Female judge denied Appeal Court seat

...towards a better life for the people

**

VOL. 25: NO. 61747

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

AMERICA VOTES Obama Vs Romney: It's too close to call

3,000 people killed in — COAS terror attacks ....Ekwueme, Owie back dialogue

•P.48

•P.5

with Boko Haram

STATE OF ORIGIN:

Female judge denied Appeal Court seat

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI & EMILY OFIDE

•Denied promotion on account of marriage •CJN swears-in 11 new justices, tasks them on skills •Says 'ignorance of the judge is the calamity of the innocent'

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BUJA —THE Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Maryam Aloma Mukhtar, yesterday, declined to administer oath of office on one of the newly appointed justices of the Appeal Court.

The decision of the CJN was sequel to a petition challenging the state of origin declared by the judge, who was nominated under a slot reserved for Abia State.

Consequently, only 11

Continues on page 5

There was a country, there was starvation •P.17 (2)

Mr & Mrs

NEW APPEAL COURT JUDGES—Cross section of the newly appointed Justices of the Court of Appeal, during their swearing-in ceremony by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, at the Supreme Court in Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

End media war, Jonathan tells Amaechi, Dickson

—P.7

2 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 3

4—Vanguard , TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

PHOTOSCOPE

From right— Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; Mr. Nicolas Vaervelde, MD/CEO, and Mr. Yusuf Ageni, Corporate Affairs Adviser, both of Nigeria Brewery Plc, during the company's courtesy visit to the governor in Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

From left— Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, Osun State Deputy Governor; Mr. Muyiwa Ige, Commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development; Mr. Biyi Odunlade, Special Adviser on Youth, Sports and Special Needs, at the presentation of a wheel chair to Miss Foyeke Adetoye on behalf of Rotaract Club of Osogbo, recently.

From left— Mr. Segun Aina, President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Intitute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN; Mr. Akinbayo Adenubi, former President, Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) and the guest speaker at the occasion; Otunba (Mrs) Debola Osibogun, 1st Vice President, CIBN; and HRH Eze (Prof) G. O. Nwankwo at the 9th honorary senior members investiture organised by CIBN at Ijewere Hall Bankers' House, Lagos. PHOTO: Diran Oshe.

From left— Mr. Chris Ndulue, Managing Director, Arik Air; Mr. Andrew Jurd, TAG Aviation (UK) Ltd; Mr. Graham Williamson, President TAG Aviation Europe; and Sir Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide, Chairman, Arik Air, when officials of TAG paid a visit to Arik Air in Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

From left— Mrs. Chioma Afe, Marketing Manager, Food and Drinks; Mr. Dele Anifowoshe, Maketing Director; Mr. Emil Moskefian, MD; Mr. Paul Udochi, Sales Director and Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Manager, all of Cadbury Plc, at a briefing on the Cadbury Bournvita Yummy Life promo in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

Mr. Peter Eshikeua, MD, Friesland C a m p i n a Wamco Nigeria (left), presenting winners' cup to captain of MD's Office Football Club, winner of 2012 WAMCO MD Football Cup competion in Lagos.

PHOTO: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

From left— Mr. Ojo Akindele, representing Chairman of the occassion; Chief Owolabi Salis; his wife, Olabisi, and Mr. Olayinka Ogunlana, National Headquarters Commissioner, Nigeria Boys Scout, during the investiture of Chief Salis as Patron, Lagos Mainland Local Association of Boys Scout and his wife as Mother Den, in Lagos, last Friday. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012—5

POCKET CARTOON

Female judge denied Appeal Court seat Continues from Page 1 Justices were sworn-in yesterday, including Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim who has been the Chief Justice of Gambia since 2009.

Meanwhile, Vanguard investigations revealed that the CJN decided to step-down the swearingin of Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo, following agitation from some quarters that going by the prevailing judicial policy in the country; she is not qualified to represent Abia State.

The petitioners contended that though Justice Jombo-Ofo is currently serving under the Abia State judiciary, she lacks the requisite locus to take a slot meant for the state since she was originally from Anambra State, notwithstanding the fact that she is married to a man from Abia State.

The embattled judge, who was asked to vacate the row reserved for the new justices, shortly before the swearing-in ceremony commenced at the Supreme Court auditorium yesterday, was said

to have transferred her service from Anambra to Abia State after her marriage.

She was called to Bar in 1979 and appointed a High Court Judge on November 4, 1998, and has since remained in the Abia State judiciary.

Further investigation

by Vanguard revealed that when the attention of the Abia State Governor, Mr Theodore Orji, was drawn to the petition, he wrote a letter to the CJN last Saturday, confirming the state of origin of Justice Jumbo-Ofo, noting that she has been in the Abia State judiciary for the past 14 years.

According to a source at the apex court, Governor Orji in his letter to the CJN stressed that it was in recognition of her meritorious service to the state, that his government, nominated her for elevation to the appellate court, even as he urged the CJN to disregard the petition.

It would be recalled that a retired justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Olufunlola Oyelola Adekeye, had in a

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

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F you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all –David Livingstone. Chart your course and go the right way, there is a way.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Life is a wonderful adventure; it always brings the winds of the Divine at our backs and a Golden Path is paved for us. Know that your journey in life is a sacred one and you are worthy— Prof.

Rodney B. Jones

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T the wake of hurricane Sandy, while the wind was howling and everyone in the tri-state areas was waiting for the storm to abate, I sat quietly contemplating in my New York apartment, the quiet from within was a source of inner strength that surpasses the howling perilous wind banging on the window panes and buildings. In the silence, I read a beautiful message from Prof. Rodney Jones of Julliard School in Manhattan New York. He literally gave a broader and uplifting perspective of things, which I find very intriguing. He says, sometimes, the wind of life ushers a new consciousness, a wind of change that sweeps in a new beginning in the events of our lives.

In the wake of the devastation and loss of huge magnitudes from hurricane Sandy and similar occurrences all over, persons affected may ask, why me? Where is the silver lining?

Indeed, there are lessons and blessings to glean from life, but always, we are given the chance to rebuild, moments to bond and cherish life and relationships and to tune in to our higher selves. As these changes sweep through our personal lives the effects ultimately bounces back on a universal scale, for we all are learning to be more compassionate beings.

speech she delivered at a valedictory court session that was held in her honour last week Wednesday, implored the National Judicial Council, NJC, and the Federal Judicial Service Commission, FJSC, “to review the policy that married women cannot reach the peak of their career in their husbands’ states of origin.”

She said: “Complaints of this nature are now rampant. Most women transfer their services to the states of origin of their husbands immediately after their marriage. This is logical and in compliance with the tenets of marriage that the two spouses shall become one. In some native customs, particularly among the Yorubas, the wife no longer has a place in her ancestral home after marriage. Whenever there is vacancy at the top in the husband’s state of origin, she will be denied the post and there and then referred to her own state of origin, after climbing the ladder and putting so many years into the service.

Unconstitutional “On a more serious note, I think it is unconstitutional as well as discriminatory to deprive her of her promotion in her acquired state as a citizen of Nigeria, by virtue of section 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Meantime, those sworn-in yesterday were Justices Ibrahim S. Bdliya, Abiriya James Shehu, Obietonbara O. Daniel-Kalio, Onyekachi Otisi, Stephen Jonah Adah, Tinuade A k o m o l a j e -W i l s o n , Fatima O. Akinbami, Habeeb Adewale Abiru, Peter Olabisi Ige and Tijani Abubakar.

Among dignitaries who attended the event, yesterday, included Governors Orji of Abia State, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, Idris Wada of Kogi and his predecessor, Ibrahim Idris.

While congratulating the new Appeal Court Justices, the CJN, warned that the task before them would be demanding and onerous, saying it would require best application of skill, knowledge and experi-

ence.

CJN tasks judges on skills, knowledge “You must regularly update your knowledge of the law both through continuing legal education and personal endeavours in order to keep track of the fast changing tides of our society. In the words of Justinian, the great Roman jurist: “Ignorantia judicis est calamitas innocentis,” meaning “the ignorance of the

judge is the calamity of the innocent.”

“I implore you to disregard every negative consideration of sorts and always be faithful to

your oath of office, observe the code of conduct for judicial officers, and all other relevant national and international instruments,” she added.

3,000 people killed in terror attacks — Army Chief ....Ekwueme, Owie back dialogue with Boko Haram

BY BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI & DAPO AKINREFON

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LORIN—CHIEF of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika said, yesterday, that 3000 people have so far been killed by Islamic sect, Boko Haram, even as Second Republic Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme welcomed the group’s option of dialogue, saying it would help put an end to the bloodshed.

The army boss, who spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State Capital while declaring open the third inter-division and headquarters map reading competition organized by the Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC) at Sobi Barrack, said activities of the sect had taken economic and psychological tolls on the people and business in the northern part of the country.

General Ihejirika, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Mohammed Abubakar, also said that the current security challenges in the country required collective and extra efforts to tackle.

According to him, “the changing nature of threats to Nigeria’s national security environment has manifested in militancy, kidnapping, violent extremism and

terrorism. It is a known fact that terrorism worldwide is characterized by extremism, violence, hatred, lack of respect for human dignity and constituted authority.

He added that,“the spate of bombings in parts of the North has necessitated the Nigerian Army to review its doctrine with a view to updating our training and operational procedures in order to fulfill our constitutional mandate. Success in this pursuit, therefore calls for renewed and concerted efforts and initiative.”

Ihejirika urged everyone to remain resilient to “be able to overcome the terrorist attacks on our psyche and beloved country. It is in this line, that I commend the determination of NAEC to write and publish a book on ‘terrorism.’ This will no doubt positively contribute to our determination to fight the present security challenges. The book will also serve as a reference material for researchers on Nigeria Army viewpoint and strategy against domestic terrorism.”

Earlier, the Corps Commander, NAEC, MajorGeneral Lucky Banjiram said the current security challenges in the country had continued to undermine national security.

Ekwueme, Owie back dialogue

Meanwhile, Dr Ekwueme at the Second Annual Lecture for Values in Leadership, with the theme: “Re-inventing true federalism”, held at the National Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Lagos hoped that Boko Haram’s willingness to dialogue would lead to peace in the country.

According to him, “it is a security question, which I am not qualified to advise on, but those who are trained in that business should give you the answer. What I mean is that, it will be very useful to the country if the bloodshed and blood-letting by Boko Haram can stop so that we can move on in peace.”

On the ongoing process by the National Assembly to review the 1999 Constitution, he said,“I do not expect them to manufacture it, they will work for it because the constitution as it is now has over-centralised powers."

Commending those who organised activities to celebrate his 80th birthday celebration, he said “I am very flattered.”

On his part, Senator Roland Owie, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Edo State appealed to the Federal Government to commence negotiations with the group and advised President Jonathan not to refuse the dialogue.

In a statement, he said, “I urge Mr. President to negotiate with the Boko Haram."

6 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Constitution Review: US asks NASS to involve all sectors

BY HENRY UMORU

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From right: Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Chairman, House Committee on Aids, Loan and Debt Management, Adeyinka Ajayi and Chris Emeka Azubogu during interactive meeting with the committee at the National Assembly, Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Import waivers: Senate to strip Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala of powers zN58bn lost in 2012 due to waivers —Senate zAs Customs faults existing laws

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA — CRISIS appears to be brewing between the Presidency and Nigeria Customs Service as the Senate has begun the process of stripping President Goodluck Jonathan of powers to grant duty exemption to certain categories of organisations.

Also to be affected, if the new laws scale through, is the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who will no longer have the authority to appoint members to the board of Nigeria Customs.

There was a sharp disagreement among the Presidency, Customs Service and Senate over the amendment, even as the executive stressed that the amendment process must be jettisoned against the backdrop that the Customs Service could not be saddled with the powers currently being exercised by the President.

The Senate also revealed that the Customs this year lost a total of N58.7 billion to waivers granted by the executive arm of government.

This came as the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Dikko, faulted the existing laws the body operates with, and stressed

that activities currently being carried out by the agency were not provided for or codified in any law.

Represented by Deputy Comptroller of Customs in charge of Corporate Support Services, John Atteh, Dikko said: "A cursory look at the current law reveals a number of deficiencies arising from the fact that many actions currently being undertaken by the NCS are not provided for or codified in any law and, therefore, do not have a proper legal basis.

"Many such actions are typically based on pronouncements from government, raising the questions of where the powers to enact such policies came from, except as provided by the powers of the executive President of Nigeria to enact policies.

“This then makes the pronouncements mere policies and subject to judicial manoeuvres especially if such policies contradict existing legislations. Furthermore, changes conducted in this fashion cloud the spirit of transparency and consultation.‘’ The event came up at yesterday’s Public Hearing on the Customs Service Bills, 2012 and Companies Income Tax Act, 2004(Amendment) Bill, 2012 organised by the Senate Committee for

Finance, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, PDP, Kaduna North.

Not Customs, but Nigeria lost N58bn Speaking at the public hearing, Finance Minister, who corroborated the Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Matters, Senator Isa Galaudu, that the Customs lost a total of N58.7 billion from waivers granted by the executive arm of government, however, clarified that it was not the Customs, but Nigeria as a country, that lost the money.

She said: "We all agreed on one thing that abuse of waiver for whatever purpose is not something good for the country. I think the issue is that the revenue being lost is not by Customs, but by the nation.

“Customs administration is globally recognised as a key for driving economic growth by facilitating trade between countries and also by driving revenue collection. The primary role of the Customs in Nigeria has been to help drive revenue collection within the country and it has also added more and more trade facilitation role.

Declaring open the public hearing, Senate President David Mark who was

represented by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba noted: "As a frontline organisation that contributes to national security and economic growth of the nation, it could not but substantially benefit from the transformations experienced in the life of this nation in the areas of law reforms and other facets.

Chairman of the Finance Committee, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, who replied Dr Okonjo- Iweala, noted that since the Nigeria Customs Service came into operations, it had relied on rules, regulations, agreements, conventions, treaties and decrees to function and compete with other sister organisations world wide.

Also contributing, Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, Engr. Elias Mbam made a strong case that he or a representative of the Commission be included in the proposed Board of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Lamido Sanusi Lamido, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Legal Services, Adedeji Lawal, however, called for the inclusion of the apex bank on the Governing Board of the Nigeria Custom Service.

BUJA— AS Nigeria begins the process of amending the 1999 constitution, government of the United States of America has urged the National Assembly to involve all sectors of the society if a truly accepted constitution must be produced.

Speaking, yesterday, when he visited the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emodi, the Counsellor for Political Affairs, Embassy of the United States of America, Gregory Lawless, stressed that when every one was carried along in this process, it would then make the Constitution amendment procedure a very credible one.

Meanwhile, Senator Emodi has told the visiting Counsellor for Political Affairs that Nigeria, as a country, had a lot to learn from the elections of the United States of America, just as she stressed that the country was still learning.

She told the envoy the efforts the National Assembly was making to further amend the Nigerian Constitution and described

the amendment of the constitution as very important to the country, even as she pleaded that all hands were on the deck to ensure a successful amendment.

Speaking further, Lawless said: “Any country at the process of amending its constitution, it is a very serious process which requires involvement of all sectors of society and political process.

“As visitors to your country we are interested and observing this sectorial domestic political process.

We hope that all Nigerians will come together in this process.”

When asked on his observation in the amendment process so far and if anything was wrong, the envoy who noted that the process was still too young to judge, said: “I think so far it is still too early to say, the entire process is still at a very early stage; this process of amending the constitution is still very early.

“But having said that, you have a very vibrant press, where many opinions are expressed in the newspapers and radio about the way to amend the constitution."

Flood: NEMA puts casualty figure at 363 deaths, 2.1m IDPs

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BUJA — THE National E m e r g e n c y Management Agency, NEMA, said yesterday that the flood that ravaged parts of the country killed no fewer than 363 persons and created 2.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

This came as Secretary of Kogi State Emergency Management Agency, Mrs. Alice Ogedengbe, raised an alarm, alleging influx of fake flood victims into the relief camps set up for victims.

NEMA said in a statement by Head, Public Relations, Yushau Shuaib, that the casualty figure of 363 deaths was only a provisional one.

The statement said a report from the Emergency Situation Room of the agency indicated that a total of 7,705,398 persons were affected by the flood between July 1, 2012, and

October 31, 2012.

It read: “Of the affected population, 2,157,419 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were registered across the affected states.

“The figure also indicates that 363 persons died while 18,282 people were treated for injuries they sustained during the flooding.

“While Adamawa and Kogi States recorded higher figures of casualties, 256 local government councils throughout the federation were adversely affected.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Kogi Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mrs Alice Ogedengbe, has cried out, alleging influx of fake flood victims into the relief camps.

Ogedengbe raised the alarm in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja, yesterday.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012—7

Air Force retires seven Air Vice Marshals zAppoints new AOCs zCarries out mass redeployments

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

A

BUJA — THE Nigerian Air Force has retired seven Air Vice Marshals (Two-star Generals) and some Air Commodores (One-star Generals) from its service after the mandatory 35 years in service, while others were retired on grounds of age.

The retirement of the senior officers came just as the Air Force effected new postings to Tri-Service Commands, its operational commands and units across the country.

Vanguard gathered that among the officers proceeding on retirement after observing their "terminal leave" are the former Chief of Defence

Communication, AVM Osmond Amu; former Chief of Policy and Plans, Defence Headquarters, AVM Dick Iruonagbere, and former Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, AVM Ahmed Muazu.

Others are the former Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command, AVM Odesola; former Air Officer Commanding Mobility Command, AVM Aprekuma; former Commandant of Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi, AVM Clement Aroriode while it was gathered that the former Chief of Policy and Plans at HQ NAF, AVM Adekunle is to proceed on terminal leave prior to retirement.

Ribadu report: ‘C'ttee did not verify some data’

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

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BUJA — THE controversy over the integrity of the Nuhu Ribadu Committee on Petroleum has continued with fresh facts emerging from the Ministry of Petroleum that some data were presented in the report without i n d e p e n d e n t verification.

In a letter purportedly written by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Olasupo Sasore, Secretary of the committee, to the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani AllisonMadueke, the former anti-graft chief cited inadequate time for the assignment as being responsible for the committee’s inability to independently verify some of the data presented to it by stakeholders.

“This is our final report of the assignment.

Accordingly, this report supersedes earlier copies used for presentations and discussions.

“The data used in this report was presented by various stakeholders who made submissions to the Task Force in the course of our assignment at various dates, which have been disclosed in relevant sections of the report. Due to time frame of the assignment, some

of the data used could not be independently verified and the Task Force recommends that the government should conduct such necessary verifications and reconciliations,” sources quoted the said letter from Ribadu.

Ribadu and his vice chairman in the committee, Mr. Steve Oronsaye, had openly disagreed on the report last week when it was presented to President Goodluck Jonathan, an episode which was said to have thoroughly embarrassed, the nation’s number one man.

From left: Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, Director General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA; Chief Arthur Mbanefo, Chairman of occasion and Dr Paul Handy, leader of delegation, Institute of Security Studies, ISS during the NIIA and ISS international conference on current situation in the Sahel and West Africa at the NIIA, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

End media war, Jonathan tells Amaechi, Dickson

BY BEN AGANDE & JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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BUJA — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has directed the governors of Rivers and Bayelsa states as well as elders and leaders of the host communities involved in the dispute over oil wells to cease media hostilities.

This came on a day Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State again assured the people of Kalabari that he would stand by them to challenge any move to cede five Kalabari communities to Bayelsa State.

According to the President, escalation of the issue in the media war will not help in the peaceful resolution of the dispute.

The President’s position

was conveyed in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati.

According to the President, the media campaign is not only unbecoming, it is also unnecessary and unhelpful to the reconciliation process.

The statement read: “The Presidency has noted with concern the rather unbecoming, unnecessary and unhelpful media war between the Bayelsa and Rivers State Governments over the rightful ownership of some oil wells. ”The Presidency believes that this media war which appears to be escalating with each passing day can only hinder and negate efforts already initiated by President Goodluck Ebele

FG to float one billion dollar Euro bond

BY OKEY NDIRIBE & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

A

BUJA — THE Federal Government has requested the endorsement of the National Assembly for the floating of a one billion dollar bond to execute infrastructural projects across the country for the period 2013-2015.

The government also wants approval for another $100 million diaspora bond.

This was disclosed, yesterday, by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, while defending the 2013-2015

Medium Term Expenditure Framework before the House of Representatives’ Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management.

Okonjo-Iweala, who put the country’s total external debt at $6.2 billion as at the end of September, declared that all loans were meant to promote serious infrastructural development.

Okonjo-Iweala, announcing the amendments to the external borrowing plan as contained in the Medium Term Expenditure Plan, said: “We are proposing

three amendments to this external borrowing plan: We have an amendment to add water supply project for Rivers State to the tune of $200 million. This will be supported through the ADB to be a concessional loan with 40 years duration and 10 years of grace attracting only 0.7 per cent charge.

“We also propose to swap some of the existing loans in this plan to take them out and substitute in their place, a facility to kick start Housing mortgage finance in Nigeria. And we are thinking that this will be to the tune of about $300m .”

Jonathan to achieve an amicable resolution of the dispute in the best interest of the affected communities, the two states and the nation. ”President Jonathan, therefore, requests the governors of both states to facilitate and help to create the right atmosphere for the successful conclusion of the peace process by ordering an immediate stoppage of all acrimonious public comments against each other over the dispute. ”Having already had very useful discussions with the Rivers State Governor and Kalabari elders over the weekend, President Jonathan intends to take the process forward at another scheduled meeting at 11 am at the Presidential Villa on Friday, November 9, 2012 with the governors of the two states, leaders of the affected communities and all concerned stakeholders. ”President Jonathan, consequently, urges the two governors and leaders of the affected communities to ensure that no further spiteful or inciting comments are made against each other to pollute the right atmosphere for constructive dialogue and brotherly reconciliation which he is striving to promote for the amicable resolution of the dispute. ”He looks forward to receiving the Rivers and Bayelsa State delegations in Abuja on Friday.”

Amaechi assures

Kalabaris Meanwhile, Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has again assured people of Kalabari that he would stand by them to challenge any move to cede five Kalabari communities to Bayelsa State.

Fielding questions, yesterday, from newsmen at Government House, Port Harcourt, the governor, who said he had decided not to speak on the issue anymore because of a presidential appeal to all parties to stop talking to the media, said the state would stand by its right on the matter.

He said: “Ï must obey the President; he has asked that we stop talking about the matter.”

The governor said he was surprised that Bayelsa State government was still making claims on the pages of newspapers, noting that he chose to keep mute as a mark of respect for the President.

Asked if the boundary problem between the state and Bayelsa was not politically driven, the governor said he had no presidential ambition for 2015.

Pleading with the reporter who raised the question to join the state in asking to be told its sin for losing some of its oil wells and the boundary war, Amaechi said he heard some people were saying he would run with Sule Lamido for the Presidency, stressing that he had no such ambition.

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

THE RAGE OF FLOOD Shell donates relief materials to flood victims in Bayelsa

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

A

DONATION: Deacon Solomon Ala, Jeremi Camp Commandant (5th right), receiving relief materials donated by Olorogun John Ewenede (middle), Chairman, Ughelli South Concerned Group, in Ughelli, Delta State, weekend.

NGLO-DUTCH oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, has donated relief materials and drugs worth N75m to victims of the flood disaster in Bayelsa State.

Also, the company deployed its medical personnel to Bishop Dimeri Grammar School relief camp to complement the effort of the medical team from the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, and the state government.

The latest gesture is coming on the heels of the $1m largesse from SPDC and SNEPCo to the International Red Cross for displaced persons in the 24 states affected by flood across the country.

SPDC Managing Director, Mr. Mutiu Sumonu, said the gesture was part of the company’s support for flood relief efforts in the state.

Items handed over to the Red Cross for onward distribution to the victims include rice, garri, beans, mosquito treated nets, water, palm oil and groundnut oil, mattresses, blankets, medical consumables among others.

....Ex-militants too

Presidential c'ttee to raise N100bn N

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

T

HE Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation has unfolded its plans to raise N100 billion to complement government’s efforts at bringing succour to the victims of the recent floods across the country.

The committee, which is co-chaired by business mogul, Aliko Dangote and legal luminary, Olisa Agbakoba, hopes to bring smile back on the faces of the displaced persons who are currently sheltered in make-shift camps in different parts of the country.

A letter to the invitees was co-signed by Dangote and Agbakoba.

The letter read in part: “In the last few weeks, excessive flooding has ravaged many parts of our country rendering millions of our compatriots homeless, scores of lives lost, property and farmlands destroyed with economic activities in the affected areas seriously dislocated and hampered.

“Although we may have witnessed several natural disasters in the past, none in scale and scope, compares with what we currently experience.

“In response to this untold misery and desperate situation, His Excellency,

Foundation donates to flood victims

L

EARNAFRICA Education Development Foundation, has donated learning materials to children who were displaced by floods in Delta and Kogi states.

In the gesture aimed at supporting children whose schools have been closed down and textbooks destroyed by the ravaging floods, the foundation donated primary school text books and wall charts to the states for distribution to the affected children.

In a message by Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Emeke Iwerebon, the foundation commiserated with families that lost their loved ones, property and means of livelihood to

the floods, and commended the state emergency management agencies of the affected states for their speedy response to the disaster.

Mr. President, had, on October 11, 2012, established the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation with a clear mandate to urgently explore and implement ways of bringing succour to and help rehabilitate all those that have been affected, so that they can resume their normal lives in the shortest possible time.

“We are pleased to formally notify you that, in furtherance of our mandate and under the auspices of Mr. President, a Fund-Raising Dinner will take place at 7.30pm on

Thursday, November 8, 2012 at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Aso Rock Abuja."

IGER Delta exfreedom fighters, under the office of the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta and chairman of the Amnesty Programme, M. Kingsley Kuku, have donated food

items, toiletries, treated mosquito nets worth over N52.3 million to flooddisplaced victims in Delta, Edo, Rivers and Cross River States. The items were loaded in five trucks to the St. Patrick College Camp, Asaba.

Vanguard , TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 —9

Five years after, Rev King appeals death sentence

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

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AGOS — CONVIcted GeneralOverseer of the Christian Praying A s s e m b l y , Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, a.k.a Rev. King, yesterday pleaded with the Court of Appeal, Lagos to quash the death sentence passed on him

by Justice Joseph Oyewole of an Ikeja High Court, five years ago.

Ezeugo was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging on January 11, 2007 , for the alleged murder of a church member, Ann Uzoh. He was arraigned on September 26, 2006 on a six-count charge of attempted murder and murder.

At the hearing of his appeal, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, who handled his brief, while adopting his written address as well as his reply brief, urged the court to set aside the judgment of the trial court.

Lagos State g o v e r n m e n t , represented by SolicitorGeneral, Mr. Lawal

Pedro, SAN, as respondent also adopted its written address.

The state, however, urged the court to uphold Justice Oyewole’s verdict. “We urge your Lordships to dismiss this appeal,” Pedro said.

He said the Evidence Act permits the expulsion of inadmissible evidence, adding that the fact counsel did not address the court did not matter, as the judge was the master of the evidence before him.

Pedro said there was enough corroborating evidence, both written and oral, upon which the conviction was secured.

During the trial, the prosecution had argued that the convict poured petrol on the diseased, Uzor and five others.

Uzoh died August 2, 2006 , 11 days after the incident.

In his brief, Ezeugo, through his counsel, had prayed the appeal court in his notice of appeal dated January 16, 2007 to set aside the judgment, based on16 grounds of appeal, while the Appeal Court granted him leave to

argue additional 16 grounds of appeal through an amended notice of appeal filed on June 15, 2008 .

According to Ojo, he said Ezeugo did not commit the crime and was not at the scene, arguing that the deceased, Uzoh had in two statements made after the incident and before her death, stated that she got burnt in a generator accident and that the cleric was not responsible for her injuries.

Ojo said the Investigating Police Officer, IPO, had tendered statements which stated that Ezeugo was not responsible for the burns which led to Uzoh’s death, but they were not admitted in evidence.

The lawyer said had those “vital exhibits” been admitted rather than expunged by the trial judge, they would have operated to cast serious doubt on the case of the prosecution.”

He added that Justice Oyewole’s refusal to admit the exhibits in evidence “occasioned a great miscarriage of justice.”

Okada rider strips to evade arrest

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS — A 42-year old commercial motorcycle operator popularly called Okada rider, Mr. Sunday Udoh, yesterday, stripped himself when a team of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Agency Taskforce attempted to arrest him for violating the road traffic law.

Udoh who was subsequently arrested at about 10:30 a.m. on Acme Road, Ikeja, immediately stripped to evade impounding of his motorcycle by the taskforce led by the c h a i r m a n , Superintendent, Bayo Sulaimon .

According to Kunle Olatunde, an eyewitness, “the taskforce arrested him and

two other Okada riders.

But immediately he was arrested, Udoh stripped himself to attract public sympathy.

“Despite the fact that he was not manhandled when he was arrested, he removed his clothes and wore them back.”

The incident resulted in a gridlock along the ever busy road.

Speaking to Vanguard after his arrest, Udoh said: “I didn’t know when and the reason I stripped myself. I was unconscious for several minutes. It was an hour after that I was told what happened after I was arrested.”

According to him; “I collected the Okada from a friend on hire purchase at N45, 000.

Also, I have a wife and two children to feed; all these resulted to my temporary madness.”

Speaking, leader of the task-force, Sulaimon

said that Udoh was arrested by the team because he violated the new road traffic law.

He said: “We did not touch him. We gave him several minutes to do whatever he wanted to do. And his behaviour then caused a traffic jam on the road.”

From left: Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, Editor-in-Chief/General Manager, Publications, Vanguard Media Ltd and Hon. F. Fritz Baffour, Ghanaian Minister of Information, during the latter's visit to Vanguard Newspapers, Apapa, Lagos.

Photo: Diran Oshe

My Pikin manufacturer dies at 58

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE AND CHIOMA OBINNA

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AGOS — THE longdrawn legal battle between the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and manufacturers of My Pikin Teething Mixture, Barewa Pharmaceutical Limited, may have suffered a significant setback following the death of the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Kola Gbadegbesin Okunlola.

It was gathered that Okunlola, a pharmacist, died last week at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos,

where he was admitted after suffering a haemorrhagic stroke.

But, in a reaction to Okunlola’s death, NAFDAC’s Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Abubakar Jimoh said the Agency was yet to be officially informed about the incident.

“We have no official comment for now. The Agency has not been officially informed, and since the matter is still before the court, we cannot make a pronouncement. The court will be informed when it resumes sitting,” Jimoh responded in a

telephone conversation.

Efforts to get a confirmation from St. Nicholas Hospital failed.

Before his death, Okunlola, aged 58, was standing trial over the My Pikin incident, alongside his company and two other staff on a six-count charge of manufacturing and distributing adulterated drugs.

A native of Ikirun, Osun State, Southwest Nigeria, the late pharmacist attended Akinorun Grammar School, Ikirun, University of Bradford in the U.K. He qualified as a pharmacist decades ago.

Constitutional review will address state creation – Rep

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS - A member House of Representatives, Otunba Yomi Ogunnusi has said that the proposed constitutional amendment would adequately address the agitation for the creation of more states and state police in the country even as he affirmed his support for the calls, including the creation of

Ijebu State.

The Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Finance, made the remarks while donating three Coaster buses to various groups including; League of Imam and Alfas, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and five tricycles to community development associations at Ifako –Ijaye Ojokoro Federal Constituency, as part of his empowerment

programme.

According to the lawmaker, “It’s part of the constitutional amendment. Even the Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu is in support of state and community policing, state creation "Let’s have more of this states, so that people will start moving to their states to develop them.

There would be less congestion, more local governments to give

more powers to the people. As it is now, over 50 per cent of the nation’s wealth is going to the federal and that is wrong.

On the donation, which worth over N45 million, at least, 100 community leaders, families, party members and 200 entrepreneurs received N75, 000 each which sums up to N15 million cash donation to empower members of his constituency.

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Why Nigerian varsities fail rankings – OAU VC

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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From left: Mr. Ayorinde Oluokun,Registrar; Prof. Bamidele Omole,Vice Chancellor and Prof. Ademola Ajayi, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Admin), during the 50th anniverssary (golden jubilee) of Obafemi Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, which commenced yesterday with a press briefing by the Vice Chancellor. Photo: Dare Fasube.

SOGBO — VICE C h a n c e l l o r, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof.

Bamitale Omole has attributed the nonranking of any of the nation’s universities among the best ten in Africa to incessant strikes and closures of the universities.

Fielding questions from newsmen at a press conference on the 50th

Striking Ekiti LG workers shun govt’s order

BY GBENGAARIYIBI

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DO EKITI – Council workers yesterday shunned the directive of the state government, as none of them showed up at their duty-posts in all the 16 local government areas of the state.

The state government through the state Commissioner for Labour, Mr. Wole Adewumi had in a broadcast relayed through the state owned media, directed all the staff of the local governments who had

Oyo drops 3 commissioners in cabinet change

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN — THERE was a minor shake-up in the Oyo State cabinet yesterday as Governor Abiola Ajimobi sacked three of his commissioners.

The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Akin Olajide gave the names of the sacked commissioner as Alhaji Yunus Akintunde, Works and Transport; Mr. Bosun Oladele, Information and Orientation and Mr. Kazeem Adedeji who

was in charge of the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Cooperatives.

Also, the name of a current Special Adviser to the governor on Education and former governorship candidate of Action Alliance, AA, in the state, Taiwo Otegbeye has been sent to the State House of Assembly for confirmation as a Commissioner.

Six other commissioners swapped positions while eight other retained their portfolios.

Amosun reshuffles ...

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA – OGUN State governor, Ibikunle Amosun yesterday effected a minor cabinet reshuffle.

A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa says the exercise takes immediate effect.

In the re-jig , Chief Olu Odeyemi, formerly of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has been moved to the Ministry of Special Duties, while Dr. Lanre Tejuosho, formerly of the Ministry of Special Duties is in charge of the Ministry of the

Environment.

Also in the changes, described by Adeoluwa as minor, Mr.Ayo Olubori, formerly of the Ministry of Agriculture was moved to the Ministry of Forestry, while Mr. Adebayo Fari, formerly of the Ministry of Environment takes charge of the newly created Ministry of Physical Planning.

Others who were affected by the minor cabinet changes were Mr. Falilu Adebisi Sabitu, formerly of the Ministry of Forestry who has been moved to the Ministry of Rural Development.

been on strike for the past eight weeks to report at their councils for staff auditing yesterday.

But rather than reporting at their duty posts, the workers ensured secretariats were under lock and key with charms dangling on the padlocks, in virtually all the 16 local government areas of the state.

Some of the workers who spoke with the newsmen under the condition of anonymity ,

said some caretaker chairmen and management staff, who had earlier reported to their duty-posts fled the scene upon sighting the fetish objects.

Council workers seven weeks ago embarked on industrial action over the inability of the state government to pay the sum of N19,300 minimum wage and the special allowances meant for the health workers otherwise known as the Consolidated Health Salary Scale.

Comrade Oludare

Famoofo on behalf of the National President of the union, observed that some individuals were misrepresenting their positions on the issue to break their ranks.

He, however, assured that the strike was still on while distancing the union's leadership from the announcements earlier made on state owned media.

Famoofo insisted: “The union wants to dissociate the leadership of NULGE in Ekiti State from the false news broadcast on

Ooni links political success to monarchs' influence

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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SOGBO — OONI of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade has attributed the success of any government in any parts of Africa whether civilian or military to the support given by traditional rulers in their respective countries.

Speaking in Ile-Ife at the maiden edition of “Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade Annual Leadership Lecture” organised by Ife Business School, the Ooni noted that support of traditional rulers was necessary for smooth running of governments.

He added that “any administrator that does not enlist the support of traditional institutions is bound to fail.”

While noting that traditional rulers are the closest to the people, Oba Sijuwade argued that as a result of this all administrators whether military or civilian rely prominently on their

support for governance.

According to him: “The monarchical institution in Nigeria and Africa cannot be extinct because we are the custodians of tradition and culture in our respective domains and as long as human race exists,the obaship institution will continue to exist.”

Oba sijuwade, who expressed his appreciation to the management of Ife business school for organising the lecture in his honour, said he would continue to support any project that is of relevance to the people of Nigeria.

Also speaking on the occasion, Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola re-integrated that traditional rulers should be empowered by allocating more resources to their palaces, saying that they have roles to play in promoting peace and national development.

The governor said that

it was important that the traditional rulers were given back their traditional authority and place of honour, adding that traditional rulers should be provided with resources for the execution of their traditional powers, which has to be backed by the constitution of the land.

anniversary of the institution in Ile-Ife yesterday, he noted that though Obafemi Awolowo University was ranked 10th by Spain Webrometric ranking as one of the best 10th research centres in Africa, this achievement alone cannot qualify them to be among overall best.

According to him, one of the promises he made while vying for the office last year was to ensure that within the five year tenure in office, he would ensure that OAU did not only maintain its lead in Nigeria, but among the best ten in Africa.

His words: “When we talk about ranking, and you put everything together, institutional framework, style of governance, all these parameters put together, yes, we are not among the best 10 in Africa, but by and large, we are moving forward.

“I believe as the Vice Chancellor of OAU, by the time I end my five year tenure, we shall be one of the best Universities in Africa.

“Another reason why universities in Nigeria, especially OAU, will continually find it difficult to be among the best is that for so long as we have incessant strike, when universities are locked up for two months, how can we be among the best ten?

These are some of the parameters used in ranking."

He added: "These problems are not peculiar to OAU alone, but the good thing about us in Ife is that, we are tackling them headlong through dialogue.”

Mimiko releases N7.2m per LG for immunisation

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE — G O V E R N O R Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State yesterday ordered the release of N7.2million monthly to the Primary Health Care, PHC, Departments in the 18 local government areas in order to carry out routine immunization exercise for under-age children in the state.

He gave the directive during the commissioning of the State Cold Chain Store and the

launching of the Ondo State Routine Immunization Reaching Every Ward Always, ORIREWA. Dr. Mimiko said the state government's gestures were to consolidate on the Abiye Safe Motherhood of the government.

Mimiko said the purpose of the project was to prevent a situation where the vaccines brought from the Federal Government would be used to immunize the children in bits.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012—11

Rights group decries alleged arrest of workers, wives by soldiers

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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LBS LECTURE SERIES: From left: Director, Relations, Lagos Business School, LBS, Mr. Henry Onukwuba; Secretary, LBS, Abuja Chapter, Eno Inyang; Chairman, LBS, Abuja Chapter, Mr. Samson Okonronkwo Kanu and Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, during the lecture series of Lagos Business School, Abuja session, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida.

Manifold rupture: Fear grips Delta community over possible inferno

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ARRI—RESI DENTS of Gana Agbarha-Otor community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State are living in fear of a possible inferno, following a recent rupture of abandoned Eriemu pigging manifold belonging to a multinational oil company.

Vanguard gathered that some of panic-stricken villagers were relocating from the community as a result of spillage caused by the incident.

However, a source said the Eriemu manifold had been under lock by both the Shell Petroleum Development Company and Nigeria Gas Company for over 10 years, adding that the pipe probably burst due to long abandonment A youth leader in the community, Comrade Felix Esquire, who spoke

to reporters, said the oil company had abandoned the manifold for about a decade now.

He said the community reliably learnt that the oil spillage occurred due to lack of maintenance, as the slack pressure gauge pushed out the crude oil from the pipe.

He appealed to SPDC, Federal Government and other relevant authori-

ties to come to the aid of the people and develop the community.

Also speaking, another youth leader in the area, Mr. Ikweki Matthew, said: “For some years now, oil spills have been occurring and whenever we call SPDC’s attention, they do not care to come due to the abandonment of the community development. They

Oshiomhole vs Airhiavbere: Reconstituted Tribunal begins hearing

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—THE re constituted Edo State Governorship Petition Tribunal, headed by Justice Muazu Pindinga, commenced sitting in Benin, yesterday, soliciting the cooperation of all the parties in order to dispense with the matter within the stipulated time.

It will be recalled that

the former tribunal, led by Justice Suleiman Ambrussa, was dissolved two weeks ago, following a petition by the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the July 14, governorship election, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), expressing loss of confidence in the ability of the Tribunal members to do justice to the suit he filed against the re-election of Governor Adams Oshiom-

CNS decries absence of joint Nigeria, Cameroun security outfit

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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ALABAR—CHIEF of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba, has raised alarm over non-provision of joint security outfit by Nigeria and Cameroun as provided in the Green Tree Agreement, GTA, which ceded the oil-rich

always say that the Eriemu pigging manifold is located at the bush, not in town.

“But in reality, the manifold is located at the centre of the community and people are living at risk. As you can see, the oil spill that occured recently made many people to relocate for fear of possible fire outbreak.”

Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon.

The implication of this is that there is porous security at the border between the two countries as there is no buffer zone for the nation’s security.

Ezeoba spoke in an interview with newsmen after inspecting some Naval formations at the Eastern Naval Com-

mand, Calabar, Cross River State, yesterday.

He said: “What is important is that the GTA provided for a mutual joint security outfit between Nigeria and Cameroon to ensure that adequate security is provided in this maritime space but that has not been actualized as it pertains to the maritime axis."

hole of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. The former tribunal had thrown out the aspect of the petition which dealt with Oshiomhole's educational qualification, declaring that the issue of qualification was a preelection matter which the petitioner ought not to have brought before it.

Airhiavbere appealed the ruling at the Appeal Court and judgment on the appeal is expected on Wednesday, November 7.

However, when the tribunal resumed yesterday, both Governor Oshiomhole, who was represented in court by the deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu, and Gen. Airhiavbere, expressed confidence in the re-constituted tribunal to hear the petition.

Pindinga, during the day’s session, sought the cooperation of the parties in order to dispense the matter within stipulated time. He adjourned sitting till November 14.

ARRI—WARRIBASED human rights group, Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, has urged the Chief of Army Staff to probe the alleged arrest and detention of some workers of Rain Oil Nigeria Limited, Oghara depot, Delta State, by unknown armed military personnel at Asaba and Benin City.

In a petition, dated October 17, addressed to the Chief of Army Staff, by the National Coordinator, Oghenajabor Ikimi, the group said the workers, Messrs. Paul Ototokun, Jeffery Onaifeke and Oderin, were initially arrested, October 10, with their wives by soldiers who stormed their homes and took them to an unknown destination.

FJHD alleged that a top manager of the company was using soldiers to intimidate the workers for daring to negotiate increment in salaries with management.

It appealed to the COAS “to order their immediate release, and investigate the circumstances warranting the use of military personnel by the general manager of the aforementioned company, so that if found culpable, he can be prosecuted to serve as deterrent for others.”

According to the group, other workers of the company mounted a search for the workers, going as far as Oghara Police Station, Oghara, and Department of State Service, DSS, Oghara, but could not see the workers and their spouses, until the third day, October 13, when their wives showed up.

Group lauds Jonathan on moves to resolve Rivers, Bayelsa dispute

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HE Ijaw, under the aegis of Izon Ikemi, have commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his efforts to resolve the boundary dispute over oil wells between Ijaw in Rivers and Bayelsa States.

In a communique issued at the end of its meeting in Lagos, the group also called on the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, to “come out with a clear identity and engage government in a constructive dialogue, instead of taking the lives of innocent Nigerians on daily basis.”

It further asked for the disbursement of 13 per cent derivation directly to oil bearing communities as a way of empowering them and mitigate the negative impact of

oil exploration on their lives.

They restated their support for President Jonathan and called for more support and patience to enable him implement programmes that will touch the lives of Nigerians. They, however, regretted that “the lives of most Niger Delta people have not improved, in spite of having their son as President.”

12 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Land dispute: Community files contempt suit against Army

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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BRIEFING: From left: Mr. David Okeme,Brand Building Director; Mrs. Nnenna Osi-Anugwa,Category Manager, Fabrics Cleaning and Mr. Chris Adigwe, Communications Channels Manager, during a briefing

by Management of Unilever on the National Consumer OMO Promo, in Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

FG to Tambuwal: Let's work together zAgreed, but Nigerians' interests come first —Tambuwal

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—THE Fed eral Government has urged Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, to improve the relationship between the House and the Executive in the interest of Nigerians.

Welcoming the appeal made by the Federal Government through the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadohme, the speaker pointed out that what some Nigerians might see as a seeming frosty relationship between members of the House of Representatives and the Federal Government was healthy for the nation’s democracy.

He, however, expressed the readiness of the House to work in harmony with the executive but warned that the interest of Nigerians would be paramount in any of its decisions.

Oghiadohme and the Speaker bared their minds at the palace of the Onojie of Uromi, HRH Anslem Eidenogie, when they paid him a courtesy visit, shortly after they attended the funeral ceremony of the father in-law of the member Representing Esan North/South-East of Edo State in the House of

Representatives, Friday Itulah.

However, Chief Oghiadohme, who arrived the palace of the Onojie at about 7:20pm to meet with Tambuwal, called for better cooperation between the executive and National Assembly.

He expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to cooperate with the National Assembly for the general interest of Nigerians.

Hailing Tambuwal's leadership qualities and welcoming him to Edo State, Oghiadohme, who noted that the prevailing frosty relationship between the lawmakers and executive was not healthy for the nation’s democracy, called for improved relationship between the House and

the executive, stressing that the new eneration of leaders had a duty to develop the country.

He said: “We can only achieve success by cooperating and building bridges in areas of conflict for the overall interest of Nigerians.”

Accompanied by Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, lawmakers from Edo State, such as Rasaq Bello-Osagie, Pally Iriase, Samson Osagie and others, Tambuwal declared that it was the resolve of the House of Representatives to ensure that President Jonathan succeeded by fulfilling his electoral promises to Nigerians.

He said there was no crisis between lawmakers and the executive, asserting that the inter-

est of Nigerians superseded that of any individual.

Soliciting the assistance of the traditional institution in strengthening democracy in the country, the Speaker stated: “What ever decision we are taking today, we believe we are taking it in the best interest of our fatherland.

“What ever steps we are taking in the House, we are doing so because we want our people to get the best dividend of democracy from government.

“Nothing more, nothing less. We have been cooperating with the executive and others to achieve this and we will continue to cooperate with them to achieve success."

Okada ban: Warri, Effurun, Asaba calm 5 days after the motorcyclists have

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ARRI — WA R R I , Effurun and Asaba, the capital of Delta State, remained peaceful yesterday, five days after the restriction on motorcycle transportation, popularly known as Okada, by the state government came into effect.

The noticeable problem on the streets of the three cities is that peo-

ple are finding it more difficult to transit from one point to another.

The approved tricycles are insufficient for the volume of passengers, while taxis and buses are having a boom season.

Those who could brace it resorted to trekking to their destinations.

Investigation by Vanguard showed that the roads in Warri are less chaotic with the absence of Okada, but majority of

condemned the restriction order.

The restriction was initially supposed to commence September 30, but the state government deferred it to November 1 to enable interested motorcyclists purchase tricycles approved by the government.

Some of the Okada riders, nevertheless, said they could not afford the tricycles and protested last week at Delta State House of Assembly.

ENIN—THE High Court in Benin will on November 15, hear the contempt case filed by the people of Oghede Community of Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, against the Commanding Officer of 322 Artillery Regiment of the Nigerian Army, Ekenwa Barracks, Benin City.

Also in the suit is the Master Warrant Officer of the Regiment.

It will be recalled that the High Court in Benin had, on October 13, 2011, given an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Nigerian Army or its privies from further invasion of Oghede community, follow-

ing a suit filed against the Army by the Enogie of Oghede, HRH Osadebamwen Aghahowa, over a disputed land.

The Army and the community have been embroiled in a protracted land dispute.

However, in form 48 filed by its counsel, Evbayiro Lawson, the community complained that despite the injunction by the High Court restraining the Army from further invasion of the community, the Army, on October 6, 2012, invaded the community, destroying houses built by indigenes of the community.

The community prayed the court to imprison the Army officers in charge of the Regiment for alleged disobedience of its order.

‘Fish out perpetrators of violence around Otumara Flow Station'

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ARRI—SECURI TY agencies have been urged to do everything possible to fish out the aggressors and invaders of the reported violence around the Otumara Flow Station in Warri South-West Local Government Council Area of Delta State.

Reacting to the reported killing and injuring of some individuals in the area, the Press Relations Officer of the current Chairman of Ugborodo Community Trust Board, Mr. Esimi Nanna, said the reported clash between “the followers of Mr. David Tonwe (present Chairman of Ugborodo Management Board) and followers of the former Ugborodo Management Board Chairman, Mr. Thomas Ereyitomi, is a hoax deliberately fabricated to mislead the unsuspecting public,” and create the impression that the present Board under the leadership of David Tonwe was not working enough.

He said: “The area

around Otumara Flow Station has historically been host to some Itsekiri communities who acknowledge that they are within the traditionally held Ugborodo area in terms of land mass. Such communities have existed time immemorial, such that marine traffic is a normal routine in which no incidence of clash between any group has ever been reported until now.

“Thus, the reported clash between two groups in which casualties are reported remains strange. We, therefore, call for indepth investigation by the relevant security agencies."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 13

Akunyili wins Integrity/Good Governance Award

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AGOS—FORMER Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, has been honoured with the Integrity and Good Governance Award by the Christian Council of Nigeria, CCN. Honoured alongside Prof.

Akunyili were former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd.); His Eminence, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde, Prelate of the Methodist Church, Nigeria; one-time Minister of

Members of Biafra Zionist Movement during a procession shortly before the re-declaration of independence of Biafra Republic by the group in Enugu, yesterday.

CP Shinaba denies alleged Boko Haram plot to bomb Abuja

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

Biafra leader, 500 others charged with A treason, remanded zOver declaration of independence

BY TONY EDIKE

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NUGU—LEADER of Biafra Zionist Movement, BZM, Mr. Benjamin Onwuka, and about 500 members were, yesterday, charged for treason by an Enugu Magistrate Court for al-

legedly committing treasonable felony.

The court, however, remanded them in prison custody since the police did not have enough space to keep custody of the accused persons.

State Police Public Relations Office, PPRO, Mr.

Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the arraignment in a statement but did not give details of the arraignment done in secret.

The suspects had earlier been arrested by heavily armed policemen near Central Police

Station on Coal CampOld Park Road during a peaceful procession that preceded what the group called formal re-declaration of independence of the Republic of Biafra in the early hours of yesterday.

Onwuka had, after his declaration speech, announced himself as the President of Biafran Republic, saying the ministers that would pilot the affairs of his government would be announced in due course.

Hundreds of diehard Biafran supporters attended the rally held at a football field at Mbanugo area of Coal Camp, Enugu.

The supporters wore vests bearing Biafra inscription and carried different flags, including those of the defunct Biafra Republic, United States and Israel as they sang pro-Biafra songs and danced around the arena.

After the ceremony that lasted for about an hour, Onwuka and his members embarked on a peaceful procession from Mbanugo, heading towards Ogbete Main Market area, acknowledging cheers from residents and motorists along the road.

But as they approached the Central Police Station, CPS, the Biafran supporters, who were mostly elderly men in their late 60s, who participated in the Nigerian civil war, were halted by policemen, led by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, Ikechukwu Mba.

Information and Orientation, Prof. Jerry Gana; and Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. The awards were conferred on the recipients during the 2nd National Award Service/Educational Trust Fund held at Methodist Cathedral of Unity, Wuse II, Abuja.

Akunyili, according to CCN President, Most Rev. Emmanuel Udofia, was honoured in recognition of her life of integrity while she held public office.

BUJA—THE Com missioner of Police in charge of FCT, Mr. Aderenre Shinaba, yesterday, dispelled rumours of an attempt by the terrorist Islamic Group, Boko Haram to bomb Abuja, saying that his men only arrested a vehicle without plate numbers that was carrying gas cylinders.

There had been insinuations from online publications stating that an attempt

by Boko Haram sect planned to bomb the FCT and that a Jetta salon car laden with explosives was arrested.

CP Shinaba however told Vanguard that his officer’s station in the Kuje area of the city intercepted a Jetta salon car because it was moving without registration plate numbers and when it was searched, there were two gas cylinders in the boot.

Explaining that the FCT Command was being security conscious and ensuring that motorists abide by the law, he said there was no time information went out that the two occupants of the vehicle were Boko Haram suspects and that they were driving a vehicle laden with explosives and planning to bomb the city.

Senator charges Jonathan on assent to Social Housing Bill

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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B U J A — CEChairman of Senate Committee on Housing, Lands and Urban Development, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to urgently assent to the Social Housing Bill, if current housing problem facing the nation must be addressed.

Ashafa, who made the

call at the Social Housing Bill 2012 Seminar in Abuja, said: “I should mention here that Senator Prof. Benedict Ayade-sponsored Social Housing Bill, with other 89 senators, including my humble self, will obtain the assent of the President soon.”

He said the housing sector was a key to making Nigeria a modest country, noting the high level of job that could be created as a result.

EFCC restates commitment to fight corruption

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—CHAIRMAN of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, vowed yesterday in Awka, Anambra State, that the anti-graft agency would achieve the mandate of fighting corruption in the country without minding who was involved.

In a keynote address delivered at the 2012 na-

tional conference of the Nigerian Anthropological and Sociological Association, NASA, at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Lamorde, whose paper was read by the principal detective officer at EFCC, Mr. Chibuzor Eze, said there was no doubt that fighting corruption would help revive and stimulate the Nigerian economy to its full capacity.

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Obi warns sand excavators near Niger Bridge

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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VISIT: Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emodi (right), and Counsellor for Political Affairs, US Embassy, Gregory Lawless, during a courtesy call by the US envoy to her office at the National Assembly, Abuja, yesterday.

WKA — G OV E R NOR Peter Obi of Anambra State has warned those excavating sand at the base of the Niger Bridge to desist forthwith or be prepared to face the consequences.

The governor, who gave the warning while inspecting the bridge head and its environs yesterday, said the action of excavators constituted serious threat to the bridge.

He expressed shock that people engaged in such activity at such an

We won't allow godfathers to destroy LP —Anambra chair

Ebonyi denies suspension of N18,000 minimum wage from 2013 budget A

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

BY PETER OKUTU

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BAKALIKI— EBONYI State government yesterday denied insinuations in some quarters that it was

planning to suspend implementation of the N18, 000 National Minimum Wage in the yet-to-be presented 2013 budget of the state.

Addressing newsmen,

the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Dr. Onyekachi Eni, described the insinuations as false and a calculated attempt by mischief makers to create anxiety and

industrial disharmony among workers in the state.

He assured workers of the state government’s preparedness to continue the implementation of the National Minimum Wage, in spite of its low financial profile, stressing that no worker in the state was being paid less than N18, 000 monthly in line with the new wage law in the country.

He said: “Accordingly, the insinuation that the state government is contemplating a suspension of the implementation is not only false but also a calculated attempt to create anxiety among the workers and to instigate industrial disharmony in the state.

“I want to assure the entire workforce that the state government has no intention of suspending the implementation of the new minimum wage, in spite of its low financial profile."

important and sensitive facility and made it clear that government would not allow anything that could undermine the bridge.

He recalled that government took necessary measures to check congestion on the bridge to avoid dead weight, as well as removed obstruction and illegal structures around the area.

The governor said he would bring issue of sand excavation and illegal collection of money from the excavators to the notice of the Minister of Works for necessary action.

WKA—ANAMBRA State chairman of Labour Party, LP, Comrade Sam Oraegbunam, has said in Awka, that the party would shun godfathers because they cause disunity among members.

Oraegbunam, who spoke during the commissioning of the state secretariat of the party, stated that LP would no longer tolerate a situation where people from other political parties infiltrated LP to cause con-

fusion.

He insisted that those interested in vying for elective positions on the platform of LP must be credible persons with impeccable records.

The chairman’s statement came on the heels of a near chaos during the commissioning of the secretariat where a group led by the former state secretary of the party, Mr. Basil Iwuoba, attempted to stop the national chairman, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, from performing his function.

LASAA vows to prosecute offenders over defacing of Lagos walls

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AGOS—AS offenders who deface Lagos walls with posters have now devised a new system of wall painting, Lagos State Signage & Advertisement Agency, LASAA, has vowed to prosecute any culprit found culpable.

According to the Managing Director of LASAA, Mr. George Noah, the move became necessary as offenders who indiscriminately deface public walls bridges and pillars in the

state have now adopted a more brazen approach of painting directly on walls, pasting small stickers on public infrastructure in desperation for publicity.

Noah said: “Following the level of our agency’s success in curbing the menace of indiscriminate posters in the state, offenders are now painting directly on the walls and pasting small stickers on public infrastructure all in the bid to gain publicity."

CYNTHIA: Prosecution, defence counsel disagree over adjournment

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE & MICHAEL NWOPOKE AGOS—THE tragic case of Miss Cynthia Osukogu, who was murdered in a hotel at Festac town, Lagos on July 22, 2012, could not hold, yesterday, following the absence of the magistrate who is currently on leave.

However, the defendants' counsel and prosecution team, led by

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Chukwu Agwu, failed to agree on an adjourned date.

Magistrate Olalekan Aka-Bashorun of the Yaba Magistrate Court had ordered the suspects to be remanded in prisons until November 5, when the matter comes again for hearing.

However, yesterday, the court registrar announced that the court would not sit because the magistrate was on leave,

fixing the matter to November 27 but both parties failed to agree on the date.

Reacting to the adjourned date, the defendants' counsel requested for another date but the prosecutor did not agree with the date chosen by them. The court registrar then urged the parties in the matter to agree on a date, which was not resolved at the time of this report.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 15

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Sokoto court orders striking PHCN staff back to work

BY ABDALLAH EL-KUREBE

S

OKOTO—SOKOTO High Court has ordered the striking workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to, as a matter of immediacy, restore electricity supply to public and private premises in the state.

The order was issued following a motion ex parte filed by the Attorney-General of the state, Nuhu Adamu, against PHCN and the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, following their strike action to protest alleged flogging of three of their staff by Governor Aliyu Wamakko.

In the motion, the government sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the PHCN either by itself, its servants, agents and or privies from disrupting the generation, transmission, transformation, distribution and sale of electricity to consumers in Sokoto State forthwith.

NUEE, through its As-

sistant Secretary in the North-West Zone, Moses Amedu, accused the government of allegedly giving out N16 million to unnamed people to chase and harass its members.

Chief Judge, Aisha Dahiru, ruled: “Upon hearing Chief J. E.

Ochidi with Abubakar Moyi for the plaintiff/applicant in respect of this motion ex parte, it is hereby ordered as follows: that PHCN and its workers (defendants/respondents), their servants, agents and privies are hereby restrained from taking any action or steps

NCAA to hire external auditors

BY LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

capable of disrupting or interfering with the generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity to any premises wholly or partially owned by the government and people of Sokoto State pending the hearing of the substantive suit on November 12, 2012.”

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AKURDI—AS dif ferent ethnic groups continue to lay claim to their rights to produce the next governor of Benue State in 2015, Governor Gabriel Suswam has said Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, elders and members of caucus in the state would decide who succeeds him.

Suswam said the elders’ committee of the party in the state would soon be constituted in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution to start the selection process.

He spoke, weekend, as a PDP chieftain in the state, Chief Baba Odangla, said at Otukpo that it was the turn of Idoma to produce the next governor of the state.

Speaking at the flag-off of the party’s campaign for the forthcoming local government elections in the state at the Benue South District, Odangla noted that the Idoma ethnic group had not produced any governor of the state since its creation, adding that other ethnic groups should allow the area to produce the governor in 2015 for equity

INE firms, yesterday bided for the position of the external auditor in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, in line with the Public Procurement Act of 2007 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Some of the interested bidders are Biodun Ige &

Presidency, UNDP, editors meet on constitution review

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Ethnic groups strategise for 2015 Benue guber

BY PETER DURU

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and justice to prevail.

Odangla said: “The only thing I have to say in my capacity as the national chairman of the Pan Idoma socio-cultural association, Opiatoha K’ Idoma, is that equity and fairness demands that Benue South should produce the next governor of Benue State.”

“Idoma people are an integral part of Benue State. It is repugnant to natural justice and good conscience, and somewhat illogical for the Tiv people to continuously produce the governor of the state.”

Co, Sulaiman & Co, Peter Osalor & Co, Fred Okonta &Co, Olufemi Adeniyi & Co and J.K Randle & Co, among amongst others.

Speaking at the event, Director-General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, said the evaluation of the bid would be done based on the criteria in the advertisement that was placed by the agency.

S part of efforts to give the media a greater role in the process of amending the 1999 Constitution, the Presidency in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, will hold a one-day dialogue with editors of Nigerian media organisations

tomorrow in Abuja.

The parley, under the auspices of Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity and the UNDP Democratic Governance for Development Project II, has as theme, The Editor and the Constitution Amendment Process.

RCCG holds regional crusade

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AGOS Province XI of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, will hold its 2012 Regional Crusade from Thursday to Saturday, this week, in Lagos.

The crusade, jointly organised by Zones 3, 4, 5 and 20 of Lagos Province XI, holds at the Civil Service Club, Close 8,

Satellite Town, Lagos, daily at 5pm.

Ministering at the crusade, which will be attended by renowned men of God, are the Regional Evangelist (Region 2), Pastor Robinson Bowale and the Pastorin-Charge of RCCG, Lagos, Province XI, Pastor John Sunmonu.

THE CENTRE FOR VALUES IN LEADERSHIP'S COLLOQIUM FOR EKWUEME

From left— Prof. Pat Utomi, founder, Centre for Values in Leadership, LVC; Dr & Dr (Mrs) Alex Ekwueme, and Dr. Chris Asoluka, Chairman of the occasion, at a colloquium on the ReInventing True Federalism, to mark the 80th birthday of Dr. Ekwueme, organised by CVL in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTOS: Biodun Ogunleye.

Mrs Chidi Onyemelukwe (left) and Ms Grace Egbagbe former NTA Director.

From right— Prof and Dr. (Mrs) Pat Utomi, and Prof.

George Obiozor.

From left— Mrs Andrea Ekwueme, Mrs Lami Ekwueme and Mr. Ken Ekwueme.

From left— Dr. Ifeoma Utomi, Dr. Chris Asoluka, Chairman of the occasion, and Dr. Ekwueme, receiving an award.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012—17

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There was a country, there was starvation (2)

Prof. Achebe reading from There was a Country.

should not have because they were Biafrans? As far as I can see, the shooting just stopped, but the war against Biafrans continues. But the difference now is that Nigeria is the greater victim of the continuing war. Nigeria is the one now bleeding! For example, Nigeria has boxed itself into a condition of perpetual mediocrity! And I will illustrate.

I am sadly amused that today, oil and gas technology is still a mesmerizing myth that any upstart who wants to be noticed announces himself as “into oil and gas” even if all he does is to retail diesel in jerry cans! Come on! Biafra demystified oil refining technology and refined its fuel needs in every backyard, even while on the run from the invading army! Why, 42 years after the war, is Nigeria still unable to refine its domestic needs? Why is Nigeria not ashamed of the sleaze, the stealing, the incompetence and the mediocrity that has forced Nigerians to queue everyday for ordinary kerosene just as Biafrans queued for relief materials?

Some Nigerians wrote off Biafran inventions and everything connected with ex-Biafrans, including Dr Njoku Obi’s cholera vaccine, as “crude”. But the most remarkable thing that can be said about Nigeria today is that we are still importing toothpicks! For over 20 years Nigeria has failed to fix the road be-

BY BONS OBIADI

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E recycle human beings in developing countries……We are too old to connect with the rest of the world. Too old not in the sense of older communities, but, that the smallest percentage of us, who are either too old or too old in their respective jobs are ruling and making decisions for us and that is one of the major problems in the developing countries. Developing countries in most part have young and energetic population willing to exploit the changing world, but because they are under the same people who have either been in power for over 10 years or have been in government services for over 35 years, the young and energetic population is often sidelined. Instead of injecting the young and energetic ones into the system to grow the countries to a flourishing level, the older segment would recycle themselves, change positions and remain in active duty in perpetuity. We have often ignored or are afraid to confront this recycling habit of our older working people and that is making developing countries recycling depot for older politicians and decision makers.

C M Y K

tween Shagamu and Benin!

And it is not that Nigeria has not produced world class talents, but as Prof Tekena Tamuno said in his famous valedictory at Ibadan, “all things bright and beautiful Nigeria kills them all”. To hold the Igbo down, Nigeria has held itself down! Nigeria today abhors competence and has devised a system that fights and frustrates competent people away from public office! And we cannot

even honestly own up to that!

Why, after 42 years has criminality and corruption taken over the land? To be corrupt, excuse me, to be a thief, in Nigeria today is to be celebrated. The masses are very weary and emasculated and have decided to join the fray with such anger that blood freely flows

,

HERE is something eerie and sur real about the rationalisation by Awo and General Gowon that the use of mass starvation was a means of quickly ending the war. So the quickest way to end the war was to starve Biafran children, women and the vulnerable to death? It sounds to me as haunting as the argument about the most humane way to execute human beings! Use lethal injection! Or lethal gas!

Even war has rules of engagement.

You can kill as many of your enemy soldiers as possible to win the war, but you cannot levy war on un-armed innocent civilians or even kill a wounded enemy soldier or prisoner. That was the principle on which the Swiss-born Henri Dunant founded the Red Cross in 1863 after the battle of Solferino! You cannot bomb or strafe churches and hospitals, refugee camps or those engaged in humanitarian duties as medics. But Nigeria did all these! You can fight all you want with all the arsenals at your disposal but one arsenal that is not available to you, according to conventions, is to deliberately mass starve civilian population, especially in a war touted as a war of unity! That is the lesson of Kosovo and the trial of Serbian Radovan Karadzic at The Hague today. That is simply an immoral way to win a war of unity or to quicken the end of the war! The same logic would have been used if Biafran civilian population had been gassed!

One thing that holds this country down is that Nigeria has never been honest with itself and has never accepted responsibility for its failings. One of the most debilitating burdens we carry is that we cannot even speak the truth about our country without fragmenting it into pallets of ethnicity. We are never going to realistically deal with our problems as a nation if we continue to obfuscate the debate about our country by hauling abuses across ethnic divides or if we believe that once we manage to stridently deny a fact, the truth would change. That is simply like the illusory denial of a kid who covers a wound with sand to deceive his parents, believing that by so doing the wound would heal.

Unfortunately it doesn’t. It only degenerates to a more putrid and life-threatening ulcer!

Many Nigerians think that the Biafra experience is something you can wave away. Some have even begun to deny that Easterners were victims of genocide, just as some anti-Semitics say that the holocaust did not happen! Just as Nigeria seems to have vowed never to forgive the victims, Biafrans have also vowed never to forget the lived experience! How often are the Igbo reminded that their citizenship is a privilege they

You cannot bomb or strafe churches and hospitals, refugee camps or those engaged in humanitarian duties as medics; but Nigeria did all these! that is simply an immoral way to win a war

,

in the land. And what does our government do? In the words of Achebe, “government leaps beyond the precipice, dismisses itself and joins ranks with crime”. Today it is impossible to prosecute the thieves because they are connected at the highest places of the Federal Government! These are the anomalies Achebe wants us to discuss!

The import of Achebe’s book, in my

view, is not to blame or exculpate persons or any ethnic group, but to remind us that we are not out of the wood yet because we have failed to deal with the contradictions that pushed the nation to war. What the needless controversy wanted to obscure is the important question we need to ask, why after 42 years, we seem to have failed to reconcile the contradictions that led us to war, especially now that the allies of the Federal Government in that war seem to be regretting and are now turning their guns on the Nigerian state they once defended with their lives!

Those who gloat about the defeat of Biafra as if it confers any superior citizenship on them must be oblivious or take for granted that it has not been easy for Biafrans to be Nigerians again! The Nigeria that Biafrans returned to is worse than the troubled Nigeria they left. Nigeria has continued to slip down the human development index since the end of the war. Since 1970 Nigeria has institutionalized a culture of mediocrity, incompetence, lethargy, corruption, violence, debauchery, bestiality, self-immolation and debilitating immorality; and all these by choice! So please spare Biafrans the gloating! Biafra will remain a poser to Nigeria: Why after Nigeria’s swift victory through starvation has it remained starved? Why after its victory through genocide has it turned the muzzle on itself? Why after a war of unity has Nigeria remained deeply divided and is seriously threatened with disintegration?

You may fault some of Achebe’s “impression” about some of the events but you cannot fault his characteristic candour. It seems some people had difficulty understanding and perhaps appreciating that Achebe had to transport himself back in time into Biafra and write as a Biafran, which he was, not as a Nigerian, which he is today, albeit with its disappointments and pains.

Hence a few, especially the younger generation, could not reconcile the truth of that past, as recollected by Achebe, with his realities of the present. I am referring to a past when a Nigerian graduate could get any job of his or her choice and a present when a Nigerian graduate cannot even dream of a job!

I believe we can still get Nigeria out of the dingy hole of enduring rot. But we must first ask the necessary questions with candour. We have to dig deep into the past of Achebe’s generation when there was a country where things worked. Achebe has opened a debate, no doubt. But as he recalled during an incident in his wife, Christie’s home during courtship, “Even when there was a strong disagreement, one had to remember to be discordant with respect”.

OPINION Old policies and older workers Almost all the countries of the world have laws guiding their active work age limits and retirement ages; however, our studies indicate that most people in the developing countries falsify their ages at the time of employment either because they were older than the required age limits for the employment or not old enough. As a result of this falsifications, these countries have people in active duty who are obviously too old to be actively engaged in civil service and decision-making positions, while the younger generations are loafing around jobless. Not only that the younger generations are jobless, the older workers are no longer productive and because of their age declarations, the laws will keep them on our payrolls to the detriment of the growth of the countries. Because these individuals assigned or charged with our decision making are too old to exploit beyond their environments, they would challenge any new ideas and would rather maintain the status quo.

All the developing countries have brilliant and savvy young graduates in their twenties, thirties, forties and fifties

who have reviewed and have excellent knowledge of our past policy failures. They have good ideas of new polices that would turn our societies around, but would not have the opportunity because those who were responsible or championed our failed policies would not retire or allow them to come-in with new ideas and decisions that would positively impact us.

We pride ourselves crying poverty, denial, rejection, farming for subsistence, leaving developing countries for the developed countries, where sacrifices have been made to improve the standards of living of their people. We have not sat back to constructively find ways of crossing that threshold. We have not cashed in on globalization sweeping through the world within the past 20 years. Globalization lifted a lot of countries, China, India and a list of others out of poverty line into leading economies.

Continues pg.18

*Mr. Obiadi, an architect, wrote fromLagos.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 THE US elections today highlight the centrality of the people to a country’s politics.

All the issues are about the welfare of Americans. Whether in war or peace, America is in perpetual search for resources to improve its peoples. The difference between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney is how each intends to achieve the national agenda.

Economy, unemployment, taxes, health, immigration, security (at home and abroad), are areas where Obama gets constant flaks, not minding that he has managed the worst recession in a lifetime. Republicans accuse him of pushing policies that could result in a worse recession.

His stimulus plan boosted the economy, yet failed to drop the record-high unemployment rate of 9.1 per cent. Jobs are a concern as statistics fell below Obama’s promises. The last incumbent president to win an election with unemployment rate above 8 per cent was Franklin D. Roosevelt, in plainer terms, 75 years ago.

What to do with the federal deficit, currently over $14 trillion, was a key issue in the campaign, as was gay marriage, which

BY BONS OBIADI

Continued from pg. 17

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LOBALISATION lifted a lot of countries- China, India and a host of others- out of poverty line into leading economies. We have not bothered to touch one another and change ourselves and our countries; instead we seek pity from world agencies and continue living in abject poverty and denials. We have continually embraced competence over ideology; competence executing bad and out-dated policies without ideological objectives. We must open up and welcome progressive innovation and transformations that will lead the developing countries out of the bottom of the pyramid and atop the plateau so that they can start appreciating what they have and who they are. Only through those can they start solving their problems, especially in the energy sector, exploring energy saving services without affecting lives and properties, rather improving them. Look into alternative energy sources to improve their power supply, create jobs, sustain jobs, retain small businesses and industries that create jobs in their communities.

Through the innovative schemes, and joining the economic paradigm shift brand named globalization, efforts must be made by our old and exhausted policy makers to prepare the environment for investments

US Elections Are About Americans Obama supports, drawing a clear line between him and Romney.

Foreign policy, even with the war in Syria, revolts in the Arab world, perennial difficulties in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and occasional rumbles with China and its allies, had a back seat until the attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi which Romney blamed it on a weak America. Obama parades the killing of Osama bin Laden as a major achievement.

Immigrants can play a big role in the elections. Obama’s reform did not result in substantial changes. States like Arizona are implementing regulations that permit the police to demand on spot identification from immigrants. Illegal immigrants caught,

under the law, can be deported. An estimated 11 million illegal immigrants, mostly Latino, are in the US. Latinos may support Obama again.

Other Obama advantages over Romney are Romney’s inconsistent position on abortion.

He opposed it when running as Massachusetts governor, but now supports it. Republican lawmakers’ proposal to cut funding for Planned Parenthood, the US’ largest provider of cancer screening to women with low incomes, could favour Obama.

Americans have used the last months to articulate issues they consider important to improving their lives. The candidates differ in personality as well as their ideas about the tasks ahead, but the survival of America and the passion to see it through is evident in each candidate’s positions.

Whoever wins, the world would see an American president whose interests are about making America and Americans safer. The world may benefit from the policies, but we must be mindful that America sees global peace as useful only when it serves American interests.

OPINION Old policies and older workers(2) to come. By environment, I mean, policies that would encourage and enable investors to safely come and invest in the countries.

Surprisingly, almost every company, country, person with strong financial resources outside the developing countries, sees Africa as the land of opportunities, covered with diamonds and gold.

Realistically, most of them, when they talk about Africa, were actually talking about the sub-Sahara Africa. Sub-Sahara Africa must find ways to stop being the water at the bottom of the well and rather be on ground, drawing water at the bottom of the well. They must start seeing what investors are seeing in Africa.

By so doing, the younger workers will be willing to take the risk and find ways of exploring and restoring our past glories, if ever given the chance. However, their problems are the concerns of the older segments that are not willing to retire because of their government retirement ages that protected their jobs. In the eyes of the older segments, the young shall never grow. They believe that the younger workers are inexperienced. While that may not be completely true, there may be some validity to it. However, who has monopoly of knowledge and experience in this world?

They could learn on the job while attached to the older group (protégée programme).

We must not forget that some of the younger generation workers are CEOs of successful companies and as literature has it, “he who is on the ground fears no fall”.

People are already suffering and disconnected with the rest of the world and willing to take any risk that will lead them to greener pastures. Risking and taking chances with the younger generation for a better life would not be of concern to anyone. As it is, some of the policies put in place by the older generation workers are deeply divided, depending on how rich one is, who his godfather is, where he works and of what race he is? Undeniably, some of those failed policies put in place by the older generation workers protected their jobs, especially those that falsified their ages at the time of hiring. The issue of who the policies were meant for, negatively impacts our already existing policies that are hardly implemented. High level politicians and financially strong segments of the population do whatever they like and get away without prosecution.

Those older workers, when forced to retire from active service, a good number of them would lobby their ways into being retained as consultants and the same failed practices would continue.

The falsification of age has also affected and diminished sports in most of the

developing countries. The same syndrome affecting our work force is also affecting the sports communities where the countries believe that they must cheat on the ages of their athletes to gain advantage.

Unfortunately, some of those countries’ athletes have either been shamefully embarrassed by disqualifications or they could not perform to the standards of the opposing teams.

One of the dangerous consequences of staying in the office too long is that the powerful office holder believes that the position is hereditary and must be kept by family members. There have been incidences where older workers and politicians planted family members as their replacements whether or not they have the qualifications to keep that position. Fathers would forcefully place their sons, daughters and wives in any benefiting positions to keep the family legacy. In a simple term, we reward illegality.

Most of the older workers and politicians are not concerned about their working ages; they only preoccupy themselves with their myopic views, jobs and prosperity for their nucleus families.

Concluded

*Mr. Obiadi, an architect, wrote fromLagos.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012— 19

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WO changes have been made at the apex of government’s security management and development. We situate these changes in the context of reforms necessitated by the insecurity of government and the nation caused by the ongoing insurgent activities nationwide.

Boko Haram is one of many indices of insurgencies in the country. Many reform proposals have been submitted to government from concerned foreign governments and interests; and the Nigeria media is awash with proposals with similar goals of conflict resolution and management. In the November 15, 2011 issue of the Tuesday Platform I reviewed General Don Idada E Ikponmwen’s proposal for the reform of Nigeria’s defence and security sector. He had argued for a coordination of the services through a new office. He argued that such a reform will improve the efficiency of the defence and security sector. In my critique of the General’s proposal, I argued that this new office will suffer the same fate as the extant coordinating offices of the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff and the C-In-C. I argued that “another Act creating a coordinating office will be informed by the logic of formal assignment of

duties and detailing of functions” for this new office; that a new office “would only enlarge the sector of defence and security by addition with minimal impact of such addition on the effectiveness of the defence and security sector”. And I concluded thusly: “If reform will not result in greater effectiveness, it follows it will not result in improved efficiency of the sector”. I recommended that “We must address the root cause of the lack of coordination, synergy and effectiveness of Nigeria’s defence and security sector. The root cause is that Nigeria’s security and defence sector is a bureaucratic sector and not a system of security and defence. A system exhibits internal differentiation of structures on the basis of internal specificity of functions. The security system is a unity and not an agglomeration of units each with its own character”. The method of reform argued for by General Ikponmwen for the reform of the defence and security sector is the same being proposed for the merger of agencies of the Federal Government.

In this merger proposal the problems addressed and to be cured by merger are problems of overlap and duplication.

The Guardian Tuesday November 15, 2011 cover story is

,

introduced in the following: “A mixed grill of disquiet and approval is currently trailing the on-going holistic audit of federal agencies which aim at identifying those with overlapping functions with a view to merging them in order to reduce the cost of governance and making them more focused on delivering their mandates. While proponents of the exercise argue that it is long overdue in order to cut down on huge federal expenditure, block drain pipes in the system and free up funds for development purposes among other grounds, those against the move insist that it is counterproductive as it would lead to job loss, muddle up the waters for emergent agencies and that the latter would have too much on their plates, hence would fail to deliver”.

A

gain as with the proposal for reform of a part of government, the defence and security sector, we find the same two variables, efficiency and effectiveness at play. The growth of the defence and security sector of government has been informed by the logic of growth of government itself. Ministries and parastatals have been created by identifying a need, and functions of organs to meet the need have been invented and thus growth follows the demand for agencies to imple-

No to zoning in Anambra

BY CHUDI NWIKE

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HE Oxford English Dictionary defines zone as an area that has a particular characteristic or has a particular use.

Zoning therefore means dividing an area into zones. Zone also means a geographical expression mainly used for convenience as in politics. In Nigerian politics, zones were emphasised or became pronounced with the inauguration of the 1979 constitution where for the purpose of election of senators, each state was divided into three senatorial zones. The exercise was for administrative purposes and not for the division or alienation of a united people.

However during the Abacha 1995 constitutional conference, former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and like minds pushed for the creation of sixgeopolitical zones in the country. The argument was that some sections of the country were marginalised. The Middle Beltans felt suppressed by the North. The minorities in the East were not comfortable with the Igbos. Even the people of Edo and Delta States craved an identity of their own from the Yorubas. Although the six geopolitical zones have not been enshrined in the constitution, it is currently being used for administrative purposes.

In Anambra state, three senatorial zones exist for such administrative purposes. The people have not come together to discuss and agree that the zones will now be used for the distribution of political offices, especially the governorship. That is why

since 1992, all the zones had their sons and daughters running for the governorship with Anambra people deciding who actually rules them. Contrary to the postulations of some politicians, no one has ever been excluded from presenting candidate for the governorship election.

It therefore comes as a surprise and questionable the current posturing of Anambra state governor, Mr. Peter Obi and his phantom proponents to the effect that it is the turn of Anambra North people to produce the next governor of the state in 2014. Notable Anambra political figures are baffled that Obi unilaterally conceived and sought to implement that policy with total disregard for the inputs of other elders, and more especially excluding the very voters who decide the fate of any politician.

Because zoning is not a constitutional matter in Nigeria, it is usually within the purview of political parties and in extreme cases, communities to determine where a candidate should emerge from. Dialogue and compromise are the operative words in such a political arrangement. In other words, all stakeholders must be present before arriving at any meaningful decision.

As the late M.K.O Abiola succinctly captured it, you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence.

But Peter Obi, using his mighty office as the Governor of Anambra state, has decided to shave the heads of Anambra people in their absence. Such heads include, but not limited to, those of Alex Ekwueme, former Governors Chris Ngige, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chinwoke

,

Conflict prevention: Imperatives of reform security agencies

The various security agencies in the country have more roles to play; there is the need for cooperation among all security outfits, if we are to preserve peace

ment needs supported. In the merger as proposed, units with powerful patrons with vested interest in their survival will survive the cut and paste process.

In this process vital national interests may be sacrificed because there is no one to speak on the basis of strategic consideration for their preservation and protection. We see once more that government has the same organisation as its defence and security sector. Government is made up of units legally established without an overall organising theme. The task remains- how to transform many policy units created for different purposes into a system informed by a strategic purpose.

System evolve out of the strategic purpose of sovereigns frustrated by existing functioning of established instruments of rule and governance and as they take corrective actions to assure the policy effectiveness of these instruments. The above statement applies to actions taken to transform a sector of government or the assemblage of sectors constituting the government. Presently the extant condition of rule and governance in Nigeria is defined by contestations over sovereignty.

It is in the context of this description of the situation that the comments of the Minister of Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed at the opening of the Defence Advisers Annual Conference is to be appreciated. Inter Alia, the Minister is quoted as saying:”…The current security situation in Nigeria demands that all hands must be on deck to jointly put a stop to the increased activities of miscreants bent on destabilizing the country. This also means that the various security agencies in the country have more roles to play.

There is therefore the need for cooperation, collaboration and synergy of efforts among all security outfits, if we are to preserve peace and create an atmosphere that will attract foreign investors to Nigeria. As you are aware that without security

But there is absolutely something sinister when the incumbent seeks to employ intimidation, treachery, divide and rule tactics and subterfuge to force a successor on the people

,

Mbadinuju, Andy Uba, Josephine Anenih, Victor Umeh, Stella Odua, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu , Dr. Jerry Ugokwe and indeed plethora of movers and shakers of Anambra politics. Can that be possible?

Is it practicable even if it is desirable and expedient?

W

hen it become expedient in nearby Imo State in 1998, leaders of the two dominant political parties then, PDP and APP met, and after days of deliberation decided to cede the governorship to Orlu Zone which instructively is the largest in the state. It was based on that the PDP produced Achike Udenwa even when the primaries was won by Humphrey Anumudu from Owerri zone. The APP produced Ezekiel Izuogu also from Orlu.

Since zoning is unconstitutional, the Alliance for Democracy fielded Mark Odu from Owerri Zone as its governorship candidate.

After Udenwa governed for eight years, PDP zoned the governorship to Okigwe zone, even as two prominent Orlu sons,

there can be no national development. It is for these reasons that I find the theme of the conference timely and apt. The various efforts of government at finding a lasting solution to the increased attacks on innocent citizens and security agents by the Boko Haram sect is a clear indication of government’s commitment to lasting peace and security required for national cohesion and progress” (The Guardian Tuesday November 15 2011).

Clearly evident in the Defence Minister’s description of the prevailing security situation of the country are enemy actions taken to: *Destabilize the county; *Cause harm to citizens and security agents; *To demonstrate the existence of “an enemy force” bent on destabilizing the country; *To show that government can no longer provide internal and therefore external security.

It is this current security situation in which the sovereignty of the Federal Government is challenged by armed opposition that it is evident that the functioning of the defence and security sector of government’s apparatus of rule and policy administration is under direct and strategic attack. Victory over the opposing forces thus entails the strategic transformation of the established instruments of rule and governance to assure the policy effectiveness of the defence and security agencies.

The security situation is the context for through-combat transformation of the instruments of rule and administration from a security sector into a security system in the condition of insurgency. Nigeria’s current security situation is defined by insurgent challenge and opposition to the Federal Government. Insurgencies have made evident the need for the transformation of the defence and security sector, a transformation that cannot be legislated but to be achieved in the very process of present conflict resolution and future conflict prevention, and management.

Hope Uzodimma and Festus Odimegwu contested the PDP primaries where Ifeanyi Ararume from Okigwe Zone emerged as candidate. Sadly, President Obasanjo and Maurice Iwu of INEC robbed PDP of victory and sold the seat to Ikedi Ohakim of a less fancied PPA. The people of Imo State were to register their deep resentment to that arrangement when they voted out Ohakim in 2011 and elected Rochas Okorocha of Orlu zone. Does that teach us a lesson on how not to impose our will and whims on the people?

The issue here is that apart from the illegality of zoning, who did Peter Obi consult before he started tinkering with this divisive and anti-democratic process?

Chieftains of his party, APGA, including the national chairman, Chief Victor Umeh have distanced themselves from this selfserving and diversionary tactic of Governor Obi. All the armourphous groups and unserious persons talking about zoning are all traceable to Peter Obi. Even advertorials placed by persons who can hardly pay for three square meals are all traceable to Anambra Government house .So under what platform is the governor going to use to install his favoured candidate from Anambra North?

In politics, especially the Nigerian hue, there is nothing wrong with an incumbent governor working hard to install his preferred successor. But there is absolutely something sinister when the incumbent seeks to employ intimidation, treachery, divide and rule tactics and subterfuge to force a successor on the people. That is exactly why the good people of Anambra state are annoyed with their governor over this zoning imbroglio. *Mr. Nwike, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Awka, Anambra State.

20

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Vanguard, TUESDAY TUESDAY,, NOVEMBER 6,

2012

Lagos-Badagry-Seme expressway of tears

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

•Commuters lament deplorable state of road

V

C M Y K

*Heavily eroded sections of the road with several potholes, making driving a nightmare for motorists there are often crowds of stranded commuters at busstops along that route almost everyday of the week, especially during the rush hours. The situation is usually worse

,

ANGUARD Metro, VM, was recently inundated with disturbing text messages about the deplorable state of the Lagos Badagry-Seme expressway from motorists and commuters who daily ply this route. Most of the text messages complained about horrible, dangerous, valley-like killer potholes on almost every inch of the supposedly Federal Government road.

One frustrated motorist described his experience everyday as a journey through the valley of the shadow of death because, according to him: “For those of us plying that road everyday, it’s like taking a big risk because you don’t know whether you will get home in one piece due to the many potholes on the road. Apart from that, the potholes often cause serious traffic jam on the road so that you find yourself getting home very late; that is if you’re lucky to escape being attacked by hoodlums and thieves lurking around the bushes and dark corners close to the road. In fact, you have to pray very hard not to become a meal ticket to those touts who parade the road waiting for vehicles to plunge into any of these death-trap ditches, so as to extort money from the helpless victims ”.

This is said to be a daily occurrence and has become a routine for these touts as the unfortunate motorists often find themselves at their mercy and out of fear succumb to the extortionist threats of these criminals. This is often the case around Barracks/Volks, and between Igboieleri-Agbara axis of the road. Some of those who have had to pay dearly to receive help have, while bitterly lamenting their ordeal, alleged that the touts come from the nearby Army Barracks. They complain that the touts, who they describe as heartless, charge as high as N10,000 to help a stuck vehicle out of a ditch. They also allege that these touts deliberately mislead them into driving into ditches, then turn around to blame them for the misfortune, so that they can charge higher.

The dilapidated state of this road is also said to be responsible for the seeming drastic reduction in the number of both commercial and private vehicles plying the road in recent times, as many motorists increasingly seek alternative routes to save themselves the trauma and frustration now associated with the road. This development accounts for why

The potholes often cause serious traffic jam on the road so that you find yourself getting home very late; that is if you’re lucky to escape being attacked by hoodlums and thieves lurking around the bushes and dark corners close to the road

,

whenever it rains as was the case recently. On that particularly day, hundreds of commuters were seen trekking the long stretch of the road to their various destinations. A few who could afford commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada, took that option. But on the very day it rained cats and dogs, even the daring Okada riders could not manoeuvre

through the heavily potted road which was covered by deep pools of water at several points, thus making the journey a treacherously dangerous one.

The situation is even expected to worsen in the coming days with the Okada now an endangered option on the road following its ban on major roads in Lagos.

With the Christmas and New Year festive season around the corner, most motorists and commuters are apprehensive that the situation could turn out to be a terrible nightmare for them, especially with experts prediction that more rains will fall in the coming days.

Bitterly expressing his dissatisfaction to VM in respect of the deplorable condition of the road, an industrialist, Mr. Michael Nwolise, who has a factory located along the expressway blamed the country’s leaders at all levels for subjecting the poor masses to undeserved anguish. “I think the reason Nigeria is in deep crisis could be linked to the fact that there is no transparency at the Federal and state government levels. These leaders are not being sincere in their dealings with the people they govern. If they are, why would any sensible government subject citizens who pay levies/taxes and perhaps, goods and properties worth millions of naira,

to all these killer ditches and unsuspecting criminals who parade this route on daily basis?”

He further said: “ I am particularly happy to have the press here to ,at least, help us convey to those concerned through the print media the importance and need of rehabilitating this road as soon as possible so that it could be at least be passable, pending when the intended ECOWAS 10-lane/railway construction stretches beyond Badagry. If this is done, government would have saved more lives and properties and possibly, bring back smiles to the faces of commuters”.

Efforts made to speak with the Chairman, Otto Awori Council development Area failed, but the Council Information Manager, Alhaja Mariam, who spoke with VM recounted the number of times the Council has had to carry out rehabilitation works on some portions of the road.

“This is a Federal road, but that not withstanding, the Council having noted and received several complaints from users, had gone straight to work, filling up some of these deadly potholes to make for a reasonably smooth drive and reduce traffic jams.

The Council is promising to always put in its best on rehabilitation, while also calling

on other governmental agencies to join hands in providing social amenities to its citizens”.

Due to the chaotic situation on the road, driving against traffic these days on this route is the popular rule rather than the exception as the common law is that of the survival of the fittest.

Even the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA and road safety personnel often find it difficult coping with the situation. More often than not, they watch in dismay as road users freely drive against traffic.

When VM sought the reaction of a road safety personnel at the Ijaniki end of the road on why this persists, he only threw his arms in the air, exclaiming: “What can we do, and how many would you be able to stop. Can’t you see the situation yourself?

Look, we have our men trying to arrest the situation, but they are helpless, and indeed, the roads are bad and the situation now calls for urgent intervention, otherwise our relevance is called to question”.

The situation is most challenging after weekends, as a result of overloaded trailers coming through Cotonou to Iyana Isashi terminus, some of which sometimes fall across parts of the road, thereby halting the flow of traffic. Movement only resumes until such a time trans-loading is carried out and the trailer is towed off the road.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 21

Terminal benefits: Labour accuses Ministry of Power of shielding report

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

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RGANISED Labour in the nation’s Power sector has accused the Power Ministry of deliberately refusing to submit to the Presidency the report by the Government appointed Chief negotiator, in the dispute between workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, and government, over employee’s terminal benefits ahead of the privatization of PHCN. Under the umbrella of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEAC, labour claimed the report had not left the Ministry one month after the Chief Negotiator/ Conciliator, Hassan Sunmonu, submitted it to the Ministry.

SSAEAC alleged that some powerful individuals in the ministry were frustrating peaceful resolution of labour issues in the sector even when President Goodluck Jonathan was desirous of settling the workers liabilities.

President-General of SSAEAC, Bede Opara, and Engineer, who spoke in Lagos, wondered why the ministry was preventing the presidency from seeing the report given the fact that it was the federal government itself that set up the Committee in the first place.

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ccording to him, the presidency should be more inclined to the implementation of the recommendations of Sunmonu since it is committed to put the interest of the sector above any personal interest.

The attempt to shield the report from the presidency, he pointed out may not be unconnected with the Sunmonu’s recommendation that gratuity should be paid in accordance with the extant PHCN conditions of service.

The report, he explained is contrary to the views of government, which upheld that workers are entitled to pension and gratuity up to June 30, 2004 but thereafter the provisions of Pensions Reform Act 2004 would apply.

He warned that the ongoing privatisation by the government would be inconclusive should government fail to implement

the recommendations of the report.

“Government set up a negotiation team led by the Chief Negotiator in the person of Hassan Sunmonu who was acclaimed a renowned labour leader in order to have credibility in the resolution of the industrial

dispute in the power sector.

T

he negotiation lasted for 14 months and the Chief Negotiator recommended that gratuity be paid according to the condition of service which is not against the Pension Reform Act 2004.

Why is it that the Secretary to

Dangote Sugar fire to gulp over N7bn insurance claims

By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

the government of the federation and the president is blocked from seeing the report submitted by Sunmonu.

“We have information that the presidency is not aware of the recommendations.

Mr Lekan Asuni, Managing Director, GSK Pharmaceutical Anglophone West Africa (right) and Marketing Director, Mr. Grant Onedo (left), with strategic dealers at the formal product presentation in Lagos.

Insecurity killing businesses in Nigeria, Maritime workers warn ...Explain reason for industrial peace in maritime sector

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

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ARITIME Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, has warned that the activities of the terrorist group in Nigeria are hindering business operations and called on government to take concrete steps in addressing the level of insecurity in the country.

This came as the union said the prevailing industrial peace in the nation’s maritime sector was due to continued training and retraining of maritime workers, resulting to better understanding that the workers, management and investors in the sector were beneficiaries where peace prevailed.

President-General of MWUN, Comrade Anthony Nted, who disclosed this, said the union in the last few years had deliberately focused on regular domestic and international training programmes for members, exposing them to international best practices with emphasis on dialogue in the resolution of industrial disagreement rather than

violence and brute force.

Nted who was addressing government officials, labour leaders, maritime workers, employers and other stakeholders at the commissioning of the MWUN’s building in Abuja and National Executive Council, NEC, of the union in Lagos, that the various trainings to which members had been exposed have deepened their knowledge of the gains of industrial harmony for individual and national development.

According to Nted, “what is happening in the sector is a paradigm shift from the past where the maritime workers at inception in 1996, had their activities and image dominated by record of violence, industrial unrest, ruthlessness and factional uprisings which negated the very essence of trade unionism. Today, the image and character of the maritime workers’ union has gone through a thorough reformation. The union now engages in dialogue instead of violence, in settling issues/disputes. This has created conducive atmosphere for business transactions and fresh investments in the maritime sector.

T

he General Manager, Group Insurance, Dangote Group of Companies, Mr. Raymond Akalonu, has said that insurers are to pay over N7 billion on claims emanating from the fire incident that occurred at the Dangote Sugar refinery earlier this year.

Akalonu who disclosed this at the 2012 annual conference of Risk Association of Nigeria (RISAN) in Lagos, said that the incident occurred on July 7, 2012.

He noted that underwriters have been advised to make a reserve of over N7 billion, to indemnify the company on the loss caused by the inferno.

He said: “In recent times, the recurring issues of fire devastation and the resultant disruption in business activities leading to losses in revenue and continuing costs are of immense concern to the business community.”

“The fire incident at Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) , Benin Plant in 2008, which was settled at N8,010,579,302.00, the one in the Sugar refinery in Kenana Sudan in 1998 which was settled on arbitration for $108 million, the recent fire incident in Karachi & Lahore in Pakistan that killed about 315 people and led to a colossal loss of two big clothing facilities, the recent Dangote Sugar refinery fire incident (July 7, 2012) which underwriters have been advised to make a reserve of over N7 Billion naira are all case in point. Hurricane Sandy is on its way to causing untold billions of dollars in damage in the United States.”

154.3

+0.9

2,412.00

-8.00

19.43

+0.05

107.73

-0.44

8.23

-0.86

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL

SELLING

DOLLAR 154.74 STERLING 250.1063 EURO 200.6049 FRANC 166.0835 CFA 0.2875 WAUA 237.6225 RENMINBI 24.7857 RIYAL 41.2585 KRONA 26.8786 SDR 238.3924

155.74 251.7226 201.9013 167.1568 0.3075 239.1581 24.9467 41.5251 27.0523 239.933

155.24 250.9144 201.2531 166.6202 0.2975 238.3903 24.8662 41.3918 26.9654 239.1627

CBN Exchange rate as at 05/11/2012

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

NOVEMBER 6, 2012

NSE pays N368m to LIRS for tax default in six years …Council members get N31m sitting allowance

BY MICHAEL EBOH

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HE Nigerian Stock Ex change, NSE, in 2011, paid N367.913 million to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, for default in taxes between 2004 and 2009.

According to the NSE’s annual report and accounts for the year ended December 31, 2011, presented to stakeholders, the charge was arrived at after a tax investigation carried out by the LIRS on the books of the NSE. The report disclosed that the amount represents tax liability for Pay As You Earn, PAYE, Development levy and withholding tax.

According to the report, a tax investigation was carried out on the NSE by the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service; and the tax liability payable on PAYE, Development levy and withholding tax between 2004 and 2009 tax assessment year was N367.913 million.

Similar charge might be recorded in the accounts of the NSE when the 2012 financial statement is presented to stakeholders at its next annual general meeting, as the report disclosed that a tax investigation for the 2010 and 2011 tax assessment year is on going by the same state tax authority — the LIRS. Meanwhile, Council Members of the NSE, got N31.138 million as sitting allowance for the 2011 financial year, while Council incurred expenses

valued at N9.106 million in the course of the year, the NSE report also stated.

According to the report Council sitting allowance stood at N31.138 in 2011 compared to N53.086 million in the 2010 financial year, while other Council expenses dropped to N9.106 million, from N12.319 million recorded in 2010.

Furthermore, in the year under review, the report disclosed that executives of the NSE received emoluments totaling N145.294 million, up by 5.98 per cent from N137.091 million paid them in 2010.

The report further stated that the NSE paid its auditors N26.5 million for the 2011 fi-

nancial year, same as the previous year.

Continuing, the report revealed that the NSE received N526.753 million from quoted companies as listing fees, up by 16.16 per cent from N453.474 million recorded in 2010; Entrance levy received by the NSE stood at N690.119 million, down from N1.045 billion recorded in 2010.

Transaction levy accruable to the NSE stood at N1.854 billion, down from N2.355 billion recorded in 2010, while other fees accruable to it stood at N96.026 million, compared to N157.586 million in 2010.

Initial listing fees are onetime fees paid by entities for the purpose of listing their

shares on the floor of the Exchange and are recognised in income once the shares are listed. Annual listing fees represent the annual fees charged on companies quoted on the Exchange based on average annual capitalisation of companies and is accounted for on accrual basis.

Entrance levy represents the fee charged on companies sourcing funds from the capital market and is based on the amount of funds being sought, while Transaction levy is based on value of shares traded on the floor of the NSE charged on the investors at 0.50 per cent of sales and is accounted for on an accrual basis.

From left: Executive Director, Pharmaceutical Operations, Mr. Ezekiel Ibidapo; Managing Director, Mr Nnamdi Okafor and General Manager, Foods Division, Mr. Valentine Okelu, all of May & Baker Nigeria Plc during the interactive session after factory tour of the company’s manufacturing complex in Ota, Ogun State by capital market stakeholders.

Shareholders approve Resort Savings and Loans’ recapitalisation plan

BY CHINEDU IBEABUCHI

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HAREHOLDERS of Re sort Savings and Loans Plc have unanimously approved the company’s Board of Directors plan to raise new capital to meet the minimum statutory requirement of the sector.

Disclosing this after its 6th Annual General Meeting in Lagos, Mr. Abimbola Olayinka, Managing Director of the bank said this would structure the bank as a National Mortgage Bank in view of its operational base, branch network and business potential.

It would be recalled that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN had tasked operators in the mortgage sector to decide to be a State or National Mortgage Bank with capital requirement of N2.5 billion or N5 billion respectively.

He said that the N5 billion

would not have been an issue but for huge provisions on classified accounts which resulted in an accumulated accounting loss of N2.9 billion and reduce the standing capital of the bank to N2.9 billion.

The company’s 2011 performance shows that its balance sheet stood at N5.2 billion in the year under review as against N5.8 billion of the previous year representing a drop of 10 per cent.

Mr. Abimbola said the drop was occasioned by provision made on risk assets and extraordinary items to the tune of N1.1 billion and that efforts are being made toward ensuring that the entire amounts outstanding in the risk assets are recovered.

He said the promotional exercise embarked upon really helped the bank to grow its business and net deposit moved from N1.2 billion to

N1.4 billion in the current year, adding that the situation would have been better but for some negative publicity directed at the Bank towards the year end.

“We have now put our house in order and believe that the future holds a better deal for us.

The performance of the bank in mortgage creation was boosted during the year with an increase in the category of National Housing Fund. The increase was over N230 million net of all repayments and at no time was the liquidity of the Bank threatened,” he said.

Abimbola said the bank increased its investment portfolio during the year particularly in the category of real estate investment. These investments were acquired with a view to improving their value and turning them into profitable and cash generating assets.

He noted that the investment was also intended to be used

to create mortgages whilst leveraging on the appreciating value giving the need to comply with International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS), just as the increase in the value of these investments (as valued by reputable Estate Valuers) is in excess of N2 billion.

The Bank’s deposit liabilities as at 31st December, 2011 stood at N1.4 billion as against N1.2 billion in the corresponding period of year 2010. The Marginal growth recorded can be attributable to promotional exercises conducted during the year 2011. Fund mobilized during the period was in excess of N2 billion but bulk of this left the system as a result of negative publicity peddled against the Bank by some people towards the end of the year, he said.

Chevron profit drops on lower oil output, maintenance

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HEVRON Corp posted much lower-than-expected quarterly earnings on Friday as maintenance exacerbated a steady decline in oil and natural gas production and as a huge fire at one of the company ’s California plants hit the refining business.

Shares of the second-largest U.S. oil company fell more than 1 percent in early trading.

Increasing output has been a struggle for many big oil companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp and Royal Dutch Shell Plc. With oil and gas assets tightly controlled by the countries where they are located, the majors are left to drill in pricier regions on land and offshore.

Chevron’s third-quarter oil and gas production fell to 2.52 million barrels of oil equivalent per day from 2.60 million bpd a year earlier. On quarter-to-quarter basis, the production number declined for the third period in a row.

Net income in the quarter fell to $5.25 billion, or $2.69 per share, from $7.83 billion, or $3.92 per share, a year earlier.

Thomson Reuters operating profit down, trading pressured

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HOMSON Reuters Corp reported on Friday a 15 percent fall in operating profit because of declining revenue and higher costs at its division that serves the financial industry.

The slip in profit in the third quarter underscored the problems facing some of Thomson Reuters’ clients, such as banks and brokerages that are reducing staff and trimming costs to cope with increased regulation and the struggling global economy.

This business climate is leading the global news and information provider to keep a tight grip on costs while at the same time invest in customer service for its flagship financial product Eikon.

Thomson Reuters reaffirmed its 2012 forecast, due in part to growth in its Legal, Governance, Risk & Compliance, and Tax & Accounting divisions, which rose 1 percent, 17 percent and 8 percent, respectively.

Still, its trading business, which rivals the Legal division as the biggest contributor of revenue, saw an 8 percent decline in revenue to $816 million in the quarter.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 23

Jetlink partners HP, others

By EBELE ORAKPO

J

ETLINK Limikted, an information technology (IT) solutions and system integrator has entered into partnership with HewlettPackard (HP) and other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like, IBM, Dell, Oracle, as it opens service centre.

Project Manager, Jetlink Limited, Mr. Henry Ekpunobi, said that Jetlink is in partnership with different Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like HP, IBM, Dell, Oracle etc.

“In Nigeria, according to him, when people purchase things like computers and something goes wrong with the computer, most times they patronise quacks and end up with sad tales. Now in Jetlink Service Centre, customers are guaranteed professional services because the people who manage the centre are skilled, trained and certified engineers.”

“So customers need not worry any more because if they have any problem, Jetlink is duly certified by HP to take care of it. The

HP ServiceONE programme is a programme that categorises HP partners of various skills at various levels. We sit at the highest level of that ServiceONE programme.

This assures customers of quality services at Jetlink.

We are involved with the client from the conception, to the design, deployment and maintenance of the system, even to upgrading. So we are there in the entire life cycle. It means that some of those services that HP originally performed themselves, we are now doing them on their behalf. “

On the other hand, Mr. Marcel Okezue; Jetlink’s Head, Customer Fulfillment and Support, said: “Business managers have partnered and some are still working with one or two service centres currently available in the country but how satisfied are the business owners with the services? Jetlink has, therefore, identified this gap and consequent complaints of rise in the infrastructure Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and decided to heavily invest in setting up this service centre by specially training and certifying many of our engineers to specialize in various IT products.”

WIMBIZ holds 2012 conference

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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OMEN in Manage ment, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a female focused Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), said its 2012 annual conference holds this week.

WIMBIZ whose objectives among other things are to educate and challenge women to maximize their potential, is also tilted towards elevating the attraction and retention of women

in workplace.

The organisation which is a platform for networking and building valued added business relationships, also seeks to build a sustainable support infrastructure for mentoring, career and business guidance at the conference.

Speaking, Mrs. Adeola Azeez, Chairperson of WIMBIZ, at a press briefing prelude to the conference which holds November 8 to 9, 2012 in Lagos, said this year ’s conference will convene women of all ages from various strata of the economy will have as keynote speaker Professor Wole Soyinka and see Mrs. Evelyn Oputu, Managing Director of Bank of Industry (BOI) would chair the occasion,said WIMBIZ vision is be a catalyst that elevates the profile and influence of women in management and business both in private and the private sector, whilst stating that WIMBIZ is committed to the development of women’s potentials, and as part of its m e n t o r i n g infrastructure.

Dearth of PR books worries practitioner

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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public relations practitioner, Mr Ndudubeze Okeke, has lamented the dearth of books relating to the profession.

He said that of the PR book, particularly books that have local content, have created a gap in the sector as people could no longer get reference materials.

Okeke made the observation at the formal presentation of a book he authored, “The PR Manager: A handbook of best practices” held at the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Victoria Island, Lagos.

He said he was motivated to write the book about two years ago by the fact that professionals, not just in the PR, but including other professions, find it difficult to put down their experiences and expertise in the book form.

24—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Budget implementation: Pressure on FG ’ll negatively affect Naira STORIES BY MICHAEL EBOH

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HE heightened pressure on the Federal Government of Nigeria for improved implementation of the 2012 budget will have a negative impact on the country’s currency, say analysts at Financial Markets Dealers Association.

The FMDA, in its Monthly Financial & Economic Report for July 2012, also said, the pressure for improved budget implementation will likely force the government to take steps that will hinder efforts to checkmate rising inflation.

It said, “Efforts to stabilize price through support for the naira might face difficult challenges on the basis of heightened pressure on budget implementation that might see

more funds injected into the economy with inflationary pressure imminent in such circumstances.”

However, the FMDA is optimistic that the country’s currency will record a slight improvement at the end of August following efforts by the Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, to ensure price stability through support for the currency.

It stated that the country will witness increased inflow of foreign exchange, arising from the attractive yields in the debt market, a development which has brought about an increase in investors’ confidence.

The FMDA said, “The Naira may retain the relative appreciation

recorded against the dollar in the past month in the near term following the MPC’s resolutions to support the naira relative to price stability.

“Moreover, the rising and unabated investors’ confidence in the Nigerian treasury bills and the fixed income markets on the back of attractive yields will further facilitate foreign exchange inflow.

“The behavioural pattern of yields on FGN bonds at the close of this month might continue in the near to medium term following the issuers bent on floating Diaspora bonds and more Eurobonds in an attempt to strategically reduce FG domestic debt on the back of high interest rates.”

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is expected to auction Treasury

From left: Managing Director of Learn Africa Plc, Fred Ijewere; CEO of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Oscar Onyema and Chairman, Learn Africa Plc, Emeke Iwerebon, at the African & Caribbean Business Expo,in London.

Bills, TBs, worth N70.65 billion in the week ahead.

Also, Treasury Bills worth N50.65 billion and Open Market Operation Bills worth N116.15 billion are expected to mature in the week ahead.

In their weekly bond watch, released yesterday, analysts at Dunn Loren Merrifield, DLM, predicted that the market is expected to be liquid and active as traders will try to cover their positions, considering the injection of funds from the monthly budgetary allocation (FAAC) and excess crude account.

“However it is not unlikely that the CBN will continue with its liquidity tightening measures via its Open Market Operation activities.

On the planned inclusion of Federal Government of Nigeria’s, FGN, Bonds in JP Morgan’s emerging markets government bond index from the fourth quarter of 2012, The analysts at DLM said, Potentially, this is expected to bring about US$1 billion into the Nigerian bond market.

“We understand that Nigeria meets the minimum requirements to qualifying for the index which includes, but not limited to, being classified as a low/upper-middle income country by the World Bank for at least two successive years, the availability of two-way daily pricing on the bonds and a sufficiently liquid bond market among others.

“We also believe that the Central Bank’s lifting of restrictions on foreign investors’ participation in the bond market in July 2011 could have helped to facilitate the inclusion of the government bonds in the index.”

Access Bank gets ISO 27001:2005 certification for information security

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HE British Standard Institute (BSI), has rewarded Access Bank Plc with the International Organisation for Standardisation’s, ISO, 27001:2005 certification, for information protection and security.

The ISO 27001:2005 certification, gives a systematic approach to minimising the risk of unauthorised access or loss of information and ensuring the effective deployment of protective measures.

Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, Director, Banking Supervision Department, Central Bankl of Nigeria, CBN, who was C M Y K

represented by an official of the Banking Supervision Department, CBN, Mr. Sola Ogunmoroti, commended the commercial bank for the feat.

She emphasised the need for banks to ensure the deployment of an effective control mechanism for their information technology infrastructure to checkmate cyber crimes and ensure the safety of electronic transactions.

She said, “The certification of Access Bank is coming at a time the whole world has realised

the importance of security of transactions.”

Commenting on the certification, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank, Mr. Aigboje AigImoukhuede, who was represented by an Executive Director of the Bank, Mr. Victor Etuokwu, assured that the commercial bank would continue to develop processes that would ensure high quality and safe banking services to its customers.

He said, “This is a confirmation that certain standards have been met, but

a beginning of another journey. We know that it confers on the bank additional responsibilities. We assure not just the CBN, but the BSI, that management is aware of these responsibilities and we are committed to ensuring delivery.”

Also speaking, Mr. Joe Osojie, Group Head, Credit Risk Management, Access Bank, , said, “Access Bank embarked on this project to set the framework for the management of information security for our e-business platform.”

B-R-I-E-F CIBN restructures, promotes management staff

BY RITA OBODOECHINA

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HE Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria has embarked on a restructuring exercise aimed at strengthening its operations and processes with a view to meeting the expectations of stakeholders in the banking industry and economy at large.

This is necessitated by the numerous innovative ideas and projects initiated by the current leadership of the Institute led by Mr. Segun Aina, OFR, FCIB, which are aimed at ensuring that CIBN realizes its ambition of becoming a world-class institution in banking and finance education, ethics and professionalism. Top on the key initiatives include benchmarking programmes of other banking institutes in various countries; creating a new administrative structure for the Institute; enhanced Certification programmes; reviewed ACIB Syllabus which will lead to 4 routes to ACIB; development of a Competency Framework for the banking industry; improved Continuous Compulsory Development programme (CCPD) and establishment of a Banking School to deepen knowledge and skills in the industry.

To drive these initiatives, the Institute promoted three Principal Managers to Assistant Directors. The newly promoted Assistant Directors are Mr. Segun Shonubi, former Principal Manager Membership Services; Mr. Oluseye Awojobi, FCIB, former Principal Manager Education and Mrs. Rukayat Yusuf, former Principal Manager, Consultancy, Training and Research. Part of the restructuring exercise includes the creation of Group Heads to provide effective and efficient leadership for the various divisions in the Institute including Membership Services; Learning and Development; Capacity Building and Certification; Finance and Corporate Services; Ethics and Professionalism and Other Bankers Committee Division; and National Secretariat Annex, Abuja.

The Office Holders and indeed, the Governing Council are confident that the new Management structure and team will not only improve the service delivery of the Institute to its numerous stakeholders but also position it to benchmark leading banking institutes globally.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012—25

26—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6 , 2012

Energia targets 10,000bpd production by 2013 … To build 53km 12” pipeline I

From left: Head, Corporate Services, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Mrs Ese Kalegha; Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Mrs Belema Osibodu; and Director, DPR, Mr. Osten Olorunsola, during DPR third quarter press briefing, in Lagos.

covered about 300 feet of net hydrocarbon sand, which significantly increased its reserves base from 6 million barrels, mmbls, to 30 mmbls.

Attributing the success to prudent reservoir management policy, he also explained that on the commissioning of Well 6, Energia planned to carry out some evaluation that will enable it drill subsequent well in the field in the 2013 work programme period.

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perational challenges He noted that although the company had planned to achieve the 10,000bpd in this

financial year, but was challenged by the acquisition of land rig to execute the job.

“The challenges we had in our 2011/2012 period was securing a suitable land drilling rig, which we eventually did in October 2011, with ACME Energy Integrated Services.”

He added that the rig, which was brought in from Houston Texas, USA, cost the company about $5million to bring it down to its location, aside from the cost of getting the rig fit for purpose, which took about six months to achieve.

Apart from the rig, Ofori further disclosed that the com-

DPR hosts 15th HSE Biennial Conference

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BY CLARA NWACHUKWU NDIGENOUS Marginal Field, MF producer, Energia Limited, said it hoped to increase oil production from its Oil Mining Lease, OML 56, to 10,000 barrels per day, bpd, by 2013. Current capacity from the block is put at 5000 bpd and expected to inch higher to 7,000bpd by midDecember.

The company is optimistic that achieving the 10,000bpd will launch it into an independent producer, and big enough to bid for additional blocks during the next licensing rounds that will be conducted in the country.

The Managing Director/ Chief Executive of Energia, Mr. Felix Ofori, speaking on the company’s field development plans, said, “We are happy to announce our successful drilling and completion of our Ebendo Well 4 that tested 3000bpd in August 2012. This brought our field producibility to some 5000bpd.

“We also wish to announce that we are presently drilling a second development well, Ebendo Well 5, top develop additional reservoirs found in Well 4, which we expect should be completed by mid-December 2012. This well is expected to bring our field total producibility to some 7000 bpd.

“Shortly after Well 5, the rig will be moving to our Well 6 in December 2012. Well 6 is targeted at some shallower reservoir. All of these are in line with our field development plan to bring our total field production to average at 10,000 bpd in 2013.”

He expressed confidence in the company’s ability as an independent operator, saying that with its strong technical backup and prudent operations, its revenue profile from current productions at 4,000 bpd is about $10m monthly, adding that this has put it in a strong stead to bid for an oil block.

Ofori recalled that the company, which is in joint venture with Oando , has been producing from its Well 1 for nearly two years without water production, as is commonly experienced with other MF operators. He said the company dis-

BRIEF

pany is also faced with crude evacuation challenges through the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC’s Brass Terminal, which cannot accommodate the additional combined production of 25,000bpd from the MF Cluster of seven producers as well as its own production.

To overcome the challenge, the Energia boss disclosed that the company has entered into a joint venture with Midwestern Oil and Gas, a member of the Cluster to construct an alternative 53-kilometer, 12-inch export pipeline that will run from the Umusade Field to Eriemu Manifold.

HE Health, Safety and Environment, HSE Conference series commenced in 1979, in response to the demand for oil and gas industry operators to improve on their environmental performances.

Based on the success of the first edition, the Federal Executive Council approved that the conference be sustained on a biennial basis to keep tabs on global developments and level of operational compliance by operators.

The 2012 edition is the 15th in the conference series and holding from November 5 – 7, in Abuja, with the theme: “Strategic Environmental Planning for Sustainable Development in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.”

Conference achievements: Since its debut, the biennial HSE conference has recorded significant achievements that have increased environmental, awareness while also reducing associated hazards. Among them are: •The Development of the DPR Environmental Guidelines and Standards for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria (EGASPIN).

•The emergence of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency and by implication, the subsequent establishment of the respective State Environmental Protection Agencies.

•The creation of the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), and several other NGOs on Environmental protection.

Subsidy Fraud: Capital Oil refutes committee’s allegations

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

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ANAGEMENT of Cap ital Oil and Gas Industries Limited has refuted allegations levelled against it by the Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuedeled 15-man Presidential Committee to revalidate the report of an earlier investigation panel set up by the Ministry of Finance on fuel subsidy payments valued at over N2 trillion.

In a communiqué issued by the company’s Media Relation Officer, Mr. Ike Chukwu, made available to newsmen in Lagos, Capital Oil refuted claims by the committee that it collected

subsidy payments for products for which no proof of mothervessels were found in locations claimed at the time of transshipments.

The company also faulted media reports that its Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah, was declared wanted by the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police, insisting that at no time was Ubah declared wanted nor has the Police ever invited him and he failed to show up.

The company said it decided to break its silence after series of reports that labelled it as an “oil thief”, even when no judi-

cial pronouncement had been made against it, as keeping silent on the reports and allegations might be mistaken for admission of guilt.

Chukwu maintained that Capital oil’s current travails started after a petition dated September 25, 2012, when the presidential committee requested the assistance of the SFU to investigate subsidy claims by Capital Oil and Gas Industries.

The committee, he said, claimed that it was carrying out a 100 per cent verification of shore tank certificates and sales proceeds for all 2011 premium

motor spirit (PMS) imports under the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) scheme.

He said the committee also claimed that it had engaged the services of auditors, Ernst & Young, to conduct a field examination of oil marketing and trading companies using an approved audit framework, adding that based on the invitation, and coupled with the committee’s alleged irregularities in “several of the company’s transactions, “our MD, Ubah, on October 9, honoured the invitation by the SFU, but ended up being detained till October 19.”

28—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

BRIEF

BY FELIX E. AYANRUOH

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he Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, one of the world’s worst petroleum disasters in recent history will be remembered for a long to come. This disaster was caused by explosions at a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit in the Macondo Prospect; a seabed located about 41miles off the southeast coast of Louisiana in the United States.

The rig was owned and operated by Transocean, the world’s largest offshore drilling contractor. Flagged in the Marshall Island, and leased to British Petroleum (BP), one of the world’s largest energy companies, operator and majority interest holder in the Macondo prospect well located in theMississippi Canyon Block 252 in the Gulf of Mexico. BP employed several service contractors to help in the development of block 252.

This spill like several spills across the globe called to questions the issues of liabilities and indemnification among others. One of the most interesting and challenging aspects negotiating and drafting International Petroleum Service Contracts revolves around the relationship between the operating oil company and service contractors on the one hand and liability/Indemnification issues on the other.

Whilst these two, often conflicting, principles are generally understood within the international petroleum industry, the question arises as to whether indemnification clause in service contract in favor of the company for tortuous acts committed by the contractors is permissible by law.

Service contractors are the engine that drives petroleum exploration and development around the world, and it is also a high risk activity. Major international petroleum companies depend on oilfield service contractors to provide specialized services and technology, which supports petroleum production both onshore and offshore, and includes drilling and related services. In practice, service contractors or individuals work as independent contractors.

This means that although they are engaged by the operating companies, they do not work under their control. Within the context of BP’s contractual relationship with its service contractors lies an independent contractor’s relationship The freedom to enter into a contractual relationship in hydrocarbon development is both moral and profound. It can be effectively argued that the uniformity of terms of contract usually recurring in a service contract is an important factor in calculating risks. Unforeseeable factors causing tortuous acts and liability issues such as the alleged actions of Transocean,

Kaztec Engineering es estt ablishes R& D unit

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•Oil spill

Oil Spill: Need for liability, indemnification clauses in contracts and other service contractors can be effectively taken care of.

However, the Machondo service contract did not provide for, the senior supervisory personnel in operators limitation of liability is. This omission was one of the major contentious issues before the courts.

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he principle of indemni ty under common law doctrine allows liabilities to be transferred from one party to another. This clause makes the party giving the indemnity liable to pay compensation for loss or damage that arises from a specific event. It is a means of shifting the financial consequences of an event to another party.

The allocating of risk and liability is generally addressed in the liability and indemnity clause of service contracts. A balanced risk, liability and management clause should not be one sided. The liability and indemnity clause includes a list of those liabilities which will be assumed, an undertaking of liability by one party to the contract, and the limits on any liability assumed. As a general rule, an operator is not liable for injury to the employees of an independent contractor.

Responsibility is resolved by looking into the express term in the contract and identifying the assuming party under the circumstance. Suffice it to state; however, that fault based

indemnity cannot be completely avoided. Furthermore, it can be negotiated with other terms in the contract.

Indemnity provision in service agreement may also take the form of either held harmless and defend or exculpatory or release from liability clause which limits or exclude a party from liability of its own tortuous act. Exculpatory clause in contracts cannot and should not shield a party contractually from liability for gross negligence.

The courts have consistently held that indemnity provisions that are contrary to public policy are unenforceable. Consequently, parties relying on indemnification clauses have the burden of proving that they are not at fault. That is, the contracts are enforceable before the court of law. While a party may not be primarily liable in a culpable sense, he is liable by contract if the parties have bargained for the terms of indemnity and there is no disparity in bargain power or undue influence.

A body of jurisprudence relating to liability/indemnity clauses is of the view that agreements that impose liability different from that provided by the law should be strictly construed against the drafting party.

Negotiation of enforceable contractual indemnities is a significant part of risk man-

agement in petroleum development and also a difficult task. Understanding the contractual relationship between an operating oil company and a service contractor is seminal in negotiating and drafting service contracts with enforceable indemnity provisions.

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ne has to look whether or not if the service contractor is an independent contractor or agent to the operating oil company. Once it is determine that the relationship is one of independent contractor with no imputed responsibility, the next issue will be transfer of liability from one party to the other.

Furthermore, it is also valid to determine the relevant public interest, the conflict between the interest and the contract in question. In deciding public interest, the courts have consistently looked to anti-indemnity provisions as well as acts that injure the public welfare or interest, or are contrary to public decency, sound policy, and good morals.

Proper negotiation and drafting of indemnity clause can be beneficial to both operating companies and service contractors. Operating companies like BP should be vigilant of model contracts that hold operators solely responsible and assume liability for all consequences relating to oil development and exploitation.

AZTEC Engineering Ltd, a leading company in the fabrication of drilling and production platforms and other specialised structures for the oil and gas industry, has announced the establishment of a Research and Development Division, to meet the ever-growing demands of the petroleum industry. Kaztec is a subsidiary of the Chrome Group, a leading West African oil and gas conglomerate.

Accordingly, the firm also announced the appointment of Dr. Njideka Kelley, as the new head of the R&D division, adding that the role of the Division will be to explore new methods for manufacturing and maintaining pipelines both locally and internationally.

Kelley, who is the founder of New Generation Consulting Resources and Solutions Ltd, said, “As a learning organisation, Kaztec is constantly improving its techniques, learning from its experiences and creating solutions for the future. We are promoting learning and leadership throughout the organisation where everyone works toward a shared vision and individuals more readily accept responsibility for their actions.”

Initial plans are for Kaztec to sponsor research into the use of specific materials and technologies for solving leak problems in pipelines. After developing new leak prevention and repair techniques, its engineers will promote the use of these materials and technologies throughout the Nigerian/ West African pipeline integrity and maintenance industry.

To expand its knowledge base, a delegation from Kaztec recently participated in the 2012 Global Pipeline Construction, Integrity & Maintenance Conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, UAE. The conference was supported by the Pipeline Association of Nigeria, PLAN, and Pipeline Technology Centre, Brazil.

Pipelines move nearly twothirds of the oil and gas products that are transported annually worldwide. With Kaztec’s Research and Development Division, the company plans to strengthen its position as a leader in pipelines manufacturing, installation and maintenance across the petroleum industry value chain.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012—27

FG fast-track electricity export across W/Africa •As Jonathan signs Mambilla, Zungeru hydro contracts

BY OSCARLINE ONWUEMENYI

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HE Federal govern ment has announced its desire to fast-track regional interconnection projects that would boost its generation and transmission capacities and drive economic growth across the West African region.

The former Minister of State for Power, Mr. Darius Ishaku, who stated this in an address at the 7th General Assembly of the

West Africa Power Pool, in Abuja, said government had begun work on the reinforcement of transmission interconnection between Nigeria and Niger Republic, as well as the construction of the second 330KV Transmission Interconnection between Nigeria and Benin.

He added that the North Corridor Project to develop a 330KV transmission interconnection between Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso was

also to be included in the updated Master plan.

The minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Dere Awosika, disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan would this week sign the contracts for the development of Zungeru and Mambilla Hydroelectric projects, including the study for the implementation of the 765KV Super Grid project.

The President had a few months ago approved the

implementation of the Super Grid transmission infrastructure, which has the capacity to wheel the nation’s power when the 765KV Super Grid is installed.

“This will make Nigeria have a cutting edge technology which even many advanced countries have not yet acquired. As a government, we are determined to be proactive. Yet, we have resisted the temptation to roll out the drums because Nigeria is still far

from where the administration would like it to be, in terms of electricity,” the minister said.

He added that, “In support of reinforcement of interconnection with Niger, the Transmission Company of Nigeria has started reinforcement of the Kainji-Birnin Kebbi transmission line and the upgrading of the Birnin-Kebbi substation.

“On completion, this interconnection would be capable of supporting the electricity export for the North Corridor Project. On the inter power pool level, Nigeria is highly interested in the development of the Calabar-Inga interconnection project that will link the West Africa Power Pool and East Africa Power Pool.”

The Minister also noted that the updated ECOWAS Master Plan identified projects that will reinforce the transmission interconnections and provide additional generation capacities.

“An interesting aspect of the Master Plan is the recommendation that five percent of the national generation should be derived from renewable energy by the year 2020. I think it is about time that West African nations utilize the

abundant solar and wind resources at their disposal. Nigeria, as a matter of fact, is working with relevant agencies to surpass this mandate,” he said.

He observed that the WAPP General Assembly was taking place at a time the power sector in Nigeria is undergoing thorough transformation. “The transformation is specifically towards solving the electricity supply deficit that has bedeviled the country for decades,” she added.

According to him, the recent increase in tariff for electric power through the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO II) was “a bold move that sent strong signals to potential investors especially the Integrated Power Projects (IPPs), which contributes about 50 percent of electricity generation in the country.”

Also speaking at the event, the out-going Chairman of WAPP Executive Board, Dr. Joseph Makoju, noted that the body has been entrusted by the European Union with the responsibility for developing cross border electrification projects between several countries, which has resulted in the implementation of the Ghana-Togo and Ghana-Burkina Faso projects.

Manitoba frustrated over TCN mgt •Says company is insolvent

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

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HE management con tractor for the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, Manitoba Hydro International of Canada, has expressed regrets over the challenges which contributed to the delays in its takeover of the operations of the company.

The Chief Executive Officer of Manitoba Hydro, Mr. Don Priestman, who spoke with journalists at the background of the 7th General Assembly of the West Africa Power Pool, WAPP, in Abuja, said that they were still waiting for the federal government to put in place the schedule for delegated authority.

According to Priestman, the first month, August, was a transition month and according to the contract, starting the September 1, 2012 the schedule of delegated authority should have been issued, which C M Y K

would have given Manitoba full authority to run the TCN. He said, “But that has not happened. It is unfortunate; I think you will have to ask the authorities why not. We are ready and keen to proceed. We have the people and resources here to do the work and we know what to do. Note that we have done something similar in other countries with great success.

“So, we hope there won’t be much more delay before we can start doing what we came here to do. We have been working with our counterparts we have been getting to know all of the players. We now understand all of the issues much better and there are many, many challenges so it hasn’t been entirely wasted time that’s for sure. However, we came here to do a job and its difficult to do a job when you are not in charge,” he stated.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012—29

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

N

IGERIA’S current proven oil reserves as at January 1, 2012 stands at 36.2 billion barrels, thus making it the second largest oil producer in Africa, after Libya, with an average production capacity of 2.5 million barrels per day as at the end of the Third Quarter of 2012.

However, as of January 1, 2011 there were 37.2 billion barrels of proven oil reserves in the country averaging 2.28 million barrels per day in 2006.

Nigeria is the world’s eighth largest exporter of crude oil, which accounts for 95 per cent of its export revenues, and sends about 43 per cent of its exports to the United States.

According to the Director of Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Mr. Osten Olorunshola, recently journalists, “Our national reserves situation as at January 1, 2012 which we normally quote as at January 1 of any particular year.

Reserves don’t change every day and this is a global practice so that they can bench mark across the whole world where ever hydrocarbons are.

“So as at today January 1,

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Nigeria’s oil reserves stands at 36.2bn barrels •Gas flare drops to 18 per cent 2012 our total liquid that is, condensate plus oil, crude oil reserves is 36.2 billion barrels and gas is 183 trillion cubic feet, that is associated and non-associated.

“Crude oil production and I am reporting average as at the end of Q3. I’m not reporting a daily production figure neither am I reporting Q3 average. I’m reporting average from January to end of Q3 and that gives you roughly about 2.5 million barrels per day which is slightly above the country’s target budgeted for revenue for this year,” he said.

The DPR boss explained that Usan field development came on stream in April with the capacity to process 180,000 barrels per day.

According to him, “Early in the year, precisely in April Usan field development was put in production, very deep

water with the capacity to process 180,000 barrels per day. It is still going through its final phases of commissioning.

“As you know, a brand new machine like this takes quit a lot of time to make sure that every module is working as installed not because of safety alone but also to be sure that those who provided them actually provided the right thing and if they don’t work as installed, we will send it back again into the factory and quite a lot of all those module do have guarantee periods and if you don’t test them within those periods, well whatever happens then you are on your own.

“That is happening right now, the field is doing well above 100,000 as at today so it is a success story.”

Commenting on gas flaring, Olorunshola said that flaring

SEOF donates $10m books, computers, others to Nigerian institutions

BY YEMIE ADEOYE

in the country had dropped to 18 per cent against 25 per cent flared at the end of last year.

“Flaring has dropped. We used to have roughly about 25 per cent of our gas flared as at the end of last year, but it has now dropped to 18 per cent.

“Gas, like you know is becoming very exciting both in terms of development and revenue generation.

“We are actively working towards what is called a Gas Network Code which is purely a protocol that is going to regulate how the players as well as the molecules interplay within the pipelines. We are also going to regulate that, we are just trying to conclude the codes as we speak, together with NNPC,” he said.

To enhance its over sight functions, the DPR boss explained that the Department has invested in real time monitoring.

At the second phase of the Annual Books and other Educational Materials Distribution, the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, SEOF, and its partner, BooKs for Africa, BFA, recently donated study materials including, textbooks, computers among others valued about $10million to educational institutions in Nigeria.

Recipients of the study materials, which were widely published in the national dailies, include primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, states and community libraries in all the sixgeopolitical zones in the country.

The items were shipped into the country in 16, 40 feet containers, which is twice the amount donated in June 2011, valued at approximately $5million.

The Founder, SEOF, Sir Emeka Offor, who is also the Chairman of the Chrome Group, said, the donation was one of the ways his organisation was giving back to the people, adding that the giving back will continue, and even beyond the shores of Nigeria.

30—Vanguard , TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

I

N life, it has been established that getting to the top is always very difficult. But sustaining the position at the top is always tougher. When you are at the top, you are envied by all, afterall everybody wants to be their. So the competition is always tougher when you are their. Don’t forget that what goes up must always come down. So you are expected to come down or crash down to give other the opportunity to feel the hot spot, even if it for ones. This is why people go the whole hug to pull others down. Everything could be applied to cut short such reign. But in the case of Toyota Hiace bus in Nigeria, it seems that this rule does not apply. The Hiace had maintained its place as number one mini bus in the country since it set its feet on Nigerian soil. Even when other bus makers try to copy the Hiace, they had ended up, not meeting the Hiace quality and performance. One area they have tried to match is the design.

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nfact, the design of the Toyota Hiace has been copied to the extent that one would tend to think that every mini bus in that segment today is a Hiace, yet they are far from matching the Hiace’s

Toyota Hiace, the trail-blazer pedigree.

Vanguard Motoring investigation to unravel the secret behind the Hiace dominance of the segment revealed that the Hiace commuter is designed from

the ground up to match today’s active lifestyles and come loaded with features to make driving more comfortable, stylish and enjoyable.”

The Toyota Hiace comes in

Mercedes-Benz Actros world's safest Truck T

HERE is no reinventing the wheels, rather, technological advancements would continue to make the difference. Active Brake Assist 3: emergency braking before obstacles from Mercedes Benz has placed the Mercedes Truck, Actros ahead of others in terms of safety. This new technology was demonstrated to journalists from across the world recently in Germany by the world leading truck manufacturer – Mercedes Benz.

The new Actros is not only more efficient but

also safer. Regarded as the safest truck in the world, the latest version goes one step further with the next generation of unique Active Brake Assist 3. The emergency braking system is capable of independently initiating hard braking before stationary obstacles. This, not only enables the Actros to reduce the consequences of a rear end accident as before but, depending on the speed travelled, to even avoid such accident’s occurring in the first place, thus achieving yet another mile-stone in truck safety standards.

The flagship of the Mercedes Benz trucks, the Actros is not only the safest truck but also the current holder of “Truck of the Year title, 2012”. This was handed over to the Actros by an international jury of trade journalists because of its high standard of comfort, driving dynamics and efficiency.

wide and super long or standard long body styles, with strong engines that guaranty reward on your investments. This must have informed why many transporter, corporate bodies, individual have found the Toyota Hiace as the number one choice despite its price difference when compare to other buses in its segment.

According to Toyota, “Hiace gives you a choice of engines to suit your lifestyle needs, offering a superb balance of performance and economy.

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lthough, the Hiace come in four engine variants including 2.7 litre gasoline engine, 2.5 litre common rail direct injector turbo diesel, 3.0 litre common rail directinjection turbo diesel, and 3.0 litre diesel powerhouse engine, the 2.7 litre gasoline is the most popular in the Nigerian market. The gasoline engine with excellent low- and mid-range power features VVT-i (Variable Valve Timingintelligent) and balancer shaft for smoother acceleration and quieter cabin.

The Toyota Hiace reliability stands it out amongs its peers, if there is even any.

Ruggedly built for years of reliable service, Hiace has proven itself on roads around the world. Designed to be tough and durable from the ground up, its dependability is legendary. Toyota carefully assembled the various parts to keep the Hiace as a true

market leader.

Starting from the suspension which is double-wishbone torsion bar spring in front and leaf spring at the rear to provide optimum straight line stability, ride comfort and versatile load-carrying capacity, the Hiace boasts of body rigidity which guarantees minimal transmission of vibration to the cabin. Even the manual transmission has been tuned for optimum shifting ease, offering outstanding durability. Corrosion-resistant material are used in key areas throughout the vehicle to provide long lasting protection against rust and corrosion.

The Hiace high safety standard has endeared it to many who value safety. Antilock Brake System (ABS), Dual Front SRS (Supplementary Restraint System) airbags, crumple zone construction, Whiplash Concept Seat design, etc are some of the safety features of the Hiace.

Inside the Hiace, comfort and confidence go hand in hand. The cabin environment is designed to make every trip a pleasure. Starting from the dashboard to audio system, climate controls and other cabin amenities, the Hiace personifies comfort.

The spacious interior too, makes every ride in the Hiace pleasureable while the last seat row can be adjusted to take extra luggage if need be.

Vanguard , TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012—31

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HIS car is for those who love power. I don’t mean political power, mind you. I mean the power to push ahead of others. The Ford F150 Pickup aptly reflects Ford Motors’ pay-off, “Built Tough”. It is unarguably one of the toughest pickups ever built in its generation. From ground up, the F150 is built with strong and quality materials to handle toughest tasks.

Available in four engine variants, the Ford F150 Pickup meets the demands of most car freaks. These engines have been described as bestin-class in their various categories which have informs the choice of the F150 as the choice pickup in the United States and most parts of the world.

Imagine the F150 with bestin-class horsepower 6.2 litre 2-Valve V8 engine that deliver 411 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 434 Lb-FT @ 4500 rpm. What about thebest-in class torque of 420 LBFt with available 3.5 litre EcoBoost.

And when you talk about fuel economy too, the F150 has the 3.7 litre v6 powerplant with best-in-class Mpg: 17 city/23 highway/19 combine.

The F150 also has the bestin-class towing capability of 11,300 Lbs, standard trailer control, as well as available trailer brake controller, rear view camera and telescoping trailer tow mirrors. It also boasts best-payload of 3,120 Lbs, best-in-class cargo box volume of 81.3 Cu ft and is best overall – EcoBoost which no competitor can beat (16 city/22 highway/18 combine

Ford F150, power unlimited Mpg) Available record shows that the F150 is the first and only truck to combine best-inclass maximum towing capacity of up to 11,300 lbs in every cab type, the stabilization technology of standard trailer sway control, and an integrated trailer brake controller offering you a level of towing confidence.

The standard hill start assist helps prevent the vehicle from rolling back on a grade by momentarily maintaining

brake pressure until the engine delivers enough torque to move the truck up the hill.

T

he F150 six-speed select-shift automatic transmission features a progressive range select mode, you can use to lock-out upper gears for better performance when the truck is heavily loaded or when towing on grades.

Built tough with rugged

underpinnings, the F150 boasts double-wishbone, coil over shock absorbers and twostage variable-rated rear leaf springs. The electronic shifton-the fly 4x4, electroniclocking rear differential, underbody skid plates and front tow hooks keep you on top in off-road challenges.

Though a pickup or truck as you may chose to call the F150, it offers you the safety, comfort, and handling of a premium sedan on-road and

Volvo FMX Truck, built on safety value T

RUCK safety and driver security are two of most important health issues today.

Every year around 1.2 million people die in road accidents in the world, and The World Health Organization has said that vehicle traffic is the fastest-growing threat to human health.

However, the future is not as dark as it may seem. Steps are already being taken by politicians, public authorities and vehicle manufacturers in the world regarding road safety. They recognize that something has to be done if the number of accidents is to drop. A call for road safety, vehicle safety and safer behavior in traffic has been heard, but these changes need to be taken together; no one

•Volvo FMX Truck company or authority can accomplish them alone.

According to Volvo, “Our trucks safety is of utmost concern to us, but we also work with our customers and authorities to take a

greater responsibility for road safety.”

The founders of Volvo - Assar Gabrielsson & Gustaf Larson - stated already in 1927, when the company was founded: “An automobile is made by and for

people. The basic principle for all manufacturing is - and must remain Safety.” Safety has been our core value ever since.

We are aware of what we have to do in order to increase road safety, in truck safety and safety for unprotected road-users. We have taken all our knowledge and experience and put them into our safety work, on public roads, test tracks, in research laboratories, in joint partnership organizations, in the media and in the political sphere.

full time off road capability when the need arises. Leather seats, superb cargo space and utmost flexibility could make you forget that you are in a truck when travelling in the F150. The F150 is available in single and double cabins as well as XL, STX and XLT. It also comes in FX2/FX4, Lariat, king Ranch, Platinum, Harley Davidson, and SVT Raptor all with array of features and different levels of luxury.

Wherever traffic safety is discussed, we aim to participate in those discussions, because by doing so we can learn more as we head into the future. Hence volvo is creating trucks that comply with best environment safety like the volvo FMX.

T

he new Volvo FMX is what a premium truck should be like much of the engineering work has been focused on boosting fuel economy, safety, improving the driver ’s working environment and better returns for truck owner.

It has more interior space for the driver and provides better visibility, creates an extra cubic meter of cab space, and one third of which has been given over to more storage.

The cab, reckoned to be stronger than ever, has

better noise insulation, new interior lighting and a more comfortable space for driver’s seat.

A bigger glazing area improves visibility; slimmer mirrors obscure less of the view at junctions.

The underneath covered with metal to protect the engine and have high clearance for our roads.

The new Volvo FMX should handle better, thanks largely to the option of independent front suspension. New telemetry will allow workshops to monitor wear on some key components without seeing the vehicle.

Also, a truck must be able to handle important transport assignments 24 hours a day. It has to be reliable: reliability is the measure of quality in trucks and reliability equals uptime.

32—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Vaccine bombshell:

Monkeys develop autism symptoms after obtaining childhood vaccines

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

F

• A woman undergoing advanced imaging screening for breast cancer with a digital mammography machine. Most cancers are fully treatable if detected early.

OLLOWING a recent study conducted by scientists at the Uni versity of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania which revealed that many infant monkeys given standard doses of childhood vaccines as part of the new research, developed autism symptoms, question marks over the ultimate safety of vaccines have come to the fore.

Research findings presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in London, England, show that young macaque monkeys given the typical CDC-recommended vaccination schedule from the 1990s, and in appropriate doses for the monkeys' sizes and ages, tended to develop autism symptoms.

Their unvaccinated counterparts, on the other hand, developed no such symptoms, which points to a strong connection between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders.

This development which deconstructs mainstream myth that vaccines are safe and pose no risk of autism, was brought on by after studies on the type of proper safety research on typical childhood vaccination schedules that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should have conducted - but never has - for such regimens. Included in the mix were vaccines containing Thimerosal, a toxic, mercury-based compound that has been phased out of some vaccines, but is still present in batch-size influenza vaccines and a few others.

Also administered was the conNCPP, Dr. Kin Egwuonwu, troversial measles, mumps, and cancer is both preventable and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which curable and early detection can has been linked time and time increase the number of survivors. again to causing autism and variBut how true is the statement ous other serious, and often irrein Nigeria when 10 Nigerians die versible health problems in chilevery hour from cancer? And dren. when a Nigerian is diagnosed "This research underscores the of cancer, friends and relatives critical need for more investigaincluding the patient have tion into immunizations, mercury, concluded that the patient is and the alterations seen in aumarking time waiting for the D- tistic children," said Lyn Redday. From the present situation, wood, Director of SafeMinds, a health watchers say the nation public safety group working to may have surrendered to the expose the truth about vaccines cancer scourge.

Also, in an article tagged: “The and autism.

"The full implications of this priSad Truth about Cancer in Nigeria” Prof. Remi Ajekigbe, mate study await publication of Consultant Radiotherapist and the research in a scientific jourOncologist, Lagos University nal, but we can say that it demTeaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, was onstrates how the CDC evaded quoted to have said that 2 million their responsibility to investigate vaccine safety questions," said Continues on Page 33 Wrangham..

Is Nigeria winning the war against cancer?

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

I

T cannot be over emphasised that cancer and its destructive effects are very much in Nigeria.

The scourge and its ravaging effects have long been a recurring decimal and several Nigerian families have experienced the agony of losing relations to the disease.

Sadly, in Nigeria, cancer is seen as a death sentence not only because of the nature of the disease but due to a number of reasons such as lack of awareness on the larger proportion of the populace, lack of information, ill equipped hospitals, lack of manpower, high cost of treatment and fewer treatment centres and lack of will power on the government to implement already made policies to tackle the scourge.

Cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth, invasion that intrudes upon and destroys adjacent tissues, and sometimes metastasis, or spreading to other locations in the body via lymph or blood. There are various types of cancer, cervical, ovarian, breast, lung, cancer of the blood,

• Dr. Patience Osinubi. Head, Cancer Control Programme, FMOH, Abuja.

C M Y K

and prostrate cancers, among others. However, the most common type of cancer in Nigeria today are breast, cervical and ovarian cancer.

There are two major causes of cancer; environmental factor and others caused by hereditary genetic. Some of the common environmental factors leading to cancer as indicated include: tobacco, bad dieting especially calories, infections, radiation, lack of physical activity, and environmental pollutants. These environmental factors, according to experts cause or enhance abnormalities in the genetic material of cells.

Although, cancer has been described as a killer disease, experts say when detected early, patients diagnosed with these cancers may be cured.

Unfortunately, the health seeking behaviour of Nigerians has continued to hinder successful treatment of cancer. According to the Minister of Health, many patients present late to the hospitals.

Presently in Nigeria, cancer incidences are common. No week passes that you do not hear that a Nigerian has died of cancer. Hundreds of thousands are dying silently. Not much appears to have been done to stem the tide of deaths.

Just last week, the minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu disclosed that data collected from 11 Federal tertiary hospitals by the National System of Cancer Registries showed 7,000 new documented cases of cancer which also corresponded with the average estimated 100,000 new cases of cancer reported in Nigeria annually.

From the data, 60 per cent of cancers occur in women and 39.8 per cent in men.

Breast cancer accounts for 40 per cent of women cancers, closely followed by cervical cancer of 17.9 per cent, lymphomas and ovarian cancer are next. “Whereas in men, the commonest reported cancer is prostate cancer which accounts for 29.2 per cent of male cancers, closely followed by colorectal cancer and lymphomas.

Observers say these deaths are unnecessary and untimely. The World Health Organisation, WHO, projects that about 84 million people may die by 2015 if urgent strategies are not implemented to arrest the cancer scourge. Less than three years to 2015, it is indeed worthy of concern and should not be taken for granted by a country like Nigeria.

National Coordinator, National Cancer Prevention Programme,

DNA switch could prevent genetic diseases

S

CIENTISTS have replaced bits of defective DNA in a human egg with the equivalent DNA from a healthy egg, a technique that could prevent women from passing on several rare and potentially deadly disorders to Scientists have developed a technique that could prevent women from passing on several rare and potentially deadly disorders to their children.

In a laboratory test, eggs containing the transplanted DNA got properly fertilised, and many went on to yield healthy human embryos. The latest study is an extension of a 2009 experiment performed by the same team on monkeys.

The monkey experiment was taken one step further and led to live births. In the latest study, published in Nature, scientists say those animals, now three years old, are alive and well.

"We expect to be in clinical trials in two or three years," said Shoukhrat Mitalipov, a development biologist at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Ore., and a lead author of the study, carried out mainly by researchers from OHSU. The experiment represents a big step toward treating a range of incurable maladies known as mitochondrial disease. Most of a person's genetic code sits in the nucleus of the cell and is made up of an equal contribution from the father and mother.

However, tiny structures floating elsewhere in the cell, known Continues on Page 33

Vanguard, TUESD AY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012—33 TUESDA

Traditional treatment Option 3: Radiation

T

HIS form of treatment uses high doses of radiation to essentially kill any existing cancer cells. We are all familiar with radiation. Every time we have an x-ray we are subjected to low-dose radiation. I learned that there are two forms of radiation therapy used to treat cancer: Patients are either given external beam radiation, which is simply radiation that is aimed at the specifi c cancer area by a machine outside your body, or internal radiation, which is administered inside your body through a capsule or liquid that is targeted to the specifi c cancer site. Patients can be given both types of radiation, or radiation therapy can also be used in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy.

While the theory behind radiation sounds simple and even harmless since it is designed to merely killing off existing cancer cells, the truth is radiation therapy may cause not only immediate side eff ects such as weakness and vomiting, but the majority of side eff ects can occur months and even years after treatment.

Side eff ects of radiation are generally divided into the following three categories:

DNA switch Continued from Page 32 as mitochondria, also contain a few genes that are inherited exclusively from the mother.

Genetic mutations in the mitochondria can spur ailments in various organs.

Children can be born suffering severe conditions, including diabetes, deafness, dementia and heart disease.

1. Acute (occurring 1-6 weeks after treatment) 2. Early delayed injury (3 weeks to several months following treatment) 3. Late delayed injury (months to years after radiation) Delayed toxic eff ects seem to be more severe and usually irreversible.

In some cases, radiation has caused such serious conditions as spontaneous collapse of the lungs, mesothelioma (cancer in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs) and even lung cancer. When used in conjunction with other forms of treatment such as surgery or chemotherapy, radiation

Julia Oyefunke Fortune

The Cancer

FIGHTER

juliafortune@hotmail.com

therapy can cause thymic cysts, calcifi ed lymph nodes, and esophageal injuries.

Radiation can cause long-term heart problems such as premature narrowing or restriction of the arteries, hardening of the aorta, infl ammation of the pericardium (a thin fi brous membrane sac that surrounds the heart,) damage to the heart valves and such things as heart murmurs or fluttering.

My own studies also suggested that

women who undergo thoracic irradiation before the age of 30 have an increased risk of developing a second breast cancer.

While radiation-induced sarcomas (cancers) are relatively infrequent (about 5 percent of all patients receiving radiation will develop these secondary cancers,) they are a defi nite possibility and typically 85 percent of patients developing these cancers are then given a poor prognosis for recovery.

Is Nigeria winning the cancer war?

Continues from Page 32 cancer cases are recorded in Nigeria and out of the figure, 10 percent or about 200,000 have access to hospitals with radiotherapy facilities. About 5 percent of this number i.e. 10,000 have resources to go abroad where they pay between $10,000 – $15,000 per patient for a 35weeks course of radiotherapy.

He also observed that Nigeria’s mortality and morbidity statistics for cancer are high, due to the ‘late presentation syndrome’ involving 83-87 percent of cancer patients, running up bills of N150,000 to N350,000 every three weeks, for as long as the patient survives.

Experts have predicted that by 2020, the number of cancer patients in Nigeria is going to rise from 24 million to 42 million as speculated 21 years ago. It is also feared that by same 2020, death rates from cancer in Nigerian males and females may reach 72.7/100,000 and 76/100,000 respectively.

Again, with a dismal public health infrastructure and late detection of the various cancers, critical observers say this has led to worrisome increase in the mortality. The dilemma faced by cancer patients is not only on the cost of treatment but the fact that the country has only about 200 oncologists with a handful of centres exclusively focused on cancer treatment and research. This alone suggests that cancer should be seen as a major health problem that requires urgent attention in Nigeria.

The Federal Government had in 2008 established a 5-Year Nigeria Cancer Control Plan, (2008 – 2013), on advocacy and awareness creation, cancer prevention, early detection through regular screening and cancer management. Unfortunately, observers say Nigerians are yet to reap the benefit of this plan four years after the establishment of the Plan.

However, despite these efforts, many Nigerians believe that cogent requirements have sadly not been met.

For instance, they emphasise the importance of certain drugs needed in the management of cancer. These drugs and those needed as palliatives, especially morphines, are not readily available.

From the forgoing, it has become imperative for the country to move away from mere rhetoric and settle down for real business of implementation of the various cancer policies.

Certain factors should be put in place, to meet the challenges and diagnoses of the different forms of cancer. One of these factors should be the establishment of adequate cancer screening centres across the country.

Another requirement would be for these cancer-screening centres to be wellequipped to meet the challenges of diagnosis and management of the disease.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

H

AVE used different types of drugs for my erectile dysfunction and they don’t take effect until 24 hours later. Even with that, my erection will not be strong enough. I am 58 years and I have been a diabetic for over 32 years. Please recommend a drug that will not have side effects on my health. Thank you – James Dear James, diabetics typically suffer from weak erection because of the drugs they take for their diabetes.

The moment you stop taking your diabetic drugs, those erection drugs you are taking will work better. But then you cannot risk your health to get a good erection so I don’t advice you to stop taking your diabetes medication.

This is what you should do. Take a stronger erection supplement that works for 72 hours (an example of which is Sex Voltz) and take it 24 hours before intercourse.

This means that if you want to have sex tomorrow, take Sex Voltz today.

That way by the time you are ready for intercourse, the effect would have kicked in and the medicine will work for you for three days.

Body types are different and as you can see; your body takes 24 hours to register the effect of any aphrodisiac you take. Secondly, when you get the required erection, wear a Cockring during intercourse to ensure you don’t lose it. Cockrings are cheap and reusable. Purrfect Pet Cockring is very good for maintaining erections. Follow these instructions and get back to me. You will notice a much improved erection and performance as well – Uche My wife and I are having problems. I work hard and do my best to provide a good life for my family. But my wife is easily intimidated by other people’s success. She is always talking about what her friends are buying and where they travel to. She talks as if her own life is rubbish. I don’t know what to do. I don’t have Dangote’s kind of money but we are okay. This woman won’t stop complaining- Francis Dear Francis, some people are like that. Jealousy and

dissatisfaction are character flaws that only the person involved can correct. If your wife is not willing to make this correction, nothing you tell her will help. I suggest you keep doing your best for your family and letting your wife know that she ought to be grateful for the success that God has given your family.

Some people complain that they do not have enough shoes but there are also people who don’t even have legs. Humans do better when they appreciate their own blessings – Uche I bought the V Gel vagina Tightening Cream and the Swiss Navy 2 in 1 orgasm Gel. I have used only one of them at a time but I want to be able to use both in order to enjoy the full effects of arousal and vagina tightening. Is it possible? Nneka Yes it is possible. First you apply the tightening cream inside, wipe your fingers and then apply the arousal cream on the clitoris alone. They both will work to give you the required results – Uche I have been using the Stay Hard Delay cream for premature ejaculation and it has been working too well. I am worried about side effects since I use it all the time – Kissinger Stay Hard Delay Cream is a topical gel that can be used as many times as you want. It has absolutely no side effects and always wears off after some minutes of application – Uche I am liking the results of the Maximus Penis Enlargement Cream. I want to order again - Mazi That’s great. It is a good product – Uche That’s it for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08191978308 or 08027901621 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria.

For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

34—Vanguard, TUESD AY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 TUESDA

AGPMPN bemoans paltry allocation to health

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

L

AGOS State chapter of the Association of General Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN has bemoaned the current 6.04 per cent allocation to Health in the 2013 Budget, arguing that it is far from the World Health Organisation, WHO, standard.

Meanwhile, the Association has thrown its weight behind the Lagos state’s government’s programmes to ensure zero infant and maternal morbidity and mortality.

In a media chat, the Chairman, Dr. Adeyeye Jimmy Arigbabuwo, expressed worry that with such allocation, attainment of MDGs 4 and 5 will be a mirage, and called on Federal Government to urgently increase the budgetary allocation to the health sector.

Citing Ghana, which presently has 8 per cent budgetary allocation to health, Arigbabuwo said Nigeria, can still do better, especially in view of the country’s unacceptable high maternal/infant mortality ratios. “We are more interested in the horizontal and vertical rational distribution and allocation with emphasis on primary care, especially the level at which secondary and tertiary complications are prevented.”

Commending the Lagos State Government on its newly launched Maternal and Child Mortality Reduction Programme, the Chairman who pledged the association’s support, said it would partner with the government in the distribution of the Mother and Child Booklets free of charge, adding, that they would actively participate in all steps that would reduce morbidity and mortality in the state.”

He noted that the programme would guarantee the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, 4&5, aimed at reducing child mortality rate by two-thirds and three quarters of the maternal mortality ratio as well as achieve universal access to reproductive health by 2015.

The 2nd Vice Chairman, Dr. Gani Salaudeen, said all over the world, medical doctors only have the right to prescribe drugs because of their training and skill, but presently in Nigeria, laboratory scientists, pharmacists, traditional herbalists, among others prescribe drugs with severe consequences.

“This is in contrast with what is obtainable in the United State, US, and the United Kingdom, UK, where except for over-the-counter, OTC drugs, no pharmacy or drug store would sell drugs without prescription,” Salaudeen added.

He said limiting the right to medical doctors only would sanitise the

• From left: Ms. Leyla Rzakulieva, Exxon Mobil Global Manager, Upstream Public Affairs; Mr. Kenny Obateru, Manager, Public Affairs Department, National Petroleum Investment Management Service; Mr. Mark Ward, Managing Director, ExxonMobil Affiliates in Nigeria;Deacon Timothy Oladele, National Vice President, Nigerian Red Cross Society, and Abdul-Rasheed Onibudo, Branch Chairman, Nigeria Red Cross Society, during ExxonMobil’s N80 million donation to flood victims in Lagos last week.

Drug counterfeiting: Orhii sends SOS to WHO

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

W

ITH $200 billion counterfeit drugs in circulation globally, DirectorGeneral of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii has

GSK introduces Physiogel Lotion for improved skin care

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

P

ERSONS with dry and sensitive skin and those concerned about restoring their skin balance ,can now heave a sigh of relief with the introduction of Physiogel skin lotion into the Nigerian market from the stable of GlaxoSmithKline Nigeria Plc. Physiogel lotion is a hypoallergenic, moisturising cream that helps balance the skin’s inadequate supply of essential nutrients for protection against free radicals and negative environmental influences to prevent premature

aging. It also helps reduce itching, skin irritation and redness.

Clinically proven to relieve symptoms of atopic dermatitis like redness, itching and dryness, the lotion, among other benefits aids protection of the skin from free radicals, regeneration of the skin’s protective barrier and relief of redness in dry, sensitive skin.

At the media launch in Lagos last week, Managing Director, GSK Pharmaceutical, Anglophone West Africa, Mr. Lekan Asuni, said Physiogel has come to the rescue of persons with dry and sensitive skin as it is formulated to protect and restore skin

• Managing Director, GSK Pharmaceutical, Anglophone West Africa, Mr. Lekan Asuni (3rd right) with guests and GSK officials during the official media launch of Physiogel lotion in Lagos last week. Photo: Sola Ogundipe

barriers.

He described Physiogel is an innovative, long-lasting skin lotion specially formulated to help repair, rehydrate and revitalise dull, dehydrated and itchy skin.

Asuni, in his brief, said the introduction of Physiogel was in line with the company’s dedication to innovation and customer care.

“As one of the leading researchbased pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, we are committed to innovations and meeting needs of Nigerian consumers through production of quality products configured to revolutionise the industry and expand its scope.”

The Marketing Director, GSK, Mr. Grant Onedo observed that dry skin requires special care and use of cleansers and moisturisers to meet individual needs.

“To address this need, Physiogel is formulated with a special technology, called DermaMembrane-Structure, DMS, that is designed to mimic the skin.

“It really hydrates the skin and soothes instantly. The lotion is of a unique formula and contains natural lipids that mimic those found in the epidermis and therefore regenerates the skin lipid barrier. This enables it fight the skin from losing moisture and protects from environmental triggers.

urged the World Health Organisation, WHO, the developed countries and stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry across the globe to actively support the proposed Member-States Mechanism for combating substandard, spurious, falselylabeled, falsified and counterfeit medical products.

Also, the Agency has taken its product monitoring surveillance to the on going Lagos International Trade Fair.

Orhii who chaired one of the sessions of the 5-day 15th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities, ICDRA held in Tallin, Estonia, noted that the international community should consider the menace of counterfeit drugs from strictly public health perspective.

He further enjoined them to join forces in tackling the problem as a global challenge not just an issue for developing countries.

He posited that the ICDRA should include information sharing, intelligence gathering monitoring and surveillance, developing new tools of detecting, preventing and controlling counterfeits as well as capacity building.

“NAFDAC is currently spearheading local and international collaboration against drug counterfeiting particularly within Sub-Saharan Africa in addition to other well coordinated and multifaceted strategies to combat the problem.”

The Director-General commended the thought provoking presentation by Head of Drug Control Board of Sierra Leone, Mr. Johnson Wiltshire and other speakers from over 100 Countries who participated at the ICDRA Conference.

Meanwhile, NAFDAC has taken its product monitoring surveillance to the Lagos International Trade Fair

• From left: Mr. Oladimeji Oduyebo, Corporate Services Manager Fidson Healthcare Plc. with Dr. Yinka Akindayomi Director of Service and Mr Tunde Adunola, Head of PreSchool Unit, both of Children Developmental Centre, Surulere, Lagos during Fidson's presentation of a cheque to the centre recently .

Vanguard, TUESD AY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 35 TUESDA

Laparoscopic surgery:

Minimal access, maximum assets

• Minimal scar (top) from Laparoscopic surgery, also called minimally invasive surgery, minimal access surgery, or keyhole surgery (right).

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

O

NCE upon a time, quite a number of gynaecological surgeries done in the country was through cutting wide open the abdomen to get access to the ovaries, womb, uterus, or fallopian tubes amongst others can now be done laparoscopically.

In the past, this technique was not so readily available, but today, the feasibility of laparoscopic or "key hole" surgery in Nigerian hospitals has taken root.

Laparoscopic surgery or “minimally invasive” surgery is fast gaining ground in Nigeria just like the rest of the world. It is cheaper, less complex and presumed safer than open access surgery and, hence, brightened the future of obstetric surgery.

The Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, OAUTHC, Ile Ife, Osun State is one of the pioneers of this technique in government hospitals in the country.

Dr. Segun Badejoko, of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, OAUTHC, has performed at least 46 laparoscopic surgeries at the institution.

"We can now use laparoscopy to do virtually everything done through open surgery in gynaecology previously," he remarked in a chat.

"From operation of the uterus fibroid to operation for fallopian tubes blockage difficulty in getting pregnant due to tube blockage, or at the early stage of ovarian cancer, the patient can be operated upon laparoscopically. If the womb has to be removed for any reason, it can be done laproscopically. It is something that is quite useful and the future of practice in gynecologist is brighter."

Badejoko opines that the trauma of opening somebody up with a wide incision and the challenge of recovery after the procedure, makes laparoscopy a very welcome modality.

"The opening is minimal just like a key hole and it allows body recover much faster unlike opening the womb through the

Pradaxa raises more safety concerns on blood clotting

S

AFETY concerns about the new anti-clotting drug, Pradaxa, have not abated, particularly as it has been linked to more than 500 deaths. When it was approved in October 2010, it was hailed as the first in a new category of replacements for Warfarin, the nearly 60year-old drug used to prevent strokes in people with a heart-rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation.

But almost as soon as doctors started prescribing it, concerns surfaced about its safety. The drug was identified as the primary suspect in 542 patient deaths reported to the F.D.A. in 2011, and was linked to more reports of injury or death than any of the more than 800 drugs regularly monitored by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a nonprofit based in Pennsylvania that monitors medicine safety.

Experts are shocked Pradaxa was approved even though no antidote is available. Critics say at least until an antidote is found, better disclosure may be preferable.

Boehringer Ingelheim is expected to present several new studies of Pradaxa's safety and efficacy - including potential antidotes - at the American Heart Association scientific conference in Los Angeles.

Zumbathon: Dancing against cancer normal traditional method, such patient would have been on admission for five to seven days but in laparoscopy, the patient smiles home the following day or the same day.

Badejoko who joined OAUTHC in July 2011, notes that one of the commonest gynaecological problems diagnosed and treated laparoscopically is infertility.

"Many patients come here due to inability to conceive. The most

• Minimal access equipment common cause of infertility often in our environment is when the tubes are blocked due to infections and the advantage of laparoscopy is that when you use it to diagnose, you can also use it to treat.

"Another common problem is fibroid. We are able to operate laparoscopically on fibroids that are not too big. We have made land mark achievement in this area. The OAUTHC was the first Teaching Hospital to perform hysterectomy, that is, the removal of the womb totally through laparoscopy without any assistance with any modern method and with a wholly locally composed medical team.

"Generally, laparoscopy takes longer than open surgery because you are working through a tiny opening and you do not have so much space and freedom , but laparoscopy tends to be cheaper than open surgery because it is associated with to shorter hospital stay. In this hospital as at now, laparoscopy

surgery is still cheaper than open surgery. A patient recently paid less than N50,000 for her laparoscopy surgery and this same procedure in the US will cost about $13,000 (over N2 million). Another advantage is that the blood loss is minimal in laparoscopy.

"The first procedure we did was for a pre-cancerous change in the cervix which was detected through the hospital's routine

• Dr. Segun Badejoko screening policy. It required complete removal of the womb.

"The second case was a 48 years old woman who had very heavy menstrual bleeding every month due to fibroid. Considering her age we decided to remove her womb completely. She conceded to the hysterectomy which removal of the womb laporoscopically and she was happy and went home the following morning.

On the training of professionals in acquiring this skills in public hospitals, Badejoko lamented the high cost of establishing minimal access surgery units. "It is quite high and that has made it difficult to provide or establish this subspecialty in public hospitals.

"In private hospitals which are purely profit driven their patients pay an average of N2.0-3.0 million for this surgery, but government hospitals, on the other hand, are not able to compete well because the patients cannot pay huge medical fees."

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

A

RE you ready to dance for a worthy cause, support and help create awareness for the endemic disease cancer? Then be part of history by participating in the Zumbathon breast cancer campaign organized by WOW DIVAS. Zumbathon is a non- stop dance and aerobics exercise that involves hip-hop, salsa, samba, mambo, soca, martial arts, bollywood and belly moves.

A Coordinators of the event, Rita Okoye, said: “the event is to raise awareness throughout Nigeria, on breast cancer; which affects women mainly and a few men.

At the event we will be raising the funds and all proceeds will go towards treating patients that are affected and the production and distribution of breast cancer awareness brochures across

Nigeria to hospitals, clinics and other targeted locations.

The brochures contain detailed information on how to conduct self check and examination. In creating awareness we hope to minimize the spread and the impact of breast cancer.”

The event which is inspired by the organisation’s vision, to encourage, inspire and actively promote strong women, through finding their place and purpose in life and passionately living their lives to the fullest; empowering each other thereby impacting the society one woman and one family at a time would be holding at the Lagoon Restaurant, on the 10 th of November.

Celebrities attending the event include MI, Weird MC, Yemi Blaq, Halima Abubakar, foluke Daramola, Mary Uranta.

A a raffle draw and trip to Dubaiare part of the side attractions.

Pate leads discussion on public health

BY EBUN SESSOU

M

INISTER of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate is one of the lead discussants on public health at the 3rd edition of Thought Leadership Breakfast Series on Sustainable Development tagged, "Sustainable Conversations" taking place later this month in Lagos.

With the theme: “ Public Healthcare: Tackling Challenges for Effective Service Delivery, "Sustainable Conversations” will

•Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate

bring together all stakeholders in the sector and allied industries with an underlying aim of engaging, understanding, interrogating and supporting the road-map towards achieving sustainable primary health care in Nigeria.

President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, the Regional Coordinator, DFID, Dr. Adesina FagbenroByron,are also listed as guest speakers. Others expected include Managing Director, Hygeia Group, Mrs. Fola Laoye, CEO, Insight Consulting Limited, Dr. Nnenna Oduwusi, and Commissioners for Health for Lagos, Cross River and Ekiti States, Lead Consultant, ThistlePraxis Consulting Limited, Ini Onuk, said, a functional health-care system is essential because the health of a country’s work-force is a key determinant of overall productivity.

36 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

LASTMA disciplines 25 err •Dismissal, demotion, suspension, other measures taken

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

A

S part of efforts to maintain discipline and decorum among the rank and file of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, officials, the management of the organization has handed out various punitive measures to some of the staff that were found wanting in the course of duty.

The management of LASTMA in response to various complaints from members of the public and to reposition the organization for better service delivery, constituted administrative panels to look into the various cases of staff indiscipline.

This is to stem the tide of misconduct, maintain discipline and make all the staff alive to their official responsibility, a source within the organisation told Vanguard.

While inaugurating the administrative panel at the LASTMA Headquarters at Oshodi, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Babatunde Edu advised the panel members to handle all the discipline matters professionally and dispassionately as the state government would not tolerate any act of indiscipline or misconduct capable of tarnishing its image.

The panel process is a continuous one and had 25 LASTMA staff recommended for various punishment, including dismissal, demotion and suspension while some cases were referred to higher authority for further

consideration and discipline.

Reiterating government’s huge investment in the enormous resources in training and welfare of the officials, Edu vowed that LASTMA authourity

would not tolerate any member of the organization that engages in unwholesome act capable of eroding public confidence in the organisation. however, the various cases of

indiscipline looked into by the administrative panel for which 25 staff were sanctioned include cases of fighting, corruption, performance of illegal duty, dereliction of duty, absence

• Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, on duty

General information about the annual trade fair 1

. ORGANISERS AND SCOPE OF THE FAIR

The 2012 Lagos International Trade Fair is organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The Fair which is staged with the support and co-operation of the Federal and the State Governments covers all aspects of business and economic activities in Nigeria. It offers a unique exposition for manufacturers, suppliers, buyers and users of a wide range of goods and services as well as opportunities for investment and trade promotion.

The theme for 2012 Fair is: “Promoting Trade for Sustainable Economic Transformation”

2.

VENUE The Fair is taking place at the Main Arena, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos in Lagos, Nigeria with a total exhibition space of over 50,000m2 .

industry; The evolution of Nigeria’s trade with the outside world; Direct attention to the role of the

3. DATE Friday 2nd - Sunday 11th November, 2012 4. OBJECTIVES OF THE FAIR The main objectives of the Fair are to promote the following: The revitalisation and diversification of the Nigerian economy; Nigeria’s non-oil exports; Accelerated development of commerce and industry; Made-in-Nigeria products; Agriculture and agro-based

• An overview of TBS, Lagos.

private sector in the Nigerian economy; and Prospects for foreign and local investments in strategic

areas.

5. TARGET AUDIENCE It is anticipated that the fair will attract about 500,000 visitors from within and outside the Country including businessmen, investors, customers, top government officials and representatives of Nigeria’s important trading houses and those seeking jointventure partnerships.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 37

ring officers

Ladipo auto traders demand remanded leader’s release

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

M

from duty without permission and infringing on the rights of others.

In the same vein, the state has begun leadership and career evaluation training programme for all the LASTMA officials and Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI, in Lagos State.

The training is to instill discipline among the members

of staff and also improve LASTMA working relationship with the public.

It would be recalled that the state government has also introduced regular mentorship as a re- orientation for LASTMA staff in order to achieve better service delivery in the area of traffic management.

EMBERS of the Association of AguyiIronsi Auto Traders, at the popular Ladipo Market, Mushin area of Lagos State, has called for the immediate and unconditional release of their President, Mr. Jonathan Okoli, who is currently being remanded at Ikoyi Prison over what they called “frame-up charges.”

The traders, mainly of Igbo extraction, had earlier raised alarm over arrest and continued detention of Okoli about two weeks ago by the State Security

Service, SSS, police before his subsequent summary trial and detention in Prison at the weekend.

The group however, called on Governor Babatunde Fashola of the state and Inspector General of Police, I.G, to order immediate independent investigation into various allegations and charges leveled against its leader in the interest of justice, peace as well as avert possible unwarranted loss of lives and property in the area.

Mr. Ifeanyi Chukwulobe, Principal Staff Officer, Legal to the detained president,

Joy, pains on Lagos roads after Okada restriction

BY BOSE ADELAJA

L

AGOSIANS call it ban while the government says it is a restriction order of commercial motor-cyles popularly called Okada on 475 roads in Lagos State.

Coincidentally, the Lagos State Traffic Bill hurriedly emerged shortly after one of the registered motorcycle associations, All Nigerians Autobile Commercial Owners and Workers Association ANACOWA, obtained judgment in its favour over the Lagos State government from a Lagos High Court.

This move has continued to generate controversies from people from all walks of life especially those who patronise the riders.

As if the new law is not enough, the State government came up some days back and announced its intention to arrest passengers who are found riding on the restricted areas in the metropolis. As a result of the restriction order, some law enforcement agents have capitalised on this to feed fat on erring riders.

A fortnight ago, a trailer load of Okada was spotted exiting the State at Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos for the Northern part of the country as their owners claimed the Law was too harsh on them.

A visit to some major roads in Lagos revealed a lighter traffic situation different from the usual traffic although there were many commuters at various bus-stops as most of them used to be Okada passengers.

• Okada riders on duty

One Mrs Olaoluwa Akintoye said the development has said government ought to reduced the rate of armed have provided shuttle buses robbery in the State. and fix the roads before the As the popular saying goes restriction order. that; One man’s meat is “I wonder another why law m a n ’ s A fortnight enforcement poison, ago, a trailer a g e n t s the three load of Okada c o u l d wheelers restrict popularly was spotted motorcycles called exiting the on Capitol K e k e State at OjoduRoad area Marwa of Agege. operators Berger area of T h e in the Lagos for the government S t a t e Northern part could have h a v e provided received of the country shuttle m o r e as their owners buses and patronage claimed the fix the road since the b e f o r e law took Law was too enforcing effect. harsh on them. t h e A trip around some roads in Lagos restriction,’” she said.

Another commuter in Lagos revealed a long queue of Island Mr. Osuolale Waheed passengers at some tricycle

parks who have taken over the business of some motorcycle operators as the restriction order has put them off business.

Also, there have been sharp criticism of the restriction order; some see it as political while others see it as a move to curb the unforseen.

Meantime, in a bid to achieve its aim of restriction, the State government might have adopted the artificial scarcity of number plates of commercial motorcycles which of course is a punishment of tri-cycle operators and the owners,’’ claimed Wasiu Adekunle who has been shunting from one local government to another, yet unsuccessful.

raised these issues at the weekend while addressing members of the media and other members of the association on the premises at Papa Ajao, Mushin.

According to Chukwulobe, in a paper titled: “We will not succumb to this intimidation and attempt to colonise our market”, accused the management of Mushin Local Government in connivance with a Commissioner of Police, (names withheld), an indigene of Lagos, attached to force headquarters Abuja, of orchestrating the persecution against their leaders in order ti take control of the market.

“The latest in this ongoing nefarious plot is the frame up of our president with false, unfounded and frivolous criminal charges ranging from attempted murder, through unlawful display firearms to conduct likely to beach public peace among others.

“He was arraigned last Friday before the EbuteMetta Magistrate Court on false charges after being held in unlawful custody for 11 days at the Lagos State criminal investigation department, CID, Panti and subsequently remanded at Ikoyi Prison.”

The aggrieved traders who expressed their unflinching support to their leaders and defending their rights, called on Inspector General of Police to order the immediate withdrawal of the false charges leveled against their president by officers at Panti and his immediate and unconditional release from imprisonment.

“We also called on the IGP and Governor Babatunde Fashola to order a full and impartial investigation into the whole attempt by Mushin LG and the woman Commissioner of Police, in Provost Marshal’s Office, Abuja to use violence and intimidation to seize control of the market,” they said.

The group added: “It will serve the interest of peace and justice if the IGP intervenes urgently and prevent further provocation and attacks on our members as we cannot guarantee that we will not be forced to fight back if it becomes unbearable and if appropriate authorities fail to take necessary actions to ensure justice.”

38—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

BY JOSEPH O. OKPAKU, SR.

Continues from yesterday

Obama: The Second Time Around (3)

Dr. Joseph O. Okpaku, Sr., yesterday, chronicled the Obama legacy from 2008 to 2012 and noted that Obama, deploying his intellectual forte that is universally acknowledged to be one of the best amongst world leaders, had to make difficult choices faced with an economy gone awry. He continues today. Read on.

I

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the opposite angle, many Black Americans most of whom had worked their hearts out to get Obama elected president, had a legitimate expectation of special attention to their needs and anxieties by “their” president. Obama, again appearing eager not to be seen as particularly a Black President, but as President, period, seemed to shy away from this immense real and psychological need of Black Americans. Even Black elected official such as members of the Congressional Black Caucus, the association of Black Americans in Congress, would complain that they had less than needed access to the president.

In fact, curiously, President Obama also had fewer Blacks in his cabinet than even his Republican predecessor, President George W. Bush.

To further complicate this was the fact that given the skewed needs of Black Americans to survive, domestic issues were more frontal in their priorities than foreign affairs. Accordingly, Obama’s foreign policy accomplishments did not seem to mean much to them, except to the good but limited number of them for whom foreign affairs, especially as they affect Africa, their ancestral land, have always constituted a breathing space from the seeming insensitivity to their special interests of America’s domestic policy.

For this last group as well, Obama had a problem. Except for a highly publicized trip to his ancestral home in Kenya and an early visit to Ghana, Obama does not seem to the public eye to have paid much

,

N particular, a group on the extreme right of the Republican Party would essentially form a faction that came to call itself the Tea Party. They would avow and advocate measures and positions that would previously be regarded as very extreme in the spectrum of American politics for one of the two major national political parties.

But somehow, at least so it came to seem, they attracted those who also consider the ascendency of a Black man to the American presidency as an abomination and spared no effort to resist, abuse and insult the President. A white radio talk show hostess would actually go so far as to call on the air President Obama, the First Lady Michelle Obama and their family, “the trash in the White House.”

Obama’s response (actually lack of it) would prove to be one of personal controversies between him and his supporters. As president of all America, it seemed, Obama could not be seen as responding to racist conduct, especially those aimed at him and his family. On the other hand, his failure or refusal to condemn such behaviour and even act publicly to prevent or reduce its occurrence, annoyed a good number of Black Americans who saw such conduct as depriving them of finally enjoying the respect due from the miracle of having a Black President in the White House.

Former President Jimmy Carter would try to handle this from a neutral angle so to speak. He would severely condemn such behaviour, calling them downright racist, using his southern credentials to authenticate his judgment.

But Obama would be uncomfortable, and almost come across as wishing people would ignore such unacceptable behaviour. This would pose a problem between Obama and a number of Black Americans.

In the same vein, but from

unfair, unnecessary and unjustified. Stories have it that many Nigerians with US citizenship who were visiting home at the time of the 2008 elections actually rushed back to the US just to cast their votes for him in the historic event.

There was also the sense amongst some that Obama was surrounded by too many at the White House who sought to “handle” him, a catch-all phrase covering a plethora of advice and counsel that militate against the instinct of the leader or chief executive. Some credence is lent to this perception in the book The Obama’s by Jodi Kantor in which Michelle Obama is reported as having felt that her husband was being too much managed with the risk of turning him into a politician (as opposed to a man driven by a shared popular dream).

So, with all of these, and the strident and unmitigated effort by the Republican Party to undercut and undermine just about any effort, policy or programme he proposed as President in order to ensure that he did not get to serve a second term, what was the glorious promise of Obama’s debut as President of America ran

In fact, curiously, President Obama also had fewer Blacks in his cabinet than even his Republican predecessor, President George W. Bush

attention to Africa and African development other than to demand democratic good governance from their leaders, a position that a few saw as castigating and lecturing African leaders rather than engaging them and the African people, his ancestral family, in concrete strategic development partnerships. His implicit targeting of Nigeria for criticism during his visit to Ghana, and the glaring decision to bypass what is Africa’s (and indeed the world’s) largest and leading African country, a clear contradiction of unspoken protocol, was seen by some Nigerians, candidate Obama’s most vocal and enthusiastic supporters, as a snob that was

,

into road blocks from all kinds of corners. The result was that, his critical accomplishments notwithstanding, Obama’s Democratic Party was not able to turn out the votes in the mid-term elections of 2010 that he had so well done for his election to office in 2008. His once tireless supporters seemed, in some sense, either disillusioned or at least weary and less enthusiastic. Of course, mid-term elections, being devoid of a presidential

race, do not attract as much nationwide enthusiasm as the full-term ones. But they do matter. The Democratic Party lost control of the House of Representatives, and hard only a vey slim majority in the Senate, making it virtually impossible for the President to overcome the deliberate efforts of the Republican opposition to block his legislations.

Obama The Second Time Around Looking back at his tenure and stewardship of America in his first term in office, there is no doubt that in absolute terms as well as given that he inherited a collapsing economy and dispirited nation when he took office in January 2009, President Barack Obama has accomplished a lot, especially within the very short time of four years. He has stemmed the tide of economic decline even granted that there is still a long way to go. Employment is increasing even if slowly, the people’s confidence is returning and America is holding its own in particular at a time when Europe is going through its own hiccups.

But whatever the dampening effect of the wholesale effort to deny him the acknowledgement of his true accomplishment, a few observations about his own policy, strategy and positions might throw some light on his prospects or efforts for a second term this time around. It is worth noting, parenthetically, that four years or so ago in the heat of the 2008 campaign and election, few people, especially in my family, would entertain even the very thought of a critique of Barack Obama, how much less a criticism of him.

Any such thought was taboo.

Today, there seems to be a slight wiggling room for reelection observations, including entertaining in a very small way the possibility that there may have been a misstep or two here and there, not humongous or fatal, but still relevant and worthy of observation, especially as guides to his second term.

Continues tomorrow

Dr. Joseph O. Okpaku, Sr., President and Publisher of Third Press Publishers and Chairman of Telecom Africa International Corporation, is a renowned scholar and expert of strategic development and global issues. He is regarded as a Renaissance man and a leading 21st Century philosopher.

Vanguard Vanguard,, TUESDAY, YOUR LUCK TODAY

CAPRICORN: The zeal to work harder exhibited by you will earn you unexpected success at work to the betterment of your rating and finances. Don’t allow mid-morning blues to get best off you.

AQUARIUS: If it’s possible for you to wait till tomorrow before an important assignment is carried out, your cause will be better for it. Take your love life seriously.

PISCES: Now, you can not pretend that happenings within your (family) base of operation pleases you, but, you will need to be as diplomatic as possible. Avoid unnecessary rush.

ARIES: Unusual exhibition of aggressive approach by you may put people around you off the balance. It’s in your own interest not to bite more than you can chew, especially before mid-afternoon.

— 39

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 SAGITTARIUS: If you have, consciously or unconsciously, started unnecessary cold war at work yesterday, it would come to the head today to the resentment of people that count before mid-afternoon.

NOVEMBER 6, 2012

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

...NOW you will like to ask me, are there no committed, dedicated and disciplined men and women in the university? My answer to that is in form of question:

The best education — 2 What is the news if a dog bites man?

One of the greatest problems besetting our country today is the nature and quality of graduates churned

TERROR MUDA

out of our universities.

Many of such graduates are simply not qualified to man the commanding sectors of the nation. Let us agree the facilities are

in “Never say goodbye”

not there, but the greatest problem is unseriousness on the part of the students.

Now tell me, of what use is knowledge that cannot be applied?

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

TAURUS: You may be tempted to embrace extravagant tendencies while planning your financial transactions.

Watch what you promise before early part of afternoon period.

GEMINI: If you are offered what looks like Greek gift before early hours of afternoon, you are advised to politely turn it down. It’s wrong to encourage aggression.

CANCER: Tomorrow is one of your lucky days of this week. Yet, if you are more observant within your base of operation, you will not have it wrong, even today. Keep secrets.

LEO: Although, many will go through tension before midafternoon, the whole thing will work in your favour early in the day. The more ambitious you, are the better for you.

VIRGO: Coming together of the Moon and Mars in Virgo will bring you under the fire of enthusiasm to achieve much along your career/business lines. Be very moderate.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

LIBRA: The very best for you today is to look for ways to consolidate on progress you have recorded yesterday. The more willing you are to respect the law, the better.

SCORPIO: Friends may disappoint you today but you will have genuine cause to smile broadly tomorrow. Do not gamble with matters-of-the-heart today.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What’s wrong with me?

Dear Joshua, I don’t want my data published. I have many books where Aries is described as an aggressive star sign, but I am an Arian who can’t take hard decision, especially if such will affect others negatively. Why, is Aries a weak star sign, after-all?

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dotun, Ibadan.

Dear Dotun, You are an Arian truly but, other planetary placement responsible are pointed out here under. Generally, people born when either the Sun, the Moon and/or any other important heavenly body (especially when they cluster— that is, when they are more than two) in Aries, they are categorised as member of aggressive and daring group of the Zodiac.

Yes, you were born under Aries star and basic characteristics of Aries star sign are highly pronounced in your innerself, however, natually, many other planetary positions have greatly modified mighty Sun’s placement in your chart.

Less than 50% of pushful influence rush the conjuntion of Venus and Mercury are pointers to an Arian personality high modified. Two important influences mentioned in this paragraph may not allow raw aggressive approach to manifest comprehensively. Because, they are meant to make you less aggressive and more loving. Sometimes lover of diplomacy who will attract what he wants rather than staging a war just to press for his right.

But then, combination of the aggressive traits of Aries in your inner self and more amiable influences together with the distribution of the planets through quadrauplicity and triplcity (that is quality and element) within the Zodiacal constellations, they are indications of your being a person with balanced personality.

More importantly, however, is the placement of Saturn in Capricorn as the only planet at home when you were born.

It always induces you to give priority attention to your career/image/public standing and justice.

And as your natal Sun and Moon were placed in Aries and Gemini respectively, you are mainly an Arian and partly a Geminian. This characteristics of the two said star signs are highly pronounced in you.

Commen3

by Lawrence Akapa

40—Vanguard , TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

FORUM: From left— Ambassador Olufemi Ani, Chief Launcher; Dr. Olumide Philips, Chairman of the occasion, and Dr. Michael Omolayole, Keynote Speaker, at the inauguration of the forum of Rotarian Able Presidents in Lagos, last Friday.

FG spends N400m on TB

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD

K

ANO—FEDERAL Government has so far spent about N430 million in the last 10 months on the control and treatment of Tuberculosis in the country, the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said.

Chukwu spoke in Kano State during the commissioning of the Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Centre, an infectious disease hospital, noting that the collaborative effort of both the state and Federal Government, and interna-

tional donor agencies was yielding the right dividends.

The minister, who was represented on the occasion by a Director in the Ministry, Mr. Joshua Osibanye, said the multilateral effort was sequel to United Nations statistics that ranked Nigeria 10th among high TB burden countries globally.

He said the World Health Organisation, WHO, 2012 report estimated that no fewer than 3,491 TB cases occur in Nigeria annually, explaining that MDR-TB is a severe form of TB that is resistant to the conventional treatment.

NEPC partners Multimix on exporters' grooming

N

IGERIAN Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Lagos Zonal Office and Multimix Academy are collaborating to mentor prospective ex-

Celebration

T

HE Eden Chapel, Igando, Lagos, began its 14th victory celebration with the theme More Than Faithful, yesterday.

The week-long activities will end on Sunday, November 11, with a thanksgiving service presided over by the host minister, Apostle Stephen Atolani Pius, other anointed men of God and a guest artist, Evangelist Joseph Fashakin.

porters in Nigeria.

The collaboration, tagged Export Mentorship Programme, will feature in-depth lectures by experts and mentor companies, export business stories and introduction to mentorship.

It also will focus on product quality issues, export procedure and documentation, financing, incoterms, payment terms and logistics as well as making of exports in areas such as charcoal, sesame seeds, cashew/cashew products, processed food items and solid minerals.

The project will nurture the capabilities of small and medium-sized companies in non-oil export over a period of time.

Edo College old boys meet

E

DO College Old Boys Association, ECOBA, Lagos branch, will on Sunday, November 11, hold its bi-monthly general meeting.

It will be hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Nwaochei, at their residence, 17B, George Terrace, Friends Colony Estate,

Agungi, Lekki, Lagos, at 3pm prompt.

According to the Secretary, Mr. Kumbi Braithwaite, the meeting, to be presided over by the Chairman of ECOBA Lagos, Senator Isa Oyofo, has as agenda scholarships, annual awards and dinner, among other issues.

LAUNCH: From left— Mr. Jasper Hamaker, Finance Director; Mr. Nicholas Vervelde, Managing Director; Mr. Hubert Eze, Sales Director and Mr. Walter Drenth, Marketing Director, all of Nigerian Breweries Plc, at the unveiling of Heineken K2 bottle in Lagos, weekend. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

Enugu community absolves self of monarch's murder

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU—ORUKU community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State has dismissed as spurious and false, allegations by some natives of Umuode community that its people masterminded the murder of the traditional ruler of Umuode, Igwe Moses Ugwu.

Ugwu was shot dead by unknown gunmen at his shop in Akpuoga Nike in Enugu East at 8pm on October 9. The police said 20 people were arrested from the area between October 9 and 10, adding that the suspects were now helping police investigation.

However, in a petition to Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State by Messrs Emma Omaba and Thomas Chukwudi, dated October 26, Umuode community pointed accusing

fingers against Oruku people as the masterminds of the murder of their traditional ruler.

Umuode community also pooh-poohed the reported arrest of some suspects by the people, saying those being detained were passers-by and not the suspected indigenous people of Oruku who celebrated the murder of Ugwu on the night he was killed.

However, the spokesman of the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said the command had not received any petition from Umuode over the matter, adding “if anybody has good information regarding the identity of those who murdered the traditional ruler, they are free to come forward and we shall make good use of it to get to the root of the matter.”

Reacting to Umuode’s

accusation that some natives of Oruku, which had engaged the community in a prolonged land dispute, were behind the murder of the royal father, leaders of Oruku said in a statement that although they did not intend to join issues with Umuode people “in this trumped up allegation, we wish to state categorically that Oruku people were flabbergasted and shocked on hearing about the gruesome and brutal murder of the Igwe on radio.

“Pointing accusing fingers at Oruku people is not only deceptive, beguiling and subterfuge, but also atrocious and catchy.

Consequently, we are constrained to make the following clarifications and rebutal: that from the radio and newspaper announcements of the death of Igwe Moses Ugwu signed by Emma Omaba

and also police report on the matter, the incident took place at Akpuoga Nike where the Igwe lived and had his shop, and not in Oruku/ Umuode.

“It was also in the news, both on radio and newspapers that the police confirmed the arrest of about 20 suspects in connection with the murder at Akpuoga and nearby Onuogba Villages.

“Based on these media and police reports, it is clear that the incident did not happen within the territory of Oruku/ Umuode but in far away Akpuoga, which is some kilometers away from Oruku.

“On the allegation that over 2000 of them (Umuodes) had been killed in the crisis, Umuode’s population is not even up to 600 with a voting strength of less than 200 registered voters.”

INEC urged to deregister some political parties

P

ORT HARCOURT— MR. Benneth Lemchi, a chieftain of All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in Imo, has said some political parties do not have offices and advised Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deregister such parties that were inactive.

Lemchi said this Monday in Port Harcourt, adding that the newly-registered United Progressive Party, UPP, would promote stronger democracy.

He also said that reducing the number of political parties would enhance the efficiency and credibility of the country’s democracy.

Lemchi said: “Some of our political parties do not even have offices and

membership across the country and a good number of them are mere tools being used by some of the bigger parties to achieve their selfish aims.

“INEC should deregister such parties if it really means well for our democracy.”

Lemchi, who commended INEC for its activities, appealed to the commission to engage in those things that would restore public confidence in its ability.

He said: “Nigerians are now very happy with INEC because of the manner it has conducted some governorship and national assembly elections and byelections.

“I urge them to continue

in that manner, and the only way they can sustain it is by being responsive.”

Lemchi said the registration of UPP would not be criticised if the new political party could rise up to the occasion by meeting up with the necessary require-

ments.

He said the constitutional essence of a political party was to contest elections based on its popularity, and expressed regret that some political parties had become mere social gatherings or clubs.

Church provides free medical services

C

HAPEL of His Pres ence, Ajao Estate, Lagos, in conjunction with Pinecrest Specialist Hospital, Mafoluku, Lagos, yesterday, began provision of free medical services to members of the public. It ends Friday, November 9.

The programme covers

blood pressure, blood sugar, malaria parasite, blood level (PCV), weight and height (BMI), eye tests and electrocardiography, medical consultations and free surgeries.

The outreach holds daily at 83, Makinde Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 41

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 45

MATERIALS WATCH Cement Dangote cement per bag of 50kg ---N1,800.00 Burham Cement per bag of 50kg ---N1,800.00 Elephant cement per bag of 50kg ---N1,800.00 Sandcrete Blocks 6 inches vibrated per block---N130 9 inches vibrated per block---N150 6 inches hand mould per block---N80 9 inches hand mould per block---N90 Sand Soft per tipper load ---N13,000 Sharp double tipper load---N23,000 Gravel double tipper load---N25,000 Gravel single tipper load---N18,000 Granite per tipper load----N120,000 Reinforcement 8 mm (153) pieces per ton ---N125,000 10 mm (153) pieces per ton---N136,000 12 mm (93) pieces per ton---N161,000 16 mm (93) pieces per ton---N172,000 20 mm (53) pieces per ton---N122,000 Woods Timber (hard) 1x1x12---N1,000 Timber (hard) 2x2x12---N800 Timber (hard) 2x4x12---N700 Softwood 2x2x12---N260 2x3x12---N300 Plywood 3x3x8---N3,500 2x4x8---N2,400

Stories by KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

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OVERNOR Babatunde Fashola, at the weekend, inaugurated six different projects in various sectors like housing, healthcare, potable water and transportation with the assurance that things will get better for the residents of Lagos.

Speaking during the handing over of the 256 units of twin two and one-bedroom flats in Igbogbo IIA to the people, Fashola promised that government would soon unfold a mortgage scheme which would allow people who pay a 30 percent deposit for a home to own it by paying over some years.

He stated that the present administration would also ensure that everybody who lives in Lagos would be able to afford a home. ‘’We want to create a new class of home owners in Lagos State”, he said.

The Governor said he would ensure that only those who intend to live in the homes would benefit from the scheme by preventing profiteers and speculators from abusing the scheme by buying and reselling.

He said the Igbogbo scheme which is also equipped with a Police post would serve as a model of such buildings across Lagos.

He disclosed during the launch of Maternal and Child Care Mortality Reduction Programme in the state that his administration has constructed eight Maternal and Child Care hospitals in five years.

According to him, five of the hospitals have commenced full operation, while out of the remaining three, two have been completed while training of staff specially recruited for the operation of the equipment and the facilities is currently ongoing.

Besides, the Governor hinted that he has awarded contracts for another two hospitals in Badagry and Epe to ensure that the projects reduce distance to hospitals for pregnant women, is statewide and all embracing.

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t the handing over of the Maternal and Child Care Centre, MCC,in Ikorodu, the Governor said three out of the eight MCC have been completed in Isolo, Ifako Ijaiye and Ikorodu . He said: “The state is blazing the trail of hope which it intends to keep alive. At no time has public service come under close scrutiny as it is being done now when much is being expected from health care givers”.

Fashola explained that as progress was being made with projects to overcome the problems of non-communicable diseases and the risk they pose to pregnant women, government also commenced the implementation of the projects to reduce the distance between the pregnant woman and the hospital.

“At that time only the Lagos Island Maternity where I was born; and Ayinke House in Ikeja were the preferred facilities for women who lived in places like Badagry, Ikorodu, Epe and other far flung places

of Lagos. We designed the prototype of the 100 bed fourstorey Mother and Child Centre which we have upgraded to a 110 bed structures that are being commended today through the country ”, he stated.

The Governor who took a retrospective look at the programme, said it is a project within a comprehensive programme that started in 2007, adding that when he was elected as governor, one of the challenges he resolved to confront was the unacceptable index of women and children or both who lost their lives in the process of giving birth.

Roofing Sheets Corrugated iron sheets per bundle---N10,000 Asbestos (Super) 4x8 per piece---N1,600 Asbestos (Solo) 4x6 per piece---N1,500 Wall tiles (ceramic) 6 x 6 per square metre----------N1,200 20 x 20 (China) per square metre----------N1,100 20 x 25 (China) per square metre---....N1,400 Floor tiles (ceramic) 14 x 14 (Spain) per square metre------------N1,800 14 x 14 (Brazil) per square metre------------N1,420 13 x 13 (Spain) per square metre---------N1, 550 45 x 45 (Spain) per square metre------------N1,900 40 x 40 (Marble Spain) per square metre--N3,800 30 x 30 (Marble Spain) per square metre----N2,000 Plumbing Materials Galvanised conduit pipes per length 20 mm diameter -----------------N170 25 mm diameter---------------N170 PVC conduit pipes 20 mm diameter per length -------N120 25 mm diameter per length------N130 Source-----------Cement tiles and building materials market along Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway.

Firm to partner govts in housing flood victims I

N order to provide fast, de cent and affordable camps for the Internally Displaced Persons IDPs, arising from the recent devastating floods across the country, Eternit Limited, a building solution and component manufacturing firm based in Sapele, Delta State has concluded plans to assist various governments and NGOs interested in providing rehabilitation camps for flood victims using their fibre-cement modular panels with brand name Modular T. The company at a presentation to the Nigerian Institute of Building NIOB, Delta State Chapter recently, informed

the members of its willingness to provide prototypes of its single room designs on government approved sites for flood victims. According to a statement from the company, “Eternit is set to partner with governments and relevant professionals in the built-environment to proffer modular concept as a panacea for the Internally Displaced Persons’ camps”.

Eternit Modular T is an offthe-shelf building solution system. The building integral walls are made of fibre-cement products consisting of two 6mm thick super boards sandwiching resilient super seven

corrugated roofing sheet with light gauge steel U-sections at the edges to form a male and female ends for jointing/connectivity.

The concept of modular building according to the firm, has been widespread in first world countries due to its limitless applications and benefits all of which are advantageous to majority of structures. It added that the system building method connotes replication, pointing out that this is a feature that will serve the yearnings of the flood victims that need “jet-speed attention as far as rehabilitation is concerned.

46 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 47

48 — Vanguard , TUESDAY TUESDAY,, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Obama, Romney in a race ‘too close to call’ Republican President has ever won the Presidential election without winning Ohio and in this election, this is an uphill task for Romney. as it stands, President Obama has 237electoral votes on ground and if he wins Ohio, Wisconsin and Iowa today, he reaches 270 mandatory electoral votes. For Romney, he has 206electoral votes already and he needs to win Virginia, Florida, Colorado and probably New Hampshire in today ’s election to carry the day.

BY HUGO ODIOGOR Lagos, NNANNA OCHEREOME in New York and GBENGA OKE inTexas

•

US foreign policy is constant —Obiozor Obama has done well — Oyebode Too close to call — Ogunsawo My fate is in the hands of Americans — Obama Public of office is about performance — Mbanefo

Too close to close was the verdict in the camps of Republican and Democratic Parties yesterday as Americans file out today to choose between incumbent President Barack Hussein Obama and his Republican challenger, Willard Mitt Romney in an election that will decide who becomes the next most powerful man in the world.

After months of intense campaign and negative adverts to catch voters, it is now the duty of Americans to decide the fate of the two leading candidates and five other candidates that are on ballot papers across 35 states.

According Professor Alaba Ogunsawo told Vanguard that from every indications that Americans are in for an election that is too close to call as the two leading contestants are neck-to-neck in most of the battle ground states.

The Leads University based Professor of Political Science said the resurgence of undecided voters in the election day will make the difference even though voting had been on in some of the States.

He could not rule out the impact of the super storm which has put states in the dark with serious concerns about electricity, food, gasoline and other life sustainers.

Prof. Akin Oyebode said ‘’that President Obama has done well given the state of the economy when he came to power in 2008’’. According to him, ‘’Obama has stabilised the economy, killed Osama Bin Laden, bailed out the auto companies and the Wall Street, all these are solid accomplishments for a president to take to the electorates.’’ The Odu of Onitsha Sir Arthur Mbanefo said public office is about performance and the

Americans are going to audit the four years of President Obama and the political lesdership know that they are accountable to the citizens, that is democracy.

President Obama himself admitted this much when he said that his fate is now in the hands of Americans.

Former Nigeria’s ambassador to the US Prof.

George Obiozor told Vanguard ‘’that regardless of who wins the election, America’s foreign policy will remain constant.’’

According to him ‘’Nigerians and Africans should keep an open mind about who occupies the White House.’’

Vanguard’s man Gbenga Oke who is in Texas the strong hold of Republican Party said President Obama and Mitt Romney wrapped up their final campaign for the 2012 Presidential election, various opinion polls further said both candidates are still tied in the national poll. Although both campaigns have been claiming lead in various swing states but election still seems tied with President Obama still having a slight lead in today ’s election.

For President Obama, one of the greatest advantage to his campaign is the support from former President Bill Clinton who has been campaigning vigorously for him while he has been telling the electorates that Romney is a flip flop who is not trustworthy to be the President of America.

Obama has been telling Americans that he needs more time to fix the economy after inheriting the most exploding economy from President Bush while using a false statement credited to Romney that Jeep is shipping its job to China.

Obama is still leading with 5 to 6 points in Ohio

•Obama simply because of what many considers a cheap lie by Romney over Jeep shipping jobs to China and the President has

•Romney DC, California, Hawaii, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maryland, New York,

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• • • •

Irrespective of what they preach, a new poll this morning said 61percent of Americans believe economy is the major reason why they will vote in this election,

out to other states like Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and other places in the effort to get the the 270 electoral votes and he has visited Florida more that 30times.

According to reports, no

The Minor Candidates in the Race The other candidates in the race include Mr. Gary Johnson of Libertarian Party, Mrs Jill Stein of Green Party, Mr. Virgil Goode of Constitution Party and Rocky Anderson of Justice Party.

,

maintained that if not for his bailout, GM and other car manufacturing company would have closed down by now.

Irrespective of what they preach, a new poll this morning said 61percent of Americans believe economy is the major reason why they will vote in this election, while 55percent will vote based on deficit and 51percent because of health.

Romney, Obama’s Strength Romney, is generally perceived as a better manager of the economy, and the economy is the sole issue. He campaigned on a platform of energy independence for America by 2020 (meaning he aims to end importation of the crude oil of Nigeria and OPEC countries, take note!) He promises to create 12 million jobs, raise take home pay (real growth, real change) and get the economy growing at 4% annually.

Obama is expected to do well in Washington

New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Marine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Iowa.

On the other, Mitt Romney will take Utah, Arizona, Georgia, Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas, Florida, Alaska North and South Dakota.

President Obama did his final campaigns in the state of Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa today while Romney visited Florida, Ohio and Virginia. Presently, the result is still a tie in Virginia but the Democratic Senate candidate, Tim Kaine is maintaining a lead in Virginia, this is likely to further boost President Obama’s push in Virginia. In Ohio, Obama is leading with 5 to 6points there while Romney is still lagging a bit behind. this situation has made Romney trying to reach out to undecided voters in places like New Hampshire. With Ohio leaning the way of President Obama, Romney has been reaching

Mitt Romney addressing party supporters in Iowa.

Sandy affected areas For voters in New York and New Jersey, succor might have come their way as adequate provision has been made for them in other polling units to enable them vote while electorates could as well turn in their votes through E-mail and fax machines. The only problem voters who intends to turn in their votes through E-mail and Fax might have is the un-availability of electricity in various part of the states. As it presently stands, there are arguments on whether a day might be added

for New Yorkers and New Jersey electorates to enable them cast their ballot. This is still unclear. Cleaning is still going on in New Jersey and New York but registered displaced voters can send in their votes through mail and fax.

When Vanguard spoke with some people in New York, it was said government is doing everything within its power to put everything in place ahead of today’s poll but they doubt whether more days will be added or not.

Vanguard, TUESDAY TUESDAY,, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 49

Permutations of swing states rush HUGO ODIOGOR and GBENGA OKE

C M Y K

BY OCHEREOME NNANNA, Reporting from New York

T

A

S Americans go to vote today, President Obama has 237 electoral votes on ground and if he wins Ohio, Wisconsin and Iowa today, he reaches 270 mandatory electoral votes. For Romney, he has 206electoral votes already and he needs to win Virginia, Florida, Colorado and probably New Hampshire in today’s election to carry the day.

They are also making serious efforts to mobilise the voters to go out and vote. Another key factor is the mobilisation of poll watchers especially among lawyers and veterans of electoral contests in US, to monitor the electoral process and compliance with electoral regulations. Each of the parties are preparing for possible legal challenge in the swing states.

As Americans vote today, the choice before them is between an economic philosophy that is anchored on the doctrine of trickle down, where the government is made to grant tax cuts to a few wealthy people who control corporate America or whether government should empower the middle class and small business groups who should grow the economy from bottom-up.

Colorado, here about 1.5 million have voted with Republicans, leading with 35% to32% Iowa has about 584,000 that have voted and Democrats are ahead with 43% advantage over Republicans who have 32%.

Nevada, There are 627,000 that have vote and 44% has gone to Democrats with the Republicans having 37%. Moving to North Carolina, Democrats have taken 45% of the 2.3milion votes cast in early voting while Republicans trail with 32% Ohio State with 18 electoral College votes has proved to be the toughest battle ground for both parties which wants to get a favourable result their to brighten their

Obama leads, but dice diceyy

Joe Bidden 1

2

3

4

5

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Ryan Paul

Ohio Obama Romney Virginia Obama Romney Colorado Obama

Electoral votes 18 47% 45% Electoral votes 13 49% 46% Electoral votes 9 50%

Romney Florida Obama Romney Nevada Obama Romney Wisconsin Obama Romney New Hampshire Obama Romney

48% Electoral Votes 29 48% 47% Electoral votes 5 50.% 46% Electoral votes 10 52% 47% Electoral votes 4 49% 47%

•Vanguard publication. chances of winning the presidency. Historically, no Republican Party candidate has made it to the White House without winning in Ohio. Poll statistics favour President Obama who hold 48 per cent lead against Mitt Romney who hold 46%.

Gary Anderson of Libertarian Party who is on the ballot in Ohio, hold 4% while the Green Party candidate also on the ballot has 2% of acceptance in the state. Analysis believe that the two minor parties on the ballot in Ohio.

Florida:The sunshine state has 29 electoral college votes and has the infamous history of vote recount which was progressively going the way of Al Gore. In the end, the former vice president got more popular votes, but lost the election on account of not securing enough electoral votes to reach the required 270 electoral votes that is required to clinch the White House. Florida has a high

population of Hispanics, and Blacks. It also has a high population of elderly people, tourists who rely on the social programmes.

Florida has a sizeable mixed demographic profile but it is expected that a good turn-out of Blacks, Hispanic will favour Obama, but there has been issues concerning voting machines and the possible use of security personnel to intimate the voters. Some elderly people have had difficulties with the voting machines when it fails to perforate the voting card and may not be counted.

There has been massive training of poll watchers and people who want to make sure that people are not prevented from voting. With the race being so tight, the two parties have sent in lawyers and poll experts to watch ot for any material evidential materials that can be used in courts to challenge the outcome of the election.

ODAY’S presidential election in America is ending like the premiership league in in English football season. The rivalry between the two Manchester foes – City and United – was not decided until the very last minute of extra time. Kun Aguero’s goal was the last kick that decided it, in City’s favour.

Based on the result of state and national opinion polls published on Monday, Democratic candidate President Barack Obama was entering the final couple of days to the election with very modest leads. He led by an average of 1.3 per cent points in twelve of the national polls that were conducted over a period of 24 hours, though three other polls by Rasmussen, Politico and CNN indicated a tie between the president and his Republican Party rival, Mitt Romney, while a number of other polls still favour Romney.

The polls had mostly shown Romney tying with Obama after the first debate in Denver, Colorado, where Romney put up a surprisingly stellar performance, leaving Obama to pick up the crumbs in the follow-up debates.

Nate Silver, who operates the hugely popular political blog, FiveThirtyEight, predicts an 86% chance of victory for Obama. The “Crystal Ball” at the University of Virginia Center for Politics says Obama will get it 290 – 248, and Obama’s performance in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, according to the “Ball”, will help catapult him to wins in the swing states of Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Wisconsin. The final polls from Reuters/Ipsos gives it to Obama at 294 Electoral Votes, while the Public Policy Polling final survey awards it to Obama at a princely landslide figure of 332 electoral votes.

Obama is maintaining steady but slim leads in the “swing” or “battle-

•President Obama ground” states (states that have not definitely made up their minds in favour of either candidate). He is ahead in Ohio, New Hampshire, Iowa, Colorado, Nevada, Virginia and Wisconsin, while Romney leads in Florida and North Carolina. Politico, for instance, predicts that Obama will likely run home with a total of 303 Electoral College votes (well over the 270 he requires to remain in the White House) while Romney will score 235. If this comes to pass, it will actually look almost like a landslide, given the sustained knifeedge structural uncertainties that shadow this year’s election.

For instance, USA TODAY points to the spoilsport role that third parties could play in a tight race such as this. According to the paper, in the crucial battleground state of Ohio, apart from Romney and Obama, five other presidential candidates are on the ballot.

They are: Jill Stein of the Green Party, Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party, Virgil Goode of the Constitution Party, Stewart Alexander of the Socialist Party and Richard Duncan, an independent.

These candidates cannot win any election, but USA TODAY graphically illustrates how they can turn the applecart even against the candidate that appears to be in the lead right now: “History shows the impact of the more obscure candidates. In 2000 when the Democrat Al Gore lost to George W Bush, the

loss was attributed in part to Green Party candidate Ralph Nader, who took the votes from Gore in Florida and New Hampshire; both swing states.

And we can’t forget Ross Perot. He didn’t win either, but he got 18% of the popular vote in 1992 and 8% in 1996”. A third party candidate that campaigns along a similar ideological line with any of the big two could steal as many votes as possible from them in close contests like this one.

After attending to the needs of Americans struck

by Sandy, Obama returned to the campaign hustings, assisted by former President Bill Clinton. But beyond this, not much has been noticed as a party effort to drive the president’s candidacy. On the contrary, Romney has enjoyed the full support of his party, particularly the conservative Tea Party elements.

The conservative wing of American politics seem determined to end the Obama era as a result of his perceived far-left radicalism that has openly sided with the gay people, gone hard against industrial practices that pollute the environment (such as coal) and promoted the Obamacare, a revolutionary healthcare system some see as a socialist policy in a country renowned for its strong private enterprise foundations. There are those who think the national debt of $16 trillion could hit the $24 trillion mark by the time Obama is done in 2016 if re-elected.

50 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 51

52 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 53

By IFEANYI OKOLIE

I

O

•The Suspects (first keft) Eboma

I spent N1.4m to secure bail from court •Shocking confession of robbery kingpin

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N June 2011, when operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, at the Lagos State Police Command cracked a notorious robbery gang that specialized in breaking into Automated Teller Machines, ATM, across major banks in the state, they were elated, believing they have ended the reign of the gang.

The four suspects, Ezekiel Omoloye, Sunday Gabriel , Gambo Freman and a dismissed police Sergeant, Eboma Onyeka,were later taken to court on a holden charge of armed robbery and murder following their confessional statements to the police which also aided recovery of all their arms and ammunition, and other instruments they used for their operations.

While these suspects were remanded in prison custody pending the outcome of the advice from the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, the police said the state became relatively calm as the rate of ATM robbery reduced drastically.

However, sometime in February 2012, news of ATM robbery started circulating as some banks within, Oshodi Apapa Expressway, MazaMaza and Ejigbo, had their ATMs vandalized and lots of cash carted away. This trend continued until April this year, when a policeman who was guarding a second generation bank was killed after a gang of armed robbers struck at the financial institution’s ATM. Police sources intimated Crime Alert that the daily reports of the ATM robberies became a source of worry to the command, prompting the state Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko to order a full blown investigation into the development. peratives at Special Anti- Robbery Squad, SARS, who were mandated to carry out the investigation and apprehend the culprits were thrown into confusion given the fact that they had once busted the only gang they believed was behind such operation. Nonetheless, a source who craved anonymity told Crime Alert that the officer in charge of SARS, Abba Kayri, swiftly mobilized a crack team of operatives to hunt down the culprits.

It was gathered that the modus-operandi in this new surge of ATM robberies were the same compared to those of the dismissed Sergeant Eboma and his gang. Then the SARS operatives swiftly used their

The worst of it is that the Judiciary does not think it necessary to contact us during bail hearings. That was what happened when they started Eboma’s bail processes because we were not carried along and nobody gave us the opportunity of defending our actions

contacts at the prison in checking if Eboma and his gang were still there but they were shocked to realize that three of the suspects except one, had been released.

The operative made contacts with the last suspect, Gabriel, through his brother and he gave them Eboma’s contacts.

It was at the point the police started trailing Eboma that they discovered that he (Eboma) had been in regular contact with a court Registrar at Igbosere Magistrate Court and many others. According to the source, “one of those contacts assisted us in rearresting Eboma and when we interrogated him, he confessed to the police that he spent N 1.4m to secure his bail illegally from the court. He also told us that he could not locate other members of his gang as they had fled soon after his arrest.

“But one other thing you must look at is the attitude of the judiciary in granting bail

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to suspected armed robbers who murdered innocent people during their escapades.

They now grant bail to rich criminals who were arrested for cases as grievous as armed robbery and murder, and their lawyers usually cook up all manner of lies to get them out.

T

he worst of it is that the Judiciary does not think it necessary to contact us during bail hearings. That was what happened when they started Eboma’s bail processes because we were not carried along and nobody gave us the opportunity of defending our actions. The situation has become so terrible that we have completely lost the fight with the Judiciary over some of the processes,” the source lamented.

Meanwhile, the Registrar Igbosere High Court 14, Demola Kumola when contacted told Crime Alert that the court followed due process in granting bail to Eboma.

According to him;

“Whenever a process is filed and bail has been granted, we just have to go through the normal process. I work at Court 14. It is normal that he had my number. They do that to see if we can be of assistance to them.”

The Lawyer, T.J. Ajapuno told Crime Alert when contacted that; “Motion on Eboma’s bail notice was perfectly legal. It was filed at the High Court and assigned before Justice Candide Johnson. The DPP did not have Eboma’s file; the police did not give them the file. And bail was granted to all the suspects, Eboma was just fortunate to perfect his own. If he went and started robbing again, that is his own cup of tea. Go to Justice Candide Johnson, you can see the file there; it is in the court.

We followed due process. We served the police, DPP; everything is in the court file.

Immediately we entered that place, because of what they told us because we don’t have the facts of what happened, then we filed an application because an accused person is innocent until the contrary is proved.

We filed an application for bail. What we did was what any ordinary lawyer would do. His wife and a pastor came and stood as sureties for him. The state CID Panti was served and the IPO notified but they never appeared in court. However, the case is not yet over as the substantive matter was before Justice Okunnu at the Ikeja High Court.”

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hen Crime Alert interacted with the dismissed Sergeant Eboma, he narrated how he got out from prison custody and the amount he paid. “We were taken to the Ikeja Magistrate court, after my arrest; this was the first time. It wasn’t as if I had a lawyer. I was brought to court on a robbery charge. Shola, Sunday, Gabriel, Ezekiel, Omolaye were also taken to court. When we got to court, we were docked but no plea was taken. We were taken from the court cell to Kirikiri Minimum Security Prisons.

After some weeks or months, one of the prison wardens called Shola, then called me.

We don’t know actually what happened but we were taken to court. It was a different court (Igbosere) and Shola, was released, while the rest of us were taken back to the prisons.

On the third occasion, I was called upon again and taken to court. When we got to Igbosere High Court premises, we were taken to the different courts where our cases were to be heard and I was released from there. When I got out of prison, I went to church for a while. After I had fully recovered my health, I traveled back to my village in Agbor, Delta state.

When I was at the prison, the lawyer (Ajakpuno) came to see me once with a lady. I told him how I got into prison and he said he would reach my family.

I was released early December.

My parents said they paid N1.4m to facilitate my bail.

54 —

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

W

HEN the Speaker of the Delta State House Of Assembly Mr Victor Ochei came out to cite lack of patriotism and non allegiance to flag and anthem as one of the bane of our sports development, he did not have to search too far for examples.

A week before the end of the London Olympics, his Governor put a call through to some athletes including Vanguard’s Onochie Anibeze, seeking to know why Nigeria was faltering big time. What he heard worried him and he decided there and then to host a sports summit that will deliberate on Nigeria’s sports problem, going forward. “ As a Nigerian I felt bad that while other smaller countries were doing well, we could not get even one medal” He then mandated his Sports Council Chairman Amaju Pinnick and our very own Onochie Anibeze as consultant to put together a summit that will help solve some of Nigeria’s sports problems.

Before his dreams could be actualized, a Presidential retreat was held and Governor Uduaghan was to shelve his plans. He thought otherwise. “…in that case, I decided that we should still go ahead and meet, this time, domesticate the summit and focus on Delta State…… “…… Needless to say that our victories at the national scene have become foregone conclusions. We decide when to win and when to come second, so we should aim higher, assume an international perspective, that is why I have invited all of you here to come and help Delta State chart the way forward.

“You do not have to be Deltans, because at the end of the day, it is not only Delta that will benefit from our sports revolution and success but Nigeria as a whole.

It is also my belief that Nigeria as a country can achieve greatness if all the states of the federation rise up to the challenge by focusing on and developing one sport or the other” he said.

Those invited included Adokiye Amiesimaka, Yours Truly, Enefiok Udobong, , Ejiro Omonode, Professor Emma Ojeme, Ikeddy Isiguzo as domestic resource persons.

However, the highlight of all the papers presented was the submission of Bertland Cameron, the Jamaican Athletics Coach who throughout his presentation wondered why Nigeria had fallen behind so badly, despite a rich and promising past.

He rubbished the belief that we needed millions of dollars to win medals as he took us through the Jamaican formula that was highly dependent on school sports.

He wondered why Jamaica with a population of only 2.5 million people could do so well and surpass a country that was 150 million strong and with

Ethiopia

Continues from BP

draw against Bafana Bafana of South Africa in a 2014 World Cup qualifier.

Meeuws told MTNFootball.com that Said could be one of the surprises in South Africa

in January. ”If the team play strong, Saladin Said has the skills to decide games for Ethiopia,” the former Wadi Degla coach said. ”Saladin could become one of the surprises of the

Ron and Messi Continues from BP Cristiano Ronaldo Junior — is ALSO 869 days older than 25-year-old Messi’s lad, Thiago.

Messi’s girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo gave birth to their lad on Friday while Ronaldo Junior arrived on June 17, 2010.

Last night fans drew attention to the facts on Twitter.

Daz McNally wrote: “Ronaldo and Lionel

Messi were born 869 days apart, and their sons (CR Jr + Thiago) were also 869 days apart.

How amazing is that?”

Ronaldo, 27 — born on February 5, 1985 — has sole custody of his son after a mystery mum gave birth to him.

Portuguese media claim he paid a US surrogate.

Messi was born on June 24, 1987.

Gov Uduaghan’s quest for sports excellence immeasurable human and material resources.

He held us spell bound for the over 50 minutes that he spoke, reeling out freely the names of Nigeria’s forgotten stars who should be driving the sports revolution and development in Nigeria like he and others were doing in Jamaica.

Because Governor Uduaghan had declared that the State was going to focus on Aquatic sports and Athletics, in the house was Roger Barrow the award winning, Olympic Rowing gold medal coach of South Africa.

Again another spell binder as the 36 year old took us through the “Precision and pain “ needed to excel. He advised that we should develop our athletes here and warned that the US will never train them for winning Olympic medals, rather “ they will abuse them, use them and dump them”….the same message Bertland gave out.

Permit me to acknowledge the professional way the Summit was organized and delivered .After the papers were presented, we broke into three working groups and here, some of the who’s who in Nigerian sports took centre stage.

Let me mention a few. Awoture Eleyae, Solomon Ogba, Segha Porbeni, Tony Urhobo, Mumini Alao, Yusuf Ali, Navy Captain Nesiama ( Technical Director of AFN ) Mitchell Obi, Aisha Falode, Gabriel Okon, Henry Amike, Brown Ebewele, Mary Onyali, Larry Izamoje, Gabriel Okpuno, Peter Gumptha, Victor Onanagamue, Eddinton Kkuejobola, Tobias Okwuru……..

Then the gurus of the sports writing fraternity.

Kunle Solaja, Ade Ojeikere, Tony Ubani, Nkem Osu, who is now directing media in the office of the Delta Speaker, Olu Amadasun, Harrisson Ochulor, Calistus Ebare, Gowon Akpodonor, Duro Ikhazuagbe, Joe Ighile, Chris Okpara, Gbolahan Dada, Ben Alaiya, Adekunle Salami, Ignatius Ajuonuma…..

Incidentally my paper was on the Media as an agent

Nations Cup in January. ”That depends of course also on the performance of the Ethiopian team because they are in a strong group with Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Zambia.”

The Eagles have already seen what a force Said could be as he scored his team’s two goals in a 2012 Nations Cup qualifier in Addis Ababa before star-studded Nigeria fought back

Zambia Continues from BP played after their win over second from bottom Willem and are just six points behind leaders PSV. Mulenga was on target in the 44th minute with Utrecht’s second of the day and later scored the visitors’ final goal in the 84th minute.

of sports development. I said there was nothing to say here because this was a given. That meanwhile nobody should expect the media here to successfully assume this role because over eighty per cent of media establishments in Nigeria established under political selfish interest have wound up, while those still managing to operate are owing as many as six months’ salaries. “…….those who pay, pay peanuts and have turned us into monkeys…”

So threatened, “ …..the schools fees of our children, our house rents and hospital bills are being paid by governors, commissioners, chairmen of associations and clubs. So compromised, there is no how we can be expected to excel as we daily report and quote administrators instead of the athletes ..…”

I gave the classical example of the Olympics and how we are yet to get the correct and true picture because ninety per cent of the reporters in London were on the sponsorship of government in a system where media houses can no more fund the coverage of events even at local level.

I spoke about the jack of all trade and master of none situation where in Nigeria you expect the sports reporter to be able to report ALL sports rather than specialize and in that environment he cannot give out his best My colleague Mumini Alao is working on “ a way out “ and I have volunteered to be part of any attempt at salvaging a profession that made me who I am.

Did I tell you that the event was blessed by the physical presence of both the chairmen of the Senate Committee and House of Representatives Committee on Sports?

Oh yes. In their speeches, both Senator Gumba and Honourable Gaiya pledged support for the success of the Delta initiative and gave an insight to what they have done so far as regards the development of sports in Nigeria.

At the end of the group discussions we went into a plenary session where all the groups presented their reports and the house was nearly brought down with applause when Governor Uduaghan ( who sat in the whole day, ) in his closing remarks promised that this will not be “….just another sports summit. I am not an expert, You are, that is why you should be ready, because I will call on you again to help me move the recommendations further, but you can be rest assured that I will guarantee the political will needed for its success…..it will not be another document. We will drive it to the end. Even when I leave office, the state will take up its execution….” He promised.

So help him God. See you next week.

Governor’s Cup may change your lives — Ikpeba students in Delta State Uduaghan will himself

"T

ODAY may mark the beginning of a positive change in your lives and I want you all to give it your all.”

This was the message ex international and one time Africa’s footballer of the year Victor Ikpeba sent to secondary school

as they kick off Governor ’s Cup in the state today.

Comprehensive Secondary School and Adaigbo Secondary School all in OgwasiUku will lock horns today at the Jay Jay Austin Okocha Stadium for the competition Governor Emmanuel

Osaze Continues from BP him will not arise.

“What he told me was that after fighting so hard to qualify Nigeria for the South Africa 2010 World Cup, he was dumped on the bench when the tournament proper started and that he fears a repeat following the manner he was

substituted in the qualifier against Rwanda in Kigali, which was under me. Well, I told him that if I had my way all the players who featured in that match should have been substituted but I had only three substitutions to make because we played poorly in the encounter.

kick off at 10 am.

“I thank the state government for reviving soccer in schools. This can change the lives of many kids. We all started this way until sports died in our schools. Now Governor Uduaghan is reviving it.

I want to thank him and urge the schools to take it seriously and know that people are keeping records of their performance. This can change their lives as outstanding ones stand to gain scholarships and may start professional career from this point,” Ikpeba said.

Jay Jay Okocha will grace the occasion and may address the students in motivational talk.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 — 55

Champions League Splash

A

FTER one of the most unpredictable European Champions League match days in years, some of Europe’s big names have reputations to restore and ground to make up this week as the group stage approaches crunch time.

While Manchester City already are in must-win territory, AC Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Chelsea find themselves in precarious positions heading into the fourth round of matches.

Of that stellar quartet, Chelsea are in most danger and a failure to beat Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday could leave the English giants on the brink of becoming the first defending champions to miss out on qualifying from the group stage.

“It’s fair to say that,’’ Chelsea manager Roberto di Matteo said,

•Mikel

•Pirlo

•Robben

•Shawary

Crunch time in Champions League ...Chelsea, Milan, Juve and Bayern chase wins

when asked if this was the team’s biggest match since last season’s Champions League final. “We’ll have to produce a special night on Wednesday, for sure.’’

Shakhtar, driven on by its talented Brazilian contingent, have won all 14 of their matches in the Ukrainian league and are top of Group E by three points after the 2-0 home win over Chelsea last time out.

That came in a surprise-filled round that saw Milan, Man City, Arsenal and Real Madrid also lose, Juventus held to a draw at Danish minnow FC Nordsjael-

land and Barcelona and Manchester United requiring late goals to seal comeback wins at home.

Chelsea are second in their group - a point ahead of Juventus, who will look to rebound from seeing a 49-match unbeaten domestic run end this weekend when they host Nordsjaelland.

“The world isn’t over and Juventus isn’t finished,’’ goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said after the side’s 3-1 loss to Inter Milan on Saturday.

“We’ve got a lot of positive things to look forward to.

Wednesday is a very important match and we can’t let ourselves be distracted by this result.’’

Italian rivals Milan - a seventime European champion - are second in Group C on four points and seemingly chasing the runner-up spot behind Malaga ahead of Tuesday’s match against the Spanish side, who have won all three matches.

Zenit St. Petersburg are a point behind Milan and play Anderlecht away next.

Bayern, meanwhile, are engaged in a three-way fight with Valencia and unheralded Belaru-

sian side BATE Borisov for two qualification spots in Group F. All three teams have six points, with Bayern - last season’s beaten finalists - currently third but facing a home match against lastplace Lille on Wednesday.

Even Madrid are far from sure of advancing after losing 2-1 at Borussia Dortmund two weeks ago to slip behind the Germans in Group D but things look much rosier for fellow tournament giants Barcelona and Manchester United, who are protecting perfect starts and are both seeking to go through with two games to spare this week.

C M Y K

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Keshi: Osaze back for Eagles S

•Osaze

UPER Eagles boss, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has made further clarifications over reports in the media, quoting him as saying that West Brom striker, Peter Osaze Odemwengie, has said he will not play again for the national team.

Keshi said Monday at

the Bolton White Apartment camp of the national team, that his thoughts may have been misinterpreted, as the light skinned striker merely told him, he was frustrated at the manner he had been treated in the past and fears a repeat, which he assured Continues on Page 54

Ron & Messi in 869 riddle

ALL SMILES......Venus Williams (left) smiles on meeting former Nigerian Vice President Alex Ekwueme at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club on November 2. PHOTO: AFP

We'll shock Eagles — Ethiopia B

•Ronaldo

Messi

A

BIZARRE coinci dence involving two of the world’s greatest footballers and their sons Twitter last night.

Portuguese Real Madrid winger Cristiano

TODAY'S

Ronaldo is 869 days older than Argentina and Barcelona magician Lionel Messi.

But astonishingly, Ronaldo’s son —

•Keshi

Continues on Page 54

PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ELGIAN coach Walter Meeuws has warned Nigeria and Zambia his former player and Ethiopia star Saladin Said could shock them at the AFC O N .

The 24-year-old striker from Egyptian club Wadi Degla is Ethiopia’s top scorer this year with three goals in six qualifying matches including a goal in a 1-1 away Continues on Page 54

ACROSS 4 Raucous (5) 7 Alcove (6) 9 Bed (3) 10 Weep (3) 12 Flower (5) 13 Money (4) 15 Tag (5) 17 Already (6) 19 Decoy (4) 20 Absolute (5) 22 Rodent (3) 24 Wished (7) 27 Spasm (3) 28 Bug (5) 31 Overlook (4) 33 Measure (6) 35 Convenient (5) 37 Mud (4) 38 Plump (5) 39 Epoch (3) 41 Bow (3) 42 Last (6) 43 Smooth (5)

Zambia star fires warning J

ACOB Mulenga fired a brace for Dutch side FC Utrecht in a 5-1 win at Willem II to sound a big warning to Zambia rivals at the AFCON. Chipolopolo are drawn in Group C of next year’s AFCON along with Ni-

geria, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.

His double at the weekend has shot Utrecht from sixth to fourth place on the table.

They now have 21 points from 11 games Continues on Page 54

DOWN 1 Flower (6) 2 Writer (6) 3 Donkey (5) 4 Trust (4) 5 Coral isle (5) 6 Quell (8) 8 Unaccompanied (4) 11 Barrier (9) 14 Require (4) 16 Stand (4) 18 Worry (4) 21 Customary (8) 23 Inform (4) 25 Omen (4) 26 Fate (4) 29 Unequalled (6) 30 Loophole (6) 32 Glowed (5) 34 Musical instrument (4) 36 Frenziedly (4) 40 Insect (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 3, Forum 9, Crater 10, Salute 11, Edged 12, Unit 15, Rare 17, Retreat 20, New 21, Loose 23, Test 25, Prop 26, Timid 28, Sag 30, Compare 33, Plug 35, Tier 36, Digit 38, Colour 39, Lolled 40, Defer.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Scour 2, Habit 3, Fee 4, Ordeal 5, Used 6, Mad 7, Human 8, Renew 13, Neutral 14, Trust 16, Respire 18, Topic 19, Asp 22, Erupt 24, Tip 27, Docile 28, Space 29, Guilt 31, Aisle 32, Erode 34, Fire 36, Dud 37, Tor.

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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C M Y K