lot of confidence going into my next tournaments. I’ve had loads of messages of support. My phone has been running out of battery every few hours because there’s been so many messages coming through.

F you talk the talk, you simply have to walk the walk.

Milos Raonic was bullish before clashing with Andy Murray last night in the US Open fourth round insisting the Scot would have to alter his game to cope with him. Big words from the big serving Canadian.

At the end of a two hour Murray masterclass, Raonic was swallowing them whole.

Murray was quite brilliant here on Arthur Ashe court, putting in one of his most solid, complete Slam performances to glide effortlessly, brilliantly, into a last eight crunch with Croat Marin Cillic with a superb 6-4 6-4 62 demolition job. All the talk was about Donny Osmond look-a-like Raonic’s huge, bullet like serve.

At one point last night he tipped a super rapid 138 mph. It’s one hell of a weapon. One which sets him apart from most.

Yet Murray is the best returner on the planet — no matter how fast the bombs are coming his way.

C M Y K

HE Desperate Housewives actress has been watching Serena Williams. The Wimbledon champion posted a photo of herself with the actress standing in a corridor beneath the Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the caption: “Thanks for coming out today.” Longoria replied: “Anything for you.”

Red Foo

T

HE ‘Sexy and I Know It’ singer met Andy Roddick and Victoria Azarenka on a visit to the US Open the other day. The New York Post’s Page Six gossip column have reported that Red Foo, real name Stefan Gordy, has been planning a range of tennis clothing. According to the Post, Red Foo was spotted in one of the suites at Flushing Meadows, accompanied by a junior player who “rocked the duds head-to-toe, including a pair of racy purple-and-black leopard print shorts under a black tennis skirt – turns out Foo is an avid, formerly competitive tennis player and will soon host his own Party Rock Open in Las Vegas”.

Irvine Welsh

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HE author of Trainspotting is a keen Mur ray-watcher. The Scot tweeted after Murray’s victory over Roger Federer in the Olympic final: “After winning hearts with his bubbling magnanimity at Wimbledon, I’d like to see Andy mix it up a bit with a bitter, surly victory speech.” Welsh has been in New York this week, and watched Murray beating Milos Raonic. Here’s what he thought: “Great performance by Murray. Top atmosphere. Murray seems to be doing poor-greatpoor-great. Hope this level of performance continues, if so he has a chance. Very gracious on US TV.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

W

• Robson

Murray masterclass makes Milos eat his words I

T

HEN Urban spotted himself and his wife on the giant TV screens inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium, “he instantly pounced on the film actress and planted a smacker on her lips, leaning across the wife of the president of the United States Tennis Association who was sitting between them” (according to The Sun). The report continued: “The enthralled crowd cheered on the celebrity couple, who have been married for six years, as they put on their public display of affection.”

Kevin Spacey

A

NDY Murray met the actor at the week end. “The Usual Suspects is one of my favourite movies. So that was cool seeing him. I haven’t really met that many movie stars before. I had a little chat with him, asked him if he played any tennis. He said he’d injured his hand on set in the series that he’s doing just now, so he couldn’t play at the minute. He said he’d been to Wimbledon. He’s lived in London for 10 years and hadn’t been to the US Open since he moved over, so it was the first time he’d been here in a while.”

James Corden

T

• Murray

HOUGH Corden is in New York at the mo ment – he is finishing a run on Broadway – and watched one of Murray’s matches, the friends have not been out for dinner yet. “All I’m interested in is winning the tournament,” Murray has said.

“I haven’t hooked up with James but I’ve been out to dinner with him many times and he has come along to matches. This is the last major of the year so we have to make sure we leave everything on the court and don’t get distracted.”

32—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

STORIES BY ROSEMARY ONUOHA

BRIEFS

T

HE National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, has said that fake insurance policies have no liabilities attached to it. As such people who patronise them are causing harm to themselves.

Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel who stated this in Calabar at a seminar for insurance reporters said “This is why NAICOM advises policy holders to ensure that they obtain their policies from NAICOM-registered insurance companies only. A policy obtained from a fake insurance institution has no liability attached and no compensation can be received if such complaints are made to the commission.”

According to Daniel, prompt claims settlement remains the best instrument for insurance awareness and growth.

Standard insurance practice Daniel said that NAICOM will continue to ensure that operators live up to their claims responsibility, adding that the commission had received 86 claims complaints this year, which 52 have been resolved and 34 are in court.

Daniel noted that operators who consistently fail to settle discharged claims promptly would loss their license, adding that insurers have been mandated to henceforth administer claims in accordance to standard insurance practice and it should be considered as a sole responsibility.

He stated that discharged claims should be settled immediately as prescribed by the Insurance Act 2003,

More underwriting discipline needed, says Swiss Re

T

R-l: Mr. Kale, general manager, Prestige Assurance PLC - lighiting the ceremonial lamp to open the programme; Chief Sanjay Jain, General Secretary, Indian Cultural Association and Mrs. Rukhi Mitra, Club Secretary,Indian Cultural Association, at the cultural programme organised by the Indian Cultural Association to mark India's Independence day in Lagos.

NAICOM warns policy holders against fake insurance adding that failure to do so would attract sanctions as stipulated by section 70 (2) of the Insurance Act 2003 He said “Failure to settle discharged claims shall attract sanctions as stipulated by Section 7o (2) of the Insurance Act 2003. Consistent failure to settle discharged claims promptly may lead to the withdrawal of the licence of the insurer as stipulated by section 8 (1) (m) of the Insurance Act 2003 and the insurer may be would up by the commission in accordance with the provisions of section8 and 32 (1) (b) of the Insurance

Act 2003.

“No foreign loss adjuster shall attend to any claims in Nigeria oil and gas sector without the express permission of the commission on such terms and conditions as may be stipulated in the approval. Similarly, the foreign loss adjuster shall handle the assignment with and in collaboration with at least one loss adjusters registered under the Insurance Act, 2003.”

Daniel said that NAICOM views failure or undue delay of claims settlement as an aberration.

He said individuals, corpo-

rate bodies or government establishments that have genuine unsettled claims against any insurance company are advised to lay the complaint to NAICOM. “The consumer protection unit of the commission has been properly positioned to handle such complaints with dispatch. Any defaulting company will be required to pay such claims. Non payment of genuine claims is enough ground to suspend or cancel the operational certificate of a registered insurance company.

Draft guideline for microfinance underway A

DRAFT guideline for the entrenchment and development of insurance at the grassroots has been put in place by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) the Commissioner for Insurance Fola Daniel, has said.

Daniel, who spoke at the seminar organised by NAICOM for journalist in Calabar, said the draft guideline on micro-insurance is being exposed to the industry, experts and other stakeholders for their inputs and contributions, adding that thereafter, the final draft will be drawn and released to the market.

He noted that the commission intends to collaborate with other relevant regulatory agencies in achieving the plan.

He said: “To underscore our commitments to the develop-

ment of micro-insurance, the commission recently conducted a nationwide diagnostic study on micro-insurance in collaboration with GIZ, a German agency for sustainable development, Access to Insurance Initiative (AII) and local consultants.

“We have also put in place a

draft guideline for micro-insurance business. The draft is being exposed to the industry, experts and other stakeholders for their inputs and contributions before the final draft will be drawn and subsequently released to the market.”

Daniel noted that initiative

is part of the commission’s drive to open up and develop the insurance market at the grassroots and by extension, increase the sectors, contributions to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Mansard Insurance announces audited first half result

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ANSARD Insurance Plc has announced its Audited half year financial results for the period ended June 30, 2012 being the first Insurance company in Nigeria to do so.

In a statement to our reporter, the company said “This is another first for Mansard Insurance plc as we continue to lead the industry in innovation, compliance and governance. With

the release of the first IFRS audited report in our industry, we have continued to move forward in our march towards the development of a world class underwriter in Nigeria”, commented Tosin Runsewe, Chief Client Officer.

He also added: “With the understanding that IFRS ensures the creation of high quality, principlebased, understandable and glo-

bally accepted accounting standards to be used in the preparation of general purpose financial statements, I strongly believe that its introduction will bring about a turnaround in our industry. IFRS has the benefit of improved comparability of financial statements with peers and competitors across the world.

HE insurance market needs more underwriting discipline to offset the effects of low interest rates, according to Swiss Re Chief Economist Kurt Karl.

He says this applies to all business lines, but particularly to casualty.

Dr Karl said that although there has been some hardening in the property market, particularly for natural catastrophe cover after last year’s disasters, he sees only a slow turn in rates for casualty.

And he accepts that any desire to toughen up on underwriting is being countered by competition.

“It is a fiercely competitive market right across the board, through the life industry and property and casualty, particularly on commercial insurance,” he said, noting that businesses are under pressure because of weak economic activity and are pushing back against price increases.

Swiss Re forecasts higher interest rates towards the end of this year will bring some relief for insurers’ earnings. Dr Karl expects rates in the US and Europe will begin to rise in the fourth quarter, with the increases continuing into next year.

Life insurance giants fined for claim payouts

S

TATE insurance regulators have sanctioned four of the largest life insurance companies that operate in Minnesota for allegedly steering deathbenefit recipients to keep the money in special accounts the companies run, instead of taking lump sum payouts.

The companies -- Prudential, John Hancock, MetLife and ING -- were each fined $200,000 and ordered to change their claims forms in Minnesota and re-establish cash lump sum payouts as the default option, according to the consent orders the state Department of Commerce released Thursday.

The pacts don't provide direct compensation for individual consumers.

The department estimates that thousands of Minnesotans were affected by confusing paperwork and said the practices have gone on for years and, in the case of some companies, decades. The companies agreed to the penalties without admitting wrongdoing.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012—33

Afromedia decries creativity gap in local OOH

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU & ITORO UDOFIA

T

HE Managing Director of Afromedia Plc, Chief.

Akin Olopade has blamed the declining business environment in Nigeria as responsible for the creativity gap between the local and international Outdoor-Of – Home (OOH) companies.

Olopade made this disclosure at the company’s 2012 Annual General Meeting, where he said that Nigeria’s OOH companies have the pedigree to deliver compelling creative materials, but are limited by the challenging business

environment and stifling regulations.

He further said that the regulatory environment is far from friendly as government taxes and tariffs are increasing every year even when patronage is declining.

His words, “The consequence is that you find innovative operators running around to remain in business with little or no time for any

creative ingenuity, Its not like we don’t know what’s obtainable in developed world where OOH has gone digital and interactive, but sadly, the local environment isn’t helping much.”

Continuing, he said, “As a player in this industry, we are constantly engaging with regulatory agencies and they are listening. We are hoping that very soon they will come

out with palliative measures for the OOH media industry, he assured.

The Managing Director also pointed out that since the company went through a rebranding exercise in 2010, the company has become more visible and appealing to corporate organizations, but admitted there’s a general lull in the industry presently, whilst insisting that

Afromedia is commitment to forging ahead, leveraging on its brand heritage of integrity and transparency and a strong base of research and international alliances.

“Afromedia will continue to make giant strides because the company is committed to its values, which have helped her remain a leader in the industry. He further said that the company will be coming out with digital innovations that will change OOH landscape.

Momas Systems, Afe Babalola University, Learn Africa, others bag awards

M

OMAS Systems Nigeria Limited, a Nigerian metering service provider, AFE Babalola University, LEARN Africa, others recently bagged the African Governance and Corporate Leadership Awards 2012. The 2012 edition of the award organised by the Institute for Government Research and Leadership Technology which was held recently at the prestigious NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja to recognise individuals and companies for their contributions to the nation’s development.

Speaking at the award ceremony, the Chairman-inCouncil, Institute of Government Research and Leadership Technology, Dame Priscilla Kuye noted that the award was given to the recipient in recognition for their immense contribution to the nation progress and development over the past years.

In his reaction after receiving the award, the Chief Executive Officer, MOMAS Systems Nigeria Limited, Engr. Kola Balogun described the award as a very significant and symbolic recognition of the company’s contribution to the nation’s development especially in the area of electricity metering solutions.

Engr. Kola Balogun disclosed the award would further spur the company to strive harder in its contribution to the development of the country.

From left: Miss Funmi Ajayi, Head, Client Services; Mr. Robert Ikazoboh, CEO/MD; Emmanuel Elosia, Manager, Business Development and Mr. Olayera Olaoluwa, Head, Marketing, Media & PR, all of Dragnet Solutions at the company’s 5th Anniversary Press Conference held in Lagos.

Plane prize: MTN reiterates commitment on delivery …As draws begin

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU & BUKOLA ABDULWAHAB

M

TN Nigeria said it’s not going back on delivering the Aeroplane prize it promised in the ongoing Ultimate Wonder promo, even as draws for the promo begins.

The promo which targets new and existing subscribers on the MTN network will be sharing happy moments with friends and family as it crashes call rates.

Speaking on the Ultimate Wonder Promo, Mr. Kola Oyeyemi, General Manager, Consumer Marketing of MTN Nigeria reiterated the

company’s commitment to the continuous engagement of the market through exciting and innovative promos.

“For many people, it’s so hard to believe that we are giving out an aeroplane which for me is understandable, because no other brand has done that in our history. That is the call of a leader and that’s what makes MTN the Market Leader.”

Continuing he said, “Remember the N1 billion naira promo where we shared out N1 Billion naira to 100 lucky winners. It looked very impossible to many until we made it happen. The Automania game is ongoing; so far we have given out over 86 Hyundai ix35 SUVs to

lucky winners in the 100 SUVs - 100-day nation-wide automania game.”

Now with our Ultimate Wonder promo in which a lucky subscriber will take home a brand new 2010 Cessna 182T aircraft, you will all agree with me that MTN is not only enriching lives, but has taken reward schemes to the next level in Africa. “You can see for yourself that the Ultimate wonder promo is not a phantom project for us at MTN, “it is true and it is real.

It is a reward for our subscribers for their patronage and loyalty to the brand,” he stated adding that, “the ultimate winner of the plane stands a chance of getting a cash equivalent if he

so desires.”

To win the aeroplane, subscribers are encouraged to recharge up to N3, 000 within the 90 days period of the promo. The more a subscriber recharges, the more chances he stands to win. Other mouth- watering cash prizes up for grabs in the Ultimate Wonder promo include a weekly Star prize of N2 million and N150,000 to 12 winners per week with a token recharge of at least N200 in a week. Instant cash prizes of N50, 000 also await lucky subscribers who are spotted by the Mystery Spotter on the streets of Nigeria with the Ultimate Wonder Sticker pasted on their cars.

34—V anguard , WEDNESD AY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 34—Vanguard WEDNESDA

MIDWEEK SERMON

with SAM EYOBOKA

sameyoboka@yahoo.com

Nigerians still abandon babies

By SAM EYOBOKA

T

HE capacity crowd at the Premium Hall of the Strong Tower House, Palmgrove in Lagos for the August 2012 edition of Joy Night, was stunned when the founder/president of Little Saints Orphanage, Rev. (Mrs.) Dele George announced that children are still being aband-oned and abused in the country.

Giving the vision update to patrons, staff, trustees and stakeholders that included missionaries, gospel musicians, comedians and others who had come to show solidarity with the Little Saints and their handlers through their contribution for the mission work, Rev. (Mrs.) George said the voyage which began 18 years ago had been a very rewarding one.

According to her, some of the Saints (as the orphans in the four locations owned by Little Saints

Orphanage are fondly called), are expected to grad-uate this year, adding that a new set will be entering the uni-versity this year. She stressed that most of the boys in the home attend one of the most expensive secondary schools in Lagos, the Legacy High Sch-ool.

While expressing delight in the fact that Nigerians have em-braced the culture of adoption, she maintained that the new vision of Little Saints Orphan-age will be fostering and the development of a Safe Haven for Children, a village for the fostering or sponsorship of babies.

Rev. George stated that the first baby to arrive the home 18 years ago, Baby Mary survived but many others were not so lucky, stressing that education is the main focus of the Little Saints Orphanage because “these saints are very talented and among them are Nigeria’s future presidents, gov-

*Some of the children in attires designed by Zhukkii Afro Designs at the recent August JOY NIGHT.

ernors, ministers and what have you, who will transform the country. The story of Nigeria can never be told without a mention of the kids who had passed through this home, some of whom are currently scattered across the globe.”

Appealing to Nigerians to come to the aid of the orphanage, which has over the years dem-onstrated its commitment, by assisting in the education of the children, she maintained that it is expensive to see the children through schools.

Nursery education for one child she said, costs N20,000 per term, primary school costs N30,000, secondary school costs N50,000 while the lowest fees paid for university is put at N125,000 per semester.

She also listed other needs of the four homes owned by the orphanage to include 10 – 25 KVA generators, school bus, ambulance, water tanks, ward-robes, noting that Nigerians have been very generous in their giving to the home.

According to her, before the Little Saints Orphanage came to the scene, Nigerians didn’t show any interest in adoption of babies because what potent-ial adopters saw in orphanages was not appealing to them, but today, “Nigerians are so wond-erfully showing interest in adoption.”

Mr. Femi Osibona, a property developer who donated a house to the orphanage in Ogudu, Lagos also used the occasion to call on Nigerians to be their brothers’ keepers by rising to the challenge

*Temitayo George-Bush thrilling the audience at the August JOY NIGHT recently. of assisting worthy causes as the Little Saints Orphanage.

Giving a testimony of how his penchant for giving had turned several dicey situations in his favour, he said “Little Saints is a proof that the Holy Bible is real. If you are touching God’s dream, God will touch yours. If you are giving to this project, you can never fail.”

As usual, the occasion featured a variety of programmes in-cluding choreography by the children,

comedy, and a fashion show showcasing designs made by Zhukkii Afro Designs.

But the highpoint of the night was the spectacular performan-ce by one of the heroines of West African Idol, Temitayo George-Bush who did PRAYER and a track from her debut album, In Your Hands which was co-written by her and her husband. Back-up was by Compassion Band and her husband and friends.

Ex-Steve Rhodes Voice, Affiong Odebode enters with REBORN

By SAM EYOBOKA FORMER member of Steve Rhodes Voices, Affiong Odebode, recently launched her long awaited debut album into the Nigerian market. Affiong Odebode recently released her 10-tracker album which she dedicated to the memory of her beloved brother and sister, Pastor Eskor Mfon and Mrs. Thelma Eka Sawyerr (nee Mfon) both of whom have left indelible mark on the Nigerian sand before their departure.

At an impressive ceremony which was attended by an equally impressive crowd, the mother of three performed some of the tracks which were done in various languages including Swahili, apparently to demon-strate the versatility she had acquired during her sojourn with the Steve Rhodes Voices.

Titled REBORN, the album featured two tracks in Kenyan language, two hymns and six tracks written by her but were actually born out her dreams, “When I sleep songs just come to me and I had to buy a record-er to record them before I forget them.”

The tracks included; You alo-ne, Spirit Divine, God of Heav-en and Earth, Twa Sema Asan-te, Beginning and End, Jesus---Your Name, Psalm 23, Amay Fanya, I give You

Praise and Thank You. The album was launched by Pastor Amos Fenwa of Holy Ghost Christian Centre among several other men of God incl-uding the pastor in charge of Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Lagos Province 4, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade while Otunba Akinfenwa Akinfemi described the title track, Reborn as very apt as it captured the mood of the nation.

In an interview, she was starting the music voyage so late, the UK-based Mrs. Odebode confirmed that she has been singing since she was in the secondary school and was part of Steve Rhodes Voices apart from singing in her choir and ministration in different occas-ions.

“So it just that I have doing it quietly as I have been singing at weddings, funerals, thanks-giving services and different occasions.

Indeed the message of the album is that it is never too late. I am not a novice in terms of music but this is just that this is the time to take my music to the next level because I have been under tremendous pressure from people who want me to put ‘this voice down,’” she responded.

According to her, age is only a number; “I have therefore decided to accede to the pre-ssure of

those who know me and want me to become a recording artiste. With God, it is never too late. Moses started his ministry at the age of 80, even when he knew what his ministry was at a tender age.”

Mrs. Odebode emphasized that she will not allow the age factor to distract her from her mission but rather will utilize the experience

she had acquir-ed over the years to a great advantage in the fast growing music industry in the country.

“I am not joining a band-wagon. If I am joining a band-wagon, then I would say it is too late for me to come into the music scene. I have a ministry and if this is the time then this is the time. It’s not

about fame, nor about popularity.

This is what a lot of people are into.

I am not into that,” she explained.

According to her, she does not entertain; rather she ministers, saying that her genre is Christ-ian, a fusion of several music forms across the continent---a bit of country, western, Swahili songs, traditional Nigerian praise songs, worship and hymns.

“So there is something for everybody. My children listen to the songs and they love them,” Minister Odebode said, noting that she hailed from a music family with her Ghana-ian/Calabar mother a singer and all her sisters members of the Steve Rhodes Voices.

She paid glowing tribute to her late eldest brother, Pastor Eskor Mfon, saying that as a brother who loved the Lord, he did everything to touch lives before he departed this world.

Asked to advise upcoming gospel artistes, she said: “I will tell them to mind their purpose. It’s very easy to be carried away by fame and popularity but it is not about fame and popularity. It’s about God, because for me I could have joined the band-wagon many years ago but I am very mindful of the reward of God at the end of the day.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012—35

•US president, Obama and top presidency team monitoring activities of the Navy SEAL in Pakistan

•al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, in Afghanistan

How I killed Bin laden The first amazing Navy SEAL account of how the world’s most wanted terrorist was shot dead in front of his wives and petrified children

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HE full extraordinary story of the assassination of Osama Bin Laden has been revealed for the first time by a member of the elite team that killed the arch terrorist in his secret lair in Pakistan. Bin Laden was shot in the head by a ‘point man’ from the crack US Navy Seals unit as the Al Qaeda leader peered out through his narrowlyopened bedroom door. Bursting into his room, the Seals then fired more rounds into his body as he lay on the floor in his death throes and as two of his wives wailed beside him. The gruesome last moments of the 9/11 mastermind are revealed in a book by retired Seal Matt Bissonnette who took part in the raid and made sure Bin Laden was dead.

Former Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette talking to US TV show 60 Minutes this week about the Osama bin Laden Pakistan raid which he claims to be part of. CBS said they disguised his appearance for his safety. But the minute-by-minute account of the heart-stopping, top-secret raid has infuriated Pentagon lawyers who are demanding that its launch next week is cancelled.

Bissonnette, 36 – who uses the pen-name Mark Owen – is accused of breaching a secrecy commitment that he signed when he left active duty last April. And it has incensed Islamic fundamentalists, who have

posted online death threats against the author. Owen’s detailed account in his book, No Easy Day, tells how, on a moonless night on May 1, 2011, 24 US Navy Seals left their base in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, for Bin Laden’s one-acre walled compound in Abbottabad.

The Seals, who were to operate in teams of three, travelled in two Black Hawk helicopters. They knew that, as well as the terror chief, they could expect to find at the compound Khalid, one of Bin Laden’s sons, and Ahmed alKuwaiti and his brother Abrar alKuwaiti, who had acted as couriers for Bin Laden. Owen tells how the mission soon hit

,

By SHARON CHURCHER

The Navy SEAL Team 6 member who used the pseudonym Mark Owen to write No Easy Day

its passengers on to the roof of the main building in the compound, dropped them outside after seeing the crash.

They were let inside by their shaken but uninjured comrades.

According to Owen’s book, they had 30 minutes to complete the mission based on the amount

When Owen reached the second level, he could see a body splayed out on its back on the landing above, between the second and third levels. One of the Seals had shot Khalid, one of Bin Laden’s sons, who had probably been living on the second floor.

difficulties when the plan to ‘fastrope’ the Seals from one of the helicopters into the compound had to be rapidly revised when one of the Black Hawks – with Owen inside- crash landed inside the courtyard. Target: A member of Seal Team Six shot and killed Osama bin Laden during the elite squad’s daring raid of his compound in Abbotabad, Pakistan. The other Black Hawk, which was supposed to fast-rope

,

of fuel the helicopters had been carrying.

Owen says his team headed towards a guesthouse in the compound where they knew Ahmed al-Kuwaiti lived with his family. They also knew that the occupants had heard them coming. The guesthouse was in darkness and had a set of metal double doors with windows at the top. Owen describes kneeling at

the side of the door while he attached an explosive charge. As one of his team headed towards the stairs that led to the roof of the guesthouse, AK-47 rounds from inside shattered the glass above the door, narrowly missing him and showering him in glass.

‘The first rounds always surprise the s*** out of you,’ he writes.

Will, another member of Owen’s team, yelled in Arabic for alKuwaiti to come out while Owen returned fire. The door started to open and a woman called out.

Owen says that in the green glow of their night-vision goggles, the Seals could make out the figure of a woman clutching something in her arms. The first suspicion was that it was a bomb. Owen recalls in his account how he started applying pressure to his trigger. Lasers on the Seals’ guns targeted the woman’s head – she could be dead in a second.

However the bundle was a baby. Al-Kuwaiti’s wife, Mariam, emerged with the infant and three more children behind her.

Owen kept his weapon trained on her as she told them that AlKuwaiti was dead. Owen says he

spotted a pair of feet lying in the doorway of a bedroom and that he shot the body of al-Kuwaiti several times to make sure. With the guesthouse secured, the Seals sprinted to the main compound.

Bin Laden’s house was split into a duplex and his family lived on the second and third levels and had their own private entrance.

A team led by a Seal referred to in the book as Tom was to clear the first level, according to Owen.

Again, the building was dark but the soldiers’ night-vision goggles revealed a long hallway with two doors opening off on each side.

The point man – the leading Seal – spotted a man’s head sticking out of the first room on the left.

The point man shot him and he disappeared back into the room.

When the team reached the doorway the man, later identified as Abrar al-Kuwaiti, was writhing on the floor.

Writhing on the floor The Seals opened fire on him.

Al-Kuwaiti’s wife Bushra, who jumped in the way to shield him, was also killed. Owen says a woman and several children were huddled in the corner crying. An AK-47 was found in the room and Tom unloaded it while the rest of the team searched the remaining rooms.

After one of the US troops blew up an iron gate blocking access to the second level, the Seals started filtering up a spiral staircase punctuated by small landings. When Owen reached the second level, he could see a body splayed out on its back on the landing above, between the second and third levels. One of the Seals had shot Khalid, one of Bin Laden’s sons, who had probably been living on the second floor.

To be concluded tomorrow

36— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Police in Ogun arrest five suspect

BY EVELYN USMAN THEY are five in number with different ages, heights and complexion. But they have one thing in common; robbery! The suspected members of a robbery gang, according to the Ogun state police command, were responsible for some of the attacks on travelers along the expressway. Aside this, the command stated that the suspects also confessed to be specialists in snatching vehicles from the Otta end of Ogun state which they sold at give-away prices in Ogun and Lagos states.

Report said they also specialized in snatching motorcycles from their riders, posing as passengers.

activities of robbers.

Even at that, Crime Alert gathered that the robbers also changed their tactise.

This time around, they would, as usual, pose as passengers going to a designated place. But unknown to the motorcyclist, their members were waiting at the place. Immediately they arrived , the robber on the motorbike would reportedly bring out his gun and order the motorcyclist to park where their colleagues are and in the process dispossess him of cash and the motorcycle.

In a bid to stem this tide, the Ogun State Police Command reportedly came up with security measures which, Monday, led to the arrest of five suspected

In a bid to stem this tide, the Ogun State Police Command reportedly came up with security measures which, Monday, led to the arrest of five suspected members of a notorious robbery gang that have been on the command’s wanted list

,

,

Their modus operandi, as gathered , included mounting a motorcycle with an appeal to the motorcyclist that they would pay on reaching their destination.

However, mid -way into the jour ney, they would reportedly bring out their guns and order the motorcyclist to park or have his head blown off.

Fear stricken motorcyclist Like an obedient lamb, the fear-stricken motorcyclist would park as ordered, after which he would be forced to surrender the key of the motorbike to the hoodlums.

However, sometimes when a motorcyclist puts up a struggle, he would reportedly be maimed or killed in the process with his motorcycle eventually driven away.

Worried by the incessant attacks on their members, various associations of motorcyclists around Otta reportedly held series of meetings with their members where they handed down stern warning not to carry two persons on motorbike, as a way of checkmating

members of a notorious robbery gang that have been on the command’s wanted list. The suspects, as gathered, reside somewhere around Badagry area of Lagos , from where they operate in Ogun state.

Luck ran against them after Anti-robbery operatives from Ogun Police command acting on a tip-off swooped on them as they were preparing to for their usual operation. Report said one of them who opened fire on the policemen was shot in the head while his colleagues who attempted to escape on hearing the gun shots, were arrested.

Spokesman for the Ogun State Police Command, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi gave the names of the arrested suspects as Taofeek Osho a.k.a Otin, Babatunde Akanni a.k.a Jedi, Olurombi Sakiru, Abayomi Akinola and Seyi Durojaiye . A search, according to him, was conducted in the suspect’s hideout where six locally made pistols cut to size, one UTC axe and one expended cartridge were recovered.

According to Adejobi, “ In it’s effort to rid the State of

•Suspects and recovered weapons criminal elements, the Ogun State Police Command under the able leadership of the Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, with his doggedness and ever determined zeal has again arrested five notorious armed robbers that specialized in Highway robbery and snatching of motorcycles in and around Ota, Ogun State.

T

his was made possible by the timely intervention of men of the Ogun State Command Anti – Robbery Squad (SARS) who acted swiftly on information received about their hide out in French Village, Badagr y L agos State. The suspects are still

under investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department and will be charged to court

immediately investigation is c o n c l u d e d .

The command uses this opportunity to reiterate its

Alleged cultist docke

BY ONOZURE DANIA

A

27-YEAR old suspected cultist, Gabriel Olarenwaju, was arraigned yesterday before an Ikeja magistrate court, for allegedly inflicting body injury on one Kazeem Tiamiyu, by removing four of his teeth.

Olarenwaju, who is facing a one- count charge of unlawful infliction of body

i n j u r y, i s s a i d t o b e a member of a rival cultist group which carried reprisal attack on its opponent. It was gathered that Olarewaju’s colleague was killed during a fight with members of its rival group last month at Ladipo area of Mushin.

The victim, Tiamiyu, who was unable to appear before the court, was said to be

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012—37

ted highway robbers

We found my husband’s lifeless body on the road – Widow of UNILAG’s staff allegedly murdered by a ‘prophet’

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

A

commitment in giving the citizen of the State the best in terms of security of life and

property and also to warn people with criminal tendencies to relocate or turn

a new leaf, as the state is no longer conducive for criminality,” Adejobi stated.

d for pulling off rival’s four teeth receiving treatment as the f o u r t e e th that were forcefully removed were giving him serious pain.

The police prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Barth Nwaokoeye, told the court the crime was committed at about 4pm that fateful day, explaining that Olarenwaju and Tiamiyu who are members of different cult groups were fighting

in the process of which Tiamiyu’s four teeth were forcefully pulled off.

Picture of the victim was brought as evidence before the magistrate with a view to asserting the level of the damage done by the accused.

According to him, the offense committed by the defendant is contrary and punishable under section

244 (A) of the criminal laws of Lagos state 2011.

When the charge was read to Olarenwaju, he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Magistrate, A .O Isacc, subsequently granted him bail in the sum of N100, 000, with two sureties in like sum who must be employed and resident in Lagos state. The matter is adjourned to 3 of October 2012, for further trial.

UGUST 23, 2012, was like every other day for the Age’s family, with the first signal of a better thing ahead commencing with Mr Suleiman Age’s announcement that he received an alert on his salary payment the precious day. In demonstration of his bubbling character, the staff of DLI section of University of Lagos, reportedly gave one of his wives the sum of N5000 to prepare a sumptuous meal . But unknown to every member of the family, the unexpected loomed ahead .

The sign of tragedy reared its ugly head after the family waited endlessly for their bread winner to come home and eat the evening meal without success.

Having waited till 9pm without any sight of Mr Suleiman, one of his wives, Salifat and one of their children reportedly conducted a search round the vicinity where, to their greatest shock, their 49-year-old bread winner ’s lifeless body was discovered on Ajenifuja street in Bariga area of Lagos. Shock and disbelief would best describe the expression on their faces ,as the long silence was broken with wailings.

Residents of the area told Crime Alert that the deceased had gone to see a prophet on the street where he spent two hours. The Police said they are yet to unravel what transpired inside between him and the prophet. However, when the father of seven came out of the prophet’s apartment, he reportedly started bleeding and slumped as he attempted to ride his motorcycle home. His body, as gathered, was left on the ground with some of the residents taking to their heels for fear of possible arrest.

Explaining the mission of Suleiman Age at the prophet’s house, his widow Silkifat said, “At about 6pm that fateful day,

•Late Suleiman and widow, Silifat

he rode straight to my shop from work to collect the keys to the house. But, I told him the children were at home. And on second thought, he said he was going to Woli Jagun’s place and that was the last I saw him. “ One of his friends, uncle Bola , who rented one of the shops owned by my late husband had complained of bad sales , attributing it to the heap of rituals that was usually seen in front of the shops. It was this same uncle Bola that advised my husband to go to the prophet popularly called Woli Jagun, in order for him to carry out some spiritual cleansing in the shops. And it was Uncle Bola that introduced my husband to the prophet. So, when he came back from work that evening, he informed me he was going to see the prophet and we never saw him again.

My husband was hale and hearty that fateful day. Infact, he was not ill. And there was no premonition at all about the unfortunate incident. As he was leaving home that morning, he promised he would sort out other financial responsibilities when he returned but he never did.”

How we discovered his body After waiting endlessly for him to return home as promised, I decided to go to Uncle Bola’s house with one of our children that night. From there, he gave me the prophet’s address . And just two building to his house, my daughter said, ‘ mummy look at this, it is a human being covered with nylon and torn cartoon. I muttered omase o(what a pity) with my attention on the prophet’s house. Almost immediately, my daughter shouted, “ah!mummy, it is daddy,” I rushed there , raised the nylon and discovered that it was my husband! My world went blank at that moment because I could not figure out how a man who left me barely four hours ago could be dead”, she stated. At this point, she burst into another round of tears with sympathizers consoling her.

She managed, amidst tears, to inform that she reported the case at the Bariga police division next day,consequent upon which the prophet was arrested.

Meanwhile, the Police said they had commenced investigation into the death of the late Suleiman. Currently, the prophet is being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID),Yaba.

38 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Is this age gap too much?

Dear Bunmi, I really like this senior colleague at work and we get on really well. The problem is I’m 24 and he’s 10 years older.

Is the age gap too much or should I go for it?

Roli, by e-mail.

My husband’s violence frightens me Dear Bunmi, My husband and I have had our ups and downs and our share of bad luck. At first, the rows were verbal but recently he has become really aggressive. He’s always criticising me, and most weeks he beats me up and I end up with bruises.

I was once in a violent relationship and when I first met my husband, I was always on the defensive and a bit irrational, and I don’t like being bossed around. Over the years

though, I’ve calmed down but my husband has got much worse.

We have a four-year-old son and I’m worried the fights could affect him. I just want us to be happy. I’ve told my husband that the rows are not fair on any of us.

He’s a loving father who adores his son. I don’t want to split them up, but it seems we don’t agree on anything these days. I don’t know what I should do about the situation. Please help.

Pursued by a senior girl!

Dear Bunmi, I live next door to a woman who is some eight years older than I am. I am in my mid-twenties and have a security outfit I run with two other friends. This lady is a fashion designer and is married with three lovely kids who come to my flat as often as they are allowed.

It was inevitable that I met their mother and we became friends.

She then told me that I had fashion taste and I told her I couldn’t afford high fashion as our business was just taking off and she said I shouldn’t worry— it was her treat. She then gave me some good clothes.

Six months later, I looked good and felt good and we were sleeping together by this time. She initiated it of course and since I had no steady girlfriend, what was the harm?

I now have a steady girlfriend who sleeps over once in a while and this woman next door is actually jealous of my girl. I never promised to marry her but she said she was lonely and since she couldn’t come to my flat as often as she used to, I should come over to hers. She is a second wife and her husband doesn’t have a regular visiting hour.

I hate to have to bolt through a window or go through any shameful act trying to dodge her husband.

Also, I can’t make love to two women on a fairly regular basis— I’m not a sex machine.

What should I do?

Victor, by e-mail.

Dear Victor, Short of trying to find alternate accommodation, you can’t run away from paying for the freebies you accepted from your seemingly generous lover.

Nothing goes for nothing really and by now you would

have realised how dangerous it is to have an affair with someone virtually living u n der

Made, by e-mail.

Dear Made, Anger, whether or not it leads to violence, is a damaging way to respond to the fears a couple face. Although you’ve come to terms with your anger, your husband has still to discover how to deal with his. And neither of you has yet developed ways to communicate peacefully and without confrontation. Your poor son is suffering because of his parents’ combative behaviour. Unless it changes, your son’s insecurity will soon match yours.

Don’t blame yourself, your husband or a former partner for the rows with your husband. Instead, both of you should agree to express yourselves better by avoidi n g anger a n d b e ready to compromise.

Have a heart-to-heart talk when you have no issues with each other and encourage him to bare his mind— be prepared to hear things you’d prefer not to.

Like you, he could be full of regrets about what has been going on, so you need to meet each other half-way in reaching amicable solution. It’s not going to be easy but it’s not impossible to put your marriage on an even keel.

....This is exactly when my partner buries his head in them at regular intervals when we’re making love your feet and committed to another man, no matter how partially.

I would be careful until I moved away if I were you. A woman scorned would have a lot of fury. Explain to her for now that you are thinking of settling down as she herself has done; and you might have to invent a dreadful sexuallytransmitted disease if she doesn’t leave you alone!

I want my first love back!

Dear Bunmi, When I was in the university, I got together with a long-term friend of mine and had the most amazing relationship. We were passionately in love and truly thought we were meant for each other.

But after leaving university, we went in different directions and had a rather messy split.

Ever since, I’ve pined for my first love and no relationship has ever equalled it. Is it a case of first love being the strongest? Were we meant to be?

Patricia, by e-mail.

Dear Patricia, Recent research suggests

that first love is crucial. And if we split from such a passionate love, we can set the scene for future relationships failing and general unhappiness. But that doesn’t mean to say that first love is necessarily your one true love— or that mourning a first love forever is a good idea.

It sounds to me as if your early passion was mind-blowing, but ultimately you two weren’t meant to be. The relationship ended on a hostile note because it wasn’t right.

Now you’re older, you’re free to find someone better and more able to make you happy. For all you know, your first love could have moved on. So should you.

Dear Roli, Some age gaps can be too wide because partners are from different generations, with different views. Also,

when one partner is very young, as you are, they’re more likely to change a lot over time— you certainly won’t be the same person at 44 as you are at 24!

But these things will only become an issue if you’re thinking of commitment. For now, you’re just thinking of making a move— and for that, 10 years isn’t too much of a difference.

So give it a go and worry about the age gap later.

“... you might have to invent a dreadful sexually-transmitted disease if she doesn’t leave you alone!”

My younger sister is promiscuous Dear Bunmi, I’m in my 20s and have recently discovered that my little sister is sleeping around with old and young men in the neighbourhood. She’s only 16 and I was shocked and ashamed of her waywardness. When I tried to talk to her, she scuffed and called me jealous.

Do you think I should let my parents know?

Alice, by e-mail.

Dear Alice, Your wish to curb your little sister’s promiscuity is justified. She is physically and emotionally in danger. Girls or young women who sleep around get hurt, and they always regret their behaviour. She is at risk not only

of infection and unwanted pregnancy, but also of harming her self-esteem. A girl who is sexually easy loses the respect of all men, and respect for herself.

There’s no need to involve your parents. Instead of attacking her behaviour, deepen her trust in you. Encourage her to accept you as her sexual and emotional guide by talking through the practicalities of safe sex— including the consistent and careful use of condoms.

Discuss the way alcohol, drugs and peer pressure can lead to reckless sex, STIs, abortions, humiliation and self-hatred. Above all, give her the affection, love and loyalty she’s obviously desperate to have.

Is his behaviour normal?

Dear Bunmi, I’ve been with my partner for over a year now and we are thinking of getting married. Right from the time we started having sex, I’ve noticed he gets really aroused when he sniffs my armpit.

He’s pleaded with me not to shave them and I’ve complied but when the weather is stuffy, my body odour becomes pronounced. This is exactly when my partner buries his head in them at regular intervals when we’re making love.

Do you think this is normal? I don’t particularly like it but I don’t want to hurt him by shaving my armpits.

Ada, by e-mail.

Dear Ada, A lot of people get aroused by body smells and we get attracted to each other in the first place by our scent. Because the armpits have scent-producing glands in them, plus hair that traps the scent, a person’s body smell is often stronger there than anywhere else.

What your man is doing is simply tap p i n g i n t o t h e natural aphrodisiac you produce— so I’d encourage it.

What you want to do is have a quick dab at your armpits with a wet face towel whenever the weather makes you feel uncomfortable.

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 — 39

C M Y K

40—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

NUC launches online portal for programme accreditation

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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CONFERENCE: From left: lmo State Youth President of Christian Pentecostal Mission (CPM), Mr. Iboro Cornelius; National/International Coordinator, CPM, Rev. Mrs. Mercy Ezekiel and National Youth Pastor, Robert Onuoha, during the presentation of prizes at the National Youth Conference of CPM at the church headquarters, in Lagos.

INSTALLATION: Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Dr. Olajide Basorun (middle) presenting a card to the newly installed Alade Uruka of Poka, His Royal Majesty Oba Ayodele Kolawole Aliru and Olori Risikat Modupe Aliru, during the monarch's installation and presentation of staff of office at Poka, Eredo Local Council Development Area, Epe, Lagos.

ATIONAL Uni versities Commission, NUC, is to inaugurate its first Online Programme Accreditation Portal.

The programme, slated to be inaugurated on September 7, 2012, at the University of Calabar, Cross River State is user friendly.

The portal is one of the benefits of National Universities Commission Data Base, NUCDB, project, launched in November 2008 to make the commission more effective in its regulatory functions, for improved quality of graduates and programmes in the country.

Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, yesterday, in Abuja, said: “With the Online Programme Accreditation System, the commission has taken a major stride forward in making access to information more transparent and easier to apply in carrying out its oversight functions.”

He added that the project would harvest and display information

Kaduna gov woos investors with incentives

BY EMEKA MAMAH

K

ADUNA State Gov ernor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, has urged investors to come to the state and invest in view of incentives being made available to ensure their smooth operations.

Yakowa spoke at the opening of the on-going meeting of Nigerian Chamber of Commerce with their Nigerien counterparts and a committee of experts on trade and investment in Kaduna.

The governor said the power sector would soon improve with about 60 megawatts of electricity out of which 30 megawatts would be sourced from the Gurrarra Dam and the other 30 from solar energy now being constructed under the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer, BOOT, arrangement with a foreign firm.

He said: "We are also doing all that is possible to promote and boost business activities in

Kaduna State. Consequently, through our three-pronged approach of Security, Unity and Development, SUD, we are working hard towards improved commercial activities by building and improving on the infrastructural requirements for such.

"Only last week, Kaduna State signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with a

German company for the building of a 30-megawatts solar power plant.

The signing was done under the Nigerian– German Energy Partnership and will see the German company spending about 50 million Euros to construct the facility, under a BOOT arrangement that will last for 25 years. This is in addition to the 30 megawatts that the state is in the proc-

ess of evacuating from the Multipurpose Gurara Dam through a Public Private Partnership.

"Only recently, the Federal Government approved N37 billion for the completion of work in the dam and the provision of the transmission lines that will evacuate the power to the Kaduna industrial area for the revival of our ailing industries."

NUPENG flays media reports on strike

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

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IGERIA Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has expressed disgust over continued media reports insinuating that its last industrial action over subsidy payment was in support of fraudulent and indicted oil marketers.

NUPENG insisted that

the issues which led to the strike being restricted to Abuja, were caused by government's breach of an earlier memorandum of understanding on payment of claims to verified marketers, diversion of crude oil meant for the refineries into the open market, non-functional refineries, bad roads, and SPDC/Chevron unfair labour practices among others.

NUPENG, in a statement by its Acting Gen-

eral Secretary, Comrade Isaac Aberare, said the media reports castigating NUPENG were in bad taste as they poured their anger on the union, without painstakingly analysing the issues raised.

He said: “The strike cannot be said to be suspect and untenable as we supported the adhoc committee report of the House of Representatives that those found wanting should be prosecuted."

directly from NUC Portal and databases, as it allows for a secured, timely and cost effective database system for all Nigerian universities because it enables them to upload students' academic and non-academic staff data, including the entire information on professors, such as name, qualification, area of specialisation, and date of promotion, among others. More so, the portal can detect double record input.

Should a lecturer ’s records be in more than one university, the user gets a pop-up alert."

Project Consultant on NUCDB, Mr. Paul Adingwupu, said: “The harmonisation of information, standards and formats will facilitate the development of many other knowledge areas of our university system and ultimately aid Nigerian universities to be among the best in the world.”

Nokia developers get award

I

N a bid to support application developers to build locally relevant applications for its Windows platfor m, Nokia has awarded 16 local independent developers and six local student developers of Nokia Lumia smartphones at an event held at Microsoft’s office yesterday in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The award ceremony saw Nokia fulfilling the

promise it made to developers at a Microsoft Developer Phone Camp event earlier this year, that it would award each developer who succeeded in publishing an application to the Windows Phone Marketplace after their training with a Nokia Lumia, as well as the top two teams who came out of the Imagine Cup National finals in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Katsina approves contracts for upgrade of water supply schemes

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ATSINA State Ex ecutive Council has approved the award of six contracts for the upgrade and expansion of semi-urban water supply schemes in different parts of the state worth N454,754,456.63 The Commissioner of Water Resources, Alhaji Jamilu Danmusa, confirmed this at a joint press conference he addressed along with the Information Commissioner, Alhaji Gide Batagarawa.

A statement by the Special Assistant, Press

Affairs to the Governor, Abdulhamid Danjuma, quoted Alhaji Danmusa as saying that it was "the intention of Governor Ibrahim Shema’s administration to ensure that rural communities enjoyed safe and potable water."

Danmusa said contract for the expansion of Kankia Semi-Urban Water Supply Scheme would cost N106,680,454 while the contract for expansion of main SemiUrban Water Supply Scheme would gulp N55,099,000.

Institute graduates 51 ex-militants in Delta

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G H E L L I — IZISCO Obos International Nigeria Limited, a vocational training institute, has graduated 51 ex-militants.

Speaking during the graduation ceremony, director of the institute, Mr. Isaac Seide, charged the graduands to be good ambassadors of the institute and the government.

Seide said the ex-militants were trained on water/ex-ray welding in a nine-month programme, adding that the institute had graduated

93 ex-militants in the last 18 months.

He said: “Graduates of the institute can favourably compete with their foreign counterparts.

The training given to the ex-militants was an allround one, which will make them fit into the society.”

He appealed to the Federal Government to facilitate the employment of the ex-militants who had been trained in various vocations to “enable them take care of themselves and their families.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012—41

Hole-in-heart baby sends SOS to Gov Theodore Orji

By CHIOMA OBINNA

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ARENTS of 13 month old Godswill Tom, are passionately appealing to the Abia State Governor, Dr. Theodore Orji to fulfill his promise to advance their son’s heart treatment abroad.

The desperate parents who disclosed that all arrangements to fly Godswill for a life saving open heart surgery in India since 2011, lamented that securing the N3.0 million required the surgery has remained a great challenge.

Godswill is suffering from a heart disease known as Congenital supravalvular mitral stenosis. His parents, Abochi and Ngozi Tom who hail from AriamElu-elu in Ikwuano Local Government area of Abia said the search for funds had taken them to Governor Theodore Orji through a letter written some time ago, appealing for assistance of N3 million.

According to the desperate

mother, “Soon after the letter was sent, someone from the Governor’s office identified as Mr. Ugwuaja called us. He told my husband to source for money for the traveling papers, but my husband didn’t have any money.

Ugwuaja then promised us N1.5 million to process the traveling documents after which he asked us to go to Abia with the documents when we had got them.

There was this eagerness to help.

But, along the line, I don’t know what happened.

“At another time, we were told to bring the breakdown of the total cost. When our consultant got the breakdown, he said he would see the Governor the day after. But after waiting in vain for three weeks, we decided to return to Lagos,” she remarked.

Presenting a copy of the letter written the Governor , Godswill’s parents are hopeful help would eventually come from the Abia State Government House.

Part of the letter reads: “We do

• Master Godswill Tom not know who to run to for this help except God, of which we believe He can use you to save our son’s life as He has been using you in other areas. God will not allow your own children or any of your family members to

see such problem” “We believe Governor Orji sincerely wants to help. But then, we can’t just sit and watch our son die. This is why we have come to beg Nigerians to please not allow death snatch away our joy. We know Nigerians will not allow this. So, please, for God’s sake, in anyway you can, let your milk of human kindness flow towards little Godswill, the letter stated.

Ngozi said the boy’s life had been one of constant pains.

“Three days after birth, we discovered he had jaundice. So I took him to the Airforce Hospital, Ikeja. Tests showed he had a heart condition. At the Ikeja Gen-

eral Hospital, the diagnosis was the same.

“From there, we were referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH. He was admitted and to date, we’ve been at LUTH. My baby has been on medication. We buy drugs every two weeks. In December 2010, an echo test was done, but it was not until March 2011 that we were told the machine was bad.”

She recalled that in August 2011 when the family was able to raise N30, 000.00 for the test outside LUTH, the result which came out in less than half an hour , confirmed my baby has to be taken to India for surgery”.

A medical report from the LUTH, signed by Associate Professor/Consultant Paediatrician, Dr. C. A. N. Okoromah stated: “We have enjoyed surgical outcomes for our patients treated at the MOIT Hospital and we are referring Godswill to the same hospital.”

If you are touched by this story, please send your donations to Diamond Bank, Acct No 002 392 2906, Acct name: Tom Godswill Chidubem. Or call 0805 096 4006 and 0706 338 1707.

Help! Victory, Faith need N6.5 million for bone transplant

By CHARITY UGWUANYI

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September 7, 2012 to pay up or forget the surgery. “My wife and I never knew we were both AS genotype. It was when we discovered that Victory and Faith were SS at age two and four that we decided to screen the whole family, ”he added.

The litany of their sad story began when a genotype test was conducted on Victory following her frequent illness. It was discovered from the result that she is SS. Similarly, Faith, their second daughter, was also discovered to be suffering from the same disorder.

HE pain and agony faced by people living with Sickle Cell Disorder is best imagined. Unfortunately, scientists are yet to find a lasting solution that could be more affordable and accessible. Unfortunately, the financial demands for the only treatment, Bone Marrow Transplant is very huge and out of the reach of millions. Although, experts have stressed the need for couples to know their genotype before marriage, many Nigerians are still not aware. One such couIf you are touched by Victory and Faiths’ story, send your ple is Mr. & Mrs Ernest Asagwara whose two children, Vicdonations to Diamond Bank account N0. 0005746201, Asagtory and Faith are living with Sickle Cell Disease. wara Chimeziri Ernest and First Bank account N0.2009119770, If Mr & Mrs. Asagwara were properly armed with informaAsagwara Gods Love A. or call 08030806337 or 08054032636, tion, particularly as it concerns their gynotype, before mar0812325527. riage, their two girls, Victory and Faith may have been hale and hearty. SCD is a set of red blood cell disorders that are mostly inherited and affects people all over the world and the complications that arise from it are usuO maintain vitality and improve “For us, we feel that we should use ally fatal. As you read this artitheir consumers wellbeing, the this opportunity to promote the Olymcle, Victory and Faith, urgently need a Bone Marrow Transplant, Olympic Brand Milk from the stable of pic brand on the platform of sports. That BMT, in far away Mediterranean Nutricima Limited, is powering a game is why we are connecting to those who Institute of Haematology, Rome. to connect community people and con- actually use the brand and targeting those who live in communities, those Unfortunately, their parents can- sumers of its product.

The maiden edition of the Olympic who are active and relate to one annot raise the required sum for the life saving surgery. Victory is pro- Games conceived as a nationwide an- other in their communities.” On the ceeding to JSS 2, while Faith is nual event is billed to begin in Lagos choice of the brand, she said: Olympic from September 10 through 23. The Brand is the milk brand that contains in Primary Five.

According to doctors at the La- Community Games, which is aimed at the necessary vitamin and minerals – gos University Teaching Hospi- fostering the virtues of ‘can do spirit,’ calcium, vitamin A and D and it helps tal, LUTH, and officials of the unity, solidarity, community spirit, build- maintain the cholesterol level of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Niger- ing affinity, healthy lifestyles and un- body. She said maintaining the choia, SCFN, N22 million is re- earthing budding sports talents at grass- lesterol level of the body helps mainquired for the life - saving sur- roots level will be held in 10 Lagos com- tain vitality and helps to improve wellgery while another N6.5 million munities this year. The communities being as well.

Head Marketing, Nutricima Limited, is required for hospitalisation, listed for this year’s games in Lagos, according to the organisers include: Mrs. Wande explained that Oluwasefeeding and transportation.

Although, the Foundation has Bariga, Ketu, Obalende, Surulere, Iko- gunfunmi stated that people in the 10 accepted to pay the cost of the rodu, Agege, Oshodi, Mushin, Ajeg- selected communities will have a chance of participating in three major surgery, the girl's parents are yet ule, and Orile-Iganmu.

Speaking, Senior Brand Manager for sporting activities including; football, to raise the N6.5 million needed for treatment. Narrating his Olympic Milk, Mrs. Chiaka Eluchie draught and table tennis. Spectators ordeal in an emotion – laden who noted that the programme would and fans also have the opportunity of voice, Ernest, a deacon who help improve the health of participants winning exciting prizes ranging from described the situation as shock- said being healthy and engaging in generators, phones, bags, to water boting expressed worry that the hos- sports was related. "It is only the tles at the venue of the events. pital in Rome has given them till healthy that can engage in sports.”

Healthy living: Olympic Milk powers Community Games

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• Victory and Faith

42— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

RSUST, Port Harcourt...deserted yesterday

Gathering storm in RSUST over reappointment of VC •Students risk losing another year

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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HIS is certainly not the best of times for students of the Rivers state University of Science and Technology, RSUST as lecturers in the school have been on strike for close to one month to force the Visitor of the University and Governor of the State Chibuike Amaechi to reverse the appointment of Professor Barineme Fakae as Acting Vice Chancellor.

It would be recalled that the school was part of a recent national strike called by the national body of Academic

tional strike in solidarity with its local wing at the Rivers state University of Science and Technology, RSUST. And it was widely observed in several public universities round the country.

Chairman of the RSUST wing of ASUU, Dr Felix Igwe in a telephone chat with Vanguard Features after the one day strike called by its national body said the lecturers would pursue their demand to a logical end.

HOW IT STARTED Trouble started in the institution when the acting Vice

,

Prof Fakae was reappointed to succeed himself as acting VC; this is completely a violation of what is in the university law; if the VC completes his term, the Deputy VC succeeds him in acting capacity until a substantive VC is appointed

Staff Union of Universities, ASUU that lasted over three months. If the current crisis in the school is not urgently addressed it would amount to the students suffering disruption in their academic calendar twice within one session.

Meantime, last week Thursday, the national body of ASUU declared a one day na-

,

Chancellor, Prof Barineme Fakae ended his first tenure of five years. He applied for reappointment alongside four contestants for the plum job to a Joint Selection Committee of the University’s Senate and Governing Council. Contrary to speculations in several quarters that three of those that applied for the job were

warded to the Visitor to appoint a VC from. But the Governor dissolved the Governing Council and reappointed Prof Fakae as acting VC.” he added.

The ASUU boss, Dr Igwe said that the Governing Council was hurriedly dissolved in June when its life time was to have expired in accordance with the law of the university by August 18.

He stated that what the lecturers are demanding is that due process should be followed in appointing a VC for the school. Dr Igwe also alleged that the Visitor and Governor had in 2008 violated the University law when he first appointed Fakae VC when there was no Governing Council in place. “ The ASUU Chairman, Dr Igwe also said part of their demand this time was that the university law should be modified to be in line with that of other universities in the country where principal officers of universities serve only one tenure. He said the Visitor and Governor of the State should forward an executive bill to the state House of Assembly on the issue.

Meanwhile, Governor Amaechi has asked ASUU to challenge his action in court if they were unsatisfied. The governor said he acted within the confines of the law establishing the university. The governor who spoke in far away Berlin Germany, last week, said he would not be pressured by the local wing and national body of ASUU to violate the laws regulating the institution.

Difference between federal law

Gov Amaechi initially members of the Selection Committee, the University ’s chapter Chairman of ASUU, Dr Igwe said they were rather members of the Senate and the University Governing Council, adding that Prof Fakae is also a member of the two institutions within the school.

The Joint selection committee at the end of its exercise said Professor Fakae came fifth and in line with the tradition, according to the ASUU boss, the university was to recommend the first three names to the Visitor of the school and Governor of the State to pick one as Vice Chancellor.

The school’s ASUU Chairman said the Visitor surprisingly dissolved the Governing Council and went ahead to appoint, Prof Fakae

Prof. Fakae who just completed a term of five years as substantive Vice Chancellor, this time, as Acting VC. Describing the action of the Visitor and Governor as an aberration, he said in a normal circumstance, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University should have acted until a substantive VC was appointed.

“Prof Fakae was reappointed to succeed himself as acting VC; this is completely a violation of what is in the university law. If the VC completes his term, the Deputy VC succeeds him in acting capacity until a substantive VC is appointed,” he said.

“Prof Fakae applied for the office of VC; he was fifth among the five that applied for the job. The norm is that the first to third names are for-

According to the Governor, by the law establishing the university, the immediate past Vice Chancellor Prof Fakae could still be appointed as VC for another three years after his first term.

His words: “There is a difference between the Federal law which the president had signed which governs Federal universities and the State law.

“They (ASUU) want me to disobey the law that sets up RSUST. I wish them luck but this will not happen within the period that I am Governor of Rivers State.

“There is what is called the rule of law and true federalism; unitary system should not be applied in a state. The law setting up RSUST allows its vice_chancellor to run for three years second term after the expiration of his first term”.

The Governor also described as improper the action of pro

Continues on page 44

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Anguish of Abuja residents as fuel scarcity returns

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ESIDENTS of Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capi tal are now asking what has become a familiar question all over again: When will the intermittent fuel scarcity and the resultant hardship end? The question is prompted by long queues witnessed at several filling station in the FCT as another round of fuel scarcity bites harder.

This was coming barely a week after residents endured over seven days of fuel scarcity following a strike action by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG and the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, over the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN When the strike was eventually called off, Abuja residents had heaved a sigh of relief believing that their ordeal was over.

So it came as a rude shock to them when long queues began to build up in many fill-

ing stations at the weekend and on Monday as motorists scrambled to buy fuel following reports that petrol had become scarce again.

It will be recalled that the same development had a week ago, brought most business activities are almost to standstill as some residents spent the nights at the filling stations in order to buy the product. And as the face-off between the Federal government and major oil marketers continued, commuters, motorists and other road users in the FCT and its environs endured a hard time.

Abundant stock of petroleum products Many filling stations in the city refused to open for business despite of assurances coming from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, that it had abundant stock of petroleum products to last for the next forty_five

Long queue in an Abuja petrol filling station days. The development partially disrupted the movement of people for the Eid el Fitri festivity holidays as the fuel scarcity ensured that they could not travel outside the city and had to stay indoors throughout the period of the holiday.

Gathering storm in RSUST over VC Continues from page 42 fessors in the Governing Council who applied for the job of the Vice Chancellor.

Amaechi said he acted within the law to have appointed Fakae in acting capacity until a substantive VC was appointed.

The governor had before now, spoken on the issue in Port Harcourt through his Commissioner for Information, Mrs Ibim Semenitari.

According to him, due process was followed in the appointment of Prof Fakae as Acting VC. He noted that Professor Fakae transformed the school as its VC. The Commissioner stated

Dr. Igwe

that under Prof Fakae, nearly all the unaccredited courses were approved by the Nigerian Universities Commission, NUC. The Governor also re_echoed his position on the issue while inaugurating a newly constituted Governing Council in Port Harcourt. The new council has a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Karibi White as Pro Chancellor.

He also said that Prof Fakae as VC effectively tackled the menace of cultism that was a major challenge in the university.

Some students of the university who spoke to the Vanguard Features said Prof Fakae made significant impact

in the university as Vice Chancellor. They recalled that before he came on board, students had problems of missing scores, most postgraduate programmes had no terminal date but when he assumed office as VC in his first term, he ensured these problems were addressed.

Standard for scholarship They said some lecturers were kicking against the appointment because Prof Fakae while as substantive VC made sure it was not business as usual in the school. They said he insisted on merit as the standard for scholarship in the university.

At press time, nothing serious was going on in the school. Some of the students had moved out of their hostels going on as a drain on their lean purses.

The prayer on the lips of the students is that the imbroglio should be resolved fast so that academic work could resume.

They also said their examinations had been slated for the month so they were praying that the differences be resolved quickly so they could complete their programmes.

They said they had already lost semesters to the last ASUU strike so this ugly development should not be allowed to linger for too long in order not to translate into another loss of academic sessions for them.

Before then, the last time Abuja residents experienced a similar hardship precipitated by the fuel scarcity was in 2011 following the nationwide strike triggered by the implementation of the controversial removal of the fuel subsidy.

At all the filling stations visited by Vanguard Metro, VM, it was more of tales of woe as angry motorists gave vent to their frustration at the development. For example, a commercial bus driver, who identified himself as Emeka who shuttles between Wuse and Nyanya, told VM at the African Petroleum Filling Station, Central Business district in the FCT that he had been on the queue for over three hours and wondered aloud when the ordeal would end.

The situation caused major traffic chaos around petrol stations as car owners scram-

,

By CHRIS OCHAYI

product at night, especially between 1.30 and 5.00 am to further maximise their exploitation of customers.

A particular filling station said to be owned by a former lawmaker at the National Assembly, was very notorious at outsmarting motorists by way of pump metre adjustments.

The station allegedly sold at N130 per litre.

Vanguard Features observed that vehicles queuing for fuel at the station which is located at Lugbe, along the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua highway were few when compared with the queue in other stations, apparently because they had observed the sharp practices by the management of the station.

A black market dealer, who identified himself simply as Chubike regretted ever buying fuel from the station. Re-

The following day, I spent over N8, 000 to fill the same keg at that filling station. I won’t go there again because something is fundamentally wrong with their metre

bled to stay in line. Transport fares have also skyrocketed affecting movement of people and workers in the nation’s capital.

Consequently motorists were compelled to buy petrol at between N120 and N150 per litre at the black market. The situation almost got out of hand as the price of the product later skyrocketed, selling between N300 and N500 per litre as workers resumed work after the Sallah break.

The scarcity was also an opportunity to fuel marketers and dealers to make hay as they exploited the situation to cheat unsuspecting customers by adjusting their fuel pumping machine. Many of these marketers chose to sell the

,

counting his experience, Chubike stated that on the second day of the fuel scarcity, he went to buy fuel Kuje town in the Kuje Area Council of the FCT. According to him, he spent only N4, 500 to fill a 50 litre container.

“But the following day, I spent over N8, 000 to fill the same keg at that filling station.

I won’t go there again because something is fundamentally wrong with their metre,.” he concluded.

Many other motorists who shared the same experience with Chubike, regretted that many Nigeria business men would always capitalised on this kind of situation to cheat on their fellow human beings.

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C M Y K

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Democrats make case for Obama’s re-election D

E M O C R AT S launched their case for Barack Obama’s re-election at their party convention on Tuesday, looking to draw a sharp contrast with Republican Mitt Romney and convince voters that the U.S. president deserves four more years to fix the economy.

A speech by first lady Michelle Obama capped the opening night of the three-day gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina, which concludes with Obama’s acceptance of the nomination in an address on Thursday in a 74,000seat downtown football stadium.

The convention gives

Obama a chance to recapture the political spotlight from Romney and Republicans, who used their gathering last week to repeatedly attack Obama’s economic leadership.

The task for Obama and his allies will be to persuade voters disappointed by his first White House term that things will be better the second time around, while portraying the budget-slashing economic remedies offered by Romney and his running mate, congressman Paul Ryan, as unacceptable alternatives.

“The real issue now in the election is: who’s got the best plan going forward?” Democratic Senate

•Obama candidate Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who speaks to the convention on Wednesday, said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” program.

“Mitt Romney has made clear what his plan is: cut

taxes for the richest Americans and the biggest corporations, increase taxes on the middle class and don’t make any investments in the future.

Barack Obama says that’s not the right way to do it,” she said.

Ryan and Republicans kept the pressure on Democrats with a question they highlighted after their convention last week: Are voters better off after nearly four years of Obama?

Romney and Obama are running close in opinion polls ahead of the November 6 election, but Obama hopes to get more of a convention “bounce” in polls than Romney, who

China warns US on disputed territories C HINA warned the United States not to get involved in South China Sea territorial disputes on Tuesday as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Beijing pledging to pass on a strong message on the need to calm regional tension. U.S. officials say Clinton will stress the importance of cooperation and partnership on the visit, an important chance to compare notes during a year of political transition in both countries.

But her visit has been overshadowed by disputes over tiny islets and craggy outcrops in oil-

Yang Jiechi followed by a dinner. In their brief public remarks, both Clinton and Yang stressed a constructive tone, with Clinton calling the U.S.-China relationship key to the Obama administration’s “pivot” to more engagement with the Asia-Pacific.

Hillary Clinton with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and gas-rich areas of the South and East China Seas that have set China against U.S. regional allies such as the Philippines and Japan.

Clinton arrived in

Beijing from Jakarta late on Tuesday, huddling with U.S. officials on board her plane before heading off to meetings with Foreign Minister

“The economic fundamentals remain modest but stable,” Ford economist Jenny Lin said in a conference call. “This is still consistent for our outlook for the US economy to grow in the range of 2.0 to 2.5 percent this year.”

The second largest US automaker also announced plans to boost its fourth quarter production by seven percent to 725,000 vehicles and to add a third shift at its Louisville Assembly Plant to support demand for the

HE Obama adminis tration is close to a deal with Egypt’s new government for $1 billion in debt relief, a senior U.S. official said on

new Escape small utility.

“As fuel prices rose again during August, we saw growing numbers of people gravitate toward our fuel-efficient vehicles — cars, utilities and trucks,” said Ken Czubay, Ford’s head of sales.

United Nations warn of food crisis

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HE United Nations warned Tuesday of a possible repeat of the 2007-2008 food crisis and called on world leaders to act quickly to prevent a catastrophe which would affect tens of millions of people.

“The current situation in world food markets, characterized by sharp increases in maize, wheat and soybean prices, has raised fears of a repeat of the 2007-2008 world food

crisis,” the UN’s food agencies said in a statement.

“But swift, coordinated international action can stop that from happening.

We need to act urgently to make sure that these price shocks do not turn into a catastrophe hurting tens of millions over the coming months,” they said.

There are fears that the drought in the United States, which has pushed

dress going back to 1996, when it began measuring them. Thirty-eight percent rated the speech as excellent or good; the previous worst had been Republican John McCain’s in 2008, at 47 percent.

Romney prepares for debate

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EPUBLICAN nomi nee Mitt Romney steps off the campaign trail for much of this week as he prepares for next month’s crucial debates against Barack Obama, whose Democrats are gathering to re-nominate the president.

Aides said the newly crowned Republican flagbearer will spend most of Tuesday through Thursday in the northeastern state of Vermont, adjacent to his home state of Massachusetts where he once served as governor.

Romney’s focus will be on intensive preparations for the three nationally televised face-offs he will have with Obama, beginning October 3 in Denver, Colorado with a debate that focuses on domestic poli-

cy. It’s a different tack than the one used by Obama, who campaigned vigorously last week during the Republican National Convention held in Tampa.

Romney campaign officials told reporters this weekend that Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio will play Obama — reprising a role he took during debate rehearsals in 2008 — in this week’s sessions, which take place at the Reading, Vermont home of Romney’s former lieutenant governor Kerry Healey. The nominee will leave this week’s political counterattacks to surrogates and his running mate Paul Ryan, who campaigns Tuesday in Ohio and Iowa, two key battleground states in the November 6 election.

US, Egypt close to debt deal T

US auto makers post double digit profit T HE Detroit Three au tomakers posted double-digit gains in August US auto sales on Tuesday even as higher fuel prices drove a shift towards smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles.

Sales growth by rival Toyota, however, outpaced them all. Toyota — which saw sales collapse last year due to supply shortages in the wake of the devastating Japanese quake and tsunami — said it gained 46 percent to 188,520 vehicles.

Ford — which posted a 13 percent gain with 197,249 vehicles sold — estimated that total industry sales will rise to just above 1.3 million vehicles once all automakers report and to an annualized rate in the mid-to-high 14 million vehicle range.

gained a few percentage points at most from the Tampa, Florida, event.

A Gallup poll on Monday showed Romney’s speech last week got the worst scores of any convention acceptance ad-

grain prices to record highs, could spark another crisis like the one seen in 2007-2008, which pushed the total number of hungry people to over a billion.In the statement, released by the Romebased Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the agencies said leaders must tackle both the issue of high food prices as well as the question of how food is produced and consumed.

Monday, as Washington seeks to help Cairo shore up its ailing economy in the aftermath of its prodemocracy uprising.

U.S. diplomats and negotiators for Egypt’s new Islamist president Mohamed Mursi - who took office in June after the country’s first free elections - were working to finalize an agreement, the official said.

Progress on the aid package, which had languished during Egypt’s 18 months of political turmoil, appears to reflect a cautious easing of U.S. suspicions about Mursi and a desire to show economic goodwill

•Morsi to help keep the longstanding U.S.-Egyptian partnership from deteriorating further.

The United States was a close ally of Egypt under ousted autocratic President Hosni Mubarak and gives $1.3 billion in military aid a year to Egypt plus other assistance.

Assad forces level army HQ

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YRIAN rebels said they planted bombs inside the Syrian army’s General Staff headquarters in central Damascus on Sunday as President Bashar al-Assad’s forces bulldozed buildings to the ground in parts of the capital that have backed the uprising.

Syrian state television said four people were wounded in what it called

a terrorist attack on the General Staff compound in the highly guarded Abu Rummaneh district, where another bomb attack killed four of Assad’s top lieutenants two months ago.

“The operation targeted officers in the Assad army who have been planning and giving the go ahead for the massacres against the Syrian people,”said.

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Continues on page 35 Y now, Owen writes, Seals were queuing up behind Owen on the staircase, and the second-level hallway already had sufficient troops to search and clear it, so he continued to the third level, up steps slick with blood and passing Khalid’s unused AK-47 propped up on a step.‘We had planned for more of a fight,’ he writes. ‘For all the talk about suicide vests and being willing to shed blood for Allah, only one of the al-Kuwaiti brothers got off a barrage.’ He describes how, as he and his team slowly ascended the narrow stairwell, his ears strained to hear footsteps or the sound of a round being chambered. He was less than five steps from the top of the staircase when he heard shots.He writes: ‘BOP. BOP. The point man had seen a man peeking out of the door on the right side of the hallway about ten feet in front of him.

I couldn’t tell from my position if the rounds hit the target or not.

The man disappeared into the dark room.’They cautiously approached the room where they found two women, hysterically crying and standing over a man lying at the foot of a bed. The younger of the two women rushed at the point man who grabbed them both and herded them into a corner. Owen comments that had the women been wearing suicide vests, this action would have cost the soldier his life but saved those of his colleagues.According to No Easy Day, the fallen man, wearing

B

How I killed Bin laden a white sleeveless T-shirt, tan trousers and a tan tunic, had been shot in the right side of his head. ‘Blood and brains spilled out of the side of his skull,’ writes Owen. ‘In his death throes, he was still twitching and convulsing.’ Owen and another Seal shot more rounds into his chest until he was motionless.

At least three children sat stunned in the corner of the room as the commandos cleared two small rooms just off the bedrooms.

Other Seal teams cleared the rest of the third level until it was declared secure.

Owen and his comrades then examined the body. He says: ‘The man’s face was mangled from at least one bullet wound and covered in blood. A hole in his forehead collapsed the right side of his skull. His chest was torn up from where the bullets had entered his body. He was lying in an evergrowing pool of blood. As I crouched down to take a closer look, Tom joined me. ‘“I think this is our boy,” Tom said.’Owen writes that Tom did not want to report over the radio that this was Bin Laden because he knew that call would be rapidly relayed to Washington where President Obama was listening.

The Seals wanted to be sure first.The dead man was the correct height and looked like the composite photos the Seals had

been given. They wiped the blood from his face using a blanket from the bed and he looked more familiar but younger than expected. It transpired his beard had been dyed. Owen says he took photos of Bin Laden’s full body and then his head. ‘Pulling his beard to the right and then the left, I shot several profile pictures.’

He asked his colleague to hold Bin Laden’s ‘good eye’ open. ‘He reached down and peeled back the eyelid, exposing his now lifeless brown eye. I zoomed in and shot a tight photo of it.’Meanwhile other Seals were collecting computers, videos and notebooks and a team was preparing to blow up the crashed Black Hawk.The remaining Black Hawk and a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, that had set up a forward refuelling point 15 minutes from the compound, and was carrying a ‘quick reaction force’ of additional troops, were circling the compound, using up precious fuel. Time was pressing.

Another swab Owen says a comrade, ‘Walt’, took DNA samples by dipping a swab in Bin Laden’s blood and used another to swab his mouth.

He tried jabbing a spring-loaded syringe provided by the CIA to get a marrow sample from Bin Laden’s thigh but the needle did not work and he gave up after

several attempts.

Owen says two sets of DNA samples and two sets of photographs were needed so that if one of the helicopters was shot down on its way back to Jalalabad, one set of evidence would survive.

Meanwhile, Seals were trying to get confirmation from Bin Laden’s wife, who had been wounded in the ankle, that the dead man was the Al Qaeda leader. She gave a series of aliases for him such as ‘the sheikh’.Owen recalls how one Seal then approached the children outside on the balcony. ‘They were all sitting silently against the wall. Will knelt down and asked one of the girls, “Who is the man?”‘The girl didn’t know to lie.’‘“Osama bin Laden.”‘Will smiled.’‘“Are you sure that is Osama bin Laden?”‘“Yes,” the girl said. ‘“OK,” he said. “Thanks.”‘Back in the hallway, he grabbed one of the wives by her arms and gave her a good shake.‘“Stop f****** with me now,” Will said, more sternly than before. “Who is that in the bedroom?”’Owen continues: ‘She started to cry. More scared than anything else, she didn’t have any fight left.’‘“Osama,” she said.‘“Osama what?” Will said, still holding her arm.’‘“Osama bin Laden,” she said.’With dual confirmation, the Seals ‘called it in’ to Admiral McRaven in Jalalabad, who was

keeping President Obama updated.While the soldiers cleared the building of material that would provide useful intelligence, Owen watched two Seals drag Bin Laden’s body by his legs down the stairs.

Searching the tiny bathroom, Owen found a box of Just For Men hair dye, which he assumed was what Bin Laden used on his beard.

Owen records that he was surprised by how tidily Bin Laden kept his clothes. All of his T-shirts were neatly folded into squares and his clothes were hung evenly spaced.He discovered a rifle and a pistol, neither of them loaded.

Owen writes about his surprise that Bin Laden ‘hadn’t even prepared a defence’. He says the terror leader had no intention of fighting, though he asked his followers for decades to wear suicide vests or fly planes into buildings.He says: ‘In all of my deployments, we routinely saw this phenomenon. The higher up the food chain the targeted individual was, the bigger a pussy he was.’ He says leaders are less willing to fight and that it was always the young and impressionable who strapped on the explosives and blew themselves up.He writes: ‘Did he [Bin Laden] believe his own message? Was he willing to fight the war he asked for? I don’t think so. Otherwise, he would have at least gotten his gun and stood up for what he believed.

Culled from The Mail on Sunday, September 2 edition

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 — 55

In Moses I trust — Keshi S

UPER Eagles boss, Stephen Keshi, has said he respects the Liberian national team; Lone Star, for their robust play and the massive support they usually get when they play at home, but he has one weapon to unleash on the Liberians; Victor Moses.

And Keshi made it known to Moses that he has been monitoring every of his comments especially the one regarding Nigeria’s rise to win next year’s Cup of Nations in South Africa and a must qualification for the Brazil 2014 World Cup. “I read what you said about us winning next year’s Nations Cup and for you to also lead our attack to do well at the World Cup in Brazil.

You must start proving

that in Monrovia, when we tackle Liberia by showing them that you are Africa’s best,” Keshi said at Monday ’s evening training.

The very humble Moses, smiled away at his boss’ comment and assured that he would prove just why one of the world’s richest clubsides, Chelsea invested so much money on him. “I know coach and I will show my stuff not only against Liberia but any time I’m invited to play for my dear country”.

S part of efforts to make Nigerian Universities produce future world and Olympic champions for Nigeria

Minister dissolves board of NASCOM

T

HE Honourable Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi yesterday in Abuja announced the dissolution of the Board of the Nigeria Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM).

Abdullahi said the measure was geared towards repositioning the

body for greater efficiency in the discovery and nurturing of grassroots talents especially through school sports.

He thanked members of the previous board, especially the Chairman, Chief Segun Odegbami, for their various contributions and efforts towards achieving the mandate of NASCOM. A new board will be announced soon.

Kalu joins 14 home-based Eagles, 10 Pros in camp Continues from B/P the game against Liberia, it was a totally different ‘Aba boy’, that came to camp.

Looking trimmer and spotting a white t-shirt with blue jeans and shoes to match, Kalu strolled into the dining hall of the team, while the game between Nigeria’s Falconets and the United States, was ongoing and was welcomed by players and officials, including Assistant Coach Hyadounou Valere.

Team Psychologist, Dr Robinson Okosun, was the first to throw a jibe at the player, when he told Kalu, that after only two weeks, his movement and dressing has changed, all reeled with laughter, but Kalu quickly corrected the notion and said he was still his old self.

BY BEN EFE, London

N

TRUSTED •••Moses

NUGA set to unveil plans for collegiate the Universities have The competimarathon like done in the USA,the Ni- tion,according to NUGA

A

He may be right, perhaps too early to judge as he did not speak in English phonetics as some of our players who have gotten contracts will want to do after less than two weeks abroad.

His thick motherland Ibo intonation was still there and he did not fail to ask for swallows during lunch time but the medics made sure he never had his way with few days to a crucial encounter.

Expectedly, 14 homebased stars and 10 foreign based players trained Tuesday at the training pitch of the National stadium in Abuja, led by Skipper of the side, Joseph Yobo. The rains continue to pour down in the nation’s capital but Head Coach, Stephen Keshi says that will not hinder the team’s training.

Olympic Stadium frightens Nigerian sprinter

geria.

Universities Games Association,NUGA,is planining to hold a half-marathon competition among all the Universities in Nigeria next year.

general secretary,Bola Orodele will be tailored after the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA ) marathon competition in the USA.

Germany halt Japan’s title push Continues from B/P ons were three goals to the good inside the opening 20 minutes, while Japan - playing in their first-ever semi-final - had no answer to the early onslaught.

Germany made a dream start scoring in the opening minute as Dzsenifer Marozsan threaded a perfect pass behind the defence for the onrushing Melanie Leupolz to coolly slot home.

At 60 seconds, Leupolz’s goal was the fastest at Japan 2012 and the secondquickest over six editions of the tournament.

The margin was doubled by the 13-minute mark as central defender Shiori Kinoshita misjudged a high ball, allowing Marozsan to slip behind the backline and casually lob exposed Japan goalkeeper Sakiko Ikeda. Incredibly, Germany soon extended their lead as Lena Lotzen found space on a corner to power an unstoppable header into the net for her sixth goal of the tournament.

The home side to their credit soon found their feet and the game settled into a more familiar rhythm, with Japan slowly starting to dominate possession.

The hosts started the second half with gusto, seeking

to make a quick impression and Asuka Nishikawa came close, only to see her effort blocked.

Leupolz grazed the crossbar at the other end with a sharp drive, while Japan continually tried to increase the pressure, causing the German defence moments of panic on several occasions. Most notably, Hanae Shibata went on a stunning mazy run past several would-be tacklers only to scuff her shot wide.

Substitute Ayaka Michigami saw her shot close range shot blocked by a defender as Japan racked up a lengthy list of agonising near-misses. The hosts will now meet Nigeria in the play-off for third on Saturday before USA and Germany do battle for the title.

“We worked together the whole game,” said Germany coach Maren Meinert. “We knew that Japan has a great team and we tried as much we could.

The atmosphere was amazing and the fans supported the team for the whole 90 minutes.”

Japan coach Hiroshi Yoshida said: “At the beginning of the game we made some mistakes and Germany scored. That was really tough and my players lost their confidence. Germany played well but we also had some

IGERIAN sprinter, Segun Rotawo buckled to pressure of competing at the London Olympics Stadium.

Rotawo who was making his maiden voyage in the Paralympics had ran the fastest time in the T11 200m men prior to the Games, but on Tuesday night he failed to finish in the top three. His coach Joseph Unuareokpa said that his boy was simply swallowed by the intimidating atmosphere at the Olympics Stadium.

“I don’t know what happened to Segun. He was one of our best hopes and I expected him to get the gold because of the hard work he put in training.

“But I am sure that it is the intimidating crowd that cowed him. This is his first time of running before a huge audience,” said the coach.

However, he added that there were other prospects like in the discus throw. Nigerian is yet to win a track and field medal as the Games entered the home stretch yesterday.

Obiji lifts gold No 5 for Nigeria Continues from B/P in her second attempt and for her, it was mission accomplished.

“After establishing that lead, I knew that the gold was mine. I told God that I wanted gold and he gave it to me. I wasn’t under any pressure because I knew who was behind me.

“Now that the work has been done I will return home and prepare for the 2016 Paralympics,” said the Imo State-born athlete who is making

her Paralympics debut.

Randa Mahmood of Egypt took the silver at 140kg, while China’s Xu Yanmei won bronze with 129kg.

The power-lifting events continue today with the men taking their turn in the hunt for medals. Nigerian officials are hopeful that Nigeria will maintain its number one position on the power-lifting medals table. The country has won five gold, five silver and one bronze.

America checkmate Nigeria's ambition Continues from B/P up a decider against holders Germany.

Nigeria made the brighter start as Francisca Ordega latched onto a through ball on seven minutes and beat USA goalkeeper Bryane Heaberlin in a race to the ball, only for her prodded effort to go wide of the post.

Brian scored the all-important opening goal halfway through the first half, perfectly directing a header over goalkeeper Ibubeleye Whyte, following Mollie Pathman’s cross from the left.

USA were in the ascendency after the goal, and created several chances in the closing stages of the half. Cari Roccaro pushed a first-time effort over the crossbar directly from a corner, while Kelly Cobb headed onto the roof of the net.

The half-time came at an opportune time for Nigeria, despite the Africans dominating possession overall during the opening period. Nigeria

thought they had drawn level soon into the second half but Desire Oparanozie’s effort was ruled out for offside.

Almost immediately a skilful run from Ngozi Okobi set up Oparanozie for a gilt-edged opportunity to draw level, only for the No9 to blaze over.

However, midway through the second half came a hammer blow for the Nigerians as substitute Samantha Mewis pushed a short defencesplitting pass through for Ohai to get the better of her marker and score.

The Stars and Stripes will now have the opportunity to win their third title in Saturday’s final, following previous U-20 women’s triumphs in 2002 and 2008.

“I‘m totally exhausted but really happy,” said USA coach Steve Swanson. “It was a tough match, very physical. Nigeria demanded everything from us. The first goal was important.

“The game against Ghana probably helped us.''

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

London 2012 Paralympics:

Obiji lif ts gold No 5 ffor or Nigeria lifts

BY BEN EFE, London Nigeria’s 82.50kg power-lifter, Loveline Obiji proved that wining

FIFA U-20 Women World Cup

gold could be so lovely, after she outclassed her opponents to increase Nigeria’s medal tally here at the London 2012 Paralympics.

Team Nigeria’s gold spinning machine was

America checkmate Nigeria's ambition

temporarily off the mark after a bright start. But Obiji put behind all the pressure associated with the controversial loss by compatriot, Folashade Olufemiayo on Tuesday and made a spectacle at the London Excel Centre. She heaved 145kg

Continues on page 55

U

SA have won their way into a third FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final with a 2-0 victory over 2010 finalists Nigeria in Tokyo.

Goals midway through either half from Morgan Brian and Kealia Ohai proved enough for the two-time champions to see off the hitherto unbeaten Africans and set

Details — Page 30

Continues on page 55

Kalu joins 14 home-based Eagles, 10 Pros in camp

Germany halt Japan’s title push STORIES BY KATE OBODO, Japan

O

T

HE two giants of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will meet in Saturday’s decider after Germany stormed into the final against USA with a stunning 3-0 win against in-form hosts Japan .

The reigning champi

Continues on page 55 TODAY'S

DOWN AND....Ngozi Okobi (R) of Nigeria and Morgan Brian (#6) of USA battle for the ball during the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Japan 2012, Semi Final match between Nigeria and USA at National Stadium on yesterdayday in Tokyo, Japan. USA beat Nigeria 2-0.

•Moses

In Moses I trust — Keshi •P.55

PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Revenue (6) 5 Self-satisfied (4) 8 Worth (5) 9 Distant (3) 10 Rested (4) 11 Bucket (4) 12 Skilled (5) 13 Faucet (6) 16 Sharpen (4) 18 Box (4) 20 Friend (3) 22 Previously (3) 23 Stray (3) 24 Valley (4) 30 Ridge (5) 32 Leg-joint (4) 33 Direction (4) 34 Insert (3) 35 Shell (5) 36 Compassion (4) 37 Serene (6)

NLY two weeks ago, Uchenna Kalu, was on the payroll of Aba Elephants; Enyimba Fc, but as at today, Kalu is a player with Turkish second division side, Caykur Rizespor, and when he turned up at the Super Eagles camp on Tuesday morning for

Continues on page 55

DOWN 1 Overrun (6) 2 Fundamental (8) 3 Mature (6) 4 Obligatory (9) 5 Assume (7) 6 Flesh (7) 7 Chasm (4) 8 Through (3) 14 Unprofitable (9) 15 Ban (3) 17 Self (3) 19 Copious (8) 20 Cushion (3) 21 Lust (7) 26 Intellectual (6) 27 Wavered (6) 29 Hop (4) 30 Denomination (4) 31 Obese (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 3, Attic 9, Relish 10, Turgid 11, Price 12, Swap 15, Dome 17, Kinsman 20, War 21, Topic 23, Hill 25, Thud 26, Model 38, Dug 30, Lunatic 33, Elam 35, Tone 36, Earth 38, Unfurl 39, Recess 40, Alien.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Brisk 2, Clean 3, Asp 4, Throat 5, Itch 6, Cue 7, Aglow 8, Adder 13, Wishful 14, Psalm 16, Maudlin 18, Novel 19, Wit 22, Cheat 24, Lop 27, Lustre 28, Demur 29, Gaffe 31, Towed 32, Cease 34, Ball 36, Era 37, Hen.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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