Senators panic over $7,000 estacode

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61682

**

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

AVIATION ROAD SHOW SAGA:

Senators panic over $7,000 estacode

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR & HENRY UMORU

L

•Lafiagi, Umar deny knowledge of Aviation minister's invitation

•Senator struggles to return money

AGOS—MEM BERS of the Senate Committee on Aviation, yesterday, distanced themselves from the Aviation Road Show organized by the Ministry of Aviation after one of the senators(name withheld) had allegedly collected $7,000 estacode for the controversial trip.

The senator who collected the money was

Continues on page 5

1861 annexation of Lagos: Eminent citizens back late Oba Dosumu —P.8

PINI JASON How did the Farouk/Otedola saga end? •P.17

JOHN AMODA US's approach to security •P.19 planning (2)

Mr & Mrs CLINTON MEETS MANDELA

—US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (right)poses for a photograph with Nelson Mandela, 94, former president of South Africa, and his wife Graca Machel at his home in Qunu, South Africa, yesterday. AFP PHOTO.

DISCOURSE: Is there any hope for Nigeria •Pages 34&35 C M Y K

Beggars protest removal from Lagos roads •P.6

C M Y K

2 — Vanguard , TUESDAY TUESDAY,, AUGUST 7, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—3

C M Y K

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard , TUESDAY TUESDAY,, AUGUST 7, 2012

Vanguard, TUESD AY, A UGUST 7, 2012—5 TUESDA AUGUST

POCKET CARTOON

Aviation Road Show saga: Senators panic over $7,000 estacode Continues from Page 1 not part of the trip which commenced last Sunday and was firmly rooted in his constituency last night.

The decision of the Senate committee to boycott the road show, Vanguard learnt, followed stern warning from the senate leadership to members of the committee to distance themselves from the trip following misgivings on the administration’s implementation of the 2012 budget.

Senators and members of the House of Representatives are equally dissatisfied with the airports remodelling projects, a pet project of the Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah.

The remodelling projects which have led to the reconstruction of 11 airports across the country have been beset by controversy over funding and transparency in the award of the contracts.

The funds for the remodelling projects costing N7.5 billion have reportedly been sourced from the Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA fund. The money was reportedly sourced from the BASA fund without approval of the National Assembly.

The aviation road show is to take senior aviation officials and the minister to the United States, Canada and

China where they are expected to showcase the investment potentials in the aviation sector.

It was learnt, yesterday, that three members of the committee were pencilled down for the trip but only one senator had by last weekend collected the estacode before the media frenzy on the issue sparked panic panic. The senate president sternly warned that no senator should go on the trip, a development that made the senator (names withheld) to step down.

The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark did not receive any request as expected from any senator for approval to travel abroad and was, therefore, shocked with the report on the senate’s involvement in the air show.

The senator who allegedly collected the $7,000 was, yesterday, expected to return the money to the Ministry of Aviation following the warning by the authorities in the senate to him to return the money immediately.

It, however, could not be confirmed as at press time if the senator had returned the money.

“He is a new member even though a highly placed member of the society who collected the money without getting clearance from the Senate President to travel,” one source privy

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

For some of us, the world appears to provide only a fixed quantity of each resource a limited amount of food, of money, of love, of success, of appreciation. For others, life is unlimited. Their world expands with the generosity, compassion, inventiveness, and service that they contribute. In this world-view, money that is spent or given away returns multiplied — Jonathan Lockwood

H

OWARD Thurman wrote these words: He de scribed his life as the experience of holding in his hand many threads linking him with the lives of others. Some threads come from the sick, the children, the lonely, the troubled, the imprisoned; some from the dreaming, the schemers, and the ambitious; still others were knotted beyond his power to understand and unravel. But one thread was different from all the others.

One thread is a strange thread - it is my steadying thread; when I am lost, I pull it hard and find my way. When I am saddened, I tighten my grip and gladness glides along its quivering path; when the waste places of my spirit appear in arid confusion, the thread becomes a channel of newness in life. One thread is a strange thread-it is my steadying thread. God’s hand holds the other end.

to the development told Vanguard yesterday.

“The fear of the senators is that they could be made to face the kind of embarrassment Hembe faced in the House of Representatives when he became a subject of blackmail.”

Members of the committee on aviation moved quickly, yesterday, to distance themselves from the road show.

Among those who denied knowledge of the Aviation Road Show were Senators Abubakar Tutare Umar and Shaaba Mohammed Lafiagi.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Hope Uzodinma in a response to enquiries from Vanguard through a text message claimed to be in a meeting.

Speaking with Vanguard yesterday, Senator Umar who is also the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs disclosed that he was currently in Abuja following the recess by the chamber, adding, ‘’I am in Nigeria, precisely in Abuja. I have never been invited by the Ministry of Aviation, I didn’t even know that there was any trip to somewhere; I never planned for anything.”

Also speaking with Vanguard, a member of the Senate Committee on Aviation and former governor of Kwara State, Senator Shaaba Mohammed Lafiagi, PDP, Kwara North said he was presently in Ilorin, the Kwara State Capital.

Senator Lafiagi who is also the Vice Chairman,

Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence said, ‘’we are in the country, not anywhere. I am in Ilorin as I am speaking with you now.”

Other members of the committee who could not be reached yesterday were the Vice Chairman of the Aviation Committee, Senator Garba Babayo Gamawa, Bauchi North; Senator

Akin Babalola Odunsi, Ogun West; Mohammed Ali Ndume, Borno South; Ibrahim Gobir, Sokoto East; Domingo Obende, Edo North.

It was, however, gathered that Senator Obende was in the United States to deliver a paper at the annual Afenmai World Summit organised by the Afenmai World Congress, AWC.

Boko Haram claims responsibility for killing of soldiers in Damaturu, Maiduguri, Gombe

A

BUJA—THE Is lamist sect, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, popularly called Boko Haram, yesterday, claimed responsibility for the weekend killing of soldiers in Borno, Gombe and Yobe states.

It was a fatal weekend for the military Joint Task Force in the three states as the sect killed a number of them with the JTF losing six soldiers in a single attack in Shagari low cost housing estate, Damaturu last Sunday.

Spokesman of the sect, Abu Qaqa in a statement to newsmen, yesterday, said: “On Saturday at about 6 o’clock in the evening, our warriors and Allah’s followers on a mission were attacked by security operatives of the JTF at Kaleri in Maiduguri. As Allah’s grace is on us we succeeded in killing and sending many of them to their graves.

“However, we triumphed in killing six soldiers in an encounter in Gombe town. We also, got victory in Damaturu at 12 noon when the JTF attempted to capture one of our faithful in a car loaded with bombs at

their check point. He killed them on alert of their evil intention.”

According to Yobe State Police Commissioner, a suicide bomber in an explosive-laden vehicle slammed into a military patrol team, kill-

ing six soldiers and injuring nine others.

Yobe State has been under increased attack by suspected members of the Islamic sect Boko Haram in recent times.

On Friday, a suicide bomber failed in his at-

tempt to blow up the Mosque where the Emir of Potiskum, Alhaji Mohammadu Ibn Abbali, worshipped, but the bomber died while seven others, including policemen, were injured.

Jimoh Ibrahim suspends publication of Newswatch

L

AGOS—THE Chairman of the Board of Directors of Newswatch Communications, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim has announced the suspension of the Newswatch magazine’s publication with immediate effect.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Ibrahim said: “In my capacity as the Publisher of Newswatch magazines, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, I hereby suspend the publication of Newswatch magazine from the newsstands with immediate effect.

This decision is already approved by 51% shareholders of the company – Global Media Mirror Limited”.

According to the statement, “the decision is taken to reposition the

magazine and make it relevant to modern developments, and as such, the magazine is due for corporate surgery.

The remains of the magazine will now operate from 159-161 Broad Street, Marina, Lagos to enable us overhaul and reconstruct the old office.

“The new office is equipped with modern day technology (including computers and ipads) and standard furniture.

But regrettably, it will not house incompetent staff. Any staff that is not in agreement with the latest development is directed to collect any outstanding salaries from the Accounts department immediately.

“The National Mirror

went through this similar template of rebirth from the old National Mirror, which is now competing favourably with its peers.

“I commend the publishers of The News magazine for operating in a modern office with new technology, while I also see the TELL magazine’s facelift and rebranding as unprecedented in the history of Nigerian journalism.

“Newswatch cannot be an exception to modern changes and the old style must go once and for all. I also thank the readers and customers, and I assure them that the magazine will return to the market as soon as the surgical operation is completed and the magazine is rebranded”

6—Vanguard , TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Traders, small scale producers denounce hike in bread price

PIB: Reps to query powers bestowed on executive

BY OMOH GABRIEL, BUSINESS EDITOR AT I O N A L Association of Nigerian Traders, NANTS, Voices for Food Security, VFS, and Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria, ASSAPIN, have jointly denounced the recent increase in the price of bread, saying it was not in the interest of bakers and the economy.

Reacting to the increase in prices of bread as a result of increase in tariff of imported wheat, the traders said “It has come to our notice that the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria has announced a 20 per cent increase in bread prices, following the introduction of the additional 15 per cent on imported wheat.

They said: “While we concede to the opinions expressed by wheat bread makers that the installation and other associated machinery costs will add to the production costs of

T

N

bread, we however, insist that such costs are only ephemeral and also in their own overall output interest.

"We argue that rather than increase the price of bread, bakers should show appreciation to government for the incentive of reducing the tariff burden on their raw material input and therefore desist from unnecessary vendetta impeding the security and right to food of innocent citizens.

"We, therefore implore all forward-looking citizens to resist all attempts by any group to mortgage the future of the country with colossal and superfluous importations when we have local substitutes”.

In a joint statement by Adenekan Adeshile, Commercial Officer, NANTS on behalf of NANTS and Voices for Food Security said “We refuse to admit the controversy making rounds that ‘cassava bread is an idea whose time has not yet

arrived’. We rather insist on the glaring immediate and future potentials of cassava, reiterating that the new policy is backed up by the fact that Nigeria remains currently the largest producer of this agric commodity in the world and must, therefore, make use of this comparative advantage and opportunity to diversify the economy and lift her people out of poverty.

“We continue to advise Nigerian bakeries to adapt and make changes on their current production practices to fall in line with g o v e r n m e n t ’ s requirements for blending of cassava flour in bread.

Noting that such changes necessitate retraining of staff.

We also advise bakeries to patiently explore the provisions of the Cassava Bread Development Fund created by government to mitigate the need without unnecessarily jeopardizing the huge potential benefits

to their investments and the overall positive impact on the nation’s economy. We must congratulate and salute the courage and vision of UTC bakeries for already adapting to the current policy”.

He said the idea that “the required expansion of cassava production to meet government blending targets is ‘not feasible’ in the short term, particularly given political unrest in the northern part of Nigeria was not tenable saying “We strongly argue and advise that political unrest is only a light turbulence which the country would soon pass over.

In any case, many states in Nigeria’s South, East and West are huge producers of cassava and the movement of the raw material should not pose a problem since wheat which lands at Lagos ports is also always transported unhindered by millers and/ or bakers to their production bases across Nigeria.

BY UDUMA KALU, WITH AGENCY REPORT

HE new Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, draft presented to the National Assembly by the Presidency gives President Goodluck Jonathan through his Petroleum Minister, Diezani AlisonMadueke greater powers, and this may become one of the reasons why the bill will be delayed by the House which thinks the executive arm of government is already too dominant.

Besides giving powers to the oil minister, Jonathan’s committee is said to have also added a clause that would allow the president to give oil licences at his own discretion, a backward step National Assembly is likely to reverse.

The proposed bill says the “minister may, on the recommendation of the inspectorate, grant a licence, to be known as Petroleum Exploration Licence, to carry out exploration on a nonexclusive basis; a licence to be known as a Petroleum Prospecting Licence, to prospect for petroleum; and a lease, to be known as a Petroleum Mining

Lease.”

It adds that “where the minister decides to grant a licence or lease, it shall be to the winning bidder provided the winner has complied with requirements specified in the bid process, part of which is that such licences may be granted only to a company incorporated in Nigeria under the Companies and Allied Matters Act or any corresponding law.”

The bill has been stuck in the National Assembly for more than five years, casting a cloud of uncertainty over the sector and driving billions of dollars of investment away to rival oil producing nations. It is believed that if the uncertainty is left unresolved, oil revenues could soon start falling.

Lawmakers will resume from their recess in midSeptember to debate the PIB but several lawmakers told Reuters that the PIB won’t get an easy ride and they intend on making major changes.

“We will not be subjected to pressure to pass the PIB. It will not get a speedy passage but a thorough passage,” Zakari Mohammed, spokesman for the lower house, told Reuters.

FG to strengthen investment pact with Brazil

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

DEMOSTRATION OF CASSAVA BREAD INITIATIVE—From left: Managing Director, UTC Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Foluso Olaniyan; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Minister for Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina; and Chairman, Master Bakers, Ekiti State, Mr. Bosun Oshaloni, during the launch/ demonstration of cassava bread initiative in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, yesterday.

UNEP report: Minister blames delay in implementation on subsidy removal protest

BY BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA—EFFECTS of this year’s nationwide protest over the removal of fuel subsidy reverberated at the Presidential Villa yesterday as the Minister of Environment, Hadiza Mailafia, yesterday blamed the delay in the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, on the cleaning up of the environment of Ogoniland damaged by

years of oil exploration on the protest.

The Minister who led a team of Ministry of Environment and its agencies to the Villa, however, promised that the implementation of the report had already commenced.

Hajia Mailafia who presented to the President the ministry’s policy thrust for budget 2013 and the priority for budget 2012 said everything was being done to ensure that the implementation of the

report was hitch-free.

She said: “We are making enormous efforts, I agree that the presentation was made last year, but you recall that just after the presentation of the UNEP report, the country fell into some kind of unrest due to fuel subsidy.

“For quite a number of weeks, all of us were not doing what we should have been doing at that time. But it is not true that government is not doing anything.

“The UNEP report

highlighted some immediate issues that needed to be addressed; finding potable or alternative supplies of drinking water, such as marking out the wells that were too polluted and doing other strategic framework activities that needed to be in place before the implementation.

“With the support of Governor Rotimi Amaechi and through the National Oil Spill Remediation Agency we have carried out all those tasks".

A

BUJA—MINISTER of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, yesterday said the Federal Government would strengthen investment pact with Brazil in order to attract more Foreign Direct investments that will fasttrack the development of infrastructure in the Nigerian economy.

Aganga stated this during a meeting with a delegation from a major Brazilian conglomerate, Queiroz Galvao.

The delegation was led by the Nigerian Ambassador to Brazil, Mr. Vincent Okoedion and the Managing Director, West Africa, Queiroz Galvao, Mr. Marcos Alexandre Silva.

Also, in attendance were representatives from the Ministries of Works; Health; Lands, Housing and Urban Development, and the Infrastructure Concession

Regulatory Commission.

Queiroz Galvao, is currently eyeing investment in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy including energy, roads ports, airports, among others.

With a staff strength of 46,000 and turnover of $4.3bn in 2010, the Group has over 50 companies in sectors such as construction, real estate development, food, investments and concessions, oil and gas, exploration and production, iron and steel industry, environmental engineering and urban transport, among others.

However, Aganga stated that leading Brazilian companies had already indicated their willingness to invest in the Nigerian economy, adding that the country would leverage on areas where it has comparative and competitive advantage to create jobs, generate wealth and transform the economy.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012 — 7

Tenants sue Anambra govt over eviction threat court for an order restrainBY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

Ogoni Health Outreach”Shell Petroleum Development Company medical personnel checking the blood pressure of an elderly woman as part of SPDC Health-in-Motion medical outreach programme at Nchia, Eleme Local Government Area, Ogoniland, no fewer than 4,000 patients received free medicare services ranging from blood screening and dental surgeries to eye tests and free glasses.

WKA—RESIDENTS of Anambra State Government–owned Real Estate in Awka, have dragged the state AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice and the state Head of Service, HOS, to the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu over alleged threat by the government to eject them.

An Awka High Court presided over by Justice Mike Onochie had in a judgment delivered in October 2008, granted the counter-claim of the respondents that the applicants should relinquish their right over the houses.

Seven residents of the

Woman, 45, commits suicide in Enugu E

BY TONYEDIKE

NUGU—A 45-year-old woman from Oduma in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, Mrs. Thomas Ezenta, has reportedly committed suicide at Umuawalagu, Nara community in Nkanu East Local Governemnt Area of Enugu State.

According to the police, the body of the woman was found hanging on a short tree within the community last Friday, but it could not be ascertained why she took her own life.

She did not leave any suicide note and did not disclose her intention.

State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident in Enugu, yesterday, said the woman, married to one

Thomas Ezenta, committed the act on August 3.

Quoting the deceased’s husband, Ezenta, the PPRO said the woman was missing from her home for some time but reports came to the husband suddenly that her corpse was hanging on a tree.

Amaraizu said the state police command had com-

YOUNG

L

AGOS—JOINT Ac tion Front, JAF, umbrella body for pro-labour civil society organisations in the country, yesterday called for an end to attacks and intimidations of leaders and members of National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, by suspectedagents of the state.

JAF in a statement by Dr Dipo Fashina and Mr. Abiodun Aremu, JAF Chairperson and Secretary, respectively, they condemned the unwarranted attack and warned the Federal Government

C M Y K

claimed had been having some mental problems.

She had allegedly left home to an unknown destination until the report got to him about the incident.”

The PPRO added that the corpse of the woman had been deposited at the General Hospital mortuary, Agbani for autopsy.

Imo bans collection of taxes, levies from traders

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI—IMO State Government has banned the collection of levies and taxes from traders in the state until year-end.

Rights groups condemn attacks on NUEE leaders

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-

menced investigations into the circumstances that led to the sad incident.

Amaraizu said: “The deceased, who was later identified as one Angelina Ezenta of Odume in Aninri Local Government Area committed suicide. Her husband said he had been looking for his wife whom he

and its agents to desist from such barbaric act that would further deepen the insecurity situation in the country.

It recalled the foiled attempt to bomb the national secretariat of NUEE in Lagos, last Friday, the deployment of soldiers to PHCN facilities in mid-November 2011 under the guise of national security.

JAF said: "The latest act of attack is basically aimed at intimidating the leadership of NUEE and workers in the electricity sector, who have been consistent in their resistance to the FG’s desperate agenda of privatisation of the power sector.”

Governor Rochas Okorocha announced this when he played host to traders at Government House, Owerri.

Okorocha equally announced that his administration would provide a N50 million interest-free revolving loan to Imo traders, stressing that the suspension of all levies would enable government to reform all tax laws and ensure that all levies were accounted for.

He said: “It is sad that most taxes and levies end up in private pockets and that is unacceptable. The loan will assist all genuine traders to succeed and grow."

The governor said plans were on ground to give a facelift to the four major markets in Owerri metropolis, as well as build a new one to provide space for those presently without stalls.

On security, Okorocha said: “We have reduced the spate of kidnapping in the state and I solicit the assistance of traders in the state in all our pro-

grammes”.

Responding on behalf of his colleagues, the President, Mr. Chukwudi Onuoha, commended Okorocha for what he termed “your developmental strides in the state and the proposed N50 million revolving loan promised by the Governor”.

estate, who for themselves and others recently served with quit notices as a result of the judgment, are praying the court for an order of injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, workers, servants, privies, including one Vincent Nkwonta, said to be the contractor hired by government, from carrying out the ejection or demolishing the estate as being speculated.

They also prayed the

Kidnappings: NUJ wants more protection for monarchs

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

W KA— T H E Anambra State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has condemned the increasing kidnap cases especially affecting traditional rulers in the state and called on security operatives to provide adequate security for the royal fathers.

Four traditional rulers in the state had, in the last three years, become victims of kidnappers, the latest being the kidnap of the traditional ruler of Ukpo in Dunukofia Local Government Area, Igwe Robert Eze last week.

Two of them kidnapped last year; the traditional

A

BA—AN Abia State High Court, sitting in Osisioma, has ordered Osisioma Ngwa Local Government to pay Mgborukwe Enterprises Limited over N31 million for breach of contract.

The court presided over

by Justice C.C. Adiele also ordered the council to pay the company N15.61 million being per cent of the said contract sum as compensation for wrongful termination of the said contract.

Justice Adiele in addi-

ruler of Ihembosi and the traditional ruler of Adazi Nnukwu, are still missing and there are fears they may have been killed.

Worried by the development, the NUJ, at its congress in Awka said that the painful thing about the kidnappings was that they all happened at the palaces of the affected traditional rulers.

A statement issued at the end of the congress by the chairman, Mrs. Tochukwu Omelu and assistant secretary, Miss Ify Anumba observed that the assault on the royal fathers had become a threat on the traditional institution and an affront on the Igbo culture.

Misconduct: Ebonyi govt lifts suspension on principals, teachers

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI— EBONYI State Government, yesterday, lifted the suspension imposed on some teachers and principals found guilty of impersonation, insubord i n a t i o n , maladministration and

Breach of contract: Court orders LG to pay N31m to firm tion, awarded the company

BY ANAYO OKOLI

ing the respondents from collecting rents from them pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.

In an affidavit sworn to by one of the occupants, Elder C.C. Mbacci, they stated that they expended huge money in making the houses habitable, adding that they were given quit notices without waiting for the determination of an appeal they lodged against the judgment of the lower court.

N10, 000 as cost against the Local Government.

Osisioma Ngwa Local Government had in 2005 given the company a contract to build Osisioma Motor Park on Build, Occupy, Transfer, BOT, term.

The contract agreement stipulated that the company would manage the park for a period of 25 years to recoup its investment and transfer it to the council.

However, it was learnt that in 2008, barely two years into the agreement, the then council chairman sacked the company from the park and took it over.

fraud during last academic year in the s t a t e .

At a briefing, state Commissioner of Education, Prince Ndubuisi ChibuezeAgbo who explained that the affected teachers and principals were recalled in the spirit of togetherness and the need for synergy in the education sector, directed them to resume their official duties without delay, advising them to “go and sin no m o r e ” .

Chibueze-Agbo noted that he would continue to discharge the assignments of the ministry within the ambit of the law, stressing that no amount of threat or blackmail from those he described as ‘enemies of education’ would deter him from moving the education sector to a greater height.

According to the commissioner, the 222-approved secondary schools which cut across the three senatorial zones of the state would soon receive adequate attention in terms of infrastructural facilities among others.

8 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

1861 annexation of Lagos: Eminent citizens back Late Oba Dosumu

ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1861 ANNEXATION OF LAGOS AS A BRITISH CROWN COLONY

zErelu Dosumu lauds historians, others for putting records straight

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

L

AGOS—EMINENT Nigerians yesterday unanimously faulted historical claims that the role played by Late Oba Dosumu on the 1861 annexation of Lagos was against the interest of the city, saying that the monarch was heroic in his dealings with Britain.

They also described the annexation as a commercial adventure, adding that it was not driven by human interest as being claimed by the United Kingdom.

This was disclosed at a forum convened by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, entitled: 11th Brainstorming Session On The 1861 Annexation of Lagos As A British Crown Colony: Matters Arising.

Dignitaries at the event, which attracted notable people from the academia, diplomatic corps, legislature and traditional institution include former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Senator Olorunimbe Momora, Ambassador George Obiozor, Erelu Abiola Dosumu, Mr. Sam Amuka, Publisher/Chairman, Vanguard Newspapers, Dr. Walter Ofonagoro, and Ambassador Robert Clark.

Others were Prof Rafiu Akindele, Prof Tekena Tamuno, Prof Margaret Vogts, Prof Bola Akinterinwa, Ambassador Dapo Fafowora and Prof Alaba Ogunsanwo among others.

In her remarks Erelu Dosumu regretted that Oba Dosumu’s role in the annexation of Lagos as a British colony had been wrongly placed on the wrong side of history.

According to her, “while it is tempting to want to join the argument on the different and sometimes distorted accounts on the role of Oba Dosumu in signing the treaty ceding Lagos to the United Kingdom, I simply would like to use this opportunity to welcome you to the celebration which started a year ago, where experts, historians, actors and actresses are putting the records straight through intellectual discourses, workshops and a host of other interesting activities.

“If there is any other message I have today, it is the fact that the treaty of Lagos was about trade, it established a relationship with Her Majesty, Queen Victoria’s government and Lagos, which later expanded to Nigeria as a whole. The treaty of Lagos was about promotion of trade and investment and economic cooperation in general and not territorial takeovers, which my extensive research revealed.”

In addition, Dosumu said, “today August 6, 2012 makes it exactly 151 years down the line, the fact that Nigeria is proud more than ever to stand shoulder-toshoulder with the United Kingdom in a special relationship which the government and people of our two countries are keen to promote, speaks volume about the efficacy of the treaty of Lagos and the role of Oba Dosumu over a century ago.”

H i s t o r i c a l background of annexation Similarly, Mr. Alex Ekeanyanwu, in his lecture entitled: British PreColonial Engagement With Nigerian Chiefs: Oba Dosumu In The Annexation of Lagos stated that accusing Dosunmu of weakness in his engagement with Britain

was misplaced.

He said: “Accusing Dosumu of docility or weakness in his engagement with the British is completely misplaced. If anything, Oba Dosumu should be seen as a strategic thinker, who foresaw the consequences of opposing Britain with respect to the take over of Lagos as has been seen in the cases of King Pepple of Bonny, Jaja of Opobo, Nana of Itsekiri and Ovonramen of Benin.”

Ekeanyanwu further said, “even though the British in identifying the annexation said the measure had become indispensable to the complete suppression of slave traders and kidnappers, who oppressed them, the fact indeed was that Britain was determined to exercise political control over Lagos and appropriate all economic benefits from the strategic location of Lagos.”

Continuing, he said, “the political environment was conducive for British intervention. The crises of succession which dated back from the death of Oba Olugun Kutere in 1881 had become a destabilising factor.

The misunderstanding between two rival branches of the ruling house in Lagos represented by Akitoye and Kosoko provided an enabling environment for Consul Beecroft to strike.”

From left: Erelu Abiola Dosumu, Amb. Dapo Fafowora, Chairman and Prof Tekena Tamuno during the 11th brainstorming session on the 1861 annexation of Lagos as a British Crown Colony organised by the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, in Lagos, yesterday. Pix: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

From left: Prof. Ayo Ajomo, Erelu Abiola Dosumu, and Prof Bola Akinterinwa, DG NIIA.

Navy combs N-Delta creeks for 4 kidnapped foreign sailors

T

HE Nigeria Navy is combing the Niger Delta creeks and waterways in search of four foreigners kidnapped during an attack in Nigeria on a vessel belonging to an oil services company.

The suspected pirates stormed the vessel belonging to the Sea Trucks Group on Saturday in the Gulf of Guinea, killing two Nigerian naval guards and kidnapping four foreigners.

A naval officer, who did not want his name published, said the search had continued in the creeks and

waterways.

“We are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to get back these four foreigners, who were kidnapped aboard the vessel. We are redoubling our efforts,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Sea Trucks Group, which provides support vessels to oil companies operating in Nigeria, said on Sunday that her company was focused on the safe release of the hostages.

“We are very focused on getting our crew back safely,” Corrie van Kessel told AFP on the telephone.

From left: Amb J. B. Clark and Chief Arthur Mbanefo.

From left: Chief Ernest Shonekan, Former Head of Interim National Government and Mrs Modupe Irele during the 11th brainstorming session on the annexation of Lagos as a British Crown Colony organised by the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, in Lagos, yesterday.

Vanguard , TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—9

Lagos, stakeholders parley over new traffic laws

A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW ...AWOYINFA The creme de la creme of the society gathered on Sunday at a Special Thanksgiving Service and Dinner to mark the 60th birthday of top-rated journalist, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, former Managing Director, The Sun Newspapers , at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. Pix: Joe Akintola,Photo Editor.

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

I

KEJA—PENDING the enforcement of the new Lagos Road Traffic Law, the state government, yesterday, met with representatives of the transport unions in the state to explain the provisions of the law as well as the need to ensure compliance by their members.

Some of the transport unions at the stakeholders’ meeting chaired by the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, included Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria.

Others were representatives of “Okada riders” under the aegis of Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State, Motorcycle Transport Union of Nigeria, National Association of Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association, among others.

The government issued a 90-day grace to commercial transport operators to reregister their vehicles or face sanction.

The government explained that the intention was to create a new data base to aid easy identification of each vehicle owner, driver and conductor, adding that hackney permit will be issued as one of vehicule particulars that commercial bus operators will have on their vehicle.

Responding, Lagos State Chairman of NURTW, Mr. Agbede Tajudeen, assured that members will comply with the law, but appealed for government to help them recover some of the parks that had been converted for other uses to enable them stay off the roads.

From right, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, the celebrator; Mrs. Bukola Awoyinfa, wife, and Mr. Tunji Bello, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment.

From right, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, former Managing Director, The Daily Times of Nigeria Plc and ex-Ogun State Governor;Beere Aderinsola Osoba and Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, former MD, The Daily Times of Nigeria Plc and Chairman, Tanus Communications, at the event.

Electric spark stalls Dana inquest proceedings

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH & ONOZURE DANIA

L

AGOS—EFFORT of the Coroner Court investigating the cause of the death of passengers aboard the Dana Airline plane that crashed on June 3 to get the ‘cockpit recorder’ failed as the pro-

Police arrest woman for allegedly killing in-law over N50

BY EVELYN USMAN

L

AGOS—POLICE MEN attached to Isheri Division in Lagos have arrested a woman, who allegedly beat her 15year-old brother-in-law to death, for stealing N50.

The incident, which occurred about 3 p.m, yesterday, at 3 Amosu Street, off Community Road, Ijegun-Igando, reportedly sent some of the residents into hiding for fear

of being arrested by the police.

Eyewitnesses said occupants of 3, Amosu Street were attracted by the lad’s shout for help. One of them who reportedly went to rescue the victim was said to have been taken aback on noticing his still position on the floor.

Apprehension set in after several attempt to wake him up failed, following which the police were contacted.

ceeding was adjourned abruptly due to electricity spark in the court room.

The coroner judge, Mr. Oyetade Komolafe, who said the safety of the people was paramount to the court, was forced to adjourn sitting till today to allow technicians to rectify the problem.

Earlier, the coroner had continued with the examination of Mr. Emmanuel Dilla, an engineer with the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, who gave evidence last week on their findings so far about the accident.

The coroner had requested AIB to tender an extract of the technical log book of the ill-fated aircraft.

Dilla, in his evidence, said the technical log book of the aircraft was in the custody of AIB which is using it for its investigation.

Questioned by Mrs. Funmi Falana, one of the

counsel, Dilla told the court that the Technical Log Book, TLB, contained the records of the aircraft on a daily basis, which included Deferred Detected List, DDL, of the aircraft.

Answering questions on their recovery of the Black Box, Dilla said there were two black boxes, which he said comprised the flight recorder and the copy voice recorder, which he said was located at the tail end of the aircraft.

He said, the ‘Flight Recorder’ was not recovered due to impact of the fire that gutted the craft, but said the copy voice recorder was recovered.

He said: “The Cockpit Voice Recorder, CVR, had ‘burning temperature’ (overheating) but we were able to download all the necessary information needed for the investigation.”

Further hearing in the investigation continues today.

Beggars protest removal from Lagos roads

L

AGOS—HUNDREDS of beggars, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest to the Lagos State House Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja, over their removal from the streets in the state.

President of the Association of PhysicallyChallenged, Alhaji Jubril Hassan, said the government was wrong to have asked beggars to stay off the streets where they were enjoying their social rights.

Hassan also said it was illegal to deny them their fundamental freedom of movement.

Hassan said: “We adopted this medium to express our displeasure and unhappiness with the actions taken and the one to be taken by the Lagos State Government.

“Our movement within Lagos metropolis has been restricted such that anyone caught roaming the street is taken to Majidun Rehabilitation Centre.”

He explained that in most cases, all their belongings were seized, while they were also maltreated by the management of the camp.

He said: “The condition of the camp is appalling and devastating, it causes more harm to our health.

“It has come to our notice that very soon any-

body found giving us alms will be apprehended and imprisoned for two years.”

He, therefore, appealed to the government to rescind its decision of denying beggars the right to move freely within the state.

According to him, the policy will further aggravate their suffering, instead of alleviating it.

He called on the media, non-government organisations and human rights activists to come to their aid.

The Secretary of the association, Mr. Zakariwai Hassan, claimed that no fewer than 600 beggars had been arrested by the government without providing adequate alternative for them.

Hassan urged the government to look into their plight and allow them to continue with their daily activities in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria,NAN, reported that the protesters were received by Mr. Babatunde Panox, Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Security as the assemblymen were on recess. He advised them not to take the law into their hands, promising that the government would find solutions to their problems.

10—Vanguard ,TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

15 escape death as police kill 2 robbers on Sagamu/Benin Expressway

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

B E O K U TA — N O fewer than 15 passengers of a commercial bus hijacked by a gang of armed robbers, escaped death during a gun duel between policemen in Ogun State and the robbers on Sagamu-Benin Expressway.

The incident. which occurred, weekend, around J4 on the Sagamu/ Benin Expressway, however, led to the death of two of the suspects.

Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement in Abeokuta, yesterday, confirmed the incident.

He said the bandits had hijacked the bus with number-plate Delta XC 291 EFR, and engaged the policemen attached to Ogbere Division in a gun duel that lasted almost 20 minutes.

Mean time, the Ogun State Government, yesterday, said contrary to re-

ports, only N10 million was involved in the tax fraud uncovered at the Internal Revenue Service department of the state.

However, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Taxation, Chief Olufemi Allen, has dragged a publication to

court for mentioning his name in the fraud.

Speaking with newsmen in her office, at OkeMosan, Abeokuta, the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who confirmed the story, denied the amount involved, adding

that the matter was still being investigated, adding that the alleged redeployment of the governor’s aide and other top officials of the agency allegedly involved in the fraud was part of a normal reorganization going on at IRS.

From left, Madam Mopelola Alade from Olorunda Local Government Area, Osogbo; Madam Dada Komolafe from Ilesha West Local Government Area and Madam Aishat Jimoh from Ede North, collecting confirmation letters for the payment of their salaries, during the inauguration of Agba Osun (Welfare Scheme for the Elderly), in Osogbo,on Sunday.

FRSC detains motorist over N200 bribe

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA—FED ERAL Road Safety Corps, FRSC, in Ogun State, yesterday, vowed to prosecute a motorist, who allegedly offered one of its officers N200 bribe to evade arrest after allegedly breaking traffic rules on Abeokuta/Lagos Expressway.

The corps, which also said it had seized 50 vehicles for violating traffic rules, said all offenders would be prosecuted.

Speaking in Abeokuta, the FRSC Commander in Itori in Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Fatai Bakare, said the motorists were arrested for committing traffic offences while plying the road.

C M Y K

According to Bakare, ''one of the motorists tried to bribe one of our officers with N200 after he violated traffic rules; we are going to add to his charges.''

He said, some of the offences they committed

were dangerous driving, light sign and caution signs violations, seat belt violation.

Bakare said the unit would not spare any traffic offender no matter how well-placed they are in

the society.

“Our main aim of the patrol is to reduce drastically and if possible face out accidents and loss of human lives on our roads; we are going to give it our best to achieve our aim.

Lagos Soroptimists plan free books donation

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

L

AGOS—IN a bid to promote reading culture and cultivate awareness among young Nigerians, the newly-inaugurated President of the Lagos Chapter of Soroptimist International, SI, Mrs. Biola Agusto-Agoro, has decided to focus her project in the two years on

the distribution of books and other materials to schools and tertiary institutions in Lagos.

To this end, the Lagos chapter of Soroptimist International shall be shipping in container loads of

books from USA and London which will be distributed free to students in Lagos State.

According to her, each freight load of books from USA and London alone is about 10,800 dollars.

S-West PDP warns against LG, wards excos' sack

I

BADAN—THE Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-West Zone has warned members of the State Working Committees, SWC, in the zone against unlawful removal of duly-elected members of local government and ward executives of the party.

The party’s Zonal Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kayode Babade, said, yesterday, that it had received reports on the removal of duly-elected members of local government and ward executives of the party in some states in the zone, noting that; “such actions are illegal,

null and void and, of no effect.”

The party said it would no longer condone any act of indiscipline by its members, adding that; “PDP is nobody’s personal property and all our members must begin to act in accordance with the party’s constitution.”

The statement reads in part; “Henceforth, any SWC that engages in unlawful removal of members of our party executives at the ward and council levels will be going against our party constitution, and shall be sanctioned in accordingly.”

TB Joshua denies giving anti-Mimiko prophecy

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—THE General Overseer of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet Temitope Joshua, yesterday, dissociated himself from an anti-Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s message being circulated in the state by one of the opposition political parties.

The party was said to be circulating a message/ prophesy it claimed to have been made by the cleric against the second term ambition of the governor.

Prophet Joshua declared that such could not have emanated from him being a man of God who will never be part of a cheap political propaganda of a family of lies.

The cleric, an idigene of

the state, said he has nothing against the secondterm ambition of Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, and at no time gave any prophecy against his secondterm ambition.

The Prophet, in an electronic statement by his consultant, Legaville Konsult, in Akure, denied ownership of a hoax text message being circulated that he had purportedly prophesied against Mimiko’s second-term in office.

The statement reads in part: “The General Overseer has debunked a hoax text message making the rounds that he has prophesied that Gov. Rahman Olusegun Mimiko will not be re-elected as governor of Ondo State.

Osun launches security outfit, warns criminals

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO—OSUN State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday, warned that the state was no longer safe for crimes and criminal activities.

Aregbesola, at the inauguration of a joint security outfit code-named Swift Action Squad,SAS, in Osogbo, said the state had zero-tolerance for criminal activities.

In a speech, entitled: “The Security of Our people is Non-negotiable,” Aregbesola said the primary responsibility of a responsible government as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution is the security and welfare of the people.

He noted that the security of life and property of the people was not negotiable, vowing that the state is now a ‘no-go area’

for criminal-minded people within the state or across other states.

The governor stated that the launch of SAS was a signal to bandits, armed robbers, kidnappers and others that the state was no longer safe for them.

The General Officer Commanding, GOC, 2 Mechanised Division, Ibadan, Major-General Muhammad Abubakar, and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police,AIG, Zone 11, Mr. Orubebe, commended the governor for his contribution to the spiral prevailing atmosphere of insecurity across the country.

Orubebe urged security agencies and the people to be vigilant and cooperative as security is a collective responsibility SAS, which comprises army personnel and police officers, was established to guarantee 24 hours surveillance across the state.

Aregbesola denies borrowing for projects

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO—OSUN State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has said that the state government did not borrow money to finance any of the capital projects it has embarked upon since assumption of office two years ago.

Speaking in Osogbo after Iftar (breaking fast) with Ogbeni, the governor stated that the gov-

ernment reached agreement with contractors who handles its projects across the state to pay them as work progresses.

He stressed that the N25 billion loan facility it got from First Bank of Nigeria Plc was spent to buy back the controversial N18.3 billion loan taken by the immediate past government of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola at the twilight of his government.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012 — 11

Insecurity, plot to make Jonathan fail—INC

BY AZU AKANWA

T

THANKSGIVING: Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State (right) and Rt. Rev. Innocent Ordu, during the Synod thanksgiving service of Diocese of Evo at St Michael's Anglican Church, Rumuomasi Deanery, Port Harcourt, Sunday.

Edo PDP disowns guber election petition

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

E N I N — B A R E LY 72 hours after Edo State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), filed a petition at the state election petition tribunal challenging the outcome of the July 14, 2012 poll in the state, the party, yesterday, said it had decided not to file a petition against the reelection of Mr. Adams Oshiomhole.

State Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, in a statement, said though the party worked hard to ensure the victory of its candidate, Gen. Airhiavbere, the results that were declared by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were in favour of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, candidate, Oshiomhole.

He alleged that while PDP worked and abided by the principle of one man, one vote, its main opponent in the election engaged the instrumentality of intimidation, insisting that ACN obstructed the continuous voters re-registration exercise thereby preventing eligible voters from being registered and voting during the election.

Edo PDP also alleged that its main opponent manipulated existing voters registers as well as the results of the election to its advantage, insisting that the results

of the election were not only ridiculous but completely at variance with rational reasoning and human expectations.

In reference to Governor Oshiomhole’s protest against INEC's handling of the conduct of the election, Chief Orbih said the result of the same election was now being hailed by all because it was PDP that lost.

He said: “It has now become a tradition that when PDP loses an election, the election is free and fair. With the above assessment of the results, PDP is aware of the divergent views and expressions by the public.

PDP is also aware of the

legal options. However, PDP has fully consulted the leadership of the party within and outside the state.

“During these consultations, legal opinions were sought and it was the conclusion of the party that while we appreciated the effects the results declared by INEC will have on our teeming members, we are also mindful of the consequences which the state may run into with protracted litigation.

“Consequently, though painful, for now PDP has decided not to file any petition before the election tribunal in the interest of the state.”

Alluding to the murder

of the Principle Private Secretary to Governor Oshiomhole, Mr Olaitan Oyerinde, he recalled that the governor led demonstrations accusing PDP and its leadership of being responsible for the incident as well as having a hand in the accident involving the governor ’s convoy.

He said on account of this, the state government renamed Delta Crescent, where Chief Anenih lives, as Olaitan Oyerinde Street.

Chief Orbih, in apparent reaction to recent arrest in Abuja of suspected killers of Oyerinde by State Security Service, SSS, said the truth in both cases has come out, adding “ what has the governor got to say now?”

I'm still in court—Airhiavbere

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—MEAN WHILE, tension has heightened in Edo State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following the statement by the state Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, that the party had withdrawn its petition at the state governorship election petition tribunal.

Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, candidate of PDP in the election, who is already in court, is challenging results of the election, declaring Mr Adams Oshiomhole winner of the poll.

It was gathered that some party members, were against the court action, including former Minister of Defense, Gen. Godwin Abbe and the member representing Oredo Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Bello Osagie, who said: “This petition, in my view, is a distraction, materially jaundiced and lacking in merit on all grounds. It is destined to come to nullity.”

PDP state Director of Publicity, Mr Okharedia Ihimekpen, who spoke on the decision of the party not to head to court, said: “PDP may

decide to withdraw but it does not mean the candidate has withdrawn the suit. As I speak with you, we are serving Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the state government with copies of the suit. So, Airhiavbere is still in court.”

Vanguard learnt that the party leadership held a meeting at Orbih's residence, Sunday night, following alleged directive from former Chairman Board of Trustee of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, that the suit be withdrawn so that party members colud strategise for future elections.

HE Ijaw National Congress, INC, Lagos chapter, has said that the state of insecurity in the country, especially in some parts of the North, was designed to make the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan not to achieve its agenda for the people.

Speaking with Vanguard in Lagos, Chairman of INC, Lagos, Chief Patrick Keku, alleged that the present situation was a grand design to make Nigeria ungovernable because, according to him, some people had vowed to do so if Jonathan emerged as President. ”They are now manifesting their promise,” he said.

Chief Keku wondered if really those killing and destroying people in the North were Nigerians.

He sad: ”I had the thought in the past. With

every bombing and killing, they are reducing their population. Are they really Nigerians, are the really Northerners?”

He, however, expressed regret that the perpetrators are from the North since they are not faceless, adding that the new National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, had confirmed that. ”NSA Director, Dasuki, said he had the contact of those involved. He promised to meet them for a peaceful solution.

So what are we talking a b o u t ? ”Jonathan is surrounded by a lot of wrong people who weigh him down.

Jonathan is not being helped by those around him. He wants to dialogue. He wants a peaceful solution. His predecessors would have used force as they did in Odi, But he doesn’t want that.

People are made differently," he said.

Edo Election Petition Tribunal constituted

B

ENIN—EDO State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to entertain petitions arising from the outcome of July 14, 2012 governorship election in the state has been constituted.

A statement by Mrs. Josepphine Aliyu, Secretary of the tribunal, Edo State, said the venue of the tribunal is the High Court Complex in Benin City.

She also enjoined the Police, State Security Service, SSS, and the

general public to take note.

Vanguard had quoted Mrs Aliyu as saying: “Edo State July 14, 2012 governorship election was the freest and best conducted apart from the June 12, 1993 presidential election presumed to have been won by late Chief Moshood Abiola.”

We regret the mix-up.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Dickson reshuffles cabinet, elevates aides

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA —GOV ERNOR Seriake Dickson, yesterday, effected a minor cabinet reshuffle in Bayelsa State Executive Council with the swearing-in of his Deputy Chief of Staff, Didi Walson-Jack, as Commissioner for Science, Technology and Manpower Development.

Walson-Jack, who was screened and confirmed last Tuesday by the state House of Assembly, takes over from Ambrose Alfred, who was redeployed to the Budget and

AKWA IBOM ECONOMIC SUMMIT AND INVESTMENT EXPO: Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (middle); Amb. Ojo Maduekwe (right) and SSG, Umana (left) during the first Akwa Ibom Economic Summit and Investment Expo in Houston, United States of America.

Police in Rivers kill three suspected kidnappers

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HAR COURT—Three notorious kidnappers and bandits have been killed by Rivers State Police Command. Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulam, who confirmed the killings to Vanguard, said the deceased robbers were behind recent high profile killings and abductions in the state.

He said: “They are three notorious kidnapping and armed robbery suspects, Nzeribe, alias Nze, former second in command to late notorious Osisikankwu; Samuel, alias ND and Chima, all notorious criminals involved in series of heinous crimes in the days of the late Osisikankwu till the present time.

“Among their escapades were the murder of Ambassador Ignatius Ajuru and his escort personnel. The gang also killed Mr. Hyacinth Nwangolo, former Rivers State Deputy Director and Head of Eco Service Department; murder of HRH Ben Nwaogu, traditional ruler of Nihi Etche; kidnap of five female National Youth Service Corps, NYSC,

members in Eberi Omuma; kidnap of 120-yearold Pa Nwosu; kidnap of Mr. Kelechi in Eberi Omuma and numerous bullion van and bank robberies on Aba/Port Harcourt Expressway.”

He said the robbery suspects were arrested at a Police checkpoint in Aluu area of the state, adding that the kidnap suspects were about abducting a man when they

We only declared political autonomy for Ogoni—MOSOP

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HAR COURT— President, Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, led by Dr Goodluck Diigbo, has said that Ogoni had not

resolved to pull out of the Nigerian federation.

In a statement, yesterday, Diigbo said what he declared was political autonomy for the Ogoni people in Nigeria.

“It is internal autonomy, which means selfgovernment within Nigeria in accordance with

C-River accuses NDLEA of frustrating war against crime state capital suspected to

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

C

ALABAR—CROSS River State Government has frowned at alleged lukewarm attitude of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, operatives in the state to prosecution of drug offenders, saying that their attitude had contributed to the high rate of crime in the state.

were arrested. He said the suspects were shot when they jumped from a Police patrol vehicle conveying them to their hideout to recover more weapons they allegedly used for their operations.

“Three of them were arrested by Aluu Special Police checkpoint in yet another attempt to kidnap a man in Aluu with their operational vehicle, a Honda CRV jeep," he said.

But the agency has described the allegation as false, saying that it had prosecuted many suspects caught with drugs, though the command complained of lack of facilities to carry out its assignment.

The recent renewed cult activities in Calabar metropolis and the increasing outlets where hard drugs are sold, it was, gathered, made the state to raid most parts of the

be hide-outs for the hoodlums by the state security outfit, Quick Intervention Squad, in collaboration with the officers of 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Calabar.

It was gathered that most of the suspected cult groups patronised outlets where illicit drugs were sold to get high before perpetrating their nefarious activities and those arrested were said to have been handed over to NDLEA for prosecution.

the United Nations declaration on rights of indigenous peoples.”

He said MOSOP was forced to declare internal autonomy for the Ogoni nation because of the level of devastation and neglect of Ogoniland, adding that with the declaration, his people had the choice of either remaining part of the nation or pulling out completely, but that at the moment, they had resolved to remain in the country.

“Ogoni people are in a very difficult situation right now. The land has been totally devastated as a result of 55 years of petroleum operations, so it becomes very urgent because if you want to talk about anything concerning the land, to the Ogoni people it is not just land but life and also god," he said.

Planning Ministry.

The governor swore in four Special Advisers, who were elevated from the position of Senior Special Assistants.

They included Ifiemi Ikpaikpai (Budget Matters), Koku Obiyai (Agriculture), Tam Alazigha (Chief Economic Adviser) and Timipre Seipuolo (Treasury, Accounts and Revenue Matters).

Dickson also inaugurated the Bayelsa State Assembly Service Commission and Local Government Service Commission headed by Ajoko Perediyagha and Talford Ongolo as well as their members.

Oyerinde: Ugolor’s family laments continued detention of activist

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—FAMILY of detained activist and Executive Director of African Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Rev. David Ugolor, has appealed to the Federal Government to prevail on the police to urgently release their son, who is being detained over the murder of the Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Mr Olaitan Oyerinde.

Ugolor was arrested by detectives from Force Headquarter, Abuja penultimate Friday, following alleged confession by one of the four arrested suspects that Ugolor contracted them to kill

Oyerinde.

But that confession appears to have been contradicted last Wednesday, when State Security Services, SSS, in Abuja, paraded six suspects, who were said to have confessed to be robbers, who killed Oyerinde during their operation.

Civil society organisations have condemned the arrest and accused the police of framing up Ugolor.

Spokesman of the family, Mr Ernest Edosanwna, who addressed newsmen in Benin, yesterday, said: “We met with our brother at the police station and we are not happy with his condition. He is complaining of pains, so we want to tell Nigerians that nothing must happen to an innocent man."

1,000 A-Ibom youths to benefit from diaspora training

N

O fewer than 1,000 youths from Akwa Ibom State are to benefit from the first batch of training and economic empowerment programme designed by a group of Akwa Ibom State professionals under the auspices of the Ibom Diaspora Trust to help establish the culture of entrepreneurship in the state.

Governor Godswill Akpabio of the state, who addressed the first Akwa Ibom Economic Summit and Investment Expo in Houston, United States of America, weekend, said the programme was a major partnership between the state government and Akwa Ibom Diaspora to develop skills and manpower that will

drive small and medium scale businesses and the overall economic advancement of the state He commended the Akwa Ibom Diaspora Network for organising the summit to discuss the economic fortunes of the state and explore ways of attracting Foreign Direct Investments to the state.

Akpabio said the summit was auspicious, as the state government had laid the requisite infrastructural foundation for the industrialisation and economic growth.

He said: “By this Summit, you have fanned the flame of Akwa Ibom Patriotism and nationalism in the hearts of Akwa Ibom people and particularly those in the diaspora.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012 — 13

C M Y K

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Motorists abandon failed Okigwe/Umuahia Expressway

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

M UA H I A — M O TORISTS and other road users have abandoned the Okigwe/ Umuahia portion of the Federal Governmentowned Enugu-Port Harcourt Express way due to its total collapse.

The portion of the road is now a death trap with dangerous potholes and motorists now prefer longer alternative routes to Aba, Umuahia and Port

From left: Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, Auckland, Castle Market Place; Rev. Williams Okoye, Director, National Issues, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN; Mr. Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister; Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President, CAN; Pastor Ladi Thompson, Special Adviser to CAN President on Anti-terrorism and Rev. Musa Asake, General Secretary, CAN, after a meeting in Abuja.

Meningitis, cholera kill 3 in Anambra rehabilitation centre

BY VINCENT UJU-

MADU WKA—THREE in mates of the Rehabilitation Centre for the Disabled, Old and Tramps, RECDOT, in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, have died following an outbreak of meningitis and cholera at the centre.

Director of the home, Mrs. Rosemary Odunkwe, told newsmen yesterday, that the two diseases had continued

A

C M Y K

to threaten the lives of the 101 inmates.

According to her, "the lives of inmates are in serious danger unless adequate medical attention is given to them."

She said since the establishment of the centre in 1986, it had not received adequate attention, lamenting that it was being run through occasional help from good spirited individuals and groups.

Odunkwe said that apart from the current epidemics outbreak, some of the in-

mates were suffering diseases such as cerebral palsy, asthma and other deadly diseases that needed immediate medical attention.

She attributed the outbreak of the diseases at the home to lack of adequate accommodation, noting that the inmates were presently jam-packed in tiny rooms pending the completion of building projects dotted at the home, one of which was initiated by the immediate past senator that represented Anambra South

Senatorial District, Chief Ikechukwu Obiorah.

She explained that planning for the welfare of the inmates was worsened because some people secretly brought physically challenged persons and dropped them at the home’s gate.

Harcourt.

Besides the OkigweUmuahia portion, the Cattle Market and Lokpa junction portions of the road are also in very terrible shape.

Also the Umuahia-Port Harcourt portion is not better as it is also full of potholes covering the entire length of the road with Umuikaa-Osisioma-Aba area as the worst affected.

Last week, motorists who tried to ply the Okigwe-Umuahia portion of the road lamented their experienceanddescribeditasterrible.

Ogbe-Ijoh youth council president, VP impeached placed both men on a sixBY EMMAARUBI

W

A R R I — OGBE-IJOH Clan Youth Council in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, has impeached its President, Mr. Stephenson Numah and Vice-President, Mr. Terry Ogisi.

The resolution to impeach both leaders was taken at a meeting of the council at the council secretariat, by members, who

month suspension, alleging that both leaders lacked the intellectual capacity to lead a reformed Ogbe-Ijoh Youth Council.

In a statement by the new President and his Deputy, Mr. Joseph Smooth and James Etimadimene, and five others, the council alleged that both suspended members allegedly misappropriated over N1million; failed to convene council meetings; and failing to answer to allegations levelled against them.

Vanguard , TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—15

WORKSHOP: From left— Mr. Danland Ifasi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance; Mr. Nebolisa Emodi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, and Capt. Adamu Biu, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Shippers’ Council, at the Union of African Shippers’ Council’s sub-regional workshop on Single Window hosted by the council in Abuja. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

North 'll cause another Civil War— Asari

BY JOHN BULUS

A

BUJA—FORMER President of Ijaw Youth Congress, IYC, and leader of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Dokubo Asari, has said that those scheming to remove President Goodluck Jonathan from office were fanning the embers of war in Nigeria.

He also accused Northern leaders of creating the atmosphere of insecurity in the country.

Asari, who addressed newsmen in Abuja, yester-

day, recalled that the Isa Kaita, who he said represented a collection of Northern oligarchy, had prior to 2011 general elections, declared that they will make Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan should he eventually emerged as President, pointing out that incessant bombings and killings credited to the North-based Boko Haram was the manifestation of the threat by Kaita.

Asari also said the North will be the greatest losers should the war begin.

He said: “On Boko Haram, the North will lose.

Mark laments killing of soldiers, police in Damaturu

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—SENATE President, David Mark, yesterday, described the killing of six soldiers and two Police officers, who were members of the Joint Task Force in Damaturu, Yobe State, as barbaric and inhuman.

Senator Mark, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, lamented the sad incident, which he said was shocking. He added that the death of the officers was a painful loss as they died in active defence of their fatherland.

He said: “They died in active defence of the people as well as their fatherland. They will not die in vain because their acts of valour shall be etched on the conscience of our nation.”

Commiserating with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejerika, and the Inspector-General of Police, Senator Mark, who urged them not to relent in their fight against Boko C M Y K

Haram and other forms of attacks in our country, said the rank and file must also keep their obligation to the nation.

He reiterated his call on the leaders and members of Boko Haram sect to accept the dialogue option offered by the Federal Government as that will help halt the spate of senseless killings in the country, particularly in the North.

We are just waiting; they will push us to an extent where we will tell Goodluck Jonathan that he is on his own. But what will happen will be one that will be unimaginable in the history of the world.

“We will cut them (the Northerners) off from the world. We are capable of doing that. There will be no food and they will pay dearly for their actions. This war will be no joke. There will be no army to prosecute the war for them. When the war starts, other ethnic groups like the Yoruba will tell the North ‘you are on your own.’

“We are saying that nothing must happen to Jonathan because if anything happens to him, the world will know.

“The arrogance of Boko Haram is un-Islamic. The type of bomb they are using is small. If we begin to throw bombs, nobody will stay in Abuja.

“We don’t manufacture bomb but we will buy them and dynamites. I started armed struggle in the Niger Delta. It is because of Goodluck Jonathan that we kept quiet.”

Benue First Lady preaches religious tolerance

BY PETER DURU

M

AKURDI—FIRST Lady of Benue State and Chairperson of Northern Governors Wives’ Forum, Mrs. Yemisi Suswam, yesterday, said religious tolerance and respect for each others socio-cultural beliefs were necessary for the survival of country.

She advised that the sociocultural and religious differences of the people should be a source of inspiration and unity among the diverse ethnic nationalities

that make up the country.

Mrs. Suswam spoke when she presented to the Benue people the trophy won by the Nigerian cultural delegation, made up the Benue State Dance Troupe, which she led to the 7th Sabah International Folklore Festival, SIFF, in Malaysia.

She urged government at all levels to step up investments in the promotion of the people's cultural heritage by gainfully exploiting and harnessing the talents of Nigerian youths.

C M Y

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Avoid being wasteful

R PRIZE: Mrs. Yemisi Suswam, Benue State First lady (middle), flanked on the left and right by the Benue State Commissioner for Culture and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, respectively, at the public presentation of the second position prize won by the Nigerian delegation, which she led to the 7th Sabah International Folklore Festival, in Malaysia.

FCTA marks 10,288 structures for demolition

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

A

BUJA—FEDERAL Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has marked 10,288 alleged illegal structures for demolition in Mpape, a suburb in the territory.

FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed in Abuja, yesterday, said FCTA will work within the ambit of the law and in line with the transformation agenda of the Federal Government.

He said it was good to know that the court has justified the mandate of the administration for such action thus far, adding that his administration had intensified consultations with village chiefs and residents over the 10,288 structures that had been marked for demolition in Mpape.

Mohammed appealed to the residents to cooperate with the government as the demolitions will be carried out in the interest of the people and was not intended to inflict hardship

on them. He noted that sustainable health and security of the populace were of paramount concern to FCTA. He added that in addition to safeguarding the Abuja Master Plan, the demolitions were usually carried

I

LORIN—CHAIRMAN of Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, Prince Saheed Popoola, has appealed to the state government to come to the aid of the councils in the state, saying their allocation was not enough to pay the salaries of their staff.

Prince Popoola, who spoke against the backdrop of a directive issued to all the councils by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed to pay their workers’ salaries immediately, noted that such directive could

fewer than 398 illegal structures, sealed 10 property for violating the Master Plandesignated land uses and cleaned up posters under overhead bridges and other locations in and around the Federal Capital City, in the last one month.

... as Bauchi needs N7bn for displaced persons

BY SUZAN EDEH

B

AUCHI—BAUCHI State Government, yesterday, said it required about N7.021 billion to resettle persons displaced from neighbouring states, such as Plateau, Yobe, Taraba, Kaduna and Gombe states.

Permanent Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Alhaji Mahmood Garba, told newsmen in Bauchi that the government was putting the necessary logistics in place to ensure

Council boss appeals to Gov Ahmed over salaries

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

out for sanitary and security reasons as all security risk areas would also be pulled down.

The Minister noted that apart from the over 500 shanties removed from the Gwagwalada Motor Mark, the FCTA had removed no

incite the council workers against the local government executives as it has created an impression that the councils had money to pay but simply refused to do so.

Popoola explained that at the time the governor gave the directive last week Thursday, the allocation was not yet in the accounts of the local government.

He commended the staff and people of the council for their understanding and appreciation of his developmental efforts since he was elected over a year ago.

that it provides an enabling environment for the displaced persons in the 13 camps in the state.

He said: “Over one million people had already been settled in the state, but about 862 families are yet to be re-settled in Toro, Tafawa-Balewa, Bauchi and Dass local government areas.

“With the enormous challenge of ensuring that all these people get settled in the state, we are calling on Federal Government to complement the state’s efforts through financial support.”

He said the 13 camps for the displaced persons were in Wuru-Jauro, MarrabanLiman Katagum, WuroMagaji, Lere, Zabir and Magama Gumau, Road Block, Rijiyar Malam, Takanddan Giwa, Nabordo, Pan-shanu, Kellutu, among others.

Mahmood said from 2001 till date, the Governor IsaYuguda administration had released over N50 million for the re-settlement of internally-displaced persons through procurement of building materials, construction of schools, health institutions and provisions of social amenities such as water and electricity.

On how long the displaced persons can stay in their respective camps,

Mahmood said the United Nations stipulates only six months with an option to leave when normalcy returns to the troubled areas, adding that some of the displaced persons had vowed to remain in Bauchi State due to relative peace and jobs that had been provided for them by the state government since they arrived.

He added that the Yuguda administration had already put in place measures to cater for victims of flood disasters and internallydisplaced persons.

AMADAN should be a time to avoid being wasteful. Some Muslims are unable to distinguish between their needs and luxuries, hence they engage in wasteful spending.

Some, at the end of each fasting day, pile-up varieties of food that they cannot consume thereby spending more on what they do not need. If you have more, remember the havenots. The act of giving is ibadah, and no act of ibadah can be said to be too much.

Some sleep through the whole night with the alibi that they had a hectic day. Some even find it easy to compromise their sahur for more hours of sleep.

Ramadan is a time we have to increase all our spiritual devotion, the day and night should be a beehive of spiritual activities. Like I said some few days ago, at the moment, if you visit some mosques during tarawih prayers, you will notice a drop.

We should rather step up activities because it will take another 12 circle of the moon before we witness another Ramadan. So, we need to maximise the period by using our time wisely and spending in the way of Allah. While some good-spirited individuals spend more money on feeding poor Muslims, some also sponsor Muslims to

Umurah and Hajj. That is a great reward indeed.

Muslims should explore all avenues and opportunities of carrying out good deeds, while also realising that his priorities should be dictated by the desire to secure al-janah and be less concerned about mundane things.

The Muslim should apply himself to deepen his sense of following the practice of Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in every aspect of his life, at all times and especially during the month of Ramadan.

This requires seeking more knowledge about how to maximise the benefits of the month, its etiquette, assimilating the wisdom and goals of fasting, and facilitating the means that allow all the Muslims to benefit from their fasting and increase in their ibadah.

Prayer of the day

Allahuma arizuqni fihi tahatal-ashiheen, wa-shura’a fihi sadree, bihi nabatil mukhbitiheen, bi amanika Yaa amanalkhaahifeena. Amin.

“O Allah, on this day, grant me the obedience of the humble, expand my chest through the repentance of the humble, by Your security, O the shelter of the fearful.”

Amin.

Police parade 17 robbers in Kogi

BY BOLUWAJI OBAHAPO

L

OKOJA—KOGI State Police Command has paraded 17 suspects in connection with various robbery cases in the state in the last two months. Among the suspects (names withheld) was one man from Ibadan, Oyo State, who allegedly killed two visiting mobile Policemen at Okene.

Another suspect was a community health worker, who allegedly used his clinic in Okene for the treatment of injured robbers.

Parading the suspects before newsmen at the Police Force Headquarter, Lokoja, yesterday, state Po-

lice Commissioner, Mr. Muhammed Katsina, said his security unit was on hand to track down those behind criminal activities in the state.

He said suspects hide under the guise of legitimate business during the day and engage in robbery at night.

Katsina added that 19 locally made bombs; 1,501 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition; one Pump action gun; 16 locally-made bombs, eight charged, eight uncharged and seven units of power sources where some of the items recovered from the criminal.

Other items were four units of AK-47 rifles; one

Mark-4 rifle; five automatic pump action rifles; 21 single barrel guns; three locally-made pistols; 17 rounds of Markrov live ammunition; 23 rounds of brownie Pistol ammunition; 17 rounds of Barrette ammunition; three rounds of Mark-4 ammunition; 53 Cartridge; five expended; two locallymade bullet proof and charms.

He said four out of the paraded suspects were responsible for the recent bank robbery and police station attack in Iyara, adding that his men were on the heels of the remaining four members of the gang.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—17

W

How did the Farouk/Otedola saga end? continues to equivocate in taking firm action to rid Nigeria of corruption and instead continues to play on our collective intelligence, it risks unwittingly inviting an unorthodox solution to this national plague! As I wrote this (last week Wednesday morning) I was watching a TV clip of thousands of Nigerian Rep.Farouk Lawan Mr.Femi Otedola children (ages five to 17) being trafficked into slave labour. These children are enslaved by poverty, poverty Let me sound a note of induced by corruption! These children are warning; if nothing enslaved because a greedy few among us continue to pocket the billions belonging urgent and convincing is to all of us! I really do not know for how done to wean Nigeria of long this will continue before something impunity and obsessive monumental gives!

As we continue this fuel subsidy corruption, Nigerians bellyaching, the big question is: why will take to the streets should we be importing what we should be exporting? Nobody seems to have the again and when they do, answer. Nobody sees this anomaly as a the January 2012 outing national disgrace.

,

HEN last did you read about Rep. Farouk Lawan, Femi Otedola and the US$ 620,000 thriller? Where is Farouk Lawan? Where is Femi Otedola? Where is the 620,000 dollars bribe money? How did the story end? What has happened to the Farouk subsidy probe report and the companies first deleted and re-inserted in the list of culpable companies? What has happened to the House Committee of Ethics etc probe into the bribe saga? Why is the House of Representatives silent on this but rather prickly about the implementation of the budget? Why has the story slipped out of our minds and out of the news pages? So what we have to debate now is what percentage of the budget has been implemented or how much of the budget allocations have been released? Is there a conspiracy of silence?

Honestly, this amnesia was predicted.

On 10 July 2012 I wrote here that: “My prediction is that at the end of the day, this case will become another Ibori case. Rep. Farouk Lawan will walk away free and the nation may need to apologise to him!”

This pattern of anti-corruption war has been with us. When the government’s back is pushed to the wall, it simply leads us through a charade while it waits for the matter to flip out of our minds. For effect another sizzler is introduced to effectively sedate us.

Meanwhile alleged oil subsidy thieves are being charged to court and granted bail for N20 million! If you can steal N4 billion, why would it be difficult to post bail for N20 million? Just forget the trials.

They get their bail, trial stalls for years and we forget and move on to another movie slide. The list of those charged at least confirms one fact. Nigerians are right that political cronies are holding the oil industry, and by extension Nigerians, to ransom. Nigerians are very much aware of the corruption campaign contributions have created in the oil industry.

A few years ago it was alleged that one of the richest Nigerians raided banks in Lagos for billions to contribute to a presidential election. Immediately after the election, the individual allegedly got five waivers from the Federal Government as the government slapped a fuel price increase on Nigerians! There can be no doubt that campaign contributions are closely linked with the sleaze in the oil industry.

The United States puts a limit to campaign contributions to avoid inherent corrupting effects. This type of limit is in the INEC laws but is hardly enforced. But I believe that we can, if we put our minds to it. Again, there is always a concern about the influence of lobbyists in US politics and government. For us, the question is how much space we can give oil lobbyists in the management of our economy. It is a mark of Nigeria’s unseriousness that the dreaded oil mafia and avaricious monopolists constitute our economic management! With that, it should not surprise anybody that the Farouk/Otedola tango would go the way it has. But such behaviour sets Nigeria on the path of destruction and diminishes our standing in the eyes of the world.

When things happen this way, especially at the highest level of the government,

will just be a mere rehearsal!

,

corruption is no longer an isolated disease to be dealt with but a pandemic that requires a concerted mass action to uproot it. Therefore, if the Federal Government

Obasanjo and oil industry corruption

W

hen General Olusegun Obasanjo was being foisted on the nation in 1999, he was touted as the greatest

nationalist that ever walked the soil of Nigeria. He also believed the dubious ascription and it showed in his swagger (I dey kampe!). That this nationalist looked corruption, especially in the oil industry, eyeball to eyeball and blinked, then looked the other way, and anointed some of the present day fuel subsidy thieves is the greatest leadership failure of all time for Nigeria. Obasanjo was oil Minister for almost all of his eight year tenure. He chose not to repair our refineries. He could have built four refineries in eight years, but he chose not to. Rather he created a bureaucracy, PPPRA, to superintend a fraud called fuel subsidy.

And a bunch of ruthless cowboys who organised presidential birthday parties ran riot on the economy while Obasanjo’s EFCC chased shadows.

Today, Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida who so bastardised the economy so much that he wondered why it had not collapsed are panicking. Last week fretted about the threatening collapse of Nigeria! Obasanjo and IBB represent the tiny elite for whom Nigeria works. When they claim that Nigeria’s sovereignty is not negotiable, on whose behalf are they speaking? If Nigeria breaks their tiny club will be the losers.

Things will not be worse for us the downtrodden. They better put on their military fatigues again “to fight” for the survival of Nigeria and, maybe, atone for their sins and in the process, if lucky, with only their sweat and nothing else.

Nigerians are really, really angry.

President Jonathan must hasten not to continue on the economic path trod by Obasanjo. The National Assembly must realise that whining over constituency projects, insisting on legislating for us the way only they deem fit, summoning and throwing out Ministers, conducting probes that expose their clay footing and dismissing us as “a vocal minority” do not impress hungry Nigerians and do not ease the sufferings of the children trafficked into slavery by poverty. Let me sound a note of warning; if nothing urgent and convincing is done to wean Nigeria of impunity and obsessive corruption, Nigerians will take to the streets again and when they do, the January 2012 outing will just be a mere rehearsal!

On Osun Chief Judge, Aregbesola has my vote!

I

READ in Thisday newspaper of Sunday 29 July 2012 of the seeming controversy in Osun state over the intention of the Governor Comrade Rauf Aregbesola to appoint a Lagos Judge, Justice Oyewole, as the Chief Judge of Osun. These agitators did not quote the part of the Constitution the Governor would breach if he appoints an Igbo man as his Chief Judge. Have Nigerians Judges not served as Chief Judges in other African and Caribbean countries?

I think Aregbesola is on a firm ground, being himself a beneficiary of the appointment of people in a state other than theirs. Check this out: In Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, Alhaji Lai Mohammed from Kwara was Tinubu’s Chief of Staff; Comrade Aregbesola was

the Commissioner for Works, Kayode Anibaba from Ogun State was Commissioner for Environment, Bamidele Opeyemi from Ekiti was Commissioner for Information, Dele Alake from Ondo was Commissioner for Information and Strategy before Opeyemi. Lagos state people did not protest. All of these people made their fortunes in and from Lagos State to advance their political careers. Nobody is clear where Tinubu himself comes from, but people say he is not a Lagosian.

What else qualified these Dick Wittingtons (apologies to Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson) to invade Lagos other than that they are all Yoruba? Tinubu appointed an Igbo a Commissioner and they made a singsong of it as if he is less entitled to it

than these other non-Lagosians!

Incidentally the Justice Oyewole in question is reportedly from Ila in Osun State and was made a Judge of Lagos State in May 2001 by Governor Tinubu.

So, why should what is good for Lagos not be good for Osun State? People should not open a Pandora box. Last time, politicians in Lagos protested against the nomination of Mrs. Tokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu as an ambassador from Lagos state where she had lived and paid taxes almost all her life. The protesters included those who made their political careers by invoking her father’s name! Of course, the inimitable Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, then Senate President, ignore them and, in his words, “confirmed Mrs. Dosunmu as Ogun candidate via Lagos State”!

OPINION

BY ADEWALE KUPOLUYI

H

OW far will members of the House of Representatives go in their threat to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan, over his alleged non-implementation of this year’s fiscal budget? This is the knotty question milling on the people’s mind.

Members of the lower chamber of the National Assembly had at their sitting condemned the poor implementation of the 2012 national budget and resolved that the government must achieve 100 per cent implementation by the time they resume in September otherwise; they will commence impeachment proceedings against the President.

Jonathan, during the presentation of the 2012 Budget, christened “Fiscal Consolidation, Inclusive Growth and Job Creation”, admitted that the nation “can only progress in this course and turn our possibilities into C M Y K

Jonathan's imperachment: How far can the Reps go? reality when we diligently adhere to the implementation of well thought-out and articulated developmental policies”.

Spearheading the sanction is the Minority Leader of the House and a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who stated that “If by September 18, the budget performance has not improved to 100 per cent; we shall begin to invoke and draw up articles of impeachment against Mr. President”.

He accused the executive of allegedly breaching the Appropriation Act, 2012 by engaging in “selective implementation” of the budget. “What we have in our hands today is a budget of abracadabra; a budget of voo-

doo economy”, he added.

The legislator cited Section 143 of the 1999 Constitution, to buttress his stand, saying the action of the President amounted to “gross misconduct” and constituted sufficient grounds to initiate impeachment proceedings against him.

It is instructive that Section 143 (1) of Nigeria’s constitution says the President or Vice-President may be removed from office “whenever a notice of any allegation in writing, signed by not less than one-third of the members of the National Assembly”, is presented to the Senate President stating that the holder of the office is guilty of “gross misconduct” in the performance of his official duties.

Continues tomorrow the viewpoint pg *Mr. Kupoluyi, wrote from Federal University of Agriculure. Abeokuta, Ogun State.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012 PERHAPS more than at any other time in our history, Nigerians studying medicine in our universities are passing through harrowing times. Everywhere you look in the media there are tales of woe, and the major sticking point is the increasing cases of withdrawal of accreditation to universities by the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council (NMDC).

Within the past few weeks, the medical students of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) blocked major roads leading to the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education to protest the University’s inability to upgrade facilities to ensure the accreditation of the medical courses. In a similar vein, medical students of the University of Benin also blocked roads over withdrawal of accreditation. This means the students can no longer validly continue their education unless serious intervention takes place.

Over 300 medical students sued the University of Jos over their rejection after being admitted.

The authorities took the action after it discovered it admitted students for the 2008/ 2009 session in excess of required capacity.

The crisis affecting medical education in

Increasing W oes Of Woes Medical Students Nigeria has manifested internationally as United Kingdom’s General Medical Council (GMC) has banned medical students from nine Nigerian universities from sitting for the exams that will enable them undertake postgraduate studies or practice in the UK. The GMC’s Mr Jackson Day disclosed that the affected Nigerian universities no longer meet the standards.

The bleak picture being painted shows that Nigeria is losing interest in the quality of medical graduates it produces. It was the high quality of doctors trained in Nigeria in the 1950’s to 1980’s which made Nigerian doctors hot cakes in countries like Saudi Arabia, UK, USA, Canada and other parts of the world.

The “brain drain” we suffered during that period consisted mainly of medical practitioners.

The unacceptable trend of our medical students and graduates being rejected can only spell doom for healthcare services. These students will come out of their ordeal halfbaked. They will be unleashed on our medical services with devastating consequences.

It is high time that the federal and state ministries of education and health as well as the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council joined hands to address the crisis of medical education with a view to restoring order.

Nigeria is still severely under-served by medical doctors and other professionals, especially in the rural areas. Even when we attain excess capacity there is more than enough space for medical practitioners in the world out there.

Every university does not have to have a medical faculty. Efforts must be made to ensure that those accredited to offer medicine must be up to the required standards. The chaos must stop immediately. We can no longer afford it.

OPINION

BY YEMISI OGBE

Continued from yesterday HE code of conduct might have to be extended to all kinds of arena of Nigerian life. It might have to be a code of conduct on how to treat anything that resembles a human being. It is interesting that a culture of disrespect might be confused for one of respect. One might hear Nigerians making general comparisons with other cultures on how our children are taught to kneel down and greet elders, or how we defer to those older than us by referring to them with titles, how we consider a person’s name so sacred, that only those close to him, or equal to him can mention his name; how we say “Good morning” instead of “Hello”. How icons of authority remain sacrosanct in our society; how age is highly esteemed. In England, Gordon Brown is Gordon Brown, is at the most elevated Mr. Gordon Brown.

Here, he would be His Excellency. True comparisons perhaps, side by side, with the culture of determining a person’s value by how much money they own, what they drive, how they speak, what sort of mobile phone they own, side by side with the culture of jumping queues and jumping red-lights and moving out of the way of convoys. Again, the unexpressed things are the most profound. There are homes in which there are special drinking glasses for when the driver requests for a glass of water. The driver knows the glass is special, the lord of the home knows it, and the children know it.

In Calabar in 2007, Tahalia Barrett, a volunteer Business Development Advisor with the Cross River State government looked into the possibility of creating a Nigerian perspective on transatlantic slavery. The Calabar Slavery Museum was the perfect medium. It already owned a building, wax works depicting in oversimplified terms the journey of the slave from his home in Nigeria to the plantation in North America, and then on to emancipation. The Calabar Slavery Museum in order to offer something more than all the thousands of slavery

T

C M Y K

A culture of disrespect(5) museums all over the world must have an original voice. Tahalia as an African-American, noted that the story of transatlantic slavery was one that was told and retold in her culture. If she was standing on Nigerian soil, she could take it for granted that she would hear something new. The issue of reparations remain one of the hottest offshoots of discussions on transatlantic slavery.

At the anti-racism conference in 2001, in Durban, then Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo declared that Nigeria “…stood firmly behind the demand for an explicit apology.

The wider international community has consistently failed to appreciate the reality that is particularly painful for us Africans…Apology must be extended by states which practiced and benefited from slavery, the slave trade or colonialism…For us in Africa, an apology is a deep feeling of remorse, expressed with the commitment that never again will such acts be practised”.

G

rand words that were somewhat shabbied by Abdoulaye Wade’s declaration that his ancestors owned slaves. In creating an original script for the Calabar museum, word was put out to discover anyone who had ancestors carried away as slaves, but more importantly, anyone who had ancestors who had protested slavery, or died in protest or just stood up in protest.

The first batch of responses came back, and no one in the latter categories could be found. Instead it was offered that most of the old prestigious families in Calabar had traded in slaves. It was a profound discovery, and one that was sure to create problems. Could one effectively run a museum from a city where one was alleging that its oldest most elevated members were slave traders or children of slave traders? What would be

one’s contribution to the dialogue on reparations and our demands for apologies?

One could argue that, yes Africans owned slaves from antiquity, but that we were always humane to them, but would the argument have integrity, especially in the light of our modern environment?

Again, the issue of the anatomy of the slap. For me it was important that Elizabeth Udoudo define what her feelings were in the clearest of terms. It had been months since the incident and there had been many commentaries on the internet and in newspapers about it; what did she hope to gain from keeping it alive in the press and talking about it? Did she want some form of financial compensation? Did she want her car repaired?

Why had she paid a lawyer to come up with formal terms of reference on the incident? What was the value of the apology if it were forced? I wanted to really understand what her motives were? Somehow I believed, possibly erroneously, that if money were the issue, then there was some loss of integrity. I pushed Elizabeth, and she was clear that the physical slap meant little, but to term her an unknown woman...In her own words, it meant: “I don’t have any value. I am not important. If we were to put it in the most accurate of terms, I don’t exist. I am irrelevant”.

This was the issue. If she were a nobody, then anything could be done to her without fear of repercussions. She had to show her children that you just didn’t walk up to a woman, slap her in the face, and get away with it. The apology would be landmark. It would mean that nobody has rights, and in turn no one has the right to whip people out of the way, even if he is the president of Nigeria. I was glad that I had met Elizabeth, unlike how the papers portrayed her, she was not a victim. She was clear that she had not acquiesced to carrying the end of anyone’s wrapper.

Concluded

•Mrs. Ogbe, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Calabar, Cross River State.

Vanguard, TUESDAY,AUGUST 7, 2012— 19

, Continued from last week

T

HE Saturday Vanguard July 14, 2012 carries the comment of the Attorney General of the Federation: “The Federal Government, yesterday, expressed its concern over the increasing spate of violence across the country, saying it is working hard to stem the gradual descent into anarchy by diligently prosecuting all those indicted for civil disturbances to serve as deterrence”.

The story may be an overly parsimonious summary of what the AGF said. However, what is summarized suggest that the measure to stem this sliding into anarchy is to make the task that of the Nigeria Police. What analysis of the security condition of Nigeria has led to this idea? The FM 3 - 07 shows such an answer could be derived within the framework of stability operations.

“FM 3-07 stability Operations reflects a long journey by the American

Military and a series of hard operational lessons learned by the post-Cold War generation.

It underscores recognition that in addition to fighting and winning our national battles, the military will continue to be called on to bring peace and order to societies under stress.

As doctrine, FM 3-07 fills a profound intellectual void by describing the complex 21st century landscape and articulating the military’s unique role in bringing order to chaos” (Ibid Pp. XV).

The issue of who does what effectively is described in the above, especially in the strategic task of “bringing order to chaos". Bringing order to chaos is pre and post-conflict peace building task premised on fighting and winning our national battles.

The U.S Army fought and lost the Vietnam War and as a result it was not in a position as part of its post conflict peace-building to bring “order

,

to chaos in post-war Vietnam”.

The Libyan on the tail of the US and NATO aerial bombing of Ghaddafi’s government toppled the Ghaddafi regime.

Whether the anti-Libyan Ghaddafi forces can bring order to chaos in Libya is the challenging question! The US Army fought and won the battles waged against Saddam Hussein but had left the task of bringing order to chaos in Iraq to the Iraqis.

The US and NATO are fighting the battles against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the Allied Forces are withdrawing without winning the battles. Can the Afghan government established by the Allied Forces bring order to chaos in post-NATO Afghanistan? Bringing order to chaos is a victor ’s postconflict peace-building task.

The Nigerian government has yet to realise that this is a victor’s task; a military conflict resolution not a conflict

Strong institutions not strong men

BY CLEMENT OFUANI

T

HE title of this piece was taken from the speech given by President Barack Obama in Ghana on his first trip to subSaharan Africa as US President. For sure, the President of the most powerful nation on earth knew what he was talking about when he counselled African nations to seek to build strong institutions to propel development rather than look up to some strong men to make things happen. In a manner of speaking, this point was more poignantly made at a news conference that President Bill Clinton had with Russian President Boris Yeltsin in Helsinki on March 21, 1997. A journalist posed this question: “To both Presidents, both of you have had problems with your individual parliaments, and yet you each have made arms control agreements here that, you know, the parliaments will want a say in.

To Mr. Yeltsin, can you guarantee that the Duma will follow your lead and ratify this?

And to Mr. Clinton, how can you assure Mr. Yeltsin that you won’t have a rebellion in the Congress over the anti-missile defense agreement?” The replies of both Presidents are instructive. First to respond was President Yeltsin who answered: “As far as Russia is concerned, I expect that the State Duma will make a decision based on my advice”. But President Clinton, the leader of the undisputed global super power of the time prefaced his response with a quip: “Boy, I wish I could give that answer”, which caused ripples of laughter around the world.

The lesson from that encounter was that whereas, President Clinton was the leader of the most powerful nation on earth, he was less powerful as a President than his Russian counterpart because of the differences in the relative strengths of the institutions in both nations. It has been said many times that the Nigerian President is more powerful than the US President. Some people will probably guffaw at such a

C M Y K

seemingly preposterous proposition but the reality is that it is very true. Instructively, it is not about the Nigerian President today per se and certainly not about the Nigerian President only. Indeed, the governors as chief executives of their states, the council chairmen as chief executives of the local governments are even more powerful simply because over time they have been perceived to be above the institutions that they preside over.

The widespread indiscipline, impunity and corruption that are prevalent in our nation today are traceable to the phenomenon of chief executives who are above the laws and regulations. The moment exceptions are made that allow chief executives to waive the rules for their convenience, there is simply no more law and order in the land because other people would seek to obtain such exemptions from the Chief in their own dealings and engagements with society. For instance, the 1999 Constitution that we operate provides elaborate controls over public funds, one of which is that no fund shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation by the President except as approved by the Act of the National Assembly and a similar provision prohibits drawings from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state by the state governors except as approved by a law of the State House of Assembly, yet the nation is daily inundated with news of unbudgeted and extra-budgetary spending.

When President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua made commitment to rule of law a cardinal aspect of his administration, it was a very profound commitment in more ways than were fully perceived at the time. Given the experience of executive disobedience of judicial orders in the period preceding his acendacy, such a declaration by the President brought relief to the nation even without a full appreciation that the commitment meant far more than just

management task. Bringing order to chaos is bringing order to the chaos of anarchy; a replacement of anarchy with order. This is what FM 3- 07 calls stability operations that requires a whole of government approach.

A

whole of government approach is an approach that “ integrates the collaborative efforts of the departments and agencies of the United States government to achieve unity of effort toward a shared goal. A whole of government approach is vital to achieving the balance of resources, capabilities and activities that reinforce progress made by one of the instruments of national power while enabling success among the others. It relies on interagency coordination among the agencies of the USG, including the Department of Defense, to ensure that the full range of available capabilities are leveraged, synchronized, and applied toward addressing the drivers of conflicts and reinforcing local institutions to facilitate achieving sustainable peace. Success in this approach depends upon the ability of civilian and military forces to plan jointly and respond quickly and effectively through an integrated, inter-agency approach to a fundamentally dynamic situation.

Accomplishing this requires a willingness and ability to share resources among USG agencies and organisations, while working toward a common goal.

These resources- financial, military,

,

US's approach to Security planning (2)

To achieve the broad success envisioned in a whole government engagement all must be integral to united action; all are elements of the whole of government approach

We need chief executives at all levels that are prepared to lead the way in providing exemplary disciplined leadership by submitting themselves to the laws of the land

,

executive obedience to court orders.

In the United States,whoseConstitution we copied, albeit improperly, the institutions are so strong that the Congress can and has compelled the Attorney General to appoint an Independent Counsel to investigate the President that appointed him. In Nigeria, the Attorney General perceives his role as being the chief legal defendant of the President or the Governor in the State rather than the Chief Law Officer. As a routine in Nigeria, law enforcement agents seek the body language and sometimes the nod of the chief executive in deciding to investigate or prosecute criminal acts.

E

ven the judiciary is not immune as judges are known to bend to the body language of the executives in determining matters that are brought before them. The bureaucracy is even worse. This is an institution that is supposed to be guided by regulations that have the force of law. The bureaucrat is trained to be obedient to the rules and regulations such that if a chief executive gives an unlawful directive, it is the duty of the bureaucrat to do a “yes, Prime Minister” to him and bring him around to the requirements of the law.

Unfortunately, the bureaucracy all over the

intelligence, law enforcement, diplomatic, developmental, and strategic communication are often limited in availability and cannot be restricted to use by a single agency, service or entity. To achieve the broad success envisioned in a whole government engagement all must be integral to united action. All are elements of the whole of government approach”.

Bringing order to the chaos of anarchy in a whole of government approach entails in the process of a unified action the appreciation of which agencies can be assigned the lead role to ensure the overall result of establishing a sustainable order of security where anarchy had been prevalent. How much can Nigeria learn from the US Army theorization of stability operations?

The state governors demand state police as a substitute for the Nigerian Armed Forces. Why? Because the Armed Forces are apparently in the short run suffering setbacks. But this is a knee-jerk reaction not informed by an understanding of the present course of government’s battles with the forces of insurgencies, and what post conflict stability operations is implemented through a whole of government strategy. In the next essay we will present the FM 3- 07 concept of stability operations as theorized by the US Army and what we can learn from it on how Nigeria’s security situation can be conceptually characterised.

Concluded

nation has been turned to “yes men.”

What is more worrisome is that this malaise is not limited to the public sector alone in Nigeria as corporate governance in the private sector has displayed similar “strong men” mentality. In the early ‘80s, majority of the multinational corporations in Nigeria were headed by Nigerian chief executives; a fallout from the indigenisation exercise. But by the late ‘90s, practically all the corporations had gone back to foreign chief executives, some of whom were appointed from some smaller African nations. There were instances where publicly quoted companies were literally shut down because all the executive directors and top management had to accompany the chief executives for in-law’s burial. The executive directors that were expected to provide independent checks on the chief executives often found themselves kowtowing to the same chief in order to remain relevant. Of course and invariably, the chief ceased to be bound by the organisation’s rules.

In the crazy days following the banking consolidation, the bank chief executives became the strongmen with their entire institutions at their beck and call. It was not an uncommon sight to see branch managers in a particular state trooping to the airport to welcome or see off the visiting chief executive using official vehicles bought and maintained by poor shareholders. The result of this malaise, of course, was the financial meltdown and banking failure that followed.

Returning to President Obama therefore, the need for insistence on strong institutions is now more than ever before an urgent national duty. Given the societal attitude developed over a prolonged period of impunity, we need chief executives at all levels that are prepared to lead the way in providing exemplary disciplined leadership by submitting themselves to the laws of the land even in moments when they prove inconvenient to their persons. *Mr. Ofuani, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.

C M Y K

20 — Vanguard , TUESDAY TUESDAY,, AUGUST 7, 2012

to the state as each of the schools has the capacity to enroll 1,000 pupils with 42 classrooms. Each school has a laboratory for sciences, a modern library, a computer room, music room, an art gallery, a sick bay, a multi-purpose hall, boreholes, an administrative block, a demonstration farm and sports centre, among state-of-the-art equipment that a good school should boast of.

No wonder, the state government has been receiving commendation from far and near since the completion of the model schools.

One of such commendations is from the Parents /Teachers Association, PTA, Chairman, Pastor Julius Aderibigbe, who said, he was among the beneficiaries of the free education policy of the defunct Western Region during the tenure of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

•Pupils listen with rapt attention in their ‘modernised’ classroom

How death of pupil attracted govt’s caring heart to Ondo schools

By JIMOH BABATUNDE

I

T took the unfortunate killing of a pupil, Opeyemi Rasheed, by his classmate, Abiodun Oluwadare, in October 2010 for government’s attention to be drawn to the unsavoury status of the All Saints Primary School at Oke-Ijebu area of Akure, Ondo State.

The two pupils had been playing with a pistol allegedly hidden in the school premises by hoodlums who had turned the school’s compound to their operational base when Oluwadare unknowingly pulled the trigger thereby killing Rasheed instantly.

It was a tragic incident the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, felt could have been avoided if the compound of the All Saints School was not in a state of disrepair due to the poor infrastructure there.

The bushy surroundings provided a hide-out for criminal elements and a place to keep their arms and ammunition.

Massive renovation The good news is that the school has since undergone massive renovation and fencing of its dilapidated buildings under the auspices of the state government’s Caring Heart Mega School Project. It now boasts of standard facilities that can match those obtainable in the best private schools anywhere in the country. Months after the renovations, the All Saints School and Saint Mark Pri-

Building of classrooms

•Renovated All Saints School with state-of-the-art facilities and landscaping

mary School are today the cynoger to come to school. She said: sure of all eyes in the state capi“This mega school project is a tal. A visit to the school last week new innovation in bringing back shows the pupils, resplendent in the lost glory of education. This their new school uniform providhas changed the face of learned by the state government, ing as people are more willing learning in a green environment to come here.” that has virtually wiped away the The sentiment was shared by memory of the jungle they were an aide to former President Olusome months ago. segun Obasanjo, Chief Akin OsThe headmistress untokun, on the of the school, Mrs. model schools. He Veronica Adeleye, said of the model was holding a meetschools: “Mimiko is ing with some teachreinventing the coners in one of the of- The good news cept of educational fices which formed is that the development all over part of the seven again. What we have blocks of the school school has since seen in this model complex. The new undergone school matches any school has virtually standard in any part every facility a mod- massive of the world: landern school could renovation and scape, environment, boast of with the eninfrastructure, equiptire complex linked fencing of its ment. Even in the globy well-laid con- dilapidated rious days of educacrete pathways, intion in the country, we cluding the new 21 buildings under did not have these classrooms, sports the auspices of features. If the morncomplex, laboratoing shows the day, the state ries, computer secwhat we have seen tion, dual-structured government’s here is an indication library, back-up Caring Heart of how far education power house, pubdevelopment will go lic convenience, and Mega School in Ondo State.” other state-of the art Project The popular feeling facilities such as is that the governor is electronic boards keeping faith with his that gave the school promise to break the its unique status. yoke of poverty Mrs. Adeleye revealed that the through education, when he said: new standard of the school has “Education is key to breaking the changed the face of learning yoke of poverty and ignorance. We there as the pupils are now ea- are creating a social integration to

ensure that the children of the poor can rub shoulders with the children of the rich by choice in the society. Nothing but the best is good for us in Ondo. We, therefore, remain committed to free and qualitative education for all our children up to the senior secondary school level”.

The Caring Heart Mega School Project was designed to make schools meet the taste of the moment to facilitate the return of the lost glory in the education sector

Aderibigbe said: “I was a student then and I can only compare what Mimiko is doing to the Awolowo era, because of his spartan lifestyle, management of resources, commitment to the welfare of the people and education.

“He is building classrooms of the 21st century standard. It is a wonderful experience and I’m proud and glad to be part of it. Two years ago, there was a tragedy here and the Governor had promised to wipe away our tears and sorrow. Today marks his fulfillment of that promise.”

In a similar vein, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Professor A.G. Daramola, commended the governor for seeing education as the veritable catalyst for national development. Daramola said: “Mimiko has transformed our education. He has distinguished himself through this novel idea and concept and should be commended.”

Nigerians urged to create enabling environment for youths

BY DOTUN IBIWOYE

C

ENTRE for Ethical Rebirth Among Nigerian Youths, CERANY, has stressed the need for both public and private sectors to create an enabling environment for employment especially among Nigerian youths.

Addressing journalists in Lagos to herald the Nigeria Youth Aflame Summit, YAS, 2012, CERANY’s President, Ms Maryam Augie, said this will encourage individuals and corporate organisations to map out policies that foster growth and empower the youths economically.

Augie said that more than two million youths across the country, will converge both in Lagos and Abuja for the programme which takes place in November 2012 adding,”YAS 2012 intends to bring national integration is a pro-

active strategy designed, to garner the Youth in the right direction for peaceful coexistence and nation building.”

She said the programme aims at bringing the best in Nigerian youth at this point in time, stressing that it will look at what is needed to help the Nigerian youth, particularly in aspects of health, education and to create an avenue for the involvement of youths in civil society which will only bring about an improvement in human well being.

On the incessant bomb blasts, the chairman Board of Trustee of the organisation, Mr. Chuks Akamadu, urged the government to find possible means in combating the menace of the Islamic sect called Boko Haram which has been ravaging many parts of the country especially the North.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012 — 21

F O U zone ‘Á’ records 267 seizures in six months

BY JIMOH BABATUNDE

T

HE Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Lagos of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in the month of June made 267 seizures worth N107, 029, 420 ( One hundred and seven million, twenty nine thousand , four hundred twenty naira), just as a total of N6, 942, 917 was made also in the month.

Customs Area Controller (CAC), FOU, Zone A, Ikeja, Lagos, Comptroller Dan Ugo, who made this disclosure while receiving the members of the Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), said the seizures made from eight suspects included poultry products .

He said the seized items had duty paid value (DPV) of N129,998,560 of which N22, 969,140 was the payable duty , adding that the destroyed poultry products were worth N25.2 million .

The destruction of the items, which are high on the Import Prohibition List (IPL) periodically reviewed by the Federal Ministry of Finance and enforced by the Customs High Command, followed what NCS called a “massive seizure” of over 6,000 cartons of assorted poultry products.

He explained that the command had no choice other than to ensure strict compliance with the marching order of the Customs Comptroller General, Alhaji Inde Dikko Abdullahi, and his management team on zero tolerance for importation of poultry products.

From left: Executive Secretary, Mr. Emeka Obidike; Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde; Mr. T. O Williams, MD/CEO LUBCON; MR. Isiguzo Isaac, General Manager Operations Dozzy, and Mr. Naths Abimeji, Executive Director. Chicason Group, during the visit by officials of Lubricant Producers Association of Nigeria, LUPAN, to Customs office in Abuja.

76 Oil wells: Why Akwa Ibom’s N250m grant was rejected — C/River C

ROSS River Government has given reasons for rejecting the N250 million which the Akwa Ibom Government offered as monthly grant for settlement for the loss of 76 oil wells.

The government said it was a degrading offer which portrayed the leadership of Cross River as opportunistic and irresponsible.

The government’s position was

disclosed by Mr Attah Ochinke, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice at a press conference. It will be recalled that the Supreme Court had in recent judgement ceded 76 oil wells which Cross River laid claims to Akwa Ibom.

In the aftermath of the judgment, Gov. Godswwill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom had offered to pay Cross River N250 million as grant to cushion the pains

Experts laud CBN directive over banks financing foreign subsidiaries

S

OME financial experts has commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for stopping banks from

172.10

+0.45

2,415.00

+46.00

21.97

-0.07

108.55

+2.65

90.67

+3.54

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING CFA KRONER EURO POUNDS RIYAL SDR FRANC DOLLAR WAUA YEN RENMINBI

0.2709 0.2809 25.595 25.6777 190.5088 191.1239 241.3029 242.082 41.2916 41.4249 233.2811 234.0343 158.4408 158.9524 154.86 155.36 232.8007 233.5524 1.9785 1.9849 24.3183 2 4.3973

0.2909 25.7603 191.739 242.8611 41.5582 234.7875 159.4639 155.86 234.304 1.9913 24.4763

CBN Exchange rate as at 06/08/2012 C M Y K

using their funds to finance foreign subsidiaries. The experts said in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the step would checkmate fraudulent practices and enhance sanity in the financial system. According to them, the banking sector has been overheated with persistent crises and the industry needs effective measure to restore investors’ confidence in the system.

Mr Tunde Lemo. Deputy Governor, CBN Banking Operations, in a forum in Lagos, said CBN would stop banks from using their funds to finance foreign subsidiaries. Mr Eddie Osarenkhoe, a former President, Finance Houses Association of Nigeria, said that the initiative was a welcome development that would make credit facilities available in the Nigerian economy. Osarenkhoe said it was regrettable that banks mobilised money from the public and divert it to run subsidiaries at the expense of giving loans to customers.

According to him, the funding of bank subsidiaries with public fund has made the financial sector incapable of discharging its financial obligations to the customers.

Osarenkhoe said that many banks had been hiding under the universal banking system to siphon money for personal use and negatively affected the industry. He said that corruption in the banking sector led to the financial crises in the banks. “ The CBN’s ability to implement and enforce the directive will bring sanity and reduce capital flight out of the country,” he said.

Dr Samuel Nzekwe, former President, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, said the move by CBN would curb money laundering. “ The collapse of the capital market was due to actions of the bank executives to divert money and buy shares in the same bank to finance their subsidiaries,” Nzekwe said.

He said many of bank managers borrowed money from the banks and used them to buy stocks of their subsidiaries and converted them to personal use.

Nzekwe said many banks in the country failed to become mega banks because of the lack of capacity to give long term loans to customers and failure to finance their foreign subsidiaries effectively.

of the loss.

In his reaction, Ochinke said it was not correct to say that Cross River rejected overtures for amicable settlement with Akwa Ibom. “Akwa Ibom government said we rejected an amicable settlement. That is not correct; we rather went to court to enforce the settlement that had already been reached. The matter had been settled and agreement written and it was implemented for three years, so what has happened for the parties to now withdraw from that agreement? The government of Akwa Ibom said they offered us when the matter was in court, N250 million a month as a peaceful settlement on the matter.

“I do not know when the matter will be settled but I am very certain of one thing, if we do not recover the territory it is not because it does not belong to us, but because we are unable to recover the territory. If we were just chancing, if we were just being opportunistic and say look let us try our luck may be we might get something out of it, we will probably will accept anything that comes out of it including the offer from the. But you do not give up your legal right, give up your territory and make yourself an object of charity of another government.

“Akwa Ibom was virtually telling us: let us keep your oil wells, we will find you something. That is not what a responsible government will accept.

That is why Akwa Ibom said that we rejected an amicably settlement. We already have settled the matter amicably, so if you want amicably settlement all you just needed to do is to respect the settlement that was already in place, he said.

Ochinkesaid that the claims by Akwa Ibom that Cross River owed it more than N18 billion from the 76 oil wells was also baseless.

22—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

NSE: Expert wants nominal value removed from share prices

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

A

financial expert, Mr Bismark Rewane, has called on the management of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to consider the removal of nominal value from share prices, if the badly needed liquidity in the market will be restored..

Rewane made the

remark in his bi-monthly economic and business update for June, 2012.

Nominal value of a quoted security is its stated or face value. In the NSE, the face value of stocks is 50kobo and no stock price is supposed to fall below this amount.

He observed that a complete removal would enable market forces to determine the fair value

of shares, thereby creating liquidity.

Rewane argued that nominal value on share prices has made it difficult to sell shares whose value have dropped to par, saying that such removal would drive the market towards reaching semistrong efficiency.

“There are currently 55 stocks trading at the nominal value of

50kobo. The majority of these stocks are in the insurance sector, which was a heavily traded sector during the boom of 2007. Many investors are willing to liquidate their position on these stocks but cannot find buyers, leading to investors holding on to losers.”

Lamenting that the effect of some market initiative taken at the

peak of capital market crash in 2008 was yet to ebb, Rewane said, “It is also important to note that the market is yet to welcome back the retail investors that suffered huge losses following the stock market crash of 2008. In addition, the anti-market initiatives taken in 2008 are still impacting our market.

At the heart of the crash, the House of Assembly implemented a week of no losses (stocks were allowed to gain five per cent daily without losing), followed by the NSE?s week of five per cent gain and one percent loss.

“These initiatives served to distort the market’s return to equilibrium and were also futile, serving only to delay the inevitable.

Resultantly, although since the crash of 2008, we have witnessed global markets return to their pre-crisis level (or better), the NSEASI remains lost in the wilderness.”

He noted that a situation where 80 per cent of total investments in the stock market was contributed by foreign investors was uncalled for, arguing that every burgeoning capital market requires active participation of local investors. He noted that there was need for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to collaborate w i t h t h e Pe n s i o n C o m m i s s i o n (PENCOM) to up local i n v e s t o r s ’ p a r t i c i pation in the market.

Shareholders support Oando, Honeywell, NAHCO for acquisition of Power Discos

BY PETER EGWUATU

From left:Chairman, Chief Samuel Bolarinde cutting a tape to unveil Vitafoam Nigeria Plc 50th anniversary logo, outgoing Managing Director, Dr. Bamidele Makanjuola, and Technical Director/ Acting Managing Director, Mr. Joel Ajiga, all of Vitafoam Nigeria Plc during a press conference to flag off the Company’s 50th anniversary celebration and programme of events in Lagos.

Standard Chartered income, profit rise by 9% in first half

BY PETER EGWUATU

S

TA N D A R D Chartered Plc has announced a rise of 9 per cent in both income and profits to US$9.51 billion and US$3.95 billion respectively for the first half of 2012.

Consumer banking income of US$3.5billion up 5 per cent, from a very strong first half of 2011.

Wholesale Banking income was up by 10 per cent to US$6.0billionn, built on commercial banking.

The expenses well controlled; with income growth exceeding cost growth by 2 per cent.

Continued returns for shareholders, with Return on Equity (RoE) up to 13.8 per cent, interim dividend up by 10 per cent.

The Bank has capital C M Y K

strength with core tier 1 ratio of 11.6 per cent, and a liquid asset ratio of 27.9 per cent.

The Bank in a statement said, “The diversity of our income from a range of countries, products and services continues to underpin our success.

Growth in our footprint markets of Asia, Africa and the Middle East remains robust and our extensive network across the major global trade and investment flows continues to provide a key source of competitive advantage. We remain strongly differentiated.

One example is our ability to step up investment spends to grab the long term growth opportunities we see across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.”

The Bank revealed that it is increasing investment in

infrastructure, in new branches, and in technology, and building depositgathering network. “We aim to have 100 branches in China and India by our full year results next year. We have also increased investment in mobile and internet channels. For example, Breeze, our suite of award-winning retail banking apps is now available in seven markets. In Consumer Banking we now offer mobile banking in 33 markets, internet banking in 29, and are rolling out new products and services at pace” It noted.

Commenting on its market, the Bank said, “We have multiple growth engines with 20 of our markets delivering double digit growth in income. While

China has experienced a slowdown, we have good business momentum. We have delivered 22 per cent income growth during the first half and have no exposure to local government investment vehicles and our corporate real estate exposure is minimal.

Hong Kong has finished the first half strongly, achieving double digit income growth over the comparable period in 2011, while Singapore delivered a 6 per cent increase and Korea income was up 13 per cent. India income is down 12 per cent in the first half reflecting exchange rates and a difficult operating environment, albeit income is up 2 per cent on a constant currency basis.

S

hareholders of Oando Plc, Honeywell Plc and National Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc have appealed to the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) to give special consideration to quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange(NSE) for the acquisition of Power Distribution Companies (Discos).

The shareholders stressed that these companies have operated in the country over the years and have shown commitment towards growing the economy through employment generation as well as payment of taxes amongst others.

It will be recalled that Fifty four companies met the July 31, deadline set for companies to submit technical and financial proposals for the privatisation of the 11 companies. Three firms already listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Oando Plc and National Aviation Handling Company Plc (Nahco Aviance) and Honeywell are among the companies that submitted bids to acquire

some of the Discos.

However, some of the shareholders who spoke on the issue of the power sector privatisation, weekend, said, “ The three quoted companies on the NSE should be given priority to invest in the Discos so that more Nigerians would benefit from the privatisation exercise. The government should not make the same mistake they made in the telecommunications industry during the licensing of GSM operators.

“Eleven years after they were given licences, none of the GSM operators have been listed on the NSE to share the billion naira profits they are making with Nigerian investors.”

According to the National Coordinator of Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu, who spoke the minds of his members, said, “BPE should not repeat that mistake of the past.

Since we have some companies which are listed that are bidding for the Discos, we want to respectfully urge the government to give these firms the opportunity.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—23

C M Y K

24 — Vanguard,TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Cash-less Nigeria initiative requires reliable identity management—NIMC

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

A

cash-less banking, financial inclusiveness and mobile payments gradually take root in the country, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has highlighted the need for a reliable identity database and its adoption in the financial services sector to reduce fraud and improve Gross Domestic Product (GDP) among others.The Director-General of Commission, Mr. Chris Onyemenam said this while making a presentation at the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) 24. th Annual Conference that took place in Le Meridien Ibom Hotel, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. According to him, for lasting success of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Cash-less Policy, “there must be a reliable Identity Management system in place.”

“The National Identity Management System (NIMS) is central to the success of a cashless economy project” he said, adding that “a Universal Identification Infrastructure (UIDI) is unique, secure, accessible and reliable, recommended for identity authentication (Identification/ Verification) and tying individuals to transactions (nonrepudiation and with a history) as the current methods rely on two-factor identity authentication are still challenged with effectively managing identities”“A secure UIDI is a precondition for financial inclusion. The NIMS will tie captured biometrics and unique National Identification Numbers (NIN) of Nigerians to bank accounts, voter registers, immigration, and law enforcement agencies among others” he said.

According to him, existing databases have not met international standards (ISO/IEC, NIST, IEEE, ICAO, etc) and they have been non-centralized, unreliable and incomplete. Also, regular updating have not been possible and there have not been centralized and irrefutable way of tying individuals to transactions until now.He said this recommended move, if followed, will unleash in the nation, the opportunity in consumer credit experienced all around the world, reduce fraud, fight terrorism, improve GDP, and create a robust and dependable identifier. NIMS project ois an essential transformation tool for fostering socioeconomic development, maintenance of law and order and security of lives and properties.

He applauded the development of the Mobile Payment Services Sector (MPSS) which has achieved remarkable feats which includes the licensing of Mobile S

Payment Service Providers (MPSP) e.g. Pagatech, Fortis Mobile, UBA/Afripay, GTBank, eTranzact.

He said there is potential for the MPSS to play a huge role in the development of the Nigerian economy. “The Mobile Payment Service Providers (MPSP) creates employment and economic opportunities, it will stimulate consumer demand, local production and grow GDP but the need for a reliable identity management sector to drive the initiative is core” he said.The enhancement of the efficacy of monetary policy operations and economic stabilization measures, balanced and genuine currency transaction

demands a speculative market behaviours that will in turn facilitate better currency management and helps in reducing the cost of currency m a n a g e m e n t .

Onyemenam said the congruence of plans and deployment of the NIMS project is inevitable and a complementary CBN policy is essential.“Annual debt finance is less than 65per cent of total loss due to identity-related fraud in banks. There is need for a deployment Strategy focused on update-able database and secure identity authentication” he said adding that the live pilot of the project commenced February 23, 2012 in FCT.

Key NIMS activities include enrollment/updates, national ID card issuance, identification and verification, reliable, secure and fast identification and verification services online and offline enrolment centers for continuous enrollment of citizens and legal residents; creation of a unique National Identity Database; generation, issuance and assignment of National Identification Numbers (NIN); Issuance of National smart Identity cards (E-ID); provision of authentication infrastructure (Back-end); Provision of authentication services; harmonization and integration of identity databases among others.

B-R-I-E-F Euro slips on doubts over effective ECB response

T

HE euro eased on Monday after making significant gains, with many investors wary of buying the currency on caution about how effective action pledged

by European policymakers to resolve the crisis would be.

The euro earlier hit a onemonth high against the dollar, adding to Friday’s gains on investor optimism the European Central Bank would step in and buy bonds to reduce high Spanish and Italian borrowing costs in coming months.

But analysts said uncertainties remained over the ECB’s plan and many saw more pain for the euro zone before a resolution to the crisis was reached. This meant some investors were inclined to use the euro’s bounce to put on fresh bets the currency would weaken.

“There hasn’t been anything that has improved the situation in Europe ... we haven’t had any concrete improvement in the situation in the euro zone,” said Niels Christensen, currency strategist at Nordea in Copenhagen.

Cyprus needs more bailout cash for banks, public finances From left: Mr. Mathew Idowu , Former National President LASU-MBA Heritage, Bishop (Dr ) Adedoyin Asekun, Lecturer LASU External System and Mr. Bode Akintayo, President LASU-MBA Heritage, at the stakeholders breakfast meeting of LASU Heritage in Lagos.

Photo By Diran Oshe

Knight Capital gets $400 million rescue

A

group of investors will rescue embattled market maker Knight Capital Group Inc in a $400 million deal that keeps the company in business, Knight said on Monday, but comes at a huge cost to investors.

The New York Stock Exchange said it will temporarily transfer Knight’s market-making responsibilities on more than 500 stocks and related Knight employees - to Chicagobased Getco, until the recapitalization is complete. The exchange said both companies cooperated with the transfer.

The rescuing companies will buy convertible preferred stock with a 2 percent dividend to save Knight, which was brought to its knees last week by a software glitch that caused errant trading in dozens of stocks. The deal is expected to close later Monday morning.

The preferred shares are convertible into about 267 million shares of common stock, Knight said in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing, implying the investors would get a stake of a little more

than 70 percent in the company.

The filing did not name the investors. On Sunday, sources familiar with the talks identified private equity firm Blackstone Group LP, Getco and financial services companies TD Ameritrade Holding Corp, Stifel Nicolas, Jefferies Group Inc and Stephens Inc as the prospective buyers.

J.P. Morgan analyst Kenneth Worthington, in a client note after the initial reports on the rescue Sunday night, said the deal presaged Knight’s eventual breakup.

“We don’t expect investors to value Knight as an ongoing entity given its technology glitch generated a pre-tax loss equal to (about) 30 percent of shareholders equity and nearly wiped out the company in just 30-45 minutes of trading,” he said.

Shares fell 30 percent to $2.85 in heavy premarket trading after closing at $4.05 on Friday.

Less than three weeks ago Knight traded for more than $12 a share.

But even if Knight has been saved for now, the company could face litigation from shareholders who have seen the value of their holdings plummet.

C

YPRUS may need more than the 10 billion euros ($12.4 billion) staffers have estimated for a financial lifeline after bigger shortfalls than anticipated were found on the government’s balance sheet, according to the minutes of a meeting of international and Cypriot officials.

A mission of officials from the European Commission, European Central Bank and the IMF, the so-called troika, met with Cypriot lawmakers on July 27 to present findings from their analysis of the country’s economy. On June 25, Cyprus became the fifth of the euro area’s 17 member states to seek external aid.

“Your public finances are in a worse shape than we expected,” Maarten Verwey, a troika official and a deputy head of the commission’s Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs, said according to the minutes of the meeting obtained by Bloomberg News.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—25

C M Y K

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Etisalat, LBS partner on business sustainability strategy Stories by PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

E

TISALAT Nigeria in partnership with the Lagos Business School (LBS) of the Pan African University has urged businesses in

Nigeria to develop a sustainability strategy if they are to add value to the society and minimize negative impacts caused by their business processes.

This was one of the success

tips for Nigerian business executives at the just ended Corporate Social Responsibility Masterclass training series organized by the Etisalat CSR Centre in partnership with the Lagos Business School (LBS)

of the Pan African University.

Speaking on the third day of the workshop, Director, Sustainable Business Initiative, University of Edinburgh, UK, Dr. Kenneth Amaeshi, said for companies to drive innovation and sustainable economic

From left: Jeremiah Essien, Zonal Business Manager, North Basin, Airtel Nigeria; Usman Bala, Team Leader, Pampaida Millennium Villages Project and representative of United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) and Lawal Musa, Area Business Manager, North Basin, Airtel Nigeria during the presentation of Airtel’s Communications Solution in support of the Millennium Villages Project, a joint initiative of Airtel, UNDP and Earth Institute of Columbia to uplift underprivileged communities.

La Casera enters market with Nirvana Soda, Tonic water for low-calorie or zero-calorie

BY ITORO UDOFIA

T

HE LaCasera Company Limited, owners of the LaCasera Carbonated Soft Drink has entered the market with two products chrisThe company with focus on consumers who crave tasty and refreshing beverages said through Mr. Guna Sekaran, Head of Distribution that a lot of thought and research had gone into making the two Nirvana Drink variants.

His words, “We recognise that there is a significant segment of the Nigerian market that demands premium, affordable quality drinks. As the name Nirvana implies, these Drinks offer a great-tasting and refreshing escape from the stress and hustle of daily life. Nirvana Soda Water is a refreshing low calorie drink, which appeals to young and sociable upwardly-mobile professional Men and Women.

They enjoy feeling and looking good so they tend to go

soft drinks either on the go or at their favourite hangouts.”

Speaking on Nirvana Tonic Water, General Manager

Marketing, CBTI, Mr. Dave Van Rensburg emphasised that it offered many of the same qualities as Nirvana Soda Water variant. “if you are looking for a great tasting drink which offers refreshment and comes at an affordable price, then Nirvana Soda Water is the drink for you.

MDA 6: Finalists emerge at Lagos audition

E

IGHT finalists have emerged at the just concluded Maltina Dance All 6 auditions held in Lagos. The three day event saw thousands of contestants thronged the venue of the auditions to stand a chance to cart home the grand prize of 6 million naira and brand new car. The huge turnout and skill exhibited by contestants, further confirmed Lagos, as undisputedly Africa’s major talent hub.

The MDA is the consumer engagement and experiential marketing platform that Maltina, from the stables of Nigeria breweries, deploys to resonate with its consumers and the society in general. The event is coming on the heels of a suc-

cessful National Consumer Promotion tagged “Maltina sharing happiness promo” where five lucky Nigerians won furnished three bedroom homes in Lekki area of Lagos.

As expected, the Lagos auditions, was highly entertaining and indeed in consonance with this year’s Maltina Dance All theme, ‘The Most Spectacular’.

Contestants across all ages displayed a high level of dance dexterity which made it a bit challenging for even the judges to pick winners.

The first day witnessed dancers between the ages of 5-12 and 13-19, compete for prizes ranging from brand new Home Theatres, Flat screen television sets and Generators.

growth, they have to adopt the concept of creating shared value. In enabling the creation of shared value, he said, companies need to invest in long-term business competitiveness that simultaneously addresses economic, social and environmental objectives.

“Businesses have a role to play apart from making profits.

The primary reason why companies are in existence is to be responsible, and they do this by adding value to their stakeholders”. In addition, he pointed out that the public has a social obligation to ensure that these companies do not misuse their social license to operate.

Speaking in the same vein, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Ismail Omamegbe, said that it was imperative for businesses in Nigeria to practice responsible business models that are innovative as well as sustainable. He explained that the training which is now in its second year is aimed at giving managers and practitioners in CSR, Sustainability Reporting, Corporate Affairs, Ethical investments and other CSR related professionals an overview of the relevance of Corporate Social Responsibility in today ’s socio-economic sphere.

HBS MBA: 7Up grooms new leaders through scholarship

S

EVEN-Up Bottling Com pany (SBC), manufacturers of Carbonated Soft Drink (CSD), 7up, has identified the need to develop new crop of visionary and exemplary leaders for the country as the main objective driving its current Harvard Business School (HBS)Masters of Business Administration (MBA) scholarship programme as it unveils of new winner.

Mr. Femi Mokikan, Executive Director, Human Resources said at a media briefing to unveil Mr. Olujimi Williams, the 2012 recipient of the 7Up Harvard Business School MBA scholarship.

“Nigeria has been ‘visioning’ for too long; from vision 2010, we are now talking of vision20:20:20 in which Nigeria aspires to be among the world’s top 20 economies by the year 2020. The Nigerian vision needs intelligent, young energetic runners who are capable and able by virtue of their training and exposure to take the baton from this present crop of administrators

and technocrats and lead Nigeria to political and economic Eldorado”, Mokikan said.

He explained that Seven-Up, being a stakeholder in Nigeria, instituted the scholarship scheme during its 50th anniversary celebration two years ago to provide young Nigerians with the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills and competences that will equip them to become global leaders. Ms. Misan Rewane was the first recipient of the award in 2011 which Mr. Mokikan said will be an annual event.

The choice of Harvard Business School according to him was basically because the school ranks top among others in the Ivy League Business Schools globally, even as it has enjoyed top three rankings for decades.

“As an organization, Seven-Up Bottling Company does not believe in half measures hence we decided that the best way to build a pool of global leaders for Nigeria is to sponsor qualified young Nigerians to a world class institution to compete and learn from others”.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012 — 27

Lubricant manufacturers seek upward tariff review on imported lubes

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

L

UBRICANT Producers Association of Nigeria (LUPAN) has requested the Federal Government to review the import duty tariff on imported lubricants and base oil (raw material used locally to produce lubricants) from the current 10 per cent to 50 per cent.

Mr. Emeka Obidike, the Executive Secretary of LUPAN, made the request when he led the Association’s Council members on a courtesy call to the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Abudullahi Dikko Inde.

“LUPAN, he said, "wants the duty tariff on imported lubricants to be reviewed upwards to 50 percent so as to discourage the influx of substandard lubricant into the country.

“Under the HS CODE 2719:1939, both the finished product i.e. imported lubricant and the raw material (Base Oil) attracts the same duty tariff of 10 percent which obviously give undue advantage to imported lubricants over the locally produced lubricants,” he said.

This request, he said was in tandem with the transformation agenda of the government. “It is therefore expedient to review downwards to 5 percent duty tariff on base oil

in order to protect local producers, prevent job losses, increase capacity utilisation and create more jobs.

He lamented the rising trend of the importation of these substandard products which he said are produced from recy-

cled oil and lack the required additives and are being sold at low prices to unsuspecting customers to the detriment of genuine locally produced lubricants.

He said that the negative effects of using substandard

From left: Muyiwa Osinaike, MDA Judge, Presenting a Brand New Generating Set to Hassan Oluwadamilola, winner of the 13-19 year dance category at the MDA 6 regional auditions in Lagos.

FCTA records N1.47bn IGR in July

BY RITA OBODOECHINA

T

HE Federal Capital Ter ritory Administration, FCTA has recorded internally generated revenue, IGR, of N1.472 billion for the month of July 2012.

The Minister of State for FCT, Mr Oloye Olajumoke, who disclosed this in Abuja while chairing the FCTA Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting, said “The IGR rose by N371 million or 34 per cent over the preceding month’s figure of N1.101 billion.

She stated that the FCTA would increase its revenue in order to stimulate more economic activities within the territory.

According to her, “We are working very hard and partnering with the Area Councils Chairmen to raise the present level of revenue. This will ultimately result in more money being available for the Area Councils.

We are also going to put in place before the next meeting mechanism such as biometrics C M Y K

lubricants range from malfunctioning or damage to machineries, environmental pollution and of course loss of sales for local producers which in turn result to low capacity utilisation and eventual closure of production plants.

to eliminate ghost workers and track the number of workers in the six area councils of the territory However, she revealed that the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS) contributed the lion’s share of the IGR of N989.14 million while FCT Water Board realized N190.88 million.

According to the Minister, other revenue collectors include, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), N146.24 million; Abuja Environmental Protection Board, N57.72 million and Directorate of Road Traffic Services, N53.52 million.

She added that the sum of N1.723 billion was available for distribution among the area councils from revenue received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee for June 2012.

She disclosed that primary school teachers in the six area councils – Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali – accounted for N838.24 million while the area councils received N772.66 mil-

lion, adding that the FCTA Area Councils JAAC also allocated N95.04 million to Area Council Pension Board being 15 per cent pension fund and N17.23 million to Area Council Service Commission being one per cent training fund,

Disclosing the revenue allocation received by the area council, she said “the revenue allocation received by the area councils as follows: Abaji (N116.32 million), Abuja Municipal (N170.05 million), Bwari (N133.38 million), Gwagwalada (N139.66 million), Kuje (N111.12 million) and Kwali (N102.11 million).

The Kuje Area Council Chairman, Hon. Danladi Etsu also

“It is on this basis that LUPAN has taken the responsibility of bringing the awareness of this disturbing trend to the Customs and other relevant regulatory bodies in order to galvanise them to take necessary steps against the importation of substandard lubricants into the country,” he said. According to him, LUPAN has paid similar visits to Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and now the Customs to ensure that these bad products do not indiscriminately enter the country through any of the ports.

Responding, the Comptroller General, said Customs have an established working relationship with regulatory bodies in Nigeria and together they prevent the influx of substandard products into the country.

He therefore urged LUPAN to interact with their relevant regulatory body for effective synergy in checking the ugly trend. On the demand for tariff review, while supporting LUPAN’s position, especially as it affects protection of local producers as well as guaranteeing more job creation, Alhaji Dikko advised that they should take this request to the Ministry of Finance who has the responsibility of carrying review on duty tariff regime.

commended the Minister for ensuring transparency and accountability in the monthly revenue allocations to the six area councils, he said, “Our JAAC meetings have always been open and transparent. The FCT Area Councils are not facing interference or marginalization as our fellow local governments in other states are witnessing.

The FCTA has not withheld or deducted any of our funds.”

215 Niger Delta youths graduate from skill acquisition programme

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

E

GBEMA and Gbaramatu Central Development Council, EGCDC, has advised youths in Niger Delta especially the 215 successful graduands from the council’s skill acquisition programme to use their acquired skills to contribute to the development of society.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Warri, Delta State, Chairman of EGCDC, E.E Doyah Tiemo, said the skills acquired by the graduands included welding and fabrica-

tion, aluminum doors and window fabrication, sewing/fashion design, electrical wiring, computer appreciation, crane operation, marine technology and sandblasting to mechanical technician’s training, including maintenance of marine heavy duty engines.

He said the “duration of the courses ranges from 6 to 12 month. The council paid the fees of the service providers and the cost of teaching aids as well as the monthly maintenance allowances of 25,000 per trainee. Today, we are happy to join these graduands to celebrate the opportunity of pro-

ducing skilled manpower of this category and in such a great number.

The greatest assets a nation can have are the people; if you develop the people, the environment will automatically develop. Our greatest challenge is lack of skill manpower and this is why even though the oil and gas exploration and production activities.”

Addressing the graduands, Tiemo, said “the value of the skill that you have acquired will be measured by the quality of your output and your willingness to contribute to the development of your environment.

28—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

*Oshiomhole: Lost his confidant

*Orbih: We're exonerated

OLAITAN OYERINDE:

Many conspiracies, different culprits THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State has been exonerated from two politically coloured killings that occurred just before the recent gubernatorial election in the state. The killing of the incumbent governor’s aide has indeed thrown up a melodrama of sorts

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

I

T all started on April 27, 2012 at the peak of the campaigns for the just held gubernatorial election in Edo State when Governor Adams Oshiomhole narrowly escaped death while on a trip from Afuze in Owan East local government area to Auchi.

A truck from the opposite direction ran into his convoy, missed his official vehicle narrowly and smashed into the press bus killing three of the journalists in the convoy.

Given that Oshiomhole, the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the election was locked in battle with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, it was not difficult for the governor and his top lieutenants to direct their suspicions towards the PDP. The hullabaloo that followed the accident had hardly died down when the Principal Private Secretary to Governor Oshiomhole, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, was murdered by gun men at his residence in the early hours of 4th May, 2012.

Oyerinde was said to be a very close confidant of the governor who had worked closely with him from Oshiomhole’s days in the labour union. The murder of the 44 years old labour activist was met with grief and suspicious from the Oshiomhole’s administration who viewed the murder as C M Y K

another arrow aimed at crippling his second term aspiration.

“Last week, they succeeded in killing three journalists; last night, they killed Oyerinde. Let me be clear: they cannot kill my fighting spirit,” Oshiomhole said in his reaction to the murder on the morning of the tragic killing.

Inevitably suspicion was again laid at the doors of the PDP.

Broad daylight Speaking during a condolence visit to the family, in Ede, Osun State, Oshiomhole expressed his hurt: “Those who killed him really got me where it hurts most.

They knew that if they could not get the king, they would get his son. I know we will use broad day light to get the cowards who killed Oyerinde”. He gave the Police 14 days to uncover those responsible for the murder and even offered a N10 million reward to anyone with information that would lead to the apprehension of those responsible.

In the heat of the emotions, the government also named Delta Crescent, where the former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP has his residence after Oyerinde. The PDP was quick to dissociate itself from the hanging allegations of violence against it as its chairman in Edo State, Chief Dan Orbih described the

insinuation against his party as “malicious”, insisting that it was designed to taint the image of the PDP in the state.

Remarkably, the Police was to absolve the PDP of blame in the first allegation of instigating the accident that killed the three journalists. But then, no one has been charged or even indicted for the accident. However, the Oyerinde murder investigation has opened a controversy of its own that no one bargained for.

Two different sets of persons have been indicted by the Police and the State Security Services, which separately investigated the case.

The Police in Benin had a week or so ago alleged the culpability of a foremost civil rights activist and friend of the late Oyerinde, Rev David Ugolor in the murder.

A day or so later, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, of the SSS Marilyn Ogar paraded a number of men it claimed were the suspected killers of Oyerinde giving the name of the leader of the murder gang as Mohammed Abdullahi. According to her, SSS investigations revealed that Oyeinde was murdered by the trio of Mohammed Abdullahi, Raymond Origbo and Chikezie Edeh, while three other suspects; Yakubu Saidu, Sani Abdullahi and Hassan Bashiru were receivers of stolen items.

On his part, the leader of the gang, Mohammed Abdullahi confessed that they were on a

robbery mission to the accusations hurled at the PDP Oyerinde’s house based by the ACN were to enable the on information given to ruling government in the state them by the security win sympathy votes during the guard to Oyerinde that gubernatorial election. He was he kept huge amount of quoted as telling a national money at home. The newspaper: “We have been confession by the vindicated. No matter how long principal suspect is a lie persists, the truth shall contrary to the always prevail. Now, the world speculation making the knows that leadership of the party rounds that late aide to is innocent of all the false charges Governor Adams by Oshiomhole. The governor Oshiomhole was knew it was a clear case of armed assassinated for political robbery occasioned by the general insecurity in Edo State reasons It was not surprising under his watch as governor.” that the PDP in the state which had been lying Normal low since it was soundly outing defeated in the Meanwhile, Ugolor who was a gubernatorial elections of last month rose to shout bosom friend of Oyerinde has eureka! In an ironical claimed his innocence. Ugolor twist to the two week was with Oyerinde few hours ultimatum that before death came knocking.

Oshiomhole gave to the They had their normal outing Police to fetch out until about 11 pm after which Oyerinde’s killers, the Oyerinde dropped Ugolor in his Youth Wing of the PDP residence and departed for his in Edo State also gave a own residence.

Recalling their last moments at two week ultimatum to Governor Oshiomhole to tender a press briefing shortly after unreserved apology to the former Oyerinde was murdered, Ugolor chairman Board of Trustees of the who was in tears said Oyerinde party, Chief Tony Anenih and was not killed by friends. He members of the party over his said: “Oyerinde was with me that statement that it was the night. He called me after closing from work and we leadership of the went to Etete Street party that to have a drink. masterminded After about 11pm Oyerinde’s killing. we left. He dropped The party in a me at my house and statement by Mr. he drove home.

Vincent Ose “At about 2 am, the Akhere, the State wife knocked on my Youth leader of the window and told PDP, carpeted the me they have shot ACN state Oyerinde. I went administration over and we took him to its inability to the hospital. He provide adequate died in our hands security for the after about 30 protection of lives minutes. Oyerinde and property of was not killed by r e s i d e n t s , his friends as particularly, that of speculated. It is late Oyerinde, who Two different only coward that he said was as a high profile official sets of persons will resort to violence. We live in of the government a free world. in power in the state. have been indicted by the Oyerinde never believed in security.

Confessional Police and the He never thought statements State Security anybody will hurt Akhere insisted Services, which him”.

Meanwhile, the that with the controversy over the separately confessional statements of six investigated the whole matter got messier at the suspects arrested case weekend with the and paraded by revelation that three operatives of the of the six suspects State Security paraded by the SSS Services (SSS) in Abuja, it was clear that “the cat last week wore exactly the same had been let out of the bag.” shirts worn by three Boko Haram He said: “The youths, therefore, suspects also paraded by the SSS challenge the ACN led last March. The similarity in government in Edo State to hide clothing was stirring mutterings its head in shame for the inability about more controversy on the to secure the lives and property issue. Meanwhile the Police was of Edo people particularly such insisting yesterday that it was a high profile personality in right in its own investigations government who died in the despite the announcement by hands of those social miscreants.” the SSS that it had apprehended Orbih was to further allege that a different set of suspects.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—29

How we can rescue Nigeria — Gani Adams A MEETING with Otunba Gani Adams, the National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC is one of many ironies.

POLITICAL ENCOUNTER

BY DAPO AKINREFON

G

IVEN the image of him many would be surprised at the organization and order that surrounds Otunba Gani Abiodun Adams. Indeed, many would be shocked that the famed tribal jingoist even has an office where he receives visitors and deals with the issues of his personal business and agitations. Even more surprising, the interaction between the National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC and a group of newsmen at his Palm Groove, Lagos office exhibited his passion for Nigeria.

Born in the early 1970s in Arigidi in Ondo State, Adams came into limelight during the June 12, 1993 struggle. He took over the youth wing of the congress after its founder, Dr Fredrick Fasehun was incarcerated by the military.

Having gained prominence in the June 12, 1993 struggle, Adams, to many of his admirers perhaps, became a force to reckon, especially within the Southwest geo-political zone.

Aside his present duties coordinating the OPC, Adams

*Adams: Dialogue the only way to solve the problem has also founded the Olokun Festival Foundation with the view of promoting Yoruba culture.

Given the present clamour for and against a national conference, it was not surprising that the interaction immediately

navigated towards that issue.

“The call for a National Dialogue being advocated to rebuild the nation and rescue it from imminent collapse is getting louder by the day. Over the past years, the Boko Haram sect has escalated its deadly attacks

against Christians and government targets in the North, killing innocent Nigerians and maiming several others.”

Noting the failure of the best efforts of government, Adams pushed forward what he described as the advantages of a national conference. He noted: “For me, a meeting of this nature, will find lasting solution to all the problems threatening to rip our country apart. Like I have also canvassed, a conference of all the nationalities that make up the Nigerian nation will move us away from the brink. It must, however, be understood by all that the National Dialogue is not to find an alternative government for the country, but to find solutions to all the problems that afflict the polity. Therefore, all the governments under the present constitutional dispensation should be involved in the process of convoking a National Dialogue.”

It is a meeting where Otunba Adams understandably would have a front seat during the talks.

Given the famed successes that have attained Adams’ own crime fighting efforts using the OPC some would be appalled that he would suggest talks with the extremist Boko Haram group.

“The only way to solve the problem is through dialogue.”

Such incredulity, however,

How to end APGA crisis — Uche CHIEF Ezike Uche, deputy national chairman (South) of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), is one of those disturbed by the deepening crisis ravaging the party. In this interview, he speaks among others on the causes of the feud and how to resolve it.

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

H

OW do you view the crisis ravaging APGA?I regard it as very unfortunate and I am bewildered because the journey up to this point was very clear. We had a national convention last year where I was the chairman.

All these national executive members, state and local government chairmen are products of that convention. INEC certified the convention. It is on that basis that we started our business.

That some group of people made up of five members of the Exco out of 29 will gather themselves and say they want to remove the national chairman raises a lot of questions. If they feel that the national chairman or members of the executive have erred, there are better ways of resolving it.

C M Y K

*Uche

You don’t just get up in the morning and suspend them.

That is like a coup d’état.

What is your reaction to allegations that your exco did not create an atmosphere where such issues could be tabled and resolved?

What kind of atmosphere will warrant us holding Exco meetings here every three months? We held one in December, held two in May and another some few weeks ago.

Could you comment on allegations that Chief Victor Umeh’s opposition to Governor Peter Obi’s policies, especially non-conduct of local council

polls fuelled the crisis?

We have been calling for local government elections in Anambra. When we called for the elections initially, the governor told us that the Voters’ Register was faulty and that it could only be used when INEC corrects it.

When INEC was done with the correction, we called him again to remind him that we have sold forms to people.

There are three tiers of government: the federal, state and local government. If we don’t have the local government system, we can’t talk about democracy.

It is at the grassroots level that we empower people. If we don’t have people in place at the grassroots level, then we are not there yet.

So, what I am saying in effect is that, when we started calling for this local government elections, I think that was where the problem with the governor started from. Why should we call for local government election because they prefer to deal with caretaker committee chairmen?

immediately dissolved as he quickly added that the “issue of insecurity in the country goes beyond the Boko Haram.”

So, is the issue of Boko Haram a catalyst for a national conference? It is a question that is left hanging. Other issues that would be addressed at the national conference include regional autonomy in security matters. He said: “I also want a situation where every region will have its own police; a state would have its own police and the local governments will have theirs. I think with such structure we can minimise the issue of insecurity.

There is no country that is 100 per cent peaceful but most countries try to reduce the level of insecurity so that investors can come and invest there.”

One issue that also pricks Adams is also the alleged marginalisation of the South west in the political hierarchy of the country. “The Yoruba is marginalised under this administration,” Adams posited.

"If you look at the hierarchy of government the Yoruba are in number 17 and at the same time a Yoruba would have been the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Emergence of the woman Unfortunately, it was the Yoruba in the House that worked against the emergence of the woman. That position is number four. But if that has happened, it doesn’t mean that we should not have other positions. The seventeenth position is too far for a race and Yoruba is one of the largest races in the country.”

Still speaking on the loss of the office of Speaker, he said: ”We got information that even the president backed the Yoruba candidate to emerge as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, but because of lack of unity, some Yoruba worked against the Yoruba candidature because of politics.”

He traces the political relegation of the Yoruba to the rivalry between the two dominant political parties in the Southwest, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Yoruba Unity Forum

“The Yoruba Unity Forum is trying to unite the Yoruba but I foresee a situation that because of certain interests this might not be possible. This is because we have the ACN, the PDP and the ANPP, so it will be very difficult to come together to have a common front.” Assessing the Jonathan administration, he asserted that “Nigerians are just asking the president to make the country secure. If the country is secured first, then other things can follow.”

And for him the best way to achieve that and help the Jonathan administration is to hold a national conference!

30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

•Bad Road in Lagos

•Present state of National Stadium, Lagos

LANDSCAPE OF DECAYED AND DECAYING PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE:

Experts harp on maintenance culture N

IGERIA’s infrastruc ture deficit gap is very wide and in most cases the infrastructures are in very deplorable conditions. Most roads in Nigeria are unmotorable and in various states of disrepair. Nigerians who have traveled round the country by road in recent times, can attest to the fact that whether in the East, West, North and South of Nigeria, road travel has been, for many, a nightmare.

Public buildings such as schools, hospitals and offices are also left to rot away. A visit to the old Senate Building located at Race Course shows that virtually all the facilities in the property which ordinarily should be classified as a national monument, are in decrepit

HIGH POINTS *State of infrastructure in Nigeria does not meet the requirement for economic development *Instead of embarking upon new projects, governments should maintain the existing ones •Preventive maintenance is key all over the world and should be adopted by Nigerian governments •When roads are completed, they should be handed over to a contracting company which will maintain it on a yearly basis •Regular maintenance will elevate the value of public buildings and similar infrastructures

C M Y K

conditions. The same could be said of 1004 Flats in Victoria Island which was an eyesore until former President Olusegun Obasanjo sold it to Messrs UACN Properties Limited. The company has since transformed it into a first class residential estate and is smiling to the banks with huge profits.

Sporting facilities have also suffered terrible decay in Nigeria due to neglect and lack of maintenance. The National Stadium in Lagos, is a classic example of a stadium that has been left to decay due to lack of maintenance.

T

he Registrar of the Quantity Surveyors Registration of Nigeria, QSRBN, Mr. Godson Moneke who noted that development of infrastructure is a categorical imperative for economic development and socio-economic empowerment of the citizenry, lamented that the state of infrastructure in the country, does not meet the requirement for economic

development. He views were corroborated by other built environment experts who spoke to Vanguard Homes & Property President of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors

maintained. In terms of kilometres of roads in this country, we are very far behind our contemporaries all over the world. But even the little we have are not properly maintained. Every year, we spend money on build-

,

By JUDE NJOKU & KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

Roads don’t get damaged overnight; it starts with a small crack but because it is not addressed, it becomes a major issue after one rainy season

,

and Valuers, NIESV, Mr. Emeka Eleh who decried the lack of maintenance culture in the country, wondered why government should embark upon new projects when the existing ones are hardly maintained. His words: “Not only do we have a wide infrastructural deficit running into several billions of Naira, even the existing ones are not properly

ing new ones which are also not maintained. If you look at the Lagos -Ibadan expressway for instance, I recall that when it was completed, it was the pride of everybody. You could go to Ibadan in an hour or an hour and half but from Lagos to Ibadan now, it will take you about three hours because the road is not properly maintained”.

Continuing, Mr. Eleh said: “ Our public buildings must be run the way we run our homes because there is no father that would have his roof leaking and he won’t address it immediately. If you don’t address it immediately, your children will get wet when it rains and the leakage will get worse. Preventive maintenance is key all over the world. The last time we were in Abuja, we had to climb five floors in a Government building to get to where we were going. But if you get to private buildings, the lifts are working; so why wouldn’t the lifts run properly in public buildings? The Government should institute a proper maintenance culture for its facilities because that is the only way they (facilities) can achieve their optimal aim”.

Appropriate professionals He called on the government to engage appropriate professionals to maintain existing national infrastructures. “ Roads don’t get damaged overnight; it starts with a small crack but because it is not addressed, it becomes a major issue after one rainy season. At the second rainy season, the road is broken up, by the third one, it

HAZARDS

I

Continues on page 31

How to install your pre-hung doors

nstalling a new door is an easy task that doesn’t take any time at all. This writeup from http:// www.diynetwork.com captures how you can instal a prehung door in your houses.

Measure the door frame After removing the old five-sided door, measure the doorway opening. When you have their measurements, lay the door on sawhorses. measures door way opening to prepare for new door Cut the door Mark the pre-hung door for the opening adding an inch or two for carpet to run underneath the door. Put painter’s tape along the length of their mark and on the plate of the saw. Then cut the door along the mark. Applying painter’s tape over the mark keeps the door from being marred by the saw and to keep the door from splitting while cutting

Cut the door frame Next, measure and cut the door frame. These measurements do not have to account for the carpeting.

Add the hinges Hold the door while someone screws the hinges and the door together. Then walk the door over to the doorway.

Level the door When the door is level, shoot framing nails through the frame to the wall, making sure to preserve the spaces between the door and the wall.

Finish the door Finally, apply low expansion foam to the spaces between the door and the wall, filling the spaces around the nails first. The foam expands, hardens and keeps the door in place and can be used instead of shims. Cut any excess foam flush to the wall after the foam dries with a straight edge.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—31

Ondo in harvest of health-related projects

By CHIOMA OBINNA

O

NDO State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko is a medical doctor and two-term commissioner for Health in the State. This vast experience is already showing in the innovations taking place in the health sector in the sunshine state. For example, the government has embarked upon the construction of an ultra-modern Medical Village, touted as the first of its kind in the country.

The Mimiko administration has also flagged off the a 100 – bed new Mother and Child Hospital in all the senatorial districts. Other health-related projects being executed or already completed include Trauma centres, 20 blocks of Residency quarters, hostels for patients relatives, an Helipad, Call Centre for emergency services and a modern Diagnostic Centre.

On completion, the Medical Village will serve as an apex tertiary health-care institution, where referrals would be coming to from all parts of the state.

The Medical Village will also houses a Trauma centre which will be furnished with a Helipad to facilitate advancement of emergency cases outside the state to any part of the

world. The laboratory outlet of the Medical Village is already in use. The Diagnostic Centre which is equipped with modern medical equipments like MRI, CT Scan, Sonography Colour Doppler for heart scanning, VIP Massage Lounge, Mammography machines, Telemedicine equipment/ room amongst others to meet up with the WHO laboratory standard, was named after the late rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

Apart from these projects, the government is also renovating and building basic primary health centres across the state.

OndoState Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju who did not give the cost of the Medical Village, however gave an insight on what the other projects would gulp.

“The entire Medical Village is a whole lot, the Trauma Centre is costing the state government about N4 billion, each Mother and Child is close to N600 to N700 million and the Gani Fawehinmi Diagnostic is almost close to a Billion.,” he said.

He gave reasons for the harvest of healthrelated projects in the state during an interactive session with newsmen. “Ondo State has the worst maternal mortality ratio in the South West which was also confirmed by the World Bank. You can now see that we are starting from the scratch. We did not inherit any good foundation to build on. Our women were dying as a result of poor pregnancy outcomes.

Our hospitals were empty. Basically, our vision in the health sector having inherited ill motivated work force, poor infrastructures, poorly managed health sector and with very worst health indices is quiet clear. What we are doing at this moment is expected, coming from the perspective of a man who is a medical doctor and a two- term commissioner for health in this state.

•Front view of the Mother and Child Hospital in Akure

Concession Commission, engineers partner on infrastructure development

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

T

HE Infrastructure Con cession Regulatory Commission, ICRC has expressed its readiness to work with the Nigerian Society of Engineers as a key stakeholder in the execution of its mandate. The Director-General of the Commission, Mr Mansur Ahmed, an Engineer, stated this when he received the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers,

Mustafa Balarabe Shehu who led a delegation of the Society to his office last week in Abuja.

Ahmed said it was in realization of this that a Committee with four eminent Engineers was set up to advise the Board of the Commission to enable it make the right decisions on some key issues.

He invited the NSE to make inputs into the process of developing guidelines for the use of Consultants in the execution of projects to be funded by the World Bank.

The ICRC boss pledged that the Soci-

ety would be involved in its planned specific training programmes aimed at educating stakeholders on the operation of Public Private Partnership, PPA of the Federal Government to enable them appreciate the importance and its impact on the provision of Infrastructure in the country.

On the successes recorded so far in the process of concession, the Director General said the Katampe District Basic Engineering and Infrastructure Development has been successfully handed over to private investors under the PPA arrangement.

Building 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 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.

Landscape of decayed and decaying public infrastructure Continued from page 30 cannot be passed by anybody. If you travel from Onitsha to Enugu, three quarters of the road is now gully and that is because the road is not maintained.

What we are saying is that government must pay attention to maintaining its own facilities. As trained facility managers, we believe that unless appropriate professionals are deployed to maintain our public facilities, our efforts at building a sustainable development would be a joke, because if you don’t maintain what you have, then it means that all you do is keep building and it is not cost-effective, We are calling on the government to institute a proper maintenance culture especially for our infrastructure. The proper thing to do (and it is done all over the world) is that when roads are completed, they are contracted out to a contracting company who will maintain it on a yearly basis,” he said.

Mr. Afolabi Adedeji, an engineer and facility management consultant, stated that the development and adequate maintenance of any nation’s infrastructure is the catalyst and single most important factor necesC M Y K

sary for nation building and economic self-reliance.

Lamenting the rot in public infrastructure, Adedeji who is the Chief Executive Officer, Ethical Business & Management Associates, a facilities management outfit, noted that most developed countries in the world today, especially the Asian Tiger economies were able to fast track their development process through the benefit of having a sound infrastructure base, which continues to be friendly towards manufacturing and industrial activities, education, technology and research.

I

n his submission, the National Publicity Secre tary, Nigerian Institute of Building NIOB, Mr. Kunle Awobodu, described the pathetic state of public infrastructure due to neglect and abandonment as economic disaster to the nation. He added that the failure of the government to maintain public utilities negates the essence for which they were established.

According to him, because these facilities are left to rot away, they cannot serve any meaningful use to members of the public and the government. Using the aban-

doned Schools of Nursing and Midwifery Hostels on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi as an example of government’s wastefulness, Awobodu stated that those structures are too good to be abandoned by the government.

The NIOB spokesman who said constant maintenance of infrastructure will add value to their existence, noted that to add durability to any infrastructure, there must be life in it, in other words, it must be occupied by people all the times, as leaving it idle or unoccupied will lead to its fast deterioration.

Keeping s stadium busy with sporting activities, he noted will give required warmth to the facilities thereby prolonging the lifespan of the utilities.

Explaining that funds used for the construction of the infrastructure could be recouped through revenue generation from the public utilities if well maintained and managed, Awobodu said it is criminal for anybody to allow such huge investments to rot away.

32—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

ENVIRONMENT WATCH

Gully erosion ravages Anambra community •As Senator Uba promises assistance

By VINCENT UJUMADU, Awka GA, the sleepy com munity in Aguata local government area of Anambra State is in dire need of assistance from both the federal and state government to fight the gully erosion that is devastating the area. At the last count, no fewer that 10 houses had been swallowed by the gully since the beginning of the present rainy season.

Though erosion had become a common feature in many parts of Anambra State, especially in Agulu, Nanka, Oko, Awka, Ozubulu, among others, the one in Uga appears to be hitting the people hardest because it occurs very close to built up villages. As a result, many villages in the community sleep with one eye open as they do not know when the menace would visit their homes.

Recently, the community suffered one of the most devastating gully erosion menace in recent times during which more that 100 people were displaced from their homes and they had to relocate to other safer villages.

Worried by the development, the Senator representing Anambra South senatorial district, Dr. Andy Uba, who hails from the community visited the area during which he bemoaned the fate of his kinsmen whose houses and farmlands are daily washed away by devastating gully erosion. During the visit, Senator Uba came face to face with many families in the community who were forced to abandon their homes.

Uba, who shed tears with his people as they took him round the affected areas, regretted that ecological fund provided for arresting erosion problems had not been properly

U

utilized, adding that the essence of the ecological fund was for quick intervention at any slightest occurrence. He wondered why the people should be made to become refugees in their community, lamenting that Anambra South senatorial zone had remained the worse hit of gully erosion in the state and urged the state government to put the ecological fund to proper use.

The senator said: “I am particularly not happy with what I have seen so far in Uga town. It is very unfortunate that families in Uga would have to pass through Ideato North local government area of Imo State to see their relations because the road linking them with their kinsmen has been cut off by erosion. Houses have also been abandoned and eventually swallowed by the erosion.

“The level of destruction is terrible and my people now

sleep with one eye open. This should not be the case. A lot of economic trees have been destroyed by the gully erosion and if we do not do something fast, it would become more calamitous.

“I am aware of the ecological funds provided by the federal government and if it is put to judicious use, these problems would have been solved to a very large extent. I wish to commend the wisdom of the federal government in declaring my beloved state an ecologically affected area and as part of my oversight functions in the National Assembly I shall see to it that the funds are put to use”.

He appealed to the people to exercise patience as, according to him, some palliative measures would be taken in the interim, while major work on the erosion would commence very soon.

Uba promised to make an

official presentation on the matter on the floor of the senate to drive home the plight of Uga people, even as he advised the community leaders to carry out awareness campaign on erosion control measures.

Some of the people whose houses were under serious threats say it was difficult for them to leave a place they had lived all their lives to become refugees. Mrs. Alice Ude, a grand mother whose lives with her grand children wondered how they would adapt to their new location. Also, Chief Ibe Okoye who had removed the roof and the windows on his house said he did not know what to do with them except that he could not bear a situation where he had to watch his house fall into the gully with some of the things he could retrieve, adding that it was for that reason that he decided to take anything he could afford to remove.

HE European Union, EU has approved the sum of Euro 80 million (about Naira16 billion) to finance the implementation of the second phase of the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Project, WSSSRP II in the six EU focal States, namely, Anambra, Cross River, Jigawa, Kano, Osun and Yobe.

The project aims at consolidating the achievements of the first phase of the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Project ,WSSSRP, with a view to addressing the remaining fundamental weakness of the Nigerian water and C M Y K

U

NITED Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week, announced the members of a high-level panel to advise on the global development agenda beyond 2015, the target date for the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs. The Secretary-General has appointed three co-chairs: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia; President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia; and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom.

“I have asked my highlevel anel to prepare a bold yet practical development vision to present to member states next year,” said the UN chief. “I look forward to the Panel’s recommendations on a global post-2015 agenda with shared responsibilities for all countries and with the fight against poverty and sustainable development at its core.”

High level debate

•Grandma Alice at the front of her swept room

Six states get EU’s N16 billion water & sanitation aid

T

UN scribe names panel on global development agenda

sanitation sector which is inadequate legal and institutional framework at both the federal and state levels.

WSSSRP II intends to sustain the improvements on water governance made under the first phase of the project in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and in the six focal States through the provision of technical assistance and capacity development to ministries and agencies responsible for water resources, water and sanitation services delivery at federal level and in the States.

The project will also implement the construction and re-

habilitation of water and sanitation facilities in the six States as a contribution for Nigeria to achieve water and health related MDGs. A component of the project to support capacity building of State and Local Governments’ agencies responsible for rural water and sanitation as well construction of water supply and sanitation systems in rural communities will be implemented by UNICEF. The Financing Agreement for the EU contribution was signed in Abuja on Wednesday, 27 June 2012 by Ambassador David Macrae, the Head of Dele-

gation of the European Union Delegation to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, the Minister and Deputy Chairman of the National Planning Commission.

The total cost of the project is Euro 94 million (about N18.8 billion), of which the six States and Local Government Areas and benefitting communities will contribute EUR 13 million (about N2.6 billion) as counterpart fund for the rehabilitation and construction of water supply and sanitation facilities.

The panel will hold its first meeting at the end of September in the margins of the annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly. It is expected to submit a report to the Secretary- General in the first half of 2013.

The Panel is part of the Secretary-General’s post-2015 initiative mandated by the 2010 MDG Summit. Member States have called for open, inclusive consultations involving civil society, the private sector, academia and research institutions from all regions, in addition to the UN system, to advance the development agenda beyond 2015.

The work of the Panel will reflect new development challenges while also drawing on experience gained in implementing the MDGs, both in terms of results achieved and areas for improvement.

The Panel’s work will be closely coordinated with that of the intergovernmental working group tasked to design Sustainable Development Goals, as agreed at the Rio +20 conference. The reports of both groups will be submitted to Member States for their further deliberations.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—33

RICS wants introduction of 5 percent VAT on abandoned properties

By JUDE NJOKU,

(With Agency reports)

L

ESS than two months to the introduction of VAT on listed property, many home owners in the Britain are frantically trying to complete alteration and restoration work to their listed properties to save thousands of pounds and secure the property’s future for generations to come.

On 1 October 2012, the government is lifting the exemption on VAT to listed buildings, which it terms an ‘anomaly’, and imposing VAT at 20 per cent to all alterations and restorations in a move which will cost owners of listed buildings thousands of pounds just to ensure their property does not fall into disrepair.

The introduction of the 20 percent VAT is already drawing flak from real estate stakeholders. Leading the campaign against the introduction, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, RICS, as part of its ‘Cut the VAT Coalition’, has called on the government to jettison the move and introduce VAT at five per cent on all home repair, maintenance and improvement works.

RICS’ views were made public by the UK Head of External Affairs, Mr. Stephen Thornton.

He noted that the preservation of a listed building involves dedication in time and money due to the more expensive methods and materials required to maintain them. The chartered surveyors, along with much of the property industry, fear that the extra 20 per cent levied against owners of these buildings will mean these essential works will no longer be financially viable.

The VAT exemption is a very important concession for buildings that require specialist works by specialist trades with specialist materials at specialist prices. Rather than be lifted, I feel strongly that the VAT concession should be extended to include routine maintenance not just capital expend-

iture.” The Chancellor has missed a golden opportunity to create a level playing field on all residential works.

Research shows that five per cent VAT across the board would create 26,560 jobs in the construction sector with a total economic stimulus of around £1.7 billion in 2012 alone.”

RICS’ view is being echoed throughout the property industry with many lending their voice to the condemnation surrounding the lifting of the VAT exemption.

As a result of the proposed introduction of VAT at 20 percent, many owners of listed properties are rushing to complete works and ensure the survival of the building and Britain’s heritage.

FERMA canvasses maintenance culture as measure against road failure

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

D

ETERMINED to find a lasting solution to the problems encountered by commuters and motorists who ply the Sagamu/Ore expressway, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency FERMA, has put in place programmes that would ensure continuous monitoring of the ever-busy expressway and other Federal roads in the country, with a view to identifying the bad spots and fixing them immediately.

Managing Director of FERMA, Gabriel Amuchi disclosed this last week while on an inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation of the Sagamu/ Ore expressway.

Blaming the failure of most federal roads on abuses they are constantly subjected to, Amuchi disclosed that federal roads are confronted with various challenges which the agency over the years has been taking pro-active measures in addressing by identifying and fixing the bad spots across the major roads. He added that this is done to save the lives of those plying the roads and to enhance the economic develC M Y K

opment of the nation.

Amuchi who pointed out that, at inception, the agency inherited federal roads that were constructed in the 70’s after the civil war and during the oil boom with life spam of about 20 to 25 years, explained that due to poor maintenance culture and exposure to abuses such as spilling of petroleum products like diesel, petrol, engine oil, kerosene and others, had led to the collapse of the roads.

He noted that immediately after the establishment of FERMA in 2004 as an agency saddled with the mandate of

maintaining and fixing of bad spots in all federal roads, it has been battling with the responsibility of recovering, maintaining and retaining these roads through retainancy programme.

According to him, “we are trying to open a new link with the public on how to get closer to them and inculcate maintenance culture in them and also get information from them where there is bad spot on federal roads and where there is abuse. Working with the public would collectively contribute to our efforts in recovering our roads in various ways.

PROPERTY BRIEF

Ebano Mall opens In Lekki

T

HE current transformational process of Lagos into a mod el city with modern infrastructure of global standard is accentuated by the growing investment in malls and marts for shopping and tourism. One of such but uniquely positioned medium size mall is the Prince Ebano Shopping Mall, which offers more with its dazzling array of unique and spacious sections for famous brands and brand clientage development as well as minimum and affordable pricing.

The highly developed shopping mall was designed and built by a foremost development company, Contemporary Group, for Prince Ebano (Prince and David), as a rebranding process of its malls within the metropolis. This newly developed communityoriented shopping complex no doubt has blurred the line between malls and marts and since its debut in Lekki has become a rendezvous of sort for both the inhabitants of Lekki Phase I, Ajah, Victoria Island axis and visitors alike.

Preparations for Archibuilt in top gear

L

EADING building professionals and organizations are fast signing up for the 23rd edition of Archibuilt, the annual specialized exposition and workshop on the building, construction and infrastructural development sector organized by the Nigerian Institute of Architects NIA. This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the honorary general secretary of the institute, Arc. Abdullahi Shime Abubakar. According to him, booths and workshop seats are almost completely taken up while sponsorships of different categories are at advanced stages of conclusion.

Archibuilt, he said, is the largest forum for the exposition and discourse on the environment, shelter, construction, building materials and technologies in Africa. This year’s theme focuses on the viability and sustainability of Africa’s future cities with notable facilitators drawn from within and outside Nigeria.

The workshop series, according to the NIA scribe, is particularly important to all professionals in the built environment industry but even more so for architects as the huge successes of the workshops in previous years led to the council of NIA recognizing the Archibuilt workshop as a Continuous Professional Development Programme CPDP awarding platform.

Archibuilt 2012 will take place from August 22 to August 25 in Abuja

LSPWC boss bags NICE fellowship

F

OR his dogged commitment to work and his outstanding achievements in the area of road maintenance in the last two years, the Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Public Works Corporation LSPWC, Mr. Gbenga Akintola, has been conferred with the Associate Fellowship of the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, NICE. Speaking at the conferment ceremony in Lagos, the Chairman of the Institute, Mr. Ade Amos Omopeloye, an engineer, stated that the conferment of the membership award on Mr. Akintola was based mainly on merit, adding that the board of the institute came to the resolution after keenly assessing his performance and laudable success within a short period as LSPWC boss Omopeloye further noted that despite the coastal topography of Lagos State coupled with some other man -made factors which make the job of road maintenance very challenging in the state, Mr. Akintola has brought on board, innovative ideas that to tackle the prevalence of bad roads in the state.

Firm grooms young architects on dry construction system AS part of its brand building initiative, Nigerite Lim ited, a leading manufacturer of building materials has organized a training programme for young architects from University of Lagos to have practical knowledge of installing dry construction system.

Speaking at the training session held at the company’s head office in Lagos, Mr. Jesse Onovre, an architect and the company’s Sale Manager at Nigerite said the initiative is to sensitise young architects in schools on the process to achieve a cleaner environment through dry construction system. “Basically we are sowing seeds into their lives. We are mindful of the fact that they are students and someday they are going to come back into the society and start to give back to their various communities where they will reside. We want them to explore new ways of construc-

tion methods. We want them to see that buildings do not look straight anymore or even if they look straight, the technology behind their construction is a bit different from what we use to see in the past,” he said.

Continuing, Mr. Onovre said: “We are doing this to let them see that we care about their academic and career welfare. Some of these people can someday become directors in Nigerite , but it starts from what we are doing here today” .

Onovre explained that the training will not only benefit them physically but also emotionally thereby contributing immensely to the growth of architecture profession.

A lecturer in the department, Mr. Andrew Akinnubi commended the company for constantly training architects and other stakeholders in the construction industry.

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Is there any hope for Nigeria?

Budget for a year reached 50 million pounds. You can begin to S there any hope for imagine how carefully and frugalNigeria? This regrettably is ly public funds were managed in a fair question given the massive those days when you consider challenges confronting Nigeria that the ports of Lagos, Warri, today - on issues of security of Port Harcourt and Calabar, the persons and property, political 4000 miles of railways, the stability, economic development, telegraph lines from North to increasing pauperization of the South, and East to West, the masses, degraded infrastructure Airports of Lagos and Kano, the of power, transportation, educa- schools people of mine and tional and health facilities, all per- earlier generations attended and vasive corruption and excessive from which we went directly to greed and self-seeking amongst British, American and other unithe three tiers of government, versities were all developed with unresponsive governance and such meager resources!!

Many African countries, our growing pessimism amongst the vast majority of the country’s French speaking brothers became independent and were population.

The paradox is that we are suf- admitted members of the United fering all these in the context of Nations at various dates in 1960, enormous natural resources en- but none was awaited with such and great dowments and a large, energet- eagerness ic, and easily led population expectations as Nigeria. which make Nigeria one of the Unprecedentedly, one whole day few countries in the world today was devoted by the United with great potential for rapid eco- Nations to the admission of Ninomic and social development geria.

The Security Council met in the and for global importance. morning to approve our admission and the General Assembly in the afternoon to formalize our admission and to listen to our Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa address the Assembly. And he made a remarkable speech proclaiming the progress of Africa as the first concern of Nigeria’s foreign policy, our policy of non-alignment, our determination to contribute to maintaining CHIEF PHILIP ASIODU world peace and the dignity of man. He received great Nigeria over the last sixty acclamation. I was a witness havyears: Let us briefly recall the ing been posted to New York in ‘ history of Nigeria over the last March, 1960 to participate in set60 years: Pre-Independence ting up the Permanent Mission Progress and 1st Republic Years. of Nigeria to the United Nations.

Nigeria was moving ahead with great strides in the decade behere were great expecta fore independence. The country tions for rapid progress was wholly dependent on agri- economic growth and developculture. Foreign exchange was ment - given the enormous enearned from agricultural exports dowments, and our human capimainly cocoa in the West, tal resources and the calibre and groundnuts in the North, palm oil stature of our First Republic Govand kernels from the East. ernment. With Dr. Azikiwe as Governor-General, later President, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Foreign Balewa as Prime Minister and reserves Head of Government, with many The balance of payments was experienced men who had in surplus and sizeable foreign achieved prominence as profesreserves were built up by the sionals, businessmen and teachMarketing Boards - up to 80 mil- ers as Ministers, the Government lion pounds which was shared by was highly respected in the Comthe three Regions after Indepen- monwealth and the World. We dence. That was good money can also recall the high calibre of then - considering that in no one the principal envoys sent to us year throughout the colonial ad- from UK, USA, Germany, India, ministration did Nigeria’s Budget etc.

Soon after Independence, we exceed 40 million poounds. Inacquitted ourselves creditably in deed, it was under Balewa and UN operations in the Congo, in Independence that the Federal

BY PHILIP ASIODU

I

T

C M Y K

Map of Nigeria

the resolution of the crisis in Tanzania helping for two years to supply the Army in that country where the Army had revolted against Nyerere soon after that country’s Independence and had to be disbanded and a new Army formed and trained. We also subscribed to a special UN Fund for peace keeping operations.

The Nigerian Economy was growing under the 1962-68 plan at over six per cent per annum with inflation rate under two per cent and so people enjoyed improving standard of living. However, there were serious political problems which had not been resolved before Independence.

The most serious was the Minorities Question.

For many years, there had been general agitation for separate Regions by the Middle Belt minorities in the North, the MidWestern minorities in the West and the Calabar-Ogoja-Rivers State Movement in the East.

There were tensions over the attempt to conduct a national census in 1961 which was cancelled, and was repeated in 1963. Then came the break-up of the Action Group in 1962, the Treason trials and imprisonment of Awolowo in 1963, the crisis over the December, 1964 Federal Elections which was resolved with the appointment of a broad-based Federal Government in April, 1965, but which was then followed by the heavily rigged Western Region elections in 1965.

Military rule from 1966 Then came the bloody January, 1966 Military Coup that ended the First Republic and brought in the First Military Government of General Ironsi. General Ironsi was overthrown in another very bloody coup in July, 1966. Nigeria then perilously hovered at the brink of disintegration. For two excruciating days, there was no supreme authority but this was not known by the public as the Federal Civil Service was able to maintain the semblance of nor-

malcy. Then the slide to Civil War of 1967-70 which for all the loss of lives, and agony was ended

by Nigerians themselves without the intervention of foreign “dogooders”.

The country then embarked on the three Rs programme - Rehabilitation, Reconciliation, and Reconstruction which had been well planned in advance. The country resumed accelerated economic growth and from 19701975 the economy grew at the average of 11.75 per cent per annum until terminated by the Coup of July, 1975 followed by the massive purge and destruction of the confident, non-partisan, trained and fearless Public Service inherited from the British, but worse still, the abandonment of National Plans and the process of planning and the discipline it entails especially with regard to frugal costeffective use of the nation’s resources for the promotion of the public good.

W

in 1999 with the election of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as President. He was succeeded by late President Musa Yar’Adua in 2007 and then President Goodluck Jonathan, who has been in power since 2010 and was elected in his own right in 2011. So we have enjoyed democratic rule for 13 years. Regrettably as measured by the doleful catalogue with which I started this talk, the degradation in the quality of governance, and unresponsiveness to the real needs of the people seem to be accelerating and must be reversed in order to avoid disaster.

The present allocation of the resources available to Nigeria is not sustainable.

The threat of national disintegration: It is not surprising to hear otherwise level headed people, given the current challenges, talk as if the breaking up of Nigeria into several parts would be a solution since to them Nigeria is too difficult to administer. I have no doubt that the solution to our problems does not lie in disintegration. It is not possible to divide Nigeria neatly into a given number of succes-

A collapse of the Nigerian State will most likely result in an unpredictable number of mini states controlled by war lords

e had a b r i e f interlude of Civilian Rule under President Shehu Shagari from 1979 to 1983.

This was terminated by a Military Coup in December 1983.

Then followed years of increasing deterioration in the quality of governance, and economic stagnation with an average growth rate of only two per cent per annum over the decade ending in 1999. Meanwhile, the population continued to grow at three per cent per annum.

Democratic Rule Since May, 1999: Democracy was restored

sor countries. A collapse of the Nigerian State will most likely result in an unpredictable number of mini states controlled by war lords. Imagine leaving Lagos and encountering a Customs post in Ikorodu; then Ijebu Ode, then Ofuse, then Benin City, etc. or travelling northwards in Shagamu, then Ibadan, then Ilorin, then Minna and so forth.

Economic progress

It will be horrendous to have Nigeria as a failed state. The fault will be that of the so called elite. There will be no economic progress and civilization will be halted and life will be very insecure. It is a prospect which should shock us to exploring solutions to our current problems. What the ordinary man desires is shelter, food, educational facilities to ensure his children’s advancement in life and of course adequate and improving availability of power, health and transportation infrastructure. He is really not interested in the power struggles among politicians.

Good leadership, good goverContinues on page 35

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—35

Is there any hope for Nigeria?

Continues from page 34

nance which result in rapid economic and social progress and improving standard of living and quality of life for the great majority of the people are what will lead to national cohesion and stability. How remarkable the success of Malaysia in uniting the Malays and Chinese and smaller communities of Indians and others in a multi-religious, multi-ethnic state. Again, China with her 1.4 billion people unites many diverse ethnic and linguistic groups. We also have the Indian example.

How to save the situation: Nigeria’s tremendous potentials for developing into a great country remain largely unexploited. The critical imperative is that Nigeria’s leadership must undergo a revolutionary change of attitude and embrace good governance in all its aspects. This entails : •The Rule of Law; •Efficient and prompt administration of justice; •Predictability, objectivity and consistency in government measures; •Respect for the sanctity of contracts; •Abandonment of the pursuit of self-enrichment as the motive for seeking political leadership and office; •Zero tolerance for corruption and the prompt application of adequate sanctions against offenders including seizure of all

,

It is very important that henceforth, the Nigerian Government should avoid the discontinuities and inconsistencies arising from changes of administrations or even changes of ministers within the same administration, which disrupted economic growth and development in the past

C M Y K

,

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe

properties corruptly acquired; •Efficient and timely service delivery by all government agencies; •Return to planning and submission to the discipline of planning, respecting pre-determined priorities in the utilization of national resources; •Return to the principle of collective responsibility of government; •Entrenchment of merit and the pursuit of excellence as a core national value.

The Implications of Vision 20: 2020 That President Goodluck Jonathan is committed to Vision 20: 2020 gives cause for hope.

The Goal of Vision 20: 2020 is to make Nigeria one of the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020 AD and meanwhile to ensure the achievement before then of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and a drastic reduction of the proportion of Nigerians living below the poverty line, and also achieve a significant improvement in Nigeria’s HDI score.

This entails the return to planning and the acceptance of the discipline of planning and ensuring that henceforth annual budgets, particularly capital budgets are strictly derived from the Perspective Plan and its Medium Term Plans developed to realize the Vision.

Under the Jonathan Administration, the Federal and State Governments have agreed on three medium term periods: 20102013, 2014-2017, and 2018-2021. I am also aware that the 2010-2013 Medium Term Plan which is the fifth National Development Plan, was finalized and launched last year.

I am informed that the Jonathan Transformation Plan 2010-2015, is coherent with the 2010-2013 Plan and anticipates part of the 20142017. It is very important that henceforth, the Nigerian Government should avoid the discontinuities and inconsistencies aris-

Chief Obafemi Awolowo

ing from changes of administrations or even changes of ministers within the same administration, which disrupted economic growth and development in the past.

Many people may question if the goals set can be achieved by 2020. Indeed, the growth rates in 2010-2011 and the projected rate for 2012 are well below the figures in the 2010-2013 Plan. The 2020 date is not sacrosanct.

Indeed the experts in Goldman Sachs who first included Nigeria in the list of countries to follow the BRIC countries projected the date of 2025. What is really important is that the Nigerian Government should start in earnest to implement the policies and programmes set out in the Medium Term Plans with as much discipline as possible.

It will not be an easy undertaking especially in the prevailing global economic situation. The 2010-2013 Plan involves a total investment of N32 trillion about US$215 billion. Projected Funding proportions are: Federal Public Sector - N10 trillion or about US$67.19 billion, States’ Public Sector - N9 trillion or about US$60.47 billion and Public Sector (FDI and Domestic) - N13 trillion or about US$87.34 billion.

Massive flow of foreign capital We have never embarked on such magnitudes of investment.

We would also be trying to attract massive inflows of foreign capital and this requires a very great improvement in our rating for international competitiveness. It is very critical to be able to mobilize the nation to implement these Plans.

You will recall that it was when we abandoned the 1975 – 80 Plan which was to create the basis for diversified and sustained industrialization that we parted company with the Asian Tigers and we are so far behind them today.

However, Nigeria remains a selfsufficient nation with enormous endowments of natural resourc-

Alhaji Ahmadu Bello

es – agriculture, minerals, energy, gemstones, water, etc. We were about 40 million at Independence, we are now about 170 million.

Will the president rise to the challenge?

Watershed revolutionary achievements over the next two years in pursuing Vision 2020, and resultant immortality, beckon to President Goodluck Jonathan and his key lieutenants. Vigorous and disciplined implementation of the 2010 - 2013 Plan and the Jonathan Transformation Agenda, as well as leading the PDP and the nation to embrace all the aspects of good governance described above will launch Nigeria irreversibly on the path to unity and greatness and will provide the answer to the question which we are addressing this evening.

Immediate difficult things However, there are immediate difficult things which must be accomplished: • The present post-1998 political parties formed even more hastily than those in 1979 have no roots in past political parties and usages.

They have not articulated longterm party visions for Nigerian Society or the Federal Country which they seek to administer.

Most of our new politicians are not aware of the self-sacrifice, the patriotism, the idealism, the promise and commitment of the preindependence politicians to improving the welfare of the broad masses after Independence nor do they know about the discipline and self-restraint required in managing the lean resources of pre-oil Nigeria. I mean no offence. No fault of theirs. Most of the comments on the past in our media since 1966 have been self-denigrating and abusive of the national psche.

•The political parties and the party system have to be re-invented and re-engineered to become patriotic responsive vehicles for promoting the general welfare of all citizens and national greatness.

They must adopt and believe in clear manifestos and programmes to promote national progress.

Indeed, it will be desirable for all of them to base their programmes on Vision 2020 and let partisan competition and differences be on how best to achieve Vision 2020 and loftier goals beyond.

They must become effective organs for selecting and disciplining candidates for positions in the executive and legislature all of them subscribing to the same policies and programmes for moving the nation forward. Only such reengineered political parties can help the President in achieving Vision 2020 and good governance.

•The current epidemic of competitive corruption, and excessive greed amongst the political class and our elites in appropriating national resources to themselves must be stopped immediately.

•The President should lead the nation to adopt and live with more realistic national remuneration scales for all those paid from the public purse: Nigeria’s per capita income is only N300,000 per annum.

I

would suggest the following maximum figures for aggregate remuneration (basic salary + allowances) – President N30 million.

Governors N25 million. Head of National Assembly, Judiciary, and Federal Ministers N24 million.

•Proportionate reasonable adjustment of these figures down the various hierarchies.

•Enhancement of present relative positions of certain groups like teachers.

•Cost effective, transparent public procurement. Over 200 per cent inflation of costs have been reported in some instances these days.

•Return to the old values of patient, disciplined life-time career progression as opposed to the current craze to achieve billionaire status, if possible, before the age of 35.

Being remarks by Chief Philip Asiodu at the Lagos Resource Centre Men's Forum meeting in Lagos To be continued

36—Vanguard , TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Honda City returns with unique features

BY THEODORE OPARA

T

HE Honda Place (THP), authorised distributors and marketers of Honda automobiles has launched the 2012 model of its popular and best selling sedan ‘City’.

Unveiled at The Avenue Suites, Victoria Island Lagos, THP said the new City is a radical departure from its predecessor, haven grown in every dimension.

From a distance, the City emits elegance with nicely layout exterior features that bear out Honda ingenuity.

Honda was indeed mindful of competitions when

redesigning the new City, which from all indication could become the toast of desiring corporate and fleet patrons.

With a new and elegantly crated front grille that is apparently fashioned after design cues from the latest Civic, the City 2012 may have been transformed to a rather sophisticated midsize sedan for the upwardly mobile.

This is in addition to the new and aggressive front and rear bumper with 10 spoke alloy wheels and an all-new tail lights that is in semblance with 3-series.

The new City headlamps have also been redesigned to feature reflector lens instead of the more expensive

projector type, which is expected at this price range.

And unlike its predecessor, the City comes with elegant front fog lamps for enhanced style and better visibility plus electric sunroof on “Exclusive” models.

The exterior looks of the New Honda City 1.5V gets further stylized by addition of Chrome door handles, new sporty exhaust finisher as well as front and rear mud guards.

These and more was how Mr. Deepak Daryanani, Director, Sales and Marketing, The Honda Place chronicled the 2012 City in his product presentation at the launch of the sedan penultimate week.

He also noted that wheel of Honda City is now adjustable for reach and height, which is a really an excellent feature for this segment of the market.

Another nice touch is the iPod compatible USB connector. Although the Jazz already has this, Honda City has a very nicely integrated system.

“The display section of the audio system is hinged, opening to reveal a short USB cable which will accept your iPod cable. There is also a little felt-lined compartment for your iPod. Once installed, you can control your iPod via the car ’s audio system,” Mr.

TNL explains absence of some models in Nigeria T OYOTA Nigeria Limited, TNL, has explained the reasons behind the absence of some Toyota models in the Nigerian market.

Managing Director, Toyota Nigeria Limited, Mr. C.K. Thampy, told Motoring journalists at their Lekki office that the company does not bring in cars that are not recommended for the Nigerian market because of the fuel quality and other conditions.

The Toyota boss was reacting to questions on why the company has not introduced the Toyota Venza crossover vehicle into the country despite Venza’s popularity in the grey and used car markets in Nigeria. The managing

C M Y K

director made it clear that the company would not introduce any product that it does not have the capacity to backup because of the dangers associated with such cars.

“We do not like to bring in vehicles that are not recommended for this market because of the quality of fuel and other conditions,” he said.

He added that Toyota, presently has array of models to satisfy its customers in Nigeria, and would not hesitate to introduce other models when the time is ripe. “For us in Toyota, we support every model we introduce into the market with quality after sales, genuine spare parts and technical know

how in the interest of our customers.

He also pointed out that Toyota Nigeria presently is not equipped to provide support for the Venza with regard to after sales.

On the new product to be introduced into the Nigerian market, the managing director said: “Our new product will be linked with the range we are doing. “The vehicles we do not have here are not engineered for our market and we will not be able to support it.”

Meanwhile, the managing director has disclosed that the company has recorded some progress in the first half of the year when compared to the

previous year. According to him, despite the delay in budget implementation, TNL has maintained its spot as the leading brand in the country in the first half of the year.

He said, so far, that some of their recently introduced models, such as the Camry Sedan Fortunes SUV, and Avanza MPV, have all lived up to TNL expectations in the market which resulted in their market leadership in the first half of the year.

Apart from the Corolla which leads the market, he noted that the new Camry is proving itself as Toyota flagship sedan in Nigeria, while the Fortuner SUV which started slowly has picked up very well.

Daryanani explained.

What’s more, Honda City 2012 is powered by a 1.5 liter, 16 valves; four-cylinder petrol inline and is available in both manual and automatic variants. The 1.5 liter petrol engine of this car tosses maximum power of 118 PS at 6,600 rpm and maximum torque of 146 Nm at 4800 rpm.

In comparison to Honda City 2012, the old variant lacked the sun-roof feature just as the quality of interiors isn’t as impressive.

Drivers and admirers Drivers and admirers of this car would also discover it has been fully loaded with all active and passive safety features including ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) with Brake Assist, Dual SRS airbags, pretensioner seat belts and G-Force Control Technology body with a crush-proof survival zone.

Other notable features include AC, Power Steering, Power Windows, Music System, ABS with Brake Assist, Remote Fuel Lid Opener, Remote Trunk Opener, Engine Immobilizer, Xenon Head Lights etc.

Available in both manual and automatic transmission, the manual transmission variant of City 2012 delivers mileage of 16.8 km/liter and the automatic transmission variant gives mileage of 15.6 km/l. This is unlike its predecessor which delivers mileage of 13 – 14 kmpl in city conditions and 16 – 17 kmpl on highways.

Honda City has since 1997 been an all time exceptional mid-size sedan on the domestic shores. For Honda Motors, the City has been its striking model that has bagged many awards.

But over time, Honda Motors has done many changes in Honda City that have been applauded by both automobile critics and car buyers.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012 — 37

C M Y

38— Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Rudisha in no rush for records

K

Ohuruogu: Its disappointing losing my title

B

RITISH Nigerian-born runner, Christine Ohuruogu felt disappointed that she succumbed to her rival Sanya Richards-Ross in the women 400m final on Sunday night.

Ohurougo shocked Richards-Ross at Beijing 2008 to win the gold and she was a 50m away from achieving the same at London 2012, but the American was not be taken again.

“It was heartbreaking,” said Ohuruogu. “To lose my title like that was tough.

“Sanya’s a worthy competitor and she ran a good race. I have to be happy with what I’ve got. It could have been worse.

“I tightened up. I could feel my shoulders lifting, it’s really hard to control when you’re under fatigue.

“I thought I still had some time but the line came too soon.

“I came here with one thing and one thing only (in mind) and that was to continue my reign as Olympic champion.

I’m just a bit disappointed.”

Richards-Ross won with a time of 49.55 seconds as Ohuruogu came in at 49.70 and Deedee Trotter 49.72.

“To come here and be successful is my ultimate dream come true,” RichardsRoss said. “It is a huge weight off my shoulders.”

The win brings a measure of redemption for the oft-injured three-time Olympian, who self-destructed in the 400 meters in Beijing and finished third after soaring expectations of gold. The victory also gives Richards-Ross her fourth career Olympic medal, including golds in 4x400 relays in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008 and her 400meter individual bronze in Beijing.

ENYAN athlete David Rudisha ruled out an attempt on his 800 meters world record at the London Olympics after comfortably winning his heat on Monday.

Rudisha, whose world record stands at one minute 41.01 seconds, is the overwhelming favorite to take the 800 title in London after missing out on selection for Beijing four years ago through injury.

“The track is fast. It looks good,” the 23-year-old world champion told reporters through a translator.

“In this championship I don’t look at the record. It is a medal that I want. Once I get the medal, toward the end of the season I can think about the record.”

Referees get ‘red card’ for disallowed goal

A

pair of water polo referees who disallowed what appeared to be a legitimate goal will not officiate another match at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Swimming governing body FINA says Slovenian official Boris Margeta and Polish counterpart Radoslaw Koryzna will not be assigned to any of the remaining men’s or women’s matches at London 2012.

A late score by Spain was disallowed in its 8-7 group loss to Croatia despite the shot appearing to cross the goal line.

IAAF sacks Algerian runner

A

• Ohuruogu

London 2012: Women in all sports

W

ITH the addition of women’s boxing to the Olym pic programme, women will now be competin g in all sports of the Olympic Games.

Women’s participation at the Games in Lond on is also expected to be the highest ever. Also, for the first time in Olympic history, all the participating team s will have had female athletes.

The important landmark highlights just how far female participation has come since 1900, when women first competed at the Games. Back then, only 22 women took part – out of a total of 997 athletes – and they competed in just five sports.

Female participation has increased steadily since then, with women accounting for nearly 43 % of participants at the 2008 Games in Beijing, compared to 23 % at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and just over 13 % at the 1964 Games in Tokyo.

•Juan Mata C M Y K

LGERIAN 1,500 meters medal contender Taoufik Makhloufi has been thrown out of the London Olympics for not trying in his 800 heat, the International Association of Athletics Federations said on Monday.

Makhloufi, who won his 1,500 semi-final in three minutes 42.24 seconds, had been forced to run in the two lap race after his team failed to withdraw him from it by Sunday’s deadline, an IAAF spokeswoman said.

The 24-year-old lined up at the start of heat five at the Olympic stadium on Monday but was already well behind the field at the start of the back straight before stopping running completely another 100 meters into the race and wandering back across the infield past the pole vault area.

“The Referee considered that he had not provided a bona fide effort and decided to exclude him from participation in all further events in the competition,” read an IAAF statement

• Usain Bolt

Bolt offers no U

SAIN Bolt has little time to bask in his extraordinary 100 metres victory as the Jamaican now turns his attention to the event he loves

the most, the 200m, where once again he is aiming to break new ground.

On Sunday, the Jamaican became the only man to cross the line first in two 100m finals, putting him

Murray: O the bigges A

•Murray

NDY Murray has hailed beating Roger Federer to become Olympic champion as the perfect tonic to his heartbreaking Wimbledon defeat four weeks ago.

Murray was in imperious form as he produced one of the best performances of his career to completely outplay Federer in a 6-2 6-1 6-4 rout on Centre Court at SW19.

Twenty eight days ago

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012 — 39

'200' mercy notionally ahead of Carl Lewis, who won in 1984 and was awarded gold in 1988 after the disqualification of Ben Johnson.

Now he hopes to become the first man to win two 200m golds, by any

100m/200m double, both titles coming in world record time, and he knows exactly what is at stake now.

“I’m never going to say that I’m the greatest until I’ve run my 200m,” he said soon after his 9.63 victory on Sunday, the second-fastest 100m of all time.

“It was all about this, to defend my titles, because this is what’s going to make me a legend.”

For all the eye-catching glory of Bolt’s 9.58 100m world record at the 2009 world championships, his 19.19 200m was arguably the better performance.

Which makes Yohan Blake’s 19.26 in Brussels last year all the more startling and suggests the same two men will be fighting it out again for gold and silver in Thursday’s final after Blake followed his training partner home in the 100m.

With his hamstring fully healed, bolt will be able to go all out and fired a warning to the young pretender who beat the master over both distances in the Jamaican trials.

“I told Yohan the 200m will be different because that is my pet event,” Bolt said. “I’m not going to let him beat me again.”

Having spent more than two hours on media and autograph-signing duties on Sunday, Bolt said he needed to “rest up”.

Though newspaper pictures of him celebrating with friends at 3 a.m. suggested he was in no immediate rush to hit the hay ahead of the heats that get under way early on Tuesday.

American Wallace Spearmon, who finished third in Beijing but was then disqualified for stepping out of his lane, is probably the best of the rest, with Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre carrying Europe’s outside hopes.

France cage D’ Tigers N ICOLAS Batum scored 23 points to lead France to a 79-73 victory over Nigeria in the men’s Olympic basketball tournament yesterday.

France will finish no worse than third in Group A. Batum nailed a 3-pointer to put France up 65-62 and the French (4-1) never trailed again after Nigeria had battled back from an 11-point halftime deficit.

The Portland Trail Blazers standout hit two more 3s down

the stretch. His 3-pointer with 2:38 to play gave France a 7568 lead and he drained another for 79-70 France advantage. Batum also had six rebounds.

Boris Diaw, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs, scored 10 points for France. Spurs guard Tony Parker had seven assists in 21 minutes for France.

Chamberlain Oguchi went 8 for 14 from 3-point range to finish with 35 points for Nigeria.

Ethiopians celebrate Gelana E THIOPIANS have been celebrating after winning their first Olympic Games gold medal in the women’s marathon in 16 years.

Tiki Gelana, was the unlikely winner last Sunday after finishing in two hours 23 minutes and seven seconds to grab Ethiopia’s second gold in London.

The country ’s first gold medal came from Tirunesh Dibaba in the women 1,000 meters race.

Gelana was given a good run for her money by Kenyan and Russian athletes.

“It was a great day for us to get our second gold,” said Metaferia Berhanu.

The Horn of Africa country last won gold in the category at the 1996 Atlanta games.

“To be frank we didn’t expect a gold medal in the marathon. Gelana is special and is our queen.”

Ethiopia is ranked second in

• Tiki Gelana Africa after South Africa on the medal table. South Africa has won three gold medals.

The country is likely to increase it medals tally with the men’s marathon, and women 5,000m race still to come later this week.

method, and position himself as unquestionably the greatest sprinter in history.

In Beijing, Bolt became the ninth man to complete the

Olympic win one of st of my life Murray cut a forlorn figure as he wept in front of the nation following a heartwrenching four-set defeat to the Swiss maestro for his fourth grand slam reverse.

However, the Scot showed no scars from that chastening experience, bullying his great rival into submission in straight sets, taking only an hour and 56 minutes to do so.

“It’s amazing. I didn’t expect that ,” he told BBC Sport. “I was a bit tired after Wimbledon but I felt so fresh on

the court toda. I didn’t feel nervous or anything on the court today. I’ve had a lot of tough losses in my career but this was the best way to come back from the Wimbledon final. I will never forget it.

“This was one of the biggest wins of my life. This week has been incredible for me; the support has been amazing at all of the Olympic events.”

•A man who threw a beer bottle at Usain Bolt just as he was about to begin his 100m record breaking run being seized by security officials at the London Olympics Stadium on Sunday.

The man appeared in court yesterday.

C M Y K

C M Y K

40 — Vanguard , TUESDAY TUESDAY,, AUGUST 7, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—41

C M Y K

42

—

Vanguard, TUESD AY, AUGUST 7, 2012 TUESDA

Dental Therapists Registration Board gets tough on quackery •Sets up Task Force to sanction erring Schools of Health Technology

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

I

T will no longer be business as usual for Schools of Health Technology and Health Sciences in the country that continue to refuse to comply with registration and accreditation requirements as required by law. A Federal Task Force that will go round to shut down erring schools is already in the pipeline.

Similarly, qualified dental therapists, dental technicians, dental nurses and other health professionals who have been practicing illegally without being duly registered, accredited and licenced by the appropriate authorities, are to be sanctioned accordingly as quacks henceforth.

Disclosing these developments to Good Health Weekly in Lagos, Registrar of the Dental Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria, Barrister Aramide Amudat Keshinro, lamented that over the past several years, Schools of Health Technology and Health Sciences as well as cadres of health professionals, whose ambit falls under the Board’s mandate, have been shying away from the compulsory registration and licencing requirements.

“Some Schools have vehe-

mently refused to register under the Board,” Keshinro lamented, pointing out that the most notable include the Kwara State School of Health Technology, Offa; the Schools and Colleges of Health Sciences in Ijero Ekiti and Ilesha, in Ekiti State, and in Ondo and Akure in Ondo State.

“It is unacceptable that the School of Health Technology, Akure, which is one of the oldest in the system, is refusing to comply and is engaging in quackery. Like the others, it is not accredited and has never regularised with the Board.There was a time our people went to Akure and were driven back.

They had to run. The people at the institution are violent so the best way is to handle them carefully. We have written series of letters but they say they do not belong to a Board, yet it is mandatory for every professional to belong to a regulatory body and the public should know that these Schools are not accredited.”

Noting that most students are naive about this development, she remarked that all they want is to go further as long as they are admitted to read something.

Keshinro who became sustantive Registrar in December 2011, however said in set-

• Barrister Aramide Keshinro. ting up a Task Force, the idea is to go round and educate erring institutions and professionals on the importance of belonging to a regulatory body and of being registered or get shut down.

“Parents send their children to these Schools not knowing they

are not accredited. It is when they now pass out, and there is problem for them to get employed because they are not accreditted, that they begin to realise the seriousness of the matter.

“Once these students are quali-

fied, they just start practising and when you practice without registration or a licence, you will be practising like a quack. A professional is supposed to register with the Board after passing out and take the registration examination in order to qualify for registration. This is the war we have been waging against the professionals.”

The Registrar also said several letter had been written to the erring schools and those that have failed to entertain the Board or comply with directives, we have equally written the Minister of Health, who is taking it up with Governors of affected States.

Noting that the Ministry of Health is frowning at quackry.

Keshinro warned that it is now mandatory requirement in every state in the Federation for any health professional to be registered before being able to practice or be get employed.

With dental health now part of primary healthcare, most states in the Federation are having the need to go into the rural areas and this has led to development of all the states having health schools training Dental Therapists or Dental Surgery Assistants “The Board has to go round these institutions to maintain standards in training, entry qualifications, students trainees, manpower, instruments, ethics, etc. Many of the Schools in question are found wanting.

Some of have no hostels and the standards are very poor. The last time I went to the School at Offa, I was shocked. The School had Continued on Page 43

Private partnership, answer to qualitative healthcare — OKOTETE

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

F

EDERAL governmenthas been urged to enc ourage development of more private partnership initiatives as the magic wand for improved healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria. Managing Director, Diamond Helix, Dr. Ufuoma Okotete, who made the call during a 2-day hands-on training for medical doctors in Lagos, said such move would also checkmate the penchant of Nigerians to seek medical treatment overseas.

“Our major problem in the Nigerian health sector is infrastructure. Sincerely, the problem is not only in health but until the private partnership in health kicks off sufficiently, we will still be dancing around even in five years time to come.”

Okotete who noted that Diamond Helix was out to revolutionise the health care industry in Nigeria, regretted that the current state of the healthcare in the country cannot cope with complex health problems such as brain surgery, open heart surgery, complex eye problems and micro dissection surgery.

C M Y K

Frowning on the trend for Nigerians to travel abroad even for cases that could be treated locally, she ssaid Diamond Helix screens patients thoroughly before they are sent abroad for treatment.

“Thirty years ago, India was in

the same situation Nigeria is presently until the Chairman of Apollo hospital, Dr. Reddy who was in America then, went back to India and set up a hospital with the assistance of the government of India through a special loan structure. Other Indian

doctors who were once away from home went back to India.

She called for establishment of a health fund to encourage private partnership. The hands-on training was for over 100 Nigerian doctors, featured experts from Apollo Hospital, Sinai and

•Dr. Amby Rukevwe, Head Emergency Unit, UCH Ibadan (Centre) taking participants through a demonstration at the Apollo/Diamond Helix CME for doctors in Lagos last week.

the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, focused on chest pains, complications of the knee, knee replacement surgery amongst others.

Okotete argued that basically, “Every doctor is supposed to have these basic knowledge but painfully some doctors are found lacking in these basic knowledge; how to instigate the A&B (the airway’s maintenance and breathing) in emergency,” she lamented.

She further hinted that the training would ensure that participants have better doctor-patient experience and also better emergency readiness as well as increase survival rate in hospitals across the country.

High point of the training was the award of 5 credit points unit to all participants. Present were Dr. T. S. Srinath a renowned Cardiologist, Dr Navaladi Shankar and Consultant Orthopaedist both from Apollo Hospital, Chennai in India. Also on ground was Dr Ambrose Rukevwe, Head of Emergency Department from the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, among others.

Vanguard, TUESD AY, A UGUST 7, 2012 — 43 TUESDA AUGUST

Help! Your contribution will make Larry talk again

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

O

F the five sensory organs, the one that is probably most taken for granted is the organ of speech. This is because most people tend to talk without thinking about it as talking flows naturally. Yes, talking is the best way of expressing your self but can you imagine a situation that you are unable to talk and expressing yourself becomes difficult?

This is exactly the plight of 35 yearold Lawrence Efeja fondly called Larry.

Larry is currently battling with complicated invasive squamous cell carcinoma stage IV of the Larynx.

Medical doctors handling his case say Larry needs urgent life-saving surgery to stop the progression of the growth or risk losing his voice forever. As it is, Larry can only express himself through writing. He has lost his voice.

A medical report dated 29th of February, 2012 from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH and signed by a Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat, ENT, Surgeon, Dr. Blackie Faustina revealed that Larry presented about 10 weeks ago with a 19-month old hoarseness and two months history of difficulty with breathing.

Faustina also stated in the report that two weeks prior to presentation, Larry had a tracheostomy and biopsy, and histology of a laryngeal mass whose features are in keeping with that of invasive squamous cell carcinoma and that the CT Scan of the larynx done six weeks ago showed minimally enhancing extensive transglottic soft tissue mass with occlusion of the airway.

The report also showed that he had a total laryngectomy 21 days ago for invasive squamous cell carcinoma TNM stage IV of the larynx.

Although, the report had proposed urgent post operative chemo radiotherapy, six months after, Larry is yet to raise the N100, 000 required for the chemo radiotherapy at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH. But if Larry cannot afford N100, 000, how would he now raise an estimated N7.5 million needed for traveling tickets, surgery, radiotherapy and installation of an artificial larynx?

Narrating his ordeal when he visited Vanguard Corporate • Lawrence Efeja Head Office in Lagos, through a written response, Larry said “I never body preceded by frequent sneezing. knew it will get to this point. I only Just like every other Nigeria, Larry thought it was malaria symptoms.” thought it was a case of malaria and It all began when Larry in April 2010 decided to take some anti malaria drugs experienced strange weakness of the which actually subsided.

MWAN calls for more awareness on breastfeeding

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

I

RKED by the poor culture of breast feeding among Nigerian women, the Medical Women Association of Nigeria, MWAN, Lagos State Chapter, has called for massive awareness campaign as a major factor in ensuring the survival of the Nigerian children.

Making the call at an awareness

Registration Board gets tough Continued from Page 42 been training the students without dental chairs, no classrooms, and no instruments.

When these students now come out and go into the clinics, they are jittery because they have never seen the dental unit where there are items such as the mouth mirror and scalar equipment. They cannot identify many of the instruments and if they are not trained with these instruments, how can they carry out dental care? Some of them cannot even express themselves properly in English which is part of the pre-requisite for employment.”

Dental clinic Furtrher, Keshinro said globally outside Nigeria, other professionals are interested in the practice here. “When I tell them this profession has been in existence since the 1950s, they are surprised because they think Nigeria has just begun. This same practice if it is well carried out is the same abroad, but if we do not meet this standard we will be shying away. And if a student is shying away from a dental clinic how will that patient handle dental care?

She said employersrmust always ask for the resgistration certificates and licences.

“It is unprofessional to employ any unregistered member of the orgamisation.

These days we have written to all the states, the commissioners,Permanent Secretaries and Chief Medical Directors. and most are now aware the need to ask for the licences. In the past we have been registering students hoping they will make amends, and allow the school to normalise, but they have refused.

C M Y K

According to Larry every thing went on well until when all of a sudden, he noticed a sort of hoarseness in his voice.”

I was calm initially because many people who had voice-loss cases told me of their conditions which lasted for about four months before it came back.”

With these assurances, Larry never had an incline of what fate hold in store for him until the problem persisted to the sixth months. “I became worried and decided to go for a medical check up at private hospitals,” he said.

Unfortunately, despite the efforts of the various private hospitals visited, his case continued to degenerate. This, however, prompted Larry’s decision to try a government owned hospital. As God may have it, his visit to Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, in June 2011 yielded the required results as Larry was placed on what he described as “expensive and energy sapping drug.” According to him, the therapy was to determine if the problem was a bacteria infection. Unfortunately, all efforts proved abortive. The search for proper treatment continued until he came in contact with an ENT Consultant, Dr. Okolugbo who advised that he go for a trachaeostomy. By this time, Continues on page 44

The National Board examination qualifies for registration and licencing and employment in any state. The Board which was promulgated by Decree 91of August 26, 1993, but now subject to Cap 230 Law of Federation 2004 has mandate to standadise the training of dental therapists, dental health technicians, dental nurses and dental surgery assiatnt. and register and licence qualified professionsals and accredit any school in training of these cadres.

She argued that dentistry is capital intensive to set up. “You need the chairs, and training of this cadre, any school must have the basic requirements. In the interim, professionals who are not accredited, are subjected to a Board examination which is less intensive than the school examination, it is just to test basic knowledge.”

lecture held for over 100 nursing and pregnant mothers at the Ebute- Metta Health Care Centre, MWAN Lagos State President, Dr. Dumebi Owa said a better breast feeding culture would definitely decrease under five mortality rate in the country.

Owa who spoke extensively on the benefits of breast feeding for mother and child noted that putting a child to breast creates bonding between them, provides the required immunity for growth against diseases as well as make babies healthy.

She said researches have shown that it is pregnancy that makes breasts sag and not breast feeding. “Breast sagging occurs when the structures that support the breast become a bit weaker. But one have to make a choice either to have babies or not and if you have decided to have babies you should go with the things that goes with it too. There are women who have never had babies and their breasts are already sagged. Even if breast feeding sags breast, it is a price worth paying for having a healthy baby.”

Further, Owa advocated for the creation of a breastmilk bank where lactating mothers could donate breast milk after thorough screening which could be given to newborns who have lost their mothers at birth.

“As you are breastfeeding the baby is looking into your face and you are looking at the baby’s face. There is this bonding that is going on and that is why babies are able to identify their mother’s body smell. Again, it is cheap, it prevents diarrhea and you don’t need to spend money sterilising. Breast fed babies are healthier and cry less.”

On wet nursing, she said the cultural myth forbiding giving breast milk to a child that is not yours must be broken.

"Lactating mothers also need to be educated on the importance of having a breast milk bank as obtains in developed countries. A mother giving out her breast milk to be used by a baby who needs it is helping to save that child's life She also advocated for crèches to be created in workplaces to enable the mother adequately breast feed their babies.

Earlier, the Medical Officer of Ebute Metta Health Centre, Dr Temitayo Ishola, who lectured the women on effective breast feeding practices, urged nursing mothers against breastfeeding their babies while they were asleep as the act could cause too much milk flow into the baby’s nose, soak the teeth for a long time and thereby cause tooth decay or suffocation.

‘Doctors On Air’ offers free health services to 500 in Lagos

A

BY EBELE ONUORAH

N estimated 500 Lagosians have benefitted from a free medical mission exercise organised by PathCare Nigeria, in conjunction with Classic FM through a radio health education programme tagged: "Doctors on Air." The free medical exercise, second in the series held at St George's Boys School Falomo, Ikoyi, encompassed diagnostic, preventive and curative care to attendees as well as community education on life- threatening ailments including breast and cervical cancers, glaucoma and other eye diseases, hepatitis, diabetes and cholesterol screening, dental check-up, HIV/AIDS, blood

sugar levels, hypertension, etc. Free drugs, treatment and eye glasses were also offered to the beneficiaries.

Speaking, Managing Director, PathCare, Dr. Pamela Ajayi, said the programme is held annually to assist the teeming underprivileged who otherwise could not have been able to access such treatment.

She maintained that it was their own way of giving back to the society; to strengthen the hands of governments at all levels in the delivery of sound and affordable health care to the citizenry.

Other organisations that offered free services at the event included The Bridge Clinic, Paelon Clinic, Diabetes

Association of Nigeria, Mophet Pharmacy, May and Baker, SKKY dental clinic, Chike Okoli Foundation among others.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health Dr Jide Idris, represented by Dr Bimbo Oshinowo commended PathCare on the laudable initiative.

"Medical Missions are very good.

Other organizations should take a leaf from this because it was well organised and meets an important need for the people," she noted Ajayi, however, stressed the need for Nigerians to empower themselves with knowledge and take control of their health.

44 — V anguard, TUESD AY, Vanguard, TUESDA

A UGUST 7, 2012 AUGUST

A finely tuned machine W

E have spent the last few weeks discussing how to detox and how to get rid of the harmful stuff in your body so if you have been following along, you should be experiencing a higher level of energy and generally feeling better about yourself.

But your body is a very complex machine and all you've done is cleaned the fuel system and put a better grade of fuel in it. Now we need to get you tuned up.

Obviously daily or routine exercise, along with a proper diet including foods we have discussed in previous weeks, will keep you fit and healthy.

But just as your body is comprised of three areas (body, mind, soul) making up the whole, we need to look at those three areas individually in order to make the body whole.

These three areas work in unison to create the finely tuned machine we call the human body, so you can't ignore one or concentrate on one or two and sacrifice the other and expect good results.

Overall effect of exercise Today we are discussing the overall effect of exercise on your body. But how much exercise and what kind of exercise is appropriate? Those answers lie within you as an individual and you should always check with your doctor before starting any exercise routine.

But no matter the type and duration of exercise you choose the outcome should be the same - eliminate fat, increase muscle, and look good. So here are some questions for you to

Julia Oyefunke Fortune

The Cancer

FIGHTER

juliafortune@hotmail.com

answer before next week: What is your Body Mass Index (BMI)? To calculate your BMI use the following formula: Metric Units: BMI = Weight (kg) /(Height (m) x Height (m)). English Units: BMI = Weight (lb) / (Height (in) x Height (in)) x 703; http://www.freebmicalculator.net/cal-

culate-bmi.php.

Do you currently exercise?

What is your current level of exercise? a.Zero; b.1 hr/week; c.20 min 2 or 3 days/week; d.20 min/day (6 days); e.30 min or more/day (6 days).

What do you consider proper exercise? Where do you exercise? When

Contribute to help Larry talk again Continued from page 43 Larry was already struggling to breathe.

After the trachaeotomy in September 2011, it was discovered through the samples from the histology that a tumour in the upper air ways was obstructing his breathing as well as affecting the larynx. He was then refereed to UBTH for more professional treatment.

In February, 2012, Larry had surgery at UBTH, Benin were series of tests and CT scan was carried out.

Currently, the doctors at UBTH referred Larry to LUTH where he has to undergo a radiotherapy treatment process before the tumour would be finally stopped from growing and an artificial larynx to enhance his speech fixed, since the natural one had been badly affected.

Larry who is currently out of job and

has no one to care for him is appealing to well meaning Nigerians, corporate organizations, Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and his counterparts, Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola to come to his aid. “I could not go to LUTH due to transportation problem, let alone providing the money for the initial fee of N100, 000 for my radiotherapy at LUTH. My worry is that the problem has over these months, resurfaced and this time more critical” If you are touched by Mr. Larry Efeja story pls contact him on 08077101095 or send your donation to EcoBank, account number: 0044323894.

do you exercise? Do you participate in sports? Do you think if you are thin you are in good shape? Do you smoke?

Do you drink alcohol? How much?

The human body was meant to be mobile. In the post modern world mobility wasn't much of a problem. We were constantly moving, whether that was walking, riding a horse, working, hunting, we were most always on our feet. In todays modern world filled with technological advances we aren't as phyiscally mobile as our ancestors so we need to compensate with the addition of physical exercise routines to make up for the lack of mobility. In a way your exercise routine is really getting your body back to its basics of mobility.

Next week I will give you some ideas on the above questions and allow you to compare them to your answers. The goal is to give you some insight into how you can incorporate your daily routine into a reasonable exercise program. Until then - keep healthy!

You can read more about detoxing and its benefits in my book "Chronicles of a Cancer Survivor".

Available at Glendora International Bookstores - Ikoyi, Alausa-Ikeja & Abuja; all correspondence to juliafortune@hotmail.com

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

H

ELLO everybody and welcome. It is that time of the year again when we introduce new love and sex products for this summer and beyond. We have lots of new products that cover a variety of areas such as low libido, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, low feminine arousal/ lack of sexual enjoyment, sex education, sex positions, sex toy guide and much more.

We will discuss as many new products as this space can accommodate and continue with more new products next week. Here they are: Supplements and Performance Aids for Men Max Intense Testosterone Booster: This unique libido enhancer is a stimulant-free supplement for men that increases sex drive, stamina and performance while building lean body mass. It is like nothing we have ever had before. So if you lack sexual desire in your life and want a more intense sexual urge, endurance and optimum performance, this is the supplement for you.

Mojo Boost: Mojo Boost is a superb all natural performance drink for men who lack the stamina to have several rounds of intercourse. Mojo Boost ensures instant libido lift that gets the user firing away for hours of nonstop intercourse. It aids harder erections too.

Glow in the Dark Penis Extension: This penis sleeve is very good for men with premature ejaculation problems. It is thick, textured and curved at the tip for female G spot stimulation. It is also reusable for months of intercourse and makes the penis bigger and one inch longer. Most of all, it glows in the dark. So if you have problems finding your way while making love in the dark, Glow in the Dark Penis Extension will guide you to the promised land.

Lubricants and Arousal Gels for Women Couples Make Love Warming and Tingling Lubricant is a unique two in one lubricant for women and their men. The warming part for men provides mild arousal while the tingling part for women is an orgasm gel that also arouses. This product is also great for use with sex toys and is long lasting.

Swiss Navy Two in One Dispenser is a rare orgasm C M Y K

gel because it contains two different arousal formulas. One formula is mild while the other is wild. So depending on your mood, the user will decide which formula is most suitable for the occasion. Reaching orgasm and enjoying sex is so much easier for women with arousal gels.

Educational and Feature Films for Men and Women Teachers and Babysitters are two high quality adult feature films shot in high definition and featuring Jesse Jane, the leading adult contract star of digital playground production studios. Jesse Jane’s films (such as Babysitters) have won awards overs the years. Feature films are particularly helpful for over worked and under sexed married couples who need help getting in the mood for love.

Nina Hartley’s Guide to Female Ejaculation: Not only can all women reach orgasm but all women can ejaculate too. This form of orgasm is called a Squirting Orgasm and it is the deepest and most satisfying orgasm a woman can experience. Nina Hartley’s Guide to Female Ejaculation teaches women the steps and guide lines that will enable them experience squirting orgasms.

Sex Toys For Women Inflatable Black Dildo: This is one of those rare sex toys for women that you can increase the thickness of the dildo by pumping it. The Inflatable Black Dildo is 7.5 inches long and saves women the cost of buying dildos of different sizes.

Joe the Lawyer Dong is a new and realistic 7 inch dong with a suction base. It is soft and veined like a real penis and can be used alone or as part of a strap-on.

And that’s it for today. We will be discussing more new products in the coming weeks. Men and women in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08027901621 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can also 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.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—45

Judiciary and prolonged justice

FEDERAL and the judiciary must know that prolonging of justice is the reason why people take laws into their hands which in turn leads to break down of law and order in every society hence the government must call a spade a spade and stop people playing games and making a mockery of our laws Romanus 08024209181

Terrorism in Nigeria

As long that the federal government has not put up alternative means of survival for our local people, violent crime is imminent.

Solo Aloba 07052624455

Northern leaders and terrorism

I strongly agree with Senator David Mark. We all know that these evil people had been initiated, motivated and sponsored by some wicked northern leaders in order to fight President Jonathan politically, it is later they changed to terrorism, killing innocent people, destroying the north and its people. That is the result of the wickedness. We can see Borno State is now a failed state and Kano is also on the way of becoming a failed state if care is not taken. Since they established evil at the beginning then at the end receives evil also.

Alhaji U.H 07057789779

Corruption in Nigeria

Nigerians are aware of the high profile corruption cases in various courts, hope this administration is not playing politics with the fight against

Federal Government and NASS should as a matter of

13 years of democracy has been a Frankestein Monster scenario laced with a multiplicity of economic, sociopolitical roller coasters, corruption, Boko Harams, psychotic pillaging, monumental clueless, careless leadership. I see 2015 and a political future written in letters of blood!!!, if we fail to heed the voice of reason.

God bless Nigeria.

Chief Bobson 08058231669

On Al- Mustapha

Why should the north worry about him? What benefits and developments did Al- Mustapha brought to the north when he was a strong man during the era of the late military dictator? We should keep tribal and religious sentiments aside but despite his evil act, Nigerians can still pardon him. Ni-

,

It is a welcome development, this is a golden opportunity for the north, because of our highest level of illiteracy and insincerity. We give birth anyhow in the north as a result of this northern part has highest rate of poverty, almajiri, hooligans, physically and mentally fit street beggars etc.

North is in serious problems but we are just deceiving ourselves. A typical Hausa man who cannot earn one thousand naira per day may have 3 or 4 wives with 30 children, how can you justify this? Kudos to Mr President and he should keep it up.

Alhaji Hassanu 07057789779

Still on corruption

13years of democracy

As long that the federal government has not put up alternative means of survival for our local people, violent crime is imminent

Bir th Control Law in the north

corruption and terrorism? Both EFCC and ICPC are just deceiving Nigerians.

A l h a j i U s m a n H a s s a n u 07057789779

facts sincerely empower graft agents in every sense of empowerment to deal with corruption because both EFCC and ICPC cannot fight corruption. So, government should empower they to be able to deal effectively once and for all. The corrupt cannot fight corruption, so our leaders should make graft agents to be total independent.

Romanus 08057123287

,

gerians know him as an evil person.

Alhaji M.S 07057485111

Insecurity and Boko Haram’s bombing

Why must anybody blame insecurity on poverty? Nigeria is a country where people commit crime go back to search for excuses to justify and cover up his or her evil if not, what concerns churches, UN houses e.t.c bombing with poverty? What connection does poverty have with the mass killing of innocent souls after 2011 presidential elections? The major cause of all this are evil politicians and weak royal fathers who get to the thrones by all means even when they do not merit it.

Anonymous 08024209181

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS 1.Do not make jest of those who have fallen when slippery ground still lies ahead.

2. When your wife refuses to talk to you, she is trying to tell you something.

Oladele Akinrinmade(08058154895), Abiye Maternity Hospital ,Ganmo, P.O.Box4906,Ilorin, Kwara Delta Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or proverbs. Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable. You will be paid N100.00 for every saying published. Address your sayings to: The Co-ordinator, Sayings of Our Elders,Vanguard Media Ltd., PMB 1007, Apapa,

46— Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

The traffic law of trouble: Fashola, •Gov talks tough, orders recruitment of prosecuting lawyers •Some residents say he should build more prisons •NURTW parleys with govt •Okada riders to approach Court again

BY LEKE ADESERI, South West Regional Editor, OLASUNKANMI AKONI, BOSE ADELAJA, EBUN SESSOU & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

T

HE Lagos State Traffic Law which was signed on Thursday, August 2, 2012, has been generating controversies across the state, especially among commercial drivers and other road users While the state government, apart from working on the gazette that will kick-start its enforcement, is talking tough and scouting for lawyers that will prosecute apprehended offenders, thousands of road users may soon take to the streets to protest the law which many of them see as a ploy to make the masses suffer unduely.

Yesterday, some road transport workers in the state proceeded to Alausa the seat of power to press home their demand with the government. Lagosians have also continued to express divergent views with some, especially the commercial bus drivers, daring the government to build more prisons where it will keep ‘offenders’ as they think the law is more of wishful thinking.

Gov talks tough, orders recruitment of prosecuting lawyers Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has ordered the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to employ more lawyers into the state civil service, aimed at ensuring adequate enforcement of the new Lagos State Road Traffic Law and others.

Physical planning The governor said “the responsibility of these new lawyers will be to assist the state government via the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in prosecuting violators of the state sanitation, physical planning and the new traffic law in Lagos State.

The new lawyers will be recruited from various private law firms. The employment of the new lawyers will help increase the number of lawyers in the state employment. At present,

Lagos....now reeling under the new traffic law

the state does not have enough lawyers on its payroll. And the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice is working with a team of lawyers on this.

“Immediately we commence the enforcement of these laws, many things in our lives will improve such as cost of food, life expectancy, health and so on. I believe that if we succeed with this law, our state will change for the better,” Fashola said.

The law, he said, became necessary to bring back decency in the day to day activities in the state, noting “people hanging clothes to dry on our highways and bus stops must desist be-

cause the traffic and sanitation officers will go out and enforce the sanitation laws.” The governor emphasised that the traffic law was only a metaphor to the sanitation, physical planning and other laws that had been earlier laid down for immediate enforcement across the state.

Some residents adamant In summary, many residents of the state are of the view that the government has not put in place all that is needed to warrant such laws. They are quick to point out the dilapidated state of most of the roads across the metropolis. Even in one case, a respondent, who is a commer-

cial bus driver that craved anonymity sarcastically asked the governor to ‘start building more prisons.’ Some also expressed fear over the security challenge that will follow the implementation of the new traffic law, saying “with the new law, the crime rate in the state will increase again.”

Fear grips others Mrs. Shalewa Salam, a teacher, said: “the high level of security of life and property of sresidents of this state enjoyed over the years was because many who would have been involved in robbery activities were all busy riding commercial motorcycles popularly

called ‘Okada’ to make ends meet.”

Salam noted that with the new law, many Okada riders will be forced out of business because they have been banned from plying major roads where they get more patronage. And the rural areas where the state government has ordered them to ply cannot accommodate all the operators.

“If they cannot operate the way they had been operating in the state, moving freely at night in Lagos may become a tall dream,” she said.

A commercial driver, who identified himself simply as Mr. Jatto, however, applauded the

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012— 47

residents poise for war NURTW, and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, outside garages in the state.

Jatto, however, faulted the decision of the state government on Okada riders saying “the state government should consider the downtrodden in the state who will be affected negatively by the new law because the level of insecurity will increase.”

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola...signing the new traffic law

Reactions from Lagosians

M

R. Francis Peter: The governor is on the right path. How I wish you could just occupy Aso villa one day. Outside this country, Nigerians behave and obey laws because they are aware of stringent penalties and I would not blame them if they don’t comply here, the issue is enforcement. Everything here is about who your godfather is, but we are seeing the end to godfatherism gradually. I wish I could ‘stateionalise’ (if there is a word like that, like nationalize) to become a Lagosian. We are proud of you sir and are praying for you.

Exception to the penalties

state government for banning activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers,

,

The state government should consider the downtrodden who will be affected negatively by the new law

,

C M Y K

Federal government should take a cue from this. Abuja is far becoming a slum.

Stephen Afolabi: I hold exception to the penalties for flouting the law, and this has to do with the N30,000 and the jail term. In addition to this I do not believe that a driver that is hungry and decides to buy sausage to eat and drink pure water should go to jail for doing this.

This should have been exempted, and the penalty for flouting other restrictions reduced to N25,000 in view of the prevailing economic state of the nation.

In a democratic dispensation, laws are made by taking into cognisance the yearnings of the people, having taken into consideration their financial state.

Mr. Ebele John: Lagos traffic is as a function of poor road network. The government just wants revenue from it.

Mr. Martins Collins: Good law, but how will goods leave the ports, for upcountry. Leave

If they leave Lagos at night maybe they will park at Ogun State and continue the journey the next day. Should Ogun State enact a similar law, what happens?

Mr. Emmanuel Adu: I pray to God it works. This is worthy, but I hope LASTMA and Police officers will not feed fat on this especially first time motorists to Lagos State. They better have cameras to record the act of extortion that will result. It is certain that spurious charges will be booked against drivers who refuse to part with some cash.

Kelechi Chukwu: All we are saying is that although this is a good policy he must ensure that innocent citizens are not victimized and milked. Photo evidence must be part of the quality control mechanism, without it some offenders will abuse judicial process and contest their charges. Corrupt officials (we do have them) will use it as leverage to get back at commuters who refuse to donate to their ap-

peal funds and salary augmentation welfare packages.

Prince Adetayo Adewale: Nigeria! Lagos!! In fact, this time around, it’s like Lagos State

government is trying to make things difficult for everybody.

Let’s take a look at these rules.

Supposing, the sanction for defaulting trailers is N50,000 what again is the six months imprisonment for?. I think the new rules should be revised a little bit.

NURTW parley with govt

T

HE outcome of a sched uled meeting between transporters in Lagos State and the state government over the new traffic law which bars the National Union of Road Transport Workers from collecting tolls from public car parks and bus stops, among other restrictions was yet to be made public at press time yesterday.

Reacting to the development, deputy state secretary, National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW, Comrade Paul Ogini, kicked against the law saying it will increase the rate of unemployment in the state.

Ogini who said the law con-

travenes the union’s agreement with the State government called on the governor to review such laws to make life bearable for its citizens. He said: “it is true we don’t want traffic jams but this is not the best way to go about it, the law is too harsh on us. In Lagos State, there are more than 500,000 motocyclists, imagine what happens to their family members if they are kicked out of business.

“We are proposing to meet at the state level to know the next line of action. The government is acting contrary to our agreement, the law must be revisited because the masses’ opinion must be respected.”

Okada riders to approach Court again

S

OURCES also told Vanguard, yes terday, that motorcycle operators in the state may return to court for an interpretation of how the new law affects them in view of the agreement they had with government According to the state Chairman, Motorcycles Operators Association of Lagos State, MOALS, Comrade Tijani Pekis, the government has the legitimate right to promulgate laws but not at the detriment of its citizens.

There are, however, two recognised bodies of motorcycle associations namely MOALS and the All Nigerians Autobikes Commericial Owners and Workers

Union ANACOWA, both affiliates of NURTW. At present, the state government has approved eight unrecognised unions which are presently causing confusion in the state.

Pekis said: “In the year 2010, MOALS and ANACOWA reached an agreement with the government on how to bring sanity to Lagos roads and we used everything at our disposal to sanitise our members. When the government proposed the Traffic Law recently, we leaped for joy thinking it was part of the 2010 agreement we reached. However, we were taken aback last Thursday that the Bill was contrary to our agreement.”

48—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Group cautions FG on death penalty

BY EBELE ONUORAH

L From left: Ex-officio member F.E.K. Nakpodia; president-elect, Jeff 'Vwede Obahor; immediate past president, Fregene Shaw; president, Okoro Justina; delegate 1, Adewumi Joseph Ojo; delegate 2; Abayomi Akin; Secretary, Osadiaye Daniel at a meeting of the American Society of Safety Engineers, Nigerian chapter, in Lagos.

L-r:Retired legal adviser, Union Bank plc, Dame Olufemi Sonola, with the chairman, Eagles Paints Ltd, Chief Akinola Disu, during the presentation of a book entitled "39 Expositions for a Deeper Bible Knowledge" authored by Rev. Michael FemiAdebanjo of the W e s l e y Cathedral, Olowogbowo, Lagos.

AAEUN berates FG on new fertilizer policy

BY ABDALLAH ELKUREBE

S

OKOTO—AGRI CULTURE and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria, AAEUN, has berated the Federal Government for the nonworking models of the new fertilizer policy.

National President of AAEUN, Mr Simon Anchaver, at the state delegates conference of Sokoto State council, yesterday, said: “While the current administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is paying more attention to the agricultural sector, we have ob-

served that some of the policies put in place to alleviate the problems of Nigerian farmers, are not working and what comes to mind is the New Fertilizer Policy.” He was represented at the occasion by the Northwest zonal Vice President, Mr Bello Kebbi.

EGAL Defence and Assistance Project , LEDAP, has cautioned the Federal Government on the use of death penalty as punishment for crime, noting that the severity of punishment does not always scare people away from crime.

National Coordinator of LEDAP, Mr. Chino Obiagwu, at the launch of a report on the use of death penalty for crime management in Nigeria, said the Federal Government should increase the possibility of the apprehension of potential criminals, as it was the only way to reduce the rate of crime in the country.

The report, he said, showed that 30,262 persons questioned, revealed that a slight majority of Nigerians was opposed to the use of death penalty as a punishment for crime on the basis that innocent persons might be wrongfully convicted and killed.

He charged government to improve on the capacity of law enforcement agencies to tackle crime and also invest more money in training of undercover security

Sack Education Commissioner, Delta NUT tells Uduaghan

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—DELTA State chapter of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, has called on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to sack the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, over what it described as his unbecoming comments and overbearing attitude.

The union in a statement at the end of its executive meeting, said the call was in the interest of peace and progress of education in the state, adding that unless their demands were met on or before August 31, its members would not resume for the 2012/2013 academic session.

Meanwhile, the commissioner, who acknowledged receipt of the statement, said; “NUT raised no issue in their communiqué.”

Muoboghare, who spoke with Vanguard on C M Y K

phone said: “When the governor appointed me, he consulted only God. That same God will also tell him when to remove me.”

NUT in the statement by its state Chairman, Senior Assistant Secretary and State Publicity

Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Adhe, Joe Iyalekhue and Friday Umurhurhu respectively, said: “SWEC-in-session frowns at the use of notional promotion and calls for its halt.”

The union called on government to address

the “non-implementation of 27.5 percent Teachers Peculiar Allowance; stagnation of degree holders in the primary school system on salary grade level 14; non-release of 2011 and 2012 promotions for primary and secondary school teachers in the state and the nonrelease of promotion for principals due for Salary Grade Level 17.”

Electricity employees allege attempt to of causing explobomb secretariat in Lagos capable sion but before he could

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

N

ATIONAL Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, weekend, said an attempt to bomb its National Secretariat on Murtala Mohammed Way in Lagos was foiled and the suspected bomber arrested.

NUEE, in a statement by its General Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero, said the suspect, who was working with yet-to be identified persons, had been handed over to the Police.

He said: “The struggle towards ensuring that the rights of workers in the power sector were not trampled upon has taken another dimension. On August 3, 2012, at 1230hrs, a middle-aged man came to our National Secretariat, claiming that he had a mail for us and on getting to our reception, he said he forgot the mail. Unknown to him that he was under surveillance, he made a call to an unknown person that he was already “there” and later entered one of the offices with devices

actualise his mission, he was overpowered by the vigilant staff on duty."

agents, procurement of security intelligence, ammunition and communication gadgets.

He said: “Intelligence is not about chasing criminals but creating undercover agents, training more people who would move into the underworld, penetrate and mix with criminals to understand how they operate; apprehend people who import arms into the country and curb the movement of small arms.

“If people do not have

Protests trail ex-deputy speaker’s empowerment claims

U

YO—PROTESTS, yesterday, trailed the recent scorecard of the former deputy speaker of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Obong Okon Uwah, as some of the alleged beneficiaries of his empowerment and scholarship scheme have refuted the lawmaker ’s claim.

Uwah had at a thanksgiving service recently in his home town, Afaha Obo in Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, claimed to have empow-

P

ered many indigenes of his constituency and the state at large in form of medical assistance, financial assistance, scholarship, political sponsorship and skill acquisition, among other categories.

It was, however, gathered that a principal actor to the former deputy speaker ’s political ascendancy to the local government and the house of assembly had sent a terse message protesting against his name being included in the scorecard.

PDP chieftain alerts IGP, others on threat to peace in Ogun

A

CHIEFTAIN of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State, Prince Buruji Kashamu, has tasked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar; Director-General of State Security Service, SSS, Mr Ita Ekpeyong; the state Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye and state Director of SSS, Joseph Okpo, on the need to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.

He spoke against the backdrop of comments credited to one Dipo Odujinrin, who claims to be the chairman of a purported parallel PDP executive in the state that he and others will forcefully take over the party secretariat

Why we're in Edo Election Tribunal—PDP the July 14 governorship EOPLE’S Demo cratic Party in Edo State has stated the reason why it decided to go to the Edo election Tribunal over the just concluded governorship election result.

In a statement by Okharedia Ihimekpen, the director of publicity, the party claimed that

easy access to guns and pistols, most violent crime would not exist.

The ports and the borders are porous, so people arm themselves with more sophisticated weapons than the police.”

Appreciating government’s investment in the police, Obiagwu called for more investment in that sector, particularly in the areas of communication gadgets and motivation of younger and intelligent people to join the police.

election was marred with fraud and irregularity.

It said: “Governor Adams Oshiomhole was invalidly returned by the Resident Electoral Commissioner as duly elected, despite the fact that the election not having been conducted in compliance with the provisions of the electoral Act 2012 (as amended)."

being occupied by the Adebayo Dayo-led executive.

In a statement, yesterday, in Abeokuta, Kashamu said the security agencies were duty bound to implement various court judgments, which he said, affirmed the Dayo-led executive as the authentic management body of the party in the state.

Okeke for burial

E

ZINNE Abigael Ogobugwu Okeke, of Owellechukwu village in Ekwulu-Mili, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, is dead, aged 91.

A statement from the family said that a commendation service will hold on August 27, at Immanuel Anglican Church, Owellechukwu, Ekwulu-Mili while interment follows immediately at her residence.

Late Ezinne Okeke

Vanguard, TUESDAY TUESDAY,, AUGUST 7, 2012 — 49

Exper ts urge FG tto o reject Experts Bakassi treaty STORIES BY HUGO ODIOGOR

E

XPERTS on interna tional relations and diplomatic practice yesterday urged the Federal Government to appeal against the Green Tree Agreement (GTA) rather than concede the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon in conformity the ruling of the International Court of Justice of August 10, 2000.

The ratification of the Green Tree Agreement is expected to come into effect by the end of October this year, but International relations experts and scholars argued in Lagos that the Federal Government should file an appeal against the judgment, which did great injustice to the people resident in the disputed territory.

The Director General of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Professor Bola Akinterinwa told an eminent gathering of scholars, researchers and ambassadors at the 11 Brainstorming session organized by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, that the National Assembly, which

Erelu Abiola Dosumu,(l) Amb Dapo Fafowora,Chairman of session and Prof Tekena Tamuno at the 11th Brainstorming Session on The 16861 Annexation of Lagos as a British Crown Colony held at (NIIA) in Lagos yesterday : Px Joe Akintola (Photo Editor) is to organize a public hearing on the process of endorsing and ratifying international protocol, conventions and treaties, should take a second look at the GTA through which the United States, Great Britain and France compelled Nigeria to sign a pain inflicting treaty which conceded the resource rich peninsula to Cameroon without due consideration to the interest of the people of Bakassi and our National interest. He said on the other hand the ICJ recognized the 1814 AngloGermany treaty which formed the basis of its decision to award the sovereignty of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon

In his welcome address to the 11th Brain storming session on the 1861 Annexation of Lagos as a Colony by Britain, Prof Akinterinwa to the audience that there is a correlation between the coercion used by the British colonial powers to force Oba Dosumu to sign a treaty conceding the land and territory of Lagos to the British Crown and the subterfuge employed by the United Nations, Britain, France and United States to rely on colonial treaty between Britain and Germany to settle the land and maritime border dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon, requiring the sovereignty of Bakassi Peninsula to be transferred to Cameroon.

Assad falters on diplomacy — Obiozor F

ORMER Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Professor George Obiozor, yesterday attriuted the crisis in Syria to failure of diplomacy as the country’s prime minister, Riyad Hijab, defected to the opposition, while President Bashar al-Assad was reported to have sent his family out of his war torn country.

Prof. Obiozor told Vanguard newspaper yestwerday that President Assad had all the opportunity in the world to avoid his country descending into anarchy but he was let down by his diplomats who failed to read the trend o fthe Arab Spring when it started in Tunisia and spread to Egypt. According to Professor Obiozor, Asaad had the advantage of C M Y K

having schooled in the United Kingdom and also married to a Briton which was responsible for the soft spot the British had for him at the on set of the crisis. He failed to utilise the contact with Britiain which would have helped him to convince the U.S to buy in to his political transition programme, but he mis read the trend of the mass movement until it engulfed him. His came as the country’s Premier Riyad Hijab joined the rank of high profile defectors.

Hijab, who like much of the opposition comes from Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority, is not part of Assad’s inner circle, but as the most senior serving civilian official to defect his departure dealt a heavy symbolic blow to an establishment rooted in the president’s minority Alawite sect.His de-

parture is unlikely to have repercussions for Assad’s grip on power.

That is rooted in the army and a security apparatus dominated by Alawites, which was rocked by a bomb last month that killed four senior officials, including his brother-in-law.

Syrian state television said Hijab had been fired, but an official source in the Jordanian capital Amman said he had been dismissed only after he fled across the border with his family.

“I announce today my defection from the killing and terrorist regime and I announce that I have joined the ranks of the freedom and dignity revolution,” Hijab said in a statement read in his name by a spokesman and broadcast by Al Jazeera.

50 — Vanguard , TUESDAY TUESDAY,, AUGUST 7, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—51

52—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

DAY 1: RCCG CONVENTION

Mrs Florence Adeniyi with her bundle of joy

Deaconesss Folusho Ogunjinmi of the RCCG, Chosen Generation Parish, and other ordained deacons and deaconess at their ordination, yesterday.

Photos: Lamidi Bamidele

5 babies delivered at convention

By SAM EYOBOKA &

A

OLAYINKA LATONA

S at 4.00 p.m., yesterday, five babies had already been delivered on the first day of the 60th annual convention of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, currently holding at the Redemption Camp of the church along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

According to feelers from the Redemption Maternity where the kids were delivered, all the two boys and three girls were in excellent condition.

At the time of this visit two of them had already been discharged and had left for home.

The week long event had just started when the babies started pouring in and their parents were full of joy.

Mrs Chinyere Okafor, a Catholic who resides at Ebute Metta area of Lagos said she had had her previous three babies at the Redemption maternity and it was only natural for the fourth one to be delivered at the camp.

She said her baby boy came at about 10.00 a.m., adding that they are both in good condition.

Florence Adeniyi resides in Aboru area of Iyana Ipaja in Lagos and is a member of the church. She was believing God for safe delivery because she had been told by her doctors that her baby was due on August 5 and

she came a day later.

The chorister chose to name her new bundle of joy Oluwafikunayomi (God had added to my joy) in acknowledgement of the mercy of God. In the case of the first girl of the convention, Oluwadamilola, Araoluwa, Enobong the joy of the parents is unlimited because they have had three miscarriages earlier.

Narrating her ordeal, Mrs. Nsikan Jinadu, whose baby was born at 10.20 a.m., said she came to the Holy Ghost Congress in December when Pastor Adeboye made a proclamation that there was a pregnant woman in the

TMOSPHERE in the camp was calm and peaceful, yesterday, as people went about their duties unperturbed just as traders made brisk businesses selling their wares in an orderly manner.

Opposite the old auditorium, one could see an array of shops displaying their various com-

Mrs. Nsikan Jinadu and her daughter

Four programmes billed for today

F

OUR programmes are scheduled for today at the ongoing 60th annual convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God at the Redemption Camp along Lagos-Ibadan Expreesway.

They include the ordination of assistant pastors which is billed to take place at 8.30 a.m.

That will be followed after lunch break with a meeting of the Children of God at 2.30 p.m.

The first of the group seminars is expected to begin at five different points at 4.30 p.m and

Peaceful atmosphere

A

congregation who was not comfortable because she had had multiple miscarriages.

She told our reporters that the man of God assured that she would deliver this one safely, adding: "That was the promise that made me to come to the camp to have our first baby and I can tell you that our joy knows no bounds.”

Asked for his comments, an over joyous Mr. Jinadu, who lives in Ikorodu with his wife, would rather express his joy in the names he would give his new baby, pointing out that they would do everything to continue to serve God without turning.

modities ranging from bibles, scriptural matters and books in addition to some banking products.

New arrivals were doing themselves some good by shopping for those things that assist them especially under current unfriendly weather conditions.

there will be a welcome service (Plennary Session 1) at 8.30 p.m.

Recreation at the camp

Mrs Chinyere Okafor with her baby

T

HE dismal performance of Nigeria at the ongoing London Olympics, yesterday, motivatéd several youths at the Redemption camp to find some recreation especially at nearest available space where they exhibited their skills on the pitch.

A pack of youths were seen playing some entertaining football, peradventure there might be some scouts who may take their case to either Stephen Keshi or any of the national coaches for possible inclusion in the call up to national assignment.

Quite naturally, there was a cluster of football enthusiasts who gathered round the boys to encourage them while clapping for every good move by the boys.

From left: Pastor in charge of the Chosen Generation Parish, Pastor Tunji Olukoya and Deaconess Elizabeth Nweke of Everyday with Jesus Parish at their ordination.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012—53

C M Y K

54 —

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Don’t w orr till hope ffor or us worr orryy, there is sstill — Gumel I

NTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee member, Engineer Habu Gumel visited Team Nigeria’s secretariat at the Olympic Village yesterday and asked Nigerians not to despair or give up hope on Team Nigeria.

On a day that Nigeria lost on two fronts, Boxing and Basketball, Gumel said that Nigeria could still salvage something from the remaining sports in Taekwondo, Wrestling and the relay events in Athletics. ‘’We should not give up on these athletes. They are doing their best and we still have some events ahead”, Gumel insisted.

Mar ocus, Maryyam los lostt ffocus, Weightlif ting coac h eightlifting coach screams!

O

DOWN & OUT . . . Team Nigeria’s female weightlifter hopeful, Maryam Usman disappointed as she flops during the women’s +75-kg weightlifting event of the London 2012 Olympics.

I’v e pro er s wrong — Bolt I’ve provved doubt doubter ers U

FASTEST MAN . . . Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (R) dashing home as he wins the men’s 100m final at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Photo: AFP

SAIN Bolt said the motivation to prove his doubters wrong had helped propel him to his second Olympic 100m title in 9.63sec but that he would not be a “legend” until he had also won the 200m.

Bolt said his electrifying run, in which all the field bar the injured Asafa Powell went under 10 seconds, was further proof that he always delivered on the biggest stage. “When it comes to the championship, it’s all about business. It’s what I do,” said Bolt.

“The reason it’s sweeter is because a lot of you guys doubted me. I’m showing the world I’m the greatest and I’m going to show up on the day.”

Bolt admitted that he

got off to a shaky start – and still managed to finish in an Olympic record time that has only been bettered by his own world record. “My start wasn’t the best. But my coach had already explained to me not to worry about the start. I came with one goal. The last 50m is where I shine.”

The Jamaican beat his friend and compatriot Yohan Blake by 12-hundredths of a second but paid tribute to him for giving him a “ wake-up call” when he beat him in the Jamaica trials in the 100m and 200m.

“I’ve told Yohan Blake that I’m not going to have him beat me again.

The trials woke me up.

Yohan gave me a wakeup call,” Bolt said.

22 Eagles begin preparation for Niger friendly …Ajani replaces injured Nwachukwu T

HE Super Eagles had their first training Monday evening since returning to camp

•Keshi C M Y K

at the Practice Pitch of the National Stadium with Head Coach, Stephen Keshi complaining bitterly about the state of the pitch. As a result, the team will relocate to the FIFA Goal Project artificial turf in the same vicinity despite the fact that the friendly against Niger Republic will be played on natural grass.

In all 22 players trained on Monday evening with Sunshine Stars players still being awaited. The players

from the Akure based side are four in all and they were expected to join the team by Monday night on time for Tuesday morning training.

Addressing the old and the new invitees, Keshi again told them to stand firm against any inferiority complex, as they have equal opportunities to nick shirts like the players who are based abroad for the September 8, Nations Cup qualifier against the Lone Star of Liberia.

“Just show me what you

can do on the pitch and leave the rest for us to do when time for selection of players for the games come”, he said.

Keshi also announced that Heartland winger, Obinna Nwachukwu, who is injured has been replaced by Crown FC Femi Ajani, who is already in camp and showed flashes of a player hungry for greatness in the round-leather game. The 22 Players that trained On Monday Evening

PINIONS are still divided on why Maryam Usman, a weightlifting medal hopeful crashed out of the Olympics without a medal. Not only that. The African Queen of weightlifting did not place in the event as her last lift in the Clean and Jerk(160 kg) frittered away the points she earlier garnered.

Many have blamed the coach, Patrick Bassey for not starting her with lesser weights rather than introducing her to 160 kg after lifting 129 kg. ‘’She would not have been in contention for the

bronze. Her closest opponent had a lesser weight and would dislodge her.

I had to raise her to 160 kg because she is no stranger to that. She lifts 170 kg. This is not the time to trade blames. I did not come here to admire London Bridge. We came here to win but Maryam lost focus and concentration. I don’t know what happened, but she bungled it. It is painful. I brought her up and I know her capability ”, Bassey who denied himself the luxury of the food at the Olympic Village after the contest said.

Powell unlikely for Jamaican relay J AMAICA’S 4x100 me tres relay team has suffered a setback after tests showed former world record holder Asafa Pow-

•Powell

ell has a minor muscle tear that will probably keep him out of the race, his manager told Reuters on Monday. “An ultrasound showed he has a minor tear in his adductor muscle,” Paul Doyle said. “It is very unlikely he will be ready to go in the relay in a few days.”

Powell anchored the Jamaicans to a world record in the relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

But he was missing through injury when a team of Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt lowered the record to 37.04 seconds at last year ’s world championships in South Korea.

Lagos, Delta win Sam Ocheho Invitational Handball tourney

L

AGOS and Delta States have emerged the champions of the first edition of the Sam Ocheho Invitational Handball Championship, which ended at the weekend in Lagos. Lagos 1, which emerged the champions in the male category, amassed nine points after defeating Ogun State 12-17 in the last game of the tournament played in a round robin format.

Ogun ended second

with eight points, Lagos II were third with six points, Delta finished fourth with 4 points, while Osun and Ekiti with a point finished fifth and sixth respectively.

In the female category, Delta had 8 points, same as Lagos I but finished top with a better goal difference of +37 while Lagos had +36 goal difference to end up in second place.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012 — 55

track and field started

I ate marijuana by mistake — Expelled US Olympian A

MERICAN judo fighter Nick Delpopolo was expelled from the Olympic Games on Monday after testing positive for marijuana.

Delpopolo reportedly said that he ate marijuana accidentally before arriving in London.

Delpopolo is the first of the 10,500 games athletes to fail an in-competition doping test.

His case is the fifth positive test for a banned substance reported by the IOC since its official London Games testing period began in mid-July.

The other four athletes were caught before competing.

MEDAL TABLE 1 China 2 United States 3 Great Britain 4 Rissian 5 Japan 6 France 7 South Korea 8 Germany 9 Australia 10 Italy 11 Netherlands 12 Canada 13 Hungary 14 Denmark 15 Romania 16 Brazil 17 Ukraaine 18 Kazakhstan 19 New Zealnd 20 Belarus 21 North Korea 22 Cuba

Gold 31 28 18 5 2 8 11 5 2 7 3 1 4 2 2 2 2 6 3 2 4 2

Silver 19 14 11 17 12 9 5 10 12 6 3 3 1 4 4 1 0 0 0 2 0 2

Bronze 14 19 11 16 14 9 6 7 8 4 4 6 3 2 2 5 6 1 4 3 1 1

Total 64 61 40 38 28 26 22 22 22 17 10 10 8 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 5 5

Odumosun in Women’s 400 Hurdles final

N

IGERIA’s Ajoke Odumosun yesterday qualified for the final of the Women’s 400m Hurdles after posting a time of 54.40 to win heat 4 in the

semi final Odumosun ran the race of her life to lighten up team Nigeria camp.

In the final the Nigerian girl will cladh with thel likes of Antyukh Natalya

•Odumosun

Uduaghan Continues from BP appointment in the final of London 2012 Olympics Games 100m event for women.

Okagbare is here in London as Nigeria’s brightest hope for an Olympic medal. She won bronze in the Long Jump in the Beijing Olympics and she will also compete in that event in London.

Okagbare enjoyed good previews in the international media following her outstanding performances in pre Olympics meets.

She beat Jamaica’s Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce and Carmelita Jeta of USA in the Diamond league few days to the Olympics but when it mattered most she developed cramp and placed last with a time of 11.01

that we metDiary for the first Onochie Anibeze’s

seconds. Pryce and Jeta won gold and silver respectively. This was after Blessing had posted 10.93 seconds in the first heat which she won and 10.92 seconds in the semi-final which she also won.

Book makers, therefore, expected a better performance from her in the final. That didn’t happen.

“After the semi-final I had pains on my legs. I had some kind of cramp and if the final was 24 hours from then I would have been okay but it was just two hours later. I have to get treatment and move on,” Blessing told this reporter in her first reaction to any Nigerian journalist here.

Moving on as she said is what Dr. Uduaghan wants her to

who returned a time of 53.33, Hjnova Zuzana (53.62) and Demus Lashinda (54.00) in their various heats. The final comes up today, 8.45 pm

Medals

Continues from BP offered useful tips and the Russian romped into the lead in the second round 10 – 4. There was no looking back as the third set did not get better. After knocking Edith down, the Russian moved to 14 -6 in the third before her unassailable points continued till the last round at 18 -8. It was a pitiable evening in London. accomplish now. the governor told her to forget what happened and “go and do well in the Long Jump and the relays.”

Uduaghan contributed immensely to the training of Okagbare and wanted her to appreciate some of the problems athletes face. He said the following to her: “You can train for years and get ready for an event but in a second the whole thing can crash. But what makes you a great athlete is your ability to move on after every disappointment. I want you to know that we will continue to support you and we want you to be strong and move on.”

Blessing thanked the governor for his tremendous support and concern and said that his call has lifted her spirit.

Searching for “Nigeria” Media Centre, London: August 5

T

HE Main Press Centre here at the London 2012 Olympics can accommodate more than two thousand journalists.

But there are also media centres in all the venues. Each sport has a venue with a media centre, press conference hall and all the facilities you find in a modern stadium.

At the main Press Centre and some of these centres countries display all sorts of literature to promote their athletes and countries.

Journalists pick the literature up and find some useful. There are also souvenirs that National Olympic Committees of different countries give out at the Olympics which are no longer only sports competitions but also great stage for the promotion of cultures, tourism and other potentials of participating countries.

Nigeria does not give a hoot about these things. There are no pamphlets or any literature to promote Nigeria here. And there are also no souvenirs from the Nigeria Olympic Committee that Nigerian athletes can exchange with other athletes or friends. So it is with Nigerian journalists too. They have no souvenirs like pins that they can give out to other journalists or friends although the NOC gave each Nigerian journalist a bag containing Nigerian track suit. I got one but we are talking about souvenirs to promote our country. Flags are so few you wonder who made them. Some Nigerians came with theirs.

There are two volunteers at the Olympic Stadium that I am now avoiding because I cannot give them ordinary Nigerian pins. Daily, they remind me that they are still waiting for Nigerian pins. I now try to stay at another side of the media tribune to avoid the shame of ten-

dering excuses.

Souvenirs were freely given to Nigerian contingents in the days of late Raheem Adejumo as President of NOC. Too bad.

Excellent performance of athletes promotes the image of countries. But Nigeria is not doing well here on the courts and also failing in the area of Public relations.

The unfortunate thing is that these things are always in their budget.

For the ongoing games, I gathered that the contractor who got the job to supply these souvenirs disappointed because they owed him. The media attache to the NOC here insists that Nigeria Olympic Committee has these souvenirs. But nobody has seen them and we are still searching for them. We are still searching for anything Nigerian to promote our country. It is the practice of the NOC to provide their delegation with these souvenirs. Nigeria is not here.

“It is only African countries that lack these souvenirs. It is not only Nigeria. But it is a shame that I collect pins from other journalists here but nobody from Africa, my own continent, has given me a pin in spite of my daily requests,” one Volunteer who is of Guinea Bisau parentage told me and Ade Ojeikere of The Nation. She has lived in London since the age of eight.

Meeting Tony Ubani at last Diary Olympic Stadium:August 2

After nine days stay covering the games here I eventually met my dear colleague, Tony Ubani.

We work for the same newspaper but it was only last Friday when

time since arriving here. If Tony was covering one sport I needed to be somewhere else as we needed to cover as many sports as possible. But track and field, the premier sport of the Olympic Games brought us to one venue. Interesting. And as media attache to the Nigerian team Tony has been helpful to the Nigerian media. He has been absolutely professional and Nigerian journalists here and at home can attest to his competence. But what has Vanguard benefited from the service Tony is rendering to NOC? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Rather, Vanguard, as a newspaper has suffered.

However, it is probably not because Tony is the media attache. It is because of the leadership of NOC that has not looked into their books t o a p p r e c i a t e Va n guard’s position in the coverage of Olympic games. For the past four Olympic Games, Vanguard always received two media accreditation forms - one for press reporter and another for press photographer. And when Tony, like his predecessors, allocated two media forms for the Olymp i c g a m e s t o Va n guard, the leadership of NOC withdrew one.

Reports had it that Tony was accused of allotting three forms to Vanguard. Tony never did. He gave the usual two - one to me and the other to Sylva Eleanya, our photographer who has covered the past games with me. As NOC media attache Tony is entitled to team Nigeria official accreditation and he did not use one of the ten forms allocated to Nigeria by IOC. Silver ’s accreditation was withdrawn and that’s why he is not here. So, when Vanguard was expected to benefit more from the service of their staff as media attache to NOC, the paper has suffered from the leadership of NOC. Tony has taken this calmly and doing his job here, sending news stories and flicks to inform and entertain our readers. That’s what counts and not this NOC that cannot even boast of souvenirs to promote Nigeria and her athletes.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Don’t give up, Uduaghan charges Okagbare D

Where will the medals come from?

ELTA State Gover nor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has called

Nigeria’s star athlete here, Blessing Okagbare to support her and en-

courage her not to despair over Sunday’s dis Continues on Page 55

•Udaghan

•As Russian pounds Ogoke out of medal zone

T

EAM Nigerian offi cials watched in awe as yet another hope of a medal frittered in boxing where Russian Nadezda Torlopova pounded Edith Ogoke out of the medal zone. The Russian blew her away with devastating punches ending the fight on a performances in pre Olympics meets. She beat Jamaica’s Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce and Carmelita Jeta of USA in the Diamond league few days to the Olympics but when it mattered most she developed cramp and placed last with a time of 11.01 seconds. Pryce and Jeta won gold and silver respectively. This was after Blessing had posted 10.93 seconds in the first heat which she won and 10.92 seconds in the semi-final which she also won.

Book makers, therefore, expected a better performance from her in TODAY'S

the final. That didn’t happen.

“After the semi-final I had pains on my legs. I had some kind of cramp and if the final was 24 hours from then I would have been okay but it was just two hours later. I have to get treatment and move on,” Blessing told this reporter in her first reaction to any Nigerian journalist here.

Moving on as she said is what Dr. Uduaghan wants her to accomplish now. the governor told her

Continues on Page 55

Latest Olympics Medal Table — Page 55.

More stories on Pages 38, 39 and 54

PUZZLES

CROSS FIRE: Edith Ogoke of Nigeria (in red) defends against Nadezda Torlopova of Russia (in blue) during the women's Middleweight boxing quarterfinals of the 2012 London Olympic Games at the ExCel Arena August 6, 2012 in London. AFP PHOTO. YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 4 Increase (5) 7 Request (6) 9 Moist (3) 10 Fuel (3) 12 Leading (5) 13 Enthusiasm (4) 15 Seed (5) 17 Rota (6) 19 Discourteous (4) 20 Bequeath (5) 22 Taxi (3) 24 Well-liked (7) 27 Friend (3) 28 Rule (5) 31 Courage (4) 33 Distress (6) 35 Squander (5) 37 Ensign (4) 38 Mark (5) 39 Consume (3) 41 Entrap (3) 42 Communicate (6) 43 Propeller (5)

DOWN 1 Glare (6) 2 Ascending (6) 3 Crone (3) 4 Support (4) 5 Different (5) 6 Station (8) 8 Final (4) 11 Guess (9) 14 Noose (4) 16 Spoken (4) 18 Exchange (4) 21 Hysterical (8) 23 Poet (4) 25 Go by (4) 26 Shoal (4) 29 Embedded (6) 30 Ingot (6) 32 Thread (5) 34 Trade (4) 36 Afresh (4) 40 Gratuity (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS: 1, Brow 4, Pip 6, Gram 9, Rum 10, Begrudge 11, Unit 14, Ant 16, Class 19, Hospital 21, Licit 23, Civility 24, Felon 27, Tee 31, Pass 33, Amicable 34, Die 35, Rent 36,Ash 37, Ever.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Reef 3, Warp 4, Pedantic 5, Poem 6, Cruel 7, Run 8, Amiss 12, Chief 13, Usual 14, Ail 15, Tacit 17, Avoid 18, Stays 20, Liverish 22, Tie 25, Evade 26, Onset 28, Gala 29, Jape 30, Else 32, Sin.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

C M Y K