Mayhem in Rivers Assembly....Four injured

...towards a better life for the people

**

EXC LUS IVE

VOL. 25: NO. 61922

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

MADALLA BOMBING: How we killed CP Four Boko Haram Asadu —suspects suspects get life jail

Mayhem in Rivers Assembly....Four injured •P.50-51

•Lawmakers fight as five 'impeach' Speaker

•How Evans Bipi attempted to attack Speaker, Dep. Gov

•P.8

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDALLAH, BRIGHT OGUNKILEDE & WILSON YAFU

P

ORTHARCOURT— AT least four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly were yesterday brutalised in a fracas that literally painted the walls of the Assembly complex with blood.

At the end of the squabble, the group of five legislators opposed to the governor claimed to have removed Continues on Page 5

RIVERS HOUSE OF COMMOTION

COLUMNISTS:

ROTIMI FASAN •P.19 OGAGA IFOWODO•P.19 DEAR BUNMI

•P.48

Mr & Mrs

HOUSE OF TROUBLE—Top left: Hon. Evans Bapakaye in a scuffle with Mobile Police officers during the fight at the Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday in Port Harcourt. Top right and below: Rivers State Deputy Governor's car smashed during the fracas ; a fire service truck stationed at the House and the Speaker arriving for the day's session. Below left: The House in session. Photos: Nwankpa Chijioke.

CAN, JNI disagree over FG, Boko Haram peace deal

•P.15 C M Y K

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 — 3

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

AFE, 50 YRS @ THE BAR

— From right: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD)and Celebrant, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN); his wife Yeye Modupe Babalola; Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), during the 50th anniversary of Afe Babalola's call to the bar in Ibadan,yesterday.

Mayhem in Rivers Assembly Continues from Page 1

Speaker Otelemaba Amachree. Their claim was, however, quickly repudiated by 23 members who flocked in support of the speaker.

Yesterday ’s violent clash happened on the first day of sitting since the political upheaval in the state triggered by removal of the structures of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP from

Governor Amaechi about three months ago.

Computers and several valuables in the main chamber of the legislative complex were smashed in the morning violence that was witnessed by security agents who had mounted an unprecedented cordon within and outside the chambers.

The members had been

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Every test in our life makes us bitter or better.

Every problem comes to make us or break us. The choice is ours whether we become victims or victorious.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Believe in yourself and in your own voice, your talents, gifts and your creativity because there will be times in this life when you will be the only one who does. And when you believe in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen — E. Randle Life is a mirror and will reflect back to you what you think into it. You may be reinforcing through your mental habits the very things you fear. Today, take a few moments to notice and jot down your thoughts. At the end of the day, review any patterns. If you detect a negative track, replace it with a positive one.

Always try to see a new reality. I’m sure you’ve heard of the statement: “If you can see it, you can be it.” You can use it to improve your life by mentally rehearsing your success. If you are unhappy about your current circumstances, then put on your dreaming cap. Imagine your new world. You are the architect of your life and your dreams are the blueprints. Use your imagination to visualize and expand your potential and then take action but believe in yourself and a higher power working beautifully in your life.

recalled from an indefinite break by Speaker Amachree following a request by Governor Amaechi for an amendment to the 2013 budget of the state.

At about 10.30 a.m. as members sauntered in and engaged themselves in banters awaiting procession of the speaker, the leader of the House, Hon Chidi Lloyd offered a hand to the member representing Ogu-Bolo constituency, Hon Evans Bipi, a newly married member and relation of First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, whose wedding drew the First Lady to Port-Harcourt last month.

A handshake and a slap Llyod’s gesture of a handshake was rewarded with a slap on the face by Bipi and immediately, the whole house was engulfed in bedlam. In the melee, one of the other four members in the antiAmaechi camp dashed for the tripod of a television camera and swung it round, hitting at opponents.

He was followed by another lawmaker who went for the mace and smashed it on the head of two lawmakers. The violence continued for some time with security

men watching until Governor Amaechi rushed to the scene with his own entourage of security men from Government House who attempted to stop the fracas. Following the intervention, loyalists of the governor followed him back to the Government House.

The remaining four members, however, remained within the chambers and held a session during which it was announced that Amachree be removed as Speaker of the House. In his place, Bipi was announced new Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the group of five members.

Bipi in his acceptance speech announced the suspension of 15 members whose names he promised would be released subsequently.

Meantime, the other 23 members had received information of what was going on and they quickly dashed back to the chamber and this time, they were in company of the Deputy Governor, Hon. Tele Ikuru.

As they returned, the majority leader, Llyod moved to grab the mace with which the five members used to sit but he was restrained by Bipi and Hon. Michael Chinda, another antiAmaechi person, leading to a short fracas in

which the group of 23 prevailed.

Bipi told his remaining three colleagues to join him to visit the fifth member of their camp who had been injured in the earlier fracas following which he was rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

At 11.44 a.m. Speaker Amachree was ushered into the House by the Sergeant-at-Arms, bearing the mace. He was not robed in his usual attire.

As he sat on the speaker’s chair to take charge of proceedings, he beckoned on the Clerk of the House to read out the order of the day. About that time, Bipi who had been elected Speaker by three other legislators pushed his way into the gallery. He watched the proceedings briefly from the gallery before he was forced out again by some security operatives. He was accused of coming into the gallery with tear gas, though no one was able to confirm the allegation.

Lawmakers grant Amaechi's budget amendment request

Speaker Amachree in his address to the House said that the governor had written the House seeking an amendment to the sub heads in the 2013 budget relating to some capital projects.

Following his short address, he invited the deputy governor, Engr.

Ikuru into the chambers at exactly 11.49am.

Ikuru in his remarks thanked the lawmakers for their attention, adding that he was representing the governor.

He said he had come to present an executive amendment on the 2013 budget on capital expenditure, stressing that it would enable the government deliver more on its promises to the state.

Following the remarks

by Ikuru, the speaker

explained that the amendment was not intended to add or remove from the N490 billion budget earlier passed by the Assembly.

“The amendment is only on capital expenditure. We are not adding or removing from the budget. The governor is only asking for movement from one sub head to the other and it is only on capital expenditure”, he said.

The House later asked the Deputy governor to leave at exactly 11.59 am while it dissolved into a committee of the entire house where the amendment was granted.

At exactly 12.08 pm the Speaker announced that the amendment had been effected and the House later adjourned.

The Deputy Governor, Engr Ikuru who retired to one of the offices in the complex later joined the Speaker and other principal officers on their way out of the chambers.

How Evans Bipi attempted to attack Speaker, Deputy Governor

As the deputy governor, Ikuru, and the Speaker, Hon Amachree were leaving, Hon Bibi broke out from a tiny crowd of youths he had been addressing and made an attempt to attack the duo but the security details of the deputy governor and the speaker stopped him.

Immediately after that last attack, the duo of Ikuru and Amachree left the complex. At a media briefing later, Amachree dismissed allegations that he was impeached by four lawmakers, stressing that the leadership of the House had not changed.

“We were shocked to hear of the impeachment. The leadership of the House has not Continues from Page 42

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

Ebonyi police nab man with fake N1m notes

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI — EBONYI State Police Command, yesterday, said it had arrested one Stephen Okolie Chukwu who hails from Umuegbe Amaifeke in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State with fake N1 million notes.

The command’s spokesperson, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP Sylvester Igbo, who made the disclosure in his office said the suspect was arrested in Abakaliki on July 4, 2013 when he came to Alhaji Lawal Ibrahim Bureau de Change to convert N1 million denominations into US dollars.

Igbo said on close examination of the currency notes

by Alhaji Ibrahim, who suspected the notes were fake, he lured the suspect to a bank (name withheld) where the money was confirmed to be fake by the bank.

He said the suspect had been asisting the police to trace the import of fake naira notes into the state capital.

In an interview, the suspect who confessed to the crime, told newsmen that he bought the N1 million notes from one Ugoo who is based in Oguta, Imo State for N150,000.

Meanwhile, the state Police Command, yesterday, gave motorists in the state 13 days ultimatum to renew their vehicle particulars, change all fake number plates or be arrested.

It said: “The command has observed with dismay the indiscriminate use of vehicles/motorcycles without number plates and fake number plates as well as improvised number plates.

“It is pertinent to note that the prevalence of such vehicles/motorcycles in the state pose security threat as they could be used for heinous and violent crimes.

Only original number plates and genuine vehicle particulars from relevant authorities will be allowed unfettered movement in the state.

“Therefore, with effect from July 21, 2013, motorists with fake number plates and expired particulars will be arrested as owners of vehicles impounded will be prosecuted.”

PROTEST: Polytechnic students protesting against ongoing nationwide strike, on Ikorodu Road, Lagos, yesterday.

Protesting physically challenged persons arrested for blocking highway

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA — THE gridlock caused by protesting physically challenged persons in Asaba, Monday afternoon, did not abate until about midnight when the police arrested and moved them to the state police command headquarters for what they described as “protective custody.”

Until then, the protesting persons with disabilities vowed not to leave the highway.

Most of the stranded road users had to pass the night in hotels in Asaba while some others managed to continue their journey after the road was cleared by midnight.

Some of the motorists diverted through Ibusa and Okpanam exit routes.

State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Lucky Uyabeme told reporters that “the highway was eventually cleared.

"They have their grievances for coming to the road. They said they want to see the governor so that they would explain their plight to him. The road has been cleared and I can say they have achieved their aim because the governor said he would see them today (Tuesday). Some of their executives have been selected and they are on their way to Warri to see the governor.

“What is clear is that they were not arrested but just moved away to clear the road. It is a federal highway and nobody has the power to block it but the police

were so tactical in removing them from the road so that there would be free flow of traffic. They were not arrested, they are in protective custody.”

Asked if the police would be pressing any charges against them, the PPRO said: “For now no charge until after the meeting with the governor.”

The Asaba/Benin highway was blocked at the Summit junction, Asaba, Monday, between 2 p.m and midnight, preventing movement of vehicles from both sides of the road.

61 persons paraded for cultism Meantime, a total of 61 persons made up of men and women were paraded yesterday at the Delta State police headquarters for cultism.

According to the PPRO, “32 male and 10 female suspected hoodlums were arrested on July 5, 2013 by detectives from the State CID Asaba when they raided a criminal hideout at Spot-

light Club along Asaba/Agbor expressway, Asaba following a tip-off. Also, two days after, following a tip-off SARS operatives at Asaba stormed Dester Hotel, Nnebisi Road and other locations in the state capital and arrested nine female and 20 male cultists who are alleged to be members of Neo Black Movement of Africa a.k.a Black Axe who gathered to celebrate their anniversary.”

Some of the arrested persons protested during the parade, saying they were picked up while having fun in the club.

How woman used fake LPO in N30.6m scam

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

L

AGOS — A WITNESS, Mr Olapade Adaran, in a trial of N30.6 million fraud against a 45year old woman, yesterday, narrated to a Lagos High Court in Igbosere how fake Local Purchasing Order, LPO, was used to carry out a scam.

The defendant, Mrs Adenike Alonge, who is currently in Ondo State prison custody over a separate offence, was first arraigned on March 12, 2012 on a three-count charge of stealing, forgery and obtaining under pretext which she pleaded not guilty to and was granted bail.

At the resumed hearing, yesterday, the witness told the court that a petition was written to the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission, EFCC, by one Mr Babatunde Johnson claiming that he had been defrauded by one Mrs Adenike Alonge (defendant).

He said: ”In the petition, Johnson said the defendant presented to him a Local Purchase Order, LPO, claiming that her company, Danic Adax, had been approved by the Lagos State Government to supply 10 trailers of cement and three trailers of rice worth N30.6 million “Mr Johnson said that he supplied the goods to the defendant and he was paid N3.6 million via a Wema Bank cheque of N27 million which was rejected by the bank as a result of insufficient funds.”

According to the witness, who was led by the EFCC counsel, Mr A. M. Yusuf, the defendant (Alonge) was invited to the com-

mission’s office and she responded at her convenience to the petition with four statements, two on November 5, 2010 and two on November 8, 2010.

The witness said: “It was during investigation that the EFCC wrote a letter to Wema Bank to request the statement of account and Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, to enquire about the company.

“During investigation, we discovered that the defendant was aware that the account was empty before issuing the cheque.

She is just a shareholder to the company and had no contract to supply any goods to the state government.”

EFCC counsel subsequently tendered the defendant’s statement and issued cheque as evidence, which was admitted by the court.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013—7

ASUU/ASUP strikes: Gridlock as protesting students storm Lagos roads

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

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AGOS —NO fewer than 500 students of polytechnics, universities, and even secondary school leavers, yesterday, protested on the streets of Lagos under the aegis of the Concerned Citizens Against Education Commercialization, COSATEC. The protest was to register their displeasure at the Federal Government's lackadaisical attitude towards ending the incessant strikes in the education sector.

The placard-carrying students barricaded Ikorodu Road at Onipanu area bemoaning their fate as they have been compelled to, yet again, sit at home due to the strike embarked upon by the lecturers.

The protest, however, brought traffic on the ever busy road to a halt as the students danced and played foot-

ball on the highway.

Comrade Owolade Oluwasijibomi, the Student Union President, Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti, toldVanguard: “We just want to tell the Federal Government that enough is enough. We are tired of them playing with our future. We kept quiet about this for a while because we considered the fact that apart from the Federal Ministry of Education, there are other sectors involved. However, over 70 days have passed and the situation has not changed.

They have taken our gentility for stupidity. And we want to let them know that until they meet the demands of our lecturers, we will continue to constitute a nuisance.”

Chairman of COSATEC, Comrade Usman Oloyede, on his part said: “We are here to throw our weight behind the striking unions in the education sector, and advocate

proper funding of the sector, democratic control as well as a conducive learning environment for Nigerian students.

“More protests should be expected. It is going to be a protracted struggle because those involved are ideologically mature. We are even calling on unemployed youths to join us.

I do not mince words when I say almost everyone in this country is a victim of this our corrupt political system. The only people who are exempted are the children of these our leaders. Anytime we complain, they keep on giving us seven point agenda as if we are fools.”

Chairman of the Education Rights Campaign, ERC, who joined forces with COSATEC said: “It is another movement by students to insist that the government act speedily and end these strikes. The polytechnic students have been at home since April 29. A few

Some of the 23 vehicles commissioned by Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State for divisional police stations in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN.

Gunmen kill one, injure 15 at beer parlour in Benue

BY PETER DURU

M

AKURDI — THERE was pandemonium, yesterday, at Kyado town in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, when unidentified gunmen opened fire at a pub killing one and injuring more than 15 persons.

Vanguard gathered from sources that the assailants also went further to set several houses ablaze in the community.

Narrating the incident to newsmen, elder brother of the deceased and owner of the beer parlour, Mr. Tyowua Torsen, said the incident happened at about 8 pm on Monday when some customers had gathered at the beer parlour to unwind.

He said: “Unexpectedly, some armed men, numbering about 20, stormed my place and started beating and destroying property.

At the time this was happening, I was on my way to Makurdi for

an engagement.”

Torsen who alleged that the Ukum local government chairman, Teryima Nguher, masterminded the attack said: “I was on my way from Kyado to Makurdi when they called and told me on phone that the chairman of Ukum Local Government Council, Teryima Nguher, sent some thugs to my place.

"They were said to have asked after me at my beer parlour but my manager told them that I was not around. Irked by the response, they descended on Dooior Anza, beat him up. They also killed Msughaondo Lamana and injured scores of others.”

sored any thug to attack anybody, saying that the allegation was unfounded.

Contacted, state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent Daniel Ezeala said police had commenced investigations into the matter.

weeks ago, we heard that the Senate had intervened and that we should expect good news by today. But the situation is still the same.”

NANS angry at lecturers’ strikes The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, also yesterday appealed to the Federal Government, university lecturers and polytechnic teachers to resolve their faceoff for the sake of students.

President of NANS, Mr Yinka Gbadebo, told the News Agency of Nigeria on telephone that students had continued to be victims of conflicts between lecturers and governments.

University teachers under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, embarked on an infinite strike on July 1 to protest non implementation of a part of an agreement it had with the Federal Government in 2009.

The agreement includes adequate funding of universities and university autonomy.

Also, lecturers in polytechnics, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, have been on strike for months, also over Federal Government’s non implementation of an agreement.

Gbadebo said NANS members were angry at the lingering faceoff which crippled academic activities in universities and polytechnics.

He said the union was not in support of ASUU, ASUP or the Federal Government, and wanted an end to the strikes which, he said, made the students idle, adding that the students were suffering unjustly.

He said: “Students were not part of the plans for the strikes. We were not consulted before the action. The strikes are causing setbacks for students who must have planned their future. We cannot condone this anymore. We shall no longer accept strikes, as we are always at the receiving end.”

Ukum LG chairman reacts Reacting to the allegation, chairman of Ukum Local government Council, Teryima Nguher, said he had no hands in the act nor spon-

Nomads migrating to grazing reserves in Ddadin Kowa Town of Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN.

30-yr-old man docked for impersonating policeman

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS— A 30-YEAR-OLD blacksmith, Pius Itodo, was yesterday arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate's Court, sitting in Ikeja, for allegedly presenting himself as a police officer.

Itodo, who was docked before Magistrate Akinde, is facing a count charge of impersonation.

The prosecutor, Inspector Chinalu Uwadione, said the defendant committed the offence on Monday, July 8, at about 11am, at the Computer Village, Ikeja.

He said the accused falsely presented himself to be a police officer with a fake police identification card.

According to the prosecutor, the offence committed is punishable under section 78 (b) of the Criminal Law No ii Vol 44, laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

Earlier when the charge was read to the defendant, who resides at Ijora Badia, he pleaded not guilty.

However, Magistrate Akinde granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum and adjourned the matter to August 28, 2013.

Man electrocuted in Benin

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN – A MIDDLEAGED man identified as Friday Ekuase was, Monday, electrocuted in Benin following an early morning downpour.

Vanguard gathered that a Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, high tension wire was said to have fallen within the water-logged premises of the victim at 59, Gapiona Avenue, Benin City, resulting in the discharge of electric current in the flood water.

Ekuase was said to have stepped into the water and electrocuted.

Reacting to the incident, Public Affairs Manager of the Benin Zone of PHCN, Mr. Babatunde Fadipe said: ”Whatever manner in which the accident occurred, the information on ground which we are investigating is that the high tension wire fell in the area where he traversed and unfortunately, he was electrocuted. The company is investigating with a view to preventing future occurrence."

8 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

AfDB to raise N160bn from Nigerian bond market

BY WILLIAM JIMOH & ADEBADE ADEJIMI, with agency report

T

HE African Development Bank, AfDB, yesterday, announced plans to raise $1 billion (N160 billion) from the Nigerian bond market.

According to a statement by AfDB, it also intend to raise an additional $500 million (N80 billion) from the Zambian bond market to finance infrastructure projects in Nigeria and other African countries.

Mr. Olivier Eweck, Financial Technical Services Manager in AfDB’s Treasury Department, said the regional bank was completing the planned size of the medium-term note programmes and is in talks with authorities in the two countries.

He said proceeds from the bond raising exercise will mainly go to funding private-industry power, road and rail projects, as well as financial companies.

He added that the bond programme in Zambian and Nigeria may be followed by similar programmes in Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana next year.

He disclosed that the first tranche of local-currency debt in Nigeria may be the naira equivalent of $100 million (N16 billion) and bonds in both Nigeria and Zambia will be offered well before year-end

VISIT: From left— President Goodluck Jonathan; First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and Mr. Le Yucheng, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister, during the President's state visit to China, yesterday.

Madalla bombing: Four Boko Haram members bag life jail term

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—FOUR kingpins of Boko Haram sect, Shuaibu Abubakar, Salisu Ahmed, Umar BabaganaUmar and Mohammed Ali, were, yesterday, sentenced to life imprisonment by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Trial judge, Justice Bilkisu Aliyu in his judgment, held that he was convinced that it was the four accused persons that masterminded the explosion that rocked the office of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Suleja, Niger State, prior to the April 16, 2011, presidential election.

Though six persons were charged to court over the attack, the court, yesterday, freed one of the accused persons, Musa Adam, following the absence of any nexus linking him to the crime.

The court convicted the sixth person, Umar Ibrahim,

and sentenced him to 10 years after it was established that he had prior knowledge of the planned attack, but failed to disclose the information to security agents.

The convicted Boko Haram members, who were arraigned on September 30, 2011, on a five-count charge, were said to have “between June 4 and July 12, at various locations in Suleja, Niger State; Azare, Nasarawa State and Abuja, did engage in an act of terrorism by encourag-

ing through training persons now at large, the use of arms and ammunition, and the preparation, planting and detonation of improvised explosive devices for the purpose of terrorism.

“Thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) of EFCC Act 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act.” While sentencing them, yesterday, Justice Aliyu said there was evidence that it was the four accused persons that

bombed a village, Dakna, in Bwari, Abuja, on May 23, 2011, aleading to the of three peace officers.

The convicts were also found guilty of detonating an improvised explosive device at a political rally in Suleja, killing three persons in the process.

The court exonerated the convicts in the bombing of All Christians Fellowship in Niger State, saying that the prosecution failed to provide convincing evidence to prove their culpability in the offence.

Naira falls by 98k despite CBN's $500m

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

T

HE Naira depreciated by 98 kobo at the interbank foreign exchange market and by one kobo at the official market in spite of $500 million sale by Central Bank of Nigeria.

From N160.8125 per dollar, the exchange rate of the naira rose to N161.8 per dollar in the interbank market, while the official ex-

change rate closed at N155.76 per dollar from N155.75 last week.

In a bid to save the naira, CBN, at the bi-weekly foreign exchange auction conducted yesterday, increased foreign exchange sale to $500 million from $300 million. This represents 40 percent increase.

A senior foreign exchange dealer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, attributed the depreciation of the naira to huge foreign exchange demand in the system.

This, he said, was due to exit

of foreign investors from the nation’s bond market, which led to increased demand for foreign exchange as the foreign investors seek to repatriate their money.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, said: “There are three pressures here. There are those who have transactions to settle, there are those who are afraid that the dollar would not be available when they need it in the future, and there are the speculators.”

PenCom plans housing scheme

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

A

BUJA—NATIONAL Pension Commission, PenCom, yesterday, said it was working out plans to enable contributors to the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, use part of their Retirement Savings Accounts, RSAs, balances to finance the acquisition of low-cost houses.

This came as the commission declared that only Niger State had fully complied with the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, in the North Central zone.

It appealed to other states in the zone to adopt the scheme to avail their employees of its benefits.

The commission had earlier inaugurated the Calabar zonal office to cover the South-South zone.

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013—9

Herdsmen kill 3, raze houses in Nasarawa

BY PETER DURU & ABEL DANIEL

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AFIA—GUNMEN, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, yesterday, killed three people and burnt down several houses in some Tiv settlements in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Personal Assistant to the state Commissioner for Community and Rural Development, Mr. Godwin Mbatsav, a Tiv, is among the dead.

Meanwhile, this bloody clash between Tiv farmers and Fulani herdsmen at Iyordye Akaahena and

Akuroko villages in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, weekend, has left over 7,000 persons, most of them women and children, displaced.

Nine fresh bodies have also been recovered from parts of the affected communities, while scores have been de-

RETREAT: From left— Prof. Ruquayyatu Rufa'i, Minister of Education; Dr. Macjohn Nwaobiala, Permanent Secretary; Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Chairman, Governing Council, University of Calabar, and Prof. Julius Okojie, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, at a retreat for Governing Councils of Nigerian Federal Universities in Abuja, yesterday.

Sultan declares today first day of Ramadan zAs Jonathan, Mark, others task Muslims on prayers

BY HENRY UMORU, DEMOLA AKINYEMI, DAUD OLATUNJI, ISHOLA BALOGUN, BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO & BASHIR ADEFAKA

S

ULTAN of Sokoto and President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has directed Muslims all over the country to commence the 1434 AH Ramadan fast today, Wednesday July 10.

He spoke, yesterday, in furtherance to the press release, Sunday, by the Sultanate’s Advisory Committee Chairman, Prof. Sambo Wali, where he urged Muslims to be on the look out for the new moon on Monday July 8.

He said if the moon was not sighted, Sha’ban, which is eighth month of Islamic calendar, should be counted till Tuesday July 9 to make up 30, while Ramadan automatically commences on Wednesday July 10.

In a chat with Vanguard yesterday, in Sokoto, Sariki Musulumi of Nigeria explained how hard he and all the committees charged with the responsibility of moon-sighting and collation of information worked on Monday evening to pass useful information to Muslims in the country.

He immediately gave directive that contrary to wide expectation, the moon was not sighted anywhere and Ramadan would not commence until Wednesday, July 10.

The Sultan said: “We waited yesterday (Monday) till 11.30p.m. and it was when we were convinced that nothing, at that time, was going to come up with regard to moon-sighting that we had to close.

“Since the moon was not sighted yesterday, there was nothing more to be done except to count Sha’ban till today (yesterday) July 9 to make up 30 days and then count Ramadan from tomorrow (today), which means fasting in the holy month starts Wednesday July 10 (today).”

Pray for Nigeria —Jonathan

Meanwhile, as adherents of the Islamic faith begin Ramadan fast today, President Goodluck Jonathan has urged them to offer special prayers for Nigeria.

In a statement by Dr. Reuben Abati, the President's Special Adviser, Me-

dia and Publicity, Jonathan also called on all Nigerians, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to strive to imbibe the virtues of piety, self-discipline, tolerance, equity, fairness and sympathy for the less privileged, which the Ramadan fast promotes.

President Jonathan also advised all persons of the faith, who might have been “misled by extremists and agents of international terrorism into taking up arms against their fellow countrymen, women and children to re-open their minds during this Ramadan season to Islam’s true lessons of love and peaceful co-existence with others.”

Mark, Ekweremadu, others

Also felicitating with Muslims on the Ramadan fast are Senate President, David Mark, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State.

Other are Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Deputy Governor Yomi Awoniyi of Kogi State and Senator Bukola Saraki.

clared missing by their respective families. This brings the number of casualties to about 54.

However, in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital, eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the corpse of one of the victims, identified as James Orjime, had been deposited at Sandanji Hospital mortuary in Lafia.

The third victim was said to be one Mrs. Timbee Unzughul of Gidan Chiakaa of Jangaru ward in Awe Local Council.

Her step son, Christoper Unzughul, escaped with gunshot injuries and is reportedly receiving medical treatment in an undisclosed hospital in the state.

The commissioner ’s late PA was said to have met his untimely death at Abuni village, while searching for his wife who was among those displaced when some of the gunmen invaded the area.

Security source told Vanguard that the invaders, dressed in military camouflage, were on their way to attack Iordye village in Guma Local government Area of Benue State, when they fired on the Tiv settlements they came across.

The source added that they burnt down the house of a former commissioner in the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission, NASIEC, Mr. Thomas Gaar in Jangangere ward, also in Awe Local Government Area.

Council boss reacts

When contacted on phone yesterday, Nasarawa State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent Cornelius Ocholi, denied any knowledge of the attack.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Guma council, Mr. Frank Adii, yesterday, lamented over the level of destruction of lives and property in the affected communities.

He added that many of those injured had been referred from the Guma General Hospital to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital for proper medical attention.

He said: “The situation on ground is bad, but we have been able to recover nine bodies from parts of the affected communities and they have been deposited at the Gbajimba General Hospital.

“The situation is bad. We have a serious refugee situation on our hands at the moment considering that over 7,000 persons have been displaced since this crisis started and we have been able to camp them at Gbajimba.

“We need help because this is beyond the scope of the state and local governments. Luckily, as I speak to you, soldiers have moved in to Gbajimba, the local government headquarters, and are already mobilising to move into the crisis areas to check further killing.”

Nigeria’s Folarin wins 2013 Caine Prize

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UNITED Statesbased Nigerian writer, Mr. Tope Folarin, has won the 2013 Caine prize for African writing.

The author won the award for his short story entitled Miracle.

The story was set in an evangelical Nigerian church in the US city of Texas.

A statement by the chairman of judges, Gus Casely-Hayford, said Folarin received the £10,000 prize at a dinner held on July 8 at the Bodleian Library in Oxford.

Judges for the award described it as a “delightful and beautifully paced narrative.”

Folarin was among five writers short-listed for the prize, regarded as Africa’s leading literary award.

Three other Nigerians, Elnathan John for Bayan Layi; Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, The Whispering Trees and Chinelo Okparanta, America, were short-listed.

Sierra Leone’s Pede Hollist was the only nonNigerian short-listed for his Foreign Aid.

DAME awards

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IAMOND Awards for Media Excellence, DAME, has invited entries in 30 categories spanning print journalism, advertising and broadcasting for the 22nd edition of the awards.

Calling for the entries at a briefing in Lagos, yesterday, trustees of DAME urged a robust competition.

The categories are: Action Photography, Agriculture Reporting, Child Friendly Journalist, Child Friendly Media, Development Reporting, Editorial Cartooning, Editorial Writing, Health Reporting and Informed Commentary, among others.

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

LAUNCH:US African Development Foundation, USADF, President, Shari Berenbach and Africa President, Jay Ireland shake hands. And from left, back row, David Renz, Economic Counsellor at the USA Embassy in Kenya; Patricia Obozuwa, Director, Corporate Communications, GE (Ceneral Electric) Africa; Timothy Nzioka, regional representative and senior advisor to President of the USADF, Georgre Njenga, GE Africa, after signing the Letter of Intent, at the launch of $2 million ‘Off-Grid Energy Innovation Challenge’ in Support of ‘Power Africa’ in Nairobi, Kenya.

Jonathan seeks Senate approval of Bolere Ketebu, 7 others as ambassadorial nominees

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has sent to the Senate for screening and confirmation as a non-career ambassadorial nominee former President, National Council for Women Societies, NCWS, Dr. Bolere Ketebu from Bayelsa State.

Other nominees sent by President Jonathan who belong to the career category are Mr. O.F. Muoh, Imo, Career; Mrs. T.J. Chinwuba-Akabogu, Anambra, Career; Mr. Adamu Emozozo, Edo, Career; Mr. A. Echi, Benue, Career; Mrs. G.M. Quist-Adebiyi, Lagos, Career; Mr. M. Dauda, Borno, Career; and Mr. Hakeem O. Sulaiman, Ogun, Career.

The letter to Senate President, David Mark, dated July 4, 2013, read: ‘’In accordance with section 171(1)© sub-section 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I have the honour to forward the list of seven career and one non-career ambassadorial nominees.

“While hoping that the request will receive the usual expeditious consideration and confirmation of the distinguished senators, please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest regards and esteem.”

Also yesterday, the President sent for screening and confirmation Dr. Adamu Mohammed Fika, Yobe State, North-East, as Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission.

Other members of the commission as sent to the Senate, include Alhaji Idi Adamu Ningi, Bauchi, North East, member; Senator Dahiru Bako Gassol, Taraba, North East, member; Abubakar Tuta Garba Rufai, Kano, North West, member; Aliyu S. Abubakar 111, Sokoto, North West, member and Stephen Yepwi, FCT, North Central, member.

Others include: Alhaji Abdulkadir Abugi, Niger, North Central, member; Hon. Chukwu Abel U., Enugu, South East, member; Barrister Godfrey Dikeocha, Imo, South East, member; among others.

Fashola, Nwabueze differ on single term tenure for President, Govs

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS — GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and chairman of The Patriots, Professor Ben Nwabueze, yesterday, differed on the single tenures for Presidents and Governors in the country.

Fashola and Nwabueze, however, were unanimous on the culture of impunity, saying, “there is urgent need for everyone to act against it in the interest of the nation.”

The duo spoke during a courtesy visit by Nwabueze to the State House, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, where he presented the copy of his just published autobiography to the governor.

The governor said that he was not yet convinced about the propriety of the proposition, saying;

Commonwealth University honours Sen Nwokeafor

C

“the power of the electorate to say no is inherent in multi term tenures and would be removed if there is only one term to be served.”

However, Nwabueze expressed his belief in the one term tenure of either five or six years for political office holders in the country.

He said “it will provide much more easier opportunities for those seeking elective offices than the present two terms.” ...on impunity Fashola said “the impunity that

everyone is talking about will persist unless the people and government take decisive action against it by punishing those who err.

“There must be a capacity to punish. You cannot fight impunity if it is only the Federal Government that can build the prisons as it exists in the ‘exclusive legislative list.’

“We must do a lot more. The age long solution to impunity is to repeal it by law, to punish those who err.”

...advises pupils to shun strangers

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI AND MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, yesterday, advised pupils in the country, especially in Lagos, to be security conscious, “avoid talking to or accepting gifts from strangers whenever their parents or guardians are not around them.”

This came as the state presented cheques worth N752.95 million to the families of 101 deceased staff members of the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, who died between 2010 and 2012, as insurance package.

Fashola who spoke during a visit by the pupils and teachers of Corona school, at the State House, Alausa, said “You have to listen attentively to your teachers and parent always and study hard in order to be successful in life.”

The governor announced to his audience that after completing his tenure, he would like to continue life in the teaching profession.

O M M O W H E A LT H UNIVERSITY, Belize has honoured Senator Dr. Levi Nwokeafor with an honourary doctorate degree for his outstandPUBLIC NOTICE ing contributions ONYEMACHI HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS FOUNDATION to national develThe general public is hereby notified that the above named Foundation has opment, public applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abu)a for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies ands Allied Matters Act No.1 of 1990. administration The Trustees Are: and management.

1. Okenwa Kennedy Onyema - Coordinator A statement 2. Chief Mrs. Gold Ngozi Okenwa 3. Mr. Ndubuisi Okonkwo 4. Mrs. Cecilia Kamanu 5. Mr. Sunday Egbe signed by Prof.

Aims And Objectives: David Ironem, A. To establish skill acquisition and rehabilitation centres for physically Coordinator of challenged, distressed and street children.

B. To help the sick.

Dubai Leadership C. To ease the plight of the widows through small business grants, soft Summit, said the loans.

D. To establish scholarship programmes for the orphans and needy university seeks to children. r e c o g n i s e E. To support local, national and international humanitarians initiatives achievements in with similar objectives.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar business, governGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, P.M.B. 198 Abuja, within 28 days ance and other from the date of this publication. spheres of human Signed: Barrister Ikenna Okwudili endavour.

08037176627

Security lapses blamed for killing of students in Yobe

BY EVELYN USMAN

Renowned Security expert and president of the Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria ,AISSON, Dr. Ona Ekhomu yesterday, blamed weekend’s killing of students including a teacher in a boarding school in Yobe State by terrorists, on lack of threat assessment by security operatives.

Reacting to the tragic incident in Lagos, Ekhomu argued that the massacre would have been preventable had security and local officials conducted assessments of school security threats, following an earlier threat by terrorists to attack government schools.

CHANGE OF NAME AKINYANJU—I, former known and addressed as Miss Oluwayemisi Mosope Akinyanju, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwayemisi Victoria Kesington. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 — 11

I made successful mistakes as president — Obasanjo

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN — FORMER President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, reviewed criticisms that greeted his leadership style when he was president, saying all mistakes his critics claimed he made were “successful mistakes.”

Many Nigerians, especially people from the South West, had severally scored his eight-year rule low, particularly for turning his back on the zone.

Chief Obasanjo, who was in Ibadan at the lecture marking the 50th anniversary of Aare Afe Babalola’s qualification as a legal practitioner listed his achievements, travails in prison and handing over power to a civilian government, and concluded that if his critics saw those achievements as mistakes, so be it.

He said: “There was one mistake I made that turned out to be a successful mistake.”

“When I was looking for somebody to give leadership in University of Lagos, I chose Aare Afe Babalola and some said I made a mistake, it is now a successful mistake."

The ex-president further stated there are many Nigerians, but there are not many good Nigerians.

Part of achievements he claimed he recorded includes ending the civil war which threatened the corporate existence of this country and drawing up a successful programme for smooth transition.

He added that having spent over three years in prison, he was persuaded to become the President of this country.

While delivering his lecture entitled,’The future of Law in Nigeria’, the former chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola (rtd), said: “We delude ourselves in this country if we believe that

we can be a great nation without a great legal system.

"The path to the greatness of our nation is through a reliable, efficient, trustworthy and valuedriven legal system.”

Governor Abiola Ajimobi, at the occasion, called on Chief Afe Babalola to make his philanthropic gesture felt in Oyo State.

Present at the ceremony were President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented by the Solicitor General of the Federation, Abdulahi Gulak; Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Dr. Olusegn Mimiko (Ondo), representative of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); former Ekiti State governor, Chief Segun Oni; Justice Emmanuel Olayinka Ayoola (rtd), Chief (Mrs.)Folake Solanke (SAN), Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN), Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Alhaji Lasun Salami (SAN) and a business tycoon, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim.

Also in attendance at the ceremony traditional rulers including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Frederick Obateru Akinruntan, among others.

Two books, 'Current Legal issues in contemporary Nigeria,' and 'Source of a Legal Icon' were launched at the event.

Ondo workers verification exercise report nasty — HOS

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE — ONDO State government, yesterday, described as nasty the revelations from the ongoing verification exercise of workers in the state.

The Head of Service, HOS, Mrs. Stella Kosemani Kolawole said this in Akure at a press conference to usher in the 2013 Public Service Week.

Verification of the local governments and that of the primary school teachers have been completed while others in boards and parastatals will follow suit and the exercise is expected to be completed by the end of this month.

According to HOS, the committee inaugurated to look into the workforce has unearthed nasty revelations.

Some of the revelation showed that many of the workers claimed that they left primary school at the age of seven while many From left, General Manager, Osun State Water Corporation, Engr. Olugbenga Awojuyigbe; Special forged their primary Adviser to Osun State Governor on Water, Engr.Tawakalitu Williams, and Deputy General Manager, school certificate by defacWater Corporation, Engr. Asafe OdeJide, at a press conference signaling rehabilitation works of ing them.

Ede Water Works, in Osogbo, yesterday.

2014: Osun PDP apprehensive of defeat — ACN

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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SOGBO — THE Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Osun State has declared that Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state is apprehensive of defeat in next year’s governorship election and therefore looking for excuses to explain away its imminent disgrace at the poll.

That explains why it is trying to blackmail Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by accusing the electoral body of planning to rig that election for the ACN, the party said.

The ACN said this in reaction to a statement credited to PDP Chairman in the state, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa.

The chairman had alleged that INEC was involved in a plot with ACN “to rig the 2014 election.”

But the ACN’s reaction was contained in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi in which he called on the national execu-

tive of PDP to stop its Osun subsidiary from playing primitive and dumb politics of slandering otherwise respected officials of INEC, and imputing criminal conduct on the ACN in Osun State.

According to the ACN, this deliberate lie by Alhaji Ganiyu

Olaoluwa, which he made in Abuja, was a rehearsh of the discredited allegation by an aspirant whose desperation for governorship of the state has led him to a campaign of calumny and falsehood against INEC and the ACN in Osun.

“The PDP in Osun State ap-

pears not only to disrespect the law, they have thrown caution to the wind by making wild, and slanderous allegations against law-abiding citizens in anticipation of the monumental defeat that it will suffer in next year’s governorship election.”

Ekiti to prosecute parents covering up rape cases

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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DO EKITI — Ekiti State Government has threatened to prosecute parents who are in the habit of covering up cases of rape and defilement of young girls.

Speaking at Ita Ido in Efon Alaye Local Government area of Ekiti State, both the state’s Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe

Adelabu and the wife of the governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, expressed worry over the reported cases of rape and the defilement of young girls in various parts of the state.

The duo equally enjoined parents to always take proper care of their female children, saying engaging them in hawking at a time they are supposed to be in school usually exposes them to sexual harassments.

They spoke while flagging off

the school's reading programme.

The Deputy Governor said it was now an offence to treat their children’s education with disdain,going by the enactment of Child’s Right Act and Genderbased Violence Prohibition Law. “Your children should not hawk when they are supposed to be in school. We are not saying they should not help you, but it has to be after school hours, not before going to school or when they are to be in school,” she said.

Senate worries over loss of $1.789bn daily to gas flaring

BY SEBASTINE OBASI

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IGERIA, THE highest producer of gas in Africa, loses about $1.789 billion or N286.24 billion to gas flaring annually. Mr. George Osahon, Director, Department of Petroleum Resource, DPR, has said.

Osahon who was represented by his Deputy Director, Gas, Mr. Oliver Okparaojiako, disclosed this, yesterday, at the Nigerian Gas Association, NGA Business Forum, held in Lagos.

According to him, at the rate of $3.5/1,000 standard cubic feet, scf, the country incurs about $4.9 million or N784 million daily losses from flaring and gas under-utilisation.

“As it is today, oil production stands at 2.5 million barrels per day. Utilised gas is 6.6 billion bcfd, the rest is flared, which is 1.4 bcfd. If you take this loss at $3.50/1000scf, the average daily loss is $4.8 million, which is close to N789 miilion,” he said.

Already, Nigeria is second to Russia in global gas flaring, according to the World Bank-led Global Gas Flaring Reduction partnership (GGFR), and has remained so over a period of five years between 2007 and 2011.

Osun begins N2bn Ede water works rehabilitation

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SUN STATE government has awarded contract for a N2 billion rehabilitation of Ede water works, which supplies over 70 per cent of the water needs of the state.

The government has also set aside another N2.2 billion in the 2013 budget to replace obsolete pipes across the state.

Addressing a press conference signaling the commencement of the rehabilitation project, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Resources, Mrs. Tawa Williams said that the rehabilitation would be “wide-ranging and will ul-

timately revamp the water works and transform it into what it was originally.

“Upon completion, the project will not only meet the water requirements of a great majority of citizens of the state; it will also present a scenic and environmental beauty, as well as a tourist attraction.

12—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JULY 10 , 2013

Akwa Ibom to get N20bn refund over construction of federal roads

BY TONY NYONG

U

YO—OUT of the about N100 billion so far expended on the construction of federal roads in Akwa Ibom State, the state government will only receive a paltry N20 billion captured in this year ’s federal budget as a refund.

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Mr Ogbuefi Ozorogbachi, who spoke when he paid a courtesy visit on Governor Godswill Akpabio at Governor ’s Office, Uyo, said that a balance of N23 billion refund would be inserted in next year ’s budget for the state government.

Ozorogbachi, accompanied by the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Mr Mohammed Wudil and other committee members, commended Akwa Ibom Government for the rehabilitation and construction of federal roads in the state, urging other state governors in the country to emulate the Akwa Ibom example by obtaining Presidential approval for the construction of federal roads in their states.

He explained that the committee members embarked on the nationwide tour as part of their oversight function in a bid to monitor and evaluate the quality of jobs done by the contractors to ensure such conform to the designs and specifications laid down in the agreement.

JTF arrests Bayelsa chief, 3 others over crude oil theft

BY SAMUELOYADONGHA

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and heads, it was also discovered provided cover and funds for the oil thieves in the state.

“We have started a series of collaboration with communities, but we will not spare

those directly involved in the illicit trade,” the source added.

When contacted, the Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said

though he was yet to get the details on the arrest, “I will get in touch with our men in Sangana area and get back to you.”

ENAGOA—THE Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta code named Operation Pulo Shield, yesterday, arrested a community chief (names withheld) and three other persons over alleged involvement in the ownership of an unlicenced vessel and the theft of 2,000 metric tones of crude oil on the Akassa waterways in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

It was learnt that the chief, who is from Twon Brass, was arrested after the crew apprehended on the seized vessel claimed he was their sponsor.

A security source told our correspondent that operatives of the JTF, had in the last few days been on the trail of the alleged unlicenced vessel and its owners.

“We discovered that the boys came under the cover of the night and siphoned crude oil from the oil pipelines on the AGM: From: Mr. Samuel Babatunde, MD, OK LNG; Mr. Bolaji Osunsanya, 1st Vice PresiBrass-Sangana River in dent, Nigerian Gas Association, NGA and Mr. Mark Ward, Chairman, OPTS Oil Producers Akassa area,” the source said. Trade Section, at the NGA’s 2013 Business Forum/14th Annual General Meeting in Lagos.

According to the source, Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor. some of the community chiefs

Hearing resumes tomorrow on NLNG/NIMASA suit mencement of contempt proceedings against it.

BY INNOCENT ANABA Global West was sued as an agent of NIMASA alongside the AGOS—A Federal Attorney General of the FederaHigh Court sitting in Lagos, will tomorrow, continue hear- tion, AGF, Bello Adoke.

Arguing the objections, Global ing in the suit between the NiWest’s council, Mr. Abiodun geria Liquefied and Natural Gas, NLNG, Limited and the Nigerian Owonikoko, SAN, prayed the court to dismiss the suit on the Maritime Administration and ground that proper parties were Safety Agency, NIMASA, over the detention of NLNG vessel by not sued as defendants, contending that the court had been robbed NIMASA. It will be recalled that the vessels were detained over alleged failure of NLNG to pay some statutory charges/taxes to the Federal

BY SAMUELOYADONGHA Government.

ENAGOA—THREE Meanwhile, trial judge, Justice days after his abduction, Mohammed Idris, is to rule on two preliminary objections by a pri- the whereabouts of the Special vate firm, Global West Vessels Adviser to the Bayelsa Governor Specialists, challenging the juris- on Power, Engr. Olice diction of the court to adjudicate Kemenanabo, still remains unon the suit as well as the com- known.

Mr. Kemenanabo was kid-

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PUBLIC NOTICE

EXPLOIT –DOERS INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CENTRE Notice is hereby given to the general public that the above mentioned Name has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No 1 of 1990.

The Trustees Are: 1. Apostle Solomon Balance Udoh 2. Prophet Freda Solomon Udoh 3. Mrs Chinelo John Okeke 4. Chijioke Chigozie Chidozie 5. Eugene Ukpe Aims And Objectives: 1. To raise valuable men through the preaching of the words of wisdom and words of evangelism.

2. To prepare the church for the end time harvest, the final prophetic preparation for her exit.

3. To balance the Apostolic Doctrine in the church.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Signed: Mike Umonnan Esq., Solicitor No. 16, Fadeyi Aladura St. Ikeja, Lagos. 08033071218

of jurisdiction owing to the fact that the suit was incurably defective.

Citing Supreme Court decisions, he contended that “The deliberate failure of NLNG to sue NIMASA is aimed at circumventing Section 53 (2) of NIMASA Act which mandates them to file a pre-action notice. At this stage, that error is fatal to the case of the plaintiff and it cannot be rectified by amendment or joinder.

“My Lord, even the AGF is not a proper party to this suit as the Supervisory Minister for NIMASA is the Transport Minister. So, in essence, NLNG has failed to sue the proper defendants,” Owonikoko argued.

On the commencement of contempt, Owonikoko said that NLNG failed to comply with the proper procedures, as same was served on one Romeo Itimi, who died in 2012.

Kidnapped Dickson’s aide’s whereabouts unknown napped by gunmen last Sunday number plate A 27-12 BY.

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at his residence, 12, Iriebe Street D- Line Port Harcourt in Rivers State on his way from church.

The gunmen said to be three in number reportedly ambushed the Bayelsa Governor’s aide as he was about entering his compound and whisked him away in his car, a Toyota Avensa with

PUBLIC NOTICE

IJIRIJI FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT This is to inform the general public that the Trustees of the above-named foundation has applied to the CorporateAffairs Commission for the incorporation under Part “C” of the Companies andAllied MattersAct, 1990.

The TrusteesAre: 1. Chief Emmanuel Ijiriji Chinedu Ndubuisi President 2. Hon. Chiabu Onuobia Secretary 3. Mr. Lawrence Ihekoronye 4. Rev. ThankGod Ndubuisi 5. Mr. Chiatuiro Onwuzuruike 6. Mr. Ugochukwu Ndubuisi AimsAnd Objectives: 1. To assist the less privileged members of the community through formal and informal training for the realization of their full potentials; 2. To re-orientate, educate and empower the youths, widows and needy in the society towards preparing the youths for leadership positions; 3. To inculcate in the members of the community, the virtues of peaceful coexistence, hard work, integrity and absolute dependence on God. Any objections to the above addition should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, CorporateAffairs Commission, P.M.B. 198,Abuja within 28days of this publication.

Signed: HON. CHIABU ONUOBIA PP: CHIABU ONUOBIA & ASSOCIATES 20, Onne Road, G.R.A. 11, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

He has been held incommunicado since then with no contact established with his family.

At press time, a source, who spoke anonymously, told Vanguard, “we have tried his two lines and none is going through. His abductors have not contactedthefamilyandwedonotknow the motive for their action.”

PUBLIC NOTICE RIGHT VALUE GLOBAL PROMOTERS FOR SOCIETAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE The general public is hereby notified that the above named association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, 1990.

NAMES OF TRUSTEES 1. PASTOR PATRICK TOKUNBO 2. DEACONESS DIEPIRIYE EJEKWU 3. PASTOR GEORGE DUKE 4. YEYE OYEBINPE AWOGA 5. MRS. OSIFO EKENE RITA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.Creating and promoting right values in our society through mental empowerment .

2.Creating and promoting right values that will enforce the long anticipated change for development in our society .

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General ,Corporate Affairs Commission , Maitama Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: DEACONESS DIEPIRIYE EJEKWU

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013— 13

14—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

Abia seals off Imo transport firm park in Umuahia

Ubah seeks Oct 5 date for anambra LG poll

BY OKONKWO EZE

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NEWI—A gubernatorial aspirant in Anambra State, under the platform of Labour Party, Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah, has urged Governor Peter Obi to conduct local government election in the state scheduled for October 5 as he promised.

Ubah said he heard Obi promised to conduct the election on several occasions without fulfilling such promises on flimsy excuses, only for him to revalidate the mandate of existing care-taker committees in the local government areas since he assumed office over seven years ago.

Speaking to newsmen in his country home at Nnewi, Ubah said the LP was prepared to produce credible candidates that would clinch victory as chairmen and councillors, if the local government election was conducted in October as scheduled.

We 've built over 450 schools — Abia govt

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—ABIA State government has built and renovated over 450 secondary and primary schools in the state within the last two years.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Theodore Orji, Ugochukwu Emezue, who disclosed this, said it was disappointing to read in a national daily (not Vanguard) that Orji’s administration had not done much in the education sector.

According to Emezue, besides the 450 primary and secondary schools, the government is building model secondary schools in the three senatorial zones of the state.

U

MEETING—From left: Chairperson of the occasion, Sen. Khairat Abdulrazaq -Gwadabe; Mr. Clement Nwankwo of Lead Conssultant and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha at a meeting on Civil Society Organizations Review of 1999 Constitution in Abuja on Monday.

Jega explains why Oguta re-run polls may not hold soon

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—CHAIRMAN of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, yesterday, said the electoral body has resolved not to conduct rerun election in Oguta constituency of Imo State until it was sure that its staff would not be assaulted and there will be no violence.

Justifying why the commission declared the election that took place in the constituency on June 29 inconclusive, Jega, who spoke at the Civil Society situation room meeting on the state of the nation in Abuja, said it had become expedient for the National Assembly to okay establishment of electoral offences commission, decrying that “Imo regrettably was a very bad election not because of what we did as a commission but because of the politicians that decided to make it bad.”

According to the INEC boss, “the procedures are clear, after every election, a return can be made or a result can be declared inconclusive if in certain polling units election could not take place for any given reason, whether it is because of violence or other electoral offences.

“When you tabulate the result and the number of people in those polling units where the election did not take place and it is more than the difference between the number one and number two candidates, you can’t declare the result, it is inconclusive until election is conducted in those places where election did not take place.

“So in Imo, there were polling units where elections did not take place largely because violence occurred, either ballot boxes were snatched or election officials were assaulted. And when we now did the tabulations, the returning officer tabulated the results and somebody had about 9, 000 plus and the second person had about 6,000 plus, then he looked at polling units where election did not take place and there were about 4,000 votes, so if you add those votes there will be difference and the law and our procedure allow that the results be declared inconclusive until we are able to go and do election in those places where election did not take place.

“If it were the other way round, that in spite of the cancelation, a clear winner emerged and even if you added

the 4,000 to number two he will not still catch up with number one, then in that case a return can be made. So this is what happened in Imo and the stakeholders are grandstanding and talking but Imo regrettably was a very bad election and the politicians decided to make it bad.

“By the way, until we did the 2011 election, no election ever took place in Oguta, everybody know that, never! They will just return results because there are power brokers there who just decide where Oguta result should be.

“But we insisted that election must take place in 2011, it took place and they went to court and kept on contesting the result. So what we did last Saturday or so, we were compelled by the court to do it. There was a court order that we must do the election at Oguta, we went to do it and they still came and subverted the process. So what we are saying is that we will do election in Imo, the people deserve a representative but we are not going to do any election there until we are sure that it will be done well and that our staff will not be assaulted and that there will not be any violence. Until they give us that guarantee, we will not go to Imo".

Reps to probe Osibodu's tenure at Union Bank

BY OKEY NDIRIBE & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

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BUJA—DISTURBED by the alleged unwholesome practices in Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, the House of Representatives, yesterday, mandated its Committee on Banking and Currency to probe operations of the bank during the tenure of Funke Osibodu and report back within 21 days.

Promoter of the motion, Akpan

Micah Umoh, representing Akwa Ibom State had during his submission, said in spite of genuine efforts by government to sanitize the banking sector, certain sectors’ chief executives and managements had sought to undermine such gestures.

Akpan revealed that during the tenure of Funke Osibodu-led management of Union Bank Plc, the operations of the bank were fraught with unwholesome practices detrimental to the interest of shareholders and the

nation in general.

He explained that in the face of bare facts that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention in the Union Bank in 2009 was premised on charges of inadequate liquidity, poor corporate governance and inadequate capital.

Akpan said Osibodu’s management failed to write back to banks profit and loss account loans recovered from Transcorp and Global Fleet Oil and Gas and was involved in

asset stripping through fraudulent reduction of book value from N79.22bn to N62.11 bn.

He also said the bank’s management manipulated AMCON purchase of alleged non-functioning loans to facilitate the giving away of the bank at a paltry N48bn when it still had a value of over N238bn, as well as unprecedented jumbo pay to directors; and unaccounted transfer of $500million through UBN UK Plc to another foreign bank.

BY ANAYO OKOLI

MUAHIA—ABIA State government has sealed off the loading bay of Imo Transport Company, ITC, in Umuahia, in retaliation to a similar action by its Imo State counterpart.

It was not possible to ascertain at press time if Aba park of the company was also sealed off but it may be difficult to seal off Aba Park because as it is being shared by both Abia and Akwa Ibom Transport Corporations.

ITC Umuahia park, located on Mission Hill area, was yesterday fenced off with corrugated iron sheets, an indication that the company may not return there, even when the face-off between the two states is resolved.

The relationship between Abia and Imo State governments thawed last week as the former accused the latter of ejecting its transport company from its Owerri park without an alternative.

Imo State, however, said it took the action to reclaim the master plan of the capital city but did not say why it did not provide the company an alternative place.

It also said the ejection was not peculiar to Abia Transport, stressing that other transport companies operating from the No 5, Wetheral road park were also affected.

Nne Nwankwo Eze for burial

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woman leader in Isiama, Ugbene-Ajima, Uzo-Uwani L.G.A, Enugu State, Nne Nke Ifunanya Josephine Nwankwo Eze (nee Ezea), aged 82, has passed on. Burial will commence Friday with a vigil mass and wake-keep at her residence, while interment follows on Saturday at Isiama, UgbeneAjima after a requiem mass at her compound.

She is survived by many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren including an Nsukka-based medical practitioner, Dr. Cletus Eze.

zLate Nne Nwankwo Eze

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013—15

Strike: ASUP meets FG in 2 wks, ASUU adamant

BY DAYO ADESULU & LAJU ARENYEKA

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ATIONAL President of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Dr Chibuzor Asumogba, has said the union will meet with the Federal Governement delegation in two weeks time to discuss on issues affecting the strike.

This was even as the President of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Dr Nasir Isa Fagge, yesterday, told Vanguard that the 11-day-old strike by the union would continue.

Asumogba spoke in an interview with Vanguard after meeting with the Joint National Assembly Committees on Education, saying agreements had been reached, indicating that the Federal Government would eventually accede to their demands.

He said: “Our meeting with the Senate Committee on Education was successful. There was an agreement to meet our demands in the next two weeks as the request will be presented to President Goodluck Jonathan for approval.”

He said the Senate Committee, Chaired by Senator Uche Chukwumerije, however, pleaded that the union should call off the strike and give it some time to convey their demands to the President.

Asumogba who noted that he could not unilaterally call off the strike based on government’s promise, added: “We will determine when to call off the industrial action after our NEC meeting slated for two weeks time.”

According to him, ASUP demands waiting for presidential approval include; implementation of the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure, CONPCASS, appointment of

the governing council and issuance of the White Paper on same.

Present at the meeting were, Sen. Uche Chukwumerije, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Education, Aminu Sileman, Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu, Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai, Accountant General of the federation, ASUP and NASU. He stated this after the meeting scheduled to hold with the Senate Committee on Education was canceled.

According to him, ASUP arrived earlier at the venue of the meeting slated for 1pm but the Senate Committee were nowhere to be found.

But the ASUU President said, “We arrived at the venue of the meeting slated for 1pm before time. We waited for another two hours without seeing them and since we had another meeting at 3pm, we left.

"When we got back to them, they said they will make consultations and give us the next date of meeting, which was later slated for next Monday".

COMMISSIONING— From left: Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mr Olufemi Adenaike; Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State; Kaduna State ALGON Chairman, Mr Akuso Danjuma; Security Adviser to the Governor, Col Mamman; and Alhaji Lawal Usman at the commissioning of the 23 newly acquired Operation Yaki Hilux vehicles at Govt. House, Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

....Reps caution Education Ministry over varsities' admission cut-off marks

BY OKEY NDIRIBE & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE BUJA—THE House of Representatives, yesterday, directed the Federal Ministry of Education to stop universities applying higher cut-off marks for candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, other than that approved

by Federal Government in the post-UME test.

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Minister of Education, Prof.

Ruquayat Ahmed Rufai, had on June 17, 2013, announced the Federal Government’s approved cut-off marks for admission into universities as 180 and that of polytechnics and colleges of education as 150 for the 2013/ 2014 academic year, urging them to comply with the approval.

The House was, however, surprised that some institutions,

including the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, University of Lagos, UNILAG, University of Benin, UNIBEN, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, had their post-UTME screening tests cut-off mark pegged at 200 and above.

Similarly, the Federal University of Technology,

CAN, JNI disagree over FG, Boko Haram peace deal

BY SAM EYOBOKA & LUKA BINNIYAT

CHRISTIANS in the 17 Southern states under the aegis of Southern CAN, yesterday, described the recent ceasefire deal reportedly reached between the Federal Government and members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram as a ruse, stressing that such a deal will only be meaningful if the sect had opted to surrender and lay down their arms.

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, which is the umbrella association of northern Muslims, however, disagreed with CAN’s position de-

scribing the ceasefire as a welcome development.

In a telephone interview with the General Secretary, Dr. Joseph Ajujungwa, last night the region group also condemned the recent killing of 29 students and the burning of their hostel/domitories in Yobe State by hoodlums suspected to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

Southern CAN said the mindless killing of the innocent students and injuring of scores of others including their teachers

by Boko Haram is an uncalled for barbaric act and satanic.

Dr. Ajujunwa therefore called on

the Federal Government to ensure that our public institutions especially schools are adequately protected to guarantee the safety of the nation’s young ones, noting that the nation had shared too much blood in the last couple of years.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of JNI, Dr. Khalid Abubakar who spoke on the issue in Kaduna, yesterday, said the gesture had come to confirm that Boko Haram was not made up of “ghosts” as once claimed by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Minna and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, UNIZIK, put theirs at 190 and 200 for science courses respectively.

In its resolution on a motion moved under matters of urgent public importance by Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Victor Ogene, the House mandated its Committee on Education to interface with both the Ministry of Education and the authorities of federal universities and allied institutions to ensure strict adherence to government policy on education.

Ogene argued that while introduction of post-UTME examinations, as part of admission requirements into Nigerian tertiary institutions in 2005 was designed to function as internal quality control mechanism in these institutions, such that the UTME alone did not guarantee admission, the UTME was what normally granted candidates eligibility to sit for the postUTME test of institutions of their respective choices.

Jonathan holds bilateral talks with Chinese President

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan will today meet with President Xi Jinping of China where the two leaders are expected to hold bilateral talks on how to boost relations between both countries.

President Jonathan, who is on a five-day official visit to China, arrived in Beijing at about 17.30hours (local time) yesterday, and his visit is expected to be climaxed with the signing of several new agreements to boost bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and China in defence, finance, trade, agriculture and communications.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, noted that President Jonathan, who was accompanied on the visit by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, was received in Beijing by China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Li Yucheng, and Nigeria’s Ambassador to China, Alhaji Aminu Wali.

Senators oppose 6 year tenure for President, Govs

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA— SENA TORS, yesterday, began debates on the report of the Senator Ike Ekweremadu-led Senate Committee on Constitution Review, with many of them rejecting the proposed six-year single tenure for the president and governors.

The Senators who spoke vehemently against the single tenure, said the present four year term should continue against the backdrop that the six year tenure would among others encourage corruption.

They said that a president or governor who failed to perform in his/her first four years can be thrown out by the electorate.

Twenty one senators spoke, yesterday, at the chamber with autonomy for local governments carrying the day, even as they stressed the need for maintenance of the immunity clause for President and the governors.

16 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013— 17

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18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 BARACK Obama, our man in the White House, as many sang when he was elected, visited Africa the other week. His biggest message, preached before presidents and peasants, was that Africa should support same-sex marriage, euphemistically called gay rights.

There are few surprises that the message American agencies have pressed through their other counterparts in the West, is what Obama thought Africa needed. The Obama involvement indicates the level of frustration of the West - it cannot believe its failure to dump its decadent culture on Africans.

Africans have demonstrated their rejection of same-sex marriages. In Nigeria our laws forbid gay relationships. In other African countries, there are similar laws. The African binding force, stronger than the law is the high level of morality in this issue. The West, long seeped in moral putrescence, has refused to understand it.

Senegalese President Mr. Macky Sall told Obama, “We are still not ready to decriminalise homosexuality. We’re still not ready to change the law. This does not mean that we are all homophobic”.

Same-Sex M arriage Obama’s African Policy Harsher rejection came from Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh. “I have never seen a homosexual chicken, or turkey. If you are convicted of homosexuality in this country, there will be no mercy for offenders.

Homosexuality is anti-god, anti-human, and anti-civilization. Homosexuals are not welcomed in the Gambia. If we catch you, you will regret why you are born. We will not allow gays here.”

While proponents of gay rights have tried to establish a nexus between it and foreign aid, Africa must call the bluff of the West and save what is left of its culture. Gay rights would cause the same havoc that is creating “Americans without families”. Our culture is

celebrating the survival of families. African culture has a different understanding of human relations and sexual rights.

America has its laws. Other countries have theirs too. Laws hurt only those who go against them. Africans are opposed to the US exporting its decadent culture to us. The blackmails about tying aid and development grants to support for gay relations must be resisted.

To sustain the relative gains recorded by African countries in this campaign, other African Presidents would bluntly reject the unrelenting campaign for gay rights, legally.

We acknowledge the existence of homosexuals in some cultures in every period of history, but the moves to foist the practice on Africa as a “human right” is unacceptable. Not everything America serves others is well. Challenges of development, Africa’s major concerns, are not related to gay rights.

It is completely embarrassing that the most important African policy of America’s first black President, with seated roots in Africa, should be Africanisation of gay rights.

OPINION

BY ITOYA BONIFACE

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ATIONAL under-development and insecurity in the states of the federation are not essentially the failure of the Federal Government but that of the states. The Federal Government to a large extent has been doing its best in ensuring the development of the country as well as protecting lives and properties of the citizens, although the ultimate best is yet to come. However, the Federal Government led by Dr Goodluck Jonathan is working round the clock to make sure that Nigeria becomes an investor ’s destination as well as solve the security challenges currently facing the country. The President wants to ensure that everyone is given the right of choice on who occupies political offices, thus making them to become stakeholders in the running of the affairs of the nation, state or community.

Many of the governors who are noisy today, talking as if they are messiahs, would have plunged this nation into anarchy if they had same opportunity, especially when it concerned elections.

A case in point is the recent local government election held in Edo State where the self-acclaimed messiah of the Edo people and apostle of one man, one vote denied the people their freedom of choice. And as bad as that election was, Governor Adams Oshiomhole gave it the best coloration even when his C M Y K

National u nderdevelopment a nd i nsecurity deputy became an errand boy to EDSIEC. Yet his boss said the election was the best to have happened to Edo people. The question is, if this governor had control of the police and the rest of the armed forces as Commander-inChief during the conduct of the last local government election in Edo State, your guess is as good as mine that no opposition will win such election.

But President Jonathan has been very magnanimous to concede victory whenever his party was defeated in any election and a case in point was the gubernatorial election in Edo State, the home of one of the most important persons in the PDP, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, without the Federal might being put to use.

In the same way, they have the reduced state media to propaganda machineries; awarding themselves cheap score cards, thus deceiving the people. They don’t invest in the human capital. They pick one or two project areas and sing around with it without realising that the people need food and clothing and to take care of their families. In most of these opposition states, all they do is to talk about roads and forget about industries and employment generation outfits. Instead they put the burden of taxation on the helpless artisans like vulcanizers, carpenters,

welders, drivers, tailors, school proprietors, hoteliers, etc.

They are milking them dry. Their local government chairmen are also doing the same with fierce-looking tax collectors everywhere, towing vehicles with or without offence; they go everywhere without feeling for the people. With all these, they are impoverishing the state. These are issues that led to the upsurge of crime and criminality everywhere in the nation like armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

If you go round the country you will praise the President Jonathan administration. The only bad thing about him is that he is not a noisy president; so also are his ministers.

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t the end of the good governance tour of Edo State last time, Edo State people came to discover the truth, as against the many lie that were hitherto told them before now. I call on them to borrow a leaf from the humble and respected Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolemenmen, and what he is doing all over the nation, building solid roads. If some of these governors are to handle the ministry and the resources at its disposal, they will lock people out of their streets and villages. I hope you see the reaction and the way the opposition are handling the issue of Boko Haram.

They are very economical with the truth. They don’t seem to see the evil that the Boko Haram are doing to the nation, the killing and maiming of innocent citizens, burning down of churches, police and army barracks and the killing of security personnel and yet they said it would have been better if the good people had died for the bad to live. This is a clear statement from the opposition that they love evil more than good. I don’t think I have ever read or heard where they ever condemned the ills associated or brought about by the Boko Haram; instead they said Jonathan is not doing anything, even after he declared a state of emergency. They said he declared war on his people.

Now what do they need from him?

May be they want him to be the sacrificial lamb. May be if Boko Haram had killed the President, that would have satisfied them.

It is the failure of some these governors to arrest the problems that gave rise to the restiveness of the youths that led to crimes and criminality in every locality. I want to counsel them to invest in human capital and employ our teeming youths gainfully. *Mr. Itoya, a cleric, and a former PDP guber aspirant in the 2012 Edo election, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 —19

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HE Eastern Cape Province is the birth place of Nelson Mandela, the 94 years old ailing father of South Africa’s multiracial society. It is the natal home of the Xhosa and arrival point of the 1820 settlers. It was in this region, specifically the village of Qunu, that Mandela hails from even though he was born in Mvezo which has of late been in the news on account of the family feud tearing the Mandela clan apart. Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Steve Biko, Govan Mbeki, Thabo Mbeki and Chris Hani are among well-known South Africans from the Eastern Cape, the rugged region with its rolling hills and undulating valleys that is sometimes called South Africa’s Frontier Country.

Like the rest of the country, this Province has been gripped by fears of Mandela’s ill-health.

Even though he is in far away Pretoria, in the Mediclinic Heart Hospital that has been his home since June 8 following a lingering lung infection, no day passes without reference to Madiba. If prayers are not being organised

for his quick recovery somewhere, a march is going on in some other place in his name.

These indeed are anxious days for South Africans. Days before my arrival here it all seemed the worst was about to happen after news filtered to the world that Madiba’s health had taken a sudden turn for the worse. But it felt good to hear how things improved shortly after. Yet the anxious days are not over. Even while there is nothing new to report other than the regular titbits from ANC officials, including President Zuma that the old man is improving, news of him or about his grand children still fill the front pages of South African newspapers. It’s all about Mandela all the way.

Not even Barack Obama’s visit could take the front page from Mandela.

South Africans are beginning to come to terms with Mandela’s mortality, however, reluctantly.

Graca Machel, his wife, seems reconciled to this fact when, at a fundraiser for the Mandela Children Hospital Trust, she

,

praised her husband for his selfless service of providing unity to his nation, service she said would not be forgotten no matter the outcome of his stay in hospital. A Black tour guide, Michael, taking me around the local university I’m staying had turned to me and asked, during a conversation, if I didn’t think it was time the old man was left alone to go and rest. I thought he was alluding to the report that Mandela was on life support. My reply was that nothing that could be done to keep him alive should be spared for as long as he was not in a vegetative state. There have been little by way of information to confirm that Mandela is on life support. Not much information is being released on this.

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report last week says he is on a respirator. My impression is that Mandela is

Tell me in what Egypt my people’s feet lie chained!

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T took Egypt only two years after its first taste of democracy to give the latest demonstration of Africa’s abiding paradox: every flower of hope is turned sooner, rather than later, into the weed of despair. On July 3, the Egyptian army deposed Mohammed Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected president. This followed four days of massive protests by crowds exceeding the multitudes that massed on Tahrir Square for 18 days in 2011 to force life-president Hosni Mubarak out of power. For a country whose politics is as fused with the military as its famous pyramids are fixed to the ground, the 2011 uprising was not just one more chapter in the so-called Arab Spring: it was something in the order of a tectonic movement. And it raised expectations of the new Egyptian democracy sky-high.

Entered Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, who won the ensuing election by the thin majority of 51.7% of the vote. Morsi promised but failed to meet those (Pyramid of) Giza-large expectations by failing to lead a government “for all Egyptians.” He succumbed to the disease of African leaders who interpret every mandate, however won — whether through “free and fair ” or shamelessly rigged elections — as a licence to substitute the party’s will for that of the nation. Accordingly, Morsi sought in November last year to reserve extensive powers for himself through a constitutional declaration that would also entrench Islamic laws. After the people called his bluff by returning to Tahrir Square, Morsi backed down but not without retaining enough of

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his intentions as to embitter and alienate his more liberal and secular-minded fellow citizens. As it happened, they were the greater majority of Egyptians demanding bread and not burqas. Morsi’s first major test should have given him good warning about the danger of being seen not as the president of Egypt but of a nation called the Muslim Brotherhood.

And it is the problem of power and alienation that concerns me most about Morsi’s fall. For it is yet too early to say whether or not the manner of its occurrence signifies a victory for democracy or for autarchy — whether or not July 3 will henceforth be celebrated by Egyptians as the day the revolution which ended 30 years of Mubarak’s autocracy was re-launched, according to Mohammed ElBaradei, the most influential secular voice in quasitheocratic Egypt. What we know is that the people called on the army to sack their elected president, and that they cheered when a general obliged them. That, to me, leaves only one question to be asked: When did Morsi lose the confidence of the people, thus turning promise to betrayal so soon after the ecstasy of the revolution?

If Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood were capable of sober reflection on their brief sojourn in power, they would admit that it was the moment of their constitutional overreach. More precisely, when they failed even after the outrage that greeted it to understand the mood of the people.

Governed by the credo of winner-takes-all, of electoral victory as a licence to substitute ego for equality, the party for the citizenry,

still conscious and for as long as this is so, every effort should be expended to keep him alive.

The fears of the world about Mandela are quite understandable. Widely revered and adored, his presence had done a lot to stabilise South Africa and Black-White relations since he left office in 1999. The ANC has been largely held together by his presence and leaders of this party definitely have a lot to do to keep things together in the post-Mandela years. Mandela is the wise elder that could be consulted for direction when things seem to be going wrong. His image loomed larger than life and for as long as he was around, even when not actively in politics, South Africans knew they had a father whose name everyone revered.

But those days are sadly in short supply for, no matter what, old age has taken its toll on Mandela’s direct input in ANC or South African politics. Indeed, the feud that has torn his immediate family apart points to Mandela’s waning influence in the affairs of those closest to him to say nothing of the rest of the country and the world.

Mandla, Mandela’s grandson and surviving male heir, has been pitched in battle against the rest of the family, especially his aunts and brothers over his decision to move the remains of Mandela’s three children from their burial site in Qunu to Mvezo, Mandela’s birth place. Mandela himself would want to be buried in Qunu.

But Mandla in his own wisdom and, perhaps throwing his weight around as a local chief and surviving male heir, moved the remains of the deceased family members to Mvezo in 2011 well before Mandela became as fragile as he is now. It all became

they could n e v e r acknowledge the folly of their beliefs and the petty politics it fostered.

Consequently, such a fundamental issue as the delimitation of constitutional powers in a nation attempting democracy for the first

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Madiba: Autumn of the Patriarch

The sun may be setting on the Mandela epoch but the memory of this great son of Africa, icon of freedom and citizen of the world would forever linger in the minds of present and future generations of Africans

Nigeria and the rest of Africa had better heed the terrifying news from Egypt where a president and his party ignored the people; the danger lurks always that the people, in their despair, would turn to the army for their salvation

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time was turned into an opportunity for selfaggrandisement. After all, an electoral “victory” is a mandate to scorn the people’s will.

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s in our beleaguered country where the PDP in alliance with the irredeemably selfish ruling class arrogates to itself, through the National Assembly — a majority of whose occupants are of questionable ability and character — the sacred task of drawing up a constitution that reflects the genuine wishes and aspirations of the people. And that the process entails

a serious point of bitter dispute which the presence of Mandela himself could not resolve for it took the courts to order the return and reburial of the remains in Qunu on July 4.

Amid the in-fighting in the Mandela family the country still has cause for some kind of celebration on the side. It was the National Arts Festival season and South Africans had celebrated their arts, crafts and culture in different ways. For 11 days, from June 27 to July 7, the small town of Grahamstown, traditional host of the annual festival, came alive as South Africans from different parts of the country converged on the town. Rhodes University, the 109 years old university that defines the cultural life of Grahamstown, was venue for many of the festival events. The National Arts Festival is reputedly the largest such festival in Africa and perhaps the second largest in the world after the Edinburg Festival. There were film shows, theatre productions, art exhibitions and street dances and the usually quiet town was awake 24 hours.

But not even this elaborate festival could completely take the mind off the fact that Mandela was in hospital. A good number of the events during the festival centre round the Mandela years, the fact of his mortality and the way forward in the post-Mandela years. The sun may be setting on the Mandela epoch but the memory of this great son of Africa, icon of freedom and citizen of the world would forever linger in the minds of present and future generations of Africans and the world. Your people want you home Madiba; the world loves you.

no more than a committee to review General Abacha’s military constitution of 1995. No surprise, then, that the President and his party are staunchly opposed to a sovereign national conference, the one option agreed upon by the reasonable majority as offering the most democratic process towards a people’s constitution for a secular, free, equitable and peaceful federal republic.

What they can’t see while blinded by their inordinate greed and will to power is that the anger and frustration caused by an insensitive government is bound to lead to catastrophe, as the chaos and bloodshed in Cairo make abundantly clear. Even worse, the danger lurks always that the people, in their despair, would turn to the army or any rogue revolutionary band for their salvation.

General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi made the most of this reality in his speech: the armed forces, he said, could not ignore the calls on them by the masses to save the country.

“Tell me in what Egypt my people’s feet lie chained,” wrote the late Congolese poet, Tchicaya U Tam’si, in his great poem, The Scorner, making indelible use of the fabled figure of Egypt as metaphor. Nigeria and the rest of Africa had better heed the terrifying news from Egypt where a president and his party ignored the people. The history of coups in our country and continent urges every so-called elected leader to turn, as fast as possible, from the credo of self first and last, and nation not at all or only by compulsion.

20— Vanguard , WEDNESD AY ,

JUL Y 1 0 , ,20 13 201

Debate of the masses

Hezbollah armoury in Kano

BY EBELE ORAKPO

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*Some displaced persons moving to new locations

FARMERS/HERDSMEN CLASHES:

3,000 lives lost, still no end in sight F

OURTEEN years after the gruesome murder of Zaki Iyordye Akaahena, a renowned paramount ruler in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State alongside his two sons who were allegedly beheaded by rampaging Fulani herdsmen in 1989, over 3,000 lives have been lost to the unending bitter fight.

In fact, the relationship between most Benue farmers and herdsmen has been shrouded in suspicion and deep rooted abhorrence for each other. Perhaps, this may account for the persistent bloodbaths between the two in several communities and villages around Agatu, Guma, Gwer West, Makurdi and Gwer local government areas of the state.

There is no gainsaying that the crisis has, like in the past, centered on dispute over grazing routes and allegations and counter-accusations by the feuding parties that the other had trespassed beyond bounds. This simply means that because the Tiv man places so much premium on his farms, likewise the herdsman who could kill his fellow man for tampering with his cattle, any attempt by the duo to cohabit would always lead to bloodbath.

This undoubtedly could be responsible for the persistent clashes between Tiv farmers and Fulani herdsmen along the Benue valley where lots of farming activities take place, but where herdsmen have also found suitable for

grazing.

Actually, in the last 14 years hardly would any month pass by without reported cases of conflicts between the farmers and herdsmen, leading to deaths and destruction of property.

In fact, between last Friday and Sunday, close to 60 persons were killed, while scores were injured and others still missing in one of the bloodiest crisis between Tiv farmers of Guma and Fulani herdsmen.

The latest crisis has created a

‘

Gbajimba.

“Majority of these displaced persons are women, children and the elderly; but luckily, as I speak to you, soldiers have moved in to Gbajimba, the local government headquarters, and are already mobilizing to move into the crisis areas in order to check further killing”.

Also speaking, former Benue State Head of Service, Mike Iyordye, who lost his father to the crisis 14 years ago and whose house was burnt down in last

The situation is bad because we actually have a serious refugee situation in our hands at the moment considering that over 7,000 persons have been displaced by this crisis

huge refugee situation in Guma with well over 7,000 displaced persons, mostly women and children, now camped in Gbajimba, the local government headquarters; yet the fight still raging in the remote villages.

Speaking on the recent crisis, chairman of Guma local government council, Mr. Frank Usa Adii, lamented thus: “Lives are being lost on a regular basis in the hinterlands while the repeated crisis is also taking its toll on the finances of the council. Like I told you, the situation is bad because we actually have a serious refugee situation in our hands at the moment considering that over 7,000 persons have been displaced by this crisis; we have been able to camp them at

‘

BY PETER DURU, MAKURDI

week’s crisis, pleaded with the authorities to take steps to check the crisis “ before it snowballs into something else.”

Unfortunately, despite the repeated outrage that continues to greet these unending conflicts and the resultant massacres, there seems to be no end in sight to the wanton killings and destruction of property between these feuding parties.

Perhaps government could give a thought to the panacea put forward by the Paramount Ruler of Nagi Kingdom, HRH, Daniel Abomste who recently implored the Federal Government to urgently create grazing routes across the country for herdsmen in order to stem the persistent conflicts taking place around Benue State.

hebi when some people say most of these crises in Nigeria are being championed by foreigners, we shout them down. I think they are being vindicated somehow,” said Jane this Tuesday evening as the commuter bus made its way through traffic on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway occasioned by the weekly Aswani market.

“You mean the conspiracy theory?” asked Kaycee.

“Exactly!” replied Jane.

“Imagine making money from our country and using the same to fight us,” said an embittered Jane.

“We should stop patronizing them, period!” said Abel.

“Yes, their offices have been sealed off,” said Kaycee.

“Good, the government is using its head now,” noted Mike.

“But they denied having anything to do with the weapons,” noted Mercy.

Replied Mike: “Before nko? What did you expect?

They should admit culpability? It’s not done!”

“They admitted it was not for Nigerians but for US and Israeli interests in Nigeria,” said Abel.

“And you believed them? They should tell that to the marines. Those things were meant to aid the Boko Haram guys in their fight against Nigeria. We are no fools,” said Jane.

“In fact, the governor of that state should be questioned. How could such a huge cache of arms and ammunition be found in his domain without his knowledge as the chief security officer of the state?” quipped Nike.

“He may know nothing about it,” Mercy rose in defence of the governor. “But if I may ask, how did they get into the country in the first place?”

“Our borders are so porous, some of those who are supposed to ensure that such illegal goods do not get into the country are so corrupt that once they are given money, they look the other way,” said Mike.

“I think it goes beyond that. I bet you with my 10 fingers that some powerful people are involved,” said Nike.

“But I don’t get it. Left to me, I would think that most of these bad guys are foreigners. How can Nigerians kill fellow Nigerians in cold blood?” asked Kaycee.

Answered Abel: “Most of them are Nigerians. A wicked person is a wicked person and he can perpetrate any evil. Haven’t you heard of children killing their parents or siblings not to talk of people of different tribes, especially when they colour it with religion? Those who swore to make the country ungovernable for GEJ have succeeded indeed.”

“Yes but the funny thing is that now that GEJ has woken up from slumber to not just bark but bite, certain people who had kept mute all the while, have suddenly found their voices. They are condemning the man left, right and centre,” noted Mercy.

“What is wrong with General Buhari? He is whining about Boko Haram members being killed. Why did he keep quiet when they were murdering innocent people in cold blood?” asked Jane.

“Just imagine the recent burning of innocent children in their dormitory in Yobe! That was the height of evil. Do these guys have blood flowing in their veins? I really doubt it. So anyone found aiding and abetting them should be severely dealt with,” said Mercy.

“GEJ should be a leader in word and in deed.

Everybody must not like you but do the right thing and let posterity judge you. Use your veto power,” stated Nike.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 — 21

ment and other stakeholders to be committed to the project, he said Nigeria was long overdue to have a national accreditation system and UNIDO is willing to help the country to actualise this exercise.

H

From left: Mr. Oscar Onyema, CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE; Ms. Arunma Oteh, DG, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC; Dr. Suleyman Ndanusa, Chairman, Board of SEC and new President and chairman of Council of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, ICSAN and Hajia Zainab Kuchi, Minister of State for Power at the investiture of Ndanusa as the 24th President and Chairman of Council of ICSAN, in Abuja.

EU approves N2.5bn for standardisation in Nigeria

By FRANKLIN ALLI

T

HE European Union has made twelve million Euros (about N2.5 billion) available through United Nations Industrial Development, UNIDO, for the establishment of National Accreditation System in Nigeria. National Accreditation System is a body that is competent to carry out specific tasks in terms of the accreditation for conformity assessment, calibration and good laboratory practice.

UNIDO Country Representative in

123.6

2.65

2,214.00

-36.00

16.37

0.11

107.53

-0.19

103.21

-0.01

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR 154.76 POUNDS 236.303 EURO 200.6154 FRANC 163.0082 YEN 1.5562 CFA 0.2881 WAUA 231.5465 RENMINBI 25.2413 RIYA 41.266 KRONA 26.8858 SDR 231.9698

155.26 237.0665 201.2635 163.5349 1.5612 0.2981 232.2946 25.3233 41.3994 26.9727 232.7192

SELLING 155.76 237.8299 201.9117 164.0615 1.5662 0.3081 233.0427 25.4053 41.5327 27.0595 233.4687

CBN Exchange rate as at 09/07/2013

Nigeria, Dr. Patrick Kormawa, disclosed this during Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum organised by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, in Lagos to elect Board Members for the take off of the project.

“With the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, SON, Consumer Protection Council, Organised Private Sector and others, we will be implementing a EUR 12 million project (funded by EU) to create and opera-

tionalise a National Quality Infrastructure (Standards, Quality Assurance, Accreditation, Metrology) for Nigeria,” said Kormawa. Represented by Dr. Raymond Tavares, Industrial Development Officer/ Deputy Country, he said: “We trust that this project and all ongoing quality efforts and initiatives will lead to business development, effective and competitive trade, as well as job creation in Nigeria.

While urging the Federal Govern-

e added that Nigeria should lead the system and integrate other countries in ECOWAS into the system.

“Regarding trade development, in fact, the accreditation capacity of Nigeria shall lead to more credibility on quality efforts, quality potential and quality content of Nigerian products.

“We trust Nigeria would then appropriately occupy its leading place in the West African trade, and increase its competitiveness against currently imported products.

He said beyond helping Nigeria to have standards for infrastructures, the system would make Nigerian products to be competitive, of quality and generate jobs in the industrial sector.

Dr. Samuel Ortom, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, said: It’s a welcome development.”

“The accreditation system will help our products to be accepted globally.

Today, we have the responsibility of ensuring that we diversify from oil economy to non-oil economy. One challenge that has been facing us is the issue of standards and I believe this initiative will help our products to be exported to other countries,” he said. SON Director General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, said Nigeria will benefit tremendously from the establishment of a National Quality Infrastructure of which accreditation is key.

He cited the examples of developed and developing economies like the United Kingdom, USA, Canada and South Africa where the establishment of quality infrastructures were championed by the National Standards Institute. He said that SON is prepared to play its part actively in ensuring same in Nigeria within the shortest possible time.

IFC, CGAP release global Financial Inclusion report

I

NTERNATIONAL Finance Corporation, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), yesterday, released the Financial Access 2012: Getting to a More Comprehensive Picture report, which assesses the state of the financial inclusion globally.

The report is based on data from the International Monetary Fund’s Financial Access Survey, a survey of financial regulators in 187 jurisdictions that covers access to deposits, loans, and insurance by households and enterprises.

“With 75 percent of the world’s poor still having no access to formal financial services, the international momentum among policymakers to expand access to financial services to households and enterprises remains strong,” said Peer Stein, Director of IFC’s Access to Finance Advisory

Services.

“This annual report offers invaluable insight on the links between financial inclusion and economic development, helping shape policy debate.”

Financial Access 2012 shows a clear recovery from the financial crisis, with both growth rates of deposit and loan penetration picking up strongly in 2011. The growth rate of deposit accounts was higher than the growth rate of loan accounts, suggesting that after the crisis, people’s willingness to save may have been greater than their willingness to take on new loans.

The number of bank branches and automatic teller machines has increased rapidly since 2004, which has in turn deepened access to commercial banking services worldwide. The world as a whole had 47 ATMs and 17 commercial bank

branches per 100,000 adults in 2011.

Data also show that higher-income countries tend to have more developed finance markets for small and medium enterprises than developing countries. In low-income countries, only a small percentage of enterprise loan accounts are held

by SMEs. Tilman Ehrbeck, CEO and Director of CGAP, said: “2012 was a milestone year for financial inclusion data.

Thanks to IMF’s FAS and the World Bank’s Global Findex, we have the most extensive supply and demand side data available to date on a global scale. And the better the data, the more purposeful and evidence-based policymaking can be.”

Meanwhile, the Consultative Group assist the poor works toward a world in which everyone has access to the financial services they need to improve their lives.

22—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

A

s an insurance con sumer, has your broker, agent or insurer denied you access to your insurance product or service lately? If yes, such practitioner is only adhering to the ‘no premium no cover mandate of the National Insurance Commission, (NAICOM).

NAICOM issued a circular last year, stating that from January 1, 2013, any underwriting firm that provides insurance cover without collecting the premium would be liable to a penalty of N500, 000 or lose its license.

Why you may be denied insurance

,

NAICOM said any insurer who grants cover without having premium in advance or premium receipt notification from the relevant insurance broker shall be liable to a penalty of N500,000 in respect of each cover so granted, and in addition, may be a ground for suspension of the licence of the insurer

,

It also noted that all insurance covers shall only be provided on a strict ‘no premium no cover’ basis and that only cover for which payment has been received, directly by the insurer or indirectly through a duly licensed insurance broker,

T

shall be recognised as income in the books of the insurer.

This mandate became necessary due to the reoccurring high rate of outstanding premium in the books of underwriters. As a result, NAICOM decided to enforce section 50 (1) of the Insurance Act 2003 which states that, “The receipt of insurance premium shall be a condition precedent to a

valid contract of insurance and there shall be no cover in respect of an insurance risk, unless the premium is paid in advance.”

NAICOM said that any insurer who grants cover without having premium in advance or premium receipt notification from the relevant insurance broker shall be liable to a penalty of N500, 000 in respect of each cover so granted, and in addition, may be a ground

for suspension of the licence of the insurer. It said irrespective of the period of insurance, insurers shall ensure that at any point, they have received directly or indirectly, through the insurance broker, the full premium in advance for cover being granted.

NAICOM noted that all brokers should within 48 hours of receiving premiums on behalf of any insurer; notify the insurer in writing

North-Central gets zonal office

HE National Insur ance Commission (NAICOM) has opened a new zonal office in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital in North-Central Nigeria.

The office, which is located at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria building on Asa Dam Road, Ilorin, will serve the entire NorthCentral zone comprising Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and

C M Y K

From left: Mrs. Gbolahan Khadijat Daodu, Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB); Mr. Omar Hafeez, Managing Director and CEO, Citibank Nigeria Limited; Mr. Adesina Fagbenro-Byron, Regional Coordinator, South West, Nigeria for the UK Department for International Development-DFID and Taiwo Lanre Lukman, Education Secretary, Eti-Osa Local Government Area at the Citi 2013 Global Community Day celebration, in Lagos.

Niger States.

Performing the commissioning on behalf of the Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmad, the Deputy Governor of the State, Elder Peter Kishra, commended the Commission on the choice of Ilorin to locate its NorthCentral zonal office and thus, pledged the full support and collaboration of the Kwara State government in the discharge of NAICOM’s statutory responsibilities within the zone.

He also noted that the presence of the Commission in the state is an added boost to the infrastructural development, job creation and economic growth of the state.

In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Insurance/ CEO, NAICOM, Mr. Fola Daniel, noted that the decision by the Governing Board of the Commission to increase the number of its zonal offices was borne out of the need to further

deepen insurance penetration and awareness in the country.

He added that the Commission is also making arrangements to commission two more zonal offices before the turn of the year in the South-South and North-East geo-political zones respectively. This will bring the total number of zonal offices to five with a control office in Lagos.

in each case of the receipt of such premium, adding that all such notification shall be accompanied by the broker’s credit notes, acknowledging indebtedness to the insurer.

NAICOM also mandated that upon the receipt of such credit notes, the insurer shall issue cover and forward the policy documents along with the related debt notes to the broker. Any broker who fails to notify the insurer of any premium received on his behalf shall be liable to a penalty that is not less than N250,000 in each case of failure to notify.

NAICOM also mandated insurers to notify it, not later than 30 days from the end of every quarter, of all premiums acknowledged as having been received by brokers or lead insurers, but not remitted to them, adding that any insurer, who fails to render such return, shall be liable to a penalty of N5000 for each day of default.

So far, insurance practitioners have been adhering to the ‘no premium, no cover’ mandate. It is expected that insurance consumers adhere to it as well if they want the best of insurance.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 — 23

BY ROSEMARY ONUOHA

governors, local government chairmen, senior politicians, senior government officials, as well as judicial or military or Para-military officials from the rank of major or its equivalent. Others are senior executives of state owned corporations, important political party officials, family members or close associates of PEP’s and members of the royal families.

T

errorism and money laundering are global phenomena which have set nations on edge, while the battle to nip them in the bud rages on.

In the Nigerian financial sector, there are series of efforts geared towards combating terrorism and money laundering. And since the insurance industry is a crucial arm of the financial sector, it has mapped out and continues to review its own programmes in the fight against these vices. Consequently, the insurance sector has long joined the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism AML/ CFT regime.

As part of efforts geared towards the above, insurance companies now view individuals and entities whose source of wealth cannot be easily identified as high risk clients.

Such high risk clients include: non resident high net-worth individuals, trusts, charities, NGOs, as well as organisations receiving donations. Others are companies with close family shareholding or beneficial ownership, Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) as well as those with dubious

From left: Senior Manager, Sales, North, MTN, Amina Usman; South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Louis Lulu Mungune and Captain, IBB Golf Club, Debo Olateju at the MTN WGC Northern Regional Qualifiers dinner night, in Abuja, weekend.

Terrorism: When customers

become high risk clients reputation as per available public information requiring higher due diligence.

Recall that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has asked Nigeria to complete the

enactment of laws that adequately criminalise money laundering and terrorist financing.

According to FATF, Politically Exposed Persons

are individuals who are or have been entrusted with prominent public functions both in Nigeria and abroad and those associated with them. They include heads of state or governments,

Accordingly, insurance companies now obtain senior management approval before relationship is established with such clients, as well as approval of senior management vital for continued relation. Insurers now take steps to establish the source of wealth of PEPs, as well as conduct enhanced due diligence or monitoring of the relationship and in the event of abnormal discovery, flag the contract and contact NAICOM/NFIU. All insurance companies now have AML/CFT program which at a minimum include policyholder identification; suspicious and currency transaction reporting, internal policies and procedures, appointment of compliance officer, training of employees/agents, record preservation, ongoing training as well as internal control/audit.

Capit al Express repac Capital repackkages educational policy C

apital Express Assurance Limited has repackaged its education insurance policy to ensure unhindered education for children up to university level.

The Managing Director of the firm, Mrs. Bola Odukale, explained that the Capital Express Guaranteed Education Assurance Plan, is designed to guarantee the education of the named child up to university level subject to the sum assured.

She said, “The plan pays the sum assured in the event of the death of the breadwinner during the policy term and creates immediate estate sufficient to guarantee payment of school fees of the named child. This is to forestall the abrupt stoppage of the child’s education.”

According to her, if the breadwinner suffers critical illness, permanent disability due to accident or sickness or death, the policy will ensure that the child’s education is not unduly halted.

While explaining some of the key features of the policy, she said, the parent or breadwinner decides at inception of the policy, the estimated amount required to finance the future education of

the named child.

After this, she said that the estimated amount will represent the sum that will be assured under the policy.

The managing director explained that the breadwinner can arrange to be paying his premium annually or in installments over a maximum period of five years Odukale said, “The policy has flexible benefit

L

administration options that suit payment of school fees.

One child can also be substituted for another during commencement of benefit or benefit payable to the insured’s estate.”

The insurer noted that education is relevant to the society and that it remains a cogent permanent legacy parents or guardians can pass on to the children to ensure their future.

Without insurance, she explained that this vision may be completely jeopardized in the event of sudden death of the parent or guardian.

For this reason, she said that Capital Express introduced this plan to guarantee children’s education and help them to realise their vision in life.

She also said that premiums paid under this plan enjoy 100

per cent tax rebate while all benefits are tax-free “Our product offerings have witnessed a lot of transformation of recent, all through last year, we worked on ensuring different products that can bring out lasting solutions. We have an array of products that can meet the needs of an average Nigerian, student, family man, retiree, and everybody,” Odukale said.

Law Union adopts sect or al model sector oral

aw Union and Rock Insurance Plc has said that it has adopted a sectoral model, which will make the firm to be able to create different departments to provide efficient services for different sectors and individuals in the country.

The firm said that this became imperative to ensure that ii offered efficient services to its clients.

The move will also ensure that Law Union &

Rock Insurance offers unique insurance solutions along the sector’s value chains.

The model will also enable the organisation align its offerings to the unique needs of these sectors of the economy.

According to her, these departments were well equipped to make insurance more accessible and bring the firm’s innovative products to the insuring public.

The managing director said that the departments were equipped with professionals, who can offer the best services

to the clients, adding that the company was interested in satisfying the insuring public through good products and efficient services.

Ogunseye said that the sectoral model was also adopted in the business development and technical divisions of the firm.

She pointed out that this would ensure smooth and seamless operations in the company’s daily activities.

“We are taking all these steps because we are interested in delivering bespoke insurance solutions

to the doorsteps of our clients,” she said.

Law Union and Rock Insurance said the move was part of the company’s ongoing re-organisation and restructuring process as well as the implementation of its strategic initiative.

It noted that the organisation will be able to align its offerings to the unique needs of different sectors of the economy as a result of the adoption of the sectoral model.

24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

The Nigerian Communications Commission and the June 30 deadline

From left: Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema presenting a certificate to one of the newly inducted Authorised Dealing Clerks of the NSE, in Lagos, Monday.

NSE boss urges stockbrokers to promote ethical conduct … As CIS deregisters 2 members

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

T

HE Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, has charged stockbrokers to enthrone integrity and highest standard of ethical practice in their operation.

Onyema, who spoke at the occasion of induction of new members by Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, said it was particularly important that dealing members of the NSE enthrone integrity, show impeccable character and professionalism because the investing public judge the market based on their conduct.

“For all recently qualified stockbrokers, it goes without saying that the investing community will know and judge the Nigerian Capital Market through your example in character and service. The manner in which you engage, interface and service your clients will go a long way in shaping the perception of our market. “As you all go into a new stage in your careers, there is one important point you must all remember- you are all ambassadors of this great institution.

I hope you will not let us down, but rath-

er become embodiments of committed service,” he said.

“We expect that you will uphold the tenets of peaceful, innovative and harmonious working relationship and we will count on your support to help in achieving the highest level of competitiveness in delivering service excellence and a first rate capital market experience,” he counseled. He used the opportunity of the induction to emphasise the Exchange’s intolerance to sharp practices, while saying that they would continue to deploy requisite technology and expertise to curb and arrest any form of manipulation from all quarters.

Meanwhile, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, weekend, de-registered two of its members over unprofessional conducts. The deregistration of the brokers - Peter Temidayo Ola and Mr. Kingsley Okwudiri Nnaji – followed the judgment of CIS Disciplinary Tribunal, which found them guilty of their various offences, while the third member, Mr. Akinwale Olagundoye, was suspended from trading in the Nigerian capital market for six months, a decision he has, however, appealed against.

Why we are raising additional capital — Sterling Bank boss

S

TERLING Bank Plc will use the net proceeds of its on-going rights issue to upscale its growth and strengthen the bank’s operations for continuous improved benefits to all stakeholders, Managing Director/CEO of the bank, Mr. Yemi Adeola, has said.

Speaking at the weekend with newsmen, the Sterling Bank boss said the additional capital would be used to fund the bank’s growth plan including expansion and modernisation of branch network and information technology. The funds would also be used to support the bank’s growing retail and corporate banking businesses.

Sterling Bank is raising N12.5 billion through a rights issue of about 5.889 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N2.12 per share. The lender had traded at a high of N3.05 at the stock market.

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The shares have been pre-allotted on the basis of three new ordinary shares of 50 kobo each for every eight ordinary shares of 50 kobo each held as at May 20, 2013.

Application list, which opened on June 24, 2013, will run till July 31, 2013.

The rights circular indicated that the net proceeds of the rights issue, estimated at N12.13billion, would be used mainly to finance branch expansion and increase working capital. According to him, 35 percent of the net proceeds, estimated at N4.24 billion, would be used for branch expansion; 15 percent of the funds estimated at N1.82 billion would be used for infrastructure upgrade, 10 percent of the funds equivalent to N1.21 billion would be used for information technology and the largest chunk of 40 percent, estimated at N4.85 billion, would be set aside as additional working capital.

HE Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, carried out the registration of Subscriber Identity Module, SIM, cards more than two years ago. I will henceforth refer to that exercise as the registration of GSM telephone numbers. At that time, one had the option of registering with the GSM operator responsible for one’s number or with a NCC-appointed contractor. I recall that before the exercise, the cost to the NCC of the exercise was a matter of much debate both inside and outside the National Assembly. I chose to register my two numbers, one from MTN and the other from Globacom, with the NCCappointed contractor so I would undergo just one registration event.

Following on the conclusion of the registration in public, the NCC informed us from time to time that the task of compiling one list of GSM numbers from the different sources was in progress.

The NCC never informed us that the compilation exercise had been completed.

Next, number portability is introduced as the key motivator in getting the GSM operators to improve the service given to the public. We are told that if one is not satisfied with the service from one operator, one could transfer his/her number to another operator. The NCC does not want to admit that if all of us go to one operator, the service provided by that operator would deteriorate.

Rather, the NCC should concentrate on the engineering of the systems put in place by the GSM operators and ensure that these systems can perform. Of course, number portability would be useful to someone moving from one area to another area when the person discovers that the service in the new area is virtually non-existent from the operator responsible for his number.

It would appear that the NCC wants to be able to inform us that the registration exercise has been concluded and the NCC has given the GSM operators up to 30 June 2013 to register all numbers in use. Next, I receive separate messages from MTN and Globacom indicating that my number is not registered with either of them and that I should ensure I am registered by 30 June otherwise I would be disconnected from service.

I recall that at the first registration, I registered my MTN and Globacom numbers at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos with the NCC-appointed contractor for the Lagos area, Chams Plc. So, I made contact with Chams Plc and my information is that the data obtained from the first registration had been delivered to the NCC in accordance with the terms of the contract and that they did not know how NCC utilised the data.

It was a subtle way of letting me know that NCC had not used the data and it would appear that all the money spent on the first registration had been to no purpose.

It would appear that either Chams Plc had lost part or all the data obtained at Tafawa Balewa Square on the particular day I registered and so my details were not delivered to the NCC or the NCC had lost my data after its delivery by

Chams Plc. From the large numbers of people showing up for a second registration at public places in Lagos, it would appear that the NCC has lost part or all of the data obtained from the registration exercise that took place more than two years ago.

However, the NCC should be able to obtain the data from its contractors and not put the public through the rigours of a second registration exercise. Of course, the NCC would not be able to approach its contractors if it had not paid them for work done.

I therefore made a second registration of my MTN number at the Ajasa Street, Lagos Island office of MTN Mobile Monie and my Globacom number at the Gloworld offices on Ikorodu Road at Fadeyi, Lagos. Both companies sent messages indicating that I had registered anew and that I had been granted some bonus time/amounts. For

,

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It is entirely at the discretion of the GSM operators to decide which number to disconnect and the GSM operators are asking for more time for the registration exercise

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the record, none of the bonuses has been implemented.

I realised that for any registration exercise, a number of people would not be registered. I have come to the conclusion that if I am disconnected from service come July 1 or thereafter, I would obtain a new number from one of the other two GSM operators. NCC should however explain to us how the disconnection of about 30% of the numbers would improve service especially when many of the numbers are no longer in use.

At the second registration I asked why MTN should require information on my hobbies, someone in the office indicated that such information may indicate the difference when two people have exactly the same name. NCC should please get the GSM operators off our backs. The number of SMS messages sent to us as advertisements are an unnecessary distraction. The operators should be made to advertise how one can stop permanently the subscriptions to there unwanted adverts.

June 30 has come and gone and we are now made to understand that NCC is not manning the switches at the offices of the GSM operators. It is entirely at the discretion of the GSM operators to decide which number to disconnect and the GSM operators are asking for more time for the registration exercise.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 — 25

DIARY

Select ICT events zMicrosoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2013. Holds July 7-11, 2013 in Houston, USA.

EDITED by Adekunle Adekoya

Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation plans biotech lab for NIgeria

zBig Data Monetization in Telecoms Summit. Holds July 15-17, 2013 in Dallas,Texas, US. z 2nd Annual FTTX Summit Africa 2013. Holds July 22 - 25, 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa.

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

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zSIGGRAPH 2013.

Holds 21-25 Jul 2013 in Anaheim, USA z ITEXPO West 2013. Holds 27-29 Aug 2013 in Las Vegas, USA.

New inventions shaping life and living

Coffee socks defend against heat, feet odour

Nigeria, 70 other nations compete for Microsoft's Imagine Cup z309 students from 71 countries in software Olympiad

A

TLAS socks are made from a mix of cotton, recycled polyester and carbonized coffee, which filters and absorbs sweat and odour to keep feet cool.

After a long day, traditional dress socks are not always very gentle to the feet, what with all the heat and sweat they keep in.

This new technology can provide new levels of comfort that previously impossible.

Carbonized coffee is a weapon against odour, attracting molecules (composed mostly of carbon) with its spongy structure.

The molecules are eventually released when the socks are washed, ready for a whole new round of foot odour.

BY EMEKA AGINAM, St. Petersburg, Russia

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O fewer than 309 students from 71 countries have gathered in St. Petersburg, Russia to compete in three main categories like World Citizenship, Games and Innovation in the global finals of THE 2013 edition of Microsoft Imagine Cup Competition. The Microsoft Imagine Cup is a software contest regarded as the football world cup equivalent in software deign and engineering.

More than 60 per cent of projects on showcase were housed in the cloud through Windows Azure, an online market for buying and selling finished software as a service

I N S I Can Lagos be a D smart city? (3) E C M Y K

Unique features of BlackBerry Q10

(SaaS) applications and premium data.

Team Nigeria

With support from National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Dell, Nokia and MainOne, members of Team Life Saver from Nigeria comprising Afolabi Olamide, Oluwole Michael, Akinlaja Solomon and Ade-

,

,

Preview

TEAM NIGERIA @ IMAGINE CUP: Members of the Team LifeSaver — the four geeks representing Nigeria at Microsoft's Imagine Cup — From left: Akinlaja Solomon, Oluwole Michael, Afolabi Olamide and Adewale Adeyinka at the presentation of prizes to them as national winners of the Microsoft Imagine Cup Competition in Lagos before their departure to Russia. Photo: EMEKA AGINAM.

wale Adeyinka had competed in the national finals in the category of World Citizenship. However, of the 87 finalist teams currently competing, 10 teams are from Africa, including Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Egypt, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Botswana , Tunisia among others. More than $1m in cash and prizes are up for grabs,and in the last ten years, more than

As 38 teams have Windows store apps that are or will soon be available for download, 15 teams use Microsoft technologies in projects that monitor the well being of people

FRCN has the best professionals in the world

—Acting D-G, Shaibu

1.65 million students from more than 190 countries have participated in the Imagine Cup. The Nigeria team developed an application called CardioLife, which helps prevent heart attacks by monitoring heart readings on the fly via the Microsoft Windows Phone. It also provides a rehabilitation programme for stroke patients using the Kinect sensor. Just before departure, Developer and Platform Evangelism Lead, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, Mr. Shina Oyetosho had told Team Nigeria members during a farewell party to make the country proud by showing their best innovation.

Continues on page 32

HE Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced plans to build a standard biotechnology laboratory to empower national programmes in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Professor Ivan Ingelbrecht of Ghent University, Belgium disclosed this in Abuja when he visited the Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Ita Okon Bassey Ewa, as part of his exploratory visit to the country on the proposed biotechnology laboratory.

“My mission in Nigeria as mandated by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is to see the possibilities of empowering Nigeria: the National Systems, Programmes in Nigeria, to have the capacity to use biotechnology laboratory technologies for crop improvement”.

“There are new sets of tools called biotechnology tools used nowadays worldwide to improve crops and these technologies are very complex and so far there are a number of crops developed using biotechnology tools, tested in various African countries including Nigeria. The crops have also been used even within Africa”, he said The idea according to him, is to empower national programmes in Africa, and Nigeria specifically to train people on how to use facilities, so that they can produce these crops independently and Nigerians can have the capacity to decide on how to use these technologies in consideration of National regulatory system.

“The crops we are focusing on involves national priority crops in Nigeria, which include soybeans,

Continues on page 32

With technology, Nigeria can feed Africa — MASIYIWA, Econet boss

26— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

B

Can Lagos be a smart city? (3)

T

HIS is the third in sands of feeder roads in stalment of a series the city which nobody begun a month ago on the would put a donkey on, above subject. The dis- talk less a car, and these course began after a team roads connect various from ICT transnational, communities across many IBM, presented a propos- LGAs and LCDAs in Laal the Lagos State Gov- gos. For instance, it ernment on how a more should be possible to efficient traffic flow can be drive from, say Abuleachieved in the metropo- Egba to Igando without lis. using both the Lagos-AbeWorking with the Lagos okuta Expressway and Metropolitan Area Trans- the Isheri-LASU-Iba Export Authority, the agen- pressway, but that is not cy responsible for devel- possible, now. It is nonoping and implementing availability of relief the state’s transportation through such feeder blueprint, and the Lagos roads that currently make State Ministries of Trans- the Lagos-Badagry Exportation, Works & Infra- pressway a traffic nightstructure, Science & Tech- mare. If you are not on the nology, the IBM team expressway, you are just proposed technology- not ready to move. Many driven strategies to make roads have not been constructed travel easiperhaps er. of the cost As if on Presently of bridges c u e , there are so they will L A M ATA need to ( L a g o s many uniconnect Metropoliforms of difthe next tan Area Transport ferent colours area, and this is Authority) at every bus s o m e from yesterthing that day began stop, controlhas to be implemenling traffic. tackled. tation of When a e_ticketing This is good, o o d option as except that the gnumber of part of onthe roads g o i n g traffic still are made, re_structuring won't move ferry staof BRT’s t i o n s operations and management aimed abound, including metro at enhancing effective- right to the airport and linking most of the entry ness.

Dr. Dayo Mobereola, and exit points into the LAMATA’s supremo said city, we can then move the e_ticketing payment into making the system was a solution through a smart.

But I suspect that efforts card called ‘Lagos Connect,’ and would offer to make the transport syscommuters several op- tem in Lagos smart and tions, saying, “with the e- people-friendly will not payment system, Lagos go a long way unless the Connect, commuters in transport unions either Lagos will pay as low as have a change of heart N20 per trip instead of from the rule-of-the-junN70. They would not gle format, or they get takneed to struggle for en out of the picture comchange or lose their mon- pletely. Getting them to ey, and the system is safe change or taking them out of the picture will require and convenient.”

Good deal, though. As very strong political will, far as the monetary end but it must be done.

The other angle to this of BRT’s operations are concerned, this is a wel- is law-enforcement. Prescome solution, but that is ently there are so many where, in my take, the uniforms of different colsmartness of Lagos trans- ours at every bus stop, port system ends. As not- controlling traffic. This is ed earlier last week, to good, except that the trafmake the city smart entails fic still won't move, while a lot more work, at a more traffic lights work only furious pace than is cur- where it is desired. These rently evident. First, this need to be addressed, involves a rapid transfor- because they are inappomation of the road net- site to a smart city, where work. There are thou- uniforms are less in evi-

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UILT with preci sion and offering performance in timeless design, BlackBerry has unveiled the Q10 series in its stables of smartphone.

Accordingly, careful and precise attention to design has created a smartphone that delivers premium performance and with effortless experience.

Being the first BlackBerry 10 smartphone to feature a classic BlackBerry QWERTY Keyboard, the new product combines the best physical keyboard and a touch screen with the power of the BlackBerry 10 platform to help users communicate and collaborate faster and more efficiently.

Additionally, the BlackBerry Q 10 includes advanced hardware, communications and multimedia features and provides long battery life that let users confidently stay ahead all day long.

For one thing, the redesigned, re-engineered BlackBerry 10 offers a unique new mobile computing experience, even as it gives users faster and smarter experiences that continuously adapts to

Unique features of BlackBerry Q10 their needs.

For smartphone lovers, every feature , every gesture and detail is embedded in this phone, including BalckBerry Hub, BlackBerry Balance, BBM and BlackBerry remember.

The new BlackBerry Q10 combines the power of the BlackBerry 10 platform with a large, reengineered physical keyboard and stunning touchscreen display the largest ever on a BlackBerry QWERTY smartphone.

With the new product, user’s conversations can take place faster and more accurately whether it’s a BBM chat, an email you’re typing or an important document you need to finish quickly for that upcoming meeting.

The classic BlackBerry Keyboard has been reengineered and elegantly designed with a

straight and wider keyboard, larger sculpted keys and larger frets between rows to help your fingers find the right keys more quickly and eliminate errors while typing on the go.

With the learning capability of BlackBerry 10, users get personalized intelligent word suggestions and contextual auto-correction. The BlackBerry Q10 also features the new Instant Action, a time-saving feature that allows you to type and perform tasks faster by using

shortcuts.

From the Home screen, you can simply start typing to search, or type “email John” to compose a message. Together, the classic BlackBerry Keyboard and Instant Action make it easy for commands to be taken quickly and directly from the Home screen.

— Emeka Aginam

AUSTIN OKERE AT DIGITAL HORIZONS: From left, Rafael Ramirez, Director, Oxford Scenarios Programme; Austin Okere, CWG boss and EIR CBS; Jon Asberg, Editor-in-Chief, Affarsvalden Magazine; Pekka Mattila, Professor of Practice, Aalto University Executive Education and Jan Piotrowski, Online Sciences Editor, The Economist during the Economist Conference recently in Stockholm, Sweden.

With technology, Nigeria can feed Africa

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

F

OUNDER and Chairman of Econet Wireless, Mr. Strive Masiyiwa has said that Nigeria can feed the rest of Africa if the country will muster the courage to replicate the uncommon revolution of telecommunication in the agricultural sector.

Mr. Masiyiwa made the assertion Monday at the Centenary summit of the Rockefeller Foundation tagged ‘‘ Realizing the Potential of African Agriculture’’, held in Abuja.

He said that Nigeria had experienced uncommon revolution in the telecom sector since 2001 and has become a reference point to the rest of

— MASIYIWA, Econet boss the world.

He then canvassed for a repeat of that transformation in the nation’s agricultural sector, using technology's enabling tools, which he said are capable of making Nigeria a major exporter of food to other countries of the world. ‘‘Since 2001, when Nigeria issued the first telecom license, there has been a revolution here in the telecom sector. Why can’t Nigeria do the same in the agriculture sector to transform it? F or me, agriculture is now a business. So, Nigeria can do what it did to telecoms in the agric sector, to redirect the focus for economic growth.

‘‘Nigeria, big as it is, has to be the pilot of Africa and be the solution to Africa's food needs. We believe that it is going to be done by the small scale farmers and youths with the enabling technology.

It requires a paradigm shift from old people to young people, who will focus on agro business, processing and manufacturing,’’ he stated.

Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina said Nigeria was selected to host the celebration because of the long history she has with the foundation, since the 1960s.

With the introduction of Electronic Wallet for fertilizer distribution in Ni-

geria, the minister said that the Federal Government had ended corruption in fertilizer distribution which lasted for over 40 years and reached over 1.5 million farmers in one year.

He said that plans were on to reach 10 million more farmers in 2013. The aim, according to him, is too make Nigeria self sufficient in food production by 2015. ‘’We shall use mobile phone to connect our centres of research and learning to farmers. We will acquire soil kits and distribute them to farmers.

Under our strategy, we shall create a new career of extension system as a

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013—27

Intel backs continued digital training to bridge gender divide

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

whole spectrum of education, you know that, in most countries, women and girls are disadvantaged.

So, we then try to see what we can do to use technology to empower individuals, especially the women. Because of our in-depth knowledge in technology, we know that ICT can be used to empower the women”

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The problem, the solution zOsagie Ogunbor daily routine.

Osagie also spoke on many other issues including why his company believes that women can make a difference if they can embrace the ICT platform

The divide

”If you look at the

However, we also observed that most of these women are not digitally literate, which is the ‘inthing’ in the 21st Cen-

,

,

OR Intel Nigeria, in spite of its reality, the continued lamentation that women and girls in Nigeria are disadvantaged when compared to men’s participation in ICT, is beginning to sound like broken record.

It believes that since it has been identified as a problem, a solution is required. And therefore every available measure must be explored. However, its own idea is that there must be continued digital training where these set of people must benefit from the potentials of technology.

The company’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr Osagie Ogunbor in an exclusive chat with Vanguard recently, said that the African woman is loaded with activities and so needed to be presented with ICT in a manner that she can gladly add it into her

tury. So we weighed up other options and came up with partnering the African Women Entrepreneurship Programme, AWEP. AWEP is an initiative of United Nations, an umbrella body of women who are active in Small and Medium Enterprises business segment.

The organisation brings them together for better collaboration and efficiency.

We partner with AWEP Nigeria; we partner with AWEP Ghana in collaboration with the United Nations Women Department. At the end of the day, we do what we call

Instead of sitting down, lamenting gender divide, time has come for every hand to be on deck

‘Training the Trainers”.

This involves training strongest hands of AWEP who we are sure will be able to train other women.

Since we started this, we have trained over 300 women in digital literacy in Nigeria alone but we are looking at over 2, 000 of them to be trained before the end of this year, who will then go ahead to train the other women”.

Digital training, not added load

For Ogunbor, no matter the tight schedule of women who battle with house chores and other sundry activities, digital training is not an additional load but a relief.

“We are absolutely not adding to the responsibilities of women but we are providing them with digital literacy things easier for them. Let me use a female fashion designer for example. We are saying that instead of just depending on people in your neighbourhood who know you as a fashion designer and those who will only give you job by getting to know where your shop is physically located; you can exponentially increase your market by just simply having the skill to build a website.

Basically, as Intel, we

are saying that technology brings convenience, efficiency and effectiveness and we want Nigerian women to leverage it. Technology makes your business more profitable. So, training women in digital literacy is not taking them out of line, it is simply by telling them to stay in their business and take full advantage of the potential that they have through using technology.

Impacts of digital training

Today, more women are getting interested in the programme and that is big evidence that the training is adding value to their businesses.

So, I think this has demystified the erroneous belief that women do not crave for technological know how. A lot of women are actually interested in ICT. We have seen a lot of women entrepreneurs who are nursing mothers or full house wives so it is a lot of sacrifice and effort to be able to do all of this and embrace digital literacy. Therefore, instead of sitting down, lamenting gender divide, time has come for every hand to be on deck. Everybody must throw in an idea to help, no matter how little.

28—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

FRCN has the best professionals in the world

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

A

CTING DirectorGenral of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Dr. Samson Shaibu, in this interview speaks on how 2015 digitization goal, accreditation of FRCN training school was aborted, his ascension into the office as Acting DG, the challenges of FRCN and his plans for the broadcast major. Excerpts.

Tell us about yourself I have been a broadcaster for a greater part of my life. I live broadcasting, eat broadcasting and breathe broadcasting. I joined as a graduate; I have gone through the mill of broadcasting.

I am a producer; I have many programmes produced to my credit. After going through the mill, I became the Controller, Manager and Executive Director in charge of training and I was a foundation director in charge of programme development for FRCN. I was director, training for many years.

—Acting D-G, Shaibu

z Shaibu: FRCN is ready for digital migration I have added value to FRCN. During my time as Director Training, I brought international client to the training school in Ikeja. Then, we were about accrediting the training school but it was aborted.

How did you become Acting D-G? From Lagos, I was brought in here as zonal director in charge of Abuja zone. Then, from zonal director, I became Acting Director-General.

That was about three months ago.

The acting position was only made possible by the grace of God and the enabling environment of the present regime that says, when a D-G is going after his tenure, he should hand over to the most senior person.

What did you set to achieve with that initiative?

If there was continuity in governance, the training school would have been an accredited professional centre for Africa and the general centre for radio broadcasting for the continent but it was not to be.

Should that be regarded as one of your regrets in life?

It should not be regret.

It was just that I wanted to contribute my little quota and add value to the calling of being director then. When I came to Abuja zone, I tried to add value. Abuja zone was a forgotten place. It was one of the least zones of FRCN among the six zones in the country. When I came in, there was no wall but I have built a fence. The Abuja zone started in 1980. When I came in, we fenced the wall; it was a dumping ground for dumping refuse.

Now, there are over 13 or 15 shops built by the initiative and they are generating revenue for the Abuja zone. These are the added value we feel civil servants should put into the system. Anywhere I go, I try to add a little value and God has been able to see me through.

What is the state of the Lagos training school today?

The training school is in a state of dilapidation.

It is in need of a general

overhaul in the area of dormitory and hostel accommodation for students. It needs overhaul in the provision of class rooms. It also needs an overhaul in synergy in the provision of language laboratory, provision of modern ICT learning skills and training gargets.

How prepared is FRCS for 2015 digital migration plan?

It is ongoing, it not a question of whether we are ready. The government has laid a template.

It set a committee for digitization and they have written a report. But government cannot do it alone. In digitization, we are talking about being compliant with production from content to implementation. The recording has to be compliant, and when you are editing, it has to be digitally compliant. Now, you are talking about software for editing. It is no longer the old story of reel to reel tape, but carrying the recorded materials and putting it on the laptop and doing the editing, through cool edit system or any other application. This is the digitization government is talking about. Government is doing its own, the professionals must do their own as well.

With digitization, recording is no longer the old way. Government will

only create the enabling environment for professionals.

You mean, FRCN is ready for digitization?

We are ready. FRCN has the best of professionals in the whole world. What we do not have is the technical backup. We are buying equipment that are compliant. We have just bought amps that are digitally compliant.

While we wait for approval of the report of the Presidential committee, we as professionals have to groom ourselves in the area of training and retraining.

With your present position, don’t you think you have the opportunity now to build the FRCN of your dream?

It is on my mission ambition to intervene in that area, if I am confirmed substantive Director-General because without confirmation, one will be limited to do certain things. But when confirmed, one can begin to put synergy of innovations, networking with people.

Then you can go to the National Assembly to make case for those things you dream of.

Then, with the support of the Presidency and the National Assembly and effective budgeting, I can make a positive change in FRCN.

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32—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 Continues from Page 25 rice, maize. Once we establish the capacities, human and also infrastructure and once you are able to make these types of crops, you can choose any crop of national interest to apply the process,” he noted.

Also speaking at the event, another member of the team and an Assistant Professor and Associate Director World Technology Access Program, WorldTAP of Michigan State University, Cholani Weebadde said “I am part of the Exploratory Visit Team with Professor Ivan trying to find out what is needed in Nigeria on capacity building”.

“Michigan State University has been working with African Biosafety Network of Expertise for the past several years; we are the international partners for the ABNE project, we have also worked with Nigeria for a number of years, we also have Africa Study centre in Michigan University and one of our professors has worked with Nigeria for more than 20years, we are excited to be part of this

Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation plans biotech lab mission, and we are happy to be working with NABDA to train the scientist at Michigan University.”

“We have been involved in biotechnology capaci-

ty building for a number of years and my focus is basically human capacity that is needed in Nigeria, we need to know if there are bodies, people working, and the

kind of human capacity that is needed and how we can help,” she disclosed.

Responding, the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Okon

Bassey Ewa said the Ministry has the cooperate responsibility to impact on Science and Technology for socio economic development of

Nigeria, 70 other nations compete for Microsoft's Imagine Cup Continues from Page 25 "Do not be intimidated by students from other countries. You are the best. Do your best. Show your best. Show your passion. Make friends. Dell, Nokia, NITDA and MainOne have given you the tools. Microsoft has given you the opportunity and knowledge. Bring the Cup to Nigeria," he xhorted them.

Earlier in in his remarks during Press and Sponsor's reception, President, Central and Estern Europe of Microsoft said that students who have gathered for this competition were the winners.

According to him, the students should not relent in taking further their solution to the next level after the showcase. The competing students should be their own boss in software entrepreneurship after graduation, he said.

Highlights of projects on parade Meanwhile, of the 87 teams on showcase, 12 teams use gamification for personal improvement, including interactive learning and physical rehabilitation. This is even as 90% of finalist games were created for the Win-

dows OS, showing the popularity of the PC as a gaming platform for young developers.

While more than 30% of all projects focused on inspiring fun, 36% of teams use Windows, Windows phone and Windows Azure together crossing platforms and devices to show how software can make hardware interesting.

As 38 teams have Windows store apps that are or will soon be available for download, 15 teams use Microsoft technologies in projects that monitor the well being of people and things in real life

time, such as heart rate, sun exposure and bee hive health. Interestingly, all three Windows 8 challenge apps combine education and fun, including a social tourist guide and an interactive vocabulary.

Similarly, 10 innovative projects combine the NET framework, Windows 8 and Windows Azure to boost productivity.

Health solution Nearly 40% of world citizenship teams use technology in innovative ways in the medical field, with more than half of those using the Kinect SDK.

Nigeria, and biotechnology is an integral part of the system of studies that are directed to biological systems of both plant and animals.

“In human systems, we know the wide areas of intervention that biotechnology can add and assist bio-engineering, genomics in biological and zoological systems, we also have systems that are actually, perhaps within the plant system that are focused more or less on food security globally. In food security we look at systems that can enhance with the application biotechnology for a speedy realization of food security in the country’’ he stated.

On her part, the Permanent Secretary, Federal of the Ministry, Hajiya Rabi Jimeta, expressed happiness with the mission, adding that there is no doubt that biotechnology is a very important area in the Ministry of Science and Technology because of the number of benefits derivable from its activities, especially, in terms of boosting agricultural production, and issue of food security and many other areas.

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 — 33

Delta ASUU to CP: We want our kidnapped colleague ‘dead or alive’ W

BY EMMA AMAIZE

A R R I— C H A I R M A N of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Delta State University, DESLU, Abraka branch, Dr. Emmanuel Mordi, yesterday, asked the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, to produce dead or alive, a female lecturer in the institution, Dr. Mercy Mokobia, who was kidnapped, April 9.

He said lecturers in the university were worried about the fate of Dr. Mokobia, a lecturer in the Science Education Department, as the police had not said anything about her whereabouts since she was abducted from her residence, even though some suspects, including a pastor, had been arrested.

Speaking to reporters in Warri, Mordi said: “Each time we ask the Commissioner of Police about our colleague, he tells us that he is not a magician. ASUU, DELSU, may have to embark on a strike after the current national strike for the police to produce our member that was kidanapped.

“We are afraid that we are not safe if kidnappers can come to our environment and kidnap a lecturer and nobody knows where she is. No fewer than

20 lecturers had been kidnapped in this university since 2011. The commissioner came to ASUU congress, when we were about to embark on strike some time ago, saying that they made some arrests. Alright, but we still do not know where our member is , this is getting to three

months now. His best is not enough.

“He must tell us clearly and unambiguously what has happened to Dr. Mercy Mokobia and where she is. If she is dead, we want to know and her remains must be found, if she had been sold into slavery and taken to another country, we

want to know also.”

Mordi said he had the privilege of meeting a top government official in the office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja and was not impressed with what government was doing to stem kidnapping, adding “All they are concerned about is Boko Haram.”

LEC TURE: From left: Chief Chris Ezeh, Chairman, NEPAD Business Group-Nigeria, NBGN; Mr. Joseph Makoju, representating the guest speaker, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mrs. Nike Akande, 1st Vice Chairman, NBGN, at the NBGN’s Business Lunch and Lecture in Lagos yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola,Photo Editor.

Bayelsa bans tricycles on highways

BY SAMUELOYADONGHA

Y

E N AG OA — B AY E L S A State Government has banned tricycles popularly called Keke Napep from plying major roads in the state, saying that their operations constitute nuisance on the roads in the capital city.

The development is coming less than a year after the state government banned the use of commercial motorcycles otherwise known as okada in the capital city, which led to the influx of tricycles into Yenagoa.

The state Commissioner for

Transportation, Mrs. Marie Ebikake, in Yenagoa, said that the ban which takes effect from today (Wednesday) was aimed at reducing the spate of accidents on the roads in Yenagoa.

Ebikake said though the tricycles were free to operate on the adjoining inner streets

IPMAN moves to check kerosene scarcity in Edo

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN CITY—FOLLOWING the persistent scarcity of kerosene in Edo State, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has promised to collaborate with the state chapter of the association to check the activities of touts during loading of kerosene at the Benin depot.

On the factionalisation of the association in the state, IPMAN said that Chief Solomon Ogbewe, remains the authentic chairman of the Midwestern zone of the association until a fresh election was conducted.

National Adviser of IPMAN and former Vice President of the association, Mr. Ogbeide Konkon,who spoke to Vanguard, lamented that

from officials records available, only 50 trucks loaded with kerosene were recorded for the zone in a year, regretting that many trucks were being diverted through the activities of touts, thereby creating artificial scarcity in the state.

Noting that the purported election which saw the emergence of one Silvanus Idanwekhai as chairman of the association in the zone illegal, Konkon said: “We have investigated the reasons why we continue to have scarcity of kerosene, even when people have been loading the product. We discovered that in one year, only 50 trucks of kerosene were loaded, so others were loaded illegally through what they call ‘chukuly’ loading.

“So, the national secretariat

and the leadership here led by Chief Ogbewe want to stop the rubbish. But we have to warn that the product will not come to Benin depot if there is chaos, as product will not get to marketers as at when due and that is why we must stop the current crisis in the association which is a distraction.”

within the state capital, any one found on the major roads would be impounded.

She said that the restriction to adjoining innner streets was taken to save the lives of residents due to the recklessness of the tricycle operators on the major roads.

She said: “The tricycles are causing nuisance on our highways, we thought we are done with motorcycles but the tricycles are worse. Everyday, we get cases of accidents involving tricycles. We want to save lives and property, in as much as we want comfort. Go to the Federal Medical Centre and you will see people maimed and some have lost their lives due to the recklessness of the Keke Napep drivers.”

Oshiomhole, others for CYMA lecture

G

OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State will be the guest speaker at this year’s Catholic Young Men Association, CYMA, 14th annual lecture scheduled for Sunday, July 14, at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos, with the theme: “Nigeria, the Politics of Oil Subsidy and the Socio-economic Implications.”

In a statement, CYMA president, Mr. Vincent Uba, said the lecture will help policy makers to take objective decisions whether to remove or retain the oil subsidy.

Justice G. A. Oguntade (rtd), will be special guest of honour, while Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin will receive a special award at the event.

Lawmaker empowers constituents

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—MEMBER representing Ughelli North constituency I in Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Samuel Mariere, has empowered no fewer than 120 persons in the constituency as part of his empowerment programme.

Items presented include 20 brand new motorcycles for some indigent youths, cash for 50 women, 15 sewing machines, 10 pepper grinding machines, six welding machines, five barbing clippers with five power generating sets, and 10 hair dryers with 10 hair washing equipment and 10 25KV generators.

Presenting the items, Mariere said the gesture was “in fulfillment of a contractual agreement between a representative and the people, who chose and sent me to represent them in the state House of Assembly.

This scheme will come in phases beginning with Evwreni, Otor-Ogor, Agbarha-Otor and Orogun.

“This is an empowerment programme that will transform the lives of our people from Evwreni through Otor-Ogor to Agbarha-Otor and Orogun,” he said.

PDP stalwat eulogises Ewherido

T

HE Chairman of Standard Alliance Group and former governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has described the death of Senator Pius Ewherido as a painful loss to the nation, Delta State and the people of Delta Central senatorial district in particular.

He described Senator Ewherido as a goal-getter, who knew what he wanted and how to get what he wanted, saying “he was a brother and a friend, who most times over reached himself to satisfy others.”

Emerhor spoke through a three-man delegation led by the Mr. John Onojeharho, which was at the late Senator ’s Abuja home to deliver his message of condolences to the bereaved wife and family.

34— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10,2013

FCT FA boss backs Obuh’s resignation,

says quit in order C

HAIRMAN, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Football Association (FA), Alhaji Musa Talle said yesterday that Flying Eagles Coach, John Obuh, made the right decision by resigning after the U-20 World Cup. Talle said in Abuja that the coach had an agreement with the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) to take the team to at least the semi-final of the competition, which was not met.

It would be recalled that Nigerian Under-20 team were ousted from the World Cup in Turkey after they lost 2-1 to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.

He called on other coaches to emulate what Obuh did, adding that: “if you did not meet up with the terms and conditions given, it is better to resign honourably than being sacked”.

According to him, even though the coach does not want to resign, the NFA will definitely remove him, so it is better he resigned honourably than being embarrassed.

“What he did was right; I feel that was the best decision because he did not fulfil his part of the agreement.

“I call on other coaches to do the same, once an agreement is breached and the condition for taking the job not met, it is better to resign honourably than being removed,” he said.

Talle said that lack of good performance by the players was the coach’s failure, as he had the duty of adopting better ways of improving the team’s performance.

“You are the one to select the

players and if you do not select the players that will perform, it is your fault.

“For the fact that you have accepted the terms and conditions given to you, the success and failure goes to you.

“Whatever effort the NFA puts in during and after the competition is not recognised. The credit is always given to the coach,” he added.

OBOABONA

Flying Eagles Coach, John Obuh,

We can win the World Cup

BY JACOB AJOM

S

UPER Eagles defensive stalwart, Godfrey Oboabona has tipped Nigeria to not only qualify for the 2014 World Cup but to go to Brazil and make a good impression, saying, “we can win the World

Cup,” Oboabona who helped the Super Eagles to a 4-1 victory over the Elephants of Ivory Coast in Kaduna on Saturday said it was unfortunate the Coach Stephen Keshi-led team crashed out of the Confedera-

Gambo Mohammed signs for Club Africain

P

ILLARS striker Gambo Mohammed has joined Tunisian side Club Africain on a three-year deal, his club have announced.

“Gambo has agreed to join Club Africain on a three-year deal. He will leave for Tunisia within the week,” said Pillars spokesman Idris Malikawa. “Two other clubs from China and Saudi Arabia wanted Gambo but after we studied all the offers, we agreed that Club Africain’s deal was best for the player.”

At a press briefing on Tuesday in Kano, club chairman Abba Yola said he believes Gambo’s C M Y K

move will enhance the player ’s career.

“This transfer is in the right direction for Gambo. It will make him a better player,” said Abba Yola. He enjoined the player to be a good ambassador of the club as well as Nigeria, while thanking him for his total commitment to the club while he was there.

The Nigeria international has previously attended trials in Turkey and Egypt.

Ezenwa Otorogu and Victor Ezeji are some of the Nigerian strikers who have featured for Tunis-based Club Africain.

— Oboabona

tions Cup after the first round of matches. “It was just unfortunate we could not progress beyond the first round. We played very well but we failed because we could not convert our chances. If we qualify for the World Cup and are able to put up 30%of what we played at the Confederation Cup, we can win the World Cup,”Oboabona said.

He insisted that if there was another chance of meeting Spain again, the result will be different. “ We played Spain to a standstill at the tournament.

Should they cross our path again, I doubt if they can beat us.”

On African Nations Champi-

onship for home-based national teams, CHAN, the Sunshine Stars defender acknowledged that Ivory Coast would want to prove stubborn in the second leg but was sure, the Eagles will progress to the championship proper.

“We know they are still nursing the hope of stopping us from going to South Africa. We will not allow them get into our goal area. We have a good chance of qualifying Nigeria for CHAN for the first time. because we want to break the jinx and be in South Africa come January 2014.”

He said he is not in a hurry to leave the shores of this country because “God’s time is the best.” Said he, “I believe whoever loves me would not pray for me to leave this country in a hurry. I want to wait for the right time.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013— 35

Murray on course to become richest A

NDY Murray’s personal fortune is expected to rise up to 200 million pounds after his Wimbledon victory, bringing the Scot closer to becoming the richest man in British sport.

Murray reportedly received 1.6 million pounds for his win on Sunday, taking his career prize money total to 20 million pounds, but endorsements and sponsorships are expected to take his personal fortune beyond 32 million pounds.

Reports said the star could expect a 10

million pounds-a-year sponsorship deal with Adidas and renewed contracts with Head, RBS and watchmaker Rado and if the player reached the world No.1 ranking, his potential earnings would be as good as Roger Federer.

Meanwhile, Murray is set to be put behind just Lennox Lewis and David Beckham as one of the top earning British sports stars in history. PR guru Max Clifford said that Murray could make up to 100 million pounds in sponsorship deals over the next five years.

Bale, Van Persie nominated for UEFA Best Player Award G

ARETH BALE is in line for another gong after he was nominated for UEFA

•Bale

Best Player in Europe award.

Bale, who did the ‘PFA double’ earlier this year, has been

•Van Persie

named on the 10-man shortlist for the top European prize.

Robin van Persie is the only other Premier League star to be nominated.

European champions Bayern Munich have Four players on the list, which also includes Manchester United target Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

The award, which will be decided on August 29, is voted for by a jury of journalists from countries across Europe.

Messi and Andres Iniesta won the previous two UEFA Best Player in Europe awards.

Nominees: Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robert Lewandowski, Lionel Messi, Thomas Muller, Franck Ribery, Ajren Robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Robin Van Persie.

•Murray

Haye agrees to fight Fury on 28 September

H

aye has challenged his unbeaten rival to consent to the fight – instead of agreeing to fight David Price’s conqueror Tony Thompson.

Haye posted a video of himself signing the contract on his Instagram account.

Accompanying the video, he wrote: “I’ve just signed to fight Fury on Sep 28, let’s hope he finally agrees (and signs today) and he doesn’t keep delaying. “Word around camp fire is Fury is looking to duck me and fight Tony ‘The Tiger ’. Let’s hope they are just rumours ...”

Rio tells Rooney to stay at Utd R

IO Ferdinand believes Wayne Rooney should remain at Manchester United, pointing to the number of trophies Cristiano Ronaldo has won since joining Real Madrid as a motivation to stay put.

Rooney has been heavily linked with the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich recently, but new United manager David Moyes insists the striker is not for sale. Ferdinand concurs with Moyes’ stance, claiming that while Ronaldo has excelled personally away from Old Trafford, the desire to win silverware remains a footballer’s top priority.

“I think when someone is at your club who has been there for the length of time he [Rooney] has been there, he’s more than clued up to understand the dynamics of the club,” said Ferdinand. “He’s mature enough now and old enough to make his own mind up. I’m C M Y K

sure in time he’ll have his say.

“I don’t see where you go better from here. For instance, Cristiano has been ridiculous as a football player individually but has he won more trophies since leaving than what we’ve won? That’s the way I

look at it. “I wouldn’t say that he shouldn’t have gone there; it was his dream to go there, so you have to respect that. But I just look at things in a plain, black and white way - I want to win trophies so why would I leave here?”

•Haye

Tiger’s project in Dubai scrapped for good T

•Tiger Woods

IGER Woods’ golf-course design in Dubai has reportedly been scrapped for good. ArabianBusiness.com reported Tuesday that Dubai Properties Group, a unit of Dubai Holding, has “dissolved” its partnership with Woods, after his signature golf estate was suspended in 2010 amid the economy crisis and never revived.

The developer will now seek other options to get the project started, but it will have no association with Woods, according to the report. The Tiger Woods Dubai project, which was to include a complex of 100 villas, 75 mansions, 22 palaces, a boutique hotel and golf academy, was originally announced in 2006, with a scheduled opening in ’09.

Woods has since turned his attention to Diamante Cabo San Lucas in Mexico, which broke ground last year. It’s the fourth contracted design for Tiger Woods Design since the firm’s inception in 2006. The other three – Punta Brava in Ensenada, Mexico; The Cliffs in Asheville, N.C.; and Al Ruwaya in Dubai – were either never finished or never opened to the public.

36—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

Ijaw/Itsekiri crisis: Urhobo call for ceasefire

Edo sets up audit panel for schools

BY FESTUS AHON

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

U

GHELLI—A political group, Urhobo Democratic Assembly, UDA, has condemned what it described as the senseless killings in the renewed hostilities between the Ijaws and Itsekiris in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, enjoining parties to cease fire in the interest of peace in the state.

He advised the people to sheathe their swords, saying “even with the killings, at the end of the day, the people will still come to a round-table for dialogue.”

He called on the state government not to relent in its efforts to restore peace to the area.

The group also lamented the deaths of Senator Pius Ewherido, representing Delta Central Senatorial District and Senator William Eradajaye.

National President of UDA, Chief Arthur Akpowowo, spoke at a meeting of the group in Eku, Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state.

B

ENIN—EDO State Government has set up an investigative panel in the 18 local government areas of the state to audit schools, number of teachers in the schools, their qualifications and the salaries and allowances paid to them.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole said this, yesterday, when the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House.

He said the decision was designed to get to the root of the current mismanagement in the primary schools with regards to teachers salaries.

He said: “It was part of this search, I suspect, that led to some people burning down the archives at the Ministry of Education.

“What we have been trying to do is to find the courage to clean up the mess we inherited in the state and ensure that we leave behind, not just roads, schools and street lights, but a school system that works, so that the level of manipulation can be minimised if not completely eradicated.

“If there is one matter that has engaged my time and those of my lieutenants in government, it is resolving the problem of teachers’ salaries, because the problem has been there for a very long time.”

He said: “It is sad to hear of Ewherido’s death, realising

OREMOST Nigerian law firm, AELEX, will hold its 9th annual lecture on the theme In God’s Name: Politics, Religion and Economic Development, in Lagos, July 25.

Associate Director and Scholar in Residence of the Religious Freedom Project, Berkley Centre for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Professor Timothy Shah, will be the guest speaker at the event, while Justice Mustapha Akanbi, former President of

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI—CHAIRMAN of Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, Rev. Sam Kem, has said that there was no war between Ijaw and Itsekiri in Delta State.

He said that what happened in Warri North was an isolated case fueled by some miscreants, who must be fished out and punished.

He said: “We had skirmishes traceable to some miscreants, who want to cover their nefarious economic activities under the guise of ethnic conflict.

“I am a Warri man and if there is going to be a conflict, I will know. Right now, there is no conflict.

“I can tell you that there is no agenda for Ijaw to fight Itsekiri and no agenda by the

the Court of Appeal, will chair it.

To discuss the issues arising from the lecture are the Rt. Rev. George Bako, retired Bishop of Lokoja, Anglican Communion; Mallam Shehu Sani, human rights activist and President of the Civil Rights Congress.

Other are Ayo Obe, the Co Vice-Chair, International Crisis Group and Segun Adeniyi, Chairman of the Editorial Board, THIS DAY newspapers.

Itsekiri to fight the Ijaw. There is no plot anywhere by any of the ethnic groups to go on rampage.

“It is an isolated incident.

What is going on is the handiwork of miscreants, economic saboteurs and those who believe that it is only when there is turmoil that they would be able to carry out their oil bunkering and piracy activities.”

Recalling his role in finding

solution to the Warri crisis in the past, he said “not many of us would want to relive such experience again, and in the current case, we have tried to make sure it does not spread.”

He added that staff of Warri South-West Local Government Area, who are of Itsekiri extraction, recently refused to go to work because they feared that the crisis could spread to Warri South-West.

Isoko Political Front endorses APC

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN—ISOKO Political Front, IPF, an amalgam of Isoko progressive forces, which was an ally of the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, in Delta State in the last general elections, has resolved to pitch its tent with the yet-to-be registered All Progressive Congress, APC. The group, in a statement at the end of its meeting in Ozoro, headquarters of Isoko North in Delta State, said it was imperative for all progressive-minded groups to key into the wind of change blowing across the country.

It said: “Arising from recent national political developments leading to the coalescence of the progressive

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

others.

“It is heartbreaking, but the most painful is that of Senator Ewherido, who only celebrated his 50th birthday a few months ago.”

There's no Ijaw/Itsekiri war, says Warri S-West council chairman

Law firm holds lecture on politics, religion, economic devt

F

that we (Urhobo nation) have lost a lot of our political front runners such Chief Patrick Bolokor, Chief Efe Akpobi, Chief Elizabeth Ogbon-Day, Chief Fred Brume, amongst

forces nationwide, it becomes imperative for Isokos to identify with the progressive political movement and wind of change across the nation.

“Consequently, IPF rising from its general session, formally endorses APC as the vehicle of Isoko political expression and liberation.

"IPF, hereby, directs all Isoko sons and daughters, youths, market women, professionals groups and associations to register en masse with APC.” The statement was signed by Prof. Isaac Adakpo and Dillion Oyuwe, National and Deputy National Secretary of IPF, respectively.

It said that IPF was founded to give the Isoko ethnic nationality conscience, consciousness, a role in Delta State and national voice.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (nwamad@yahoo.com)

On £3,000 bond for UK visa(2)

O

F course! Nigerians need to run away from mass poverty in the midst of plenty, unprecedented unemployment, terrorism, general insecurity, bad governance and hopelessness.So let who can, pay and go there. — Miss Esther Adichie, Student.

I

have no problem with the policy. In 2012 alone, 101,000 Nigerians were said to have obtained six-month visa into the UK. Majority travel to the UK to procure healthcare that is unavailable in Nigeria. It is about what thet want.— Dr. Philip Ugbodaga, Activist.

I

F Nigeria is properly governed, I doubt if Nigerians will be going to the UK or any other country. I seek this opportunity to beg our leaders to invest more in Nigeria, instead of buying properties abroad and all these troubles will stop.

— Mr. Onwuchekwa Martins, Broadcaster.

T

HE world will only begin to treat us with respect when we put our house in order. Our leaders should sit down, introspect very genuinely and come up with workable solutions towards socio-economic rejuvenation.— Mrs Ebere Ositadimma, Businesswoman.

T

HE policy is tar geted at curtailing unnecessary travel to the UK. Go to the airport and see the number of Nigerians that leave the country daily. We should not speak ill of the policy, if that is what they want. They make plans over there. — Miss Ajie Fortune, Model.

T

HE policy is good.

I really do not see anything bad in somebody saying ‘before coming to my place you have to pay some money.’ What is left is for the visitor to ask a genuine question: ‘Is my going there necessary?’— Miss Onyinye Akubuenyi, Student.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013— 37

C M Y K

38—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10,2013

Police arrest man with fake notes worth N1m in Ebonyi

MASSOB, Igbo youths trade accusations

BY OKONKWO EZE

BY PETER OKUTU

O

N I T S H A — MOVEMENT for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday, accused members of Association of Igbo Youths Organisation, AIYO, of abducting one of its leaders, identified as Chief Arinze Igbani.

MASSOB’s Deputy National Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, who raised the alarm said AIYO members abducted Igbani last Saturday and demanded N500,000 for his release.

He lamented that the police merely asked them to come over to the police station and put their statement in writing, instead of swinging into action.

In a reaction, AIYO denied the accusations and gave MASSOB conditions for reconciliation.

Briefing newsmen, leader of AIYO, Chief Venatius Muoneke, accused MASSOB of committing many atrocities in the South East zone, especially Onitsha and its environs, adding that the movement had last April set AIYO vehicle ablaze and killed two of their members.

2 remanded for alleged theft

BY DANIA ONOZURE

A

PRESENTATION—Oluwole Michael, Adewale Adeyinka, Akinlaja Solomon and another student during presentation at the ongoing 2013 Microsoft imagine student software competition in St. Petersburg, Russia, yesterday. Photo: Emeka Aginam

Anambra guber poll holds Nov 16

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA—THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has released the timetable for the governorship election in Anambra State, which comes up on November 16, 2013.

Details of the timetable showed that campaign for the election by political parties would commence on August 18, 2013, while the parties are expected to have completed their primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from the primaries, by September 2, 2013.

According to INEC, the

C M Y K

state secretariat with many flags hoisted in the area, while others hoisted their flags around offices belonging to other people.

Investigation showed that some of the politicians who brought the parties into the state were either planning to negotiate with parties that would present candidates, or were hoping to benefit from any fallout from the election.

Chairman of one of the new political parties told Vanguard that if his party was unable to get a credible candidate for the election, it would align with one of the parties that had a strong candidate and negotiate with it for what would be its benefit after the election.

Group calls for removal of Rivers CP

L

AGOS— A 41-year-old man, Seriki Bashiru, 41, and one other, were yesterday remanded in prison by an Ikeja Magistrate court for alleged armed robbery.

The defendant and another suspect, Aheed Ayoola, 30, are facing a five-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and armed robbery brought against them before Magistrate Dan Oni. Police prosecutor, Inspector Edet Okoi, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offence on June 14 and June 15, 2013.

He said the defendants, who both reside at 2 Kabiyesi street, Itire, committed the crime at 43, Araromi street, Itire, Lagos.

Okoi said the accused while armed with gun and other dangerous weapons, robbed one Doctor Godwin Okonkwo of his Volkswagen Golf Saloon car valued at N300,000.

He added that the suspects also robbed one Ganiyu Oloriebi of 27 Oluwole Ogunsanya street Itire of his three Bajaj Motorcycle valued at N120,000, on October 27, 2012,.

political parties have up to October 2, 2013, to either withdraw or replace candidates, while the last day for the submission of nomination forms by political parties is October 17, 2013.

The commission said further that the last day for the campaigns is October 15, with the run off election coming seven days of announcing the result of the main election, if any.

Meanwhile, there is an influx of political parties that were hitherto not operating in Anambra State, apparently because of the impending governorship election.

Some of the parties are occupying just one room as their

BY LAJA THOMAS

A

group, Vanguard for Greater Rivers State, VAGRIS, yesterday, called for the redeployment of Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu. Addressing newsmen in Lagos, the group urged the Inspector General of Police, Mr. M.D Abubakar, to redeploy Mbu for peace to reign in Rivers State.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the President General, Mr Emma Nwabrije and General Secretary, Mr Fred Iwenjora, said: “We observed the current situation of events in Rivers State, including the unwarranted and unfair challenge on the office and person of Governor Chibuike Amaechi by the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Mbu. “Going by the 1999 Constitution, the Executive Governor of any state in Nigerian is the Chief Security Officer of that state and in Rivers State, that

person is Chibuike Amaechi.

"And by the declaration of the 1999 Constitution, Governor Amaechi and, indeed, all governors deserve respect and co-operation of law enforcement officers.

“However, Mbu rather than engage himself in the pursuit of this onerous task, has engaged a duly elected governor in war of words. Mbu should strictly adhere to his briefs rather than stray into the murky waters of politics.

“We, therefore, appeal to the chairman of Police Service Commission, Chief Mike Mbama Okiro, and Inspector General of Police, M.D Abubakar, to redeploy Mbu for peace to reign in Rivers State.

“This, no doubt, would engender peace, unity and progress and nip in the bud the current spate of insecurity, kidnapping, armed robbery, senseless killings and breakdown of law and order which have suddenly become the order of the day in Rivers

State, a situations that had continued to distract the governor from carrying out his legitimate duties and responsibilities to the people”.

BAKALIKI— EBONYI State Police Command has arrested one Stephen Okolie Chukwu with fake N1 million notes.

Command’s spokesperson, DSP Sylvester Igbo, who made the disclosure during a briefing, said the suspect was arrested in Abakaliki on July 4, 2013, when he came to a Bureau De Change to convert N1 million denominations to US Dollars.

Igbo stated that on close examination of the currency notes by the bureau de change operator, who suspected that the notes were fake, lured the suspect to a bank (name withheld) where the money was confirmed to be fake by the bank management.

He noted that the item recovered from the suspect include fake N1million notes. He said the suspect had begun assisting the police in its investigation.

The suspect, who confessed to the crime, told newsmen that he bought the N1 million notes from one Ugoo who is based at Oguta , Imo State, at the rate of N150, 000.

Meanwhile, the State Police Command gave motorist in the state 13 days ultimatum to renew their vehicle particulars, change fake number plates or be arrested.

“The command has observed with dismay the indiscriminate use of vehicle/motorcycle without number plates and fake numbers plates".

Ekweremadu's aide urges caution over zoning of Enugu guber

BY CHNENYEH OZOR

N

SUKKA—FOLLOWING ceding of gubernatorial slot to Enugu North senatorial district by Governor Sullivan Chime in 2015 elections, an aide to Deputy Senate President, Martin Oloto, has cautioned against allowing sentiment to hold sway in selection of candidates for the poll.

Oloto told Vanguard in an interview that Enugu State politics had no zoning formula in selection of candidates for elections.

He noted that Nsukka zone should be able to select a credible candidate who could deliver for

people of the state.

He said; “I do not believe in sentiment in politics, sentiment does not bring the best candidate.

A candidate should be a person of proven integrity, who will have the interest of the public at heart.

“What is needed in governance would be a candidate who can deliver and turn around the state than subjecting people to abject poverty and penury”.

Oloto advised that Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, should not attach sentiment to selection of candidates for the 2015 guber election, explaining that people would believe in a candidate who had the ability to deliver.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013—39

DINNER: From left, President, Lagos State Cooperative Federation, Mr. Oriymi Ayeola; Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal; representative of the Lagos State Deputy Governor at the event, Hon. Omotayo Aramide; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Dr. Olajide Basorun and the Director of Cooperative Services, Mrs. Zuliat Ibraheem, during the Dinner/Award Nite, in commemoration of the 2013 International Day of Cooperatives, in Lagos.

REALITY SHOW: Managing Director, Marketing Solutions, Mr. Chris Parkes (centre), explaining a point to Managing Director, Central Securities Clearing System, CSCS, Mr. Kyari Bukar (left), and Executive Director, RT Briscoe Ford, Mr. Segun Ogunsola, during the Week 9 boardroom session of the ongoing MTN Business Next Titan reality TV show.

GRADUATION: From left, Director, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi; Chairman, Ambassador Hamzat Ahmadu both of MTN Foundation and Funminiwa Emmanuel, Recipient of MTNF prize for Best Graduating Student, during the 6th MTNF MUSON Music Scholars Graduation, at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

MEETING: Chairman Agege Local Government, Hon. Jubreel Abdulkareem (left), presenting the key of an18-seater bus to the Chief Imam, Agege Central Mosque, Alhaji Hamzat Olayiwola (2nd left); Imam, Obanibasiri Cenral mosque, Alhaji Muritala Busari (2nd right), and Vice Chairman, Hon. Suleimon Odueso (right), shortly after the enlarged peace & security meeting with the religious leaders in the Local Government Secretariat, Agege

VISIT: From left, Executive Director, Lagos & South West of Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kingsley Aigbokhaevbo; Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Jibril Aku; Osun State Governor, Engr. Rauf Aregbesola and Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, during the visit of Ecobank Management, weekend, in Osogbo.

MEETING: From left, Capt. Tony Onoharigho, President, National Campaign for Credible Elections and Leadership; Dr. Gbolade Osinowo, BoT Chairman; Comrade Benson Godson, PRO and Mr. John Egesi, Secretary, during their inaugural meeting in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.

VISIT: From Left, Co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, President Boo-Keun Yoon and Chief Timothy Ofoezie, and his wife, Barr. Ofoezie, CEO of Tino Electronics, at the corporate headquaters of Tino Electronics, Lekki, during a visit by President Yoon. Photo: Oscar Ochiogu.

LECTURE: Chairman, Planning Committee, Mr. Emmanuel Uwukhor; President, Catholic Young Men's Association, CYMA, Mr. Vincent Uba and Financial Secretary of the Association, Mr. Innocent Madu, during a press conference to herald the 14th Annual lecture of the association sheduled for July 14, at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos.

LAUNCH: From left, proprietress of Eyes on the Future Schools, Mrs. Sally Omotosho; her husband and Chairman of the school, Engr. Peter Omotosho; Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, his wife, Mrs. Folashade Ashafa, and President, Eyes on the Future Schools, Chicago, USA, Mrs. Aziel Gebrehiiwet, during the launch of a book, at the commissioning of the school's new hostel, at Orile Agege, Lagos

40—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10,2013

2013 IMAGINE CUP: We'll do Nigeria proud

Bauchi secures N2.88bn World Bank loan to create jobs

B

— Arulogun

BY EMEKA AGINAM

R

USSIA—AFTER a good presentation and outing, yesterday before panel of international judges at the ongoing 2013 Imagine Cup software students competition, the world’s premier student technology competition holding in St. Petersburg, Russia, the mentor of team Nigeria, ‘Team LifeSaver', D r. O.T. Arulogun, has said Nigerian team will bring the Cup home.

The Team LifeSaver is from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.

More than $1million in cash and prices are available to student competitors.

Over the past 10 years, more than 1.65 million students from more than 190 countries have participated in the Microsoft Imagine Cup annual competition.

This year, there will be no elimination in rounds as all finalist teams will remain in the competition until winners are announced on the last day of the event this week.

With their amazing solution and great supports from National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Dell, Nokia a n d M a i n O n e , D r.

Arulogun, who is a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of the university, having witnessed the brilliant presentation of the four best software incubators from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ilefe, (OAU) and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (Lautech) Ogbomoso, Oyo respectively said that, “that was a good beginning.

“The students are well equipped. That was a good outing. I am very optimistic that Team Nigeria will fly Nigeria's flag well by coming out as the best team in the national finals in the category of World Citizenship."

VISIT—From right: Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, welcoming the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Agriculture, Dr. Mohammed Santuraki to his Office; while the Head of Corporate Planning of the bank, Mr. Babatunde Igun looks on during a visit at the Government House, Ilorin on Monday.

SURE-P generates 116,000 jobs nationwide — FG

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

A

BUJA —THE Federal Government, yesterday, said Community Services Women and Youths Employment, CSWYE, project of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), has generated no fewer than 116,000 jobs across the country.

Speaking through the Minster of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu in Abuja, the government said a total of N3, 183,820,150.00 had been paid to date as stipends to beneficiaries of CSWYE project of the SUREP across the federation.

A statement by Olowookere Samuel, Assistant Director (Press) in the Labour ministry, said Chief Wogu spoke during the inaugural meeting of the inter-ministerial consultative committee of the CSWYE Project of SURE-P. According to Wogu; “monthly stipends are consistently, being paid to beneficiaries. To date a total of N3, 183,820,150.00 has been paid as stipends to beneficiaries across the Federation.”

He noted that the project which started with 14 pilot states with 300 to 1000 beneficiaries had employed a total of 116,000 beneficiaries, saying “the project started in fourteen pilot states with 300 to 1000 beneficiaries in each, but has now scaled up to 3000 in each state and FCT. To date, a total of 116,000 beneficiaries (74,863 males 41,137 females and including 5,432 people living with disabilities) are deployed in 34

states and FCT, working on a total of 5,761 projects/services spread across 10,707. We project to engage 2000 more beneficiaries per state, including the FCT before the year runs out to attain the 185,000 set annual target.”

In a related development, Chief Wogu while briefing the House of Representatives Committee on Labour, Productivity and Employment, on the implementation status of the CSWEY project, called on the legislators to pass the amendment proposal to the 2013 budget as presented by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said this would facilitate the sustenance of the project without which the second phase of the CSWYE project cannot be implemented and payment of stipends to existing beneficiaries would not be sustained.

“The major challenge of the project is non-approval of the budgetary provision in full to sustain the payment of stipends to beneficiaries. This is of great concern as any delay in payment of stipends results in ripples of crisis by participating youths in the states” In his remarks, the Chairman House Committee on Labour, Productivity and Employment, Essien Ayi, said: “In my state, Cross River State, we are aware of the activities of the CSWYE project of SURE-P. I heard that they have started paying them because it is an E-payment system done directly to the account of the beneficiaries”.

He added that, the purpose of inviting the minister was for him to come and shed more light on the activities of the project in order to guide the committee on its oversight function which is due to commence soon.

AUCHI—THE Bauchi State Ministry of Budget and Planning has said the state government has secured an $18 million (about N2.88 billion) intervention loan from the World Bank to address the problem of unemployment in the state.

The government also lamented that its 2012 budget was poorly implemented due to irregular allocations from the Federation Account.

Commissioner of Budget and Planning, Alhaji Aminu Hammayo, spoke in an interview with newsmen yesterday on the achievements of his ministry from 2007 till date in Bauchi.

Hammayo noted that the poor implementation of budget in the state was as a result of delay in the release of federal allocations into the state account.

“The state has experienced a setback in the area of budget implementation because release of fund into the state account did not come as timely as it ought to. For example, the allocation made in the month of February is still yet to enter into the state’s account and you can now understand why there is a poor implementation of the 2012 budget because of the delay in funding,” he said.

YOBE MASSACRE: Defence Hqtrs on fact-finding mission A BUJA—FOLLOWING the weekend attack on a school in Yobe which led to the killing of 29 secondary school students, a teacher and an Islamic preacher, the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, yesterday, dispatched a high powered fact-finding team to the State.

A statement issued in Abuja, yesterday, by Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen Chris Olukolade,

said the team was led by Maj.Gen. Collins Ariahu, Chief of Research and Development in the DHQ. According to the statement, the team was expected to carry out on-the-spot assessment of the deployment of troops of the Joint Task Force in the state. ’‘The team is to pay particular attention to the security circumstances surrounding the attack on the Government Secondary School, Mamudo, near Potiskum, at the week-

end.

“The team is to also visit troops deployed in remote locations in Yobe State to verify the effectiveness of patrol and cordon and search operations.

“This is to forestall any further breach of security and track down perpetrators of the weekend attack.

“The team is expected to brief the Chief of Defece Staff in respect of any requirement for additional troops and logistics for the operation in Yobe state,” it said.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 — 41

42—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

Mayhem in Rivers Assembly Continues from Page 1 changed. Can five members sit to impeach the leadership of the House?

We did not expect there would be chaos in the House. We were all exchanging pleasantries before we were attacked.“ Asked why only 23 loyalists of the governor sat to pass the amendment sought by the executive given the fact that the ranks of the loyalists of the governor had been

given to be 27, he said that the four other members sent in excuses that they would be absent.

He, however, quickly noted that the 23 who sat were still in the majority.

"It is not compulsory that every member must be present in our sitting. I am aware they took excuses”, he said.

On the mace that was used by the four lawmakers to sit, he said it was fake, adding that the tradition to convene the

House was for the Speaker to be escorted by the Sergeant-at-Arms with the mace. "The Sergeant-at-Arms only escorted me with the mace.”

When asked to comment on the action of the Police and other security operatives during the melee he said he was totally dissatisfied with the conduct of the Police.

The Speaker said the House had applied for Police protection to cover

the sitting but he was surprised that they only came to watch.

“I asked the Clerk to write to the Commissioner of Police and the Army for protection. The Police came watching.

We will write to the National Assembly. We also did not see the Army”, he said.

Giving his narration of what happened yesterday, the Majority Leader who was taken to hospital in a statement said: “Well, yesterday the

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Otelema Dan Amachree directed that the House be reconvened to consider an amendment to the 2013 appropriation law which the Governor had communicated to him via a letter and as if Mr. Speaker saw what was going to happen today, he wrote a letter through the Clerk of the House to the Commissioner of Police to provide security for today’s sitting and he also wrote to the commander of 2 Amphibious Brigade who also doubles as the head of the internal JTF. So when we

got to work this morning, we saw the presence of policemen numbering over 50 and we thought that this was in response to Mr. Speaker ’s request.

"Shortly thereafter, I noticed that the five antiAmaechi members were discussing in clusters and calling on their boys to come in. Initially, the policemen were searching everybody who would come into the premises. I had to even come down at the gate and trekked into the premises. So after a while, we learnt that there were phone calls and the commissioner of police personally called the unit, the man in charge to allow everybody in.

"We went in as members who have not seen ourselves for sometime because of the crisis in the state. I was on my seat, without provocation, Hon. Evans Bipi came to me in the full glare of everybody on camera and started raining punches on me. As his leader I did not react because I felt that it is something we could settle, whatever it is, maybe I didn’t greet him also.

So he continued when that continued, the speaker intervened and said, ha, 'what’s happening'.

"Then he reached out for the tripod that stands the camera, used it freely on me, himself and Michael Okechukwu Chinda. They flogged me to their satisfaction, I didn’t just utter a word until Hon. Ihunwo graciously asked me to run for my dear life because they have brought people with guns and of course when I looked at the gallery they were shouting who is the Chidi Lloyd, who is the Chidi Lloyd."

"So at that point, I’m sure somebody may have reached out to the governor of the state who came in with his own security because these other policemen were there standing helplessly, watching what was going on. So he came and rescued members out of the place.

"Then after a while, we heard that they were meeting; they had procured a fake mace to the House, so we went back and I took the mace where they were sitting.

I sustained injury as a result of the violence by Michael Chinda and Evans Bipi."

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY , JULY 10 , 2013 — 43

State of emergency: Army reviews curfew in Adamawa

BY UMAR YUSUF

Y

BURIAL: Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State (right) and Professor Epiphany Azinge, SAN, at the burial of late Madam Angelina Onyebuchi Azinge, matriarch of the Azinge family of Asaba, Delta State. Photo: Nath Onojake.

OLA—NIGERIAN Army in Yola, yesterday, announced a review of the curfew imposed in Adamawa State, at the wake of emergency rule imposed on the state in April by President Goodluck Jonathan.

A statement issued by the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Fatai Allih, on behalf the 23 rd Armored Brigade of the Nigerian Army, said the curfew

would now run from 11pm to 5am daily instead of 8pm to 5am.

The statement indicated that the review of the curfew was as a result of the improvement in security situation in Adamawa state.

It added that the review of the curfew was also to enable Mos-

lems in the state to observe the Holy month of Ramadan in accordance with the teaching of Islam.

The statement warned those with the intention of disrupting law and order to desist from such act or face the full wrath of the law.

Niger govt okays vigilante groups for LGs

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

M

INNA—NIGER State Government has legalised the setting up of vigilante groups in all the 25 local government areas of the state, with a warning that they must not carry arms and should not be seen as a replacement for regular police in their areas of operation.

Governor Aliyu, who spoke at the passing out ceremony of 300 members of the vigilante group floated by Chanchaga Local Government Area of the state, yesterday.

It also announced the proscription of any group or individual carrying dangerous weapons under the guise of security.

He noted that such people would not only be arrested, but prosecuted according to the laws of the land.

The governor said: “You are only set up to assist on security. You are not empowered to carry arms; you cannot detain and you cannot have your own cells but you can arrest and hand over the a r r e s t e d persons to the police immediately for the laws to take its natural course.”

Shell appoints new CEO

L

AG O S — R OYAL Dutch Shell named refining head, Ben van Beurden as its new chief executive, picking a man with little board-level experience but broad company exposure and first-hand knowledge of the gas technology it has bet its future on.

Van Beurden, who became head of refining, marketing and chemicals in January, has been at the Anglo-Dutch group for 30 years and spent a decade in the liquefied

natural gas, LNG, industry.

At 55, the Dutchman is of similar age to Peter Voser, the Swiss national he is replacing, who announced his surprise retirement in May. Though not widely known outside Europe’s top oil company, van Beurden is respected inside it.

He also represents a big part of Voser’s vision of its future as a business in the forefront of oil and gas technology, thanks to his experience in LNG, where Shell has become the acknowledged industry leader.

StarTimes invests N20bn in Nigeria

A

B U J A — STARTIMES has invested over N20 billion in the country, the Director, NTA/StarTimes Network, Mr. Maxwell Loko, has said.

He told journalists at a briefing in Abuja, yesterday, that the company would mark its third year anniversary in August with a splash of N14 million earmarked for customers.

He said: “StarTimes 3rd year Anniversary

Splash will be giving away a total value of N14 million worth of cash and products to all her customers in all 16 states and new cities to be covered during this year’s promo.”

He added that three lucky subscribers would win N N1 million each, as grand draw prizes, while N100, 000 each for 16 people in 16 states. Product items to be given out he said would include LED TV, LCD TV, CRT TV Mobile TV pones and GPS 501 Car series.

44 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 — 45

46—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

Budget 2013: We won't be intimidated — Sen Makarfi SENATOR Ahmed Makarfi, former governor of Kaduna State is the senator representing Kaduna North in the Senate. In this interview with GBENGA OKE, he bares his mind on national issues ranging from budget amendment, the Nigerian Governors' Forum ,NGF, crises and the opposition parties. Excerpts:

T

HE Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was reported to have said that government by September might be shutdown if the budget ammendment bill was not passed. What is your reaction?

Well, that is what I read myself in the papers but I believe that sometimes the report might not be exactly what the person said.

I do know the presidency has submitted different versions of budget amendment to the National Assembly and these different versions could have been avoided if ab-initio proper consultation had been made.

The fury over the 2013 budget is totally unnecessary, even if there are certain areas that needed to be attended to.

My professional opinion is that such areas could have been easily attended to through supplementary budget as the year goes by.

But we missed that chance and I believe maybe they were bombarded with advice from different directions and the situation became confusing.

She (Okonjo-Iweala) was with me and she never agreed she made such statement. The National Assembly is conscious of its responsibilities and if there are issues in the budget that needed to be addressed, I am absolutely sure that the National Assembly will address it but we cannot be intimidated or coerced by any kind of statement from any

passed and submitted to Mr. President and in addition to that was an assertion that personnel cost was cut across board and that that will result to shortage of funds to pay personnel cost.

I was Finance Chairman of the Senate when the budget was made and I am still the chairman till date and I was not privy to any such cut but if that happens to be the case, it is a very easy thing to do.

As I mentioned earlier, what is in the provision will last up to September or October and you are required to move funds from one head to the other and you can easily do that through virement and this virement is approved through resolution not even legislation. Legislation takes a longer process but resolution is a two or three day affair.

Even the critical capital project, before now, it had been a tradition that as the year draws to an end, you will look at where you have not exhausted the funds or where you are not likely to exhaust the funds provided, then you move them to where you can exhaust the funds and deliver completed projects.

Supplementary budget

•Markafi cooperating.

The National Assembly is

,

,

Unfortunately we now say once you are a past leader, your time has gone and you have no business in what is going on

quarters over the budget because the National Assembly will surely carry out its responsibilities.

Are you not afraid that the issue may lead to a face-off between the presidency and the National Assembly?

I don’t understand what people mean by face-off because we are two independent bodies though

supposed to be independent but again we are supposed to be cooperating for the common good of all Nigerians. If not over budget, there could be other issues that could trigger disagreement but these disagreements will be resolved through consultation and dialogue.

What really is the fuss over

the budget amendment bill?

Well, first of all as soon the budget was passed by the National Assembly, there were hues and crieses the budget was over-bloated.

There is ongoing debate that the National Assembly has no authority to add but can only approve or reject what the President has brought.

And the National Assembly based on the provision of the constitution claims that what the executive submits are mere estimates and proposals and such estimates and proposals are subject to what the final decision of the National Assembly would be.

So, there have been

arguments whether the National Assembly can add a new project that was not initially in the proposed budget.

If the National Assembly cannot, then who are they representing?

As representatives of the people, I believe responsible addition to any proposal by the executive should be expected otherwise their representation will not be so effective as it should be in terms of making sure the constituencies they represent are given a fair share of development vis-avis every other constituency in the country.

The argument followed immediately the budget was

This has been the tradition, so there is nothing new in approaching the National Assembly with a virement or supplementary budget but the way it was presented ab-initio, any legislator from a distance will think the entire budget was returned, the same bulky document like the initial proposal were just brought back to the National Assembly and that is actually intimidating.

As a former governor and member of the NGF between 1999 and 2007, was there a time the forum faced a crisis as it is now facing?

I am always conscious of the people around the corridors of power because sometimes whether you are on the side of the governors or the Continued on page 47

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013—47

H

POLITICAL METABOLISM

of religious extremism really stuck.

Attempts to soil his image using his stewardship of the Petroleum (Special) Task Fund, PTF were largely unsuccessful and almost bounced back at the instigators in a way that some prayer warriors would say ‘back to sender.’

with

EMMANUEL AZIKEN 08052201189

The Buhari phenomenon PDP, Buhari had suggested that he would leave the scene after the 2011 presidential elections.

Before the

,

IS brief grasp of govern ment between 1984 and 1985 was relatively unimpressive. He did not salvage Nigeria as promised.

His government’s trade policy hinged on counter trade was largely crude. Even the issue of discipline where he is today largely celebrated was punctured with the exposure of the contradictory action of his number two who breached the regime’s order barring under-aged from going for hajj.

But General Muhammadu Buhari still remains a political phenomenon, albeit a largely underachieving one.

In his Supreme Military Council, SMC, he was circumscribed by largely ambitious military politicians.

It was as such not surprising that his hard stance on issues turned into good currency for his rivals to make mincemeat of him and achieve their own life long political ambitions.

Indeed, Buhari, as military head of state, ruled as if there was no tomorrow. Now, at the twilight of his public life, The General, as he is largely celebrated by fans across the north, is obviously desperate to salvage a nation he claims is in the throes of maladministration.

After three consecutive defeats in the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party,

man and a religious moderate.

However, such unbiased comments have largely been overshadowed by the political

Some in that class pretended only for a brief period to believe in Buhari but once they got political power in his name, they immediately deserted the general

suggestion could take root, the general quickly reversed himself putting himself again in reckoning in the nation’s political chess game.

That reversal has been followed with such snide remarks as to whether he must be president?

Indeed, not a few are worried by the seemingly naïve political gesticulations of Buhari. That is despite the several accounts of those who have dealt with him anddescribe him as a good

,

faux pas of the general and the machinations of the ObasanjoAtiku Campaign Organisation ahead of the 2003 election.

The Obasanjo campaign almost successfully recast Buhari as a religious extremist unworthy of leading a multireligious and multi-cultural nation as Nigeria.

Different types of mud were indeed slung on him with the active collaboration of some sections of the media before that election. However, of all the mud on him, only the garb

Untimely death When the Obasanjo administration reportedly threatened to probe the activities of the PTF under Buhari, it, by some accounts precipitated the untimely death of Buhari’s Man Friday, who he had reportedly delegated most of the task of the PTF. But beside that casualty, the probe report, which indicted the successor administration at the PTF appointed by President Obasanjo largely exonerated Buhari.

For a man like Buhari, who has held some of the most politically exposed jobs in the country, including military governor of the defunct Northeast State, minister of petroleum and chairman of PTF, it is remarkable that Buhari has not been once indicted for any act of corruption. Those who have

known him say that he has indeed been faithful almost to the kobo.

It is this rare attribute of integrity that has largely won Buhari acclaim from Nigeria’s long suffering masses and the disdain of the political elite, who would panic at the thought of enrobing him with political power.

Across the North and South, the disdain for Buhari from the political elite is almost unanimous. Some in that class pretended only for a brief period to believe in Buhari but once they got political power in his name, they immediately deserted the general.

Today, General Buhari at the twilight of his long period of political exposure is faced with the crucial choice of abiding with the dogma of his ways which have not helped, or bending to achieve the revolution the masses desire.

Recently, he has been flocking with those he once condemned, those that betrayed him in his former party and even partnering with the preacher who was famously quoted as saying that “That tall man” is not the answer to our needs.

Buhari is indeed turning into a politician, but he fearfully could make a mess of it!

Politics is at play in NGF — Makarfi resolved for the common good of Nigeria.

In electing the NGF chairman during your time as governor of Kaduna State, was it done through voting or consensus?

During our time, there was nothing like zoning. We never looked at ourselves as northerners or southerners.

There was a time a chairman emerged when the incumbent went inside to ease himself, before he came back, he had been changed as NGF. He had the right to disagree with the decision then, it

Continued from page 46

president, sometimes they create unnecessary confusion.

All these crises are not about the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), even if it affects the PDP because we are in power.

Now we have PDP Governors Forum, even during our time we used to meet as PDP governors but we didn’t have to announce that.

So PDP Governors Forum did not start with the present governors only that theirs was well announced, so when I hear people saying all sort of things about the formation of the PDP Governors Forum, to me it is nothing new.

,

Exaggeration of chairman's capacity So there should not be accusation that it has been created to victimise certain people, it existed and served a purpose during our time.

If I may ask, what is SouthSouth governors forum, what is South-East governors forum or Northern governors forum?

For me, it is just a governor like any other governor.

Maybe we over-exaggerated the capacity of the chairman of any of the governors' fora.

At the end of the day, they are only governors and I would rather call for reconciliation and dialogue

•Markafi:

for the sake of stability of the nation.

That is what politics is all about and I don’t think it is a problem beyond resolution.

Of course there maybe

people, who are not interested in wanting the problems solved for reasons best known to them, but based on my experience, I believe it is a crisis that could be

have no business in what is going on now.

That is absolutely impossible. Our political system has been unable to create that system where everybody is carried along.

You cannot be there forever but again you cannot be completely ignored.

So you have to find a balance to what makes people feel they are part of one large family if you continue going with the policy of exclusion, then the politics will be more heated and such crises will only get worse.

We cannot be intimidated or coerced by any kind of statement from any quarters over the budget

could have been offered to him but he never said anything.

So I think politics is at play and the problems we are seeing now is politics.

What are your feelings on the spate of crises affecting your party, the PDP? We have not been able to change with the changing time. In 1999 when we started, we were just starting but as time passed we created past leaders.

Unfortunately we now say once you are a past leader, your time has gone and you

,

How far do you think opposition parties involved in the mega merger can go in their efforts against the PDP? It is part of political development. For me, if we in PDP were sleeping before, it will wake us from our slumber. For me, it is a good thing that it’s happening.

Opposition can make an attempt but that is if the PDP gives them a chance.

If we put our house together and do what we are supposed to do, we will continue to govern.

48 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

Affair of convenience

He cares more for his kids Dear Bunmi, I am 24 and currently in love with a man I met two years ago. We’ve started discussing marriage but he says he can’t be committed to me until I am committed to his kids.

He’s divorced from their mother but sees a lot of her because of the children and I don’t have any problem with that.

I lived with him briefly but I moved back to my parents’ as we were arguing over his kids. He asks them to stay every weekend and even some nights in the weeks.

He’s a very good father but his parenting seems to have taken most of our time, leaving little for us.

He wants me to spend time with his sons who are nine and seven, but sometimes they can be difficult— worse if I’m around.

He says he loves me, but wants commitment. As things are now, I feel I’m wasting my time with him. I don’t really have anything in common with his sons.

Appolonia, by e-mail.

you make further plans. If things don’t improve, you may have to call it quits and

Dear Appolonia, If you can’t accept that this man comes with complete baggage, then you’re wasting your time.

Kids take up space and time and there’s no getting round that.

A lot of women would envy your man who takes his obligations seriously, but your longing to have a bit of him all to yourself is understandable.

You need to let him know how unrealistic it would be to love his sons as if you were their mother.

In the meantime, find ways of worming your way into their affection to bring you closer to them. Try to get one night a week when you’re just man and woman and his sons don’t feature.

Also try to be part of his family for say six months before

Will a change of diet cure my spots?

walk away. But he sounds like the kind of man who is worth some extra effort.

‘

Seriously though, I can’t see the harm in what I’m doing if my husband is none the wiser.

I mean, we’re not hurting him, are we?

Nkiru, by e-mail.

Dear Bunmi, I enjoy lovemaking with my boyfriend. But lately, he’s been encouraging me to be on top as it is his favourite position.

The problem is I don’t want to be in charge— it doesn’t feel right and I’ve got no rhythm. What can’ do?

Fatima, by e-mail.

ing turns at the leading role— shyness, laziness, lack of confidence ...

Then there’s the issue of preference. Some women are submissive, which is fine by men who want to dominate.

But other women like a bit of both, so they need to be versatile.

Men are visually-stimulated and your man probably just wants to look at your body.

But just to be sure, next time you’re on top, switch positions and let him know how you like things to be done to you!

Dear Nkiru, If you like playing with live grenades, that’s your business. Since your neighbour is married, you could find yourself facing a furious wife (or wives) and condemned by the whole neighbourhood as well.

If you’re at all serious about your marriage, it’s time for some serious discussion with your husband about how to manage your finances.

You may think you’re getting away with murder now your husband is none the wiser, but what happens if and when he finds out? What will it do to your kids and the stability of your marriage?

One study stumbled upon the effect by accident. It was set up to see how daily food I hate being on top supplements could improve the concentration of primary school children

’

Dear Bunmi, I am in my mid-twenties.

Since my teens, I’ve always been plagued by eczema and the tiny scars of their menace to my skin.

Recently, a friend, who is a dietician, told me that instead of applying expensive chemicals on my skin to get rid of the eczema, I should change my diet.

I intend to try anything to get relief. What sort of diet should I go for?

Fatima, by e-mail.

Dear Fatima, Many experts now believe that what we eat can have a

dramatic effect on the state of our skin, especially if we’re suffering from conditions such as eczema, which is conventionally treated with steroid creams.

One study stumbled upon the effect by accident. It was set up to see how daily food supplements could improve the concentration of primary school children.

One hundred kids were given pills containing omega three and omega six fish oil, evening primrose oil and Vitamin E designed to stimulate the brains. You can plan your diet along this line and cut off fatty food and fizzy drinks.

Is he in the relationship for money?

Dear Bunmi, Although my boyfriend has his own flat, he spends all his free time in mine. Only he scarcely pays for anything he eats or drinks. This makes me angry knowing how expensive food and utilities are.

Whenever I asked him to chip in more, he agrees, then turns up with next to nothing in his wallet. As things are now, it is a struggle for me to

Dear Bunmi, I recently got together with a neighbour even though we’ve lived in the same neighbourhood for years. We finally met at a friend’s house-warming and struck up a friendship.

He’s married to two wives but lives alone because of his peace of mind. He stays the night with any of the wives when he needs to. Because of this, I am free to visit him and he usually calls my mobile when he’s free.

Lovemaking with this man is great and he gives me money that I really need to keep body and soul together. What both my husband and I earn can’t keep up with the current inflation.

My closest friend in whom I confided in was really shocked by this relationship and sees it as nothing short of prostitution.

pay for everything.

Tonia, by e-mail.

Dear Tonia, What you have on your hands is not just a money problem, it’s a loving problem.

Your boyfriend, apart from being a leach, is lacking in respect, affection and care.

He should want to contribute, make your life easier and want an equal relationship

where you both at least, pay your way. If you’re to pay for things both of you enjoy, then it is obvious he’s in the relationship for all he can get.

My advice? Don’t waste time trying to find the money to support this free-wheeler.

And don’t waste your breath trying to convince him to pay his way. Show him the door and solve all your problems at once!

Dear Fatima, The ‘battle for bottom’ is a common bedroom farce.

There are lots of reasons some woman duck out of tak-

Is he trying to rape me?

Dear Bunmi, I am a girl in my mid-teens and live in a two-bedroom flat with our mother. My mother sleeps in one of the rooms with my elder sister, while I share the other room with my younger brother who is 13.

Twice now, he has tried to sneak into my bed when he thought I was fast asleep and I have shoved him off at both attempts. I now fear he might try it again and find it difficult to sleep properly in case he does.

My friend has advised that if he does it again, I should squeeze his balls until he screams and wakes mum. I would have told mum myself but she has just got the flat after a great effort and I don’t want to upset her. What do you

advice?

Munirat, by e-mail.

Dear Munirat, I guess you must have tried to speak to your brother yourself. Why not find someone he really respects to speak to him?

What he is doing is dangerous. The poor boy is obviously curious about s.x, but going about it the wrong way.

Gripping his scrotum as your friend suggested could be dangerous for him. I’m sure once he knows he’s going to be found out, he would leave you alone.

He also needs to be talked to about s.x and if you have a good relationship with your dad, you could ask him to talk to your brother.

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 —

49

GKS hails National Assembly on same sex marriage

Don condemns N335m budget for bishop's consecration

By SAM EYOBOKA

A

FEW days after the installation of a Catholic bishop for the university town of Nsukka in Enugu State, a senior lecturer with the University of Nigeria in the town, Dr. Tony Nwaezeigwe has expressed displeasure over the huge budget expended on the pro-ject, accusing the church lead-ership of insensitivity.

Dr. Nwaezeigwe, a Senior Research Fellow at UNN’s Institute of African Studies, wondered why the Catholic Church which often frowns at the high level corruption in the current government should budget a whooping N335 million for the installation of a new bishop for Nsukka Dio-cese.

In a statement made available to Vanguard, the lecturer wondered if the Church leadership is on the same page with “its teaming masses? Otherwise, why should the church budget a whooping N335 million to install a new bishop of Nsukka Diocese, as recently announced by Chief Nnia Nwodo?

More embarrassing: “What is even more embarr-assing is that Chief Nwodo stated that the said amount was meant to feed 50 bishops and about 1,000 priests at the occasion. This is without re-gard that the about 10-kilometer road linking Nsuk-ka, the seat of Diocese and Lejja, the hometown of the retiring bishop, Dr. Francis Okobo, which also hosts a Federal Girls Government College has defied all prayers, both political and spiritual to let it have a taste of modern macadamized thoroughfare since the coming of colonial masters,” he stated.

According to Dr. Nwae-zeigwe, the church could have used a considerable chunk of the amount to fix the Nsukka-Lejja road as a bequeathing legacy for His Lordship, Bishop Francis Okobo.

“This is not a question of government responsibility, because if town development unions and non-governmental agencies could partner with the government in providing social amenities for the people, then nothing stops the church from doing same.

“The installation of the new bishop for the Nsukka Catholic Diocese should have therefore been an occasion for the total reorientation of the church leadership in line with the circumstantial needs of the people,

*Bishop Godfrey Igwebuike Onah of Nsukka Diocese being crowned by His Eminence, John Cardinal Olorunfemi Onaiyekan. PHOTO: HILL EZEUGWU both in political and socio-economic terms.

"By doing this, the church not only becomes more focused as both a receiver and giver, but becomes better placed to properly understand the turn-ins and turn-outs of gover-nance,” he maintained.

Continuing, the don said it is obvious that nobody questions what a church earns or hands out to its clergy, but it is on record that Archbishop Emeritus, Anthony Cardinal Okogie had come out to reveal what was his remuneration as a Catholic cleric.

“It is here suggested that with the huge amount tax-free money that enters the church coffers, coupled with its team-ing army of unmarried clerics, the Catholic Church should, as in the tradition of the past partner with government in providing social amenities to the masses,” he pleaded.

Dr. Nwaezeigwe also frowned at the Catholic leadership’s undue focus on the so-called corruption in Jonathan’s administration than the raging insecurity which is more or less fundamentally targeted at Christianity in this nation. Even as a church, how far has it initiated anti-corruption campaign among its teaming faithful, he asked.

Global Jihad project For the CBCN, he had a poser: “Under the present circumstance where the Fed-eral Government is battling the enemies of Christianity, which should have been better: the CAN joining the JNI to war against President Jonathan, or doing what the current CAN leadership is doing at present? This question calls for moral answers given the obvious pro-Sokoto Caliphate stance adop-ted by the Catholic Church leadership in recent times.

“CBCN should be reminded that the unending killings of Christians in the North are the result of Islam’s global jihad project and not about the socalled corruption under Jonathan’s administration,” he cautioned.

He argued that the church stood akimbo while Nigeria was drafted into Organisation of Islamic Conference, OIC, and DEight with nothing more than verbal resignation to fate.

“What is apparent today is that, while the Catholic Church claims to have returned to CAN, its spirit remains far removed from the ideological confines of the body. There is no gainsaying the fact that this seemingly negative ideological disposition of CBCN is a direct contrast to the ideals and practices set out by the charismatic Cardinal Okogie in defence of the overall interest of Christians in Nigeria, both as CBCN and CAN president.

“It is on record that Okogie did not in any manner attempt to compromise the collective interest of Christians. His resolute stand against Niger-ia’s admission to the exclusive Muslim OIC forced Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, to put Nigeria’s presence in the organization in abeyance.

Symbol of resistance “Under Okogie Christendom was one undivided body very conscious of its enemies. The then Rev. Father Matthew Hassan Kukah, now bishop, not only towered higher than most of his contemporaries but was a toast of every Nigerian Christian, home and abroad, as the symbol of resistance against the oppressed Middle Belt minorities.

“But under John Cardinal Onaiyekan’s CAN, President Umaru Yar’Adua, in 2008, reopened Nigeria’s membership of OIC, and for the first time Nigeria was represented by his president. What is more re-markable about Onaiyekan's emergence is that, the once celebrated voice of the opp-ressed Middle Belt Christians, Father Kukah was conscripted as a coverdefender of the Sokoto Caliphate under the guise of being enthroned as a Catholic Bishop of a non-eccl-esiastically viable Sokoto Diocese, but which by sym-bolism is better described as the Catholic ambassador to the Caliphate,” he stated.

MINISTERS of God’s Kingdom Society, GKS, have hailed the decision of the National Assembly to ban same-sex marriage in Nigeria, even as they described as highly unfortunate reports that some Western countries are threatening to impose sanctions on Nigeria if the bill on same-sex unions is passed into law.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their annual conference in Salem City, Warri, the ministers urged the Federal Government not to be intimidated by the threats but to go ahead to ensure that the bill was signed into law. The bill which was passed on Tuesday by the House of Representatives had earlier been passed by the Senate.

“Homosexuality is contrary to nature and directly violates the laws of God. It was because of this sin that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. The same punishment awaits those “…who

knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” they declared.

A statement signed by the publicity secretary, Brother Benedict Hart, said it was astonishing that the National Youth Service Corps Directorate in Ogun State was reported to have decamped a female youth corps member because she refused to wear trousers. The church stated: “We are amazed at this development because we know that institutions such as the NYSC and the Police have skirts for women who ask for them. Why then should women be compelled to wear trousers contrary to their faith in a supposedly democratic dispensation which has respect for human rights?”

The GKS stressed the need to respect the religious sensibilities of those who believe that wearing of trousers violates their faith.

Catholics mark Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help MEMBERS of Saints Michael, Raphael & Gabriel Catholic Church recently defied early morning downpour to gather at Mini Stadium Trade Fair Complex, Badagry Expressway to celebrate this year's Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, reports OLAYINKA LATONA. The feast which coincided with the Parish Day celebration began with a litany of activities including masses, prayers, confessions, candle light procession, counseling among others.

In a homily, the chief celebrant and Bishop of Minna Diocese, Most Rev. Martin Uzoukwu enjoined the congregation to exhibit good virtues of Blessed Mary, allow various teachings they have been taught to linger in their minds by engaging in positive activities that will enhance development and growth of their communities and nation at large.

Describing Mother Mary as

woman of faith and courage, the bishop who is also the national promoter Divine Mercy Devotion, narrated how he buried 17 corpses during the Madalla Christmas Day bombing, adding that the effect would have been more devastating, if not for the grace of God that made the car carrying the bomb to miss its target.

Uzoukwu urged participants to venerate Mother Mary in their day to day activities and hold on to their faith He called on Muslims and Christians in the country to do away with religious differences; read their holy books, meditate on it and pray fervently for the progress and unity of Nigeria.

Commending the zeal of the congregation, the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Oduemena who used the occasion to announce his transfer, called on all Catholic faithful not to relent in doing good.

210 graduate from IBA INTERNATIONAL Bible Academy, IBA, recently held its 4th graduation ceremony with a call on graduands to trans form the society by preaching undiluted gospel, reports ETOP EKANEM. A total of 210 students graduated in different categories including certificate course, diploma and advanced diploma.

President of the academy, Dr. Murphy Akrasi, said the church remains the only instrument for spiritual transformation, charging the graduands to “go into the world and transform it. Be the light of the world and do not compromise. Nigeria is full of corruption. Be the true representatives of the kingdom of God." Akrasi also urged the new intakes to be committed, adding: “The training is not easy. It re-

quires commitment. It is not just about training, you have to experience God. Humble yourselves so that you will see the reality of God. The cleric advised President Goodluck Jonathan to step aside in 2013 and allow others the opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of the nation, arguing that he promised to serve only one term. According to him, “Those who are calling on him to run for the second term are those who have been benefiting from his government," he stated.

According to Akrasi, the vision of the IBA “is to raise up an army of true spiritual leaders, strong in faith and touched by the fire of God who effectively impact their generation with the true gospel our Lord Jesus Christ.”

50 — Vanguard,

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

By EMMA NNADOZIE, Crime Editor

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N the beginning: THE pre carious security situation in the country assumed a frightening dimension on March 2, 2013, when a serving Commissioner of Police, Chinwike Asadu was gruesomely killed by gun men in Enugu. The Police boss who was in-charge of Kwara State was in the city en route to Port Harcourt for the annual police games when he was brutally shot to death in front of his private residence.

Immediately after his death, the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar gave marching order that his killers must be fished out, dead or alive.

While Nigerians waited with baited breath, the rumour mill took over as different stories of the circumstances that surrounded his death were bandied both in the newspapers and public domain.

Some said he was a victim of a raging land crisis in Kwara State while others said he was involved in chieftancy dispute in his country home, Nsukka. Yet, others said he had a disagreement with Police authorities in Abuja and the only way out was to eliminate him.

While these postulations spread like wild fire, Police authorities mobilized a crack team from both the Force headquarters, Abuja, Special anti-robbery squad, SARS, and Criminal Investigations Department, CID, Enugu, and swung into action with a view to meeting the deadline given by the IGP for them to round up perpetrators of the heinous crime.

Suspected killers Few months later, the IGP who was on an official visit to Enugu State Police Command jolted the nation by announcing that the suspected killers of the Commissioner of Police had been rounded up. In spite of the uproarious reaction that heralded the announcement, some Nigerians still agitated for more explanations.

They sought for not only the motive but the conviction that the suspects who reportedly confessed to the crime, were the real perpetrators. Unfortunately, the only response from the police was that they have been charged to court and remanded in prison custody. This gave room for more speculations and postulations.

Those charged to court: However, a week-long investigations carried out by Crime Alert in Enugu and its environs revealed the daunting tasks faced by the police in their efforts to nab the suspects. The investigation also unearthed some of the criminal exploits of the remanded suspects, their operational strategies and most importantly, the identity of not just those arrested but the man that pulled the trigger

E V I S U L EXC who is presently on the run.

From available evi dence, the suspects charged to the Chief Magistrate Court 11 in Enugu presided over

by His Lordship, Ebere Udeze were; Collins Ogechukwe Uzor, a.k.a Danwisiki, (28), Ugochukwu Nnaji a.k.a Agbomorocco, (38), Okwuosa Anthony a.k.a Sparrow, (29), Chekwube Enete (25), David Elvis Aja (23), Ugokwe Obiora Johnpaul (22)and Ameobi Nnamchi. They were arraigned on the 15th of March, 2013 on a two - count charge of consipracy and murder of CP Asadu by the prosecutor, Bar. C.P. Nwachukwu, legal officer SARS, Enugu.

The defense counsel were ; B.I. Ugwuja and B.U.Odoh for the 7th accused, S.I. Ejiofor for the 4th accused and S.N. Egbo for the 3rd accused. The court ordered that the case file be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, for advice •IGP, MD Abubaka- more action within 21 days from the needed date of arraignment after which the case was ad- on custody in Enugu to be remanded, the warders were openjourned sine die.

Police sources said that when ly grumbling by stating that most the suspects were taken to pris- of them had been their old cus-

E-X-P-O-S-E-D:

Suspected killers of CP Asadu tomers and that they gave them a lot of problems while in their custody.

However, sources disclosed

that detectives have launched a big hunt for the leader of the gang called Mbala whom other arrested suspects said pulled the

No hiding place for criminals in THE newly posted Commssioner of Police in Enugu State, Abubakar Adamu Mohammed spoke on the issue of the killing of CP Asadu, and other criminal cases recorded before he assumed duties. Excerpts: crime to occur before preventing it. We

By EMMA NNADOZIE & CHINENYE OZOR

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OSTING to Enugu: So far so good, I came to Enugu state and met a crop of officers that are dedicated to their duty. I met officers that understand the terrain, I met officers that knew the nooks and crannies of the state. I came and met a state where the government is very conscious of security. I came and met where the state government empowers the police to execute their lawful duty.

I met a state where the state brings vehicles for police to adequately police the state. Enugu state is good, calm, quite and crime rate is very low.

The strategy adopted since my arrival is helping us not only to maintain the low level of crime but to reduce it to zero point. The strategy we adopted is of crime prevention rather than allow the

partner with the people of the state. We partner with traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the state, if there is an act that will result to break down of law and order, that will also lead to committing of crime. The strategy is working very well in all the police divisions in Enugu state. We use the vehicles we received from the state government-50 Hilux jeeps and 50 KIA saloon cars to patrol all the axis of Enugu and its environs.

If there is any incident no matter how far, within 5 minutes, the police are there.

As I speak with you, the state is quiet and that is why you don’t hear gun running here and there. Kidnapping has reduced drastically while car snatching has virtually stopped.

The first week I reported for duty in Enugu, I received 100 vehicles from the state government. The state government is ready to give because they are im-

•CP Enugu State, Adamu Mohammed

pressed with the effective use of the vehicles.

People of the State Enugu state people are security conscious, any thing that happens, they will send text message to CP, something is happening in a certain place and we will quickly mobilize and get to the place with-

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

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They blocked him with one bus and another black Mercedes benz 190, opened his door in an attempt to either rob, kidnap or take the car, suddenly, they discovered that there was a policeman clutching an AK47 at the back of the car, they got scared and pulled the CP who was on the drivers seat out and started spraying the car with bullets

,

other member of the gang, Ugochukwu Nnaji, a.k.a. Agbomorrocco who was armed with an AK 47 rifle on the day the Commissioner was killed to snatch another AK47 from the police aid to the slain Commissioner of Police.

Another suspected member of the gang that killed the police boss was said to have been gunned down during the battle that raged for hours in Onitsha, Anambra State, while police traced one other suspected member of the gang identified as Chidi to Aba, Abia State, but he escaped also. They succeeded in recovering his car, a Camry 2003 model.

Police sources said they have succeeded in recovering about fifteen cars of different makes owned by members of the gang.

•Why he was killed •Their criminal exploits •Hunt for the kingpin that pulled the trigger •Their prison connection •Late CP, Chinwike Asadu trigger when they accosted the Commissioner on the night of the incident. It was reliably gathered that the hunt for him led detec-

tives to Onitsha and when they raided his house, there was a heavy exchange of gunfire between him and the police after

which he narrowly escaped.

This suspect reputed to be the kingpin of the vicious gang was said to have connived with an-

How the CP was killed: Giving a graphic account of how police detectives carried out investigations into the murder of the late police boss, sources said after the incident happened at about 9pm, policemen from both the Criminal Investigations Department, CID, and the Special Anti-robbery team from Enugu State police headquarters, arrived the scene.

They discovered that the Commissioner of police went to drop

Enugu — CP Adamu in seconds of the message. It is a welcome development because they know the areas, they see, they move around.

Enugu is not like other communities in the country where people are not interested in security.

The people of Enugu are accommodating and cooperating with the police in all aspects of life for the prevention and detection of crime.

Killing of CP Asadu Well, when I came and knew that a commissioner of police was killed in the state, I saw it as one of the challenges we would face. I did not see it as being in a hostile state. What I believe was that what happened to CP Asadu could happen to any person no matter the security structures put in place.

When I came, I saw it as one of the challenges and has put measures in place to avert such gruesome crimes.

After the killing of the CP, we swung into action and thorough investigations were carried out. We were able to arrest some of them. Through investigation still, we were able to establish that those

suspects were not first time criminals.

The suspects are people that made violent crime their means of livelihood.

They are hardened criminals but through useful information, we were able to round them up. About two members of the gang are still at large and we extended our dragnet and would soon catch up with them. The ones arrested were charged to court and remained in prison custody (sine die).

Government’s support

In every state, the major handicap has always been the means of performing your duty. In terms of mobility, the state government supports us well. In other materials, the IGP assisted in giving us bullet proofs, helmets and other materials for effective policing of the state.

The officers and men are motivated, members of the public are of immense assistance through one way or the other. Police assisted neighbourhood watch are co-operating with the police in their various communities. We do not face major challenges in the state. At times,

we got reports that some of our men are not doing what they are supposed to do either for financial inducement or other reasons. In such cases, we send men to apprehend them and investigate. In a dynamic environment, one cannot have a perfect society. We are trying to achieve a goal. We have to bring crime down to the barest minimum. The strategies we adopt are yielding good results and on weekly basis, we drum it to the officers till everybody is factored into the system.

Stand on unresolved cases As far as I am concerned, justice must be done on all the cases that were reported. All cases of murder, robbery among others unresolved, must be exhumed and given the required justice.

Message to Enugu People I and my officers will be committed to duty throughout my stay in the sate as Commission of Police. I will make sure that existing relationship between the police and members of the public would continue to be strengthened daily.

one of his guests with his wife’s red Toyota Corrolla in the company of his orderly who sat in the front and an armed police guard posted officially to his house from Abakpa station who sat at the back of the car.

The source continued: “As he was coming back, the hoodlums who were hovering around the area noticed him, followed his car until they got to a fairly solitary place, very close to his residence. They blocked him with one bus and another black Mercedes Benz 190, opened his door in an attempt to either rob, kidnap or take the car.

Frightened criminals Suddenly, they discovered that there was a policeman clutching an AK47 at the back of the car.

They got scared and pulled the CP who was on the drivers seat out and started spraying the car with bullets. The orderly and the armed policeman instead of replying them, dodged into the nearby gutter. One of the frightened criminals quickly made for the policeman’s gun while their leader identified simply as Mbala, pulled out his gun and shot the CP on the chest before they quickly zoomed off from the scene.

One ugly incident nearly hampered our efforts during the investigation. One of our principal informants who played major role in rounding up these suspects and recovering the AK47 stolen from the police aid to the slain Cp escaped death by the whiskers. He was shot by unknown gun men in daylight on the street in Enugu.

We later found out that it was masterminded by those suspects we earlier remanded in prison custody over the case. We reliably gathered that after they were remanded in prison custody, they phoned their criminal colleagues outside and informed them about the role of the informant.

Their colleagues now went for the head of the informant and traced him to where he went to buy something in one street.

They shot him on the head and he was badly hit but we made sure he survived by quickly rushing him to a hospital where police authorities spent a lot of money in treating him.

To be concluded

Mourinho vows to play sexy football J OSE MOURINHO has vowed to play the sexy football demanded by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

The Special One has a reputation for powerful and pacy football but Red Rom wants to win with style.

Mourinho, starting his second spell as Blues boss, said: “I want to make the Chelsea fans happy — by results, by our playing style, by the mentality and the personality of the team.

“They have to know that we always give everything.

•Mourinho

“I know from my record at Chelsea, also at Inter and Madrid, that I made many decisions that helped my teams.

“If I gamble with a very risky decision, it can go the wrong way. How many times did I play here with three defenders?

“I remember against West Ham (in April 2006) we were losing 1-0 and we were playing with 10 men after Maniche got a red card early in the game.

“I still gambled because I wanted to win with 10 men — and we did win, 4-1.”

Chelsea returned to pre-season training yesterday although players involved in the Confederations Cup are still on holiday.

New £18million German winger Andre Schurrle reported for his first day at work alongside £8m midfielder Marco van Ginkel. The squad depart for a preseason tour of the Far East this week.

Suarez stuns Liverpool

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L

Says I want Champions League action

UIS Suarez wants to quit Liverpool and return to a top team in the Champions League.

The Uruguay hotshot insists he WILL return to pre-season training after his extended break following the Confederations Cup. But the controversial striker has today

sensationally admitted that he is flattered to be in the Gunners’ summer spending plans.

He said: “My agent is in charge, he knows what I want. I am resting and relaxed. I am due back on July 21.

“It is good to know that I am still valued by

teams like Arsenal.

“Now there are two or three options and the club knows.

“There are no offers yet but Liverpool FC know exactly what is going on and what I want. A phone call could change everything.”

Ugandan lady wins MTN WGC Northern qualifier

F

LAVIA Namakula, a Ugandan, was the star performer, at the MTN World Golfers Championship, northern regional qualifers, which was held in Abuja, at the weekend. She surprised everyone after she returned in the best gross score of 79, at the IBB International Golf Club, to book her passage into the National final, billed for Ibom Golf Club, Uyo in September.

Namakula, who is a handicap one player, finished with 78 net to pick one of the three slots in the handicap 0-5 flight category. She took honours ahead of the

tested Peter Eben-Spiff and Emeka Okatta, who shot 79 and 83 respectively to make the cut for the 36 -hole national final.

The General Manager, Business Development, MTN, Richard Iweanoge, who also plays golf, congratulated the overall winner and encouraged her to keep giving her best whenever she is on the golf course.

“MTN will continue to support initiatives that will bring out the best out of every individual. We believe that everyone has the ‘can do spirit’, therefore all must go all out to activate and put to

use the innate spirit within,” Iweanoge stated.

Her victory is a surprise, considering that she is based in Uganda and is not too familiar with the terrain of IBB International course, where she played for the first time in 2010. ‘’Though I regularly visit Nigeria, I arrived for the tournament three weeks ago and I am not that used to the golf course in Abuja. But I feel honoured to top the chart in the 0-5 handicap flight category and qualify for the National final of the MTN WGC. I met some good players at the competition’’, she said.

Ten years after Anambra Liberation Day

Sen. Chris Ngige

BY OKEY MADUFORO, Awka

Chief Chris Uba

legislature for the thirtyHE clock had just four months of Dr. Chris struck 8:47 am on the Ngige administration in 10th day of July 2003 when Anambra State. Rising a detachment of heavily from the ashes of the vilarmed mobile police men lain’s colony, Ngige was stormed the government faced with the challenghouse Awka, disarmed sees of detaching himself curity operatives and made from the umbilical cord of their way to the office of the that alleged charade that then governor of Anambra enthroned him.

State. The police men who He soon found solace in were led by late Raphael the warm embrace of the Igeh the then Assistant Inplebeians who has as it spector General of Police were being totally discon(ALG) in charge of zone 9 nected from the centre of Umuahia Abia State confisleadership occasioned by cated the two phones of the the we and them synMap of then governor and whisked drome in politics and govAnambra State him away. Stories had it that ernance. Still being the governor had resigned haunted by his unsettled after being sworn in on may 29th 2003, past and the old wound of desperadoes thanking members of his executive for their that would not let go, Ngige sort to make a statement in governance. assistant.

Dressed on a chinos pair of shorts, a Later on that day the then National chairman of the People’s Democratic (PDP Chief light brown old Enugu coal coporation Audu Ogbeh and the then Inspector Gen- short sleeve shirt and a black cut shoe to eral of Police Tafa Balogun dissociated match, with a job man’s hat, he placed themselves from the incident while the his meter tape and pair of compass across then vice president Atiku Abubakar or- the map of Anambra state and the road dered that the light skinned and beared construction firms went to work. The magovernor, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige chines took off from the ghettoes of Nkpor should be returned to the government junction near Onitsha , traversed through House Awka as governor. Earlier before Idemili North and South local government then Ngige had faced the harsh gravel area, took a diagonal rally into Ukpo, hands of his traducers who on several oc- Awkuzu, Umuleri, Aguleri and anchored casions bared their fangs on him for re- on the banks of Otuocha river.

Still with his pair of compass, Any one that says that Anambra was he entered into not liberated in July 10 2013 is only an ecstatic marbeing parochial and sick in his mentality riage of convenience with the and thought process Raynold Construction Comfusing to sign cheques for their own ag- pany (RCC), Consolidated Construction grandizement.

Company (CCC), Master Holdings, SetThe incident of July 10th 2003 became raco, Niger Cat and Interbau and the deep the climax of those litany of crucibles potholes, chain gallops and breathtaking passed through by Ngige in a bid to eman- gully erosion sites were turned into a mascipating Anambra people from the mod- ter piece of civil engineering. ern day holocaust of the past that senThe construction firms taxied from Neni tenced a race to perpetual slavery. through Ichida, Nnewi, Ukpor, OsumoSoon after the attempt to kidnap and ghu to Iseke; from Neni passing through unseal him from office failed, the man who Adazi, Nnobi Nnewi Ozubulu to Okija was alleged to lose an election became a and from Okoh to Umunze, Amaokpala, man of the people braking through strong Ndiowu, Ndikerionwu, Nawfija, Ufuma, holds and dissolving all manner of politi- Nkerehi, Ogbunka and signed off at the cal bottles necks. It started with the ca- borders of Anambra and Isiochi in Abia sualties of the war when the late Raphael state. No doubt, the River Niger bridge Igeh was dismissed from office, some head, the Nneni township roads, the members of the state assembly were sus- Amawbia Nibo, Mbaukwu Agulu roads pected while the lawmakers stimulated a had their landscape changed to a miniamove led by Barr. Benson Nwosu, Chuba ture air port run way.

Oranusi then majority leader Humphrey While these pictures of ecstasy were beNsofor, Ozo Ugbamadu and Okonkwo ing painted, his police security details Okom that snow balled into the removal were withdrawn from him and for eight of Justice Egbo Egbo and later Stanley months a sitting governor had no securiNnaji. ty. It was at the peak of this desolateness The Assembly also has a new speaker, that a semblance of Armageddon descendMr. Mike Balonwu who championed the ed upon Anambra state. cause of Anambra liberation at the state To be concluded

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52—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 — 53

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— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013

Pakistani inquiry reveals bin Laden’s secret life O

SAMA bin Laden lived in plain sight for almost a decade and was once even pulled over for speeding but not ap-

prehended, thanks to the incompetence of Pakistan’s intelligence and security services, an offi-

cial report into his killing said on Monday.

The report, leaked to Qatar-based broadcaster

Pro Morsi protesters yesterday in Cairo

Egypt braces for more violence, gets PM

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GYPT was braced for more mass protests on Tuesday in the wake of the killing of 51 supporters of the deposed president, Mohamed Morsi, as political leaders bargained over the creation of a civilian transitional government to rule with military support, until new elections are held next year.

Pro-Morsi crowds were still gathering in Cairo near the scene of Monday’s killings, described as a massacre by Muslim Brotherhood supporters but defended by the army as a response to a “terrorist” attack.

However, Egypt’s interim president has named liberal economist

and former finance minister Hazem el-Beblawi as prime minister in a transitional government, as the authorities sought to steer the country to new parliamentary and presidential elections.

Acting head of state Adly Mansour also appointed former UN nuclear agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei as deputy to the president, responsible for foreign affairs. The hardline Islamist Nour Party, which has held up the political process by objecting to several candidates put forward by militarybacked interim authorities, said it would support Mr Beblawi’s appointment. The head of

the party added that it was still studying Mr ElBaradei’s appointment.

F

RANCE has reaped 3.21 million euros (£2.77 million) from the auction of nine luxury cars seized as part of a corruption investigation into the wealth of the family of Teodoro Obiang Nguema, president of Equatorial Guinea.

The cars belonging to Teodorin Obiang, the Equatorial Guinea president’s son, were seized by two judges who are investigating French as-

Zuma thanked those who had sent messages of support from South Africa and around the world. Zuma last week denied reports that Mandela was in a vegetative state. People who have seen him say he remains responsive.

N

Nelson Mandela critical but stable in a South African hospital, the presidency has said in its latest health update. The statement

“But her (Maryam’s) husband quickly settled the matter with the policeman and they drove on.”

To avoid detection from the sky, bin Laden took to wearing a cowboy hat when moving about his compound in the city of Abbottabad, his wives told investigators.

The inquiry’s findings - which have not yet been officially published - include evidence of incompetence at almost every level of Pakistan’s security apparatus. The report is also fiercely critical of the “illegal manner” in which the United States conducted the raid.

It chastises Pakistan’s leadership for failing to detect CIA activities on its soil, and does not rule out the involvement of rogue elements within the Pakistani intelligence service - a sensitive issue even to touch on in a high-profile inquiry.

“The U.S. acted like a

criminal thug,” says the report by the Abbottabad Commission.

“But above all, the tragedy refers to the comprehensive failure of Pakistan to detect the presence of OBL (Osama bin Laden) on its territory for almost a decade or to discern the direction of U.S. policy towards Pakistan that culminated in the avoidable humiliation of the people of Pakistan.”

After a decade-long hunt, the CIA finally tracked down the al Qaeda leader to a compound within sight of an elite Pakistani military academy in Abbottabad, close to the capital Islamabad.

In a night-time mission

by U.S. Navy SEALs, bin Laden was killed on May 2 that year in an episode that humiliated Pakistan’s military and strained relations between the strategic allies Washington and Islamabad.

France seizes £2.8m cars from E/Guinea leader’s son

Mandela critical as family fights over funeral broadcast rights from President Jacob ELSON Mandela’s offspring are fighting over the broadcasting rights to his funeral, The Australian has reported. It said Makaziwe Mandela, the former president’s eldest daughter, held talks with the South African Broadcasting Corp and government officials last month demanding “preferential” access for CNN, the American network.

Mandela remains

Al Jazeera which circulated it late on Monday, offers fascinating details about life on the run for the world’s most wanted man, who, it says, wore a cowboy hat to avoid being spotted from above.

Written by a judge-led commission that the Pakistani government set up shortly after U.S. special forces killed bin Laden in 2011, the 336-page report is based on interviews with 201 sources including members of his family and various officials.

In one testimony showing how close bin Laden came to being captured, “Maryam”, the wife of one of his most trusted aides, recounted how his car was stopped by Pakistani police in the Swat region.

“Once when they were all ... on a visit to the bazaar they were stopped for speeding by a policeman,” the report says.

sets acquired by three African rulers. They inluded a Bugatti Veyron, a Ferrari and a Maserati.

The cars, with leather interiors, spotless paintwork and one of which had barely been driven, raised 3.21 million euros on Monday, auction house Drouot said in a statement.

The seized cars and Teodorin Obiang (inset)

UN tells Vatican to hand over child sex abuse details said the Argentinian

A

United Nations committee has demanded that the Vatican reveal potentially explosive details about the systematic cover-up of child sex abuse by Catholic clergy.

Campaigners have called on Pope Francis, who was elected in March, to make tackling

the issue of sexually abusive priests an urgent priority of his papacy.

The UN’s Committee on the Rights of the Child released its demands for information from the Holy See on Tuesday.

Also, Pope Francis, has been named “Man of the Year” by the Italian edition of Vanity Fair. The latest edition of the magazine

Syria rebels use gas —Russia tells UN

R

USSIA on Tuesday handed over evidence to the United Nations indicating Syrian rebels used sarin

gas in an attack in March, its UN envoy said.

Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Russian

experts had been to the scene of the attack at Khan al-Assal near Aleppo and gathered first-hand evidence.

pontiff, elected in March, had earned the accolade for his words and deeds during his first 100 days in office.

“His first one hundred days have already placed him in the category of world leaders who make history,” the magazine said. “But the revolution continues.”

Five celebrities, including Sir Elton John and the Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, were quoted by the magazine in praise of Francis, the first Jesuit Pope.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013 — 55

Ghana ready for France rematch in U20 Anzhi slash Eto’o’s salary World Cup semi-final G R HANA coach Sellas Tetteh is confident his side can overcome France in their Under-20 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, despite having lost to their opponents in their opening Group A game.

That 3-1 defeat was the first time Ghana had lost a group stage match in six finals appearances.

They also went on to lose 1-0 to Spain but then beat the United States and South Korea to reach the last 16, where they beat Portugal 3-2.

And the Black Satellites set up a rematch with France after a 4-3 extratime win over Chile in the quarter-finals.

Tetteh believes his side has developed as the tournament in Turkey has gone on and he is confident they will be more of a match for France this time around.

“Since the France game we have played several matches and the progression of the team is clear,” he told BBC Sport.

Action recorded during the group match between France and Ghana at the ongoing FIFA U-20 W/Cup in Turkey.

IAAF World Youth Championships:

Team Nigeria will do Africa proud — coach hopeful of winning medals Raymond Agboro said they

N

IGERIA’S contingent to this year’s IAAF World Youth Championship in Donetsk, Ukraine are

Team Nigeria Continues from BP Ndanusa named the sports as Athletics, Wrestling, Weightlifting, Table Tennis, Boxing(male and female) and Para Sports. The Para Sports are in Athletics, Table Tennis and Powerlifting. There are 17 Sports on the programme for the Commonwealth Games. They include – Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics, Hockey, Judo, Lawn Bowls, Netball, Rugby Sevens, Shooting, Squash Rackets, Swimming, Table Tennis, Triathlon, Weightlifting and Wrestling.

Ndanusa said that as part of preparations for the Games, a Nigerian delegation comprising of NOC and NSC officials visited Glasgow(June 18 to June 20) and met with the Organising Committee of the Games on vital issues relating to the Games.

He said that everything relating to Team Nigeria’s successful outing in the Commonwealth Games was on track.

Also speaking, Technical Commission Chairman of NOC, Dr Daniel Igali dismissed fears that Team Nigeria were yet to start preparations for the Games. “All the Sports concerned are doing well.

I can tell you that Wrestlers are preparing and will soon hit camp. It is not only when we gather all the sports that you think they are preparing.

Serious preparation is on-going”, Igali who is also the President of Wrestling Federation of Nigeria said.

Seven out of Eight Executive members of the NOC attended the meeting while 18 Federation Presidents of their representatives out of the 24 Olympic Sports attended.

and do Africa proud as the the events begin today.

The delegation led by the Vice President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tunde Abdulkareem left Lagos on Monday evening to join the athletes and other officials who were already on ground in Donetsk.

Speaking on arrival Tuesday, two coaches attached to the team, Abraham Odia and

were confident that Team Nigeria will live up to expectations in the championship.

Odia pointed out that the fact that Team Nigeria was able to rule Africa at the last African Youth Championship (AYAC) in Warri, Delta State, was enough for the athletes and officials to know that much is expected from them in Ukraine.

Hear tland begin title defence Federation Cup holders Heartland will begin their title defence today against nonleague Ingas FC in Enugu in a Round of 32 tie.

Heartland were drawn bye from the preliminary

round.

The Round of 32 promises to be interesting as a number of Nigeria premier league clubs like Rangers, Kano Pillars, Sunshine Stars, Nembe City and 3SC will feature.

Eagles Continues from BP Chris Green told KickOffNigeria.com after the game that the team would get reduced bonuses and explained why.

“Yes, their bonuses for this game will be less

than usual,” Green said.

“This competition is a lesser one to the main African Nations Cup so we cannot pay the same bonus.”

In addition to reduced bonuses, the players also got half the usual daily allowance of $100.

USSIAN side Anzhi Makhachkala have told striker Samuel Eto’o his salary would be slashed by three if he must remain with the club beyond 2014.

The 32-year-old striker, who is also Anzhi’s captain, earns •20 million per annum but would see that pay slashed to •7 million if he accepts an extension beyond May 2014.

With just one year left in Samuel Eto’o’s fabulous contract at Anzhi talks, have since opened between both parties for a possible renewal, however, the Dagestan outfit is demanding that the Cameroon international should accept a pay cut as one of the conditions

• Eto’o to remain at the club.

Eto’o, who joined the Russian club in August 2011, scored 13 goals during his first season and 19 in the second, helping the team to finish third in the just concluded season.

OUTRAGEOUS Continues from BP while Police Machine FC demolished Babayaro FC 67-0. All teams were involved in promotion play-offs in which the winners would qualify to play in Nigeria Nationwide League Division 3. The matches were going on simultaneously and Plateau and Police Machine were in contention for promotion.

The two winners were apparently monitoring their scores and kept recording the goals to outdo each other. The Nigeria Football Federation, alarmed by the scandal, reacted swiftly by placing the four teams on indefinte suspension and dismissed the results as laughable.

“It is unacceptable. This is a scandal of huge proportions. The four teams involved are suspended immediately and indefinitely, pending further sanctions. We will investigate this matter thoroughly and get to the bottom of it,” Chief Mike Umeh who is the first Vice President of NFF said.

The highest number of

goals scored in a single game by one team is also the largest margin of defeat by any team and it was the Game between Arbroath and Bon Accord in 1885 where the score was 36-0 . The goals glut if allowed by NFF, definitely, would have shot the teams into the history books. Group Sports Editor, Onochie Anibeze was alarmed yesterday and asked repeatedly if the goals were scored with legs or hands. He said that match fixing was a criminal offence and that those involved should be investigated and prosecuted.

Also stunned by the massive scorelines, NFF’s Director of Competitions, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi assured that the Organising Committee would punish all persons and institutions indicted by the investigation.

“For now, all the match officials are suspended.

The teams involved, their players and officials, coordinator and anyone found to have played some role in this despicable matter would be severely dealt with,” Sanusi angrily said.

VANGUARD, W EDNESDAY, J ULY 1 0, 2 013

C/wealth Games: Team Nigeria to take part in 6 sports

T

EAM Nigeria will take part in six sports at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 3. This is authoritative.

Briefing the Executive and Board members of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, on Monday at the Boardroom of the NOC, President Sani M.

Continues on Page 55

O-U-T-R-A-G-E-O-U-S!

Soccer team wins 79 – 0, Another 67 – 0 •NFF bans them

BY TONY UBANI

T

HE Nigeria Football Federation was left red-eyed and livid with rage after two matches in amateur league games produced what ordinarily should have

FIFA U-20 W/Cup: FIXTURES France Iraq

shattered the Guinness Book of World Records with 146 goals.

Plateau United Feeders produced a mind-boggling 79-0 victory over Akurba FC Continues on Page 55

vs vs

Ghana 4pm:00 Uruguay 7pm:00

Eagles get reduced bonuses for CIV win F OR their 4-1 win over Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday, Nigeria’s domestic Super Eagles were paid $2000 as winning bonuses.

This amounts to less

than half of the new reduced bonuses proposed by the NFF for the main team.

NFF Executive Committee member Continues on Page 55

•DO OR DIE AFFAIR: A typical scene from the Nigerian league.

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Bucket (4) 4 Cushion (3) 6 Melt (4) 9 Wand (3) 10 Reveal (8) 11 Cheese (4) 14 Healthy (3) 16 War-horse (5) 19 Contemplate (8) 21 Renovate (5) 23 Explode (8) 24 Dance (5) 27 Fasten (3) 31 Agitate (4) 33 Bearing (8) 34 Mineral (3) 35 Increased (4) 36 Groove (3) 37 Woman (4)

DOWN 2 Parched (4) 3 Fortune (4) 4 Supplied (8) 5 Intense (4) 6 Handle (5) 7 Coal-scuttle (3) 8 Saying (5) 12 Twist (5) 13 Seraph (5) 14 Conifer (3) 15 Principle (5) 17 Equivalent (5) 18 Challenged (5) 20 Reserved (8) 22 Sorrow (3) 25 Performer (5) 26 Hurled (5) 28 Box (4) 29 Inform (4) 30 Tart (4) 32 Wrath (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Pledge 5, Single 8, Advocate 9, Rage 10, Gem 12, Stern 15, Ill 17, Out 18, Urn 19, Eft 20, Alter 21, Tap 22, Own 23, See 24, Tor 26, Dense 29, Rue 33, Stun 34, Enormous 35, Ardent 36, Fettle.

How to Play Sudoku

P

DOWN: 2, Lodge 3, Drop 4, Exact 5, Sheer 6, Norm 7, Legal 10, Greet 11, Motor 12, Stand 13, Eaten 14, Nurse 15, Inter 16, Lapse 25, Outer 27, Elect 28, Scoff 30, Usual 31, Once 32, Emit.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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