Lawyers give FG 30-day ultimatum

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62053

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N150

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Angry reactions trail Clark's letter to Obasanjo

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RIVERS' COURT BOMBING:

Lawyers give FG 30-day ultimatum •Wants IGP, NSA to investigate and punish culprits •Agbakoba, Sagay, others, endorse NBA's demand

External reserves fall by $301m as Naira loses 2 kobo P.9

BY INNOCENT ANABA, GODWIN ORITSE, JIMITOTA ONOYUME, ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH, JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & CHRIS OCHAYI

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AGOS—THE Ni gerian Bar Association, NBA, yesterday, gave the Federal Government, through the National Security Adviser and the Inspector General of Police, a 30day ultimatum to thoroughly investigate the bombing of the Rivers State High Court premises in Ahoada and Okehi.

Similarly, former President of the association, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba,

Continues on page 5

COLUMNIST:

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Mr & Mrs RECOVERED WEAPONS—Anambra Commissioner of Police, Mr Usman Gwary (L), briefing newsmen on recovered arms and ammunition from suspected criminals in the state in 2013 in Awka, yesterday; while Nasarawa police display recovered arms and ammunition (right) in the state, yesterday. Photos: NAN.

Semi-nude women protest against Shell in Bayelsa P.8 C M Y K

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARRY 8, 2014

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARRY 8, 2014 — 3

4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARRY 8, 2014

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—5

POCKET CARTOON

JIGAWA BUDGET—Gov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa State (L), presenting 2014 Budget to the Speaker, State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ahmed Adamu in Dutse, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Rivers Court: Lawyers give FG 30-day ultimatum Continues from page 1 SAN, supported the position of the NBA, saying that “it is high time the issue of threat and terrorism is controlled and curbed. I fully endorse the decision of the

NBA.” Prof Itse Sagay, SAN, on his part, said: “It is obvious that the people behind this are not just desperate, but they are also fascists, who have no respect for human

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

IN essence we are creating our own stories, and it begins with action— with the small steps and seemingly small choices that we make each day.

Once you begin, each step can be golden, and the next step is right in front of you — Dr Charles Richard One of the beautiful moments for me as a writer is meeting with experienced writers and authors.

There is much that we can learn from others just as we also impact with our presence and what we know and do. Recently, in Manhattan, I had met with Dr. Charles Richard, a New York Times best seller author. I was really excited to ask a lot of questions about his latest work. “The Psychology of wealth.” I share with you what I gleaned from this meaningful and uplifting encounter.

“In my many years as a practicing psychotherapist, I have met, counselled, and learned from people in a wide variety of financial situations. Through listening to people from affluent executives who live like pashas to workers who live from pay check to pay check, I have been privy to the cares, woes, and joys of having and not having much money.

As an executive coach and trainer, I have worked with many well-to-do clients, some of whom simply are not comfortable in their financial skin. Their relationship with money is fraught with the fear that their riches may disappear or that they will be exposed as impostors. Before I worked with these people, I had assumed that it was perfectly natural for people with meager financial resources to worry about money. But why were these well-off individuals not feeling the psychological benefits of their enviable position? And what about my associates and friends with very modest means who were confident, happy, and secure about their finances?

These fortunate souls seemed to share a sense of comfort and control in their relationships with money. In short, they led rich and rewarding lives without having many “riches” in the conventional sense.”

lives and due process.

They want to intimidate the people, their political opposition turn them to onlookers, so that they can do whatever they want with our lives.

They have gone further to also intimidate the judiciary, the third arm of government. For me, it is the height of irresponsibility. So, let them look for them (perpetrators) so that they can face justice.”

Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome also threw his weight behind the decision of NBA. He expressed concern over the fact that politics has assumed a dangerous and murderous dimension in the country, culminating in the bombing of a court.

Also, United Progressive Party, UPP and Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, faulted the bombing of the courts in Rivers State.

On his part, Senator Magnus Abe, representing Rivers South East senatorial district, described the security situation in the state as near anarchy.

Issuing the ultimatum through a statement signed by its President, Mr Okey Wali, SAN, the NBA said: “We condemn these acts of brigandage and view them not only as sacrilegious, but also as a desecration of the temple of justice. On no account, will we ever,

idly stand by and watch these acts of violence and impunity to our courts, which are tantamount to an affront to the rule of law and threat to our democracy.

“This underscores the need for government to take the security of lives and property more seriously. The lackadaisical attitude accorded to the security of our courts nationwide, is now brought to the fore. The need to secure the premises of the hallowed courts of justice across the nation should be taken more seriously.”

NBA called on the National Security Adviser and the Inspector General of Police to employ all security apparatuses at their disposal, to unearth the culprits and bring them to Justice, adding “we will not and cannot, be satisfied with the usual mantra of, ‘the Police investigation is continuing.’ We demand an immediate and thorough investigation and expect a report, even if, interim, within 30 days of the date of the incidents. Attacks on our courts will not be swept under the carpet.”

It's dangerous —Ozekhome Ozekhome said: “My worry is that politics in Nigeria is now assuming a dangerous and murderous dimension as never before seen in Nigeria.

“And to carry this politicking to the secred chambers of the court of law is introducing a totally novel dimension calculated to intimidate the judiciary and its personnel. He added that if the matter was treated with kid gloves, Nigeria may never recover from such a macabre of dance of death.

He called on the Police to immediately swing into action and unearth the perpetrators of the heinous crime against Nigeria. “I support the NBA in its decision of issuing an ultimatum to the relevant security authorities to arrest the perpetrators and prosecute them.”

Meanwhile, the Godspower Ake faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers State has also condemned the fire incident at the state High Court in Okehi on Monday, saying that the development would, however,

not affect the ruling of an Appeal Court in Abuja on the authentic leadership of the party in the state by January 15.

Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr George Nwogba, in a statement accused the Felix Obuah faction of the party of being behind the incident, adding that they would have disrupted the ongoing court processes if they had set fire on documents at the Court of Appeal.

PDM in Rivers State on its part, described the development as a threat to democracy. The movement in a statement by its state Chairman, Mr George Ngbor, warned the political class in the state not to plunge the state into crisis.

He said: “The current crisis rocking the state if not checked is capable of snowballing into an undesirable situation for indigenes and residents of the state. Politicians in the state should shun politics of bitterness.”

He added that it was not true that its members in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state had defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, maintaining that they were intact.

United Progressive Party, UPP on its part, said that the bombing was judicial terrorism, arson and reckless action aimed at intimidating judicial officers in Nigeria.

Condemning the attack by yet to be identified persons in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ogbuche Dike, the party charged security agents to act quickly to meet expectation of Nigerians as security of lives and property were the primary purpose of government.

The party said the judiciary was the last hope of all aggrieved people, adding that any attempt to harass, subdue and

influence esteemed Justices of the court to pervert justice shall be resisted by all lovers of democracy, due process and rule of law.

He said: “It is outrageous that some disgruntled elements should bomb the Rivers State High Court in Ahoada East Local Government Area, vandalise and set ablaze files and vital documents for adjudication at the state High Court Okehi, in Etche Local Government Area. It is absurd that these primitive actions could be taken in Nigeria at 100 years of existence.

“It is unfortunate that our beloved country is gradually sliding into a state of lawlessness fuelled by insurgency, militancy, kidnapping, armed robbery and terrorism. Security agents should wake up and live up to expectation as security of lives and property is the primary purpose of government.

“The perpetrators of the recent Rivers State courts bombings should be fished out and punished in accordance with the laws of the land to serve as a deterrent to others who might contemplate such heinous crimes,” the party added.

The Ake-led PDP in Rivers State, continuing, said: “Afraid that justice would soon slap them in the face over their treacherous, deceitful and false claims to the offices of the Chairman and Secretary of PDP in Rivers State, the other faction resorted to their latest option just to hold on to power no matter how illegitimate. We would prefer they allowed the Appeal Court decide their fate rather than engage in self-help of this magnitude, obviously couched in shame and opprobrium.

Continues on page 48

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Final year female Benue varsity student dies in hotel room

BY PETER DURU

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AKURDI — A 21-yearold final year female student of the Benue State University, BSU, Joan Adaaku, has been reportedly found dead in a hotel room located in the heart of Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

Vanguard gathered from sources who preferred anonymity that the Economics undergraduate had checked into Savannah Guest House at about 7 a.m after paying N2,000 for a room According to the source, “She actually arrived the hotel alone and after underaking some check-in formalities she entered the room and locked herself up.

“She never came out of her room again either to ask for food or any other things. So, at exactly 6 p.m, a room attendant knocked on her door to find out if she was interest in being attended to by room service.

“Her silence aroused suspicion and the room attendant, who repeated his call to the room at 8pm without reply, alerted the manager on duty.

“It was at that point that the management alerted the Police who moved in and broke into the room and discovered the lifeless body of the lady in a position that suggested she was making a call before her death.

Vanguard gathered that the deceased had on her a small purse which contained a Bible, rosary and N8,200. A bottle of water and a bottle of soft drink were also discovered in the room.

Banker dies, one injured in Third Mainland bridge auto accident

BY BOSE ADELAJA

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AGOS — ONE person was feared dead while another was critically injured, yesterday, during a lone accident involving a Sports Utility Vehicle, SUV, on the Third Mainland bridge in Lagos at about 10.25 a.m.

According to an eye witness, the vehicle belonging to Access Bank, was heading towards Iyana-Oworo from Lagos Island. It had a tyre burst while on high speed. It tumbled and landed on the median. Its driver died on the spot while a female passenger was critically injured and taken to General Hospital, Gbagada.

At press time, the condition of the victim was yet to be ascertained.

An official of Federal Road

Scene of the accident, yesterday.

Safety Commission,FRSC, was able to provide succour to the victim as she was later taken to the hospital in a private car.

A law enforcement agent who pleaded anonymity attributed the incident to over-speeding on the part of the deceased.

According to him, "the road was very free, so the deceased took advantage of the situation and drove on a high speed and could not control the vehicle.

Before anyone knew what was happening, he tumbled and landed on the median and died

Ogun community protests herdsmen’s killing of 4 kinsmen

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA — HUNDREDS of people of Ketu constituency in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, yesterday, protested over alleged killing of four of their kinsmen by Fulani herdsmen.

The protesters, under the aegis of the coalition of socio-cultural groups, are of the opinion that “the state is sitting on a keg of gun powder due to government’s failure to decisively address the unabated killing going on in Ketu Constituency.

“We are helpless, hence our appeal to Governor Ibikunle Amosun.”

The protesters, who are members of Ketu Advancement Front, KAF; Ketu Alliance, KA

and Peoples Assembly, PA, called on the governor to speedily constitute implementation committee as contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 among the Ketu people, the state government and Fulani herdsmen in the state.

Speaking on behalf of the groups, the spokesperson, Ranti Ogunsola, said: “We recall that while the MoU was being signed on December 17, 2013, the herdsmen were on killing expedition in Ketu.

“We drew government's attention to this and requested the herdsmen’s exit before signing the document to allow for the control of their arms but government felt otherwise.

“We reluctantly signed the

A man defying warning against indiscriminate dumping of refuse at the fence of Queen's College at Onike, Sabo area of Yaba in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN.

document hoping that the implementation committee jointly agreed upon would be empowered to work quickly.

“Since October 2013, majority of the people have abandoned their farms with the hope that government would intervene decisively to create conducive atmosphere required for them to go back to the farms where they earn their living.

“We regret to note that since the signing of the MoU government has gone to sleep over the issue while the herdsmen continue to kill and maim our people.”

Their statement was signed by Messrs Ranti Ogunsola for KA, Kunle Abiose for KAF and Lasisi Jelili for PA. According to the statement, “On December 17, 2013, four Ketu people were shot by the herdsmen. Of the four, one Alade Eyo died on the spot while one Bondu Oladeyo died the following day.

“This was beside the five-yearold Ajimoh Adisa who was gruesomely murdered in her father’s farm on December 2, 2013.

“On December 6, 2014, one Fasola Simon was hacked down and shot dead on his farm.

“We are taken aback that the government is still foot dragging on the implementation of the MoU despite our reporting all these incidents to appropriate quarters.

“We can further recall that between 2000 and 2012, 23 people were sent to their early grave by the herdsmen in gruesome manners. The waiting is becoming endless with hunger ravaging our land."

on the spot. Also, his passenger was critically injured and taken to hospital."

Gunmen abduct monarch’s mother, grand daughter in Bayelsa

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA — UNKNOWN gunmen have reportedly kidnapped the mother of the paramount ruler of the coastal town of Agrisaba in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and her grand daughter.

The woman, identified as Mrs. Ikhiogha Walter, aged 74 and her grand daughter, Miss Yellow Tamuno Joseph were abducted Sunday at about 6.30 a.m.

She is mother to the Obanema of Agrisaba, HRH, M.S. Walter Agiri, who was appointed some months back in the wake of the chieftaincy tussle that rocked the community.

It was reliably learnt that the kidnappers were masked and stormed the community in two boats.

“We learnt that the gunmen came in two boats and approached the aged royal mother to inquire on how permission could be obtained before the flag of the umbrella body of Ijaw youths council could be hoisted in the community,” a source said.

It was gathered that immediately the woman identified herself and tried to seek one of her details to assist the visitors, she was abducted.

“The grand daughter suspecting that the masked men were up to no good, tried to alert the people but was abducted,” the source added.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—7

Ibadan poly part-time student commits suicide A

BEOKUTA — A PARTTIME student of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, Timilehin Ayobami Ogundare, has been found dead in his room in Ilupeju area, Baasala, Asero, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He was believed to have committed suicide by hanging himself.

According to PM News, the deceased was also a computer operator with a firm in Abeokuta before his death.

A family source who pleaded anonymity said the deceased tried to kill himself last year but was stopped by some people.

The relation revealed that the deceased was arrested by some security guards and handed over to men of the state vigilance service when he attempted to jump into River Ogun. He was later released.

He attempted to jump into River Ogun “The whole issue is still like a drama because I don’t know what could have made him decide to take his life. We have been looking for him since January 1. Later, we heard that he went to Lagos.

He boarded a train from Lagos back to Abeokuta on Saturday and came down at Lafenwa. He trekked from the station through Enu Gada area to Ajitaadun down to Arakanga area with the aim of jumping into the river.

“He was arrested by the security men in the area when they saw him wandering with only his boxer pant on. They handed him over to the vigilante men at Oke Ilewo for further investigation.

"We went there to collect him and we were told to come back with him yesterday. On getting to his room, we found out that he had hanged himself. He left a short note, apologising that he disappointed us,” the source narrated in tears.

When the spokesman of the Ogun State Vigilante Service, Mr. Soji Ganzallo, was contacted, he confirmed the incident and expressed shock at the boy’s death.

The family was careless

The late Timilehin Ayobami Ogundare

“It is unfortunate that what we tried to prevent eventually happened. They (family) were careless with the way they handled the boy. If the boy had been properly monitored, this sad incident wouldn’t have happened. We got a distress call on Saturday by local security men around Arakanga that a boy was trying to commit suicide by trying to jump into the river. Our men rushed to the area and took the boy to our office.

“In the course of questioning him, he confirmed to us that he left home for Lagos on New Year day but did not tell us where and who he went to meet in Lagos.

When we asked about his phone, he said he had no phone but only his SIM card was with him.

“Sensing that his parents will be looking for him, I directed that his SIM card be inserted into a phone, hoping that someone will call his line,” Ganzallo said.

The vigilante spokesman revealed further that not long after the SIM card was inserted into the phone, several calls came in.

Ganzallo said: “We discovered that those calls were from his mother, sister and a pastor. The pastor later called back and demanded to stand as surety for his bail. We agreed.

“The man of God arrived with the boy’s mother and some relatives. The pastor’s name is Wole Oyenekan and he gave his address as Egba Inner Circle Building, Abiola Way, Abeokuta.

“We questioned the boy but from what I was able to gather, the boy was determined not to tell anybody his problem. The pastor pleaded with me to hand him over to him. I initially disagreed but after much persuasions and assurance that they will monitor him, I released him to them and asked them to come back on Sun-

day.

“I was shocked when I heard the news that the boy eventually carried out his mission.”

He refused to go to church on Sunday Another source disclosed that the teenager perfected his suicide by refusing to go to church on Sunday, feigning illness.

According to the source, “I remember that he told the pastor while coming from the vigilante’s office that he needed some money to pay for his school fees and the pastor told him to see him on Sunday after church service. After the breakfast, he said he was not feeling well and begged to be allowed to stay back, which was granted.

“After the church service, he joined other family members to eat the lunch around 4 p.m. After the food, he went into his room and no one bothered to know what he was doing until around 8p.m. when we were looking for him.

"When we forced his door opened, we met his lifeless body.

He hanged himself with his belt.

We went to the Obantoko Police Station to report the matter and the police arrived around 11.45 p.m. and removed his corpse to the mortuary,” he stated.

How 18-yr-old boy killed girl, 12, for money ritual

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

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AGOS — THE police in Lagos State, yesterday, said they have arrested an 18-year-old boy, Ikechukwu Friday, who allegedly killed a 12-year-old girl for money ritual.

The suspect, who is currently being interrogated at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, was paraded before newsmen.

According to him, a pastor he asked for money instructed him to kill a young girl and obtain her faeces.

He said the pastor promised him N100,000 if he was able to accomplish the task.

According to him, “I attend a

Street urchins fighting at Mile 2 Oke, Lagos State, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Ikechukwu Friday, the suspect popular church around Ketu Street, Aguda but I live with my parents in Badagry. I just finished secondary school and I have been very broke so I approached the pastor for money but he told me that I should strangulate a little girl.

“He said when strangulating the girl, she would pass out faeces. The pastor said I should obtain the faeces and bring it to him.

He said if I could do this, he would give me N100,000.

“So, on December 30, 2013, I approached a young girl, Bose Ogoja. Her mother sells food in Badagry and I usually patronise

them, so she trusted me. I told the girl that I wanted to show her something and that she should follow me. So I took her to an abandoned NITEL building and locked the door.

“I pressed her neck tightly and she passed out faeces. I was, however, not able to get the faeces because I was caught before I could escape.”

The suspect, an indigene of Onitsha, Anambra State, pleaded for mercy, adding that this was his first crime.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the boy was arrested by neighbours in the area and handed over to the Badagry Police Division.

Braide said the pastor, who allegedly gave the boy the instruction, had been arrested and was already cooperating with the police.

While displaying the gruesome picture of the slain girl, Braide said: “He was arrested in an uncompleted building. The security guard manning the building told the police that he saw the boy entering the building with the girl.

“He said a few minutes later, he heard the girl screaming and later saw the boy leaving. The security guard raised the alarm and the neighbours were alerted and they arrested the boy."

Defendant's absence stalls trial of N37m fraud case

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS —THE trial of one Alhaji Ishola Salaudeen, who allegedly defrauded over 100 prospective tenants of N37 million, was stalled as the court was informed that the defendant was in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. At the resumed hearing, counsel to the defendant, Oladele, told Magistrate Demi Ajayi that the defendant was absent from court as he was in EFCC’s custody and that he had not been able to see him.

Ajayi ordered the prosecutor, Osuyi, to go to EFCC and find out why they did not produce the defendant in court.

He was also asked to ensure that he was produced on the next adjourned date of January 20, 2014.

Oladele also told the magistrate that the complainant did not have confidence in the court because they took the case to EFCC. The magistrate said the complaints had every right to both civil and criminal cases, stating that the counsel does not have the right to speak for them.

19-yr-old sales rep docked for theft

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BY CHINYERE ABIAZIEM

AGOS — A 19-YEAROLD sales representative, Gambo Uman, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate's court for allegedly stealing 264 cartons ofJago Delight Milk worth N500,000.

The defendant, who was docked before Magistrate Sule Hamsat, is facing a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing, preferred against him by the police.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Roman Unigbe, told the court that the defendant and others at large committed the alleged offence on January 6, 2014, at about 3 p.m.

He said the defendant stole cartons of the milk, at 28, Shaibu Street, in Agege area of the state.

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

57 House committee chairmen face sack

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

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BUJA—CHAIRMEN of 57 of the 89 standing committees of the House of Representatives, stand the risk of losing their positions following allegations of laxity, including failure to submit reports on the pace of budget implementation in their oversight Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs. The slacking committees which represent 64 percent of all committees in the House, according to Vanguard investigations, could be slammed

by Speaker Aminu Tambuwal for non-performance in their legislative duties.

Sources close to the House leadership told Vanguard that the 57 committees failed to submit their reports despite repeated warnings in the public and in private and by their action constituting a clog in the avowed stance of the House to put the 2014 budget under proper scrutiny.

Leading figures in the House of Representatives including the presumptive Majority Leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamalia, have pledged to put the 2014 budget proposals of the Federal Government under thorough scrutiny using the performance of the 2013 budget as a yardstick.

However, some associates of Speaker Tambuwal while lamenting frustrations arising from the failure of the 57 committee chairmen to properly file their reports were careful to push for the removal of the chairmen in the face of the imminent shakeup in the House leadership and the nearness of the 2015 general election.

Vanguard sources in the House disclosed that as at yesterday only 57 of the standing committees of the House had submitted their reports to the Committee on Business and Rules.

A source privy to the frustration of the House leadership said the leadership would not tolerate such acts of negligence again.

“Yes in the past things were treated with kid gloves but in this last phase of the 7th Assembly, Tambuwal may use iron fists to achieve results because his reputation is at stake.”

He explained that “things may take a different shape if he sanctions the committees but if nothing is done, this is the year preceding election and by June you will no longer see lawmakers here."

Angry reactions trail Clark's letter to Obasanjo

BY SONI DANIEL, CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, DAPO AKINREFON, CHARLES KUMOLU, JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

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HE open letter of Elderstates man and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, opened a can of worms in the polity. Eminent Nigerians who reacted to the 10-page letter expressed mixed feelings. While some welcomed the letter others said it was not necessary. There were also those who berated Obasanjo for opening the flood gates of exchange of letters, which they argued portended grave danger for the polity.

In the letter, Clark lampooned Obasanjo over his 18-page letter to President Goodluck Jonathan where he accused the president of being clannish, lying over his reelection ambition, training snipers and listing 1,000 political opponents to be dealt with. Countering, Clark called Obasanjo a liar, hypocrite, unrepentant trouble maker, saying that the Jonathan Administration was not pro-Ijaw.

Third Republic Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife said: ‘’Anyone who writes should be very sure of what he writes on national issues. It should involve going down memory lane to bring out relevant facts. That is what I think Edwin Clark has done. As a leader of the Ijaw people, he has no choice than to speak out when the Ijaws were mentioned in a manner that he did not find comfortable. He is only trying to put out the fire, since Obasanjo accused the President of being held hostage by his people. It is not good for us to be allowing anybody to be throwing darts at the nation. Such an

act reduces the presidency. Not replying Obasanjo will mean an insult to President Jonathan.

It’s time to unmask Obasanjo — Afenifere

Also commenting on the letter, Afenifere’s Spokesman, Mr Yinka Odumakin, commended Clark for writing the letter and blamed Obasanjo for the unending saga of open letters..

He said: “Obasanjo opened the flood gate of letter writing and he should know that he is not the only one who has a pen in Nigeria. Others who are knowledgeable about the affairs of Nigeria like him are definitely going to comment. I have

read through the letter by Chief E.K Clark and I think he has served Obasanjo good measures. I think the time has come for Obasanjo to be unravelled and for him to know who he really is. I give kudos to Clark for that wonderful letter.”

Clark’s letter is welcome –Falae

Former Finance Minister and presidential candidate, Chief Olu Falae said: “This is a democracy. If anything is topical, everybody should be free to comment on it.

There should be no hide and seek about such matters. If it is topical Continues on page 48

Call Clark to order – Junaid Mohammed

Northern political commentator, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, yesterday, asked President Goocluck Jonathan to call Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark to order before he plunges the nation into chaos with incendiary language.

Mohammed, who was reacting to the open letter addressed to Obasanjo by Clark, noted with dismay the attempt by Clark to usurp the power of the presidency and act as if he was Nigeria’s President.

According to the Second Republic federal lawmaker, Clark has no locus standi whatsoever to write the letter to Obasanjo since the former head of state did not address his letter to him.

“Obasanjo raised relevant national issues in his letter to Jonathan and did not send it to Clark or made reference to the Ijaw leader.

If I may ask, on what basis did Clark write to Obasanjo?

“I find it extremely irresponsible and unbecoming of the likes of Clark to take it upon themselves to insult international leaders like Obasanjo for offering some pieces of advice that Jonathan should have taken quietly with humility and thanked the former president for his admonition,” Mohammed said, adding, “the letter written by Clark to Obasanjo exposes the weakness of President Jonathan’s Presidency and calls to question whether the president or proxies are in charge of the administration.”

Clark has right to defend Ijaw — Ezeife

SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING— From left: Political Coordinator, Permanent Mission of Nigeria, Mr Kayode Laro; Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Joy Ogwu, and Mr Martin Adamu of the Per manent Mission, after the U.N. Security Council meeting in New York on Monday. Photo: NAN.

Semi-nude women protest against Shell in Bayelsa

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ENAGOA—HUNDREDS of half-naked women in Peremabiri community in Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, yesterday, staged a protest against non-implementation of an existing agreement by Shell.

The women disrupted movement of workers into the oil platforms and boat houses operated by Shell in the area, alleging non-implementation of the memorandum of understanding Shell entered into with the community.

The protesting women tied red cloth to block the entrance to the oil platform located within the community.

They further alleged that Shell had failed to redeem the two-year-old promise to replace a faulty community gen-

erator, renovate existing community school and provide potable water for its host community.

Some of the women carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Shell: Give us Light”, “Implement MoU or go”, “We need water, Light, School for our children” among others.

The protesters claimed that the oil firm had adopted delay tactics to avoid providing the amenities which they said were time-bound.

Reacting to the development, the spokesman for Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, Precious Okolobo, urged the aggrieved women to adopt the spelt-out channel of addressing their grievances.

“The SPDC has continued to

work with the Peremabiri community on the implementation of the MoU in their area. The MoU model has provision for addressing grievances.”

On the broken down generator at Peremabiri, Okolobo said SPDC procured a new set that is being transported to the area for installation and commissioning.

He said the set was twice the capacity of the bad one, and would be commissioned as soon as possible.

“The Bayelsa State Government and MoU Cluster Development Board are aware of the situation and are engaging the Community Development Committee,” Okolobo said.

Nigeria is one of the world’s major oil producers, but the oil- producing Niger Delta region remains one of the country’s poorest and least developed regions.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—9

External reserves fall by $301m as Naira loses 2 kobo

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

T

HE nation’s external re serves continued its downward trend as it fell by $301 million to $43.31 billion from $43.61 billion in the first six days of 2014.

Meanwhile, the naira depreciated marginally by two kobo at the first foreign exchange auction conducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, this year.

Data from the website of the apex bank showed that the external reserves fell consistently from $43.610 billion on December 31, 2013, to $43,308 billion on Monday January 6, 2014. This indicated a decline of 0.6 per cent decline.

Last year, the external reserves rose from $45.98 billion in January to a peak of $48.85 billion before falling steadily to $43.61 in December.

Results of the Retail Dutch Auction System, RDAS, session conducted by CBN yesterday, showed that the official exchange rate rose slightly to N155.72 per dollar from N155.70 at the last session held December 16 2013.

The depreciation was despite the $349.86 million at the auction, up from $399.98 million sold in the last auction of 2013.

This indicates depreciation of two kobo.

The naira also depreciated at the interbank foreign exchange market by 39 kobo as the interbank exchange rate rose to N159.8 per dollar from N159.41 on Friday last week.

The naira, however, appreciated by 300 kobo at the parallel market from N173 per dollar to N170 per dollar.

In 2013, the official exchange rate was relatively stable throughout the year, but the interbank market exchange rate rose and fell in reflection of demand situation in the market.

From N158.84 per dollar at the beginning of the year, the interbank exchange rate rose by 3.2 per cent to its peak of N163.11 per dollar at the end of August.

It, however, fell by 1.9 per cent to close the year at N159.96 per dollar. The parallel market exchange rate however rose persistently during the year from N159 per dollar in January to a peak of N173 per dollar December 31, indicating depreciation of N13.

Reflecting the increased demand for foreign exchange, foreign exchange sales at the Wholesale Dutch auction System (WDAS) for the year rose to $25.37 billion, up by 32.9 per cent from $19.1 billion sold

in 2012. From $3.88 billion in the first quarter, foreign ex-

change sale rose by 70 per cent to $6.62 billion. In the

third quarter, it rose again by 22 per cent to $8.09 billion.

EFCC earmarks N284m to pr osecut e prosecut osecute 17 e x-go vs ex-go x-govs

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THANKSGIVING— From left: Founder of First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Otunba (Dr.) Michael Olasubomi Balogun; the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr.) Sikir u Adetona, wife of Otunba Balogun, Olori Abimbola Balogun and former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel at the annual thanksgiving organised by Otunba Balogun at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, yesterday. Photo: Akeem Salau.

PDP tto o APC: Purge yyour our self of e vil ourself evil machinations

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA—THE ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, urged members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to purge themselves of what it described as their "evil machinations," against the country.

It said that the APC was promoting violence, divisions and blood-letting across the country, adding that these were designed to make the people lose faith in the Nigerian project as well as set the ground for what it described as massive mayhem, blood-letting and ultimate balkanization of the country.

The party, however, pleaded with Nigerians to always defend the unity of the country.

In a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party said, “Now that an Islamic cleric, Ambassador Yusuf Garba and the Religious Equity Promotion Council, REPC, have exposed the evil plot by the APC to balkanize our nation along religious lines by imposing an Islamic agenda just like the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, the PDP wishes to make it manifest to all Nigerians to stand up and resist this evil machination by enemies of our dear country.

"This revelation which came even from Muslims goes to vindicate the PDP and confirm our earlier stand that the APC is a par-

ty of blood thirsty, religious and ethnic bigots averse to the unity of the country and the peaceful co-existence of our people.

"This explains the reason the APC has been promoting violence, divisions and blood-letting across the country; which are all aimed at making the people lose faith in the Nigerian project; set the ground for massive mayhem, blood-letting and ultimately bal-

kanize our country.

"Nigerians are now no longer at a loss on the real reason the APC has been desperate to hold power. They now know why they have been moving round the country organising protests and investing in planting seeds of discord and disagreements among the people using their stock-intrade of propaganda, deceit, falsehood and doomsday prophesies."

HE Economic and Fi nancial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has budgeted N284.6 million for the prosecution of 17 former governors, who allegedly looted their states’ treasuries to account for their misdeeds, not N284 billion as erroneously reported yesterday.

The former governors being prosecuted include, Orji Kalu, Chimaroke Nnamadi, Attahiru Bafarawa, Adamu Abdullahi, Boni Haruna, Jolly Nyame, Michael Botmang, Saminu Turaki, Joshua Dariye, Ayo Fayose, Danjuma Goje, Akwe Doma, Adebayo Alao-Akala, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Timipre Sylva and Rashidi Ladoja.

The country lost at least N350 billion to fraud allegedly committed by the accused persons and their cronies.

The Acting Head of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed to Vanguard that efforts were being intensified to ensure the early prosecution and conclusion of the cases, pointing out that it was wrong by the public to hastily conclude that the commission had abandoned the cases.

He said that criminal cases were not time barred.

“The cases mentioned are being pursued accordingly and we hope to make serious progress on them this year,” Uwujaren said.

Share scam: Lo w clients turnout ffor or transaction Low at Sterling Registrar

BY PETER EGWUATU & NKIRUKA NNOROM

F

OLLOWING the sanction imposed on Sterling Registrar Limited by the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, over unlawful allotment of Japaul Oil & Maritime Services Plc’s shares, few clients were seen at the premises of the company transacting business with the registrar.

A visit to the head office of Sterling Registrar in Lagos by Vanguard, yesterday, showed that few clients were being attended to by some staff as opposed to the usual large crowd experienced in the past.

When Vanguard approached the Sterling Registrar office to speak with the Registrar over the cancellation of the company’s reg-

istration and other sanctions imposed on two staff of the company by the commission, a staff who does not want her name mentioned said “The Registrar is not available now and there is no other person that can speak with you on this development. You can check back tomorrow same time (1pm) to see if he would be around.”

The two elderly shareholders that were seen at the reception of Sterling Registrar as at 1pm when Vanguard visited said that they were not aware of any sanction imposed by the SEC on the company. According to them “We only came to verify our signature.”

Recall that the Administrative Proceedings Committee, APC, of the SEC on Monday cancelled the registration of Sterling Reg-

istrar Limited, a subsidiary of Sterling Bank Plc, for unlawful allotment of shares of Japaul Oil & Maritime Services Plc. The Commission also barred Kalstead Farms and five people, including staff of Sterling Registrar from engaging in capital market activities for specified period.

Furthermore, it imposed N5 million fines on Sterling Registrar and ordered it to pay N5,000 from the day of the illegal allotment (May 6, 2008) to the date the decision was made, even as the case has been referred to law enforcement for action.

SEC also said that 1st Respondent ( Sterling Registrar) issued questionable return money warrants of N445, 867.71 and N791, 447.32 respectively to Mr. Akin Ekundayo and Aina Folasade.

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Money laundering: Olanipekun takes over Kuforiji, aide’s case

BY INNOCENT ANABA

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AGOS — FURTHER hearing in the case involving the Speaker of State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, was, yesterday, further adjourned, following the takeover of the defence by a new counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN. Ikuforiji is standing trial along with his personal assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi, on an amended 54 count charge bordering on money laundering.

Trial in the matter could not continue, as Olanipekun announced his appearance as the new defence counsel, informing the court that he was taking over from Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, Ikuforiji’s

former counsel.

He told the court that he needed more time to get acquainted with the case files.

“My lord, when a new counsel comes into a case it is natural for him to study the files and know the parties.

Criminal trial is a serious business and I must say that I am faced with a ‘mountain

of documents’ to peruse, some of which were just served on us yesterday.

"In this circumstance, I have no alternative but to seek an adjournment to enable me to study the files.”

The prosecutor, however, did not object to Olanipekun’s request for an adjournment.

Trial judge, Justice Ibrahim

Engineer, seaman die as bulk carrier, tanker collide in Lagos waters

BY GODWIN ORITSE

T

RAGEDY STRUCK four days to Christmas in the waters off Lagos shores as a

30,000 tonnes deadweight bulk carrier, MV Niki C, ran into a small 940-tonne selfpropelled tanker barge, MT Charon, sinking the barge

Folorunso Alakija for Governor of Lagos state 2015 posters, yesterday, at Lagos State secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Displaced traders alloted stores in new Oshodi market

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

THE popular, Isopakodowo Market located within the Oshodi area, reconstructed by the Lagos State government was, yesterday, handed over to traders affected by its reconstruction.

Thousands of traders at former Oshodi Market were displaced on January 2, 2009, on the order of Governor Babatunde Fashola when he started the re-engineering of Oshodi.

The new market has 571 shops, including stalls for saw millers and electronics shops.

Handing over the reconstructed market to beneficiaries, Fashola, who maintained that his administration would continue to make the lives of citizens better, declared that trading has been a foremost activity of the people from

Buba, in a short ruling, adjourned the case to March 17 and 18. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, re-arraigned the defendants on June 24, 2013 on the amended charges.

Both Ikuforiji and Atoyebi had pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail in the sum of N1 billion with two sureties in the sum of N500 million each .

which over 50 per cent of the economy of the state comes.

Earlier in his address, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, stated that the market is equipped with fire fighting equipment, 22 toilets, 54

CCTV cameras, two stand-by generators and a bore-hole.

He added the provision of the market by the state government was another signature of the government to develop every sphere of the state.

almost immediately and killing two seamen.

Liberian flagged MV Niki C, laden with wheat, was said to be on its way to Warri Port in Delta State when it over-ran the Togo-flagged barge with Nigerian sea-farers on board.

The Chief Engineer of the barge identified as Momoh Momodu and an AB (able seaman) named Blessing Odafe, lost their lives in the tragic accident, but seven other crew members of the small craft were fortunate to have survived with serious injuries. .

Vanguard gathered that for unknown reasons, the captain of the bulk carrier failed to report the accident to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, as a statutory requirement by Nigeria and international convention, until about four hours after.

Lawyer to Peter Best Marine Limited, owners of the sunken barge, Lawrence Oiseomoje of Marina Law Chambers, who confirmed the accident, said that apart from the loss of two lives, the seven remaining crew members also suffered severe injuries.

The deceased Chief Engineer, Momodu, he said, left behind two wives and five children including a three month old baby.

Pensioners task Lagos over unpaid gratuities

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AGOS — THE Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, Lagos State chapter, yesterday, urged the Lagos State government to address the problem of unpaid gratuities and allowances to its members.

The Chairman of the union, Mr. Nojeemdeen Ibrahim, said in Lagos, that “the issues should be given immediate attention.

“There are pensioners that

retired since 2006 from the local government councils and primary schools, they have not been paid their gratuities or allowances,’’ he said.

Ibrahim called on the Lagos State government to effect various increments in pensions that had not been implemented by the government. “There was an increase of 142 per cent by former President Olusegun

Obasanjo’s administration in 2000. The Lagos State Government refused to pay the money until the union went to court and won the case.

“The court ordered the government to pay us the arrears which was then six years in arrears.

“We were then paid three years. We are still waiting for the outstanding of three years which, we pray, will be paid very soon,’’ he said.

Auto crash claims 11 lives in PotiskumDamaturu Highway

BY NDAHI MARAMA

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AIDUGURI — A ghastly auto crash involving a Golf saloon car and a truck along Potiskum-Damaturu-Maiduguri federal highway yesterday claimed the lives of 11 passengers, while three others sustained serious injuries.

Those injured included a woman (name withheld) and her 16 year old female relative who was traveling with her from Calabar , Cross River State to Maiduguri to assist her in her business. The girl lost her two arms.

Eye witnesses said that the accident occurred on Monday at about 4pm, when the driver of the gulf car lost control in an attempt to overtake a truck heading towards Potiskum to Damaturu, adding that the vehicle later skipped off the road and plunged into a deep valley with the victims.

A relative of one of the injured victims, Miss Felicia Michika told Vanguard that the incident was terrible adding that she moved from Maiduguri to the scene to evacuate the Calabar woman with her relative who suffered spinal cord injuries.

"The woman who suffered spinal cord injury alongside her 16 year female relative is my business colleague, and when I heard about the incident involving her, I had no option than to move to the scene to offer assistance."

All effort to reach the authorities of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital proves abortive as at the time of going to press.

Resumption: Lagos private schools comply with govt directive

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AGOS — MOST pri vate primary and secondary schools in Lagos State are complying with the state government’s directive that public and private schools resume on January 13. They had proposed to re-open on January 6.

Many private schools in the state re opened before public schools last term.

The state ministry of Education has vowed to penalise schools that flouted the directive.

Vanguard, WEDNSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—11

Ogun transformation: Niger youths honour Amosun

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President, Nigeria Olympic Committee, Alhaji Sani Ndanusa (right), presenting torch of the 20th Commonwealth Games, Glasgow 2014, to Governor Babatunde Fashola, during the arrival of the Queen's baton relay, in Lagos, yesterday.

Aregbesola appoints Ajibola dispute committee’s boss zExplains his govt’s policy issues

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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SOGBO — OSUN State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday, appointed former judge of the World Court at The Hague, Justice Bola Ajibola (SAN) head of its Omoluabi Peace and Conflict Management Commission.

Governor Aregbesola in a special broadcast to mark the new year to the people of the state, said: “This is to be a standing commission where communal, religious, ethnic or other social disputes can be resolved by a body of respected elders from across Yorubaland and even other groups.”

He named Rev. Ladi Thompson, the Special Adviser

to the President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, as the commission's executive secretary.

Aregbesola also allayed the fears of proprietors of missionary schools in the state that the ongoing education reform policy of his government will affect them positively, saying their fears were unfounded.

He noted that only an irresponsible person will attempt to rubbish or remove the legacy of missionaries in education in the state and even in Nigeria.

His words: “I attended mission primary and secondary schools here in Western Nigeria and I proudly display that in my resume. But let me take us back into a bit of

our fairly recent history.

Everyone knows that mission schools were taken over by the government of the Western State almost 38 years ago.

“This means that since 1975, all mission schools were owned, funded and run by government.

But the succeeding state governments ensured that the names of the schools were not changed, in order to maintain the legacies of the founding missionaries.

“Therefore, as we rebuild the schools and expand their facilities, we also have not and will not tamper with their names.

We believe that the missions and missionaries, who founded the schools, must be immortalised by retaining the names of the schools. For example, one of the completed middle schools in

Osogbo is the Salvation Army Middle School at Alekuwodo.

“I am also aware of the agitation of some missions to have schools returned to them.

Although, as I have said before, the schools have been owned by governments since 1975, our administration is not foreclosing the prospect of returning some of the schools upon the completion of our new schools.

“I wish to emphasise that this process can only begin upon completion of the schools we are currently and aggressively building all over the state.

"The process of return of schools must be well planned and executed because of the various implications, especially the fact that their ownership had changed almost four decades ago.

Aderemi, two day governor in Ekiti State dies at 74

BY GBENGAARIYIBI

ADO EKITI — CHIEF Friday Aderemi, former acting governor in Ekiti State and former Speaker

of the State House of Assembly, is dead.

He became the shortest serving governor of the state, having spent just two days in the Government House after the impeachment of Mr. Ayo Fayose as the governor of the state in October, 16, 2006.

Aderemi, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, was equally elected into the old Ondo State House of Assembly in 1993 before military incursion that year.

The late politician died at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti yesterday at age 74.

Meantime, the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has expressed regrets at the death of the former acting governor.

Chief Aderemi was until his death, Chairman of the Ekiti State Education Trust Fund.

Fayemi in a statement,

said the late Chef Aderemi served the Ekiti State diligently in various capacities and c o n t r i b u t e d immensely to the development of the state.

The governor noted that Aderemi who also served as Speaker of the State House of Assembly before becoming acting governor, presided over a historic state

parliament that protected the interest of the people of the state during a trying period.

He said Aderemi’s death has robbed the state of a great leader who could be looked up to by younger generation in nation b u i l d i n g , peacemaking, conflict management and building strong institutions that will stand the test of time.

Mrs. Eunice Ogunjobi is dead

Mrs. Eunice Ogunjobi has passed on, at the age of 84 in a Lagos private hospital.

She is survived by six children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Final arrangements for her interment in Ibadan will be announced later.

Late Ogunjobi

OUTHS UNDER the umbrella of the Niger State Youth Organisation, have honoured governor Ibikunle Amosun with a horse gift.

Presenting the horse to the governor in Abeokuta, President of the organisation, Abubakar Danusa said the group acknowledged the excellent leadership in the state.

He hailed the performance of the government in infrastructure development, education, health and agriculture.

He added that Amosun government had been able to provide a conducive climate for economic activities in Ogun State within two and half years in office.

Danusa, who noted that the capital city, Abeokuta, had been transformed, said: “I can’t find a single one lane road here again.

All the roads are being dualised within the very short period of your leadership.”

Lawmakers hide after suspending LG Chairman in Ogun

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA — NINE lawmakers in Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, yesterday, went into hiding after suspending the council Chairman Tajudeen Ayilara for allegedly misappropriating the Council funds.

The atmosphere was tensed immediately the nine lawmakers out of 10 passed vote of no confidence on the Chairman who was accused of reckless spending of the council fund without the approval of the legislative house.

The lawmakers led by the leader , Hon, Abdul Wasiu after their first sitting this year at the council secretariat, announced the suspension of the council Chairman, claiming that the Chairman was not transparent in the spending of the council fund.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Wike never faulted Presidency on execution of UNEP report —ABUEH

Edo NMA issues 21-day ultimatum to state govt

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS South-East Senatorial Youth Platform, has dismissed as untrue, report in some national newspapers that the Supervising Minister for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, at the last Ogoni Day celebration in Bori, Rivers State, lashed at President Goodluck Jonathan for delaying the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, report on Ogoniland.

Chairman of the body, Mr Liberty Abueh, in a statement, said the minister, who was represented at the event

by Dr Fred Kpakol, had only called for synergy among the various stakeholders on the implementation of the UNEP report.

“Dr Kpakol, who represented the minister called for unity among the Ogoni and appealed to all and sundry to work in synergy and not to pass any blame on the Presidency as the state, local government and multinational companies all have a role to play in the realisation of the clean up exercise.

So far, the Presidency had taken steps in the right direction by the formation of Hydrocarbon Pollution and Restoration Project, HYREP," he said.

....As PDP youths berate minister

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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EANWHILE, Peoples Democratic Party Youth Development Front, PDPYDF, has berated the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr Nyesom Wike, for criticising President Goodluck Jonathan over the seeming delay in the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, report on Ogoniland.

The group in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Tony Bode, said the Wike’s comment was unfortunate and embarrassing to a President, who has shown strong commitment to the clean-up of the Niger Delta environment.

He reminded the minister that the environmental challenges facing Ogoni and the Niger Delta region predates President Jonathan, whose administration ensured the conclusion of the report.

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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INSPECTION: From left: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Mr David Olukoga, Chairman, Edo State War Against Indiscipline and Mr. Orobosa Omo-Ojo, Commissioner for Transport, during the governor's inspection of New Benin Market, in Benin City, yesterday.

Stop looming labour unrest in Delta, JNPSNC tells Uduaghan

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA—NATIONAL leadership of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, has petitioned the Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, expressing worry over the growing tension in the state’s labour circle, warning that same could snowball into unrest, if the current impasse between the state chapter of the council and his Special Adviser on Labour, Mr. Mike Okeme, was not amicably resolved.

JNPSNC in the state, had reportedly split into two factions with one of the factions led by Mr. Tony Toki, believed to have the backing of the governor’s aide on Labour Relations that claimed to have sacked the incumbent chairman, Mr. Goodluck Ofobruku.

Addressing newsmen in Asaba, yesterday, the embattled chairman, Mr. Ofobruku, said that he had asked his lawyers to commence

legal action against some of the officers of the union, for alleged impersonation, by signing his purported impeachment last week.

A copy of the letter from the national body of the Council obtained by Vanguard, endorsed by its National Secretary, Mr Marcus Omokhuale, entitled Unnecessary meddlesomeness of Mike Okeme, Special Adviser (Labour Industrial Relations) and SERVICOM Delta State, said: “We at the national leadership of JNC find the attempt by Mike Okeme to force out the leadership of JNC in Delta State as unnecessary and an unwholesome interference in the machinery of industrial relations practice in the state.

“As a former labour leader, his action to destroy the spirit of democracy in the leadership of labour and introduce divide and rule tactics is unethical

and unpardonable. This calls for your Excellency’s intervention. The national leadership of JNC is, therefore, compelled to request that Okeme be called to order and cautioned against stirring up industrial unrest in Delta State.

“JNPSNC wishes to reiterate the sanctity of the election held in February 2013, under the leadership of Mr Goodluck Ofobruku. This clarification becomes pertinent in the light of the December 30, 2013 resolution purportedly reached by some members of JNC in Delta State inside Okeme’s office to the effect that the above executive committee is dissolved.”

Okeme, in his defence, denied meddling in the affairs of the council, saying, “this is not the first time they (JNC) would change leadership and I have always recognised the new ones once they come to familiarise themselves with me and my office.”

ENIN—EDO State chapter of Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, yesterday issued a 21-day ultimatum to the state government, alleging poor condition of service and paucity of doctors in the state government hospitals, or they would down tools.

The state government, however, described as unfair, the claim by NMA that it was neglecting the problems in the health sector, insisting that the administration was doing all it could to revamp the decay in the health sector which the administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole met when it came on board.

State chairman of NMA, Dr. Emmanuel Ighodaro, who addressed newsmen in Benin City, lamented that “despite all presentations by NMA and other stakeholders to the state government on the decay of health infrastructures, work place environment and poor condition of service, the government has not shown any convincing commitment at addressing the problems confronting the health sector."

Keyamo accuses Jonathan of disobeying court orders ...insists on sack of Service Chiefs

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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BUJA—LAGOS-BASED lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, yesterday, accused President Goodluck Jonathan of showing disrespect to the judiciary by his refusal to sack all the Service Chiefs despite a subsisting court judgment that directed him to do so.

In a letter to President Jonathan, he insisted that the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff were illegally appointed, stressing that “all official actions taken by them since July 1, 2013, when judgment was delivered, are null, void and of no effect in the eyes of the law.”

Consequently, he gave the President 14 days, from the receipt of the letter, to comply with the judgment of the Abuja Division of the Federal

High Court, or face legal action for contempt of court.

The letter was copied to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

It read: “Kindly recall that on July 1, 2013, I obtained a court judgment in the case of FESTUS KEYAMO Versus PRESIDENT & 4 ORS, delivered by Justice A. Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja wherein he declared that the appointments of Service Chiefs without the approval of both the Senate and the House of Representatives was null and void in line with Section 18(1) and (2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A20, Laws of the Federation of Niger-

ia, 2004.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I enclose herewith a copy of the judgment. Up till now, no appeal has been filed against that judgment. It goes without saying that all the present Service Chiefs namely: Lt-General Azubuike Ihejirika (Chief of Army Staff), Air Vice Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh (Chief of the Air Staff) and Rear Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba (Chief of Naval Staff), were all appointed without the confirmation of the National Assembly. Their appointments are therefore null and void ab initio.

“Your Excellencies, and Honourable Speaker may I, most respectfully, remind you that ours is a constitutional democracy founded on the rule of law and

not the rule of force.

“In fact, that is why the real intent of Section 18 of the Armed Forces Act is to subject the Armed Forces to civil authority.

“It is also pertinent to observe that neither the President nor the Service Chiefs are constitutionally superior to the National Assembly. As a result, the appointments of Service Chiefs, which are political appointments, cannot be different from other political appointments that require the confirmation of the National Assembly, e.g. the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Ministers of the Federation and Ambassadors."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—13

Rivers Assembly passes N485.524bn 2014 budget

Delta NLC lauds Uduaghan over bus donations

the 2014 budget of Rivers State outside the chambers of the state Assembly is criminal, illegal and cannot be allowed to stand. PDP will explore all legal means to stop the implementation of the controversial budget.”

Also, leader of the antiAmaechi lawmakers in the state Assembly, Evans Bipi, rejected the state’s 2014 budget as presented and passed, yesterday, saying that the budget imposed no duty of responsibility on Rivers people.

Reacting to the voices of dissent on the matter, Deputy Speaker of the House, Leyii Kwanee, challenged any aggrieved person or group to go to court to express such grievances lawfully.

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI FAAC, allocation to the states, as et. the country may not meet its proFollowing a voice vote in ORT HARCOURT—RIV- duction targets in 2014.” which all members present ERS State House of As- The funding of the budget, ac- said ‘ yes’ to its passage, sembly, yesterday, passed the cording to the governor, would Speaker of the House, OteleN485.52 billion 2014 state come from sources, including maba Dan Amachree, closed budget, after Governor Rotimi expected federal allocation of the sitting on the budget with Amaechi presented same to a N241.243 billionn, Internally the declaration, “The 2014 plenary of the House con- Generated Revenue expected to Budget of N485.524 billion vened at Government House, climb from N80 billion in 2013 to is hereby, approved and Port Harcourt, its first sitting N90.92 billion in the current year, passed into law.” since the July 2013 shut down a N100 billion proposed loans, of the House by the Police. and assets sales in excess of PDP faction rejects Presenting the budget pro- N35.500 billion and N9.984 bil- budget posals at the sitting, with the lion credit from World Bank SEEanti-Amaechi faction of the FOR/Ministry of Water ResourcMeanwhile, factional leadHouse conspicuously absent, es. ership of Rivers State chapthe governor said the 2014 Immediately after the gover- ter of Peoples Democratic budget was being proposed nor ’s exit, the House went into Party, PDP, which had after due consultation with rel- debate on the presented spend- warned against the sitting evant stakeholders within and ing proposals, during which the previous day, has faultoutside the state public serv- House members expressed sat- ed and rejected the budget. ice. isfaction with the appropriations Chairman of the state PDP, The governor explained: as presented as well as the per- Mr. Felix Obuah, said: “The “The focus of the budget will formance level of the last budg- presentation and passage of be on completing ongoing projects in the areas of health, education (with highest N30bn sector allocation), road, transport, power, water, agriculture and other critical infrastructure. The capital and recurrent provisions are N247.573bn and N237.95bn, respectively.

Our capital to recurrent ratio is 51-49 for the fiscal year 2014.

“In 2013, the country lost substantial revenue because of oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

Average production has been 2.3mbpd against 2.5mbpd projected in the 2013 budget. This affected revenue inflows. The projected budget revenues were not realised due to the significant production shortfall. With politics dominating in 2014, we are less likely to make progress in tracking oil theft. The expected dwindling GRASSROOTS EMPOWERMENT: From left: Senator (Obi) Nosike Ikpo, Chairman; Obi of oil revenue is likely to af- Amuwah and Bishop Uche Eluaka, duringg the PDP Oshimili South grassroots empowerfect the 2014 Federation Ac- ment programme. count Allocation Committee,

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Police accuse Chidi Lloyd of premeditated murder

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT—RIVERS State Police Command, yesterday, said preliminary investigation showed that Leader of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Chidi Lloyd, who was arrested recently for alleged killing of Police Sergeant Urang Obediah and one Kingsley Ejue, on December 30, last year, drove the vehicle that reportedly killed the two men.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Muhammad, in a statement, said that those claiming that the lawmaker did not drive the vehicle when the sad incident occurred do not have the fact of the issue.

He said: “The assertion that Chidi Lloyd was not the driver of the vehicle that killed the duo is not only a figment of

the imagination of those propagating this dark side of the story, but an after-thought, raised several hours after Chidi Lloyd had been arrested.”

He accused the lawmaker of premeditated murder, adding that the alleged way in which the lawmaker carried on after the incident reportedly gave him out.

According to the Police spokesman, attempts by some persons to smuggle the lawmaker through the back door of Kesley Harrison Hospital was reportedly aborted by security operatives, a situation he said, allegedly made Governor Rotimi Amaechi to rain abuses at the state Police Commissioner, Mr Joseph Mbu. “It was no surprising then that the attempt to smuggle Chidi Lloyd out of the state, as a first step to jetting him out of the country, which was thwarted by the Police, did not only take the governor by surprise, but infuri-

ated him to the extent that he lost the sense of decorum by publicly addressing the Commissioner of Police as a ‘mad, irresponsible and rude man.’ It did not end there as he went ahead to put a call to the Inspector General of Police, describing the state Commissioner of Police in the same vein.”

Meantime, when contacted for comment, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr. Tony Okocha, said it was not true that the governor arranged to smuggle the lawmaker out of the hospital, adding that the lawmaker was allegedly discharged from the hospital before he was arrested at his residence.

He faulted the assertion of the Police on the matter, adding that the lawmaker was not even the one that drove

the said vehicle that allegedly killed the two men.

ELTA State Council of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has commended the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, for donating 10 buses to the organised labour in the state.

Speaking in War ri, NLC Chairman, Mr. Williams Akporeha, said that the governor has again demonstrated an enduring love for the state workforce through his laudable gesture.

Noting the friendly disposition of Uduaghan’s administration to the organised labour and public servants in the state, he said that same will continue to encourage industrial harmony in the state.

“Our governor has demonstrated on various occasions that he is workers friendly. From prompt payment of salaries to training of workers among other numerous pragrammes and packages, he has continued to show exemplary leadership.

“The recent donation of 10 buses to labour in the state has once again placed the governor as a quintessential leader, who understands the feelings of the workforce and has continued to attend to them in a more friendly disposition than any governor in the country,” he said.

He commended the governor for the payment of the retirement benefits of retired civil servants in the state in fulfillment of the promise made earlier.

Iyetade Soyinka's funeral begins

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URIAL rites for Ms. Iyetade Soyinka, who died after a brief illness at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, on December 28, 2013, begin with a service of songs tomorrow, at Penton Rise, Atinuke Hall (former Palm Chemist), Oshuntokun Avenue, Old Bodija, Ibadan.

She will be laid to rest on Friday, in Ibadan, after funeral service at the Chapel of Resurrection, University of Ibadan at 11am.

Yetade was born on June 6,1965 to Professor Wole Soyinka and Mrs Olayide Soyinka, in Ibadan, Oyo State and attended the Staff

School, U.I, and Queens School, Ibadan. She commenced her studies at the University of Ibadan, but eventually moved to England, where she abandoned the sciences and switched to the world of theater arts, culture and writing.

On her return to Nigeria, she spent the last decade in Ibadan, raising her two children.

Yetade was a poet and performing artiste, who embraced the interior shores of life with an unusual depth of perception, courage and understanding. Her volume of poetry, Stars, Fill My Skies, was scheduled for release at the end of 2013.

14-Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Ohanaeze sets up confab c’ttees

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BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—THE apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has set up a planning and strategy committee on the proposed national conference with Professor Anya O. Anya as chairman.

President General of the organisation, chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, who announced this last weekend at the Ime Obi meeting, said the committee would on its own co-opt other members.

He also announced the setting up of its finance committee, adding that a colloquium towards the harmonisation of Igbo position would hold between March 10 and 13 this year.

According to EnwoIgariwey, the aim of the formation of the committees is to close ranks to speak with one voice as that has been the problem bedeviling the Igbo.

While urging Ndigbo and all Nigerians to pray for a successful outing at the confab, the Ohanaeze President regretted that “some of our people do not want the conference.”

Such people, he said, were opposed to the creation of zones and only wanted states.

First Republic politician, Mbazulike Amaechi, who was appointed chairman of the committee on reparation, complained that since May 31, 2013, when the committee was formed, the presidentgeneral had refused to inaugurate the committee.

Amaechi informed the meeting that he spent time and money to compile and articulate all the “massacre of Ndigbo in the North from 1953 in Kano to those of Asaba and recent ones.”

He asked for a reversal of the decision, if the president-general was no longer interested in the reparation demand from the Federal Government.

But the Ohanaeze president said the complaint would be treated in the next meeting.

INAUGURATION: From left: Deputy governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the November 16 election in Anambra State, Chief Ralph Okeke, Senator Chris Ngige, Director-General, Ngige Campaign Organisation, Chief George Muoghalu, and Mr. Tony Muonagor, at the inauguration of the state Interim Executive Committee of APC in Awka, yesterday. NAN Photo.

Anambra LG polls ’ll be free, fair —OBI zAs election holds Saturday

BY VINCENT UJUMADU WKA—AS Anambra State local government election draws nearer, Governor Peter Obi yesterday assured that only the electorate would determine the winners.

Governor Obi’s assurance came on a day embattled former chairman of Anambra State Independent National Electoral Commission, ANSIEC, Professor Titus Eze, frowned on the decision of the commission to go ahead with the election on Saturday, reminding stakeholders and candidates to bear in mind that there was a battery of pending law suits against the exercise.

The governor, who spoke at Ojoto in Idemili South Local Government Area, during the campaign for the January 11, 2014, polls, said the election would be transparent, free, fair and credible.

He enjoined supporters of his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to sustain effective and massive mobilisation of the people for the polls, insisting that the APGA-led government would not deviate from equitable distribution of democracy dividends across the state.

Meanwhile, embattled former chairman of Anambra State Independent National Electoral Commission, ANSIEC, Prof. Titus Eze, has frowned on the decision of the commission to go ahead with the local government election on Saturday, reminding stakeholders and candidates to bear in mind that there was a battery of pending law suits against the election.

Eze was removed by Anambra State House of Assembly over alleged financial malpractices and he subsequently went to court.

Addressing reporters in Awka, Eze also said the issue of the substantive chairman of the

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commission was still unresolved.

He said the legal norm was that no action would be taken to change the statusquo ante bellum as ruled by Justice Hope Ozoh of Anambra State High

Court on the matter last year, adding that the nation’s Constitution, Part 2 Section B, clearly specified that ANSIEC shall constitute of the chairman and other officers, who shall not be more than seven or less than

five; whose duties shall be to advise the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on the composition of the voters’ register which is to be used for the council election.

SSCE performance: Chime hails education sector reforms

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NUGU—GOVERNOR Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has said that his government’s reforms in the education sector manifested in the results of the 2013 Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations where 50.10 per cent of the candidates from the state passed with a minimum of five credits, including English and Mathematics.

Chime said this was an

improvement on the results of the students in 2012 when only 31.16 per cent passed the examination.

Speaking in Enugu, the governor said: ‘’The free basic education policy which covers children in primary and postprimary schools up to Junior Secondary School, JSS, III is another success story that we need to highlight. ‘’Available statistics show that

between 2012 and 2013, school enrolment rate in pre-primary and primary schools rose from 65 per cent to 85 per cent, thereby reducing drastically the number of out-of-school children. ‘’Deserving students received scholarship awards from the government this year while 2,000 orphans and vulnerable children received educational empowerment in collaboration with some non-governmental organisations.’’

Enang to defectors: Senate seats are for parties, not individuals

BY JOHNBOSCO

AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE B U J A — SENATORS planning to dump the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for All Progressives Congress, APC, may likely face a herculean task of retaining their seats, as they were voted on political party basis and not individual recognition.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, who made the observation in Abuja yesterday, also noted that the alleged planned defection of some PDP senators to APC would in no way affect legislative business in the senate.

Enang said: “Let me speak on the point of law; one, who

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contested the election, is it the political parties or the individuals? It is the political party. Who won the election? Is, it the political party or individual? It is the political party.

“Whose seat is it? Is it that of political party or individual? It is the political party and when you go to vote, do you see the name of individual candidate on the ballot paper? It is the name of the political party that is on the ballot paper and because we have not passed the law on the amendment that allows independent candidacy, independent candidates are not allowed in election.

“Therefore, if you came on the basis of political party and you want to leave, you are leaving the seat; you are

not leaving with the seat because it is the party that won the election, that is speaking on law. I am not talking of what will happen in the senate. So individual did not contest election.”

He stated that the threat by the aggrieved PDP senators to defect to APC would not affect the activities of the upper legislative chamber when it resumed next week.

According to him, the Senate is made up of “ responsible senators who are always interested in the unity and progress of the country.”

Enang said senators usually considered the interest of the country first before thinking of their various political affiliations.

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 —15

Strike: ASUP accuses FG of abandoning polytechnic education zAs strike enters seventh month

BY JOHNBOSCO

AGBAKWURU

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BUJA—ACADEMIC Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has alleged abandonment by the Federal Government as the strike declared by lecturers in the sub-sector enters its seventh month.

ASUP had gone on strike April 17, 2013, to press home demands for government’s proper funding of polytechnic education as well as address the disparity between the polytechnics and university graduates in the country.

ASUP president laments

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, National President of ASUP, Mr. Chibuzor Asomugha, lamented that the government was killing polytechnic education in Nigeria as several meetings held with government to ensure reopening of polytechnics yielded no fruits.

Asomugha argued that the lack of interest by government to implement its promises for polytechnics to be re-opened was a deliberate ploy to deny students of Polytechnics access to education.

Expressing concern that efforts to draw the attention of the Nigerian public might be given political colouration and union leaders branded as working for opposition political parties against the government, Asomugha appealed to all relevant stakeholders to intervene on behalf of the poor students who might not have somebody in government to speak for them.

Secretary and Minister of Labour to do the needful.

He said: “I am not going to be talking for government, we have been in this, they have given us promises, they have not been fulfilling them.

“The promises were simple things, we even had the understanding where they promised to implement within one week and it is more than four months now, everybody should reach government and let them tell Nigerians what are the problems. I cannot be speaking for government, what I know is that government is not doing any thing.

“We met them yesterday (Monday), the same promises and I don’t know why they find it difficult to fulfil the promises.

Okay tell me yourself, what is the problem in releasing the White Paper that is ready? It is the government that should tells us that. The SGF should tell us why he is withholding the White Paper.”

Way out of logjam

On the way out of the long

strike, he said: “The way out is that we are still on strike until the members tell us whatever they decide with the strike.

“Government has been giving assurances in the past six months, the assurance of government does not amount to anything, that is why ASUU insisted on things concrete and people didn’t understand it.

“We agreed with government that they were going to take up four things out of the 13 that we had listed. Government has been able to meet one and half of those issues that we had listed. Even the NEEDS Assessment government constituted Committee is not working at the pace it should work, we are supposed to submit the report in February, up till now, we have not done much.

Waiting on government’s White Paper

going to release the White Paper on the visitation to Federal Polytechnics, they were going to complete the lower cader of CONTISS 16 which was the thing that happened in 2009 and up till now, it hadn’t been implemented and then, that they were going to complete the appointment of six Governing Councils of six Federal Polytechnics which they have done.

“To constitute the NEEDS Assessment Committee to do the NEEDS assessments of the Polytechnics, which they have constituted and the Committee is more or less not working the way it should work. These are the four issues that we extracted out of the 13.

“There is a director in the Ministry of Education who is the Chairman of the Committee but the problem is that the Committee complains all the time of lack of funding from TETFund which is supposed to fund it.”

“Government said it was

AGBAKWURU BUJA—THE Federal Government and the leaderships of the Nigerian Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, yesterday began a meeting to avert the looming threat by the unions to embark on strike over plans by government to sell the nation’s refineries.

The meeting which started at

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BUJA—THE F e d e r a l Government has closed the reception camp established for the 1,424 Nigerians evacuated from crisis torn Central African Republic, CAR. The National E m e r g e n c y Management Agency, NEMA, which disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, said the Federal Government was able to evacuate all the 1,424 Nigerians stranded in CAR. “All the affected people have gone to their various states,” NEMA said in a statement.

It would be recalled that the United Nations report said over one million people had been displaced from their homes in clashes between Christian militias and the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group that overthrew President Francois Bozize last March.

A VISIT: From Left: Acting Managing Director, News Agency Of Nigeria, NAN, Otunba Jide Adebayo, Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, and Executive Director, Editorial Operations, Mr. Isaac Ighure, during the minister's visit to NAN Headquarters in Abuja, yesterday. NAN Photo.

FG meets NUPENG, PENGASSAN to avert strike

BY JOHNBOSCO

BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

2015: NSE calls for adoption of e-voting

Lack of interest from FG

On why government has not shown interest in the lingering strike, the ASUP boss appealed to relevant stakeholders to prevail on the government, Minister of Education, Permanent

Govt closes reception camps for CAR returnees

about 2p.m. at the Ministry of Labour was ongoing as at the time of filing this report and had in attendance the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu and his counterpart from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke representing the Federal Government.

Also from the government side were the directors and permanent secretaries in both ministries, while the National President of NUPENG, Mr.

Igwe Achese and his PENGASSAN counterpart, Babatunde Ogun represented the unions along with their General Secretaries.

Briefing journalists before the closed door session, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Wogu expressed confidence that both parties would reach an agreement over the issues, adding that the Federal Government had late last year constituted a committee

to resolve the impasse, saying that dialogue remained the best option.

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. AlisonMadueke, was asked by the Federal Government to work out modalities for the sale of the refineries located in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna.

Since the announcement, oil workers’ unions have condemned the proposal and threatened to embark on strike if government did not reverse the decision.

BYEMMANUEL ELEBEKE

BUJA—AHEAD of the 2015 general elections, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, yesterday called on Federal Government to prevail on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to adopt the electronic voting system to stave off the irregularities usually associated with the conventional manual voting.

Addressing the media at the pre-inaugural press briefing as the 29th President of the Society in Abuja, the new NSE President, Mr. Ademola Olorunfemi, said the successful use of e-voting by the NSE, through the partnership with the Nigerian Communication Satellite, NigComSat for the election of its officers in 2012 and 2013, was a clear demonstration of the capacity of Nigerian engineers to evolve a reliable and dependable evoting technology, which INEC could adopt for 2015 general elections.

16 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

2015: No automatic ticket for incumbent Reps—PDP

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OS—THE People’s Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, said it would not offer automatic tickets to its incumbent National Assembly members in 2015 in spite of the spate of defections from its fold.

Mr Joseph Gumbari,

Plateau CP laments attacks on rural areas

BY TAYE OBATERU & MARIE-THERESE NANLONG

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OS—THE Plateau State Police Commissioner, Mr. Chris Olakpe, has said the attacks on villages in some local government areas of the state remains a major headache promising to take proactive measures to contend with likely upsurge in criminal activities as political activities peak towards the 2015 elections.

Olakpe who stated this yesterday while briefing journalists on achievements of the command in 2013 against the backdrop of Monday’s attack in Riyom local government area during which about 30 people were killed, said, ”The incidences in communities within Langtang Area Command, Riyom and Barkin Ladi local government areas are giving the Command sleepless night.

"2014 is expected to witness series of political activities leading to 2015 general elections. ”Crime is also expected to pose a challenge and to curb the menace, the Command will adopt many crime preventive strategies."

PDP Chairman, Zone 3 of Kaduna State said in Jos, “There will be nothing like automatic tickets for anyone; incumbents and challengers seeking the PDP ticket must go through the normal process to secure it.”

Recent reports had quoted some federal lawmakers as insisting on automatic tickets for the 2015 race to stop them from joining others that defected to the rival All Progressives Congress, APC. NAN reports that the ruling PDP has lost five governors, some key leaders and 37 House of Representatives members to the APC in the wave of defections that hit the party.

But Gumbari, a former member of the House of Representatives, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Jos that conceding to the demand for automatic would “kill the PDP”.

He said, “No one can blackmail the PDP into making such concessions; we shall

Lamido budgets N114bn for 2014

By ALIYU DANGIDA

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UTSE—GOVER NOR Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, yesterday, presented the 2014 budget estimate of N114.7 billion to the state House of Assembly for consideration and approval.

Speaking during the ceremony, Lamido said the bill was smaller when compared with the 2013 budget by 0.6 percent.

Lamido said, “in line with our commitment to complete all on-going projects during

Army appoints Brig. Laleye PR director

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BUJA—THE Nigerian Army has appointed Brig.-Gen. Olajide Laleye as its new Director of Public Relations.

Laleye, who hails from Lagos State, was commissioned into the Nigerian Army on September 23, 1989.

He holds a B.Sc in Physics from the Nigerian Defence Academy and Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He also holds a Master’s Degree in Strategy, Defence and Disaster Management from the University of Yaounde.

give the party’s tickets to only those who deserve it.

Those who have performed and are still popular should have nothing to fear. There are many law makers today that cannot visit their constituencies for fear that they could be attacked by their constituents.

“Such people have abandoned the people and had offered nothing to better their lots. You cannot impose such people on the electorate because that will endanger our chances.”

He expressed surprise at the lawmakers’ demand, instead of working to popularise the party, stressing that PDP’s tickets would only be given to members that had been consistent in shoring up its image and strengthening it through effective representation.

The chairman said that the party was already “strategising to neutralise” whatever effect of the defections might be on its electoral fortunes.

Until his appointment, Laleye was the Commander, 1 Division Garrison, Kaduna.

Speaking at a brief handing over ceremony, Laleye said that under his leadership, the directorate would focus attention on the achievements of the various sectors in the army.

He said the directorate would key into the vision of the Chief of Army Staff “to transform the Nigerian Army into a force better able to face contemporary challenges”.

He said that with the cooperation and collaboration of the media, there would be success at the end of the tunnel.

the lifetime of this administration, considerable proportion of the proposed capital expenditure is in respect of ongoing projects,” adding that N53.88 million was for capital expenses while N36.3 billion was personnel cost.

The governor said the state expected an Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of N407 million, Statutory Federal Transfers including Statutory Allocation and Value Added Tax of N56.5 billion, adding that out of the total expected income, N1.7 billion would be set aside as Stabilization Fund, just as N113 billion would be spent on Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges – N3,609,000,000; Overhead Cost – N18,461,000,000; Stabilization and Contingency Funds – N700,000,000.

He said that N30.14 billion, representing 56 per cent of the capital budget would be expended on various projects and programmes, including capital investments - N53.88 billion or 47 percent of the entire estim a t e s .

Lamido noted, “in line with our commitment to complete all on-going projects during the lifetime of this administration, considerable proportion of the proposed capital expenditure is in respect of ongoing projects.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 — 17

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 IT is condemnable that some groups and individuals try to profit from the security challenges Nigeria faces. Their comments, while reacting to government’s efforts to end the attacks that have been a major challenge since 2009, tender to ignore the complexities involved.

Groups that claim their belief support their actions, have been killing thousands of Nigerians -men, women and children - with brutalities that indicate the attacks are staged by people trained for the purpose.

They choose soft targets, with churches, entertainment places, schools, markets, being their favourites. Condemnations of the attacks and the resulting body counts have not produced the expected cessation of hostilities.

Attacks on security agencies, their posts and barracks are strategies to instill fear in people and demoralise them. Another reason for attacking security agencies is to acquire arms from them.

For a related reason, banks are another target. The money they steal is handy for their operations.

Winning Against Terror Government has the responsibility to not only protect us, but to make us feel safe. It had to be so.

We cannot move on with obviously more important matters like who becomes whatever in 2015. We cannot forget the killings under the pretence that the union is in a sane state.

Neither the numbers, nor those killed, appears to be important. Lives, no longer seem to count for much. They have become sheer statistics reeled off at conference to authenticate information.

How can a society survive without protecting its people, especially its young, its future?

Nigeria should tell terrorists in more suc-

cinct terms, that their actions would be punished. The examples of punishment to deter them are not enough. More has to be done.

To win the war, personal and political considerations have to receive less attention than millions of lives terrorists place at risk.

The indiscriminate attacks put everyone at risk, terrorists and their supporters alike.

Improvement on intelligence gathering and provisions for the security agencies would make the volatile parts of Nigeria peaceful again.

Governments should commence rehabilitation of places the attacks destroyed. It is equally important to restore normalcy once the security situation in the areas permit.

Ending the attacks is not an option. The distraction and destructions of the past five years need to end. The cooperation of residents is crucial to more successes as the final push is sustained.

The war against terrorists cannot be won unless we are pulling in the right direction. Any group that can murder children so mindlessly is a risk to everyone, even its acclaimed supporters.

OPINION

BY EMEKA ORAETOKA

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N February 2014, the incumbentRector of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa State, Dr. Pius Otaru Salami, will take a bow, for another person to continue the good work at the school. To this end, three persons have been shortlisted for the post of rector, expected to be vacant in the month under review. Of the shortlisted fellows, an insider is said to have taken first position in the interview conducted for the purpose of filling the proposed vacant post, while the second and third positions went to those outside the system. The names of the penciled down candidates have since been sent to the President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for final endorsement.

Intense lobby for the post has since commenced. Those close to the seat of power are said to have kick started moves to have their candidate endorsed.

Some are said to be lobbying the high and mighty in the Presidency to have their own certified by the President.

Although Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa is a government owned institution, and government can source the rector of the school from anywhere, but history of the school and others has shown that peace and stability is best guaranteed if the rector comes from within. Before Dr. Otaru Salami, the outgoing rector came on board, the school was going through unprecedented crisis as a result of break down of relationship between the school and the host community on one hand,

Federal poly Nasara wa and rect or ship jostling Nasaraw rector orship and Staff, Rector relationship was said to be at lowest ebb on the other. The then government had no choice than ask the presiding rector to proceed on leave so that peace would reign in the school.

The thinking of government then, paid off, as normalcy returned to the school immediately Dr. Pius Otaru’s predecessor left. Similarly, government adopted the same rule of allowing an Insider to preside over the affairs of Federal University of Technology Minna. Today, peace and tranquility has returned to the once troubled institution.

In the light of these obvious facts, Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa will be better served if the current peace and stability in the school is sustained through the appointment of suitable successor to Dr. Pius Otaru Salami.

This write-up would not have been necessary if this writer had not read the book BUILT TO LAST, that probably put paid to the straight jacket belief in some quarters that when Chief Executive Officers [CEOs] from outside take over an organisation, fresh ideas and innovation are introduced. The book, written by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras, examined in details the factors that made 18 visionary companies they investigated strong and great. They discovered that Home Grown Management was responsible. One of the myths the book debunked is the belief that “companies should hire outside

CEOs to stimulate fundamental change”. In debunking this widely held myth, the book noted thus: “In seventeen hundred years of combined life spans across the visionary companies, we found only four individual outside incidents of going outside for a CEOand those in only two companies. Homegrown management rules at the visionary companies to a far greater degree than at the comparison companies (by a factor of six). Time and again, they have dashed to bits the conventional wisdom that significant change and fresh ideas cannot come from insider”.

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n page 173 of the book, it observed that: 'Promote from within to preserve the core'. Here is food for thought excerpt, capable of disarming skeptics: --'Visionary companies develop, promote, and carefully select managerial talent grown from inside the company to a greater degree than the comparison companies. They do this as a key step in preserving their core. Over the period, 1806 to 1992, we found evidence that only two visionary companies (11.1 percent) ever hired a chief executive outside the company, compared to thirteen (72.2 percent) of the comparison companies. Of 113 chief executives for which we have data in the visionary companies only 3.5 percent came directly from outside the company, versus 22.1

percent of 140 CEOs at the comparison companies. In other words, the visionary companies were six times more likely to promote insiders to chief executive than the comparison companies'.

Surely, the intention of President Jonathan’s administration at establishing more Federal Universities in Nigeria must have been informed by the overall need for continuity of the core vision behind the established institutions in the first place; this, Mr. President may have communicated to the pioneer Vice Chancellors. Therefore, the Vice Chancellors of these institutions should as a matter of preserving the core vision, adopt this book as a handy manual in planning for their successors in office.

As for the lobbyists for the post of rector for Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, it may be safe to conclude that they may have inadvertently seen their project hit the brick-wall, if we are to go by the experiences of organizations like, Hewlett Packard[hp], General Electric[GE], Ford, Sony etc, as the book revealed. Whatever the bait these lobbyists may want to dangle, President Jonathan, an academic from the industry with cognate experience, is far more sophisticated and knowledgeable than them, for sure.

*Mr. Oraetoka, Information manager and researcher, wrote fromAbuja.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARRY 8, 2014— —19

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Now it wants to be heard again, it wants the people to believe that it does not plan to sell fuel at higher prices, that things are truly as quiet on the oil front as they seem but nobody is listening. But why should they?

Once, Nigerians gave Jonathan their trust unconditionally, now he must earn it

A matter of trust IGERIANS believe the worst about their leaders. No, that’s not how I meant to say that.

Or rather let me state it in another way. Nigerians believe nothing by their rulers. They hear them quite all right. They listen to the many words that are spewed at them by paid publicists; words too many to make any sense. But they believe nothing they hear. This is an acquired habit that comes from many years of betrayal. Which is to say that Nigerians’ lack of belief in their leaders, this glaring lack of trust between the leaders and the led speaks to a fundamental failure of leadership in the country. There may be something universal in people disbelieving the words of their leaders sometimes. There may be occasions when people fail to respect the words of those who speak in their name. But it’s a peculiar Nigerian affliction that people perpetually disbelieve the words of their leaders. When matters take this turn, it should be serious reason for reflection.

We are only days into the New

Year and Nigerians have quietly started the ritual practice of hoarding fuel. They are afraid that the commodity may suddenly be in short supply. Ours is a country on strike. We are perpetually on strike. One sector of the country’s workforce ends a strike and is succeeded by another as if in a relay. University teachers have just ended a six months strike and medical doctors are about to take up the baton. They had provided a dress rehearsal of their strike performance by way of a five days strike just days ago. But by last week they were set for the full show before Abuja engaged them in a marathon discussion. As I write this both sides are still in discussion to avert another paralyzing strike in the health sector. But we won’t be Nigerians if we don’t begin the year on a note of this kind.

We are at the time of the year when we should be on strike. It would be out of place for us to move on without embarking on one. That wouldn’t be in the ordinary course of things. We wouldn’t be Nigerians without a

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strike at this time. We need a strike to jolt us to reality, to remind us that we are still in Nigeria at the beginning of a new year. Government is assuring us all that there is no reason why we should go on strike but we cannot see a reason why we shouldn’t. Oil workers have warned us about the mother of all strikes as last year gradually went out of breath.

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hey promised to welcome us into the year with a strike.

Their grouse?

Interrogating Jonathan’s commitment to education

BY ABIMBOLA JONES

R

EADING through President Goodluck Jonathan’s New Year message to Nigerians line after line, what came out remarkably for me was his strong commitment to improving education in our country. And, as the president rightly observed, education holds the key to any meaningful development in society.

The era in which countries are classified as rich or poor on the basis of the natural resources buried in its lands is long gone.

The rich countries of the world today are those who have honed and harnessed the talents, skills and creative abilities of their citizens for technological advancement and prosperity of the people.

In this knowledge-driven global economy, what counts is what a man or woman has in his/her brains and how it can be put to use in creating wealth and improving the quality of life for the overall good of the society.

This is why education holds the key to any transformation in society.

Being an educationist himself, it is not surprising that Jonathan has rightfully made education the cornerstone of his transformation agenda. This he has done through the conscious policy of improving access and the quality of education. The problem of access remains a huge problem especially at the tertiary level.

To be sure, this problem predates the current regime. In fact, it was the former minister of education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, who described the problem of access to tertiary education as “funnelling syndrome”, whereby millions of prospective candidates compete for just a few openings for admission in our universities.

The sad fact was that out of the many

qualified applicants, only a few would succeed in getting placements to study their courses of choice in the university. The greater number of those who did not succeed would, in turn, fall back and add to the army of applicants for university admission the next year and the vicious cycle continues. It is indeed a funnelling syndrome!

But the good news as President Jonathan said in the New Year message is that access to both primary and tertiary education has improved from 2007 to this day. At the primary level, the building of 125 Almajiri schools across the northern part of the country has further made education accessible and affordable to innocent children whose only crime is that they were born in certain areas where their governors have chosen to play politics over and above governance, or are decidedly irresponsible with public funds.

By constructing those Almajiri schools, the government of Jonathan has drastically cut off the sources of human supply and recruitment to the Boko Haram enclave and any other religious insurgent groups that might break out in the future. Such is the architectonic role of education that it does not only engender knowledge and development but also guarantees security, equity and justice.

At the tertiary level, it is quite reassuring to note that the government of Jonathan has established twelve universities in the short time it has been in office. It is equally refreshing to know that three of these federal universities are located in the northern part of the country. The import of establishing these twelve new federal universities cannot be lost on the teeming youths of this country for whom access to tertiary education has remained a very testy mathematics.

With these newly established universities,

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Government’s planned sale of refineries among other issues. But it’s the medical doctors who actually prepped us for a strike with a five days dry run that left the comrade governor, Adams Oshiomole, hot behind the collars of his brown khaki. There were other minor skirmishes by other warriors of the public sector rearing for a showdown with the government. But it’s the doctors and oil workers that are getting the ringing ears of the government for now. Their threat, if carried out, is bound to have the most immediate and devastating effect. And so Abuja is on its knees begging the warriors not to go on strike while assuring the rest of us there won’t be one.

But we are not listening. Indeed we are not ready to hear them especially on the score that there won’t be any upheaval in the oil sector. Although it was the oil unions that had promised to go on strike but it’s the government that Nigerians are afraid would trigger a strike with another removal of ‘oil subsidy ’.

Accordingly, they have begun the panicked purchase of the product even as many fuel stations are believed to have started hoarding it. And Abuja seems not to be amused. But Nigerians are not amused either. What is more, they don’t believe a word coming out of the Capital that all is well and there is nothing to worry about fuel scarcity.

And I wonder why people should believe the government now. Haven’t they been bitten once, twice, thrice and more before? Haven’t they been taken for a ride for once too many?

About this time two years ago, Nigeria was in the throes of a

The plan to focus more on vocational and technical education, which will once again create a pool of technical skills, will in no small measure create employment for our youths and reduce the unnecessary emphasis on paper qualification

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more applicants are guaranteed placements in our universities to study their different courses of choice after passing the requisite qualifying examinations. The government's decision will also go a very long way in addressing the issue of Nigerian students’ quest for foreign universities some of which are not even accredited and which are yearly ripping-off Nigerian youths thirsty of tertiary education simply because of unavailability of placements in Nigerian universities.

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ith these twelve new universities, Nigeria will increasingly become less attractive to foreign institutions hawking their courses freely to our young people at the detriment of our national economy and culture. Moreover, Jonathan is not concerned only about improving access; he is also taking seriously the issue of quality and affordability. As he hinted in the New Year message, in 2013 alone, the Federal Government rehabilitated 352 laboratories and constructed 72 new libraries in Unity Schools across the country.

What is more, the federal government rehabilitated all the 51 laboratories of federal and state polytechnics in the country

paralyzing strike, we are at the start of what looked like the beginning of our own Arab Spring and Occupy Nigeria struggle. The popular strike was triggered by Abuja’s surreptitious removal of the so-called subsidy on fuel. This in spite of pretentious campaigns and debates on the planned removal that ended with promises that there wouldn’t be any increase in fuel prices. Government quietly did what it wanted even as it assured people that nothing had changed in the oil price regime.

But Nigerians thronged fuel stations that had jerked up fuel prices from N97 to between N100 and N140 and even more.

Confronted with the evidence after many days of denial, the government made threats of its own to deal with those it claimed were in the pay of the opposition.

There was no going back on the price increase, it said. A government that had said there was no increase of any sort suddenly turned around to assure us it was either going to be its way or the high way. Jonathan had suddenly bared his fang and was going to prove he had come of age with a clearly foolish policy aimed against Nigerians.

It was a brutal loss of innocence.

From then on his government lost it with Nigerians and has since staggered from one infamous decision to another.

Now it wants to be heard again, it wants the people to believe that it does not plan to sell fuel at higher prices, that things are truly as quiet on the oil front as they seem but nobody is listening. But why should they? Once, Nigerians gave Jonathan their trust unconditionally. Now he must earn it.

without any discrimination.

By the way, we all know the decrepit condition of the Unity Schools in the past so much so that the former minister of education in the Obasanjo administration, Ezekwesili, pursued the infamous policy of privatisation of the schools as the only solution. Today, Jonathan has proved that selling off the schools that help in uniting us, as a people, is not the right solution to improve quality. What is, indeed, needed is commitment to the general good, which education represents. And it remains to the credit of the Jonathan Government that with all the improvement in access and quality in education, the Federal Governmentowned schools remain the cheapest in the land!

It is also noteworthy that the Federal Government is pursuing a policy of resultoriented education, which places emphasis on productivity and skills for development.

The plan to focus more on vocational and technical education, which will once again create a pool of technical skills, will in no small measure create employment for our youths and reduce the unnecessary emphasis on paper qualification, which has shortchanged our economy badly.

Jonathan must be commended for his government’s commitment to improving the quality and access to education in the short period he has been in power. He has clearly shown this commitment through the massive investments he has made in education. It is on record that between 2007 when he was the Vice President and 2013, budgetary allocation to education has almost tripled from N224 billion to N634 billion. The humble and patriotic manner in which he handled the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike by making renewed funding commitment to Nigerian universities is not only exemplary but also statesmanlike. What more can we ask of a president who is first and foremost a teacher?

•Mr. Jones, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos.

20—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8 , 2014

Debate of the masses

Lai Mohammed’s brand of opposition

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Some of the brides

Fun, drama as Catholic church joins 62 couples in mass wedding I

T was a wedding ceremony like no other for the simple reason that the couples, 62 in all, were already living together for years and have had children in the bargain.

But while the ceremony lasted it was drama and fun bordering on comedy all the way.

For instance, during the exchange of vows, the congregation was sent reeling in resounding laughter when the bride of one couples had romantically addressed her hubby thus, “Keletus (Cletus)…to which the hubby responded: Enh Sweetie mu o.

When it was the turn of another couple, the bride had addressed her hubby as Mr John, while a bridegroom had called his wife Nnem Oma. There were several variants of these romantic endearments that even the officiating priest had a hard time keeping a straight face and not joining the congregation in laughing his heart out. But in all a comedy, it is certain that all the participating couples had for long prayed and even fasted for this day to come so that they can feel the joy of being wedded in the church. ”I feel very happy and truly fulfilled today because for a long time we have been praying for this. I thank God that it has been possible today.

God is indeed a God of time,” that was how a joyous Mrs Pet Kanu who already has three children summarised her excitement after her marriage was formally consummated at a mass wedding held at St John’s Catholic Church, Igando in Lagos recently.

Pet and her husband who were before now denied some

privileges in the church, especially receiving Holy Communion, were among the 62 couples who took the marriage vows last Friday during the celebration of the Feast of Saint John, the patron saint of the Roman Catholic Church at Igando. It was drama galore as the couples who had been living together for years, took the marital vows.

Vice Chairman of the Church, Mr. Dennis Odimkpa, said the mass wedding which was presided over by the Parish

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By AZEEZ SANUSI

parishioners themselves, they are all happy and it gives us another opportunity to realise the love of God,” Fr Anyanwu said.

“Marriage is something God instituted from the beginning, hence it is something worth doing irrespective of financial constraints,” he said. The cleric encouraged those who has reached the age of marriage to go ahead and get married.

“As it stands now, with this love expressed, I think it will go a long way in healing the wounds

The concept is to draw as many people as possible to Christ, to make our women happy and to bring them together, giving them a sense of belonging especially in the women fora

Priest, Rev. Fr Cletus Chibuzor Anyanwu was the church’s way of expressing love.

According to him, the church was named after Apostle John who is regarded as the apostle of love. He explained that the mass wedding was an opportunity provided by the Church to assist parishioners who were unable to do an elaborate wedding due to financial difficulties.

The presiding priest, Rev Fr Anyanwu explained that the event was in accordance with the Gospel of John which centred on love. According to him, there is no other way to celebrate love than to help couples formalise their marriage in accordance with the demand of the church on matrimony.

“I feel great because of what it stands both for the church at large and the parish in particular. It is a joyful moment for us. As you can see from the

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that normally or humanly might be existing among the people of God, like the wound of hatred and tribalism. When we see ourselves so open to each other that such an opportunity is given to us at no cost, it will make everyone belong and committed to the best of their abilities,”he said.

The celebrants also expressed their profound joy at the turn of events. One of them who identified himself as Mr Peter Okeni, a father of two said, “For more than eight years, I have been thinking about this and I give glory to Almighty God that all is well and the wedding is successful.”

Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Patrick Omodara explained that “the concept is to draw as many people as possible to Christ, to make our women happy and to bring them together, giving them a sense of belonging especially in the women fora.”

By EBELE ORAKPO

H please spare us,” shouted a commuter by name, Frank in the Apapa-bound bus to no one in particular as he read a story in one of the national dailies. Other commuters in the bus were taken aback and looked questioningly at him. “Na Lai Mohammed, the APC spokesman. He and his APC should just go and sleep. What on earth do they want Mr. President to do?

Anything he does is an abomination as far as they are concerned.

I hate non-constructive criticisms. The guy is doing his party more harm than good,” said Frank. “What has he done this time?” asked Bola.

Replied Frank: “Lai Mohammed here says the President erred in replying Obj’s letter openly, that he should have replied by SMS acknowledging receipt and telling him he will tackle the issues he raised. Isn’t that double standard? It was okay for Obj to write an open letter to a sitting president, making some weighty allegations and Nigerians were on his neck to reply so it would have been very unwise for him to give a private reply to an open letter. So I think he did the right thing given the circumstance.”

“Wetin they call the letter? Open letter abi? So the reply should be open reply,” joked John.

“But Alhaji Lai was correct in the sense that GEJ by openly replying Obj and even going personal was bad for the image of Nigeria. He should have simply replied quietly or ignored him,” said Mary. “Ok, so Obj’s open letter was good for the image of the country? What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

He was even very polite in his reply from what I read,” said Frank. “Bros, e be like say you be PDP spokesman as Lai is APC spokesman because you don’t seem to see anything wrong with this government,” said Mary to Frank.

“I am not holding brief for the PDP or the presidency. I’m just being honest,” replied Frank. “May be I should become a spokesman for Panadol Party,” joked Emma which caused some laughter.

He went on: “This country na wah! Obj said he installed Jonathan and Yar’Adua and we saw nothing wrong in that assertion. In a saner clime, he would have been called in for questioning but not here. Some people are above the law. A so-called political godfather in this country once boasted that he single-handedly installed the entire members of a State House of Assembly and nothing was done to him.” Said Bola: “The truth is that we are never going to get a better deal in terms of leadership. Each successive regime will be worse than the previous one. Just watch and see.

After GEJ, the next president will be called all sorts of names and accused of so many things.” “No, no, no! I absolutely disagree with you. At least Abdulsalami Abubakar was better than Abacha and Obj was better than Abubakar,” countered Chris.

Reacting to Chris’ assertion, Bola said: “At the time Obj came up, people preferred the worst civilian president to the best military president because they needed a change. But after sometime, some people were actually saying that what Nigeria needed was a maximum ruler like Abacha. They called Obj names, saying he behaved as if he was still in the army. When Yar’Adua came, a gentleman that wanted to do things properly, they named him Baba Go Slow, saying Obj was better. GEJ came and so far, he is the most abused president in Nigeria. They said Yar’Adua was better...”

“That is human beings for you, insatiable,” said Emma. “But why is GEJ not fighting corruption?” asked Mary. “According to Obj right? Simply because he is not setting EFCC loose on perceived enemies?” asked Frank. Countered Mary: “But he sent EFCC after the Kano State House of Assembly Speaker and some of his men.” “When somebody is accused of corruption, you have to follow due process. Shebi we say a person is considered innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction,” said Frank. “But some very glaring cases do not need the courts,” noted Mary. Said Frank: “In that case, why didn’t Obj set the ball rolling during his tenure? Why did he not go after IBB? Was his case not glaring enough? When confronted with the IBB issue, he was quoted as saying that the people should provide evidence.

He went after Abacha’s loot because Abacha was dead. So please, give me a break!”

“Power ultimately resides in us, the people, if only we will wake up from our slumber and stop being docile. Look at what happened during the fuel subsidy strike. People were mobilised to resist an unjust policy. For the first time, Nigerians put ethnicity, religion, class and gender behind them and spoke with one voice and the leaders were forced to listen. That is the power of the people. How can over 150 million people continue to allow a few people to take them for a ride?” asked John.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 — 21

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he Chairman of Dock Management Nigeria Ltd, Alhaji Moshood Salvador, said government could get N4.6 trillion revenue through the Customs duties and ports charges.

Salvador told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that if Federal Government could make port tariffs competitive it would achieve the revenue projections in the 2014 budget.

According to him, if the tariffs are competitively regulated, vessels will not be diverted to other West African countries and the aim of the port tariffs is to reduce smuggling.

“If NPA (Nigeria Ports Authority) can come up and say that the budgetary allocation for stevedoring company for one year finished within five or six months, it simply means the importation had doubled for last year.

“In spite of all these diversions to the neighbouring countries, doubled importation is from the local importers.

On the foreign companies that are bringing their consignments to Nigeria, he said, “If we now advise the Federal Government to look into the tariff and make it very competitive all these Ghana, Togo, will never get anybody coming there because we have the best ports and equipment.

Salvador also said that NPA had yet to pay the stevedores in the past eight months. He said that the NPA’s explanation was that it had spent beyond the budgetary allocation for stevedores within five to six months in 2013.

But, the stevedores said that showed that the volume of cargo handled by Nigerian ports in 2013 had doubled

From left: National Vice President, Association of Water-Well Drilling Rig Owners and Ractitionals, AWDROR, Mr. Dayo Opeyemi; Executive Director, Business Development, Bank of Industry, BoI, Mr. Waheed Olagunju; Managing Director, Ms Evelyn Oputu, and the President of the association, Mr. Michael Ale, after a meeting between BoI and the executives of the association, in Lagos.

Stakeholder urges FG to review port tariffs for more revenue when compared to the tonnage recorded in 2012 as a result of the port reform.

Salvador said that the stevedores were optimistic that NPA would pay

based on several meetings with the labour union, the stevedoring association and the tally clerks.

He expressed optimism that imports which appeared to be doubled in 2013

SON captures 6,899 products from 927 firms electronically

By FRANKLIN ALLI

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TANDARDS Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says it has captured 6,899 products from 927 companies under its electronic registrations scheme.

The essence of the scheme which was introduced early last year by the agency is to sanitise the country of substandard products, help genuine manufacturers and dealers to stay in business; protect the consumers and also boost the economy in terms of employment creation and income generation.

The scheme covers new products and those that are already in circulation in the market such as electric bulbs, stabilizers, tyres, electric fittings, generators, building materials, cable, television sets, IT equipment, keys, security doors, computers, phones, cement, paint, agro-allied products and toys to mention a few.

In a presentation tagged ‘ Global Standards in Local Production’, delivered recently in Abuja, he disclosed that many consumer products are being captured on the

SON website, adding that the registered products are 6899 while registered companies totalled 927 manufacturing firms including importers from different sectors of the economy.

“Dr. Joseph Odumodu, SON Director General, said that before now, registration of products by the Agency was carried out manually.

“At that time a lot of challenges were met, thus making the process cumbersome and inefficient. To address these challenges, we introduced the e-product scheme.”

Odumodu further disclosed that the e- product platform was necessitated by the fact that there are only 1,500 people in SON. “We can’t chase around every product in Nigeria but with the eproduct system, we need to know what product is out there in the market. And the only way to know what’s out there in the market is to create a database for it. With the e-products system, I’ll be able to know the country of origin and the importer who brought the product to Nigeria.

“In our efforts to sanitise the

Nigerian economy of substandard products, some measures are crucial and some steps are just necessary; and the electronic platform is one of such key steps.

Even in the average corporate environment, electronically- driven platforms have become commonplace, embraced by all for its obvious advantages, including ease and convenience of doing business.

“As a standards body, we cannot close our eyes to important realities in the business sphere, we cannot ignore necessary changes in the fields we regulate and still aspire to get to achieve our set targets,” said the director general.

According to him, for duly registered products, the SON issues products certificate. The implication is that after a while any product that is not registered cannot be on the shelves for sale in the country. We are going to take such products out of circulation in our markets. Every day, people are dying, because some unscrupulous people bring products into the country that are not supposed to be consumed by humans.

might grow four times in 2014, in comparison with the tonnage recorded in 2012.

He said that it was illegal for terminal operators to register dock workers and also employ those workers. Salvador said that the NPA and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) had made such situation clear to the terminal operators. He said that, unfortunately, some terminal operators got their licences through the NPA and NIMASA with the wrong intention to sabotage the efforts of both maritime agencies.

0.75

112.15 2,652.00

+16.00

16.31

0.02

107.98

+0.20

95.47

+0.03

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

154.7 255.5799 211.6451 171.9271 1.4673 0.3061 237.4729 25.5655 41.2456 28.3671 238.2225

155.2 256.4059 212.3291 172.4828 1.4721 0.3161 238.2405 25.6486 41.3789 28.4588 238.9925

SELLING 155.7 257.232 213.0132 173.0385 1.4768 0.3261 239.008 25.7317 41.5123 28.5505 239.7624

CBN Exchange rate as at 7/1/2014

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

BRIEF

N2b claims settled through NAICOM’s intervention

Residents reminded to prepare financially and physically for wildfires

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Stories by ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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Equity Assurance Equity Assurance NURTW Motor vehicle N48,780.00; STACO Insurance NURTW Motor vehicle N397,290.00; AIICO Insurance Young Bourdillon Ditimiya Motor vehicle N1,200,000.00; Unity Kapital Aura Loss Adjusters Non payment of fees N128,440.90; Crystalife & Capital Express Bauchi State Government Group Life N214,113,484.84; IGI Mr. Ogun Michael Life policy N361,061.00; N14 Law Union & Rock Charles Mekwunye & Co. Motor N752,142.86; Standard Alliance Pastor Ayo Oluwatosin Motor N3,304,800.00; Sovereign Trust Opeba Company Nig. No payment of fees N2,000,000.00; Oceanic Insurance Express Discount House Motor N2,078,800.00; Aiico Insurance Kayode Isaac Ogunola N2,342,300.00; Aiico Insurance Samuel Salako N311,000.00; C M Y K

*Fola Daniel N5,000,000.00; Standard Alliance Mayfair Insurance Brokers Mutual Ana Industries Marine N16,000,000; Benefit Assurance Plc Non Finsurance Finbank Insurance remittance of premium brokers Aviation N31,291,775.55; N2,000,000.00; ADIC Insurance Mutual Benefits Assurance Life MT Burglary Hennadis Nigeria & Co Stephen & Co Death Benefits Burglary N4,261,624.23; Standard N18,000,000; Consolidated Hallmark Alliance Umeneri Emmanuel Arizona Insurance Brokers Good in Emeka Maturity benefits Transit N300,000; IGI Olamide Elias N354,516.20; A&G Engr. O. & co Death benefit N4,484,079; Oyelola Maturity benefits Standard Alliance Life Sadiq N685,325.71; IGI Dr. Umoru Adeshewa Wakilat Life N1,060,000; Benjamin Motor N540,000.00; STACO Karina Tunyan (San) & Co AIICO Insurance Plc Upper Room Marine N55,939,800; Anchor Theft N6259,843.86; Finsurance Insurance Karina Tunyan (San) & Plc Odengene Air shuttle service Co Marine N13,984,950; IGI Karina Limited (part payment) Aviation Tunyan (San) & Co Marine N60,154,223.98; Standard Alliance N10,300,000; AIICO Bassio Nig Ltd Afro Asia Garden Fire N705,173.99; Good in Transit N5,000,000; NICON Standard Alliance Engr. Olufemi Insurance ExonMobil Producing Falano Maturity benefit; AIICO Nig Ltd Fire $9,906,619; African Insurance Co. Emmanuel Dunu Alliance Beatrice Chukurah Annuity Nonpayment of Commission N50,000.00; M u t u a l The Commission, through its CBU B e n e f i t successfully adjudicated and settled a O j e i f o h O k o s u n total of 15 complaints during the year Maturity B e n e f i t under review N844,204.42; AIICO Insurance co Olaniyi benefits N101,798.74; IGI Oparah Temitayo N52,000.00; Guinea Frankka Egolu Life N73,817.00; Insurance Standwell Int’l Co. A&G Micheal Abiodun Ayeni Nonpayment of Commission Endowment, not stated; Niger N500,000.00; Finsurance Top Insurance Lydam Ventures Maturity quality Fire N66,133,400.00; benefits N10,503,280.00; IEI Mosabu Linkage Insurance & Royal Investment Marine N15,000,000; exchange Top quality Fire Leadway Assurance Ibrahim, N66,133,400.00; Linkage Mr. haruna hamma Motor vehicle Akinbami Motor vehicle N2,736,963.08; NEM Insurance plc N33,066,700; Standard Alliance First & Foremost investment Ltd Ofoegbu Mahakwe Investment Motor vehicle N110,160.00; WAPIC N246,361.56; Custodian & Allied Life Assurance Messrs Adeniyi Omowunmi Abosede Wale Theft Adeyemi & Frank Odigie N400,000.00; IGI Dominic Daniel Commission N494,244.71.

Maturity Benefits N3,695,871; A total of 132 complaints are still Financo Brokers Adetanmi Victor at one stage of settlement or the Olumide Severence Benefits other, whilst some are near closure.

N200,000.00; UNIC Engr. Falano The Commission, through its CBU Olufemi Maturity Benefits successfully adjudicated and settled N336,962.89; IGI Flash Multi a total of 15 complaints during the Ser vices Ltd Motor Vehicle year under review.

N756,000.00; Standard Alliance Edwin Mary Akwaeze Bond

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HE National Insurance C o m m i s s i o n , NAICOM, said it successfully facilitated claims payment of over N2 billion in 2013.

In a statement, NAICOM said the move is in line with its continuing efforts at ensuring adequate protection of policyholders and insurance consumers over settlement of genuine insurance claims.

Accordingly, the Commission said it received a total of 193 complaints from various facets of the economy, ranging from the insuring public, insurance companies, insurance intermediaries and legal practitioners.

According to NAICOM, a total of 61 complaints were successfully resolved in 2013 and this was achieved through correspondences, adjudication meetings and direct contact with the insurance companies. The settled cases amounted to N2, 236,700,113.92.

Some of the settled cases included Crystalife Assurance Federal Medical Center Owo Group life N7,795,980.00; Lasaco Int’l Insurance Brokers Fire n33,949,709.39; NEM Insurance Dominion SBJ Elite trust Insurance Brokers N1,041,622.20; Niger Insurance Fair Plus int’l limited Motor Vehicle N5,745,100.00; NICON Insurance Dr. Olanrewaju Vehicle N560,075.34; Union Assurance Okeke Udochukwu Maturity Benefit N542,075.34; Leadway Assurance Plc NURTW Motor vehicle N397,290.00.

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he Property Casualty Insurers Association of America has said that Californians must heed the warnings and take simple steps to prepare family finances and property against damage from a wildfire, says the Association of California Insurance Companies (ACIC).

According to the company, while the East Coast and Midwest deal with extreme cold and snow, California is experiencing record warm weather and dry conditions.

Lack of rain has lakes and reservoirs so depleted that visitors are flocking to Folsom Lake to view remains of the flooded Gold Rush town, Mormon Island. In addition, local governments are enforcing water rationing restrictions. These conditions are the prime ingredients for wildfires.

“California grapples with a yearround fire season under normal conditions, but the lack of rain makes 2014 even more precarious,” said Armand Feliciano, ACIC vice president. “Now is the time to prepare both your finances and property. Financial preparedness is just as important as preparing property. Take a few minutes to talk with your agent or insurer to update your homeowners insurance policy, make sure to change your coverage if you made home improvements.

Walk around your home with your smart phone or video camera and talk about what is in each room this will create a home inventory of personal possessions. Remember to itemize any major holiday gifts received or add that new engagement ring to your insurance policy.”

California experienced wildfires throughout 2013. The recent fire in Big Sur charred 917 acres and over 30 homes. The August Rim Fire in Yosemite burned a record 257,314 acres. Nationally, 45,061 fires broke out and burned 4,157,061 acres in 2013.

“In 2013, fire fighters saw firsthand how homes that had 100 feet of debris clearance avoided damage as wildfire approached,” says Feliciano. “As we enter 2014, water levels and dry conditions make physical wildfire preparedness more important than ever. Fire officials recommend Californians clear 100 feet of defensible space, remove dead plants, grass and weeds within 30 feet of a home, trim trees 6 feet from the ground, clear leaves and pine needles from the roof and rain gutters and always create a family evacuation plan. Taking these simple steps now can make all the difference if a wildfire breaks out.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 — 23

Homeowners irate over flood insurance hikes

A

From left: Honeywell Flour Mills Plc Long Service awardees – Managing Director Designate, Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola (20 years), Executive Director, Supply Chain, Mr. Rotimi Fadipe (20 years) and Production Director, Dr. Nino Ozara, (15 years) at the company's Long Service Award ceremony, in Lagos.

couple of representatives of the federal flood insurance program came to College of Coastal Georgia to discuss new higher rates that will be phased in coming years.

They were hit by a flood of angry people, some who said the new insurance rates would make their property unsalable and others who predicted a wave of foreclosures and a devastated real estate market because few will be able to afford flood insurance.

With the National Flood Insurance Program about $24 billion underwater from hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, Congress passed the Biggest-Waters Flood

IFRS: only 39 companies scaled hurdle in 2013 A

S at end of December 2013, only 39 insurance companies were able to get the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM’s, approval for their International Financial Reporting Standard, IFRS, compliant financial results.

Accordingly, 20 firms were unable to scale through the IFRS hurdle.

Accounts approved by NAICOM so far are Mansard Insurance Plc; ADIC Insurance Limited; WAPIC Insurance Plc; Consolidated Hallmark Insurance; Oasis Insurance Plc; FBN Life Assurance Limited; Continental Reinsurance Company Plc; AIICO Insurance Plc; Leadway Assurance Company Limited; and UBA Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

Others are Zenith Insurance Company Limited; Standard Alliance Insurance Life; UnityKapital; Unitrust Insurance Company Limited; Custodian & Allied Insurance Plc; Regency Alliance Company; Royal Exchange Assurance Plc; Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc; Zenith Life Insurance Ltd and Royal Prudential Life Assurance Plc; Sterling Assurance; Law Union & Rock Insurance Company Plc; Cornerstone Insurance Plc; Oceanic Life Assurance Plc (Old Mutual); Prestige Assurance Plc; FIN Insurance Ltd; Niger Insurance Plc; Equity Assurance Plc; Oceanic Insurance Company; Lasaco Assurance Plc; Crystal Life Insurance; Mutual Benefits Life and Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc; Nem Insurance

Plc; Linkage Assurance; and Union Assurance Ltd. Companies yet to get approval are PHB Insurance Plc; Great Nigeria Insurance; Wapic Life Assurance Ltd; Lasaco Life Assurance; Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation; Universal

Insurance Company Ltd; African Alliance Insurance Plc; Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation; Unic Insurance Plc; and Guinea Insurance Plc. Companies that are yet to submit, let alone get approval are Alliance & General;

Alliance & General Life Assurance; Goldlink Insurance; Spring Life Assurance; Investment & Allied Assurance; Industrial & General Insurance Plc; International Energy Insurance Plc; as well as NICON Insurance.

Custodian & Allied unveils new group structure C

ustodian & Allied Insurance Plc has unveiled a new group structure following a successful merger between it and Crusader (Nigeria) Plc. In a statement, the Company disclosed that it is pleased to inform the investing public of the new structure of the resulting entity.

The statement added that the new Custodian is organised as a group of companies with the holding company, Custodian & Allied Plc having controlling equity interests in the following flagship subsidiaries: Custodian & Allied Insurance Limited – A wholly owned general insurance subsidiary that is poised to be the leader in the industry following the combination of the general insurance business of CAI Plc with that of erstwhile Crusader General Insurance Limited.

Custodian Life Assurance Limited (formerly Crusader Life Insurance Limited) – A wholly owned life insurance subsidiary with a long and respectable history in the

Nigerian life insurance arena.

Crusader Sterling Pensions Limited – Majority shareholding in the leading pension fund administration company with an enviable record of return on investment to its contributors.

Custodian Trustees limited (formerly Crusader Trustees Limited) – A wholly owned Trust Company providing secretarial and trusteeship services to the group and external clients.

On future outlook, the company said its future is

bright and it has begun to experience enhanced top and bottom line growth and improved operating efficiencies as a result of its expanded product portfolio, enhanced revenue opportunities resulting from economic scale and the unlocking of hitherto nonrevenue yielding assets, without a corresponding increase in operating/ administration costs. The company is of the opinion that the trend will continue in the years to come.

Insurance Reform Act of 2012, which eliminates subsidies to policy holders and increase rates to levels to reflect the actual risk. That will affect about 20 per cent of the policy holders, some of whom bought houses built before the insurance program even existed.

Policy holders will see 25 per cent increases in their premiums each year until the payments reach the level FEMA considers commiserate with the risk. The owners of non-residential property, such as vacation homes and commercial property, have already been hit; the average homeowner will see their polices jump in October.

Much of that is based on new digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps that put homes at risk that were once deemed safe, and therein lies much of the problem, Glynn County Commissioner Dale Provenzano said.

“They think the only people with flood problems are rich people living on the coast, so who cares?” Provenzano said of the members of Congress who voted for the higher rates.

They justified the bill by asserting that average Americans were paying rich people to build dangerously close to the coast. Congress failed to realize that a lot of low- to middle-income people live in rental property in areas that new FEMA maps designate as flood zones, and their landlords won’t be able to pay the higher rates without jacking up the rent, Provenzano said.

Those renters are going to be displaced, as are people who will see flood insurance rates higher than their mortgage payments, Provenzano and others complained.

The coast of Georgia, which hasn’t had a serious storm in more than 100 years, is getting lumped in with high-risk areas like the Gulf states, the coasts of South Florida and areas near Cape Hatteras, N.C., critics say.

Life insurers stay in the black

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ll but two life insurers made a profit in the year to June 30, according the latest data from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

Scor Global life reported a $1 million loss, while Gen Re lost $23 million.

Insurers achieving profits below $10 million included Allianz ($7 million), Combined Life ($1 million), Global Life ($3 million), HCF Life ($4 million) and QBE Life ($3 million). In most cases the results came on low net policy revenues.

Allianz net policy revenues were $28 million, while Combined Life reported $1

million, Global Life $1 million, HCF Life $26 million and QBE Life $7 million.

AMP, CommInsure, MLC and OnePath all achieved net policy revenues of more than $1 billion, and all achieved profits above $100 million. The three major reinsurers – Swiss Re Life & Health, Hannover Life Re and Munich Re – reported net profits of $61 million, $38 million and $30 million respectively.

Net policy revenues were $609 million for Swiss Re Life & Health, $417 million for Munich Re and $345 million for Hannover Life Re.

24 — Vanguard,WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Understanding electricity tariffs paid by consumers

From left: President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Professor Ngozi Nnam, represented by Lagos State Nutrition Officer, Dr. Abimbola Ajayi; Tea and Spreads Category Manager, Unilever Nigeria, Ms. Vivian Ihaza and Enugu State Nutrition Officer, Mrs. Henrietta Ugwu at the grand closing ceremony of Blue Band Margarine sponsored National Growth Challenge, in Lagos.

NSE slams N17m fines on 5 stockbroking firms in 2013

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

I

N line with its resolve of returning sanity to the equity market, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, said it fined five stockbroking firms the sum of N17 million in 2013 for contravening various rules and regulation guiding operation in the market.

The stockbroking firms involved are Calyx Securities Ltd, Apel Asset and Trust Ltd, EDC Securities Ltd, Lakesworth Securities Ltd and Bytofel Trust & Securities Ltd. Calyx Securities was fined N1 million over allegation of suspected price movement on the shares of DN Meyer Plc. Consequently, the Firm was suspended from trading on all the floors of the Exchange for five trading days effective

27th February 2013, according to records from the NSE. It was equally fined the sum of N1.5 million which was reduced to N1 million after the firm admitted and pleaded for leniency, being a first time offender.

Apel Asset and Trust was fined the sum of N6 million within the year for breaching of Article 15,104 & 107 of the rules and regulations governing dealing member firms. Additionally, it was suspended from trading on all the floors of the Exchange for five trading days with effect from 27th February 2013.

EDC Securities was equally fined the sum of N5 million for also breaching of Article 15,104 & 107 of the rules and regulations governing dealing member firms and

was also suspended from trading on all the floors of the Exchange for five trading days with effect from 27th February 2013.

On the other hand, Bytofel Trust & Securities was fined N5million for unauthorised sale of 375,871 units of Union Bank Plc shares of Mr. Akan Ndem, and was made to refund the sum of N6.62 million to the complainant being total profit made by the firm from the unauthorised sale.

Additionally, it was suspended from trading on the floors of the Exchange.

However, Lakesworth Securities Ltd, which was also involved in unauthorised sale of client’s shares, was suspended indefinitely from trading on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Stakeholders hail MorganCapital on Ekiti N5bn bond

By PETER EGWUATU

S

takeholders have c o m m e n d e d MorganCapital Group, one of leading investment banking and securities dealing firms in the country for its crucial role in ensuring the success of the second tranche of the Ekiti State N25 billion bond raising programme. The state had raised N20 billion in the first tranche in 2012, while the second tranche involving N5 billion was concluded on December 31, 2013.

Speaking at the completion board Meeting in Lagos, the Commissioner for Finance, Ekiti State, Mr. Dapo Kolawole said MorganCapital, which is a joint issuing house and book

builder to the offer, and other parties made the offer a success within a very short period. He specifically thanked MorganCapital for its unique roles in ensuring timely completion of the Offer and the level of subscription achieved.

Ekiti State raised the N5 billion from the capital market to finance five major projects under as the government seeks to complete major developmental projects that would impact on the socioeconomic and urban-rural integration.

The net proceeds of the N5 billion bond issue, estimated at N4.80 billion, will be used to complete five major including the construction of the multipurpose 10,000-capacity Ekiti-

Kete pavilion, rehabilitation of Ire Burnt Bricks Limited, construction of River Ero bridge, construction of IlaweIgbaraodo-Iboji road and IkoleIjesa Isu-Iluomoba road.

Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said the approval and success of the second tranche of the bond programme reflected the market’s confidence in the state as evidenced in the judicious use of the proceeds of the previous issuance. According to him, the state had committed the proceeds of its first tranche to several laudable projects that continue to bear testimonies to efficient use of funds including the Ikogosi Warm Spring, school of agriculture and roads across the state.

he Nigerian E l e c t r i c i t y Regulatory Commission, NERC, has put into operation a Multi-Year Tariff Order, MYTO, for the determination of the cost of electricity sold by distribution/retail companies for the period 1 June 2012 to 31 May 2017.

There is a specific tariff for each of the 11 electricity distribution companies, discos. The tariff covers each year of the five-year period, namely, 1 June 2012 to 31 May 2013, 1 June 2013 to 31 May 2014, 1 June 2014 to 31 May 2015, 1 June 2015 to 31 May 2016 and 1 June 2016 to 31 May 2017.

The charges are in two parts, there is a fixed monthly charge and there is a charge for electricity consumption, the energy charge.

Consumers are charged in different categories, namely, residential, commercial, industrial, special and street lighting.

We give below the charges for residential consumers using single phase or three phase meters, category R2, as a large proportion of consumers fall into this group.

We will also consider the charges in respect of Benin Disco, Ibadan Disco and Ikeja Disco. For Benin Disco, the fixed monthly charge for residential R2 category is N500 in 2012 2013, N750 in 2013 - 2014, N1500 in 2014 - 2015, N1800 in 2015 - 2016 and 2016 - 2017.

Electricity consumption is measured in kilowatt-hour, kWh, and the energy charge is N11.37 per kWh in 2012 - 2013 and 2013 2014, N11.94 per kWh in 2014 - 2015, N12.54 per kWh in 2015 - 2016 and N13.16 in 2016 - 2017.

For Ibadan DISCO, the fixed monthly charge for residential R2 category is N500 in 2012 – 2013 and 2013 - 2014, N625 in 2014 2015, N781 in 2015 - 2016 and N976 in 2016 - 2017 while the energy charge is N12.30 per kWh in 2012 2013, N12.91 per kWh in

2013 – 2014, N13.56 per kWh in 2014 - 2015, N14.23 per kWh in 2015 - 2016 and N14.95 per kWh in 2016 - 2017.

For Ikeja DISCO, the fixed monthly charge for residential category R2 is N500 in 2012 - 2013, N750 in 2013 - 2014, N895 in 2014 - 2015, N1067 in 2015 - 2016 and N1273 in 2016 - 2017 while the energy charge is N12.45 per kWh in 2012 - 2013, N12.83 per kWh in 2013 - 2014, N13.21 per kWh in 2014 - 2015, N13.61 per kWh in 2015 - 2016 and N14.02 per kWh in 2016 - 2017.

We notice that there would be increases in the charges from one year to the next year and that the charges differ from one DISCO to the next DISCO. What is important is that NERC has stated the basis used for the determination of these charges and the basis for the review of the charges.

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Limited supplies to the DISCOS from the national grid would limit the revenues of the DISCOS

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Each of the DISCOS came under new management towards the end of 2013 with the new management having majority shareholding and the Federal Government of Nigeria, FGN, having the minority shareholding.

There has been public disquiet about the available electricity supply since the new managements were put in place.

The DISCOS have indicated that they are not receiving as much power as they expected to receive while there is public concern about deteriorating service from the discos. NERC has indicated that the tariffs were fixed in such a manner that they are fair to consumers and that the tariffs are sufficient to allow the DISCOS to finance their activities with reasonable earnings for efficient operation.

The new managements for the DISCOS were put in place so that they can make a change in the fortunes of the DISCOS. Limited supplies to the DISCOS from the national grid would limit the revenues of the discos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 — 25

DIARY

Select ICT events zTelecom CEM World Congress 2014 April 2014, Venue TBC, London zhong Kong ICT Expo 13 – 16 April 2014 Hong Kong. z Cards & payment Asia holds in Singapore 23-24 April 2014. zTransport Networks for Mobile Operators 2014 13 – 14 May 2014 London. zCritical Communications World 27-29 May 2014 BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand

Preview

New inventions shaping life and living

The House that walks

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new prototype house walked around the campus of the Wysing Arts Centre in Cambridgeshire, England.

The eco-friendly house is powered by solar cells and minature windmills, and comes with a kitchen, a composting toilet, a system for collecting rain water, one bed, a wood stove for CO2 neutral heating, a rear opening that forms a stairway entrance, and six legs.

I N S Audi, Honda I to integrate D E Android OS C M Y K

Poor network:

63% of adult Nigerians use more than one phone —Survey …identifies low tariffs, QoS as key to customer retention

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

T

HE results of the annual special edition of the telecoms polls released by NOIPolls Limited has revealed that most adult Nigerians who use more than one phone, actually find it inconveniencing. The choice however, according to the report, was to avoid the perennial poor quality of telecom services.

Further findings of the survey, was that a great majority of Nigerian phone users would want to see Network operators mandated to improve on their services in order to generally improve the quality of telecommunication services in Nigeria.The survey also

revealed that while about 60 percent of respondents demanded for such mandate, another 63 percent of adult mobile phone users in Nigerian were discovered to currently use two or more phone lines in order to escape bad QoS. Although, with the report, it was not all negatives for the telecom operators as about 50 percent respondents rated the services of their network provider good while 55 percent affirmed they are getting value for money from their main network provider.

The report adduced that this 55 percent has remained constant over a two year period, but maintained that those that claim they are not getting value for money increased by 8-percent in

“1% use of genuine sof tw are can softw tware contribute $73b to global economy

2013. From statistics the survey used, the key factors that defined value for money for customers, included network/ service quality and low tariffs. In its other top line results, only 2 percent of respondents have ported since the beginning of the Mobile Number portability drive while 26 percent do not believe the promotions of mobile operators are real.

The Nigeria telecommunication sector has witnessed significant growth over the years and remains one of the best and fastest growing sectors of the Nigerian economy. The industry is ranked the largest and fastest growing

Many Africans will come into formal economy through Mobile money

telecom market in Africa and among the ten fastest telecommunication growth markets in the world. As at September 2013 the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimated a total of 121,271,218 subscribers and a teledensity of 86.62 in Nigeria. The industry which contributes about 8.53% to the GDP as atMarch 2013 has recently experienced a slow growth rate and series of challenges ranging from poor quality of service to steep competition. This implies that service providers rely heavily on price tariffs to gain market share and dominance leading to a perceived fall in the quality of service and an increasing rate of dissatisfaction amongst users.

Against this background NOIPolls said it conducted the special edition poll on the quality of telecommunication services in Nigeria to explore the mobile phone usage patterns, quality of services provide by telecommunications providers and at the end of the day, made recommendation to improve the quality of services.

26 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Etisalat deepens broadband penetration in Nigeria through price for innovation

By EMEKA AGINAM

W

hile mobile broadband continues to be critical to African economic development, mobile phone operator, Etisalat at the just concluded AfricaCom held in Cape town, South Africa renewed its resolve to deepen penetration of broadband in Nigeria by unveiling the winners of the Etisalat Pan-African Prize for Innovation at the conference.

The Etisalat Prize for Innovation, awarded in two categories, was designed to reward individuals developing advanced mobile broadband solutions and platforms which would boost the growth of mobile broadband in Africa.

For one thing, Etisalat believes innovation should go beyond improvements in existing products and services, but also have real valuable social or economic impact to customers. In support of this belief, Etisalat is growing the mobile broadband ecosystem by encouraging and celebrating valuable innovation in the African market driving mobile data uptake. However, Genii Games won the Most Innovative Service

for which the company earned prize money of $25,000 to support its efforts in deepening mobile broadband usage in Nigeria by commercializing what it developed.

Similarly, Efiwe Mobile Application clinched the second prize of $10,000 for emerging as the Most Innovative Idea.

This demonstrates Etisalat’s willingness to, not only support the efforts of the government through the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to delight consumers with quality and value in mobile communications but empower other private companies to also contribute their quota towards ensuring that mobile communications in Nigeria is enjoyed by all in every sector of the economy.

An Information and Communications Technology expert, Chikelue Iruka, Chief Executive Officer of Rukas Communications, a software company operating in the Lekki area of Lagos while reacting to this development commended Etisalat for raising Nigeria’s banner high at the AfricaCom conference. “Etisalat’s actiparticipation will ensure

GOtv exploits carnival to launch in Calabar D igital terrestrial television operator, GOtv last week, launched its services in Calabar,Cross River state. The launch coincided with the festive seasons and the Calabar Carnival.

Apparently to get more people onto its network after the launch, the operator handed out free tickets to first 500 subscribers, to attend the Calabar Rocks concert hosted by comedian, Julius Agwu.

The show featured leading Nigerian artistes including Tuface, Davido and Iyanya.

To also register a strong presence in the city, GOtv also sponsored GOtv Dance Competition at the Calabar carnival where winners went away with new GOtv decoders including one month subscription among other prizes.

General manager GOtv,

Mrs Elizabeth Amkpa at the launch said that all the GOtv bouquets, including GOtenna and GOtv Extra packages will be available for subscribers in the city.

GOtv Extra is a new bouquet that offers the greatest selection of local channels made in Africa for Africa as well as the best international channels for as low as N1,500 per month.

GOtenna is provided to ensure increased signal strength and better protection against mobile phone and car interference.

According to Amkpa “we at GOtv are constantly innovating to ensure we continue to deliver the best possible digital television to Nigeria. We come from a solid corporate background and family in which MultiChoice has a proud legacy of 20 years of providing the best digital television to Africa.

Audi, Honda to integrate Android OS G

oogle is teaming up with car manufacturers including Audi, Honda and Hyundai to integrate its Android operating system into their dashboards.

It would allow the apps and music on Android smartphones and tablets to work better with onboard car systems.

Rival Apple has already signed similar deals with BMW, GM and Honda.

In a blogpost, Google announced that, along with GM and Nvidia, it would form the Open Automotive Alliance to "speed up innovation" in the car industry. "Millions of people already bring Android phones and tablets into their cars, but it's not yet a drivingoptimised experience," said Patrick Brady, director of Android engineering.

"Wouldn't it be great if you could bring your favourite apps and music

Google is already involved in car hardware and has promised self-driving cars by 2017

with you and use them safely with your car's built-in controls and indash display?" he added.

It is expected that Audi and Google will show off some of the systems at the CES show in Las Vegas this week.

In-car entertainment The car was fast becoming the next battleground for technology firms, said Ovum analyst Jeremy Green. "From car makers to the makers of car components, from the big software names to the telecoms players, everyone is piling into this market," he said.

"People spend a lot of time in their cars and Google wants people to use its services wherever they are. Searching is something you do a lot of in the car," he added. Google already has its eyes set on drivers. As well as developing a self-drive car, it has also added a traffic layer to Google Maps, sourced from other Android users, to inform users about traffic jams and other road issues. Last summer the search giant acquired crowd-sourced traffic app Waze.

Galaxy backbone partners Microsoft on youth employment

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

G

alaxy Backbone last week joined forces with software giants, Microsoft Nigeria to create employment opportunities for young Nigerians through the Employable Skills Development Internship Program (ESDIP) .

The project is on the Microsoft platform, the Government Wide Messaging and Collaboration (GWMC).

The ESDIP Initiative is a project targeted at providing capability development programs and training in the federal public sector for the already deployed GWMC platform, while also enhancing adoption and usage of the platform. Galaxy backbone is a government agency charged with the responsibility of providing a common information and communications technology platform for Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies. It claimed that by the joint partnership with Microsoft, it will enhance modernization in government via the increased adoption of the already

Gerald Ilukwe Galaxy backbone CEO deployed government wide messaging platform, elevate the security stature of government data, by ensuring all sensitive government communications move from public mail infrastructure to the secured and 1-gov.net platform.

CEO, Galaxy backbone, Gerald Ilukwe, said, that “the Government Wide Messaging and Collaboration platform is about efficiency, cost-savings, increased productivity and the effective delivery of public services to the citizenry by modernizing the way public officials communicate within government. For Galaxy, there

is a linkage with the employable skills development internship program. The essence is to empower public officials and the interns to be more effective and efficient in their e n d e a v o r s ” .

In view of the strategic nature of the project, Microsoft will lend its support in certain key areas including “Change Management” – with a view to building capacity, drive benefits management and encourage early and rapid adoption of the solution by end users.

The organization will also partner with the Integral Assets Limited on recruitment of Interns, delivery of train the trainer sessions for Interns , on-site activation of devices and training of government officials, amongst others.

Speaking on the partnership, Olayinka Oni, Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft Nigeria explained that “the objective of the program is to train interns to develop transferable and employable skills that will facilitate their placement in organizations. At the same time, leverage the interns to support the GWMC program through the distribution of devices and training of recipients in the use of the devices.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—27

New Horizons introduces biometric certification in W/Africa

By EMEKA AGINAM

F From left: Engr. Bayo Banjo, President, Nigerian Internet Group, NIG; Chris Uwaje, President of Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, ISPON, and former Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, at a recent stakeholders forum on broadband organised by NCC, in Lagos. Photo: EMEKA AGINAM.

ollowing the recent adoption of biometric technologies by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for all banks in Nigeria and also the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, for

the development of highly skilled and certified IT professionals who will manage the issues that will arise in the usage of biometrics technologies, New Horizons, an IT training company, has introduced biometrics certifications

into the market.

Biometrics is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. It is a form of recognition and identity confirmation that uses physical attributes of an individual that are impossible or at least hard to mask.

Common forms of biometrics include facial recognition, fingerprinting, retinal scans and DNA analysis . While previously cost prohibitive, concerns over terrorism and security have made many world governments and private organizations implement the technology at least on a limited scale.

Biocertification offers three different vendor neutral certification programs, Certified Biometric Security Technician (CBT), Certified Biometric Security Professional (CBSP), Certified Biometric Security Engineer (CBSE), CBSD (Certified Biometrics Security Developer) designed for technology practitioners who are seeking to enhance their technical skills as well as their professional prospects.

Each program consists of instructional material prepared by experts and practitioners which is followed by a certification exam.

On passing the exam participants will receive the certification.

These certifications are designed for both novice and as well as experienced networking and IT security professionals who wish to gain a solid understanding of Biometric Technologies and as well usage of Biometrics in the real world applications.

C M Y K

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Chelsea: Mikel after FA Cup glory C

helsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has set his sights on the club lifting the FA Cup this season.

The Nigeria international played his 300th game for the Stamford Bridge side on Sunday in the FA Cup third round against Derby County. The 26year-old marked the event with the opening goal as the London team progressed to the next round, taking his tally for the club to four, in the 20 win away.

Now Mikel has set his sights on picking up the silverware.

“The FA Cup is always big,” said Mikel to the club’s website.

“If we can pick up this trophy it will be very good for us and the manager stressed how important this competition is, but we still want to keep doing well in the Premier League and the Champions League of course.

“We have always had this winning mentality at Chelsea.

This manager installed it into this team and now he is back and he has installed it into the new players.

“There have been a lot of games in the last month and I think we did pretty well. We just want to keep building and now we are starting to know what the manager wants from us. It is starting to pay off and hopefully at the end of the season we will be smiling.”

Speaking about the game against Steve McClaren’s side he added: “We knew how difficult it would be to beat Derby.”

“In the last nine games they had lost just once and we didn’t want a replay.

“We started the game well, the first 10 to 15 minutes we moved the ball very well and

we were on top of them, we pressed them high but then we gave them a little bit of space and they showed us they can play, but we came back to put more pressure on them.

“We had possession and the defence were fantastic.

We played as a team and that is what the manager wants us to do. In the middle of the park I have to win my challenges and make sure I impose myself against my opponents and if I am able to do that and help the team win then I am very happy.”

Ever ton, Liverpool battle over Onazi E

VERTON are ready to make a bid for Nigerian international Ogenyi “Eddy” Onazi to jump ahead of city rivals Liverpool according to reports in Italy.

Italian news outlet Il Tempo says that the Merseyside clubs are set to go

ANCHESTER United manager David Moyes will not consider selling Nemanja Vidic to Fiorentina, according to TuttoMercatoWeb. The Serbian centre-back is yet to sign a new contract with the Premier League champions, and has occasionally looked past his best with his performances for United this season.

The likes of Juventus and AC Milan have also shown a strong interest in Vidic, with Fiorentina emerging as his leading suitors over the last couple of days. It was thought that with Vidic free to leave on a Bosman at the end of this season, United might be keen to accept a fee for him now, though Moyes is reportedly hoping to keep the experienced centre-back at the club.

United have been linked with a number of new players in that position themselves, and much of what happens with Vidic may depend on the Red Devils’ success in bringing in reinforcements to their back four this January.

C M Y K

ances for Lazio this season but TuttoMercatoWeb says the player is unlikely to move in the January Transfer Window. Back in November Onazi claimed he could see himself playing for Liverpool, but that wouldn’t stop Everton boss Roberto Martinez in bidding for the player to help strengthen his sides midfield.

•Obi Mikel

Man Utd: Moyes to reject Vidic bids

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to battle to sign the combative midfielder, after the 20 year old has shone at Italian club Lazio.

Everton have long been linked with Onazi and various reports suggested that the club were due to sign him in the last transfer window.

Onazi has made 14 appear-

I’m in love with Robben! - Guardiola

T

he Spaniard hopes that the Dutch man and his fellow Bayern star Bastian Schweinsteiger can return from injury quickly ahead of the season restart Bayern Munich head coach Pep Guardiola jested he is “in love” with Arjen Robben and hopes the winger can return to haunt Bundesliga defences swiftly.

The Dutchman, 29, missed the latter stages of the first half of the Bavarians’ season with injury, while Bastian Schweinsteiger has struggled intermittently throughout 2013-14.

Guardiola is hopeful that both of the midfielders will be available for Bayern’s return to action after the winter break at Borussia Monchengladbach on January 24.

“I’m in love with Arjen!” the former Barcelona boss told reporters on Monday.

Pep Guardiola with Arjen Robben

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 — 29

League Cup S/Final:

Hammers head to City in woeful form M

ANCHESTER City can take a big step towards their first League Cup final since 1976 with a win over West Ham today.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side are unbeaten in 13 matches across all competitions, and will be eager to extend that run when welcoming Sam Allardyce’s Premier League strugglers to the Etihad Stadium for the first leg of their semi-final.

Although City were held to a 1-1 FA Cup draw at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, the two-time winners will be confident of gaining an advantage over a West Ham side in the midst of an awful season.

West Ham, who have never won the League Cup, head into the

encounter in woeful form, having won just one of their last nine games.

That came last month, when Allardyce’s side claimed a surprise 2-1 victory at Tottenham to reach the last four.

While that triumph was welcome, a much-changed West Ham side suffered a humiliating 5-0 FA Cup defeat at Championship side Nottingham Forest at the weekend to deepen the gloom around Upton Park.

Allardyce has since received a vote of confidence from the club’s hierarchy, but the

former Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers manager will know his injury-hit team must show significant improvement if they are to prevail against City.

The London club are without a number of key players,

including striker Andy Carroll (foot) and defenders James Tomkins (groin) and James Collins (calf).

Winston Reid (ankle) and Ricardo Vaz Te (shoulder) also remain on the sidelines, while captain Kevin Nolan is sus-

Kaka proud to make Milan history

A

C Milan attacker Kaka says he is proud to be a part of the club’s history after breaking the 100goal mark on Monday.

The Brazilian scored twice in the 3-0 win over Atalanta to take his tal-

•Kaka

ly to 101 strikes over his two spells with the Rossoneri and the former Real Madrid man admits it was a special moment. ”I don’t know how to explain it,” the 31-year-old told reporters after the match. “I’m glad to be a part of the history of this club. ”Each goal I score is exciting. Every time I hear the fans it’s exciting. It gives me a great feeling because I know it comes from their heart. ”This was the best way to start 2014.”

Milan CEO Adriano Gallini paid tribute to Kaka’s achievement and revealed Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was also keen to congratulate the player. ”101 goals for a player who isn’t a striker is rare,” he said. “It shows class and value. ”Ancelotti saw it and sent me a message to say he was pleased. After the first training session in 2003 [at Milan], he called me and said: ‘I’ve never seen anyone so strong.’

Ronaldo agrees to attend Ballon d’Or ceremony RISTIANO Ronaldo says he will attend FIFA’s Ballon d’Or gala next week, when the Real Madrid forward has a chance to win the world player of the year award for a second time.

The Portugal star had wavered on whether he would attend the award ceremony on January 13, but he now says “I can only say that I am going to the gala.”

Ronaldo is a finalist along with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery of Bayern Munich.

Ronaldo won the award in 2008, but he has watched Messi claim it for the past four years.

Enyimba goalkeeper looks beyond CHAN snub •Aguero

Aguero set to return this month M

anchester City boss Manuel Pel legrini says striker Sergio Aguero is in line to return from injury in January.

The 25-year-old has been out since suffering a calf problem against Arsenal on 14 December and City feared he could be out for up to eight weeks.

But, when asked when Aguero may return, Pellegrini said: “During January.

“He is working, he is training. It is very good news. All players recovering from injuries is good news, especially a player as important as Kun Aguero.”

Free trains for CHAN ticket holders

C

pended. Reflecting on the 5-0 loss at Forest, Allardyce said: “Nobody wants to get beat and we certainly don’t want to get beat 5-0, but at the end of the day the semifinal against Manchester City is more important.”

E

nyimba goalkeeper Femi Tho mas has said he is focused on winning trophies with his club after he was overlooked for CHAN. The former Nigeria U20 star was widely rated as the best goalkeeper on the local scene last season, helping Enyimba win the Federation Cup with his penalty shootout heroics as well as finishing close runners-up in the league.

However, he will not be one of the three goalkeepers on the flight to South Africa this week, and he has insisted he will continue to work hard for him to earn an Eagles call-up. ”Many people have called and sent messages to me asking why I was not called to the Eagles. I was disappointed, but I believe the coaches know what they want and went for it,” Thomas reasoned.

“I have put that behind me, maybe it is not yet my time to be in the Eagles. I won’t let that weigh me down.

E

•Ronaldo

leven trains will be set aside to trans port soccer fans to the opening matches of the African Nations Champions (Chan) in Cape Town, Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) said on Monday.

“With the start of the... Chan 2014 South Africa set to kick off at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, January 11, Prasa, through its operator Metrorail, is ready to take fans to the games,” the rail operator said in a statement.

•Thomas C M Y K

30 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

‘One% use of genuine software can contribute $73b to global economy’

By EMEKA AGINAM

A

What global consumers spend:

To recapitulate the time and resources that are wasted on cybercrime, Abazie quoted IDC statistics, as saying that , “Globally consumers will spend 1.5 billion hours and $22 billion identifying and recovering from the impact of malware and global enterprises will spend $114 billion to deal with the impact of malware-induced cyber-attacks”.

Discussions during the session centred on piracy/counterfeiting as a major concern which cuts across varied goods, products and industries ranging from entertainment, IP/software, textiles, dairy, pharmaceuticals among others.

Transnational lack of borders of the internet:

The discussants noted that transnational lack of borders of the internet makes the unlawful copying and distribution of pirated products, services and designs at a global scale very easy but its enforcement difficult given the difficulty of ascertaining where the infringement took place whether on the infringer’s computer, the server and in which country. Abazie, at the roundtable to review the IPR Bill addressed software piracy, its various forms, how it undermines the industry’s ability to innovate, limits economic growth in economies around the world and puts consumers’ data and security at risk as well as the use of anti-piracy technology to checkmate it. Need to draft and enact an IP Bill for Nigeria : Panelists at the session to discuss the Industrial Property Commission of Nigeria (IPCOM) Bill agreed that there was urgent need to draft and enact an IP Bill for Nigeria to aligned with international best practice and technological developments.

Recommendation:

Lending the voice of the Devices and Software Company for reforms in Nigeria and the West African Sub-region, C M Y K

cooperation among Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) across West Africa. She reiterated the need for increased Public Education and Awareness to change the current apathetic public attitudes toward software and IP, leader-led model by Government through the promotion and use of legal software in state-owned enterprises and among all its contractors and suppliers

Draft and enact an IP bill for Nigeria to align with international best practice andtechnological development

,

LTHOUGH the fight against soft ware piracy has not yielded the expected result by different economies, latest finding by the Business Software Alliance, BSA, has revealed that increasing the use of genuine software by 1% contributes $73 billion to the global economy as opposed to $20 billion from pirated software, a whopping gap of $53 billion.

This is even as the Head, Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, Ijeoma Abazie who spoke at the recent anti-counterfeiting collaboration of Nigeria (ACC) 5th roundtable held in Lagos recently highlighted the benefits of curbing software piracy to include increased jobs, tax revenues and safety noting that these are more impact on the economy as opposed to the endorsement of software piracy which essentially funds terrorism globally, undermines online stability and security.

Accordingly, the ACC’s 5th roundtable was organised by Microsoft in conjunction with the International Trademarks Association (INTA) .

The ACC is the umbrella body for intellectual Property Rights (IPR) legalization and related issues in Nigeria with membership spanning across all sectors including the Intellectual Property Lawyers Association of Nigeria (IPLAN).

,

Abazie recommended the enhancement of enforcement using dedicated specialized IP enforcement, investigating and prosecuting resources and cross border

as a precondition for contracting with it and also through implementing software asset management (SAM) programs.

Mulch-stakeholder strategy needed:

For Abazie, mulch-stakeholder strategy involving private and public sector collaboration on effective enforcement

by LEAs; Industry-led initiatives to promote SAM in the public and private sectors; Increased support from the Nigerian Customs Service and strengthened cross border customs collaboration to checkmate the importation and distribution of pirated/ counterfeit software; modernization of IP Laws to provide for the protection and enforcement of infringement of new software innovations, such as cloud computing technologies, online piracy and the proliferation of networked mobile devices; Fast tracking the enactment of an all-encompassing IP Bill aligned with international developments and Fast tracking the passage of the Cyber Security Bill and other related BillS as bail out option. Earlier in her opening address, Lara Kayode, Partner O. Kayode & Co and who represented INTA, stressed the need for public awareness, strong enforcement of and a strong IP legal framework that adequately compensate and protect rights holders whose IP has been infringed as piracy and counterfeiting rob government globally of revenue that can be used to develop economies.

Many Africans will come into formal economy through Mobile money

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

A

UK based Nigerian telecommunications consultant, Mr. Nnamdi Oranye says mobile money transaction will bring millions of Africans into the formal economy if fully adopted by the continent.

He however, criticised the charging of transaction fees for mobile money transfers, saying it was one of the reasons the service had not made the expected penetration in many rural African settlements. For him, the charge is self-defeating and discourages low income account holders from adopting the novel transaction platform.

Oranye, who works with Indian Atlantic in the United Kingdom, also argued that the transaction fees remained the main reason some telecom operators in some African countries are still struggling to succeed in mobile money services.

He stated that mobile money transfers have the potential to make a huge impact in Africa’s unbanked population, giving it as a reason mobile money transfers should have no fees. Oranye said mobile money

•Mobile Money transfer has become critical for the development of African continent considering the enormous potentials in the system. He maintained that the system remains inevitable for South Africa, even with its technological prowess, since it has 13 million unbanked people who also need to come into the formal economy.

“This is the primary reason why M-Pesa type mobile money is struggling to gain traction in most

markets outside of Kenya.

The amounts being transferred are often relatively small, so that the transaction charge can be quite large in comparison.

Despite the many benefits that mobile money transfers offer their users, persuading a low-income portion of the population to use a service that costs them money is a nearimpossible task for operators,” he said. Oranye further noted that total adoption of the novel system of banking is possible, since Africans have overwhelmingly adopted the mobile phone as their primary interface for connection and commerce, with phone subscriptions equalling 80 per cent of the continent’s population in early 2 0 1 3 .

“Technology that enables users to digitally transfer cash, pay bills, buy goods or make deposits without needing banks or accessing the internet is uniquely suited to Africa and other regions with minimal

PROSTITUTION IN ITALY:

My advice to Nigerian girls,

by Mimi, a deportee

By VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

B

LINDED by the quest for quick affluence, 29 year old Mimi, and three other adventurous ladies, left Nigeria for Italy, in search of what they termed ‘Golden Fleece.’ She did not bother about the lingering odds surrounding the nature of business she was to practice in Italy, as every protest from her parents and well meaning friends, fell on deaf ears.

In her desperate situation, Mimi neither gathered any information about what to expect in Italy, nor was she prepared to give ears to the sad tales of tens of thousands of African migrants, who lost their lives in the attempt to cross over to choice countries abroad, through various dangerous routes. Smuggled into the wheel hubs of tractor-trailers transported by a rickety ferry, she and two of the ladies narrowly made it to Italy, having lost the third to a severe weather condition.

On arrival, Mimi was met with the rawest life ever, which fully

convinced her that, ‘there is no place like home.’ She told Consular Advisory, “I was hopeless here in Nigeria as it were, but never thought for once about the dangers of migrating abroad for prostitution.

“With no papers, and shelter over my head, in addition to police brutality, I became more a whore than the worst of whores in Italy. It dawned on me then that I have made the worst mistake in life.

Unfulfilled dreams Ultimately, acquiring wealth from any source was the one adventure that deserved my attention three years back, hence the idea of travelling to Italy became paramount in my mind, since a good number of Nigerian girls who travelled to Italy for such business come back rolling in money. Although I was smuggled into the wheel hubs of tractor-trailers transported by rickety ferry, I was optimistic I would realise my dreams, but the

reverse unfortunately, was the case and I am paying the fatal price.”

She also told of the many unpalatable experiences she had in the hands of Italian hoodlums and gang-rapists, who used her as play tool. Recounting how her situation forced her to sleep with different night guards, who in turn shared their food with her as fees paid for having satisfying sex with her, she added, “All my years in Italy before deportation were horrifying, and the experiences, bitter as they were, brought about a fathom understanding of who I was. Even as my woes heightened with the many calamities I faced, in addition to, hunger and lack of medication, I was sure that one day, I would return to my home country to tell my story to fellow desperate prospective immigrants.”

Mimi, now down with HIV, was barely 26 when she fled Nigeria with the intention of getting a better and easy life in Italy. She was among those deported from Italy late 2013, and in her submission, Mimi, pledges for a better resolution on issues of

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—31 youth migration in Nigeria, while thankful to God, not just for advising intending immigrants on making it possible for her to come migrating with genuine intention back home, but for making it and conclusive arrangement, in possible for her to tell her story, terms of accommodation and and warn desperate ladies against migrating to foreign countries sponsorship.

“Although I am still alive to with the hope of making quick and relate my ordeal, I am worthless easy money through the act of now, because with far less prostitution. “Over decades, attention from family members Nigeria has lost many productive and friends, owing to my present youths through dangerous health condition, I feel completely migration and it is time the rejected”, she said. She also told economic inequality that spurs VCA that her present condition migration in the first place be have been less painful, if she was treated in the country to avoid in Italy, enjoying asylum disastrous end. I am afraid that protection like her two co- until that abates, in addition to end travellers, but unfortunately, her of political twists and turns, the application for asylum did not tempting European world will scale through before she was continue to swallow many captured and deported to Nigeria. Nigerians, who are in desperate In all, Mimi appeared to be situations.

No need for dollar account for UK on-line visa payment —BHC

By PRISCA SAM-DURU with Agency report

T

HE British High Commission has said that contrary to the wide spread belief by some Nigerians that intending travellers now need a dollar account to make online payments for visas, “...there is no need for anyone to have a dollar account”.

A statement issued by the Commission in Lagos on the issue, noted that “The British High Commission would like to clarify the issue of on-line visa payments, which has recently been the subject of news reports. Earlier this month, the UK introduced compulsory on-line payments for visas and announced that the cost of those visas be denominated in US dollars.”

The statement said “this is purely an accounting measure.

As before, Nigerians with a naira credit or debit card can pay for visas using their naira account. Although the visa fee will be denominated in dollars, the payment will be deducted from their account in naira.”

32—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

•Jonathan...to organise national confab

•Awolowo...canvassed true federalism •Tinubu...the confab is diversionary

•Fasoranti...Yoruba need autonomy

National confab:

Division in Awo’s house T

HE October 1, 2013 decision of President Goodluck Jonathan to convene a national conference was greeted with mixed reactions from both his critics and admirers.

While many saw the proposed conference as an opportunity to restructure the country, others maintain that the exercise would amount to a waste of resources and time.

In the South-West geopolitical zone, staunch followers of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo received the news differently.

Some Awoists, as they are fondly called, commended what they described as the president’s bold step at restructuring the polity and putting the country on the right track.

Interestingly, the pan-Yoruba socio-Political Organisation, Afenifere, has been in the forefront of those clamouring for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference (SNC).

Since the advent of the Fourth Republic and the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the pan-Yoruba group had agitated for true federalism and a proper restructuring of the country.

The group, under the leadership of late Pa Abraham

C M Y K

Adesanya, was consistent on the agitation for the convening of a sovereign national conference.

Now that the opportunity has come, Afenifere view opponents of the conference as enemies of the region.

On the other hand, the All Progressives Congress, APC, gave the dialogue a damning verdict, alleging that President Jonathan has a hidden agenda.

With the APC pointedly stating its stance on the conference, some staunch Awoists have lampooned the opposition party for declining to support the proposal.

APC’s position on the dialogue was taken at a meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party. It declared that the president had lost focus and the credibility required to organize that kind of conference.

Meaningful national confab The party’s spokesperson, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had said: “What we see today is that this government has lost focus, it has lost credibility, it has lost control of the economy, security, corruption has attained uncontrollable proportion and at this point in time, this government lacks the credibility to organise a real meaningful national conference. “In any event, we see this thing as nothing but a

diversion and what are we talking about a national conference for when even the President himself has said that the outcome of that conference would be subjected to the approval of the National Assembly?”

Averring that in effect, the aim of the proposed exercise is a constitutional amendment rather than a national conference, the APC said it would not be a party to it, stressing that it is not an issue of boycotting.

“I have put it clear to you: this is diversionary. If it is a clear, meaningful national dialogue, we will participate, but this isn’t. The President himself has said whatever is discussed there will be subjected to National Assembly. So, what you are having is constitutional amendment”, it stated.

Given the stance of the APC, which also harbours some Awoists, the enlarged political family of the late sage appears divided now.

To make the conference work, Vanguard gathered that the Presidency is partnering with those who have bought into the idea. Sources said Jonathan is ready to offer juicy appointments as well as patronages to those who throw their weight behind his initiative.

Perhaps, the outcome of the measure is the recent appointment of first grandchild of the late sage, Mr. Olusegun

Awolowo as the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC. It was also gathered that prominent leaders and elders from the region have been invited to meet with President Jonathan where he is expected to assure of them of his sincerity to organise a credible

,

BY DAPO AKINREFON

national conference upon which Afenifere campaigned for election in 1999 before he became governor. "It was on the basis of the struggle of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) which he (Tinubu) identified with that Afenifere passed a resolution, which was endorsed by all the state houses of assembly in all the Alliance for Democracy states and the governors.”

Reiterating Afenifere’s resolve not back down on its decision, Odumakin said: “Now that his policies are against plans to liberate our people and get autonomy, do such people want Afenifere to follow Tinubu and sell the future of our people for their

,

All we are asking for is autonomy for our people at the national conference and that is the basis for our relationship with Jonathan

and meaningful conference.

Our grouse against Tinubu — Afenifere On its part, the Afenifere has come out to defend its stance on why the conference should be supported by all and sundry just as it threw mud on the faces of opponents of the initiative. Afenifere’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin, in a chat with Vanguard explained that its romance with the president was based on the need to ensure the South-West gets autonomy.

Odumakin said: “Afenifere produced Bola Tinubu. How can Afenifere be used against Bola Ahmed Tinubu when it was Afenifere that handed him the governorship ticket in 1999?

The issue between Afenifere and Bola Tinubu is Tinubu turning coat against the

own immediate political gain?

In 2011, when Tinubu went to cut a deal with Jonathan, was it Afenifere’s business?

Afenifere is not interested in their 2015, what Afenifere is interested in is 2014 is that we must re-negotiate this country in 2014 at the national conference which Jonathan has put on the table and on the basis of which we support and we have no apology for supporting the national conference to get autonomy for our people and to put Nigeria back on track.

“So, anybody that says that Afenifere is being used against Tinubu needs to get checked.

All we are asking for is autonomy for our people at the national conference and that is the basis for our relationship with Jonathan.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—33

Confab can save Nigeria — Djebah MR.Oma Djebah, a Journalist, Senior Adviser (Foreign Relations) to the Delta State Governor and former Commissioner for Information, Delta State has two master’s degrees in International Law and Diplomacy (University of Lagos) and Global Journalism (Orebro University, Sweden) as well as a Certificate in Creating Collaborative Solutions from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, USA. A Council member of both the International Forum of Global Journalists, Sweden, and the Peace and Media Network in London, UK, Mr. Djebah, who has been selected to speak at multilateral fora including the annual United Nations (UN) policy Roundtable on Africa at the UN headquarters, New York and the yearly Highway Africa Conference of over 500 policy makers and media practitioners in South Africa and an author of the book - Niger Delta Crisis: Media and Peace Building Options, in this interview, says if properly organized the national conference would lead to the emergence of a new Nigeria. Excerpts:

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

O

N the implication of the Delta State government’s concept of Delta beyond oil Early in the life of the Governor Uduaghan administration, it envisioned that massive government investment in infrastructure on the one hand and in the agricultural sector on the other, would help to catalyze economic growth in Delta State and make the state to become a choice destination for investors and tourists alike.

It will not only arrest and eliminate criminality but also open up the state to diverse sources of revenue beyond a mono product called crude oil revenues. In this way, I can safely tell you that a comprehensive economic

development framework which greatly recognizes the fact that economic diversification is the key has successfully been instituted in Delta State.

Delta State has embarked on several agricultural projects to modernize agriculture and in partnership with the private sector to boost agricultural production in the state.

The state entered into a partnership programme with Obasanjo Farms Ltd with the aim of propelling local young farmers while at the same time building up massive capacity for the future.

In this connection, the Uduaghan administration conceived the YETA-FSP, an acronym for Youth Empowerment through

•Djebah Agriculture and Farmers Support Programme early in the life of the administration. We are also promoting aggressively industrial and entrepreneurial spirit through the funding of micro-credit initiative.

The idea really is to consolidate on the foundations laid in the first term while systematically diversifying the economic base so that the state is not solely dependent on oil revenues and allocations from the federally controlled account.

That is the Governor’s vision behind a Delta beyond oil philosophy and we are making

remarkable progress.

It was not surprising that the governor has won numerous awards for his remarkable transformation of Delta State. The latest being from the prestigious Vanguard Newspapers, which adjudged His Excellency, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, its person of the year 2013.

His take on the propriety or otherwise of a national conference I am quite optimistic that the conference will be a success if faithfully pulled through to a logical end. I believe that the Presidential Advisory Committee, having consulted widely, is better informed to recommend the best modalities for the conference and their recommendations, if adopted or approved, will go a long way in shaping the outcome of the conference.

The decision of the President to empanel a committee with a mandate of charting the course for a national dialogue was good intentioned. I have emphasized the notion of good intention because this has been the bane of previous attempts at a national dialogue.

But unlike previous attempts, the President has clearly not predetermined the course or the end of this potential national conference. The Presidential Advisory committee was given

2015: Jonathan’s chances

bright — Edionwele CHIEF Joe Edionwele, formerly chairman Esan West Local Government Area, Ekpoma, between 1999 and 2003, is the zonal secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the SouthSouth.

In this interview, he dispelled fears that the recent defection of five PDP governors to the All Progressive Congress (APC) will affect the re-election chances of President Jonathan in 2015. He also spoke on the chances of the PDP in the 2015 elections in Edo State. Excerpts:

BY GABRIEL EWEPU

O

N comments that the recent defection of five PDP governors to the APC could hurt PDP’s dominance The world can do without the best man. People get it wrong when they think people cannot do without them. The PDP was not formed because of these five governors. Just as they are leaving, more people are coming in. It is a two-way traffic thing. It is not very simple to just move from one party to another. A lot of your followers will not go with you. The place you are going, you will need to displace some people if you want to remain relevant there and that is not easy.

At the end of the day, the people

will decide.

With APC’s growing influence, don’t you think they will pose dangers to the PDP in 2015?

There is nothing the APC can do. I am the South-South Secretary of the PDP and I am telling you that PDP is on ground. Since Rotimi Amaechi has decided to go the other way, the PDP has become stronger.

The enemy within is always more difficult to handle.

You do not think the PDP could lose Rivers state in 2015 with Amaechi’s move to APC? In 2011, Amaechi voted in his own ward and lost there. He was a sitting governor then, but lost in his own unit. The PDP won in every other place, except in Amaechi’s area. Omehia beat

him in his own ward. Amaechi is the governor does not mean he is very popular.

On why he is gunning for House of Representatives seat and his chances It is purely based on service to humanity. We feel even though we have done well, we can always do better. I do not understand what you mean by, ‘my party not being popular’ in the state.

Political platform

•Edionwele

People now vote for individuals. It is true that the candidate is contesting under a political platform, but the electorates will look at your antecedents and what you have been able to do. I will be judged on that basis. My past will speak for me. I am very convinced that whatever political platform I chose to run, I will win.

With Edo and Rivers states under APC, won’t it weaken President Jonathan’s support base in the South-South?

You are using the governors as

a basis to judge if President Jonathan’s support base in the region is still intact. You must know that even the governor cannot vote beyond his polling unit. You just believe that the governor is rich and can use the state’s resources to sway the outcome of the election. It is not as easy as that.

At the end of the day, President Jonathan remains our son. He has done very well. We need to look at records to see which President has actually done what Jonathan is doing. It is just

the mandate to consult widely with Nigerians with a view to determining the structure of the substantive conference. The committee members were not asked to convoke a national conference.

They were basically tasked with the collation of diverse views and memoranda from across the country from which the committee has now submitted its report to the President. It is expected that their recommendations to the President would necessarily capture the views of Nigerians.

What should then matter most to Nigerians is that the desires and clamours of the people as contained in the recommendation are meticulously debated at the conference and the outcome realistically implemented.

On whether his optimism stemmed from the President’s phased approach to this particular National Dialogue Not exactly! You can have the best structure and still retain a clandestine or even a sinister motive. We must acknowledge that President Jonathan has demonstrated a high degree of sincerity together with an uncommon zeal and transparency in dealing with otherwise difficult issues of national significance.

because he is humble, and people are taking his humility for granted.

Look at the power sector and the different power stations he had built. Look at the railways, the aviation, the roads and other sectors. Look at health and the economy. I do not think any President has done what President Jonathan is doing now.

The President does not boast.

Do you think President Jonathan should seek reelection in 2015?

Of course, I am very convinced that he should run in 2015, because I have not seen a better alternative. The devil you know is better than these other people parading themselves as saints.

He has touched every aspect of our national life.

These same people that are talking, if you give them power, they will not give any room for the opposition to say anything.

They will crush every opposition.

After the PDP lost out in last year’s gubernatorial election in Edo state not much has been heard about the party. What is in the offing?

The party is doing much. You know that the other party is being financed by the state government and they tend to have more publicity. What we are doing now is to reach out to those at the grassroots who matter most.

34—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Did Nigeria legally expire on January 1, 2014? (2)

The limits of criticism and national interest

This is the concluding part of this discourse which was first published in our edition of Tuesday.

BY CHIJIOKE EMEKA

BY ADAMU GWAZUWANG

T

HERE is more to the exposure of the CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as a false whistle blower on the supposedly untidy accounting books of the nation’s petroleum sector than a section of the Nigerian Press wants us to believe.

Ordinarily, the sensational letter from the CBN Governor to the President raising worrying issues indicating the diversion of earnings from the lucrative crude oil sales by the NNPC is a classical scoop that no newspaper will fail to publish under banner headlines. In this case both the message and the messenger combine to lend credence to the typical Nigerian hear-say and the added spice of a leaked letter could only have proved irresistible to even the most conservative of editors.

So on the face of it, the media splash of screaming headlines and crusading editorials literally canonizing the CBN Governor for such a patriotic spilling of the beans and simultaneously bashing not just the NNPC but the entire Goodluck Jonathan Presidency, was to be expected.

With the House Speaker’s blame game on corruption and former President Obasanjo’s hellraising letter all hitting the headlines within a few days interval, it was indeed the opposition’s delight. However, the post-leakage euphoria was dramatically deflated when the Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, CBN Governor made a straight-faced admission of willful exaggeration and inexcusable negligence of official responsibility following the humiliating outcome of a rather belated reconciliation of accounts that provided damning evidence of the CBN Governor’s dishonest flippancy.

By professional reckoning, the news value of the initial leaked letter from the CBN Governor was just as sensational as his self-indicting factual somersault before the Senate which confirmed not only that the CBN Governor misled

CBN gov, Sanusi

process including the CBN Governor was satisfied that there was noyjing like a $49.8 Billion of unremitted proceeds from crude oil sales diverted by the NNPC from the Federation Account. It was also confirmed that the CBN is in possession of the accounts into which the remittances were duly paid but ignored them for reasons yet to be explained by the CBN Governor.

As if this attitude is not bad enough, weeks after the CBN Governor has himself expressed remorse over his indiscretions and the sensational Press hullaballoo forced into acquiescence by the share weight of corrective information, a national daily comes out with an editorial on NNPC and Oil Revenue Transparency rehashing discredited statements disowned by their author the CBN Governor. In what appears to be an irrational fixation with vilifying the NNPC, the newspaper falsely describes the CBN Governor’s climb-down figure of 12 billion dollars as “missing” in a futile bid to sustain the punctured propaganda.

Discerning Nigerians were aware that the 12 billion dollar figure was not only corrected to about 10.8 billion dollars by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, but further clarified to represent the amount yet to be reconciled at the time of the briefing to the Senate Committee but certainly not “missing.” The needless controversy was CBN Governor’s tactless face-saving effort following his admission that his phantom figure of $49.8 Billion was in fact a huge misinformation that the Minister promptly debunked with finality.

The needless controversy was CBN Gov- convincing The NNPC has declared that ernor’s tactless face-saving effort following by the time the reconciliation process is completed, it will be his admission that his phantom figure of established that the amount $49.8bn was in fact a huge misinformation represents some of the responsibilities that it carries out on behalf of the Federal Government such as the nation but that he did so in spite of having the unpaid subsidies on kerosene and premithe facts of the matter right under his nose. The um motor spirit (PMS). Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was Press that was also clearly culpable, as the choearlier reported to have stated that no subsidy sen weapon of mass deception by flagrant disreon kerosene has been paid since she assumed gard of the ethics of news reporting, should have office. Similarly, the NNPC is required to been more outraged by this fiasco than the inimaintain huge petroleum products reserves in tial “scoop” that never was. Instead, it was as if the national territorial waters as strategic rethe news instincts of the editors had been sudserves in the national interest and at the rate of denly turned off. Those that reported the CBN 40 million litres of PMS national consumption Governor’s gaffe at all tucked into inconspicuper day, NNPC currently maintains 32 days’ ous portions of their reports, others callously stuck sufficiency of products. The cost of pipeline vanto the CBN Governor’s discredited whistle-blowdalism and oil theft are security issues affecting posturing. ing over 5000 kilometers of pipelines across Such a bizarre twist in professional standards the country on which NNPC expends huge of news reporting and brazen adoption of bias resources on pipeline protection and repairs, and prejudice as hallmarks of journalism was operational downtime and outright revenue loss most distasteful coming from leading newspafrom crude oil and product theft and willful pers that flaunt pious slogans of objectivity and spillage. All these make up the yet-to-be-recfearlessness on their mastheads. For the avoidonciled balance of $10.8bn known to all the ance of doubt, the Press deliberately played down parties in the reconciliation process. the unpatriotic excesses of the CBN Governor With all this verified information in public cirwho sought to out-do the political opposition in culation for weeks it is incomprehensible why their notorious tendency to smear and sleaze the a national newspaper will adamantly continue incumbent President and government and all dishing out the falsehood. agencies of government obsessively and more Adamu Gwazuwang, a Petrotroleum indusoften than not, without justification. try watcher wrote from Abuja.

The incontestable fact is that the reconciliation

,

BE that as it may, with a feeling of legitimate possession of the two protectorates “by treaty, grant, usage, sufferance and other lawful means”, Sir Frederick Lugard dispatched confidential reports to the Colonial Secretary to amalgamate the two territories.

Lugard secured approval by Letters Patent and Order in Council pursuant to Foreign Jurisdictions Act 1890; and the merger became a legal fact. The amalgamation was a creation of Letters Patent and Order in Council, and not a treaty. The new boundaries were defined by Colony of Nigeria Boundaries Order in Council of November 22, 1913, effective 1st January, 1914. The only problem was Egbaland, recognized as a sovereign state by the Treaty with Carter.

Camouflaging under Egbaland’s internal unrest, the British convinced (cajoled) Egba to have her unique treaty annulled.

Alake and his Chiefs consented and on 16th September, 1914, Egbaland was finally placed “unreservedly under the Government of the Protectorate of Nigeria”. The Amalgamation was a product of administrative fiat same as the latter-day balkanization of Nigeria into States by Generals Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha.

There was no consultation with the natives and no agreement on amalgamation. The British felt on good legal standing as sole administrator based on “cession” and “protection” treaties to restructure their new domain as they deemed fit. Allusion to any amalgamation treaty would have a corollary effect of adding indigenous consent to the act which would be a study in revisionist history.

The 1914 Nigerian was not considered legally capable of entering into a treaty with Britain, as they were considered conquered people and with their territory legitimately possessed. The amalgamation was therefore not a term agreement, but mere administrative decision. Both at the international customary law which governs the pre-1914 treaties and under the latter day Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 1969, the 100 year rule has no basis. There is no jus cogens fixing treaties to 100 years lifespan.

A treaty’s lifespan is governed by rules of invalidation, termination and withdrawal. The pre-1914 treaties were made in perpetuity.

The resolution of the matter is

that on 1st October, 1960, the British Crown abdicated their possession to indigenous political authorities. Today, the Nigerian Government is corporately the legal successor to the abdicated British authority. Even with its much-vaunted shortcomings, the 1999 Constitution supersedes the amalgamation in succession of legal norm. Today, the 1999 Constitution is unarguably Law. Section 2(1) provides that “Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state to be known by the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

It is legally preposterous to profile Nigeria’s de-amalgamation on an imaginary treaty. The 1999 Constitution, although, General Abdusalami Abubakar’s Decree No. 24 of 1999, and with its poor

Map of Nigeria

record of consultation, is Nigeria’s Grundnorm, being grosso modo effective. I rely on Professor Hans Kelsen’s postulations on the Grundnorm in his Pure Theory of Law used for legal justification for extra-constitutional events or revolutions. This was applied in State v Dosso (1958) 2 PSCR 180 (Pakistan), Ex Parte Matovu (1966) EALR 514 (Uganda), Madzim Bamuto v Lardner-Burke (1969) 1 AC 645 (South Rhodesia - Zimbabwe), Lakanmi v AG West (1971) 1 UILR Vol. 1 201 (Nigeria) among other decisions.

The 1999 Constitution even with its poor record of consultation had attained effectiveness as Nigeria’s top Legal Norm. Nigeria did not therefore legally expire on 1st January, 2014. Nigeria has gone far beyond a de-amalgamation of her 1914 amalgamation. If Nigeria would be dissolved, it would be through a popular political process, not by expiration of an imaginary treaty. This is in view of Section 2(1) of the 1999 Constitution. Until then Nigeria remains. For those who wish Nigeria to expire by treaty, the disappointing news is: there is no ‘Best Before’ label on Nigeria.

Emeka, Executive Director, Constitutional Rights Forum (CRF), writes from Lagos

,

VANGUARD,WEDNESDAY,JANUARY 8,2014

— 35

My ex puts me off men Dear Bunmi, OR YEARS I was in volved with a man who verbally and physically abused me. I finally had the courage to leave him but because of his nastiness, I seem to resent men in a big way and they tend to hurt and use me.

I am now in my late 20's and recently met a man who is my cousin’s friend.

We've become lovers, but he doesn’t look the serious type to me and my cousin confirmed he still goes out with the girl he had before me. I’m scared of catching some diseases because he refuses to use condoms with me. Please help.

Modesta, by e-mail.

F

When can I begin to trust my teenage son?

W

Dear Bunmi, HENEVER WE go to my husband’s town house for weekend functions, he insists that our 17-year-old son stays with his sister ’s family. Our two other children are away at the

university and I believe our son is mature enough to stay alone in our flat, but my husband thinks otherwise. What do you think?

Josephine, by e-mail.

Dear Josephine,

He wants to stay married while living alone Dear Bunmi, BOUT A year ago, my husband moved me and our two children out of our matrimonial home into one of his other flats. We’d been having problems with our marriage because he is a chronic womanizer who had slept with a couple of my nieces. His reason for wanting time on his own is that he’s always been a loner. In spite of this, I would have loved to go on with the marriage because of the children. But he told me point blank that he doesn’t want to live with a woman any more.

I’ve never felt so lonely in my life. I can’t get rid of the anger and bitterness I feel about my husband’s treatment of me. All my friends are either married or having a good relationship. Although we all go to parties at times, I have no man of my own. Can I ever find love again?

Labo, by e-mail.

A

Dear Labo, Nothing is impossible but I doubt if you’ll find any decent man with your selfesteem currently as low as it is. Stop thinking of yourself as a reject. Accept that

your marriage is over and allow yourself time to come to terms with that. Then move on. Have a social life that is not dramatic and don’t look at men you meet as potential lovers. Flirt with men and try and discover yourself all over again.

Before you know it, love will find you and your husband will be part of a memory.

Why don’t you sound the opinion of some of your friends, who have teenage children? As you would discover, teenage children they thought were mature were nothing but disappointments.

Some parents have come back from trips to find the house littered with empty beer cans.

At 17, it’s just too tempting for your son to throw a party. Or invite a girlfriend to stay the night with.

My suggestion is that you slowly allow your son to earn your trust. Leave him on his own for a few hours first, then progress gradually (though I’d give him more time) before you leave him on his own for a whole weekend. When you do decide to go ahead, let him know you’re trusting him so he has to show you he’s up to it. I’m sure with time, your son will prove to be responsible.

Is this reaction because of perversion?

Dear Bunmi, MY HUSBAND and I sometimes engage in perversion whenever I am having my period; I do blow-job on him. The last time I gave him one, I noticed the top of his manhood looked a bit sore, but we went ahead regardless.

Now, the sore is worse and the inside of my mouth is infected as if I have mouth ulcer. Could we have infected each other with thrush?

Kairat, by e-mail.

Dear Kairat, Thrush is a yeast infection commonly found in the va-

gina. If you have thrush, your husband could pick it up during love-making. It can infect the man’s glan - the helmet at the end of his manhood under his foreskin - making it red and sore, sometimes with flecks of white, cheesy discharge.

And yes, perversion could pass it into your mouth. Go to a reputable pharmacist and ask for treatment for your mouth and vagina, and 'clotrimazole' cream for your husband’s penis.

If your symptoms, or his, don’t clear up, then check with your doctor - sometimes thrush in odd places can be a sign that something else is going on.

My husband is a drug addict Dear Bunmi, Y HUSBAND of over ten years has been taking hard drugs for sometime now. I can’t express how it has damaged my family, it is just traumatic. I have three children to raise and money is the main problem. My husband disappears for days, tells lies and swindles his friends and relations.

I’ve come to fear for our lives as he’s also been violent whenever I refuse to make love with him. He said he’s

M

tried getting help but I haven’t seen that reflected in his behaviour. He pleads with me that he wants to be back to who he was before, but I’m sure all he wants is the free ride I can offer. Can this marriage be saved?

Lizy, by e-mail.

Dear Lizy, When your husband embraced hard drugs, he abandoned his wife and children.

Much as he says he hates his addiction, feeding his habit is now his cornmitment and ob-

session. You provide him roof over his head and a source of cash. In return, what do you get? His failure to nurture, love and cherish you and the children. You no longer have a marriage as it’s obviously clear to you.

Recognise this and leave before your husband drags you down with him. Set both of you are free to build new and separate lives. To create something good, we sometimes first destroy what is bad.

Dear Modesta, It’s a pity that your last relationship has left you emotionally battered and very low on self-esteem,

so it’s no wonder you now feel the way you do. And because you’ve been t r e a t e d s o b a d l y, t h a t ’ s what you come to expect from all men. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Men will only use you as long as you let them.

So it is time to get tough and break that cycle. Stop sleeping with your cousin’s friend and tell him where to get off! And in future, don’t go near a man who refuses to wear a condom.

(Not only do you risk catching sexually transmitted diseases, there is also the risk of unwanted pregnancy) Tell yourself you deserve best treatment and refuse to settle for second best. In the meantime, get to know potential partners as friends first before hopping into the sack.

A man who genuinely cares about you won’t mind waiting.

Men will only use you as long as you let them.

So it is time to get tough and break that cycle. Stop sleeping with your cousin’s friend...

In the meantime, get to know potential partners as friends first before hopping into the sack.

A man who genuinely cares about you won’t mind waiting.

Is love-making safe when blood pressure is high?

Dear Bunmi, AM a married mother of three, in my mid-30's and currently suffering from high blood pressure. I’ve been given some medications to control this and my doctor advised that I should avoid exercise. Does this include love-making?

Dada, by e-mail,

I

Dear Dada, Blood pressure measures the highest and lowest pressures inside your arteries.

Anything above 140 at the top end or 90 at the bottom, is high. If it is only above these limits, you aren’t in any immediate danger. Very high

blood pressure (average 200) increases the risk of a stroke, and needs to be treated immediately.

When you exercise, your blood pressure is already gone up. So if your blood pressure is already quite high, it could be dangerous.

Love-making also raises your blood pressure, especially when you climax.

It depends on how vigorously you make love.

Without knowing what your blood pressure is, it is difficult to offer any advice.

So you do need to ask your doctor. In most cases, gentle love-making shouldn’t be a problem.

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

36—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Delta sets up task force to recover debts from mass transit operators

UPU promises closer ties with Isok o Isoko

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

BY AKPOKONA OMAFURAIRE

A

SABA—DELTA State Government has said it has set up a special task force with the mandate of recovering huge sums of money owed it by the operators of commercial buses under its Urban Mass Transit Scheme.

The state Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Benson Igbakpa, warned that beginning from this month, defaulters would have such vehicles recovered from them, if they failed to show proof of payment, describing their action as “wickedness.”

Said he, “for the record, the operators were supposed to be paying N4,000 daily for the buses, but this they have not been doing. It is wicked for anybody to get such buses that were highly subsidised by the state government to refuse to remit payments for upwards of over one year.

“Recently, the state government discovered that almost all the operators of the government acquired vehicles are not remitting payments to the state government's coffers. Worried by the development, this year, we have decided to go into ‘operation recover all’ where we will begin to impound all the vehicles of defaulters.

“Only Agofure Motors is pay-

W

ARRI —THE President General of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Chief Patrick Aziza (rtd), has said that the Isoko people now have a focus and ray of hope with the election of new executive to lead Isoko Development Union, IDU. Aziza charged the Isoko people, especially the elected executive to respect constituted authority, so as to move Isoko forward.

Aziza, when he led UPU executive to the inauguration ceremony of the Isoko Development Union at Oleh, headquarter of Isoko South Local Government Area, thanked the Isoko people for electing General Paul Omu as their leader.

He noted that with the election of both General Omu (rtd) and Ogbaudu, former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Isoko people now have a ray of hope and focus.

ing, not even the state government’s transport company - Delta Line. Henceforth, all operators

must go along with their proof of payment, which their drivers must display at every point the

Orashi people condemn explosion at Rivers High cour courtt

C

OUNCIL of Orashi Ethnic Nationality, COEN, has condemned, yesterday’s explosion at the Rivers State High Court, Ahoada premises, warning that it would resist any attempt by desperate politicians to plunge the area into violence.

Council Director, Media and Publicity, Mr Ndu Nwobosi, reacting to the explosion, called for the sack of Jerry Needam, Me-

dia Adviser to Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman, over what he described as his incompetence.

He noted that Needam has demonstrated inconceivable penchant for trivializing serious issues and playing on public sensitivity with a view to creating chaos in the name of politics.

“Needam does not have what it takes to determine what con-

U

GHELLI—PRESIDENT of Urhobo National Youth Council, UNYC, Mr Monday Oyeghe, yesterday, advised Nigerians to ignore what he described as the intrigues of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying that the “gang up against President

Goodluck Jonathan and the minority ethnic groups must stop.”

Oyeghe urged Nigerians to support President Jonathan in 2015 as well as his transformation agenda.

He said: “the gang up against President Jonathan and the minority ethnic groups must stop. We call on Nigerians to support the President

B

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

ENIN CITY—EDO State Government, has warned that vehicles registered through third parties or agents risk fines or jail terms, just as it announced the suspension of its policy of enforcement of three years tax clearance certificate for prospective plate

number applicants.

Chairman of Edo State Board of Internal Revenue, Chief Oseni Elama, in Benin City, yesterday, said that it was criminal and illegal to register vehicles without personal presence at the licensing office as the biometric data of those applicants would not be captured in the Federal

and all his programmes, because he means well for all Nigerians. We must all ignore Obasanjo’s intrigues.

“We agree with the position of Chief Sunny Onuesoke on the matter and we call on Nigerians, Deltans and the Urhobo nation to follow suit.

Nobody can insult the minority ethnic groups in Nigeria because power belongs to God

and He gives to whoever he pleases.

“It is the time for the minority to produce the President and we are all throwing our weight behind President Jonathan in 2015. We call on Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State to stop selling his brother for a pot of porridge because he wants to become Vice President.”

Road Safety Commission, FRSC databank, meaning that such number plates were criminally obtained.

He said “If you find out that you obtained your number plates through a third party or an agent, which we refer to as touts and you biometric data was not captured, it is criminal. If you have any such number plate, it is not only fake, it was acquired illegally and it is a criminal offence. So, you have to come with the number plates and the vehicles to our office for us to capture those information, but you have to pay for the number plates.”

He disclosed that the suspension on tax clearance demand was to enable all motorists yet to obtain the new number plates to beat the June, 2014 deadline as announced by the FRSC.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

stitutes credibility and integrity.

He believes in distorting the truth; the earlier he leaves, the better the chances of PDP if at all the people will allow that,” he said.

Nwobosi decried a situation where a once peaceful state and investors haven was now turning into a den of militancy because of the desires of 'Oga and Madam' at the top.

Vehicle registration: Thir d par ties risk jail tterm erm Third parties — Edo revenue boss

Group urges Nigerians to ignore Obasanjo's alleged intrigues

BY FESTUS AHON

task force we have constituted accost them. Anybody who defaults will have his vehicle impounded,” he said.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

100 yyear ear earss amalgamation of Nigeria

W

HAT qualified Nigeria to celebrate 100 years of existence?

Average Nigerians suffer the predicaments of poor leadership and corruption. Above all, we still strive to survive, so what then is the celebration going to be based on? Prince Iyke Emmanuel—Student

I

T was when and where the British colonization of Nigeria stopped that the Northern colonization began. None is better than the other, and none deserves to be appreciated nor celebrated. If you wished, they could be remembered not for the gains but for the pains. Mr. Otakponmwen Markson—Businessman.

N

IGERIA has faced challenges of imperialism and surmounted them without blood. Nigeria has faced challenges of military rule and triumphed. Nigeria may still have other debilitating problems as a country, but surely we have more reasons to celebrate than to regret. Mr. Kingsley Awuka—Worker.

N

O country in its sane mind would celebrate the day it was forcefully colonized and structured according to the political and economic interests of the colonialists. Have we really fared better by that amalgamation to now enjoy a strong reality of unity, harmony and development?

Ms. Deborah Onyema—Student.

I

N spite of our present sor ry state and sad history as a nation, we may just celebrate independence for being free of undisguised external domination, but to celebrate amalgamation cum colonialism is the height of stupidity and lack of national dignity. No, it does not make sense to celebrate 1914. Mr. Ajadi Razaq—Video coverage.

C

ENTENARY celebration is a veiled attempt to siphon money out of the coffers. Let the Federal Government rather give the money to ASUU and ASUP, at least to settle issues of strike in the educational sector.

Mr Lawrence Monebi — Worker.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—37

Stop celebrating corrupt leaders —Delta Muslim leader

PDP, best source of democracy dividends —OCHEI

S

PEAKER, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Victor Ochei, has described People’s Democratic Party, PDP, as the veritable vehicle through which Deltans would enjoy the dividends of democracy.

He spoke in Utagba-Uno, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of the state, when Mr. Azuka Azaka, member representing Ndokwa West in Delta Assembly, led over 10,000 members of Democratic People’s Party, DPP, to PDP. Ochei said: “Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration has demonstrated unfathomable commitment to providing the dividends of democracy to the polity, by the faithful implementation of his three-point agenda.”

He said the wave of defection to PDP in the state was an attestation to the resourcefulness of the party in keeping faith with its promises of providing welfare to the masses.

Azaka, on his part, said that the decision to lead his supporters to PDP was due to the benevolence of the party as evidenced by the numerous constituency projects within his locality, even when he was in the opposition.

Okocha donates mobile clinic to Delta community

T

HE traditional ruler of Onicha-Ugbo, Obi Victor Chukwumalieze I, has urged well meaning Deltans to join hands with the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, in the development of communities in the state.

Obi Chukwumalieze spoke in his palace when he received the national executive of the OnichaUgbo Patriotic Union, OPU, led by its PresidentGeneral, Mr Peter Monye, who accompanied an illustrous son of the community, Chief Frank-Jagas Okocha, to donate a multi-million naira medically mobile clinic to Onicha-Ugbo community.

He commended Okocha for the gesture, adding that the gesture was worthy of emulation as it would boost the health care of the people.

BY AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

W

VISIT: Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (right), showing Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives (middle) and Mr. Lastborn Onwukaike, the model of the International Stadium under construction in Uyo, during a visit to the governor.

Ex-bank manager to stand trial for alleged N30m fraud

BY INNOCENT ANABA

A

FEDERAL High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, adjourned till January 30, for trial of Rosemary Usifo, a former branch Manager, First City Monument Bank Plc, FCMB, charged with N30 million fraud.

Usifo, a former Manager of the Okerin branch of defunct Finbank (now FCMB), is standing trial on a one-count charge of fraud.

After the case was mentioned, the prosecutor, Mr. Effiong Asuquo, informed the court that the police Special Fraud Unit, SFU, could not produce the accused in court, due challenges of to logistics.

He said that since the case was for mention, he was now applying for a date to commence the trial of the accused.

Asuquo also asked the court to remand of the accused in Kirikiri prisons, Lagos, since the SFU experienced much challenges, bringing the accused from its custody.

Justice Saidu, the trial judge, consequently, adjourned the case till January 30, for trial, and ordered the accused to be remanded in Kirikiri prisons.

The accused was arraigned on December 5, 2013, on a one-count charge of fraudulently obtaining the sum of N30 million from a fixed deposit account, belonging to a customer of the bank.

She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, but the judge ordered her remand at the SFU, pending her bail

application.

In the charge, the prosecutor alleged that the accused committed the offence in 2011, by forging a letter, with which she fraudulently obtained the sum of N30 million from the fixed deposit account of one DIG Archibong Nkanga (rtd.), a customer of the bank.

The prosecution said that the accused, who had been at large since the perpetuation of the crime in 2011, was eventually arrested by the Police, in November 2013.

He said the alleged offence contravenes the provisions of sections 1(2) (a), (c), and sections 3 (1) (2) of the Miscellanous Offences Act, Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Edo, Delta, Bayelsa recorded low crime rates in 2013 —ARGUNGUN

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—THE Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, zone 5, Benin City, Edo State, Mr. Hashimu Argungun, yesterday, said that a total of 124 armed robbery cases were reported in the zone in 2013, as against the 163 recorded in 2012.

He said the reduction in armed robbery cases recorded in the zone, which comprises of Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States, in 2013 was due to the strategies applied by the top hierarchy of the Police force led by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar.

Briefing newsmen in Benin City, he said that there was reduction in kidnapping cases in 2013. According to him, 43 kidnap cases were recorded in 2013 while 67 were recorded in 2012.

He said: “In 2012, 15 murder cases were reported, but we observed a reduction in 2013 be-

cause only nine murder cases were reported. We made tremendous progress in 2013 due to the strategies adopted by the IG. I want to say that the Police are doing

their best to fight crime in the zone because we observed drastic reduction in the criminality in the zone. And that is because of our strategies to combat crime.”

ARRI—PRESIDENT of Delta State Muslim Council, Alhaji Mumakai Unagha, has called on Nigerians to stop celebrating corrupt and bad leadership, saying such action had promoted corruption in the country.

The Muslim leader, yesterday in Warri, Delta State, while addressing Muslim leaders in the state, who came to felicitate with him on his election into the executive of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, said corruption and bad leadership have become endemic in Nigeria.

Unagha charged both traditional rulers and religious leaders to speak out and not remain silent.

According to him, religious and traditional rulers should not remain aloof, watching all sectors of the economy decay before intervention as they have divine roles to play.

He reminded the visiting Muslims that they were the mirrors other people looked at, pointing out that they should be modest as ambassadors of Islam.

The former chairman of the Delta State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, called for the restructuring of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corruption Practices Commission, ICPC, to meet the aspirations of Nigerians.

Ex-militant leader commends new NDDC board

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—NATIONAL Secretary of the Third Phase of the Federal Government Amnesty Programme, Mr. Tam Odogwu, has described the crop of politicians appointed into the new board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, as credible people, who have the capacity to turn around the fortunes of the region.

Odogwu, in a statement, yesterday, commended President Goodluck Jonathan for

the caliber of persons he appointed into the NDDC board, expressing hope that they would deliver in accordance with the mandate of the commission “and I congratulate them on their appointments.

“We also commend the chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator James Manager, for his excellent contributions toward the smooth running of the commission and for the tremendous and overwhelming progress in the areas of development and human em-

powerment recorded by the commission since he (Manager) became the Senate Committee Chairman of the commission.”

Saying that the appointees have distinguished themselves in every sphere of life, he added: “We are very happy with the appointments made by President Jonathan into the NDDC board. They are people with proven integrity and character.

“We see in them the commitment to change the plight of Niger Deltans. We will support the board in its resolve to develop the Niger Delta region."

38—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Ejigbo LG presents N1.7bn budget proposal

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

L

AGOS—CHAIRMAN of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, has presented a budget of N1.744,943,050,77 to the council legislature for 2014.

The current budget estimate is slightly higher than 2013 budget which stood at N1,702,000,000.

Tagged “budget of consolidation”, Bamigbetan explained that the broad objective of the budget would be to consolidate and improve on mass oriented projects with an emphasis on the completion of all ongoing projects in the local council.

Giving a breakdown of the budget, the council boss said a total of N610,220,240,71 had been earmarked for the provision of infrastructure development, which forms 54.6 percent of the total budget.

He listed the sectoral priorities to include agriculture, rural and social development to take N14,000,000; works, housing and infrastructure N465,220,240,71; commerce, finance, supply and co-operative, N100,000,000; education, N10,000,000, while N6,000,000 and N5,000,000 had been earmarked for health and budget and planning respectively.

Okorie slams APGA

BY CHIDINKWOPARA

O

WERRI—FOUNDER of United People’s Party, UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has lashed out at All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, describing it as an appendage of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Chief Okorie made his feelings known while fielding questions from journalists at Umuhu, Atta, Ikeduru local council area of Imo State.

“The soul of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA has systematically left the party and is now fully residing in UPP. With this development, APGA has been reduced to an appendage of PDP,” Chief Okorie said.

The UPP boss, who said he was in Ikeduru to attend the investiture and thanksgiving service of Chief Osmond Ukanacho as a Knight of Saint Christopher, also named three parties that would slug it out during the next general elections.

Oduah to build airport grave yard with N50m zContinues airport remodelling with N18.3bn

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

A

B U J A — N I G E R I A’ S Aviation Minister, who is facing sack on the recommendation of the House of Representatives, Princess Stella Oduah, has stirred another controversy with a plan to build an airport grave yard with the sum of N50 million this year.

N208m for flower planting

The minister also plans to plant flowers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos and those of Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano and Enugu at the cost of N208,360,443 within the fiscal year.

The details of the ministry’s expenditure are contained in the 2014 Federal Budget, which President Goodluck Jonathan submitted to the National Assembly through the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, last year.

The breakdown, which was obtained by Vanguard, showed that the ministry would channel most of its resources into the modernisation and remodelling of airports across the country.

Although the airports to be remodelled were not specified in the budget, it is expected that work on several airports, which started last year, would be intensified and completed this year, to give the administration some mileage during Jonathan’s re-election campaigns later in the year.

It has earmarked the sum of N18.3 billion for the remodelling of unspecified airports across the country.

Accident investigation to gulp N2bn

Accident investigations will also gulp a large chunk of the ministry’s budget to the tune of N2 billion.

Within the year, the ministry wants to expend over N1 billion on Research and Development as well as Monitoring and Evaluation.

The sum of N920 million will go to Research and Development, while N140 million will be spent on Monitoring and Evaluation of its projects nationwide.

Officials of the ministry will use the sum of N137 million for trips, N15 million for budget preparation for 2015, N13 million

for fuelling their vehicles and N20 million for meals/ refreshments and sporting activities.

Other major items that may eat into the ministry’s budget are: Maintenance agreement for TRACON Support Services Automation, which is put at N820 million and Institutional Reforms and Legal Services, which are likely to take as much as N426 million.

The ministry has also put in place the sum of N50 million to acquire staff buses, despite the lingering controversy surrounding its car purchases of last year and the sum of N100 million to place security gadgets on highways leading to airports.

Fighting birds and fixing bridges to gulp N350m

The budget document also reveals that the ministry is to fight bird attacks with N100 million and use another N250 million to fix bridges and tunnels in its airports within the year.

Further analysis of the ministry’s fiscal document showed that it intended to construct airport perimeter inspection road with N120 million, airport fencing for another N100 million and cabling of all airports in Nigeria with N200 million.

Of the N23 billion earmarked for the ministry, N22 billion will go to capital projects, while the balance of N969.4 million will be used to pay for recurrent services.

FUNFAIR: MTN’s Trade & Marketing Consultant, Imo State 2, Chibuzo Ajomiwe(middle), presenting a box of noodles to one of the winners, Mr. Amadi Everest (left), while MTN’s Sopuru Uzoho watch, during the MTN family funfair in Owerri.

Crisis: Returning Anambra indigenes narrate experiences in CAR A

WKA—HUNDREDS of Anambra State citizens evacuated from crisis-ridden Central African Republic, CAR, by the Federal Government yesterday narrated their experience in Awka.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, who visited the camp site of the returnees at .JUMAC Hotels and Towers, Awka, reports that most of them arrived home from Bangui with nothing.

Mr. Bejamin Ogbuka, 33, from Awuda-Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state sustained leg and arm injuries in Bangui.

He described his experience as an ugly one.

Ogbuka said he left Nigeria for “greener pasture” in CAR in 2001 after serving under his master in Cameroun.

He described what he experienced in the last few

months in Bangui as a big lesson to him.

“I lost everything, including my international passport, luggage and about N880, 000 equivalents at the Bangui Airport, while waiting for

Nigerian government to evacuate us,” he said.

Mrs Cynthia Okoha, a native of the crisis-ridden country, but married to a man from Ihiala in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra, said she would never

forget the experience.

She came with a four-month old baby and two other children.

Okoha said she had no option than to leave Bangui for Nigeria with her husband and children.

Aba's devt beyond politics of blackmail, says PDP stalwart government at inception as a convince the Federal

U

MUAHIA—A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stalwart and former aide to Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, Mr. Ben Onyechere, said in Umuahia, yesterday, that the development of Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the South East, was beyond politics of blackmail.

According to him, the avalanche of dilapidated infrastructure in Aba which had confronted the current

result of condemnable and reckless neglect by immediate past administration, is not only being addressed, but also government has exceeded its target in the city.

He said: “With a situation of numerable contending infrastructural challenges, the government had adopted the method of a prioritisation agenda for which reason much attention and fund was given to Aba and its environs in addition to the fact that the government was able to

Government to inherit their responsibilities of rehabilitating infrastructure of Federal concern such as roads, and electricity.

“Having provided enabling environment, the government had also made it possible for employment generating businesses to thrive. The issue of the terrain in Aba, which had led Mbakwe to shed tears, though not insurmountable, is a task that cannot be finished in a day."

Vanguard,WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—39

DECORATION: From left, Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi LaoyeTomori; Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; World Chairman, International Human Rights Commission, Ambassador Ammin Khan, and Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister, International Human Rights Commission, Ambassador Caroline Usikpedo, during the recent decoration of the governor as Ambassador of Humanity, at Government House, Osogbo.

PRESENTATION: From left, GM, Corporate Communications, Dangote Group, Sunday Esan; Corporate Affairs Manager, Dangote Sugar Refinery, DSR, Plc, Ngozi Ngene, presenting a cheque of N150,000 from DSR Plc to Mr. Adeyemi Ogundeji, son of late Tunde Ogundeji, Photo Editor of Daily Newswatch to support the family, in Lagos.

LUNCH: Children in Onike, Iwaya and Makoko, who had nowhere to go on Christmas day, being fed by Community of Saint Egidio (a group in the Catholic Church) of St. Thomas Moore Catholic Chaplaincy, University of Lagos, during the Christmas lunch, at St. Francis Grammar School, Iwaya Lagos. MEETING: Members of Emure Ekiti indigenes association, in Ibadan, after their end of year meeting and party, in Ibadan, weekend. Photo: Dare Fasube

VISIT: From left, Mrs. Ayoade Omoyeni, (PDP governorship aspirant in Ekiti State), Bisi Omoyeni, PDP chairman in Efon Local Government Area, and Hon. Femi Oluwatayo, during a visit to Efon Local Government Area.

DONATION: Rockview management team led by the Public Relations Manager, Mrs. Amaka Ekeh, donating Christmas gifts to inmates, during their visit to Suleja prisons, in Abuja.

PATROL: From left, James Oluwole, FRSC Unit commander, Epe; Ibrahim Andesaba, Unit Commander, Lekki; Morakinyo Olalekan, Unit Commander, Wharf, and Abdulrahaman Sodiq, Unit Commander, Lagos Island, during operations zero tolerance special patrol for Xmas and New Year on Lekki – Epe corridor.

WEDDING: Former Miss Amina Abdullahi Hassan, daughter of late Alhaji and Alhaja Abdullahi Hassan, and Mr. Yusha'u Ahmed Mohammed, son of & Ahmed (Turaki Nupe), and Vanguard staff, during their wedding, in Nupe, Niger State. They are flanked by Vanguard Administration Manager, Victor Gotevbe (right) and Mr. Joseph Ofili, Vanguard Assistant Production Manager.

AWARDS: Managing Director/CEO, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Deepak Singhal; Managing Director, Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, Mr. Lanre Adisa; Chief Marketing Officer, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Pawan Sharma, and Creative Director, Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, Mr. Abolaji Alausa, during the presentation of the creative awards won on Indomie, and other brands, at the company headqaurters, in Lagos.

40—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

SECURITY: Sokoto police seek public support

Benue commissioner resigns to join guber race

S

OKOTO—ALHAJI Shua’ibu Gambo, the Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, yesterday solicited a sustained support from the public in the command’s efforts to confront the security challenges in the state.

Gambo told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Sokoto that such support would enable the command to gather intelligence reports in confronting any security threat.

He said that the officers and men of the command had been placed on alert to deal with any security threats across the 23 local government areas of the state.

Gambo also explained that an effective operational order had been placed across the state. “The order entails strategies to effectively deal with any insecurity situation.

“We would continue to be proactive in our commitment to ensure the protection of lives and property of our people,” he said.

BY PETER DURU

M

Beneficiaries of the Kogi State Youth Empowerment Scheme, tagged YAD4KOGI, gather with Governor Idris Wada to welcome the visiting World Bank Country Director, Ms. Marie Francoise Mari-Nelly to Lugard House, Lokoja recently.

Taraba Govt not bankrupt — Commissioner

BY JOHN MKOM

1,565 motorists arrested for traffic offences in Kaduna

K

ADUNA—THE Vehicle Inspection Office, VIO, in Kaduna State, yesterday said it had arrested 1,565 motorists for various traffic offences from January to December, 2013.

Its spokesman, Malam Buhari Aliyu, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Kaduna, adding that out of the figure, 700 were motorcyclists, who were arrested for various traffic offences within and outside the Kaduna metropolis.

He added that about 150 of those arrested were commercial motorists who failed to paint their vehicles in the official yellow and green colour.

According to him, many of the motorists arrested also failed to register their vehicles.

He urged commuters to help the agency in its job by refusing to board unpainted buses and taxi cabs, adding that it was for their safety.

J

ALINGO—TARABA State government has denied the news making the rounds that the state is broke to the level of not being able to pay salaries of civil servants.

The state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Ate Kundu also, denied that the government was bankrupt, pointing out that it was capable of paying staff salaries regularly.

He said the state government made a historic land mark in September last year by paying salaries to it staff without the federal allocations.

Kundu further stressed that salaries of staff in the state have been paid up to date, adding that all the state government projects were ongoing due to the transparent manner the state government had managed its resources.

He wondered how and where those peddling the rumour that the government was broke got their facts and urged journalists in the state to investigate the veracity of the allegation.

“We have finished the payment of the contractor [PW] who completed Jalingo Sunkani Garba-Shede Road and we mobilized them to Bali, Gashaka Gembu Road and as I am talking to you now, they are on site.

“We completed so many projects that I need you people to go out there and see for yourselves that so many of them are ongoing. I do not need to be blowing the trumpet myself but you are our witnesses.”

When asked why the local government’s staff were paid their October and November salaries in December, the Com-

missioner said: “You know change in the mode of payment of salaries is a difficult process particularly at local government level; but the governor approved the implementation of the new minimum wage and so we were supposed to gather the correct data to implement it, and that was why two months salaries were delayed but not because the funds were not there.”

AKURDI—THE Benue state Commissioner for Environment and Urban Development, Dr. Eugene Aliegba, yesterday resigned his position from the State Executive Council, EXCO, to enable him contest the 2015 governorship election in the state.

His action is sequel to the directive by Governor Gabriel Suswam that commissioners and Permanent Secretaries and other political appointees or civil servants who were nursing governorship ambition should resign their positions on or before the end of the month or get sacked.

Aliegba later told journalists in Makurdi, the state capital that, ‘’I tendered my resignation from the EXCO (today) yesterday, and my departure takes effect from the end of this month.

“My decision to leave is in tandem with the directive of Governor Suswam last week; and because I am serious with my gubernatorial ambition and I want to go into it with all the seriousness it deserves.

“I believe that I have served this government for close to seven years now and within that period I have garnered a lot of experience to run for the position of governor.”

Aliegba stated that he informed Governor Suswam of his decision before tendering his resignation, to enable him pursue his ambition.

Benue varsity ASUU directs lecturers to resume work

BY PETER DURU

M

AKURDI—THE Benue State University, BSU, chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday, directed its members to return to classes and commence teaching immediately.

The directive is sequel to the decision of the state government to pay ASUU-BSU members arrears of five months salaries covering the five month- old ASUU strike nationwide.

Following the decision of the national executive of ASUU to call off the industrial action, the management of the insti-

tution had directed all students to return back to school on January 5.

However, members of the BSU- ASUU refused to comply with the directive, insisting that their salaries within the period of the strike period must be paid by the state government.

However, in an emergency meeting of its congress held at the institution in Makurdi, the Chairman, ASUU-BSU chapter, Mr. David Ikoni asked members to resume classes following the promise by the state government to pay the withheld salaries of lecturers while the strike lasted.

In an interview with Van-

guard on the issue, Ikoni said, “ we urge all members to return to classes because the state government has started paying us from yesterday (Monday) and that was even the more reason why we called this congress.

“We also implore all students to return for serious academic work because we all have lost grounds and there is need for each and everyone of us, both students and lecturers alike to redouble our efforts to ensure that every minute of our time is utilised well.”

Meantime, life was gradually returning to the institution as old students have started trickling into the campus.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARRY 8, 2014— — 41

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42—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Defection: PDP appoints caretaker c'ttees for Kwara, Sokoto

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

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AGOS—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has moved to fill up the space left by the defection of Governors Abdulfatah Ahmed and Aliyu Wamakko in Kwara and Sokoto States with the appointment of caretaker committees for the two states.

The two governors, who left the PDP last month after months of agitation against the Bamanga Tukur-led leadership, left the party carrying the entire state executives in the two states.

It emerged, yesterday, that the National Working Committee, NWC, had appointed 14-member caretaker committees to superintend the affairs of the party in the two states.

The announcement was made by the National Organising Secretary of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Mustafa.

A former member of the House of Representatives from Delta State, Hon. Solomon Edojah, is the chairman of the committee appointed for Kwara State which has Alhaji Jubril Bala Jos as Secretary.

The committee for Sokoto has Hon Abba Anas Adamu as chairman while Alhaji Ahmadu Suleiman is to serve as Secretary.

Mustafa in an annoucnemnt, yesterday, said the two committees would be inaugurated by the national chairman tomorrow at the national secretariat of the party.

The move by the party is believed to be part of the preparations of putting the party in sound footing ahead of the next round of general elections.

Kwara and Sokoto States were the only two states affected by the defection of the five governors that were yet to have their party structures altered.

While the party, last month, inaugurated a new executive for Kano State, it had earlier sided with party factions against the governors of Adamawa and Rivers States, sparking the revolt of the two governors.

Uvwie monarch declares support for Orubebe's political ambition

BY MARY OYIBOCHA-

AGBAJOH

T

HE Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Hon. Godsday Peter Orubebe (CON), weekend, received a boost to his political career as the Ovie of Uvwie, His Royal Majesty, Emmanuel E. Sideso (JP) (CON) Abi I, Ovie Of Uvwie Kingdom, declared support for his political ambition in Delta State.

He commended him for ensuring that the people of Delta State benefit from the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan since assumption of office.

Orubebe was received by all and sundry in Uvwie community as he rolled out plans on how Delta State will be rescued in the next dispensation.

He also outlined tremendous projects that have been executed under the President Goodluck Jonathan Transformation Agenda for the good people of Delta State and Nigeria at large.

Achievements under Jonathan He further noted that under President Jonathan, Nigeria is experiencing unprecedented developments as being witnessed in the revived railway system in the country, peace and security in the Niger Delta region, cutting down on corruption in the civil service by introducing an automatic payment system which is exposing government waste in over payment and the existence of ghost workers He listed other developments to include roads construction which the East-West road falls under, agriculture where thousands of jobs have been created for young and old Nigerians and recently the successful privatization of PHCN which millions of Nigerians have indicated support for the president seeing that he is on the right track to rescue Nigeria from the decay of the past.

According to Orubebe, “under President Jonathan’s administration, Nigerians can now have access to information from the government which was an impossible thing in the past.

"This has placed this administration as the most transparent in the history of Nigeria. Also, the Nigerian economy is the fastest growing economy in Africa since the assumption of office by President Jonathan.

“Your Majesty and with your son, Orubebe, Mr President has used me to source for funds, hence the progress on the EastWest road as at today” he said.

"Of a truth, the progress being witnessed in the East-West toad

Godsday Orubebe (left) during the visit to Ovie of Uvwie (right). project is as a result of the bold step taken by the Ministry of Niger Delta and President Jonathan to ensure that the ills posed on the project under the President Obasanjo administration is not a stumbling block against its being executed as and when due."

Elder Orubebe’s visit is likened to a triumphant entering which shows acceptance and support from a people who are ready to join the change vehicle swooping through the Nigerian state.

The vision and mission of Delta Peoples Forum (DPF) was read out to His Majesty and everyone present as “this is the time where everyone should be involved in ensuring good governance comes to every son of Delta State,” Orubebe said.

DPF'll ensure transparency Orubebe stated that DPF would ensure transparency in governance and also promote an ‘all-inclusive’ method of public service which is targeted at placing Delta State to her place of glory.

He further assured everyone present that “A new era of handling political issues has emerged. Gone are the days of declaration without vision in

Delta State. This is an era of peace, hope, transformation, development and above all, security for the people and the society.”

According to Elder Orubebe, he has decided to support the vision of DPF which is geared towards ensuring good governance, transparency and integrity.

He said DPF will deliver to the people unending support for nation building in empowering women in the society to become good ambassadors of peace and societal development.

“DPF, as an NGO, will ensure that everyone will regain confidence in government as the highest level of intergrity will be followed and maintained. A new era is born in Delta State because of the calibre of growth that is about to be experienced in the state,” Orubebe said.

Orubebe further informed His Royal Majesty that his son, Mr. Terry Noah, is in charge of the NGO (DPF) which he (Orubebe) is opportuned to be the grand patron and will change the face of interaction and government engagement in the state.

“It will be an overwhelming experience” he said, while assuring the people of DPF's readiness to support every level

of government and the general public with ideas, education, development and information sharing.

Meanwhile, Elder Orubebe reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to ensuring a better Niger Delta region, as he pledged that all ongoing projects like the East-West road will be completed in December 2014 going by the pace of work currently going on.

Need for infrastructural devt in Uvwie In response with the permission of His Royal Majesty, Chief Tuesday Onoge, the immediate past President General of Uvwie General Improvement Union (UGIU), craved the indulgence of the minister by stressing on the need for infrastructural development in Uwvie as well as the issues of community marginalization in the present government.

Ovie of Uwvie expresses satisfaction In his response, His Majesty, the Ovie of Uwvie expressed satisfaction at the visit and large entourage of the minister and most importantly having come to Uwvie as his first visit in the new year even as he blessed and pledged Uvwie's support for Orubebe.

FG moves to boost security at airports

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

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AGOS— AS part of measures to boost safety and security at airports nationwide, the Federal Government has deployed "hi-tech three-in-one liquid, metal and explosive detection equipment at 22 airports controlled by Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, in the country.

Commenting on the deployment, spokesman of aviation

parastatals, Mr Yakubu Dati, said the equipment were procured between July 2001 and October 2013.

Among the airports where the equipment have been fully installed include the Murtala Muhammed Airport as well as the Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.

He also said government had procured over 46 fire tenders for FAAN to ensure adequate fire

cover for the 22 airports in line with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO. In July 2011, the authority had only 20 fire tenders which had to be upgraded to meet the prescribed standards and requirements of ICAO for Nigerian airports .

However, Dati said:, “Before July 2011, there were only 20 fire tenders available, but now FAAN has 46 fire tenders.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARRY 8, 2014— — 43

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44 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

programme, 1,060 were engaged from states in the South West to render services in selected primary health centers in the zone”. “ Over 1,000 health workers comprising 252 midwives, 377 community health extension workers, 431 village health workers have also been engaged. The maternal and child health programme is intervening in 144 primary health centres,” he said, adding that “the interventions are impacting positively on reduction of infant and maternal mortality and morbidity in the zone”.

Other beneficiaries: He said, “the Benin-Ore-Shagamu road is receiving massive attention as part of the SURE-P’s intervention in infrastructure development.

Three out of the six rail corridors receiving attention under the programme traverse majority of the South West states including the Lagos to Kano rail which is already functional.

Responding, Governor Abiola

Labour minister, Chief Wogu at the palace of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana

FIGHTING UNEMPLOYMENT WITH SURE-P:

FG engages 3,500 jobless people in Oyo T

HE joy of thousands of unemployed youths who are currently engaged in the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment programme, SURE-P of the Federal Government knew no bounds when the project was officially launched in Oyo State last Friday.

It was a hectic day for all security agencies, police, army, the State Security Services to control close to a million people who gathered at the Ibadan Polo Club, Eleyele, Ibadan. It almost became a political rally as beneficiaries of the programme sang praises of President Goodluck Jonathan for the initiative.

Though, President Jonathan was represented by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, beneficiaries of the programme and other PDP stalwarts in the state repeatedly sang his praises for the initiative.

On arrival in the ancient city, the Minister and his entourage headed to the office of the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and later to the palace of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana where he was warmly received by the two eminent personalities.

Oba Odulana who spoke through the Otun-Olubadan, Chief Omowale Kuye appreciated the efforts of the Federal Government in initiating the programme, saying it would reduce unemployment drastically. Chief Wogu told the Governor that the purpose of his visit was to share with him the success of the Community Services, Women and Youths in the state and to consider some areas for possible partnership for the maximum benefit of citizens of the state.

He explained that the CSWYE project is a sub-component of the Social Safety Net Programme of the SURE-P which aims at providing stop-gap employment opportunities to women, youths,

,

By OLA AJAYI, Ibadan

the genesis of the project, he added that it was initiated in 2012 in response to the crisis that emanated due to removal of fuel subsidy.

According to him, it is part of the promises made to Nigerians to apply the savings from the partial removal of oil subsidy to human capital and infrastructure development that would promote living conditions of the ordinary Nigerians and boost economic growth.

He added that the actual implementation of the project commenced in 2012 in the Federal Ministry of Finance on a pilot scale in 14 states of the federation including Oyo. He noted that the benefits of the programme are already

Over 1,000 health workers comprising 252 midwives, 377 community health extension workers, 431 village health workers have also been engaged

and other vulnerable persons including physically-challenged persons in their various communities.

The Minister noted that the programme is in consonance with the job creation content of the transformation agenda of the present administration. Giving

,

manifesting in the state with a total of 3,500 made up of 1982 male and 1518 female indigenes of the state currently engaged by the project. These beneficiaries, he stressed, are working in 144 service units spread across the 33 local government areas in the state.

Chief Wogu dressing up Governor Ajimobi in the SURE-P jacket “The beneficiaries are reported to be working in compliance with established guidelines, with an estimated mann hours output that total 8,750,000 so far. Our records also show that the beneficiaries have received over N246 million, while the sum of N29 million has been remitted to the state as running cost between February and September this year.

Success of the programme A summation of these two values indicate that Oyo State has benefitted from the CSWYE project to the tune of over N276million”, he said.

The Minister also gave a summary of the success of the programme in other South West States. According to him, “out of over 6,000 health workers engaged by SURE-P under the maternal and child health

Ajimobi advised the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government not to use any political affiliation in the management of the programme.

He called for the setting up of a committee comprising representatives of both the Federal Government and State Governments in each of the 36 states of the federation that would run the programme.

The Governor said: ``What we should know is that it doesn’t matter whether it is PDP or APC or whatever. What matters is that we want to help Nigerians. We are all Nigerians, and the Federal Government is government for all Nigerians. It’s only that Nigeria has been divided into 36 states but not into 36 countries. So I think SURE-P and states must work together to ensure that we help our people and the only way we can help our people is for us to synergise Continues on page 45

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

policy makers on the third phase of Girls’ Education Project recently took place in Jos, the capital of Plateau State.

The meeting was attended by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, .Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed Miya, the Commissioner for Education, Finance, Budget and Planning, the Chairman of SUBEB, Provost College of Education Azare, Dr.Garba Babaji as well as representatives of relevant Ministries, departments and agencies. Also in attendance was Dr.Abdulai Kaikai, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi.

The facilitators stressed the need for the timely release of budgetary allocations by State Governments for the funding of the Project in order to address the problem of out of school children.

FG engages 3,500 jobless people in Oyo

Rate of penetration and impact “When the Minister was speaking, he was reeling out the figure of what they have done but when you look at a State with about 10 million population and we are saying only 1,000 or 2,000 people have benefitted, to me, this is terribly low. What I will therefore like to suggest is that if we can quickly increase our rate of penetration and impact, and the quantum of participants, it will be better.

“For instance, I like to see, with the level of commitment of the Minister and the Federal Government, that in Oyo State, we have impacted on one million or two million people, but when we are talking thousands in a population of about 10 million people, I am not feeling comfortable,” the Governor stated.

All the beneficiaries of the programme, including Mr. Afolabi Adedayo, Mrs Adebola Babalola commended President Jonathan saying their lives had been transformed through the programme.

Mrs. Babalola, who is in charge of general cleaning of the environment, said though N10,000 is very small as stipend, it helped her in the small scale agriculture that she embarked upon.

Gov. Yagudu exchanging the MoU with representatives of UNICEF and DFID

Fillip for girl child education in Bauchi •Govt partners UNICEF, DFID to boost project

By SUZAN EDEH

W

HEN the Girl Child Education Project, GEP was introduced in Bauchi State, residents and stakeholders in the state breathed a sigh of relief because they felt that a solution has been found to the problem of out of school girls.

According to the 2012 Global Management Report, GMR about 10.5 million children are out of school in Nigeria with the North-East zone of the country recording the highest figure.

Bauchi State falls within the category of states in the North-East with a high rate of 58.2 children who are out of school.

Apart from the GMR, the 2010 Nigerian Education Data Survey, NEDS shows that the literacy rate among children between the ages of five to16 years in the country is 41 percent, with a record of 8.7 percent being males and seven percent females in the North-East region.

Worrisome aspect of survey The most worrisome aspect of this survey is that there is a low literacy level among the girls occasioned by early marriage, poverty, low quality of learning environment and low value accorded to girls’ education. Harmful practices, local beliefs and norms among others have impacted negatively on girl education.

The need for increased literacy among girls in the North necessitated the introduction of the Girl Child Education Project, GEP. The project was inspired by an earlier initiative which was geared towards promoting and enhancing girls’ participation in education. This earlier initiative was championed by the African Girls’ Education Initiative, AGEI through UNICEF and its government partners and funded by the Norwegian

Out of school children

The UNICEF Chief Field Officer, Abdulai Kaikai, said the aim of the meeting was to exchange information and engage Bauchi State policy makers on the quality of basic education in the State, identify mechanisms and concrete actions to address the bottlenecks/challenges hindering Girls’ Education in Bauchi State as well as improving quality of girls’ education in the State through creating opportunities to fund the project.

At the meeting, participants resolved to initiate strategic plans that will ensure increased enrollment of girls in school by engaging in media advocacy, partnership with state education boards and lobbying for increased budget allocations through the State House of Assembly. UNICEF’s Education Specialist, Saratu Yunusa said the basic education intervention of the agency are in 13 high burden states that are selected based on the lowest education indicators of enrollment, attendance, completion and gender disparity.

“In the North, focus is given on

Government.

This is a joint undertaking by the Federal Government of Nigeria, DFID and UNICEF to boost girls’ schooling in Northern Nigeria and accelerate progress towards the MDGs, especially with respect to gender equity. The project which was first launched in Nigeria in 2004, to address the gender disparity in education, was implemented in two phases. The first phase (2005-2008) covered six states of Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Niger and Sokoto. The support got 423,000 girls into primary schools and 225,000 girls transited to Junior Secondary Schools.

The second phase was implemented in four states; Bauchi, Katsina, Niger and Sokoto from 2008 to 2012. In Bauchi state, the Girls’ Education In the North, focus is given on Project 2 commenced alongside GEP One increasing access and equity to eduwith the replication of GEP in all the 20 cation as well as improving quality Local Government Areas of the State.

The implementation of the second increasing access and equity to phase of the GEP in Bauchi recorded education as well as improving quality. tremendous successes as there was an Interventions are based on service increase in the enrollment of girls in delivery and system building as well schools by eight percent .The total girls as a focused concentration of five states enrollment increased from 290,469 in in the North including Bauchi state 2009/2010 to 685,644 while in 2010/2011, with the presence of the Girl Child the enrollment increased from 304,929 Project GEP,” she said. to 737,505.

While giving an overview of the Girls It was against this backdrop Education Project, the that the State Government signed a UNICEF,Education Specialist, N2 billion memorandum of Mairama Dikwa said the GEP 1 and understanding, MoU with UNICEF and 11 informed the design of the third DFID to support the third phase of the phase of the project and is presently Girl Child Education Project in the implementedinBauchi,Kastina,Niger,Sokoto Bauch State. During the implementation and Zamfara. of the second phase of the project , the She explained that the GEP3 State government pledged the sum of commenced in May 2012 and will be N344 million but only N52million was implemented to 2020. The projects are released as at November 2013. provided for by DFID and managed by As part of its efforts to strengthen the UNICEF and a team of 11consultants sustainability of the project, a high-level posted to the state. advocacy meeting with Bauchi State

,

Continues from page 44 in the areas of SURE-P and other similar programmes. ``What I have seen in Nigeria and in our developmental programmes is that we do more talking than action. I think the earlier we all come together and do things in such a way that people will begin to see the effect, the better,” he said.

Besides, he also said that the committee, if constituted, would ensure synergy between the Federal Government and the state government on the SURE-P scheme and other similar empowerment and poverty alleviation programmes of the states.“I also like to suggest that we have synergy; when I say synergy, I do not so much like the idea of SURE-P being managed without having a Committee of SURE-P with that of the state government that will regularly meet and monitor progress,” the governor said.

The Committee, he maintained, should be concerned with actualising the aims and objectives of the programme and ultimately improve the socio-economic fabrics of the country.

Governor Ajimobi also suggested an increase in the quantum of participants in the SURE-P programme, saying that counting only thousands as beneficiaries in a population of millions of people would not augur well for the programme.

— 45

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46 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARRY 8, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARRY 8, 2014 — 47

C M Y K

48—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Chinese firm to invest N160bn on oil in Niger

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People stand outside a makeshift field clinic of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) organisation during a vaccination programme against measles for children living near an internally displacement camp close to the airport in Bangui, yesterday. Photo: AFP.

INNA—THE Niger State Government said yesterday that a Chinese firm had agreed to invest N160 billion in oil exploration activities in the state.

The Commissioner for Mining and Mineral Resources, Alhaji Abubakar Jibreel, made the disclosure in Minna at a press briefing on the ministry’s activities in 2013.

He said the amount would also cover the cost of building a refinery in Baro, Agaie Local Government Area of the state.

Jibreel said that the move was part of efforts to attract investors to explore its oil and gas potentials.

He said that the company was among five foreign investors that had indicated interest in oil

Angry reactions trail Clark's letter to OBJ Continues from page 8 and I feel like commenting, I should be free to comment. Comments are free, only facts are sacred.”

OBJ provoked the Ijaws –Yakassai Elder Statesman and founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Alhaji Tanko Yakassi said that former President Obasanjo should be blamed because he started the open letters that seems to be heating up the polity.

Arguing that Obasanjo provoked the Ijaw people in his letter to Jonathan, he said the former president should have sought audience with the President instead of resorting to writing an open letter.

He advised Obasanjo to defend himself on the allegations against him in Chief Clark’s letter, saying: “I think it is expected because of the way General Obasanjo provoked all the Ijaws in writing his letter to the President. I think every Ijaw man is entitled to feel offended. It is none of their business but they were provoked. The contents are natural, allegations have been made, I think it is up to General Obasanjo to confirm or to deny. The responsibility

for the heating up of the polity is that of Obasanjo, he should have sought to meet with the President instead of the open letter.”

ruled the country for about 12 years. He should have used the opportunity to transform Nigeria but he failed.”

A terrible wind is blowing –Ikokwu

It’s time to halt the letters –Uwazurike

Second Republic politician and one of the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Chief Guy Ikokwu, concurred that Obasanjo should not have written an open letter to President Jonathan because he also had his shortcomings.

His words: “Obasanjo was living in a glass house. The proverb says he who lives in a glass house should not throw stones. But Obasanjo has been throwing stones right from the civil war till date and it has become habitual. If you throw stones at people who live in the same house with you, they will find a way to retaliate.

So, it is not surprising that his daughter, Iyabo Obasanjo reacted and now Clark is reacting.

“Obasanjo is having serious problems answering or rebutting the issues that have come up from these letters. A terrible wind is blowing and where and how it will end is not certain. Altogether, Obasanjo has

President of Aka-Ikenga, an Igbo intellectual think tank group called for stoppage of the exchange of open letters to enable President Jonathan concentrate on governance.

His words: “Chief Clark’s letter is one in a set of letters. Many of us were not happy with Chief Obasanjo’s open letter because it was bound to open floodgate of letter exchanges, which will not be about the nation but individuals. Clark and Obasanjo were ministers under General Yakubu Gowon.

They are not strangers to themselves so Clark has the right to write Obasanjo. However, these letter writings should stop; let us allow the president to lead the country.”

Obasanjo is a confusionist —Arunsi Asked his view on Clark’s letter, Hon. Arua Arunsi, (PDP, Ohafia/ Arochukwu Federal Constituency, Abia), said: “I

don’t agree that Obasanjo is a trouble maker but I can say he is a confusionist. He wants to bring confusion to this country by writing such letter to the present Head of State. When he was there, nobody wrote him that kind of letter but he keeps writing to others.

To me, he is a confusionist. And as a statesman, that is not good for him.

When I made my reactions last time, I said that Obasanjo told lies because you cannot talk about the economy being in shambles when this economy is growing at seven percent while his grew at three percent.

So, in this case, that was a lie. That wasn’t the truth. So, if Edwin Clark calls him a liar, well, to some extent, that may be correct. Yes, I may not see him as a trouble maker, but as a confusionist. He wants to bring confusion to the governance of this nation. Ordinarily, what he wrote as an open letter could have been an advice even personally.”

Clark is not helping Jonathan –Mbadiwe However, Hon. Eddy Mbadiwe, (APC, Ideato North and South Federal Constituency, Imo State), said Chief Clark was not helping Presi-

dent Jonathan with his d e f e n c e . . “ My reaction is that Chief Edwin Clark is not helping the President at all. I think he should keep silent and let time heal the wounds. I am not sure that making all these comments will help the matter in any way."

and gas exploration in the Bida Basin.

The commissioner said government had not entered into any Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese firm because it wanted the state indigenes to be part of the investment.

He said foreign investors had shown interest in the oil and gas deposits in the Bida basin because of the quality of crude oil discovered in the area.

Jibreel also said the crude oil deposit sample had been certified by internationally recognised laboratories outside Nigeria.

He said that President Goodluck Jonathan had approved the state government’s letter on the oil and gas deposits in the Bida basin and had forwarded same to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

Jibreel said the letter had also been sent to the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, for further action.

He said the DPR had arranged a meeting with the state ministry officials to discuss the possibility of exploration of the basin.

“A sample from a dug well in the basin had shown 70 per cent gas and 30 per cent oil,” he said.

Rivers Court: Lawyers give FG 30-day ultimatum Continues from page 5

Near anarchy in Rivers — Abe On his part, Senator Magnus Abe, representing Rivers South East senatorial district, described the security situation in the state as near anarchy and a total disobedience of the constitution of the country.

He noted with dismay that the foundation of ensuring peace in the state was being flagrantly abused by the police, contrary to the constitutional provision that makes the governor the Chief Security Officer where the state Commissioner of Police takes law-

ful directives from the governor.

“What is happening in the state is that some people are undermining the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The constitution clearly provides that the governor shall be the Chief Security Officer of a state and that the Commissioner of Police should take lawful directives from the governor.

“Once you destroy that foundation for the security of a state, you have nothing but near anarchy and that is what we are now witnessing in River State,” he said.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—49

US boosts Nigeria’s medical capacity

Health workers fault Jonathan on Surgeon General

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE & VICTORIA OJEME

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EALTH workers under the aegis of the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, and the Assembly of Health Sector Professionals, AHSP, have faulted moves by President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint a Surgeon General for the Federation.

Last week, in acceding to the demands of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, and averting the impending nationwide doctors’ strike , President Jonathan, had conceded, in principle, to the appointment of a Surgeon General.

The workers, comprising pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, radiographers and laboratory scientists expressed reservations about the relevance of such an appointment in a jointly signed position paper on contemporary developments in the health sector.

President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Pharm Olumide Akintayo, who spoke on behalf of the workers called for unconditional halt to the appointment of a Surgeon General for the Federation purportedly agreed in principle by the President.

“Surgeon-General is not a professional cadre. One is bound to ask if the President has powers to appoint a Surgeon General.

The concept remains both unconstitutional and outrightly unlawful.It is an unnecessary procedure and a military creation. On face value, it is valueless.

“Government is advised to remember the consequences of the unlawful Medical

Salary Scale, MSS, of the 90's which is the precursor of the industrial disharmony in the public service where different cadres of workers agitate for discriminatory and exclusive wages.

“The move to appoint a Surgeon General will lead to demands for such by all cadres of workers and therefore makes government more vulnerable to strikes and shut-downs in the months ahead,” he remarked.

In a reaction, Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu said there may be need for an independent office such

as that of the Surgeon General to be established by the constitution or by law.

“We feel that there is some gap in the field but how it is going to be filled is the debate. So I believe now that the President and the government have accepted in principle ,what remains to be done is to begin to work out the details and if it is going to require a law, obviously it has to go to the National Assembly so we need a Draft bill. I believe personally as the minister that there is still some little distance until when someone eventually occupies the position,” he stated.

• In search of harmony in the health sector.

BY VERA SAMUEL-ANYAGAFU

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N the bid to further improve on Nigeria health sector, United States Consul General, Jeffrey Hawkins and Mission Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID Michael Harvey recently, handed over four newly renovated warehouses to the Federal Ministry of Health.

The renovation was a partnership effort by the U.S. Government, through the President Obama’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Ecobank Nigeria Plc. At the handing over of the renovated warehouses to Permanent Secretary Ambassador Bala Sani at the Federal Medical Stores complex, Oshodi, Lagos, Hawkins stated: “The US Government provided over $1 million for the renovation as part of efforts to improve health care in Nigeria, through the provision of quality medication and medical equipment. Other partners contributed about $500,000 to the renovation project.”

The Federal Medical Stores facility will now enjoy increase in the availability of high quality commodities that will not only protect lives but reduce avoidable deaths that are caused by a lack of medication, under-treatment and or improper treatment using counterfeit drugs.

The development will also assist in reducing the cost and time required to transport life-saving equipment and medicines such as IV fluids and antibiotics, to various parts of the country.

Mistakes, misadventures and medicines C

ERTAIN deaths in the UK are referred to the County Coroner for investigation.

I remember attending ( as an observer only! ) such an inquest many years ago. The subject was an 80 year old woman who had succumbed in the Radiology suite.

The Coroner, a burlesque man with a Harley Davidson mustache, summed up the case thus: "Whenever we enter a hospital and/or submit ourselves to the vagaries of the Health service, it is an adventure..." He talked as if Yorkshire pudding was stuck in his wobbly cheeks. "....and sometimes adventures can go wrong."

He continued. "It is my conclusion, after examining all the facts hereby submitted to me, in the case of Mrs X.Y.Z..." He may have raised a gavel "....death by misadventure!"

Misadventure?

This was the first time I would hear of death related to an adventure.

But the Coroner's words turned out to be standard verbiage when no significant shortcomings are

found in patient care.

However, do not be lulled into a sense of security.

Mistakes, errors ( and " misadventures" ) abound in patient care settings all over the world.

Here is the top 25 countdown, based on US statistics, and the work of Elizabeth Cohen:

25. Stolen babies

Since 1983, 130 babies have been abducted from U.S. health care facilities. Most are eventually caught.

Are babies stolen in Nigerian hospitals...in the cities or villages?

What security measures do we have?

24. Fake doctors

I walked into a hospital in Abuja many years ago, after hearing that a friend's PA had been brought there following a car accident. In only casual jeans and a T shirt, I directed nurses and paramedical staff in the Casualty department.

No one stopped or questioned me.

A white coat, a stethoscope and even an ID badge can confer false legitimacy. The Federation of State Medical Boards lists hundreds of impostors who've

masqueraded as doctors in America.

23. Wrong patient

This happens with people who have similar names.

For example a wrong patient (in early pregnancy) sent for an Xray!

22. Pharmacy mistakes

Again a wrong patient being given medicines meant for someone else.Does that happen in Nigeria?

21. Messed up plastic surgery

You want a bigger behind or a smaller stomach? Fat molecules can break off and, fatally, block a vessel in the lungs.

20. Dosage disasters

Ampoules may look similar.

Doses are different for adults and babies.

Workers stocking medication drawers make mistakes about 4 percent of the time.

Home too unaccompanied.

soon,

or

17. Ambulance errors

"We need ambulances before we can dream of ambulance errors".

16. Lost patients

Predominantly a nursing home problem. Someone said lost "staff" more likely in Nigeria.

15. Surgical takeaways

Things ( sponges, scissors ) do get left behind as surprise souvenirs for patients.

This happens in as many as 2 out of every 10,000 surgeries in the USA.

14. Switched babies

19. Toxic transplants

Babies do look similar.

Can a Nigerian mother confuse one baby for another baby?

18. Dumb discharges

Central line and chest tubes require training for safe removal.

While there's no national figure for tube errors, you should know a report looking at just one hospital's ICU finds improperly removed tubes cause 10 air

Transplanted organs, eg kidneys, have been known to be infected....eg with rabies !

In the U.S. more than 100 people have been victims of toxic transplants.

What is the figure in.....India?

13. Air bubbles in blood

embolisms a year.

12. Wrong diagnoses

One out of every 10 diagnoses you receive from a doctor may be wrong.

And that is in the USA. What about Nigeria?

11. Transfusion confusion

Blood types are O, A and B. You can't transfuse the different types of blood into each other because your body interprets it as an invading bacteria.

One out of every 19,000 units of blood given is a mismatch.

In Part 2, we will look at the top 10 errors in medical practice.

•Dr. Femi Ogunyemi, FRCA, FWACS, is a member of the British Pain Society, American Pain Society, the North American Neuromodulation Society and the Aerospace Medical Association. He is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management and a Fellow in Pain Medicine from Emory University.

50 — V anguard Vanguard anguard,, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

BRIEFS British lawmakers visit Iran

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Sudan and S-Sudan to protect oilfields S

OUTH Sudanese rebels and a government delegation started peace talks yesterday to try to end fighting that has left the world’s newest state on the brink of civil war.

The talks in neighbouring Ethiopia will focus on brokering a ceasefire to halt three weeks of violence that has killed at least 1,000 people and driven 200,000 from their homes.

“We have begun our meeting on the cessation of hostilities,” a member of the government delegation told Reuters. After opening, the talks quickly took a break to allow consultations in Juba about the release of detained rebels.

The fighting, often along ethnic faultlines, has pitted President Salva Kiir’s SPLA government forces against rebels loyal to former vice president Riek Machar.

Yesterday was the first face-to-face session, after a formal opening ceremony on Saturday, due to delays caused by haggling over the fate of 11 detainees held by the government in Juba. The rebels initially insisted on securing their release before negotiations started.

also met Iranian counterparts in Tehran.

The British and German parliamentarians are the fourth round of visiting lawmakers from Europe since Iran’s new president, moderate Hassan Rouhani, took office in August.

Rouhani has vowed a softer approach toward the West, which is at odds with Iran and suspects the country of seeking a nuclear bomb. Tehran denies the charge, insisting its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Syria begins shipment of chemical weapons •Displaced South Sudanese awaiting evacuation from crisis zone.

UN warns of looming catastrophy in CAR

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BOUT 10,000 people are seeking shelter at the airport near the capital Bangui.

UN officials are warning the Security Council that Central African Republic is on the brink of a catastrophe, with half the population made homeless since ethnic warfare broke out. UN political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman told the council on Monday that about 2.2 million people throughout the country need assistance, about half the total population.

About half the people of Bangui have been driven from their homes, a total of about 513,000, he said. An estimated 100,000 people are seeking shelter at a makeshift camp at the airport near the capital.

The Central African Republic has been plunged into chaos as the country’s Christian majority seeks revenge against the Muslim rebels, who seized power in a coup in March.

Fighting between Christian and Muslim militias

Pope to appoint new cardinals OPE Francis is set to apartment in a Vatican make the most imP guest house, and is drivportant decisions of his en around in a simple young papacy in the next few weeks by naming new cardinals - the “princes of the Church” who will help him set its future course and one day elect his successor from their number.

A pope’s choice of cardinals is one of the clearest signals of the direction in which he wants the 1.2 billion-strong Roman Catholic Church to go, and what type of man he wants to succeed him.

Francis immediately set about changing the Vatican’s image with his simple style after his election last March, so his choice of clerics to elevate on February 22 is more eagerly awaited than usual.

He is expected to reveal his choices before the end of January so that preparations for the ceremonial “consistory” can be made, but so far there have been few if any whispers of likely names.

In the past, it was a fairly safe bet that archbishops of big dioceses or those heading Vatican departments traditionally headed by cardinals would get the three-

British Parliament delegation arrived in Tehran yesterday — the first visit by U.K. lawmakers to Iran in years — as the two countries work to improve relations, Iranian media reported.

The four-member delegation was headed by former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who last visited Iran in 2003 as Britain’s top diplomat, said the official Iranian news agency, IRNA. Separately, visiting German lawmaker Andreas Schockenhoff, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party,

Ford Focus instead of a bulletproof Mercedes limousine, has shown little regard for precedent or tradition.

intensified in December.

An attack on Bangui by the Christian militia calling itself the anti-Balaka on December 5 triggered heavy unrest in the capitol, Feltman said. A report in late December by Secretary General Ban Kimoon reported 600 deaths in Bangui in those attacks, and Feltman put the current total at “750 casualties’’ in the capital.

“The death toll outside Bangui is likely to be substantial,’’ he said. “Killings in Bangui and the rest of the country continue every day, and the population remains divided along religious affiliation,’’ Feltman said.

The UN Children’s Fund warned at the end of December, that children are being recruited into the militias, and verified the killings of at least 16 children since December 5, two of whom were beheaded.

Assad eyes fresh election

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•Pope Francis peaked “biretta”, the red ceremonial hat that cardinals wear.

But Francis, who renounced the spacious papal suite for a modest

YRIA’s Information Minister said yesterday the Syrian people have decided President Bashar al-Assad should be nominated for another term and would pressure him to stand in elections this year. The comments were the strongest indication yet that Assad intends to extend his rule and are

Fallujah: Iraqi PM orders militants expulsion

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RAQI Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called on Fallujah residents to expel “terrorists” to avoid a security forces assault, as the United States said it would speed up deliveries of missiles and surveillance drones to the Baghdad government.

Fallujah has been outside government control for days, while parts of Anbar provincial capital Ramadi,

farther west, are also held by militants.

It is the first time militants have exercised such open control in major cities since the height of the bloody insurgency that followed the US-led invasion of 2003.

Maliki called on “the people of Fallujah and its tribes to expel the terrorists” so “their areas are not subjected to the danger of armed clashes,” state television reported.

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HE first shipment of chemical weapons material has left Syria, according to the UN. The joint mission overseeing the disarmament, the UN and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), said on Tuesday that the materials had been moved from two sites to the port of Latakia and then loaded onto a Danish commercial vessel. “This is an important step commencing the transportation of these materials as part of the

plan to complete their disposal outside the territory of Syria,’’ Mehmet Uzumcu, OPCW directorgeneral, said in a statement.

“I encourage the Syrian government to maintain the momentum to remove the remaining priority chemicals, in a safe and timely manner, so that they can be destroyed outside of Syria as quickly as possible.’” China, Denmark, Norway and Russia are providing maritime security for the cargo.

More Turkish Police men fired for graft

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HE Turkish government has dismissed 350 police officers in Ankara, local media reports say, in the latest twist in a corruption scandal embroiling powerful politicians.

The officers were sacked on Tuesday by a government decree published at midnight and included chiefs of the financial crimes, antismuggling, cyber crime and organised crime units, the private Dogan News Agency reported.

The move comes as the government is trying to contain the political fallout from the fraud probe that has become the biggest threat to Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 11-year rule in the run-up to local elections in March. The Turkish prime minister has branded the investigation a “dirty” plot to try to topple his government, blaming supporters of a powerful exiled Turkish religious leader who wields considerable influence in the judiciary.

Blistering cold weather hits US, UK

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•President Al-Assad sure to anger opposition politicians and fighters who have been waging a nearly three-year struggle to end his rule.

Assad’s status in any future political order in Syria has been a stumbling block to bringing both sides to a peace conference scheduled to be held in Geneva on January 22.

The opposition, represented by a Westernbacked coalition, has demanded that the conference aim to remove Assad from power, while Damascus has insisted that he stay.

blast of bone-chilling cold snarled air travel, closed schools and prompted calls yesterday for people to stay inside in the United States and Canada, as temperatures plunged to lows not seen in two decades.

Superlatives of cold-talk abounded, even in midwestern states used to chest-high snow and bitter cold, as the National Weather Service said the deep freeze was making its way east.

Air travel was a nightmare, stranding many travelers trying to head home from year’s end holidays.

More than 4,300 US flights were canceled Monday — nearly half of those in Chicago — and more than 6,500 were delayed,

•A resident of Chicago fully covered up against the cold weather. according to FlightAware, a flight-monitoring site.

Toronto’s Pearson Airport halted ground operations early Tuesday because of “equipment freezing” and out of concern for the safety of airport personnel, it said on its Twitter account.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014—51

Oshiomhole should act fast on IGR Dear Sir, T is a known fact that Gover nor Oshiomhole has done well in almost all spheres in the developments of Edo State since his ascension as the Governor.

In as much as we congratulate him on this feats bearing in mind the indifferent dispositions of his predecessors, suffice it to say certain aspects of his shortcomings must be pointed out.

Besides the monthly allocations from the Federation Accounts, the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR of the state augments this dwindling allocation.

This internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is the make up of monies paid by citizens for various services for which they should get value. My focus here is the activities of the Ministry of Lands and Surveys.

The Services rendered by this Ministry to the citizens require prompt attention.

For every application made for Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) consents letters etc.

I

has a purpose behind it. But the Governor’s refusal to sign these documents on time after payments have been made, is worrisome. Evidences abound of the process of obtaining these documents spanning over a year without the Governor appending his signature even though requisite payments have been made.

Applicants now feel discouraged to make application and the State is the worst for it. There is no reason under the sun why this process should take more than two weeks to be perfected even though the Comrade Governor had at different fora promised this.

This piece should serve as a wake up call to the State Governor to sign those documents in his office before the end of the year and make a definite effort to fast track this process and boost people’s confidence rather than discouraging people about this and thereby further dwindling the revenue drive of this “lucrative” Ministry.

Joseph Okhuoya Lagos

No to privatisation of refineries Dear Sir, HE effect of the recent sale of the power sector is salutary. Barely seven weeks, the handover exercise was concluded, people have apparently started getting bored with steady light.

This is unheard of in the history of this country, especially, since the inception of the second republic.

This move taken by the government has no doubt underscored the belief that privatising our industries and other government establishments, even the ministries would produce tremendous results.

very much interested in the business.

Any attempt to sell these refineries to them is likely to produce a negative result which may be very difficult fathom.

The resultant effect of this proposed venture is unpredictable. Presently, the price of petrol is N97 per litre. The masses apparently accepted this rate almost under duress, but if the deal is done, the price would jump. This scenario is equivalent to other fuel products like diesel and kerosene. If the government insists on this move, it therefore means an indirect way of removing the oil subsidy completely.

President Goodluck Oil, is the heartbeat of the nation hence Jonathan should not take this advice hook, selling the refinery that refines the crude line and sinker as sucoil is tantamount to mortgaging the fucumbing to the advice would not ture of this country. If the government augur well for the can privatise the oil sector, it means that country. the seat of government at Aso Rock can Rather it would likely put the country also be privatised in danger. He should Much as Nigerians are celebrating this forge ahead with his reformation of other phenomenon as companies and industries sectors of the economy in the interest of have started operating at near full capac- the masses.

Nkemakolam Gabriel ity, artisans who took to Okada riding Port Harcourt business are now going back to their 08072257360 abandoned workshops and many housegabchiz56@gmail.com holds have begun to enjoy their air-conditioning gadgets, selling our refineries with the belief that a similar result that would be beneficial to the masses will be realised, is very much in doubt.

Oil, is the heartbeat of the nation hence selling the refinery that refines the crude Dear Sir, oil is tantamount to mortgaging the future of this country. If the government can WANT to ask ex-President privatise the oil sector, it means that the Obasanjo a question; Why did he not seat of government at Aso Rock can also write open letters to ex-Generals Babangida be privatised. Government should rather and Sani Abacha when the ship of the resuscitate the old refineries at Port Nigerian nation was adrift and about to capHarcourt, Warri and Kaduna as well as size, on account of the annulment of the build more new ones.

June 12, 1993, won by Bashorun MKO I suspect double dealing in this Abiola? refinery privatisation saga. I have an eerie Okay, or is it now that he has really masfeeling that some political bigwigs are be- tered the art of letter writing? hind this proposed venture and they are An Igbo proverb says; if an elder decides to make himself/ herself, edible like rice, children will scramble for him/her( literal translation). A word is enough for the wise!

•CHUKWUMA J. DIOKA. 07054911808.

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,

,

OBJ and letter writing

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Fight against corruption

Nigerians need change come 2015. Mrs. Farida Waziri with the full support and backing of the Late Yar’Adua destroyed the real fight against corruption which Nuhu Ribadu put in place.

The main reason for removing Ribadu as EFCC boss then was because some of the close political associates of Yar Adua were treasury looters. But it appears that Yar adua was far better than Jonathan in the fight against corruption.

Alhaji Usman Hassanu 07057789779

N2 billion payroll fraud in Nigerian Police Force

These scams allegedly involving three InspectorsGeneral of Police show how filthy the Nigeria Police is and how corruption is truly the bane of Nigeria’s economy.

How can a nation develop when everybody wants to have a share of the national cake by hook or crook?

Segun wrote from via email

N2 billion payroll fraud in Nigerian Police

It is horrendous that despite the enormity of the crime, Mr. Ogunjimi of FCT Police Command’s pay office allegedly committed with his cohorts, he is still walking the streets a free man. It is unfortunate that all of these is happening and yet no action has been taken. Kudos to Nuhu Ribadu, former EFCC boss for a job well done during his tenure as the agency ’s chairman.

Lekan 08027164583

Still on N2 billion payroll fraud in Nigerian Police

It is saddening that this is happening in an institution that is supposed to implement laws and combat crime. It is more saddening that even with this expose, President Jonathan remains silent. I am very sure that this fraud is one of the smallest that would be happening in the police and other institutions.

Henry 08039821540

APC vs Presidency

Nigeria’s political history is largely characterised by mudslinging and virulent attacks by opposition parties against the ruling parties. This trend heightens astronomically towards election seasons. In the case of the APC interim National Chairman, elder statesman, Chief Bisi Akanda, his outpouring of vernoms against Mr. President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is nothing other than the reflection of the nightmare he suffers daily as a result of the formidable occupation and presence of President Jonathan at Aso Villa. Nigeria needs more of silent, level – headed and result driven leaders than loquacious, insolent and somewhat petty desperado.

Engr.

Okey Nkem 08036440345

Tenure elongation

Though it is an incontestable truth that Mr. President has the constitutional right to recontest for the office which he occupies currently in 2015 if he desires, but what most Nigerians do not want at this time when he has almost completed his tenure is the ongoing political horse- trading by some PDP leaders when the nation is facing serious economic and security challenges.

Mr. President should realise that Nigerians voted massively for him because it was widely believed in Nigeria that he will restore Nigeria back to her glorious days. I strongly believe that if President Jonathan delivers up to 70 percent of his campaign promises, Nigerians will on their own demand for his return to office come 2015 not minding what few political hawks think or feel.

President Jonathan should concentrate on his job and allow Nigerians to decide his fate when 2015 comes.

B. Ezenwadigwu 08182266401

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS The game of life is the game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deed and words return back to us sooner or later. Be kind to get kindness back in return.

Simon Adewale08056180103, 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,

52

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 YOUR LUCK TODAY

­ ­ ³ ª¨!

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 CANCER; Many of you’ll find it relatively difficult to ignore romantic feelings within and attractive invitation from outside. Some’ll travel for love actually.

LEO; Happenings within your base of operation must not be allowed to weigh you down to the point of missing good opportunity at work before 2.17pm VIRGO; Financial success is closer to you but if you misplace your priority then, that’s another thing entirely. Heated argument can not help your cause today.

LIBRA. If good advice comes your way don’t be too arrogant to take it. Travelling for love or business will bring you the desired results. Be cautious before 2.17pm SCORPIO; Success is boldly printed on your cards today and much will depend on what your priorities are. But your star desires mostly today is financial success .

SAGITTARIUS;. The moon continues it’s operation from your Star and enhances your prospects for success further. The more friendly you are the better for your cause.

By Richard Eromosele

M

AN basically is full of ego. Given the opportunity, every man (woman) wants to be worshipped.

Yet, we all know that worship belongs to our Creator (God).

Sharing His Glory This is where some of us incure problems to ourselves. God does not share His Glory with any man (woman).

For example,

assuming you are a father, how will you feel if your son gives to another man what duly belong to you?

Won’t you be annoyed? Same

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”

thing with our God. As you pray henceforth, ask God to remove from your life any man (woman) that wants to take His place in your life. Never, never share His glory...

By Lanre Kehinde

CAPRICORN;. Don’t rely too heavily on friends today, especially before 2.17pm when Moon fluctuates. Learn how to consolidate on your recent progress.

AQUARIUS; If you must take advantage of your magnetic personality before too long this is the right time to do just that as Venus’ll soon leave positive angle to you Star. Think of your image in all you do now. Watch carefully before 2.17pm PISCES; Tomorrow’ll bring more challenges through friends. Try your best to accomplish more along your career line today. Be very practical before 2.17pm ARIES; Better than yesterday. And there are people willing to give you the needed co-operation. Don’t allow your love life to degenerate to laughing stuff with friends.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

TAURUS;. As the saying goes “hard work pays” you will see evidence of the popular saying today as you’re rewarded according to your efforts at work.

GEMINI; Good luck’ll knock at your door today. Those with burning desire for romantic pleasure are in for an exciting day with lots of satisfaction. Be loving.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

Basic Characteristics of Scorpio Scorpio - the eighth of twelve zodiac signs, stands for secret, sex, sin, death, jealousy and regeneration. You can see that sex and death have powers to compel any earth’s inhabitant to surrender. Thus, Scorpio is the most powerful of all the 12 zodiac signs. That is why you are endowed with strong will powers that can be used to regenerate either yourself or those close to you.

Scorpio is a water sign. It’s natives are emotional types with powerful intuition. They are of inclination to protect their loved ones and/or the people with weaker personality, however, if they have any cause to doubt the loyalty or sincerity of such person/persons, they tend to become jealous and the strong love they have for the person can turn to hatred. And as they are the type capable of intensive love and bitter hatred, it is not good to incur their wrath.

Scorpio-being a member of fixed signs, it’s natives are not keen lovers of change. That is why you always love to make success of any important project of yours before consideration can be given to another one. And by so doing, you make yourself a reliable person.

The water element of Scorpio makes them highly mysterious personalities who intuition (and emotion) can be regarded as extra-ordinary.

Although, other influence in your natal horoscope can tempt some people to think that you are very open; the truth is, you can be highly secretive person who knows what he wants and how to get it.

Your being secretive has many advantages, thus, you are encouraged not to be tempted to open up unnecessarily whenever it comes to manipulation of unseen forces or psychic energies. Let it be known that African Scorpio born person that refuses to acknowledge the reality of occult forces heads for failure.

Whoever tries to jeopardise your interest and/or anything that is important to you and yours will be met with resistance. Equally, Scorpio tends to nurse grudge; that is why some people will say natives of this powerful zodiac sign are truly good friends but dangerous enemies.

Pluto’s ruling influence over Scorpio makes Scorpio’s desire for unknown to be strong. That is why many Astrologers call Scorpios the deadly detectives. And a welldeveloped Scorpio is as bold as aggressive soldiers and fears no death.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 — 53

Boro coach hails Omeruo’s arrival M

IDDLESBROUGH coach Aitor Karanka has hailed Chelsea’s Kenneth Omeruo after bringing the Nigerian to the Championship side on loan.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho recently loaned out Omeruo to the Teesiders in the hope that the Nigerian stopper will be able to get more playing opportunities.

Karanka and ‘the Special One’ worked together at Real Madrid during the Portuguese manager ’s stint in the Bernabeu hotseat, and it seems the Championship club’s boss is well pleased with his newest loan signing who was recommended to him by Mourinho.

“He’s a strong defender and we need to improve at the back and we need a strong defender,” Karanka told Eurosport.

“Kenneth is a strong player a very good player, he can play at centreback and right-back.”

The 40-year-old gaffer was, however, quick to point out that despite the quality the Super Eagles player possesses, he would not be able to just waltz into the first team squad at Riverside Stadium.

“We are looking for many positions,” the Spaniard explained. “But we need to be very smart with the players that come here because I’m very happy with my squad.''

Xavi hits out at Mourinho’s soccer philiosophy The Spain star slammed the former Real Madrid and Inter boss’ style of play, while also criticising Roberto Di Matteo’s Champions League-winning Chelsea side Barcelona midfielder Xavi has launched another attack on Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, hitting out at ‘The Special One’s’ footballing philiosophy.

The Spain international, who was regularly critical of the Portuguese while he was in charge of Clasico rivals Real Madrid, insists Pep Guardiola and Johan Cruyff are examples of coaches who want their sides to play football in the right way.

Omeruo

•Xavi “Pep Guardiola is an important person for me - Jose Mourinho is a coach who focuses only on results,” Xavi told Panenka magazine.

“He says he is ‘The Special One’ because he won this and that in so many countries but I do not like the way his teams play.

Argentina line up T and T, Slovenia for Eagles T

RINIDAD and Tobago will play world football powerhouse Argentina in a friendly international June 4 at a yet to be decided venue.

The football associations of both countries will make an announcement when the venue is confirmed.

Captained by Lionel Messi, Argentina is considered a favourite for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The South American team are also due to play their last warm-up against

Slovenia at the River Plate stadium here June 7.

“Trinidad and Tobago is also already arranged,” said Guillermo Tofoni, whose World XI agency organises all Argentina’s friendlies.

“All that remains is to fix where it will be played but they’re a good sparring (partner) for Argentina.”

The match against Tamp;T is part of Argentina’s preparation for their Group F matches against Bosnia, Iran and Nigeria.

•Zabaleta

Safarova shocks 3SC: Farouk preaches Wozniacki in Sydney peace, unity C A

•Safarova

A R O L I N E Wozniacki is out of the Apia International in Sydney after losing to Lucie Safarova in straight sets.

In two close sets, the Czech was a 6-4 7-6 (9/7) winner over the sixth seed who had to dig deep to see off Germany’s Julia Goerges in the first round.

Wozniacki looked to be cruising to a first set victory after going three games up, but Safarova dug in to win the set 6-4, while she also showed her fighting spirit in the second to save a tiebreak before going on to win.

The World number 27 will face the second seed

Petra Kvitova in the last eight of the competition.

“Caroline started really well and was going for the shots and just making a lot of winners,” Safarova said.

“I was just hanging in there and trying to be quicker and more get into the play and to be the first one who’s taking over and putting pressure. So I caught it, then won my first serve at 3-0 down and got into the play.

“It was overall a very, very good two sets. I’m happy with my game today or the performance now here in Sydney. It’s the start of the season, so I’m really happy to start

S part of his determination to ensure the return of 3SC back to Nigeria’s top flight, the Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Farouk Umar Alao has counseled the team not to allow themselves to be distracted by speculative rumours.

Also,he said at breakfast meeting with the players and coaches held at his Basorun residence that they should see themselves as one big family . ‘’You should see this meeting as a family meeting to know each

other and prepare ourselves for the task ahead, I want to assure you of maximum support of the state government in order for you to do well’’,he said. ‘’I want you to see yourselves as good ambassadors of the state and always think of future “.

Responding the captain,Yomi Adigun having expressed appreciation to the commissioner for the meeting which he said has never happened in the history of the club promised that the players are ready to give their best

54 —

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8, 2014

No replacement for Mbachu yet – Falcons Coach S

UPER Falcons coach, Edwin Okon has said he was yet to discover a replacement for veteran pacy right winger, Stella Mbachu.

Mbachu is among the 30 players named for the African Women’s Championship (AWC) qualifying match against the Leone Queens of Sierra Leone on February 14 at the Abuja National Stadium.

Okon said the Rivers Angels forward has been consistent despite her age and that the younger ones have failed to outshine her in the position.

“I don’t have a replacement for Stella Mbachu both at club and national level. I’ve always challenged the younger ones to retire her from the national team with their performances but Mbachu keeps getting better and stronger by the day.

“Though my wish is to get a quick replacement as she can’t play football forever, I’ve few players

penciled down as possible replacement but they’re somehow slow in coming through.

“I’ve the Rivers Angels duo of Mercy Amanze and Aminat Yakubu as well as Sunshine Queens’ Yetunde Aluko, the trio have speed but the ball sense is yet to reach the desired level.

“We believe with time we’ll break the monopoly Mbachu is enjoying at the moment once we get quality players who will rival her in the position.

“We don’t have similar headache in other positions from goalkeeping to defence to midfield. We’ve several players who can quickly fit into any of the positions,” Okon said to supersport.com.

IONEL Messi is expected to make his return from a hamstring injury when Barcelona host Getafe in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday after being included in coach Gerardo Martino’s 18-man squad for the game.

The four-time World Player of the Year hasn’t played since tearing his hamstring in Barca’s 41 win over Real Betis on November 10.

After beginning his treatment for the injury

F

IFTY-ONE countries have registered for the qualifying stages of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Confederation of African Football revealed that only two of 54 African countries Somalia and Djibouti have opted not to enter the competition.

As hosts, Morocco qualify automatically for the event which will be held next year from 15 January to 15 February.

Caf will meet on 24 January 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa to decide the the format for the qualifiers.

However the draw has been postponed from 31 January to April, at the

•Mbachu

Maigari bags Sports Achiever award F

OR the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, the tap of awards and honours is running at full

Messi returns

L

in Barcelona, Messi then returned to his native Argentina to continue his recovery process during December.

However, he returned to Barcelona last week to begin training with his teammates once more and Martino admitted it had been difficult to leave him out of Saturday’s 4-0 win over Elche.

“I have spoken with him and he is in the squad,” Martino told a press conference on Tuesday.

strength.

At the weekend, the Association of Sports Veterans of Nigeria wrote to intimate Maigari of his imminent conferment with the award of Sports Achiever of the Year 2013, at the association’s traditional End-Of-The-Year get-together, taking place in Lagos on Friday this week.

Presenting the letter to Maigari in his office, General Secretary of the association, Mr. Paul Bassey, noted that in its 10 years of existence, the Veterans have not conferred award on any person. ”This will be the first time the Association will be conferring an honour on any one, since it came into existence 10 years ago. The reason is not far-fetched. As an interventionist body whose

members boast of years of invaluable experience, we have occupied ourselves with behind-thescene offer of pieces of advice and intervene when necessary towards the development of sports in Nigeria. ”However, the m o n u m e n t a l achievements of the Nigeria Football Federation under your leadership has warranted this first in our modus operandi,” Bassey told Maigari.

Maigari graciously accepted the award while praising the efforts of the Veterans in intervening when necessary to see to the genuine development of sports in Nigeria. He also promised to be personally present at the Veterans’ get-together to receive the honour.

Ronaldo dedicates goals to Eusebio

•Messi

2015 Afcon: 51 countries enter for qualifiers

Cristiano Ronaldo dedicated his two goals in Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Celta Vigo to Portgual legend Eusebio.

A minute’s silence was held at Real’s Bernabeu stadium before kick-off in memory of Eusebio, who died aged 71 from

a heart attack at the weekend.

Ronaldo said: “I dedicate these two goals to you Eusebio but in fact you were the one who scored them. You’ll always be in my heart.

“We have lost one of the greatest players of all time.”

•Ronaldo

•Alhaji Maigari

•Hayatou, CAF president same time as the draws for the African Champions League and African Confederation Cup group phase are to be done, and will take place in Morocco rather than Cape Town.

It was originally intended to be held a day before the African Nations Championship final in Cape Town when the full Caf executive committee would be in town for meetings and to attend the deciding match on 1 February.

The qualifiers are being sandwiched into a three-month period after the 2014 World Cup and are divided into a preliminary round a a group stage.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are the defending champions of the tournament which they won in 2013 in South Africa.

Dortmund issue Klopp warning

B

ORUSSIA Dortmund chief executive HansJoachim Watzke has warned manager Jurgen Klopp that a fourth placed finish in the league would not be acceptable.

After an incredibly successful 2012/13 season in which Dortmund were runners up in both the Champions League and the Bundesliga, Klopps’ men have found the going a lot tougher this year, ending the year in fourth in the league standings and having just made it through to the knockout stages in Europe.

Der BVB have been hard-hit by injuries, particularly in defence, but

•Klopp despite the obvious disruption that their long list of absentees has caused, Watzke insists that got results are still expected.

“At the moment fourth place is acceptable, but we would not be satisfied with a fourth place finish at Borussia Dortmund,” he told Suddeutsche Zeitung.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 — 55

Glo CAF Award Continued from BP authority, the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The top three lists released includes Nigeria’s Mikel Obi, Cote D’Ivoire’s Yaya Toure and his country mate, Didier Drogba of Galasaray.

Drogba plies his trade with Turkish Club, Galatasaray while, Toure, the defending champion plays for Manchester City.

Mikel Obi is a regular feature for Chelsea FC of London.

According to Mohammed Aderibigbe of Precise Sports, Mikel Obi holds the ace having won the African Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles and Europa Cup with Chlesea FC of London.

The same view was corroborated by Sam Smith of Sports Degrees who opined that Mikel deserves the Award due to his exploits with Chelsea FC and the Super Eagles, adding that if Mikel succeeds, Nigeria will be

returning to the list of countries producing Glo Caf Award winners since 1999 when Kanu Nwankwo won the Award.?

Chris Abraham, a sports pundit however differs in opinion. He is tipping Yahaya Toure for the Award. According to him “Yaya will nick it again, he is the leading contender and the fact that he recently won the BBC African Player of the Year makes him a clear favourite”.

However Sports 24, an on-line Sports Outfit also tipped Mikel Obi outrightly. “ The award goes to Mikel, a regular in Chelsea line up, European? Champions League winner, Europa Cup winner and African Cup of Nations Champion, what else? ” Who wears the crown? All roads lead to the Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos on 9th January, 2014 where the king will be crowned.

Uzoenyi

Continued from BP “We are going to South Africa with high expectations. We won’t disappoint Nigerians.

We have a mission to accomplish there and we are going there with lots of assurance that we are going to win it,”

Uzoenyi told goal.com.

“We are attending for the first time but that won’t be any barrier to our success. The three countries we are paired with in the first round won’t pose any problem at all despite our lack of

Uche Continued from BP the Yellow Submarines in the current season.

Perbet who set up the Nigerian for the opener doubled the lead two minutes later to put Villarreal in the driving seat and with four minutes left to play in the first half, the Frenchman extended his side’s lead for his second on the night to ensure a comfortable 30 away lead at half time with Moisés Bordonado providing both assists.

After the break, Uche struck twice in 58th and 64th minutes respectively to give

Villarreal a comfortable 5-0 lead for his first hat trick of the season before being booked in the closing stages of the encounter.

Nery Castillo reduced the deficit six minutes after the hour mark and inside the 90+1 minute, the Mexican got his second on the night from a spot kick to end the game at 5-2.

The victory means the visitors displace Sevilla to clinch the sixth spot on the log with 31 points while Vallecano sit second from bottom of the table with just 13 points from 18 league fixtures.

knowledge about them,” he said. Super Eagles will face Mali in their first match on January 11, play against

Mozambique four days later and against South Africa in the final round, on January 19.

Walcott Continued from BP cruciate ligament in his left knee during Arsenal’s FA Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, with his club announcing on Monday that he will be unavailable for around six months.

As well as missing the rest of the season, it means that Walcott is all but certain to miss Brazil 2014, which begins in June.

It is the latest chapter in a story of World Cup misery for Walcott, who was called up for the 2006 tournament at the age of 17 but did not play, and was then left out for the 2010 tournament by Fabio Capello.

Wright, who sat out the 1998 World Cup in France due to a hamstring injury, told BBC Radio Five Live on Tuesday: “As a player, it’s devastating. I missed out on a World Cup in ’98 through injury and it’s something that you never truly get over.

“In the end I didn’t actually get to play in any, but for someone like Theo who has been there but not played but he has been there for this one I feel he would have been ready.”

Former England striker Michael Owen, who sustained a serious knee injury during Germany 2006, also voiced support for Walcott.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

CHAN: Uzoenyi writes off Bafana Bafana, others

E

NUGU Rangers winger Ejike Uzoenyi is brimming with confidence ahead of the start of CHAN tournament on Saturday.

The 25-year-old winger is certain that Super Eagles will not have any problems beating their group opponents - South Africa, Mozambique and Mali and secure a place in quarter-final.

Continues on page 55

Bang..bang..bang!

Ike Uche’s hat-trick Glo CAF Award: sinks Vallecano 2013 Analysts favour Mikel •Uzoenyi

S

UPER Eagles forward Ikechukwu Uche increased his goal tally in the current La Liga campaign with a hat trick as Villarreal thrashed Rayo Vallecano 5-2 at the Estadio del Rayo Vallecano on Monday night.

Uche who played the entire duration of the encounter shot the visitors into an early lead in the tenth minute off a Jeremy Perbet assist for his seventh goal of the season in nine starts from 15 appearances off available 18 league fixtures so far played by

Continues on page 55

W

ITH 24 hours to the next Glo CAf Awards, football analysts have been making different permutations with clearcut justifications on who deserves to wear the crown of African Player of the Year for 2013.

Majority of the opinions however favour

Nigerian International and Chelsea Midfielder, John Mikel Obi to win the Award.

The top three nominees for the 2013 Glo CAF Footballer of the year Award was announced last week by Africa’s highest football Continues on page 55

Walcott out of World Cup

I

THE PREDATOR: Ike Uche (l) jubilates after scoring for Villareal.

AN Wright has expressed sympathy for Arsenal and England attacker Theo Walcott after he was ruled out for the rest of the season

and the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ with a serious knee injury.

The 24-year-old damaged the anterior Continues on page 55

•Mikel

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

DOWN ACROSS 2 Chamber (4) 1 Poke (4) 3 Plunge (4) 4 Vase (3) 4 Displaced (8) 6 Divide (4) 5 Require (4) 9 Poem (3) 6 Vestibule (5) 10 Opposite (8) 7 Fuss (3) 11 Thoroughfare (4) 8 Kingdom (5) 12 Seraglio (5) 14 Gained (3) 13 Dizzy (5) 16 Disgrace (5) 14 Fighting (3) 19 Stirred (8) 15 Not ever (5) 21 Spree (5) 17 Soothe (5) 23 Deputy (8) 18 Go in (5) 24 Perhaps (5) 20 Speech (8) 27 Free (3) 22 Guided (3) 31 Duct (4) 25 Sharp (5) 33 Sham (8) 26 Shatter (5) 34 Beverage (3) 28 Rushed (4) 29 Appear (4) 35 Stink (4) 30 Pain (4) 36 Parched (3) 32 Insect (3) 37 Modest (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

The printer's devil visited our Press yesterday leading to the repetition of this crossword and Sudoku. We regret the repetition — Editor

ACROSS: 1, Damage 5, Region 8, Ignorant 9, Lift 10, Asp 12, Stool 15, Art 17, Ire 18, Orb 19, Rut 20, Noted 21, Axe 22, Cos 23, Got 24, Ash 26, Eyrie 29, Eat 33, Undo 34, Untoward 35, Detach 36, Regent.

DOWN: 2, Aegis 3, Anon 4, Exact 5, Ratio 6, Gale 7, Offer 10, Aorta 11, Pitch 12, Sense 13, Outer 14, Lodge 15, Abate 16, Treat 25, Since 27, Youth 28, Inter 30, Apron 31, Rota 32, Twig.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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.