5 more govs to join Baraje's nPDP

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61973

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

The Tragedy of Victory

REGISTRATION: From right: Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, collecting his registration certificate from the General Manager, Lagos State Residents Registration Agency, LASRRA, Ms. Olayinka Fashola, after his registration at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

AGREEMENT: From left: Communications Manager, Schneider Electric Nigeria, Anne Ezeh; Country President, Marcel Hochet; French Minister of Foreign Trade, Nicole Bricq; Chairman, Mikano Int. Ltd, Mofid Karameh and French Ambassador to Nigeria, Jacques Champagne De Labriolle at the signing of electrical distribution agreement between Schneider Electric and Mikano in Lagos.

For a war that should have ended in 1968, why did it last up to January 1970? Today, we bring you Brigadier General Alabi-Isama’s account of the Pincer 2 strategy that was used to defeat Biafra without the support of 3MCDO commander, Col Olusegun Obasanjo, who was called to receive the instrument of surrender from Biafra after the battle. See pages 36, 37 & 38. Read more from the book, which is available in book stores and online at amazon.com

5 more govs to join Baraje's nPDP

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North & HENRY UMORU

A

•It's mere propaganda by opposition — PDP •Why Okonjo-Iweala must go — GOVS •P.5

'Ibori

does not own 30% of Oando'

COLUMNISTS:

DONU KOGBARA

P.9

•P.17

DSS foils attempt to kidnap Yar'Adua's daughter

ADISA ADELEYE •P.56

Mr & Mrs

P.6

Senate backs bill on GSM interception P.6

BUJA — PRESI DENT Goodluck Jonathan and his Bamanga Tukur-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party may be heading for further isolation, as another five incumbent governors of the party may soon dump them for the Abubakar Baraje faction, otherwise known as New PDP (nPDP).

The five governors, who are drawn from two geoContinues on page 5

AWARD —Prof. Victor Wakwe, College President, National Postgraduate Medical College (right); Dr. Oluwale Atoyebi, Registrar of the school (left) congratulating Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (middle) shortly after being decorated as an Honorary Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College during the 31st Convocation of the school at Ijanikin, Lagos, yestersday. Photo: Henry Unini. More photos on Page 15.

BORNO BOKO HARAM ATTACK: Death toll now 87

•P.6

2 — Vanguard, FRIDAY,

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

INAUGURATION—President Goodluck Jonathan congratulating the Chairman of Presidential Committee of Experts on Inter-professional Relationship in the Public Health Sector, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed after the inauguration of the committee, at the State House, Abuja. Photo: State House.

5 more govs to join Baraje's nPDP Continues from page 1 political zones in the North and South, are said to be upset by alleged continuous manipulations in the party by the Presidency and the chairman, thereby alienating them from the mainstream.

Besides, Vanguard learnt that the affected governors maintained that there was no justification to support Jonathan’s second term bid when majority of their natives were opposed to the move.

The governors said they

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Money does not answer all questions, it does not always bring you or guarantee you happiness and rest of mind; only your mind can settle your mind.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Holding on to the weight of anger, resentment and hatred will not only hold you back, but also block your present blessings and opportunities.

You’ve just got to drop some things to move forward — Marc and Angel Hack

C

HANGE can be beautiful if we embrace it with an open heart. Sometimes in life, things turn out different than we expect, sad but true, no matter what you do or how much you explain yourself, some people will gradually evolve away from your core values. As time goes on, they will prove over and over again that they are committed to misunderstanding you and clashing with your needs.

But know this too, life is a constant balance, for the challenges that are thrown at us are stepping stones to greater heights. So stop being unhappy with your current circumstances. It’s always better to be struggling at something you love than succeeding diligently at something you despise. Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t letting go but rather realizing that you have changed, and then learning to start over with your new truth. And that what was right for you then is not necessarily right for you now.

Part of letting go and moving on is facing the fears and disappointments of the past that are binding one’s spirit. The mental space you create by letting go of things that are already behind you gives you the ability to fill the space with something more fulfilling and beautiful.

were convinced that the so-called peace moves will not produce any meaningful results, as they were merely stagemanaged to buy time for Jonathan to secure a second term in office.

One of the governors told Vanguard that they were just waiting for the appropriate moment to defect to the nPDP with a view to actualising their political dreams.

Asked to state what the grievances of the defecting governors were, the governor said the decision was to save them from undue manipulation being orchestrated by the Presidency and the PDP leadership to give a second term chance to the President.

“What will happen is that very soon some of the PDP governors, who are watching the rest of us from the sidelines, will join and declare their support for us.

“It is because of the likely overwhelming support, which the Tukur group and the Presidency know we enjoy that they keep on talking about peace and reconciliation when in reality they are not ready for an early resolution of the crisis rocking the party."

Vanguard learnt that the grouse of the five governors who are jumping ship might not be unconnected with the fear that most of them could be dumped and made to

face severe consequences if Jonathan won a second term.

They are said to have given examples of those who were given solid assurances by the Presidency to work with him but were jettisoned after he won the election in 2011.

“What most Nigerians do not know is that we suffered a lot to make Jonathan President and today he is using people who did not know how we enthroned him, to harass and intimidate some of us,” a governor from one of the northern states lamented.

“Look at the way the President is using state apparatus to fight the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, for instance, who risked his life and some of his supporters to give him one of the highest votes in the last election.

“What justification does the President have in persecuting the seven governors, who went out of their way to mobilise voters in their states to elect him,” a governor asked.

Vanguard learnt that

the five governors were likely to move out of mainstream PDP anytime they consider most suitable, apparently to send further shock waves to the leadership that they were unhappy with the system.

Defection bid not true — PDP But the Tukur group, yesterday, dismissed the threat of defection as a huge joke by those trying to cause trouble in the party. The Deputy National Chairman of the Tukur faction, Prince

Uche Secondus, who was contacted last night on the development, described the information as false and a propaganda by the opposing faction to gain unmerited attention.

“The claim that five more governors are planning to defect to the other side is complete falsehood and is part of the propaganda by the opposition,” Secondus said.

The PDP split into two last August, leading to series of rapprochements, which are yet to produce a lasting peace in the party.

Why Okonjo-Iweala must go — Govs •FG unable to remit state allocations in full •Economy in a mess despite improved earnings

M

EANWHILE, reasons why governors are asking the Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to quit her job, emerged yesterday.

Vanguard was told that the governors were convinced that the Nigerian economy had been messed up and the decay in the system carefully manipulated by the minister to give Nigerians the false hope that all was well.

Sources close to the meeting of the governors held in Abuja on Tuesday night revealed that the governors were upset to learn that despite a huge revenue earning of over $1.05 trillion reported by the Central Bank of Nigeria for the month of July, the Finance Ministry was unable to remit the statutory allocations in full to states and local governments in the country.

The source pointed out that whereas the CBN boasted that the federally collected revenue rose to $1.05 trillion for the month of July, the finance ministry only distributed a paltry N715.845 billion to the three tiers of government for the month, blaming

the shortfall on oil theft and pipeline vandalisation.

It was learnt that the government was unable to pay the stipulated revenue accruable to the 36 states in the country and the FCT, asking them to exercise patience and understanding with the centre.

In the sharing, the centre got N227.516 billion (52.68%) as against N235.778 billion it received for June. The states on the other hand, got N115.399 billion (26.72%) against N119.590 billion in the previous month, while the LGAs received N88.968 billion (20.60%) as against N92.199 billion they shared in the previous month.

The governors, who discussed the development in the financial sector during their meeting, felt that the Coordinating Minister for the Economy was economical with the true position of the Nigerian economy and should give way for the interest of the nation.

A governor, who attended the meeting, confirmed to Vanguard that they were convinced that

the minister was merely joggling figures to give Nigerians the false impression that the economy was on a sound footing when the reverse was the case.

“Most of the governors want the finance minister to go because the indices on the ground do not match the figures she continues to churn out on a daily basis concerning the performance of the economy.

“We strongly disagree with the minister that the Nigerian economy has created the kind of jobs and attained the level of stability she claims when most qualified Nigerians are roaming the streets in search of non-existing jobs.

“Last month, we were not paid all our allocations though the CBN released figures showing that the nation even earned more revenue than the preceding months.

“We cannot allow this sort of deceit to continue unchallenged and Nigerians must ask the minister to quit now rather than stay on to manipulate the economy for the benefits of a few influential persons,” a governor said.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—7

6—Vanguard , FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

2 nabbed for visa fraud

DSS foils attempt to kidnap late President Yar'Adua's daughter

D

BY EVELYN USMAN

S

PECIAL Fraud Unit, SFU, has arrested a graduate of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and a 40-year-old United Kingdom ex-convict over alleged visa scam.

Recovered from the suspects were fake travel documents, which included letter of appointment, statements of accounts, fake visa, fake arrival and departure stamps of Benin Republic, Cote d’Voire, Togo, Ghana and United Kingdom.

Their arrest, according to spokesperson for the Unit, Ngozi Isintume-Agu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, followed a petition by the British Deputy High Commissioner that the 26year-old graduate, Jude Esebanmhen, had applied for visa with a fake United Kingdom Entry Clearance visa on his passport.

The petition, according to Isintume “reported that Jude Esebanmhen, with Nigerian Passport No. A04701778, applied for a six months visit visa on June 6, but the visa application was rejected “He later applied for a Spanish visa with a fake UK Entry Clearance Visa on his passport in an attempt to use deception to obtain the visa.

“The visa was checked by a trained forgery officer and discovered to be forged.”

During investigation, Esebanmhen, who hails from Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, claimed an agent that promised to assist him procure a Spanish visa, introduced him to one Mr. Olawole, who unknown to him, forged the document and stamp on his passport.

He said: “I paid N300,000 to obtain the UK visa. But it failed. He promised to compensate me with a Spanish visa, which unknown to me were forged.”

The second suspect, Charles Sanusi, 40, admitted to procuring visa and other documents like hotel reservation, insurance certificate, ticket, invitation letters, employment documents and statement of account for prospective travelers to London, Spain and France.

SUSPECTS: Mr. Lawrence Okoro Dennis (right) and Mr. Hamza Abubakar, suspected to have planned the kidnap of late President Umaru Yar'Adua's daughter, paraded by Department of State Services, DSS. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

EPARTMENT of State Services, DSS, said, yesterday, that it thwarted an attempt by some kidnappers to abduct one of the daughters of late President Umaru Yar ’Adua.

Marilyn Ogar, the agency’s spokesperson, said two suspects, including a fake Army General, have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Details of the incident are still sketchy.

However, cases of kidnap are on the upsurge, especially in the South of Nigeria.

Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, and the Archbishop of the Niger Delta Province of the Anglican Communion, Ignatius Kattey, were among high profile Nigerians that have just been released from kidnappers’ dens after they were held for days.

There are speculations that ransoms are usually paid before the victims are released.

Man kills 3-month-old son for ritual zAnother beats daughter to death for bed-wetting

BY MARIE-THERESE NANLONG

J

OS—IN separate cases, two men in Plateau State allegedly sacrificed their children on the altar of anger and money ritual.

The state Police Command arrested the men along with 13 other suspects, who committed other crimes ranging from car theft, criminal conspiracy, and armed robbery to attempt to steal a vehicle with fabricated master keys.

One of the suspects, Fwangmun Habakuk, 25, from Mangu Local Government Area was said to have allegedly beaten his two year-old female child (names withheld) to death in a fit of anger, for urinating on the bed.

However, blaming the devil for his action, Habakuk said he regretted his action.

Similarly, 20-year-old Polycarp Tajan from Maikatako Village in Bokkos, confessed in an interview with newsmen in Jos, the state capital, that he suffocated his three-month-old baby boy (names withheld) to enable him cut off his tongue for money-making ritual.

Native doctor’s demand

Tajan said his quest for money took him to a native doctor, who asked him to bring the tongue of his first-born child for the ritual.

He equally blamed his action on the devil, influence of alcohol and greed.

He said: “I was really in need of money and someone told me about money ritual. I went to meet a native doctor, who demanded the tongue of my firstborn child.

“When I came home that day, the baby was on the bed and my wife was cooking in the kitchen. I used the pillow to suffocate the baby.”

Police sources said Tajan’s wife raised the alarm that led

to the suspect’s arrest. The native doctor was still at large.

Robbers nabbed

In another development, a four-man gang in Shendam local government robbed a victim of his N119,000, a digital camera, DSTV decoder, DVD and two Techno handsets. They also raped the robbery victim’s wife.

The gang members were, however, apprehended by the police while trying to dispose of the decoder.

This was even as a key fabricator, Yahaya Abdullahi of Dilimi in Jos was also arrested

for producing master keys used by car thieves in the area.

His accomplice, Annas Yunusa, reportedly attempted to use one of the keys to open a Honda Civic car parked along Ahmadu Bello Way in Jos, where he was arrested.

Teenagers rob Marwa operator

However, a tricycle (Keke NAPAEP) operator narrowly escaped death when a gang of four youths, three boys and one girl, who boarded his vehicle put a rope on his neck from behind, with which they alleg-

edly dragged him down and took the tricycle away.

Other suspects were nabbed over alleged unlawful possession of AK-47 rifles and transborder car theft.

While parading the 15 suspects, state Police Commissioner, Chris Olakpe said the feat was possible due to the synergy and collaboration between the security agencies and the public.

He advised people to secure their vehicles and warned spiritualists to stop “crimes as money does not come through human parts but through hardwork and prayers.”

BORNO BOKO HARAM ATTACK: Death toll now 87 D

EATH toll in last Tuesday’s Boko Haram attack on Beneshiek has risen to 87. Following the gruesome attack by the terrorists, who disguised in military uniforms, 23 persons were reported killed while several others were declared missing.

An official of Borno State Environment Protection Agency, Mallam Saidu Yakubu, however, confirmed yesterday that “87 bodies were recovered in the bush and our people are still searching for more.”

Saidu disclosed this to newsmen when he accompanied Governor Kashim Shettima to the scene of the massacre.

Meanwhile, Islamist insurgents have rampaged through a town in Yobe State with heavy weapons, setting public buildings on fire and killing a soldier and the wife of a senior policeman, authorities said yesterday.

The Wednesday attack was the latest carnage to hit the region, which has seen an upsurge in violence in recent days.

Armed with Kalashnikovs, rocket launchers and

homemade bombs, the terrorists stormed Yadi Buni in Yobe State around 10:00p.m., leading to a shootout with troops in which a soldier was killed, state Police Commissioner Sanusi Rufa’i said.

They set fire to a makeshift police station, the fire service, a local education office and the home of the divisional police head in the town, whose wife was burnt to death, Rufa’i said.

He said: “Buni Yadi was attacked last night by Boko Haram insurgents. A soldier was killed in a shootout and the wife of the Divisional Police Officer was burnt to death in her home.”

Telecom towers in the town were also burnt by the Islamists, the police commissioner said.

It was the second time Buni Yadi was attacked by Boko Haram in as many months.

Scores of people have been left dead in recent days from military raids or Boko Haram attacks.

The military claimed, Wednesday, that a strike on a Boko Haram camp in the north-east last week left about

150 Islamists and 16 soldiers dead, amid reports of dozens of troops killed.

On Tuesday night, suspected Boko Haram members dressed as soldiers set up checkpoints in the Benishiek area, killing an unclear number of people and burning some 50 buildings.

Senate

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

A

BUJA—EFFORTS by se curity agencies at fighting terrorism in the country through intercepting GSM communication, received Senate's blessing, yesterday, when it overwhelmingly supported a bill aimed at empowering security agencies to intercept that regard.

The bill is entitled A Bill for an Act to Provide for Interception, Development and Protection of Communications Networks and Facilities for Public Interest and Other Related

FAKE NYSC MEMBERS: From right— Nicolas Eze, leader of the syndicate; Makita Ude, Microbiology student, who paid N150,000; Blessing Ozoemene, Microbiology, paid N70,000; Cynthia Ukennaya, Microbiology, paid N120,000, all suspected fake members of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC; Abdulwasiu Ogunjimi, Eze's assistant; Amara Azuma, Biochemistry, paid N70,000; and Oluchukwu Acho, Microbiology, paid N120,000, suspected fake NYSC members, at a briefing by Department of State Services, DSS, in Abuja. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Oil marketers arraigned for alleged N1.3bn subsidy fraud

BY INNOCENT ANABA

T

WO oil marketers, Chinyerem Nweze, and Olaniran Ogundipe, were, yesterday, arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over alleged N1.3 billion subsidy fraud.

The accused were charged by the police alongside their companies, Geacan Energy Ltd, and Petroleum Brokers Ltd, on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud.

They however pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After the pleas of the accused were taken, the prosecutor prayed the court, presided over by Justice Musa Kurya, to order the remand of the accused in prison, and grant accelerated trial.

Counsel to the accused, how-

ever, objected to the application for remand, and informed the court of a bail summons he had filed on behalf of the accused.

He argued that since the accused were granted police administrative bail on September 12, they had always appeared at the Special Fraud Unit, SFU, whenever invited without default.

Counsel to the accused also told the court that the accused were present in court as early as 7a.m. for their arraignment and so there was no likelihood that they would jump bail.

Counsel said: “My Lord, the accused have always demonstrated good faith, by availing themselves for interrogations at SFU, whenever required.

“We have particularly exhibited documents showing the medical conditions of the ac-

cused, and which we urge the court to consider in granting bail.

“The first accused is suffering from a severe spinal cord disorder, while the second accused has acute peptic ulcer, which both require proper medical attention.

“It will serve the interest of justice if the accused are admitted to bail on liberal terms, since they have proved themselves to be honest people.”

In reply, the prosecutor informed the court of a counter affidavit he had filed in response to the bail summons.

He argued that an application for remand of an accused was a natural consequence flowing from arraignment, but added that bail was at the discretion of the court.

Justice Kurya, in a short ruling, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N1.5 billion each, with one surety each in like sum.

Bus conductor accused of murder

A

N Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, yesterday, remanded in Ikoyi Prisons, Lagos, a 24year-old conductor, Ukpai Ama-Ukpai, over the alleged murder of another conductor, simply identified as Sunday.

Ama-Ukpai, who resides at 87, Itelorun Street, PakoAguda, Surulere, Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

The Magistrate, Mrs M. Tanimola, said the accused should remain in prison.

overwhelmingly backs draft wiretap law Matters 2013.

Sponsored by Senator Isa Galaudu, PDP, Kebbi North, it seeks to give legal backing to relevant national chief security officers, national security agency, Department of State Services and Police to intercept communications considered prejudicial to national security or public interest.

The bill, which passed second reading in the upper legislative chamber,was referred to the Senate committees on Communication, Judiciary and National Security for further legislative input.

Earlier in his lead debate to support his bill, Senator

Galaudu said if passed, the bill would facilitate the role of security agencies in tracking terrorism or crime against national security or human dignity, using, communication or telecommunication services.

He said the bill also seeks to prohibit the manufacturing, assembling, processing, selling, purchasing or advertising of certain equipment illegally used as interception devices and also protect the interest of communication users through the prohibition of interception and provide circumstances under which interception may be permitted for public interest Galaudu said: “It is, however,

pertinent to note that the bill strengthens the terrorism prevention act, which empowers the Attorney-General of the Federation, National Security Adviser or Inspector-General of Police to aquire information relating to terrorist groups and terrorist acts and conduct investigations or search with or without warrant to prevent or establish a crime of terrorism.”

Expressing fears about the abuse of the bill, Senator Atai Ali said this would be an opportunity for government to witch-hunt the opposition without court order and the bill portends some sort of danger.

He insisted that the bill was

ambiguous, hence should be streamlined, saying anti-establishments may become targets of the bill.

Also contributing, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, advised that usual times and usual methods should be used to tackle the problems He said: “The security and protection of our citizens is paramount. This is the major aspect of the bill.

“It is also important to stop people using devices to intercept people ‘s calls. I think with this bill punishment will be prescribed for those who intercept calls illegally.”

Gunmen raid boutique in Bayelsa

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—ARMED men, suspected to be cultists, Wednesday night, attacked a popular boutique at the Amarata suburb of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, and carted way valuables.

Two shop attendants were reportedly shot during the incident.

The incident, it was learnt occurred at 7p.m., when most residents had retired to their homes and viewing centres to watch the European Champions League matches.

The hoodlums, who posed as customers, according to eyewitnesses, allegedly capitalised on the quietness of the area to operate.

The bandits were said to have shot the two victims over “the small amount of cash handed over to them” before disappearing.

However, the sound of gunshots reportedly attracted a police patrol team and neighbours to the scene and rushed the injured store attendants to the Federal Medical Centre.

One of the guns reportedly used by the armed men was also abandoned at the scene of crime in their desperate bid to escape.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident.

8—Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Court denies 2 Nigerians bail zAccused of recruiting new members for Iranian terror organisation

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, declined to grant bail to two Nigerians, Abdullahi Mustapha Berende and Saidi Adewumi, accused of recruiting new members for an Iran-based terrorist organisation.

The two accused persons were said to have collected the sum of 3,000 Euros and $20, 000 from the terrorist group to source and train terroristminded Nigerians fluent in English Language.

According to a six count charge preferred against them, the duo, had on or before September 2011 and December 2012, in Tehran, Iran, rendered support to the group via provision of materials and terrorism trainings on use of firearms and other weapons.

The Federal Government told the court that some of the persons that benefited from their training, among whom included Suleiman Olayinka Sake and Aminu Mohammed Yusuf, are currently at large.

Their alleged offence is punishable under section 5(1) and 8 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2013.

However, the accused persons who were on August 28, remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, reapproached the court with an application seeking their release on bail pending the conclusion of their trial.

In the alternative, they begged the court to order their transfer to Kuje prison, saying they were denied access to their family members and lawyers by operatives of the DSS. Besides, the second accused person told the court that his wife has vowed never to have anything to do with him again owing to the allegation against him which he described as false and baseless.

Senate summons Okonjo-Iweala, Ngama to explain budget performance zMark accuses Senate committees of shoddy jobs

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

A

BUJA — PEEVED by alleged comments by Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama that the 2013 budget was no longer implementable due to what he called “over-bloated revenue estimates by the National Assembly”, the Senate yesterday, directed its Committee on Finance to, as a matter of urgency, summon the two ministers of finance to appear before it to defend the allegation.

The Senate also said it was awaiting the Accountant-General of the Federation to present before it, the various monies released in the on-going year for ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, in accordance with clauses 6 and 9 of the 2013 Appropriation Act. The development came even as Senate President, David Mark blamed the various committees for not doing enough to monitor budget performances by the executive arm of government.

The Senate which deliberated the issue at its plenary, mandated Committees on Finance and Appropriation to immediately summon Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as well as the Ministry of State, Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama to appear before it to give explanation and submit its report within three weeks.

The summon followed a motion to that effect, sponsored by the Senate Deputy Leader, Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central, and 13 others praying the upper legislative chamber to probe the performance of the budget, with a view to critically assess the position of the nation’s economy.

Senator Ningi, in his lead debate, said the minister ’s statement was worrisome, as the National Assembly enactment guiding the implementation of the budget, most especially clause 6 of the 2013 Appropriation Act, stipulates that the “Minister of Finance shall ensure that funds appropriated under the Act are released to the appropriate agencies and organs of government as at when due, provided that no funds for any quarter of the fiscal year shall be differed without prior waiver from the National Assembly” He said the essence of the motion was to bring the issue to the fore that the National Assembly was not to blame for failure of the executive to implement the 2013 budget.

“There has not been any communication from the executive that there’s a shortfall in the revenue projections and Mr.

CONFERENCE—From left: Mr. Tokunbo Abiru, Executive Director, Corporate Banking Group, First Bank Plc; Mr. Bolaji Balogun, CEO, Chapell Hill Denham; Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria; Mr. Christopher Garnett, director, Euromoney Conference, and Bismarck Rewane, CEO, Financial Derivatives Company, during the annual Euromoney Conference in Lagos.

President said time and again that this economy is healthy”, he said.

While noting that the 2013 Appropriation Bill was passed on December 20, 2012, and subsequently assented to by President Goodluck Jonathan on January 15, 2013, Ningi expressed concern that the release indications from first to third quarter saw the capital at N 855,141 billion while approved budget stands at N1, 591, 657 trillion, saying there was a difference of N736, 466 billion.

He expressed dismay over the minister ’s statement, saying it was targeted at blackmailing the National Assembly, considering that all the revenue variables were within the target expectations.

He observed that part of the minister’s argument was that the benchmark being used for the budget implementation was over bloated which made it impossible to be implementable.

Ningi insisted that the alleged declaration by the minister should be discussed because the benchmark fixed for the 2013 budget was $79 per barrel of crude oil whereas the current price of the commodity is now $107 per barrel.

He requested the senate to consult relevant agencies saddled with the responsibilities of monitoring budget performances to get the true state of the nation’s economy.

Contributing to the debate,

Senator James Manager, PDP, Delta South, said the development was a wake up call for the National Assembly to find out what went wrong in the budget implementation just as he said it was wrong for the executive to always blame the legislature for budget failure.

Senator Bello Tukur, PDP, Adamawa Central, wondered

why it was taking so long to bring out the facts and blamed the Senate committee responsible for monitoring budget implementation for not raising the issue before things got to the present level.

Senator Ali Ndume, PDP, Borno South, blamed the Minister of State for Finance for making the pronouncement, saying he lacked such powers.

Native and Vogue Fashion show kicks off in Port Harcourt zAllure style awards holds Sunday

BY JEMI EKUNKUNBOR, ASSISTANT EDITOR & YEMISI SULEIMAN

T

HE Garden City of Port Harcourt, comes alive tonight as the much publicised Native and Vogue Port Harcourt International Fashion Week, kicks off at the Aztech Arcum, in Port Harcourt.

The show, which is the first of its kind is part of Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s effort to develop fashion and talent and create possibilities for youths and the people of the state. It is sponsored by the Rivers State Government in conjunction with Allure Vanguard, Neo Mantra and Bunor Creazioni.

The show attracts seven top designers including international designers, South African-born Van Zeal and Nigeria’s London-based Adebayo Jones. Both designers

are set to headline the show supported by other top designers such as Frank Osodi, Ituen Bassey, Mai Atafo and 30 other up and coming designers.

The show is expected to be declared open by Governor Rotimi Amaechi and will be attended by important dignitaries in the Rivers State community. It will open with the fashion competition for 10 up and coming designers. Winner of tonight’s show will get a six month internship with an international designer in South África.

The show which runs from today till Sunday, September 22, will be broadcast life on Channels Television on Saturday by 9am and on Sunday by 7pm.

The three-day fashion festival climaxes Sunday with the Allure Style Awards aimed at rewarding men and women who have contributed to the growth and development of the fashion and style industry in Nigeria.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—9

FG, state govts earmark N15bn to fight oil theft

BY BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA—THE Federal Government as well as state governments, yesterday, agreed to commit N15 billion annually to equip security services to fight crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

Addressing newsmen after a meeting of the National Economic Council, deputy governor of Bayelsa State, John Jonah, said the move is to ensure that security agencies are in a position to secure the country’s oil facilities.

According to him, the committee set up by the Federal Government to check activities of oil vandals has recorded progress and has increased the production level from 1.7million barrels per day to 2.4million barrels per day.

He explained that the “security agencies are professionals, well trained Nigerians and some of whom are laying their lives for you and I that we should get revenue.

If you know some of the activities that happen in the Niger Delta area, I know some of my personal friends have died.

“One of the ways you can make a security officer confident is to equip him, and equipping a security agency and telling it what to do are two different things. So what we are trying to do is to ensure that we buy the necessary equipment for them to perform their duty in the areas that we have identified gaps. We also want to make sure that more personnel are available. The terrain is a very difficult one, swamp terrain is a very difficult one.

“In one of the lines between Nembe and Brass we are told that there are about 150 bunkering points and those have been vandalized by crude oil thieves and in process of repairing those ones.

"It is not just soldiers, navy, air force, there are also the police, the civil defence and even the EFCC is there because we are talking of prosecution. Those who have committed offences must be prosecuted, so there is a social procedure set in place by this committee to make sure offenders are tried” he said.

The deputy governor said a lot of repairs have been made and “we are making sure that the levels we are is sustained that is why the facilities that is needed have been approved. We are going to spend about N15 billion over the year and that is what we loose in just few days,” he said.

Speaking on other decisions, the governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi said the agreement reached between the federal and state governments to contribute one percent to fund the police from the federation account would commenced next week.

Governor Obi said: “ What we discussed today was implementation strategy, which states clearly that every money

deducted from any state would be used strictly within that state to support its priorities in area of security as provided within police

reform strategy. And we are not telling the security agencies what to do, what we said is that we are trying to provide an

extra support to them. They know what to do but they need support to do that.”

N

PRESENTATION— From left: Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State; Chairman, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Alhaji Rasheed Mahey and Vice President Namadi Sambo, during presentation of share certificates to states and local governments at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday.

‘Ibori does not own 30% of Oando’

BY CLARA NWACHUKWU

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ANDO Plc said yesterday that claims by former Delta State governor, Mr. James Ibori, of owning 30 percent equity in the company is mere “image laundering” by the former governor.

Oando’s Deputy Group Chief Executive, Mr. Mofe Boyo, told newsmen at the group’s headquarters that “Ibori merely made the claim of owning 30 percent shares in Oando because it suited the image he wanted to project at that time.”

Not only this, he said that Ibori also lied when he claimed that some members of his family also owned substantial interest in Ocean and Oil, a subsidiary of the Group.

An embattled Boyo struggled in vain to answer the deluge of questions as to how Ibori, then a serving executive governor of one of Nigeria’s richest states would tell such a big lie to boost his image.

He said: “Yes, Ibori lied when he claimed he owned 30 percent of Oando and substantial interest in Ocean and Oil. He owns less than 500 shares in Oando, and this cannot translate to 30 percent of Oando and we do not know why he would make such a claim.

“We have over 300,000 shareholders in Oando and we have no control over who buys our shares and what quantity they buy.

As a publicly traded company, our shares are sold uninhibited and without prejudice to anyone.

“Having said that there is no link

or connection between Ibori and Oando, or between Ibori and Ocean and Oil.” No matter how strongly Oando disputes Ibori’s claim, it could not stop the company’s shares from losing some value on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, as it traded for N10 per share as at the close of trading, yesterday, the lowest among its peers, a move that may have prompted hasty twin press conferences held in Ikeja and Victoria Island respectively.”

Boyo, who also denied being the arrow head in the Ibori/ Oando deal, while noting that the company has not been indicted for any crime, said that it tried to avert this current scandal last year.

According to him, “sometime in 2012, we approached the Metropolitan Police over the issue in relation to foreign exchange transfers from Ocean and Oil, and Oando. In fact, I was the one who met with them in the company of one of our lawyers and we showed them the documentation of all our transactions.

“But they didn’t do anything with those information, and they insisted that whatever forex transfers Oando and Ocean and Oil made were connected with Ibori, instead of making a distinction between the parties.”

He also revealed that Oando tried to file a suit to be included in the Ibori case to forestall any damage to its image but was

No Ibori shares in our firm — NOTORE

not allowed to, as according to him, “The judge refused, saying that we were not a party in the case.”

He added that the company also tried to sit in during the court proceedings following a visit of the British Police to Nigeria to ascertain Ibori’s shareholding in Oando, but was also refused, until last Monday when the judge agreed Oando representatives could be admitted into the court proceedings.

OTORE Chemical Industries Limited, yesterday, stated that the former governor of Delta State, Mr James Ibori, has never owned or controlled shares in the company.

A statement by the fertilizer company stressed that it had worked extremely hard to become a major player in the global fertilizer market, relying on strict ethical principles.

According to Notore, “the ongoing confiscation proceedings are solely between the United Kingdom, UK, court and Mr. James Ibori.”

The fertilizer giant based in Onne, River State added that “Notore is not a party to the UK court proceedings because English law does not allow Notore to defend itself in them.”

The firm stressed that Mr James Ibori does not have ‘hidden assets’ in Notore.

He has never owned nor controlled shares in the company, and, so far as the company is aware, no other shareholder or shareholders hold shares for him in trust.

“Notore remains proud of the central role it is playing in the revolution of African agriculture and Africa’s economic empowerment and is committed to the Federal G o v e r n m e n t ’ s a g r i c u l t u r a l transformation agenda and to the objective of making the country selfreliant in food production.”

Nigerian wins World Muslim beauty pageant

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Nigerian woman tearfully prayed and recited Koranic verses as she won a beauty pageant exclusively for Muslim women in the Indonesian capital on Wednesday, a riposte to the Miss World contest that has sparked hardline anger.

The 20 finalists, who were all required to wear headscarves, put on a glittering show for the final of Muslimah World, strolling up and down a catwalk in elaborately embroidered dresses and stilettos.

But the contestants from six countries were covered from head to foot, and as well as beauty they were judged on how well they recited Koranic verses and their views on Islam

in the modern world.

After a show in front of an audience of mainly religious scholars and devout Muslims, a panel of judges picked Obabiyi Aishah Ajibola from Nigeria as the winner.

While the event in a Jakarta shopping mall paled in comparison to Miss World on the resort island of Bali, in which scores of contestants are competing, Ajibola was nevertheless overwhelmed.

Upon hearing her name, the 21year-old knelt down and prayed, then wept as she recited a Koranic verse.

She said it was “thanks to almighty Allah” that she had won the contest. She received 25 million rupiah ($2,200) and trips to Mecca and India as prizes.

10—Vanguard FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Senate defers action on UK visa bond

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

VISIT: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (right), making a presentation to the Chairman, Supervisory Board, Royal FrieslandCampina, Mr. Piet Boer, during a courtesy visit by the Supervisory Board, Royal FrieslandCampina of The Netherlands, to the Deputy Governor in her Alausa, Ikeja office. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Honda establishes automobile subsidiary in Nigeria

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AGOS — HONDA Motor Co. Ltd. held a press conference in Lagos, and announced the establishment of Honda Automobile Western Africa Ltd. HAWA, a wholly-owned Honda subsidiary in Nigeria, the largest market in West Africa.

Attendees included representatives from the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria and representatives from Honda including Manabu Nishimae, Managing Officer/Chief Operating Officer for Regional Operations (Europe, CIS, the Middle & Near East and Africa), and representatives from THP Limited (Stallion Group) including Haresh Vaswani, Vice Chairman.

As the second local automobile subsidiary established by Honda in the African region, following South Africa, HAWA will officially begin operations this month with responsibilities of importing and distributing to its THP dealer network, and promoting Honda products.

The subsidiary will also jointly fulfil with Honda Motor Co., Ltd., the manufacturer’s original responsibilities such as product planning, product development, and engineering.

THP Limited, as Honda’s sole exclusive partner in Nigeria will further strengthen customer satisfaction throughout their dealer network

A BUJA — THE Senate, yesterday, said it would not take action over the proposed 3,000 pounds visa bond by the United Kingdom until the British government implements the policy.

The proposed visa bond, according to the British Government, is aimed at check-mating immigrants from Nigeria and some few countries who travel to the United Kingdom, but fail to adhere to the visa rules.

With the policy in place, travellers who flout their immigra-

NECO releases May/June 2013 SSCE result; 69. 57% pass at credit level •36 schools de-registered

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

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INNA — THE National Examinations Council, NECO, has released 2013 Senior Schools Certificate Examinations results with a considerable improvement by the students nationwide compared with the past results.

A breakdown of the results shows that about 69.57 per cent of the candidate had credit while most of the students also came out with good results in both English Language and Mathematics.

Releasing the results at the Headquarters of the Examinations body in Minna, the Niger State capital, the Registrar, Professor Promise Nwachukwu Okpala, said a total number of 1,052,898 candidates registered for the examinations.

Okpala said out of the figure, 1,034,263 candidates actually sat for the examinations. He noted that 681,507, representing 66.

63 per cent passed English Language at credit level while 668,314, representing 65.50 per cent also passed Mathematics at credit level.

According to the Registrar, 719593, representing 69.57 per cent passed at credit level, while number of candidates who made five passes and above stood at 998,624, representing 96. 55 per cent.

Also, the number of candidates involved in examinations malpractices dropped to 8,308, representing 0.80 per cent. “This year’s result shows a remarkable improvement compared to that of 2011 result, which stood at 15.84 per cent pass at credit level and 2012 result of 51. 66 per cent also at credit level,” the elated Registrar declared.

He, however, said that despite the brilliant results, some schools and students were still caught in examination malpractices, but added that those involved has been sanctioned by de-registration or cancellation of results.

About 36 schools involved have been de-registered for a period of two years.

He said the affected schools have been notified officially.

He said that the identities of the schools would be made public as soon as the Council concludes all the necessary procedures which included allowing the schools to defend

themselves.

According to him: “The council has zero tolerance for examination malpractice. It has thus sanctioned schools and candidates involved in examination malpractice through de-recognition or cancellation of results.

To this end, the Council has derecognised 36 schools for a period of two years.

“The essence of the two year de-recognition is to recover the schools and not destroy them.

The two years sanction is meant to jolt the affected schools towards abstaining from examination malpractice in the future.”

I have no regrets, retiring Justice Salami affirms

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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ETIRING President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, said yesterday that like any human being he was subject to”human foibles”,declaring that he never, for a moment, regretted what he did. Justice Salami who retires October 15, said these during the presentation of a book in his honour organised by the Ilorin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

The 570 page book was entitled: “Nigeria judiciary: Contemporary issues on administration of justice.” Justice Salami was full of praises to God for making him survive attempts to tarnish his image. Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch, Rafiu Balogun, in his remarks urged the federal government to have a rethink on the Salami saga and recall the man who is now set for retirement next month.

He said, “We believe it is not

too late to right the wrong because Salami has done this nation creditably well”.

The NBA chairman also said that the failure of the Federal Government to reinstate Salami as recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC) is not acceptable to right thinking Nigerians saying it only portrays the Presidency as crying more than the bereaved in the matter.

Justice Salami touched by the outpouring of encomiums said: “All these encomiums that you have attributed to me I thank all for that. I know they came from the bottom of your heart. But don’t let us forget that it is not my acts but Allah that led me that way.

Left to me I might have failed, but Allah guided me and I acted the way he wanted me to act.

“Like any human being I am subject to human foibles but with Allah behind me I succeeded in avoiding the temptation.

Because it was a temptation which l refused to cave into.”

tion law will be made to forfeit the deposit of 3000 pounds to the government of Britain.

But disturbed that the proposed UK policy affects Nigerian travellers despite Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with Britain, the Senate said it was important to deliberate on the issue and take decision.

The motion, which was tabled before Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Matthew Nwagwu, was defered on grounds that the proposed policy was yet to be implemented.

Senator Matthew Nwagwu, PDP, Imo North, in his lead debate, expressed concern over the development, noting that it was capable of negatively affecting the existing relations between Nigeria and Britain.

He noted that both Nigeria and Britain were members of the Commonwealth of Nations, the United Nations, besides being signatories to several international conventions and agreements.

He added that the constitution of the Nigeria forbids discrimination against any Nigerian for whatever reason.

Nwagwu lamented that in spite of laws and conventions which the United Kingdom was a signatory, the same UK government had announced the imposition of 3000 pounds visa bond on Nigerians citizens travelling to United Kingdom for the first time.

Transportation: Missioner lauds Ogun govt

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HE Ogun State government has been commended on the new fleet of taxi cabs launched in the state capital, Abeokuta recently.

The Chief Missioner of Sango Central Mosque Alhaji Abdulrahom Khalif Balogun said this while speaking with newsmen at the end of Jumat service.

He advised the state government to allow all the communities in all the local governments to feel positive impact of the transportation system through the proper distribution system so as to reduce transportation problem.

He also charged the beneficiaries to utilise available opportunity for the benefit of the people, urging the state and local governments to repair bad roads in order to reduce the agony people.

The missioner charged the various communities to support Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s administration for good governance.

Vanguard FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—11

Group urges FG to do more to improve economy

BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE

B

LAUNCH: From left, Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Joshua Dariye, during the official launch of Youth Employment and Social Support Operation, YESSO, at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, yesterday.

ARELY 48 hours after some governors and the minister of finance publicly disagreed on the state of the economy, the Human Capital Providers Association of Nigeria , HuCaPan, has called on the Federal Government to take more concrete steps to improve the economy for the benefit of the people.

The President of

Ex-Ondo gov, Agagu for burial Oct 4

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE— THE Ondo State Government, yesterday, fixed October 4, this year, for the burial of the immediate past governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, who died a week ago.

In a three-day burial programme announced by the Commissioner for Informa-

tion, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, the burial events will kick off at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan being the Tribute Day, beginning from 11a.m .

On October 3, the body of the late politician will leave Lagos to arrive the Akure Airport by 9a.m; while he will be lying-instate at the Democracy

Park, Akure.

Another lying in state cum wake-keep will take place on the same day beginning from 5p.m. at the Civic Centre, Iju-Odo, Okitipupa Local Government.

A burial service will hold for the deceased on the Friday, October 4, at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Iju-Odo, also in Okitipupa Local Government Area, by

11a.m; while the remains of the Late Dr. Agagu will be interred at the same venue and reception will follow at Manuwa Memorial Grammar School, in the same town.

The state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko had at a special prayer session for the state in Akure, Wednesday, charged the people of the state to troop out en masse for the burial to honour his late predecessor.

The well-attended meeting organised by the Christian Welfare Board and Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ondo Chapter, at the Ondo State Cultural Centre, Akure.

Mimiko had earlier declared a seven-day of mourning in the state in hounor of the late Agagu.

Mimiko made the declaration on Sunday, during a condolence visit to the family of the deceased in his Ikoyi, Lagos residence.

He was accompanied by his wife, Olukemi, members of the national and state assemblies and state executive council from the southern senatorial district and top government officials.

The governor was received by the younger brother to the late former governor and his Chief of Staff, Mr. Femi Agagu and members of the family.

Speaking during the visit, Mimiko described the late Agagu as a colossus of intellectual and political capabilities, who achieved so much greatness in his life time.

He also described demise of the former governor as an irreparable loss to the people of Ondo State and Nigeria, considering his immense contributions to the state and national development during his tenure as minister, deputy governor and governor.

HuCaPan, Mr. Oritseneye Enemigin, who made the call while speaking at the organisation’s 3rd Annual General Meetin, in Lagos, yesterday, also suggested that the national minimum wage should remain on the exclusive list in the constitution.

Mr. Enemigin said: “ about 98 per cent of countries world-wide, have the national minimum wage on the exclusive list,” and wondered how the Senate expected a company with workers all over the nation to determine its wage structure.

For the economy, he said: “ As a nation, we should fare better than what we are doing at the moment.”

Mr. Enemigin, whose association is affiliated to the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association and works closely with the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, said: “ Development should have clear indices” which should include, “the number of new jobs created, how many new businesses are created, how many hours of uninterrupted power supply

do we have in the homes and business organizations.”

He observed that “ 2013 is also shaping out as another challenging year with several issues, especially business closures and government policies affecting business, among others,” Specifically, he said, “ the rate of unemployment is alarming as the consequences can only be imagined.”

The HuCaPan President, therefore , called on the government to “create a sustainable and enabling environment for businesses to thrive, provide jobs, create wealth and contribute to national development.”

He, however, commended the Federal Government for creating the Sovereign Wealth Account.“ Mr. Enemigin also noted that “the modest gain recorded in the electricity megawatt generated as at December, 2012 was eroded to 3,413 megawatt in April, 2013, due to what the power ministry ascribed to ‘general system collapse’.

GLO promo winner gets N1m few days to wedding

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LOBACOM, YES TERDAY, in Kaduna, presented prizes to a new set of winners in its ‘Recharge to Stardom’ promo with one of the N1 million winners in the promo, Salihu Bello, declaring that he won the prize money just 40 days to his wedding.

Bello, who received the cheque of N1 million from the Senior Special Assistant to the Kaduna State Government on Special Duties, Deacon Dariye Sambo, at a ceremony in front of Makarfi Plaza on the busy Ahmadu Bello Way, said that but for the benevolence of Globacom, his wedding plans were in jeopardy due to lack of funds.

“I was very excited when I was called and informed that I won N1 million.

“It is a miracle and a gift from God because the information came 40 days to my wedding and I had

no money.

“Now, I can go ahead with the wedding plans and from this money, I will buy Keke NAPEP for my mother, give N200,000 to my father and use the rest for my wedding. I am also using this opportunity to invite Glo to my wedding,” the elated Bello enthused.

Also beaming with smiles while receiving his N1 million, another winner, Suleiman Musa, said that but for Globacom, he had never owned up to N500,000 in his life and thanked the company for “changing my life and making me a young millionaire.”

During the presentation ceremony, Danladi Aye, a Kaduna Polytechnic student; Bature Abdulahi, a civil servant; Jatau Salome, a Restauranteur and Aliu Mubarak, a student collected N25,000 cheque each.

Others also got N10,000 as prizes.

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Uduaghan announces $20,000 residency training for Delta doctors ... Bags NPMCN honorary Fellowship award

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

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ELTA State Government will henceforth sponsor medical doctors of the state origin at the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, NPMCN, Lagos, to one-year residency training programme overseas.

Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who announced this, yesterday, in appreciation of the honorary fellowship award conferred on him by the college during its 31st convocation ceremony in Lagos, noted the need to support government efforts to produce well-skilled resident doctors, leveraging on international exposure availed by the one-year overseas training programme.

Uduaghan, who was of the view that the college plays a vital role in medical training, stressed the need for government at all levels to support the institution.

He said: “Delta State Government will partner you in the training of Delta indigenes here. All Deltans with first class degrees already have scholarships to study anywhere in the world. Over 180 of them are offered N5 million yearly as grant.

“We will also give the oneyear post-graduate training

scholarship support to Delta indigenes in this college, as part of measures to address the funding challenges mentioned by the president of the college.

“People say we spend a lot on scholarships, but I tell them that the amount is not comparable to what we spend on security and other things.

On education and its funding,

I will not be tired and I will partner this college on this one-year training.”

On his part, president of the college, Professor Victor Wakwe lamented that since the Federal Government resuscitated the one-year overseas training for resident doctors, and about 60 candidates benefited last year, nothing has been heard of the pro-

gramme.

He appealed for support for the programme.

On the honorary fellowship to Governor Uduaghan, Wakwe said that the award was in recognition of the recipient’s exceptional commitment to healthcare development in Delta State, from the time he was Commissioner for Health to this day as governor of the state.

BRIEFING: From left: Member, Local Organising Committee, Songs of Nigeria Festival, SONIFES, Okechukwu Eke; National Festival Coordinator, SONIFES, Mr. Chuks Akamadu and Member, SONIFES, Cynthia Anaele, during a briefing on SONIFES Centenary Gala Night, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Dickson to political appointees: Resign if you’re dissatisfied

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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E N A G O A — BAYELSA State governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has warned political appointees in the state, who are not comfortable with his administration’s style, to resign.

The governor, in Yenagoa, while responding to a question on the alleged complaint by some of his aides that “he is stingy,” insisted that appointees, who are not comfortable

with their salaries and allowances should quit, as they were not prepared to serve in his administration.

The current administration, he warned, would not condone appointees who are planning to enrich themselves with public funds and become super commissioners and super special advisers.

He said: “The mandate you gave me does not include misappropriating your resources.

As soon as somebody in government makes a statement like

that, you should look for a way to send the name to our security number.

“Those who are in government should know that there are many other qualified persons. What you need are salaries and entitlement, every other thing is what we will use to develop the state.

“People in government realised so much money on their own and became super commissioners and super advisers.

It is not like that in this administration. There is no one in my executive you can compare with

aides who served before. So people who are commissioners and special appointees need to understand and come to terms with what we are doing.

“If the state wants to make progress, all of us must understand that this is the right way to go, including me. If you want to build mansions, go to the bank and obtain loans. Nobody can live like a big man, millionaire or billionaire, from public purse. For those in government who are complaining, tell them if they are not happy, they should resign. There are other people who are ready to take their places.”

Oil leak: Agip, host community to visit “We have been notified spill site in Bayelsa by the management of

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HE Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC and members of Ikeinghenbiri community, in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, have scheduled a joint visit to an oil spill site in the area.

It was gathered that the oil leak was discovered on Monday by a woman, who was returning from a fishing expe-

dition.

Mr. Marshall Josiah, the Chairman of Community Development Committee in Ikeinghenbiri, told News Agency of Nigeria, yesterday, that the oil firm had been informed of the incident.

He said: “The spill was reported to Agip officials as soon as it was discovered on Monday and as we speak, the spill is still going on.

Agip that they will be convening a joint investigative visit to the spill site. This visit will enable us to take stock of the damages done to our environment.

“Our fishermen were compelled to suspend fishing because the creeks and swamps were contaminated and today, we can depend on imported frozen fish.”

Vanguard staff, 16 other journalists for Reuters training in UK

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SABA—SEVENTEEN journalists drawn from different media houses, both print and electronic, will travel to London this weekend for a training programme on investigative journalism, organised by Thompson Reuters Foundation. The training starts from Monday next week.

Mr. Austin Ogwuda, Vanguard’s State Correspondent in Asaba, is participating along with others including the Delta State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr Norbert Chiazor.

The one-week training programme, which is sponsored by Delta State Government, “will focus on uncovering material, ensuring sourcing is valid and avoid confusion by eradicating jargon and unnecessary acronyms as well as injecting unbiased analysis into copy as well as adhering to international best practice when it comes to structure and style.”

Mandela, Uduaghan, Dickson, others for CEPEJ Award Sept 25

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HE Peace and Environment Africa Award, organised by the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, will on September 25, 2013, present an award to former President Nelson Mandela, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and seven other eminent Nigerians.

A statement by Professor Benjamin Okaba and Professor Matthew Wegwe, chairman and secretary respectively of the awardees’ selection committee said that the event was part of activities to mark the environment seminar of the group fixed for September 25, 2013 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 — 13

C M Y K

14—Vanguard , FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

MTN spends N9bn on projects

BY TONY EDIKE

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NUGU—MOBILE Telephone Network, MTN, has invested over N9 billion in executing various projects in 338 locations across the 36 states of Nigeria through its foundation, the Corporate Services Executive of the company, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, has disclosed.

Goodluck, who stated this, yesterday, while handing five Hilux security patrol vehicles to the governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, said the gesture was part of MTNF Security Project, Phase 2.

He disclosed that it was the pledge of the MTN to continue to work with government at all levels to enrich the lives of the people, adding that the company was passionate about improving the quality of life in Nigeria and contributing to socio-economic growth.

Madam Ikokwu marks 100 years

Alleged N10.6m fraud: Wanted Anambra commissioner resigns zSues Police, 3 others

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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W KA — E M B AT T L E D Anambra State Commissioner for Special Duties, Chief Vincent Ezenwajiaku, who was declared wanted by the Special Fraud Unit, SFU, of the Nigeria Police for allegedly obtaining N10.6 million by false pretence and forgery, has announced his resignation from the state executive council.

He has also sued the Commissioner of Police in charge of Special Fraud Unit, SFU, as well as one Chuks Mgbenena of NIMASA and CSP Okposiakpo Elolor for N250 million over what he described as an attempt to damage his reputation.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Awka, Ezenwajiaku, who looked sober, said the import of what the people were doing was just to take their pound of flesh because he was appointed commissioner by Governor Peter Obi. Ezenwajiaku, who noted that the amount involved was not N10.6 million, added that Chuks Mgbemena and SFU just wanted to paint him in bad light to smear his hard-earned image that had taken him time to build and, perhaps, lose his job as commissioner in the state.

He said: “Since my life, I have never been involved in fraud, arrested or detained by the Police on anything concerning any form of illegality because it was a vow I took after my National Youth

Service Corps.

“As a result of this raging fire, I am going further by resigning my position as the state Commissioner for Special Duties and I am going to tender my letter to Governor Obi first thing tomorrow morning (Friday), because I do not intend to embarrass his government.

“This is to prove my innocence until I clear my name of this mess.

Whatever it will take to do it, I will do it”.

In the suit instituted at Awka High Court, Ezenwajiaku is urging the court to restrain Mr. Chuks Mgbemena, the Commissioner of Police in charge of SFU and CPS Elohor from arresting him or continuing to harass him, pending the determination of the suit.

In the suit No A/MISC/2013, Ezenwajiaku said he decided to go to court to enforce his fundamental human rights in suit No: A/MISC. 130/2013 at the Awka High Court.

Going down memory lane, Ezenwajiaku said: “This matter is a commercial transaction between two brothers from the same town, in 1992.”

VISIT: Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo (right) and French Minister of External Trade, Nicole Bricq, during a visit to the Ministry of Power in Abuja.

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

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BA—CALL her the old pre-independence female politician alive and you may not be wrong. At 100, Chief Margaret Nwanyidimma Ikokwu, MON, is arguably the only official of the defunct National Council of Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, that is still alive.

Expectantly, for surviving members of the NCNC, their associates and successors, all road will lead to her residence near Vicarage of St Paul’s Church, Oba, Idemili South Local Council, Anambra State, where she is holding her 100 birthday thanksgiving today.

The mother of Second Republic Chairman of the Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP, in Anambra State, Chief Guy Ikokwu, was born on September 13, 1913.

The Anuenyi of Oba was married to the late Chief G.C Ikokwu, a one-time Mayor of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

She received the Member of the Order of the Niger, MON, national award in 2004.

Labour alleges plot by FG to short-change PHCN workers

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BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

BUJA—ORGANISED La bour in the power industry yesterday alleged that it had uncovered plots by the Federal Government to handover assets of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to private investors without paying workers’ benefits.

Consequently, it threatened to shut down the industry should the government go ahead to do so.

Labour, under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, urged Nigerians to hold the government responsible for the looming turmoil in the sector and advised the investors not to fall into the trap set up by the Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE and government.

According to NUEE, government has not been able to conclusively clear the outstanding huddles in relation to outstanding labour issues with the workers.

In a statement signed by General Secretary, Joe Ajaero, the union warned that should the investors go ahead to take over on

paper without allowing the BPE and government to conclusively sort out the outstanding labour issues with the workers, it would be assumed that they (investors) had

equally accepted to pay outstanding labour liabilities.

The statement reads in part: “It has come to our notice that the Federal Government

through the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, has resolved to throw the Power Sector into turmoil by secretly handing over the Sector on paper.

Nigeria spends N25bn annually on generators—Group

BY AMAKAABAYOMI AGOS—WORRIED by the epileptic power supply in the country, a pressure group, Good Governance Initiative, GGI, has disclosed that aside from being a dumping ground for power generating sets, Nigerians spent over N25 billion importing same in 2012, the highest in the world.

President of the initiative, Mr. Festus Mbisiogu, called on Nigerians to extract a promise from the preferred bidders of the unbundled Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, assets to improve on the current generation of power to grow the economy.

He said: “The epileptic power supply has remained a cog in the wheel of the nation’s progress and is eating deep into the profits of businesses, particularly of companies that incur huge expenses in powering their businesses.

“The insufficient public power supply has led to the relocation of most multinational companies to other African countries, those who

L

decided to stay back rely on generators, while those that can’t afford such have closed shop.

“It is not surprising that in 2012 alone, Nigerians spent N25 billion in importing generators and this figure is sure to increase if drastic measures are not taken.

“Ghana recently celebrated 10

years of uninterrupted power supply; South Africa, with a population of over 50 million, generates 40,000MW; Brazil has 100,000MW with a population of 192 million, while Nigeria still struggles to generate 4,000MW for its over 160 million strong people.”

Monarch flays protest over ownership of land

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BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—THE traditional ruler of Ugwuafor in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu State, Igwe John Ideyi Nwodo, has condemned recent protest march by Umueji Igwe Onyi of Ogonogo Eji, Ndiuno, Akpugo community to Government House, Enugu, over ownership of Ugwuafor land.

The traditional ruler said the protest march, which was led by the traditional ruler of

Ogonogo Eji, Ndiuno, Akpugo, Igwe Stephen Nwatu, was unwarranted and evil intended “as it has no moral or legal base and justification”.

Consequently, he urged the government to ignore them.

In a letter written to the state government by his counsel, Mr. B.C. Nwobodo, Igwe Nwodo wondered why the people should protest after the family had gone to court to challenge the ownership and possession of the alleged land in dispute.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—15

GOV EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN'S INVESTITURE AS FELLOW OF NATIONAL POST GRADUATE MEDICAL COLLEGE IN LAGOS, YESTERDAY PIX: HENRY UNINI

AWARD: From left: Dr. Oluwale Atoyebi, Registrar, National Postgraduate Medical College, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and Professor Victor Wakwe, ColGovernor Emmanuel Uduaghan listening to the citation at the lege President, congratulating Governor Uduaghan after being decorated as an Honorary Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College, during the 31st Convocation of occasion. the school, at Ijanikin, Lagos, yesterday.

From left: Professor Yangni-Angate, President, West African College of Surgeons, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Chairman, House of Representatives' ComProf. Victor Wakwe, College President, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Senator mittee on Health (right) and Chief Dere Otubo.

Gbenga Kaka.

Cross section of graduands on the occasion.

Dr. Oluwale Atoyebi, Registrar of the school (left) and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

16—Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

NGF crisis: Court strikes out Fashola’s suit against Jang

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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BUJA—JUSTICE Peter Affen of an Abuja High Court at Jabi, yesterday, struck out the suit that was filed against the factional chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, Mr Jonah Jang, by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State.

The action of the court followed decision of the plaintiff to withdraw the suit which he filed on June 5.

It will be recalled that Fashola had on July 17, filed a withdrawal application

prayed the court for order of injunction restraining Jang from using the name “Nigeria Governor’s Forum” in respect of any other organization that does not have the 36 governors as members and/ or in any other manner inconsistent with the Constitution of the Governor’s Forum.

He equally urged the court to restrain one Mr Osaro Onaiwu (3rd defendants) from parading himself as the

through his lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN. He had in the suit, urged the court to stop the Plateau State Governor, Jang, from parading himself as the factional chairman of the NGF. Aside Jang, others who were listed as 1st to 4th defendants in the suit were the Director General of the NGF, Asishana Bayo Okauru, the factional Sole Administrator of the body under Jang, Mr Osaro Onaiwu and the Board of Trustees of the

BY MAYEN ETIM NGF. He specifically

Sole Administrator of the Nigeria Governor ’s Forum in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.

In a 19- paragraphed affidavit that was personally deposed to by Fashola himself, he told the high court that all the governors had met on May 25, 2013, and participated in a voting process that saw the re-election of Governor Amaechi as the chairman of the NGF.

Resist take-over of PHCN’s power installations, NUEE tells members

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ADUNA—THE National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has called on its members to resist forceful take over of power installations belonging to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, by the new owners in the country unless, their severance allowances were settled by the Fed-

eral Government.

The General Secretary of the union, Mr Joe Ajaero, gave the directive while addressing members of the union from the North-West Zone in Kaduna yesterday.

Ajaero, who spoke through the Assistant General Secretary of NUEE, Moses Ahmedu, said the directive became imperative following alleged moves by the gov-

ernment to handover on paper, all PHCN facilities to investors without conclusively resolving labour and other related issues.

His words: ‘’This action would be suicidal on our part if we allowed the investors access to any of our facilities while the issues remain unresolved by the government, especially as they appear to be reneging.”

Aliyu lauds NTI’s literacy campaign

BY GABRIEL EWEPU

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BUJA—THE Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, yesterday, commended the effort of Nigeria Teachers Institute, NTI, on its literacy campaign and efforts to provide Nigerians with quality education.

The governor said the institute has produced over 40 per cent of the qualified teachers in the Northern states, and expressed gratitude for a job well done, urging the institution to redouble its efforts.

He said: “Many of the states in the North have no more than 40 to 50 percent qualified teachers. We thank the Director General of Nigeria Teachers Institute, NTI, because he has been doing excellently well but we need to do more.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 —17

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OME folks are warped.

They love trouble, find a way of benefitting from it and encourage antagonists to keep fighting, even when the fight doesn’t make sense.

But normal people prefer peace to war; and recent months have been immensely traumatic for me and most of the fellow Niger Deltans to whom I have spoken.

We are extremely sad about the toxic tensions that have driven President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi into different camps and triggered off several embarrassing (and avoidable) headline-hogging dramas.

We feel that Jonathan and Amaechi should forget about destructive distractions, let bygones be bygones, relate to each other like brothers and ferociously concentrate – alongside other South-South VIPs - on transforming our geopolitical zone into a harmonious, thriving socio-economic success story.

And, given that Mr President is not just a regional leader, he has the additional responsibility of making Nigeria as a whole a much better place to live in.

All this “Old PDP versus New PDP” stuff leaves me cold; and I was mightily relieved when it was announced that reconciliation talks had commenced.

But ego and trust issues often rear their ugly heads whenever politicians are communicating with each other; and there is, on reflection, no guarantee that the

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Niger Delta states

Niger Deltans for Jonathan and Amaechi!

Amaechi”…because we want to remind the stars of the show to recognise the fact that their core constituents will be thrilled if they settle their differences, once and for all.

What do Vanguard readers think about this idea?

Hands off Liberty FM! Liberty FM is an increasingly popular Kaduna-based radio station. It has gone to court because it regards itself as a victim of political witch-hunting.

Why? Because, even though Liberty FM has only existed for a year or so – and has fulfilled all of its fiscal obligations to date - Kaduna State’s Internal Revenue Board has decided to subject it to a hostile forensic tax audit.

According to Liberty Boss,

We feel that Jonathan and Amaechi should forget about destructive distractions, let bygones be bygones, relate to each other like brothers and ferociously concentrate – alongside other South-South VIPs - on transforming our geopolitical zone into a harmonious, thriving socio-economic success story.

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talks will go anywhere significant or produce a lasting rapprochement.

Some friends and I are seriously considering the possibility of setting up a non-partisan NGO called “Niger Deltans For Jonathan And C M Y K

in 2012 because he felt that his new role - as the owner of an independent radio station whose slogan is Voice for all – compelled him to adopt a politically neutral stance.

“Liberty FM has tried its best to be fair to everyone,” says Ramalan. “And many proJonathan officials from the North have been offered airtime; but very few have accepted our offers; and some have told me in confidence that they are reluctant because Jonathan is now so unpopular in the North, thanks to the widespread suspicion that he will break his promise to only serve one term… “…They are afraid that they will expose themselves to dangers like having their houses burned down by mobs if they speak on Jonathan’s behalf in public…

Ramalan’s personal view is that Liberty FM should not take sides and should just objectively record differing opinions about every burning issue.

Ramalan concluded our chat by saying that he is not hostile to Mr President or the PDP, but doesn’t regard Mr President or

Alhaji Tijani Ramalan (an exChairman of NIMASA): “The problem started when we invited Nasir El Rufai, a Kaduna State indigene, high-profile member of the APC Opposition Party and former Minister to talk about local and national issues on our

President Jonathan GUEST OF THE WEEK programme.”

The famously outspoken El Rufai, predictably, did not mince words and roundly condemned the PDP-run state and Federal Government authorities.

Liberty invited the PDP to respond to these criticisms; and Presidential aide, Dr Doyin Okupe, was invited to counter El Rufai’s comments and did an OK job.

Mallam Nasiru Zaharadeen, Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, was also given

Governor Amaechi an opportunity to robustly defend the ruling Party on BAKO MU NA MAKO, a Hausa language version of the GUEST OF THE WEEK show.

So far , so democratic.

But the Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Yero, was not happy.

And his Commissioner of Information and Director General (Media) both rejected Liberty FM offers to contribute their opinions to this developing debate.

Ramalan used to be a PDP stalwart but resigned from the PDP

the PDP as perfect and believes in freedom of speech…and is angry about the harassment to which Liberty FM has been subjected for allowing anti-Establishment views to be heard, not least because the Constitution gives all Nigerians the right to speak their minds.

Let us hope that The Powers That Be quit carrying on like cheap bullies and keep their dodgy hands off Liberty FM and other unsychophantic media outlets!

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 OR 0811 675 9752 (texts only). PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED, WITH YOUR NAMES AND CONTACT DETAILS ATTACHED.

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 THE actualisation of the longspeculated reshuffle of President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet is still raising some dust. In the midst of the political cyclone that recently hit the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, it was understandable that decision would assume stronger political meanings than in ordinary times.

Proponents of political motive held that the president decided to send home ministers nominated by some of the socalled rebel PDP governors: Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Sule Lamido of Jigawa and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers.

It also came when a faction of the ruling party which styles itself as the “new ” PDP broke away, and the aggrieved governors and former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, were at the centre of it.

It needs to be understood that the appointment, reposting and sack of ministers of the cabinet is a

Jonathan’s Cabinet Reshuf fle eshuffle constitutional preserve of the President.

He can take any of these actions at any time during his tenure, and he can adduce any reason, or none for the changes, for doing so without being taken to task beyond mere voicing of opinions.

However, in doing this and taking any other action he is accountable to the Nigerian public that voted him into office. Nigerians would hold him liable for the results his ministers produce.

It is hard for politicians to follow this path, but governance is more important than politics, especially where politics is divisive. In democracy; politics is less important than governance. Politics, to

politicians entail activities towards the achievement of political power, while governance is details attention to benefits the people derive from electing politicians into power.

President Jonathan should not yield to the temptation of crowding his cabinet with “grassroots politicians”, as is being speculated. The proposed alternative is technocrats. It has been proven that neither technocrats nor politicians hold the key to unlock the gridlocks to development of our country.

He should set out purposely searching for men and women who are ready and willing to ser ve in an uncommon manner. He needs people who understand the importance of making up for time Nigeria has lost through decades of inattentive leadership and gross inattentiveness to the future of Nigeria.

Nigerians are too concerned about their country’s progress that it would not matter whether the results come from politicians or technocrats.

OPINION

BY ERNEST OMOARELOJIE

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HE stow-away saga involving Daniel Ohikhena has since evolved into a melodrama. Not surprising, armchair analysts are falling over themselves to help justify an action which the protagonist himself has regretably admitted he took without being mindful of its implication. In doing so, they have, perhaps consciously, elavated him to a position of a near-cult hero. For many of them, the teenager’s daredevil endeavour is a defining reflection of how far Edo State has failed in addressing the general poverty smacking the people. Some of them even pushed the boundary a little further by positing that the state has not done anything to provide food for the hungry.

To that extent, they are convinced Daniel is right and deserves sainthood, so to speak, in taking his destiny, disasterously so, in his hands. They justify that by the fact that a non-governmental organisation thoughtlessly announced that it was offering the lad a comprehensive scholarship, ostensibly to salute him. It mattered less if in openly celebrating him, it was giving the impetus to others of like mind, as was demonstrated by another individual that equally wanted to replicate the action barely two weeks later, that it is right, rewarding and legitimate to break rules in order to achieve set goals.

In the main, the argumenet that government failed to set in motion necessary mechanisms for alleviating the hunger and general poverty in the land seems germane and

The ides of a stow-away or logical, particularly as it became, for obviour reasons, a handy instrument for opposition elements to vent their frustration.

With a decidedly biased mindset and unparalleled passion, they attempted to push their jaundiced position as the real issue on both the mainstream media and social networks. Thus, when the state government, in whose custody he now is, announced that it had decided to enroll him in Edo College, one of the best public schools in the state with quality academic and extra curricular facilities that can match any of its kind anywhere else, in order for him to be well mentored and monitored, they remained adamant, convinced that only a school abroad, where they are certain children of government officials receive academic tutelage, is good enough for him. Patently immaterial to them is the fact that his real problem derives mostly from failure of whoever it was that had parental responsibility over him before the bizzare incident.

Beyond the fact that most of the narrow minded stow-away supporters failed to situate the real issue at stake, they also failed, albeit deliberately too, to take cognizance of the fact that the primary role of government does not include the idea of providing food for families, not those of Daniel who comes from one that is nowhere near bankruptcy. In the main, the role of government is to create enabling environment for the people to thrive and realise their potentials

and by extension be able to feed themselves, so to speak. In doing so, it takes into account the need of the different segment of the society, from the young to the old, by designing policies to meet their specific needs. No sane analyst, observer, no matter how cursory his commitment is, can argue that the present government in the state has not done what it ought to do for young people like Daniel.

If the truth must told repeatedly, it is that the Oshiomhole administration is celebrated today, here and everywhere, for reasons of the visible and evident development it has succesffully put in place in the education sector just as it is the case in others. In particular, the administration’s strides in the education sector, sign-posted by the new school buildings in every nook and cranny of the state, are self evident. The beauty of it is that the buildings come complete with other relevant facilities sine qua non to quality education.

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he immediate reaction by the largely appreciative people of the state to the development is that enrolment in public schools, which nose dived before the coming of the administration, rose by nearly 90 per cent. If that is not a testimony that the state government has demonstrated responsible commitment to the course of young people, I wonder what will.

It is on note that the state government did

not just stop at creating building and other physical infrastructure in the education sector. It made the point that quality and beautiful school buildings without an equal dose of quality in the character and qualification of those employed to mentor and educate school children amount to sheer waste of resources and whatever effort put into creating them.

Thus, it took on the onerous responsibility of conducting teacher’s audit with a view to identifying those that are qualified to offer the right education. The audit was also conducted with a view to offering advancement opportunities to those not so qualified. A recent encounter between the state governor and a teacher who could neither read nor write, which became a social media hit, is a product of that audit.

All these policy decisions, including that which made education free from primary to senior secondary school, were designed as part of a deliberate policy to return education in the state to its glorious days when children from the state were always counted among the best the country can present any time in term of quality.

Let us face it. The problem with Daniel is certainly not the inability of the government to take care of its people. Rather, it is a failure of parental responsibility. That some of us would find it convenient and appropriate to celebrate him consciously or otherwise tends to indicate the level deprevation we have deteriorated. It is time for us to take a serious look at our priorities if we are desirous of changing for the better. *Mr Ernest Omoarelojie writes from Benin City, Edo State

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013— —19

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OME end of this September, Nigerians will be forced to change their vehicle number plates to new ones. Failure to do this will be an offence punishable either by imprisonment, or fines, or the impounding of the said vehicle with payment of penalties.

Knowing Nigerians, the first challenge of the Federal Roads Safety Commission, FRSC, will be to find space to keep impounded vehicles, employ companies to administer release of vehicles after owners paid the penalties, etc.

This is big business for the FRSC and company. Their next challenge will be when best to attack offenders; naturally during work hours, and festivities; at such a time when they can inflict maximum pain on Nigerians of all professions.

They are used to it. They stop and arrest mostly during working hours in big cities and they show no respect for any profession. They delay and embarrass lawyers, journalists, doctors, engineers, you name it. I have witnessed this at Mile 2 area of Lagos. Only recently, I came to the aid of a young journalist as the officer protested a publication by his paper against the

Commission.

One wonders what could be driving this law other than greed and lack of conscience in those who rule us. First, the new plate which contains no extra features than the old one, except the map of Nigeria, and reversal of the old numbers will come at a price of N35,000 per car, and here is the deal: Assuming we have 70 million registered vehicles in Nigeria, and we have more, we are looking at an income of over N2.45 trillion! Penalties will range from N10,000 to N15,000, another income of N525 billion assuming only 50 per cent of Nigerians will be able to get the new plates before October 1, 2013.

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HERE will follow from our experience, the nat ural facilitation fee from agents of about N10,000 per vehicle impounded or to be registered under the rush, giving another cost of about N700 billion for the ‘boys’, the hangers on and well-connected persons, given our knack to benefit from the problems of each other in this country, and call it employment generation! This is one law therefore, that will unleash expenditure of about N3.65 trillion upon car and vehicle owners of this country! Are they not smart? They will make

It is obvious that the FRSC and their supporters just want to make money from this new plates project with nothing novel to offer vehicle owners

BY JESUTEGA ONOKPASA

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HE improvements the present Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei has spearheaded and brought to bear on the Assembly premises have been described severally and variously as ‘impressive’, ‘remarkable’ and ‘unprecedented’. Hitherto, the legislative edifice was really just another government building with a rather poor aesthetic profile and rock bottom functionality. Now we have genuine work in progress that will end up delivering a meaningful parliamentary environment for the first arm of government.

Actually, it has often puzzled me to fathom why legislative buildings and court houses in our country generally look drab, lifeless and unkempt while Government Houses and similar executive edifices are grandiosely constructed and lavishly furnished. In fact, as a lawyer, I have often been traumatised by the poor physical state of courts across the country and felt rather angry that an arm of government should languish in such utterly unwholesome infrastructural decay.

Courts abroad, especially in Europe and America, are a delight to behold and the philosophy behind their exquisite construction and painstaking maintenance derives from the understanding that being the people’s courts where justice is dispensed, their physical appearance should incorporate an appropriate dimension of comeliness and elegance proper to the temple of justice. As for legislative buildings in those climes, they C M Y K

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another kill this time from new plates, and after a few years, another administration will do their own proposal to milk more from Nigerians. They will also find fault with this design and production and ask us to pay for the new ones just like someone is now touting the idea of new National ID card for Nigerians. The rigmarole continues at the expense of Nigerians.

To some of our leaders, it is a luxury to own a car, and one must therefore pay through his nose to own and keep one. In many developing nations like Mexico and Brazil, it is no luxury to own a car, but not here.

The Nigerian vehicle owner buys his vehicle or car, gets a driving license, road worthiness, insurance, new number plate, tinted glass permit, fire extinguisher, and in some

Ochei's DTHA renewal are not just beautiful, but stupendously apportioned and altogether awe-inspiring. Thus, the Houses of Parliament in London as well as the U. S. Capitol put both lovely 10 Downing Street and the beautiful White House to shame. Indeed, Abraham Lincoln – while he was President and not a legislator – had cause to defend the appropriations he was applying to the development of the U. S. Capitol on the grounds that being the citadel of the first arm of the U. S. government, it should reflect the prestige of the nation.

Ochei’s works provide us with a veritable resource for assessing his ability to deliver from an infrastructural standpoint. They demonstrate both vision and imagination at work and can legitimately be projected as exemplars of his administrative potential and leadership pedigree.

The fact that they were undertaken by him in a bold and unprecedented fashion make him interpretable as an uncommon leader, not satisfied with the usual run of things, able to think out of the box with a knack for breaking new grounds with impressive dividends for the glory of Delta.

INTERESTINGLY, Ochei does not take sole credit for the im provements unlike one would expect a politician to do at every opportunity. He prefers to share that honour with fellow members of the Assembly, praising them for keying into his infrastructural vision for the House as much as they have cooperated with him in delivering on their

states like Lagos, the MOT Certificate, in order to be on the road. What does the vehicle owner get in return? Is it the good roads, cheap and available fuel, good and cordial service from government authorities, road saftey? The answer is none of these. After we all voted this administration into Aso Rock, the first thing they did was to jack up fuel prices that caused us so much pains! That was January 2012. They want us to vote for them again to remain in power, while we pay trillions of naira just for number plates? They must have to do better.

HE FRSC is responsible for enforcing safe driving habits and acceptable speed limits on our roads, but what do you get? You find their officers in traffic gridlock in Lagos, for example, during rush hour checking drivers for brakes and lights, driving license, vehicle particulars and fire extinguisher. You leave them to the next corner to meet the Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIOs, who flag you down to check the same things. On the high ways, you find FRSC officers standing at the centre of the road, signaling drivers to reduce speed. Why use their hands, where are speed radars which should detect speed of vehicles as it was in the days of Prof. Wole Soyinka? Why do they continue to import vehicles without speed detection radars? What and how will change of new plates help reduce speed on the high ways?

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By CLEMENT UDEGBE

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The FRSC new vehicle number plates and Nigerians

Ochei’s works provide us with a veritable resource for assessing his ability to deliver from an infrastructural standpoint; they demonstrate both vision and imagination at work and can legitimately be projected as exemplars of his administrative potential

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legislative and oversight mandates. I admire his willingness to share the glory and consider the esteem in which he holds his colleagues to be in exceeding good taste. I have had cause to defend the entire members of the Delta State House of Assembly in the past against unfair criticism while exhorting them to do more for the good people of Delta.

This time around, I believe I have good reason to commend each and every one of them for a job well done.

They could have rebelliously insisted on illegally collapsing the House’s capital vote and simply sharing the money amongst themselves. They chose instead to do the right thing by following the law and leaving something behind for which Deltans will remember them for years to come. Now they have a legislative building that is a pleasure to the eyes and a Speaker they can all be proud

If the idea is to computerize vehicles registration for crime detection, prevention and other purposes, do we have to pay this much? Should we not be told without the deception with new number plates? How did Lagos State government computerize vehicle registration and at what costs? It is obvious that the FRSC and their supporters just want to make money from this new plates project with nothing novel to offer vehicle owners. This, for sure, is one law that should be withdrawn completely as it offers nothing. Nigerians need to take a second look at this new plate’s law and reject it or stop it for now, with the view to ascertaining the benefits to society and whether the cost justifies it.

The date for actual implementation should be shifted to 2016, during which period a proper look should be taken at this law and its implications for Nigerians. If the law must go on as planned, the FG should pay for the new plates of all civil servants, military and paramilitary personnel, lawyers, doctors, engineers, nurses and small business owners.

Only politicians, whether appointed or elected office holders, and officers of the FRSC, should be made to pay for their new vehicle plates. This will make them serve the nation better, and connections will help connections better! *Mr. Udegbe, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.

of. At any rate, it takes great men and women to elect a great leader and that is exactly what they did when they made Ochei their Speaker.

Since Ochei’s direct infrastructural obligations are essentially limited to the legislative premises, the remarkable success he has recorded in the first arm of government potentially offer the electorate a glimpse of what to expect of him, should he decide to make the crossover to the executive arm by running for governor in 2015. A fellow public affairs commentator recently asked where Ochei obtained the funds powering the renewal from and I said it is from the Assembly’s budget.

He then wondered what such funds were applied to in the past. It reminded me of a friend’s comments regarding the facelift Adams Oshiomhole had accomplished in Benin and his water projects in Edo Central, wondering if there was no money in Edo State before he came on board as Governor. It set me thinking about how rather ironic it was that a governor from Edo North ended up developing Benin in Edo South better than his predecessors, including some from Edo South while providing water to Edo Central where there was precious little before.

I became quite intrigued about Ochei from Delta North becoming the Governor of Delta with a similar effect in Delta Central and Delta South. I rather like his first name and like to think of myself and fellow Deltans as victors. If Ochei decides to run, I believe it provides us, as a state, with the opportunity of becoming true victors come 2015.

*Mr Onokpasa, a legal practitioner, wrote from Sapele, Delta State

20— Vanguard ,

FRIDAY FRIDAY,, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

DAY OF THE GUNMEN:

How CMD, district head met tragic end

BY SUZAN EDEH, Bauchi

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UGUST 31, 2013, will for ever remain indelible in the memory of the staff and management of Federal Medical Centre, Azare in Bauchi State. It was on that day that the Chief Medical Director of the Centre, Dr. Musa Mohammed Dambam and the District Head of Yamai Village in Dambam Local Government Area, Alhaji Adamu Manu, were brutally killed by gunmen suspected to be hired assassins.

Dr. Musa Dambam, 55, was married with seven. He was the Director of the State Primary Health Care Agency before his last appointment as the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Azare.

Vanguard Metro, VM, learnt that the late medical director left the hospital on that fateful Saturday for Yamai where he hailed from. The deceased was said to be in the company of

responded that he was their target. They now asked my nephew to park the car at the roadside. It was then that it dawned on me that they were assassins and not security men,” she said.

She alleged that after robbing them of all their valuables, the gunmen told the deceased to go to the back seat of the car while the one of them drove the car to Yamai village.

“We arrived Yamai village around 8.00 pm. When we arrived there, they brought me and my nephew out of the car and told us to sit on the floor.

One of the gunmen left us to bring another of their colleagues. The remaining two gunmen were detailed to guard us. It was around 10.15pm that they brought the other man. It was then that they took my nephew and left.

I asked them why they were leaving me behind but their response was that they would soon be back. They told me that

,

,

The gunmen waited till 5am before they killed the Chief Medical Director; it was a horrible experience that will haunt me for the rest of my life

his aunt who usually accompanied him to the village, ostensibly to save the money she would have spent as transport fares.

Hajiya Aisha Daguji, the senior sister to Dr Dambam’s mother told VM that she was lucky to survive the attack by the gunmen.

She explained that when they were about entering Yamai village, some men dressed in army uniform stopped their vehicle. She said she mistook them for security operatives who usually search vehicles on the highway.

“When we were almost approaching Yamai village, three men dressed in army uniform stopped our vehicle. It did not occur to me at first that they were hired assassins. When we stopped for them, one of them told my nephew to come out of the car. When he came out, the other gunman asked his colleague, ‘is this the one’?. He

they have a very important job to do,” she claimed.

One of the wives of the murdered District Head, Hajiya Adda Binta, also gave her own account of how her husband and the Chief Medical Director were killed in the village.

“It was around 10.30pm; we were all asleep in the house when we started hearing gunshots. We were all panicking when we woke up. It was then we heard one of the gunmen shouting at my husband to come out. I also noticed that they were holding the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Musa Dambam, hostage,” she said.

According to Hajiya Binta, the gunmen commanded them to bring all the money in the house, and they obliged them.

“After robbing us of our belongings, they now started dragging my husband and the Dr.Musa Dambam towards the house of the Deputy District Head of the village. When they got to the road leading to his

*Hajiya Aisha Daguji...Spared by the gun men house, one of them brought out a gun and shot my husband several times on the chest. My husband did not survive it; he died. The gunmen waited till 5am when people usually go to the mosque to pray before they killed the Chief Medical Director. It was a horrible experience that will haunt me for the rest of my life,” she said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Hassan Mohammed Auyo, confirmed the incident.

“Some gunmen who were four in number, abducted the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Center in Azare and killed him. The assailants also robbed the District Head of Yamai, Alhaji Manu Adamu before killing him. After the attack, the gunmen fled

*Dr. Musa Mohammed Dambam...Assassinated

to an undisclosed destination,” he said, adding that the Police has commenced investigation into incident. He assured that the assassins would soon be brought to book and called on the people of the state to avail the police with any useful information that will lead to the arrest of the gunmen.

Reacting to the incident, the Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, charged security operatives in the state to fish out the killers of Dr. Dambam and ,Alhaji Manu.

The Governor who gave the charge at the palace of the late District Head, commiserated with affected families and people of Dambam Local Government over the unfortunate incident.“It is very unfortunate that people who are contribut-

ing positively to the development of the country are fast becoming victims of hired killers and armed robbery. As a government, we condemn the killings in its entirety and urge the security operatives in the state to swing into action and ensure that those who masterminded this dastardly act do not go unpunished,” he said.

The Governor warned youths against compromising their morals by accepting offers from greedy politicians who use them as their agents of destruction.

Responding on behalf of the families of the deceased persons, the District Head of Dambam, Alhaji Idris Musa thanked the Governor for the condolence visit to the community.

Socio-economic challenges: Youth volunteers to the rescue

A

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU & PRISCA SAM-DURU

TRANSFORMATION life coach and Chairman, ACTS Generation, Liala St. Mathew Daniel has expressed the need for Nigerian youths to be productively involved in volunteering activities in order to assist the country in addressing its numerous socio-economic challenges.

Describing revolution through educating the youths in understanding the power of volunteerism, Liala, who spoke at the Moral Re-armament Initiatives of Change (IofC) volunteer’s day, emphasised on active volunteering service as panacea for Nigeria’s overwhelming challenges.

According to the transformation life coach: “Volunteering would tackle a number of the country’s pit falls and I encourage volunteers to remain rooted in their various levels of efforts in ensuring that youths are transformed to capture and embrace the ideals of volunteerism in order to assist the country overcome various levels of abuse of human rights.” He added that volunteers must ensure that the mindset of ‘nothing goes for nothing’ is extinguished in order to uphold the culture of absolute unselfishness and dis-

cipline in areas that demand total transformation.

She, therefore, urged all Nigerians at the leadership position as well as non-governmental organisations, NGOs, to join forces in the campaign for a progressive Nigeria, stressing that “collaborations will bring out committed and effective volunteers in various capacities who will fight to a stand still, a number of evils currently undermining the country.”

The ACTS Generation boss also advised volunteers to include their volunteering activities in their curriculum vitae, CV, so that employees would have a clearer understanding of their areas of interests as well as concentration so as to know where best they can positively impact on the society.

Other dynamic change makers, Obas Ukoko and Taiwo Adewale, who took turns to address participants during the meeting, stressed the value of volunteering and how they have significantly benefited from the practice, having served in several capacities for a better and productive Nigeria.

The duo noted that a selfless volunteer is one who is ready to give his or her time for free and not one who is only interested in monetary returns.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 — 21

President, “ why will you spend $8 billion a year on fuel importation, when he could have spend it on their welfare.” When subsidy was removed, they opposed government action for removing subsidy and is now demanding for better pay, you can’t oppose deregulation and on the other hand, demand for higher pay” he stated.

T

From left: President/CEO General Electric (GE) Nigeria, Dr. Lazarus Angbazo; Counselor for Economic Affairs, Embassy of the United States of America, Mr. Douglas Climan and Communications Manager, General Electric (GE) West Africa, Mr. Osagie Ogunbor, during the GE/United States African Development Foundation, Off-Grid Energy Challenge, press conference in Abuja, recently.

It’s crazy to spend $8bn on fuel importation — Ben Bruce

By EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

F

EDERAL government came under a heavy knock from the Chairman of Silver Bird Group, Ben Bruce , when he lashed out on the government for spending $8 billion on fuel importation annually.

Bruce was speaking in Abuja

at the launching of a book entitled “Why Run Before Learning To Walk”, written by Professor Turner Isoun and Miriam Isoun .

He attributed the ongoing Academic Staff Union of University, ASUU strike in the country to lack of fund, which he said was a direct implication of the $8 billion spent by federal government

annually on fuel importation and called for total removal of oil subsidy to enable government tackle other critical needs.

“The reason why Nigeria is broke is because we spend $8 billion a year, to buy patrol that generates smoke. We need to address that issue, a lot of our problems are self inflicting. The laziness of

PwC advocates tax reforms to aid economic growth L

EADING professional services firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Nigeria, has called on the Nigerian government to overhaul the country’s tax system to ensure that taxes are used to bring about sustainable economic growth.

Ken Igbokwe, the Country Leader for PwC Nigeria and Regional Senior Partner, West Africa, made this call in his paper, ‘Hallmarks of a good tax system’ presented at the launch of the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI)’s White Papers Volume 2, on September 17, 2013. He observed that taxes should be raised to meet social needs, develop infrastructure and influence economic decisions without discouraging investments or stifling growth. He said that sensible tax reforms will pave the road to a sustainable economic growth in the country.

According to Taiwo Oyedele, Partner and Head of Tax at PwC, “The task of governments in meeting these requirements

is not an easy one, particularly in the current economic circumstances, but what is important is ensuring that the tax system encourages, and not discourages, business growth.”

He opined that the most important aspect of achieving a good tax system is having the right legal framework in place and called on the legislative arms of government to consciously make laws that are clear and easy to understand. He further advocated for the setting up of a specific committee of the National and State Assemblies on Tax Matters; and empowering the Joint Tax Board to enforce compliance with tax laws rather than merely acting in an advisory capacity.

Oyedele defined a good tax system as one that has a clear purpose – strategic, coherent, efficient, fair and transparent – and urged the three arms of government to carry out their respective roles in building a good tax system.

he Silver Bird boss, who e x p r e s s e d disappointment with the way a politicians spend public fund, called for adoption of renewable energy and a paradigm shift from being a lazy and consuming nation to a creative and manufacturing nation.

He also lambasted some state commissioners for investing public fund in the importation of tricycle, which he said is a 150 years old technology that should not be allowed into Nigeria, instead , he advocated for adoption of latest and more efficient technologies that would deliver better services to the people.

“The problem of this country can be solved, but too much money makes us lazy and incompetent. We must have renewable energy. We have the sun, so we should use solar power. We have what most people want and therefore, we should use electric cars, and we will not spend $8 billion to import fuel every year.

“Right now, a lot of ministries, federal and states, have too much money.

President and governors should not give them any money. Too much money makes them lazy and less money makes them use their imagination and think.”

some people in government in government must come to an end. The expensive life style, popping of Champaign must stop. We must go back to the era of creativity.

“When people are poor, they struggle to become rich, when people have nothing, they dream and think and use their imagination. Rich people are not going to be next NollyWood stars. They have money and resources. The stars of this country are going to come from Ajegunle, poor 0.75 111.8 homes, single parent homes, homes where 2,622.00 +8.00 they have no money, homes where they 16.89 0.1 have one meal a day.

These are the kind of people we should have in government 109.23 +1.04 with imagination,” he noted.

107.02 +1.60 Bruce further lambasted the CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU DOLLAR 154.76 155.26 155.76 POUNDS 247.1517 247.9502 248.7487 for complaining of EURO 206.6975 207.3653 208.0331 poor funding, after FRANC 167.0192 167.5588 168.0984 opposing total YEN 1.5629 1.568 1.573 removal of fuel CFA 0.2962 0.3062 0.3162 subsidy, saying, the WAUA 235.0308 235.7902 236.5495 RENMINBI 25.2809 25.363 25.4452 union must be realistic RIYA 41.2649 41.3983 41.5316 in their demand KRONA 27.708 27.7975 27.887 rather than playing to SDR 235.9007 236.6628 237.425 the gallery.

“When ASUU went CBN Exchange rate as at 19/09/2013 on strike, they asked

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Transcorp changes guard, appoints Ibikunle Oriola CFO T

From left: Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Ade Bajomo; Equity Electronic Trading Specialist, Bloomberg, Mr. Richard Fisher; Middle East & Africa Regional Manager, Bloomberg, Mr. Stefanos Thomatos; Executive Director, Business Development, NSE, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri; Country Manager for Nigeria, Bloomberg, Mr. Femi Okulaja at the Annual Lagos Equity Focus Day in Lagos.

R A N S N AT I O N A L Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp Plc) has announced the appointment of Mr. Ibikunle Oriola as the new Chief Finance Officer following the resignation of Mr. Oyewale Ariyibi.

Mr.Ibikunle Oriola, a Chartered Accountant, holds B.Sc. Degree in Finance from the University of Lagos, Akoka in 2000 before being certified by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) as an Associate member in 2000.

He started his working career as a Research Analyst in the Investment Management and Research Unit in Asset and Resource

New trading platform: NSE facilitates capacity building for stockbrokers

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

A

HEAD of the take-off of the new trading platform, X-Gen, which is set to commence operation at the end of this month, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, said it has equipped stockbrokers with the requisite training necessary to familiarise them with the new trading engine.

Accordingly, over 627 stockbrokers were taken through the training which lasted for a period of two months, across various parts of the country, the NSE said in a statement jointly signed by Nwando Ajene, Head, Corporate Communications and Dante Ibidapo Martins, Head, Public Relations.

The NSE had on April 2012 signed on the multinational financial services powerhouse, NASDAQ OMX System for the upgrading of its Trading Platform to the cutting edge NASDAQ X-Stream, which is a high performance, robust and scalable, multi-assets, multi-market matching trading engine.

The NSE has argued that the new Trading Platform would provide it with the fastest trading engine in Africa and investors, through their stockbrokers would have real time access to market prices, their portfolios and be enabled to execute market orders in near real-time from anywhere and on a wide range of devices Speaking on the new development, the Executive Director Market Operations

C M Y K

and Technology of the Exchange, Mr Ade Bajomo, said, “The NSE organised comprehensive hands-on training sessions for member firms and their stockbrokers to get fully acquainted with the new platform as part of steps being taken to ensure a successful launch of the new trading engine.”

“From July 2013 till date, there have been over fifty-five training sessions held in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, where over 95 percent of the registered member firms have already

successfully completed the training course and formally certified to use the state of the art platform. Feedback from the stockbrokers on the quality of the training has been positive and this is very important in terms of our overall readiness to cutover smoothly to the new platform,” he added.

According to him, the XGEN opens up an unprecedented level of innovative trading capabilities for the Nigerian capital market, providing low latency trading, straight through

processing from broker order management systems to the Exchange, direct market access for the buy-side and mobile access through smartphones to the retail investors, leveraging on the 120million mobile phone penetration already in the country. “As the Nigerian capital market grows and expands its vision for greater market efficiency, liquidity and transparency, we are poised to supporting its efforts through our proven trading technologies and processes,” Bajomo explained.

Management Company Limited (ARM)-A leading non-bank financial Services firm in Nigeria which offers fund and Asset Management Services where he worked from March 2001 to June 2002.

He later moved to Kakawa Discount House Limited as an Officer, Corporate Finance from July 2002 to October 2003, while from October 2003- July 2007, he became the Senior Associate, Financial Advisory Services (Corporate Finance).

He joined KPMG Corporate Finance, Dubai; United Arab Emirate as an Assistant Manager between where he practiced from July 2007 to September 2008. From October 2007 to September 2010, he became Manager, Financial Advisory Services (Corporate Finance & Transaction Services and became the Senior Manager between October 2010 till July 2011.

He has also attended many trainings both within and outside the country among which are; Transaction Services 11 Training (UK, 2011), KPMG Manager Milestone School (Budapest, 2009), Oil/Gas & Power Project Finance, EuroMoney Training (Dubai, 2008) among other trainings attended.

He was the Head, Financial Advisory-(Mergers & Acquisition/Investment Banking) with EcoBank Development Corporation (Ecobank Capital) prior to this appointment.

UBA expresses strong bias for African achievements

By PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

U

NITED Bank for Africa, UBA, said it has strong bias for celebrating Africans and their achievements, thus the support for the launch of Hello! Nigeria magazine.

The bank following its emergence as the presenting partner for the launch of the magazine which is scheduled to hold in Nigeria, come September 29, 2013, targets royalty, celebrities and iconic personalities across West Africa.

Speaking on the partnership, Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, UBA Plc, Charles Aigbe, said the bank decided to partner in the launch of the Magazine in West Africa because the bank has a strong bias for

celebrating Africans and their achievements while helping to build world class businesses from the continent.”

Continuing he said: “Hello! as a brand shares with UBA Plc, the same trait of supporting achievement and celebrating royalties. As a

business, we have always been driven by the passion to motivate African and Africarelated businesses to global heights, while also mentoring the smaller units to greater heights. The bank will always partner to bring world class projects like this to Africans

because we are certain that beyond celebrating achievement in Nigeria and Africa, Hello will also motivate our young men and small businesses to aspire to new heights of greatness,” Aigbe said.

Enterprise Bank tops web jurist’s aesthetics category

E

NTERPRISE Bank’s website has been named the best in aesthetics use of graphics and good design principles in the 2013 edition of the Web-Jurist Awards Version 11.00 conducted by Phillips Consulting.

The bank, which was also a runner-up for the overall ‘Website Effectiveness Award’ for 2013 topped the aesthetic category ahead of 23 banks in Nigeria, having recently redesigned its website as part of the reengineering and repositioning efforts currently going on in the bank. Commenting on the findings of Phillips Consulting in its annual

survey, it’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Folusho Philips, said the websites of Nigerian banks can match those of any top contenders in banking worldwide. He noted that Nigerian banks have developed and are constantly moving with trends to ensure a superb customer experience and protection in their websites.

According to him, “The primary objective of the ratings is to evaluate the effectiveness of websites, focusing on the financial, insurance and telecommunications industries, giving consideration to benefits that customers value in an effective website.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 — 23

Malaysia never took oil palm seed from Nigeria — Dr. Okwuagwu T

here has been notion among Nigerians that Malaysia came to Nigeria some years ago to get seedlings for oil palm which has placed the country as number one oil palm producing country while Nigeria lags behind in ranking.

But this assertion was debunked recently by crop scientists when some select journalists, fellows of the Biosciences for Farming in Africa (B4FA,) were in the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR).

JIMOH BABATUNDE captured the presentations of Dr. (Mrs.) Christy Okwuagwu, the most senior crop scientist at the institute.

Here is an excerpt.

M

On the birth of NIFOR lantation had expanded in South East Asia at that time, but, our people are still depending on the wide groves, so come the turn of the 20th century they found it very necessary to have research stations to develop plantation technology and by 1922 they started going to the wide groves to do genetic selections and by 1939 NIFOR was established, where all the genetic materials will be assembled, evaluated and developed into a plantation crop.

Plantation crop never existed in this country. It was the hope of the colonial masters that plantation crops developed and once the plantation crop develops, the oil palm develops into a

P

,

On how Malaysia got its oil palm seeds alaysia has overtaken Nigeria in palm oil production. I want you to see the well documented origin of the very original planting materials for oil palm in Malaysia.

The earliest record of palm into Far East Asia was four seedlings planted in a botanical garden in 1848 in java in the Dutch East Indies.

Two of these were from Amsterdam botanical garden, but it is not known how they originated, the other from Bogo or Mauritius in Indian Ocean. The palm that sprang from these four seedlings was all quite similar and they were supposed originally produced from Amsterdam through some African unknown origin.

These four seedlings formed the entire source of the planting materials in Malaysia and that we say the entire population of planting materials in Malaysia have a very narrow genetic base. We don’t normally entirely depend on them for breeding and development. Actually it is necessary they depend on us and subsequent materials to improve their planting materials.

The original materials never came from Africa, never came from Nigeria. They were from Dutch expedition of the early 19th century and because they discovered that the crops had economic advantage in their land they started multiplying these seedlings and raising them as plantation crops.

They don’t have natural populations. This is the source of everything in south East Asia.

So, there is no way to assume that Malaysia came to Nigeria and got planting materials and now they have over taken us. They never did. People say this carelessly but they did not. I know you are journalists, this is one of the basic information I want you to debunk in every situation, because we know truly that it is true the Dutch expedition that the Malaysians had these planting materials in the 19th century.

Nigerian institute for oil palm research that is what we are today.

This is little background to two information I want to pass across, that one Malaysia never came to Nigeria to collect planting materials and two that NIFOR actually existed because of the threat that Malaysia posed to continuous exploitation of wide groves.

If agric research has made significant impact in Nigeria es and no. Yes because almost all the technology, the fundamental technologies for oil palm development originated from the research here. All the technologies that support oil palm development came from here.

The early research that was carried in WIFOR and NIFOR

Y

The earliest record of palm into Far East Asia was four seedlings planted in a botanical garden in 1848 in Java in the Dutch East Indies

plantation crop, and then they can compete with organised south East Asia that already had their own plantation crop development.

This never happened unfortunately, after 1939 we now had research into oil palm with NIFOR as headquarters, we had in Ghana, Freetown, Sierra Leone. These were the three centres where these centres were established.

Nigeria remains the oil palm station.

Come 1954 the name was changed to West African oil palm research institute, no longer a research station, but a research institute. A full fledge research institute not just to carry out research on genetic development, but other diverse technology development to support the industry.

We became WIFOR, West African Oil Research Institute, but when the component countries became independent, they took their own research stations to become their national research stations. Ours became

,

has been the root of basic information that support plantation development, so it has been very positive towards us Nigerians or Africa.

African countries have been characterized by instabilities of policies. These instabilities of policies and developments have stunted the growth in plantation developments.

Concerted efforts have not been made over the years as it has been in South-East Asia countries like Indonesia and Malaysia in developing those crops. The industries in this country have not grown at the rate the research development has grown.

The oil boom became a doom because palm produce became unimportant, relatively unimportant to our total economic well being. We are totally dependent on petroleum. And so efforts to establish plantations and go forward with this crop did not grow.

Over the years, the federal government made interventions, but they are inconsistent and irregular , so they do not sustain

—Dr. (Mrs.) Christy Okwuagwu developments. We had the Directorate of Food Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFFIR) in the 80s, in the 90s we had other programs, in the early 21th century, we started with VODEM and now we are coming to ATA. None of them are linked, a government wakes up and develop his, when the government goes, it dies.

Another government comes in with another and the circle continues and so the policies are not carrying the nation along. They are not carrying the nation, it is not coursing development in the industry, and the private people are not mobilized.

The policies do not mobilize the private people who are to develop the industry and the industry is where it is now, we are net importer of vegetable oil. More than 70% of our palm oil still comes from the wide grove. We are still exploiting the wide grove.

Productivity in the wide grove is still very low, small holder productivity very low, ver y few oil palm estate, very few Nigerians are coming out to put their money where their mouth is. This crop which is native to us, we have not done the goods we should have done with it.

Other countries which have embraced it have seen progress and are really very fortunate. I know that our environment is not the best compared to south east Asia, but we have planting materials which are so good and their yield are very comparable with average yield in south east Asia.

It is to get the industry committed to the development of this crop and I am very glad to see young people coming

forward to know what is to be done and you are a mouth piece of the nation, so I am glad you are going to carry this message to our people that they should go into plantation development.

On oil plantation’s impact on environment il plant plantation stabilizes the environment when we are are talking of development, or ozone depletion. The oil palm is one single plant that cleans the environment.

Malaysia prides itself of the best environment in the world because its environment is totally green. Everywhere is green. It has a beautiful shielding effect against the ozone and I want you to have a clarion call with us that people should please come back to our heritage.

Let the groundnut spring up in the north again, the cocoa boom in the west again while in the mid west and the east let the oil palm thrive again.

The goodness of it is that the oil palm has grown beyond the mid west and the east.

Nassarawa is a good example.

I was in Nassarawa Eggom LGA sometimes ago and they are doing more than the local governments here in Benin in making sure farmers get oil palm seedlings and for that reason they attracted us (NIFOR) to come to them , we established an outreach station for them.

Every year we make sure we satisfy them with the seedlings which the farmers demand very well. In Taraba state, the whole stripe along the Gembu, Mabilla plateau is excellent, it is just like Malaysia.

It has good soil, good rain fall, but people are not planting. We had a plantation in Gembu in the 80s; the yield was as if you were in Calabar.

O

24— Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Global Cashew Conference, Expo 2013 for Dec 2 - 4

STORIES BY DANIEL GUMM

T

HE Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), Africa Roadshow in Nigeria, a two-day event,was an awareness raising and capacity building programme which was implemented by an alliance of partners, viz: Solidaridad West Africa and Proforest Initiative (UK) and the support was provided by RSPO-Nigeria National Interpretation Initiative.

The event aimed at raising awareness and building capacity among key stakeholders on the best practices contained in the RSPO and to create an enabling environment for the uptake of the RSPO standard.

The major stakeholders in the palm oil supply chain were represented — this included growers/millers, processors, manufacturers/endusers, associations and NGOs/environmentalists.

Also represented were the financial sector, development agencies, state governments, federal ministries and government parastatals, etc. Ms Audrey Versteengen and Mr. Isaac Abban-Mensan of Proforest and Dr. Harrie Hendricks of Solidaridad, who conducted the capacity build-

From left: Mr. Segun Ogunbela, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Ogun State representing Gov. Ibikunle Amosun, Chief Muftau Ajibola, Chairman, Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Oba Kolawole Olubiyi, Olu of Orile Imo, Mr. Kais Marzouki, Head of Region, Nestle Central and West Africa, cutting the tape, Mr. Dharnesh Gordhon, MD & CEO Nestle Nigeria, Mr. Basile Kouamen, Factory Manager,Flowergate and Mr. Mr. Jean Luc DeVuyst, Technical Manager, Nestle Central and West Africa, during the Nestle Nigeria plc official hand-over of St. Paul's Anglican Nursery and Primary School, Orile Imo. Photo: Bunmi Azeez .

RSPO builds capacity among stakeholders in oil palm supply chain ing programme for the stakeholders.

The course outline for the first day included introduction of the course, general overview of RSPO and its certification scheme, overview of

CRFFN refutes NCMDLCA’s claim *Says Licensed Customs Agents are Freight Forwarders in Nigeria

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HE Council for Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, CRFFN, refuting the claims by the President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, that CRFFN are transporters, and should be asked to quit the premises of Nigerin ports Authorit, NPA. In a letter dated September 9, 2013 with reference: CRFFN/ NPA/RG/005 and addressed to the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, CRFFN says: “ We have been undaunted with Media reports of the letter by the acclaimed President of the fractional National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) dated 5th August, 2013 titled “Threat to the peace at the Nations Ports by the dissolved and expired Board of the Council of Regulation of Freight Forwarders through their unwholesome conduct” and that addressed to you dated 16th August, 2013 on the above subject matter.

Ordinarily, we would have ignored the unwholesome campaign borne out of ignorance through those letters, but known the antecedents of the acclaimed fractional President of NCMDLCA, Mr. Lucky Amiwero and considering the false alarm and

weighty allegations made in the said letters, it pertinent to avail you with the facts of this matter.

Section 4 of the Council’s Act No. 16 of 2007 has clearly spelt out the Functions of the CRFFN which amongst others that 4(a) “determining the persons or classes of persons who constitute freight forwarders for the purposes of this Act” and 4(e) that “regulating and controlling persons who are engaged in freight forwarding”. Section 2 of the CRFFN Act (Registration of Freight Forwarders) Regulations, 2010 made pursuant thereto states that “These Regulations shall apply to a freight forwarder referred to in these Regulations as Forwarder who engages in one or a combination of the following freight forwarding services in Nigeria: (1) Licensed Customs clearing and forwarding agent, or customs brokerage or broker making customs declaration”.

Section 19(2) of the CRFFN Act states that: “Every freight forwarder licensed under the Customs and Excise Management Act prior to the coming into force of this Act, shall immediately after the commencement of this Act, submit to the Nigeria Customs Service and any relevant authority, a certificate of registration issued by the Council”.

RSPO International Principles & Criteria (P&C) Standard as well as RSPO certification process. Smallholder Certification and National Interpretation of RSPO P & C were also presented and discussed.

On the second day participants were introduced to High Conservation Values (HCV) and its Identification and management, New Planting Procedures under the RSPO, Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). Dia-

logue platform for challenges/ opportunities for RSPO Uptake and Next Steps in promoting Sustainable Palm Oil in Nigeria was also taught on the second day of the Roadshow.

Welcoming the participants, Mr. Fatai Afolabl, Facilitator, RSPO Initiative in Nigeria, explained the reason for the gathering which he said was to create more awareness and build capacity among the stakeholders in the oil palm supply chain.

Amiwero urges FG to reclaim Nigeria’s diverted cargoes

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RESIDENT of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, has urged the Federal Government to put measures inplace to reclaim our diverted cargo from the sub-regional West African ports that has position themselves as point of entry and exit for containers moving to and fro, which is producing a fierce competition for trans-shipment/ load centre status.

The NCMDLCA boss, who said that there are three types of cargo layers that generate tonnage for any nation, viz: transit cargos, trans-shipment cargoes, and import (domestic) cargoes, explained that all have been siphoned by our West African neighbouring ports.

Amiwero a September 12, letter to the President, heexplained that the transit and trans-shipment cargoes are siphoned and now controlled by our neighbouring West African ports. “This has very serious implication to the economy on wealth creation and employment generation.

“The local cargoes (domestic import) which stand as the most important port choice and

attribute carriers look for, is on shared ratio of 70 per cent to 30 per cent with our neighbouring West African ports in the control of our tonnage/cargo throughput, which is essential for economic growth for creation of wealth and the generation of employment in the economy.”

He said that the trans-shipment port plays an important role in linking the global supply chain, which is used to transfer from international sea to domestic transportation from mode of transport to another.

The most important ingredient needed to set up hub/transshipment centre is ability to service the hub/transshipment centre, which is key. Nigeria has the greatest attribute in the setting up of hub centre, which is the generation of cargoes.

Nigeria generates between 70 per cent — 75 per cent cargo throughput within the subregion due to concentration of manufacturing concern, large market of importation and the large population, which is being shared by our regional partners as a result of issues in our procedures, process and implementation priorities.

THE Global Cashew Conference and Expo 2013, with Theme: Path to sustainable wealth. will hold December 2 - 4, 2013 at The Lagoon, Victoria Island, Lagos. It will feature conference and exhibition and it will be about the biggest cashew event ever held. The Nationl Cashew Association of Nigeria, NCAN, is expecting over 1,000 delegates and 70 exhibitors to attend from 40 countries.

Most of the delegates for the event will be visiting Nigeria for the first time to enjoy the Nigerian hospitality and experience Nigeria as the event will showcase various cashew solutions that will lead to wealth creation and employment generation for Nigeria.

Cashew provides livelihood for over 300,000 families, so whatever you do for the sector will directly or indirectly affect over 600,000 people. The country is a net exporter of raw cashew nuts. Nigeria alone produces 120,000 metric tons of raw cashew nuts annually, the raw nuts are of commercial value and traded heavily.

Briggs Chair organises colloquium on exploration, oil theft

T

HE O. B. Lulu Briggs Chair for Petroleum Geosciences, University of Port Harcourt holds a colloquium on exploration, production and oil theft. The event scheduled for September 24, will host a gathering of local and international energy technocrats, researchers and academics at Port Harcourt.

The roundtable, sponsored by an indigenous exploration and production operator, Moni Pulo, focuses on two main areas currently affecting the Nigerian petroleum industry negatively: the absence of new investments in exploration, which has led to no new fields being discovered; and crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

According to the organizers, as at June 2013, oil theft in the Niger Delta had reached 400,000 barrels per day, more than the national production of many oil-producing countries.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013— —25

C M Y K

26 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

We will focus on grassroots tourism — NTDC Boss •promises to build 774 travel hubs, creates over 500,000 jobs

By JIMOH BABATUNDE & CALEB AYANSINA

A

HEAVILY packed tour ism agenda which is angled to catapult Nigeria into one of the world’s tourism foreign exchange earner has been unveiled by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), thus putting stakeholders in the industry on a roll of optimism for the sector.

Ms. Sally Mbanefo, Director General of the corporation, articulated the agenda at her first press briefing recently in Lagos at a packed hall of private sector stakeholders, staff of NTDC and journalists Sally situating her parastatal in the Nigeria transformation agenda disclosed that her NTDC holds a strategic position in diversifying the economy away from oil earnings and creating a “job full” economic growth through tourism.

Mrs. Sally Mbanefo said that her administration would galvanize potentials at the local levels to develop and promote grass-root tourism in the country.

This, according to her had compelled her since assumption of the office, in the past three months, to concentrate on the restructuring of the corporation, with a view to enhance conditions of service for staff, in order to boost productivity and revenue generation.

Mbanefo believed that the programme when full completed would create over 500, 000 jobs, with projection of about $12b revenue base in the next 10 years.

Re-stating her program during an interactive section with Tourism Correspondents, in Abuja, she highlighted issues of financing and growing of tourism value chain to revamp Nigeria’s tourism industry, as part of her three-point agenda.

“Our desire is to re-fertilizer, to revamp and to rebuild the NTDC and growing the tourism value chain for revenue generation and Job creation,” she said.

Giving a break-down of the agenda, the NTDC Boss promised to establish Tourism Service Desks at major Airports and Travel hubs, as well as creating Tourism

Ms. Sally Mbanefo during the press briefing, in Abuja.

Centres in all the six geopolitical zones in the country.

This is in addition to tourism value chain alliance project that would be driven by technology, to allow for the issuance of locally and globally acceptable Nigeria Travel Card, thorough embassies in partnership with financial institutions.

She maintained that NTDC would be partnering VISA Inc. for the period of six months to realize the dream, saying, “This alliance offers a good chance for operators to secure fiscal relief on multiple

taxations, create 150,000 jobs while revenue potential is being worked out.”

O

n the Green City project, Mbanefo said the project was designed to deliver the green city initiative, as a differentiating platform for Nigeria’s Ecotourism credentials, with several features, such as biofuel refinery for conversation of waste to wealth, among others.

“This project when fully developed will create 20,000 jobs in two years and bolster

Nigeria as a preferred destination for the growing eco-tourism market,” she added.

Mbanefo further revealed that in the next three years, the corporation was planning to establish Travel Hub in each Local Government Areas in the country, under the Nationwide Travel Hub Initiative to create not less than 350,000 jobs.

“This project creates a network of land and inland water-way travel hubs with similar operations like airports with a view to upgrading the

user experience of the domestic tourist for better share of her wallet. In the phase 1: We plan to establish one travel hub in each senatorial district (109 districts) under a franchise arrangement to create local SME’s and help local councils grow their revenue base.

Phase 2; Travel hub in each local government in Nigeria (774 travel hubs). Each hub will support 400 new local jobs.

“We will commission detailed feasibility surveys to make these projects move to the execution stage in 2014. The above mentioned initiatives to grow the tourism value chain are designed to grow the revenue base of the latent domestic market from USD4b to over USD12b within a decade.”

Mbanefo explained that Nigerian tourists were contributing to the growth and development of other countries at the country’s loss, consequently, NTDC was embarking on market tourist that would help foreigners across the globe, to come to Nigeria, to establish their own businesses. ”The domestic tourism market has very high revenue and Job creation potentials. If we assumed that a low estimate of 20 million out of 160 million Nigerians travel locally for business, leisure, culture, religion or sports annually, and they spend only 10 percent of Nigeria per Capital income of $2,000 annually, we will have $4b domestic tourist market, hence our focus at the NTDC on developing domestic tourism as the foundation for attracting International tourists.

Confluence Beach Hotel to be resuscitated — Wada

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HE Kogi State Governor, Captain Imuwa Wada, has promised to revive the moribund Confluence Beach Hotel, Kogi.

He made this promise during his speech at the opening ceremony of a workshop by the National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOURS).

Governor was responding to a plea by the Director-General of the institute Dr. Munzali Dantata, during his opening speech at the workshop of the institute held in Lokoja.

Dantata, while making his speech, called on the governor to resuscitate the hotel as the hotel had helped in the past to accommodate tourists on visit to the state.

Governor Wada promised to resuscitate the hotel within a

year and promised the NIHOTOURS boss that this would be done in the next one year.

On the theme of the workshop which was: “Nigeria at 100: Transforming the Tourism Industry for

Alhaji Munzali Dantata, DG, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) having a chat with journalists in Lokoja

National Development”, Governor Wada said the celebration of the centenary by the nation should be exploited for economic benefit of the nation.

His words: “It is my belief that in the celebration of our existence as a nation, we should explore and exploit every opportunity to venture into activities that will enhance the economic development of the state.

“The state committee on centenary celebration was, therefore, directed to organise such events and and activities that will expose the economic potential of our state and attract investment to Kogi.

We also invite or expect private sector partnership to promote friendly business environment”.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013— —27

C M Y K

28—Vanguard, FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Originality will differentiate me from other artistes — Monica Ogah T

WENTY-one year old Monica Ogah from Benue State who won the fourth edition of MTN Project Fame West Africa and thus joined the coveted Fame Alumni with Iyanya, Chidinma, and Mike Anyasodo is working tirelessly to make her name become a household one. In accordance with her recording contract with MTN Ultima Studios, Monica revealed that she had been in the studio working hard to finish her debut album. Here, in this chat with our reporter, she talks of what she’s been up to lately.

Excerpts:

H

ow has life been after Project Fame?

Life after Project Fame hasn’t been easy, but I give thanks to God for being with me throughout. I also thank my family for their support.

While in the Project Fame it’s you facing or contesting against few other people in the House but life after Project Fame is totally different, because you are facing a whole lot of different people; you are competing with the entire world, it’s a different game entirely, the whole of west Africa would be watching you and monitoring you. It is like the whole world has placed a responsibility on your shoulders and you must achieve something of substance to prove you are not a fluke.

Has Project Fame platform really helped you?

Project Fame has really helped because it isn’t easy to start music from the very scratch, it’s a big platform for someone to start a music career; they give you the name; people recognize you; and because of the long days you were featured on different television stations across the nation people recognize you immediately they see you. So, it is easier to ride on that platform than to start the journey from nowhere.

C M Y K

After Project Fame what has change in you?

Well, nothing really has changed, you won’t believe it, it’s my normal Monica.

The free spirited type who is still fun to be with. I thank God its common from where I come from in Benue State, we all love to be simple with life, though nothing really has changed about me and the spotlight Project Fame gave me hasn’t gone into my head because I am in control of myself How long have you started singing?

I started singing at the Sunday school in the church; my mum was the church choir mistress, so singing is what has been part of my family because it has always been in our veins Is music a career to you or what?

Music is my life, music is something I love doing, like I said earlier, I grew up in a family where music runs through us, music is my passion and it’s what I love

Journalist sues Monalisa Chinda, Lanre Nzeribe over ‘failed’ magazine project

doing. I can’t stop doing music, I have to keep doing it because I love to do it and it isn’t that I don’t have other things doing but basically I can’t leave music and music can’t leave me because it is my passion and I love doing it.

How do you see your album compared with that of other artistes?

The ability for me to believe in my album which is the first count. Then this is Monica Ogah, hers is different from what you would be listening to in other people’s albums, basically, the originality is what will differentiate us, more so, I don’t want to sound like anybody, I don’t want to look like anyone, I just want to be me and make the originality in me stand out from others.

What should be expected in your album?

Well, my fans and music lovers should expect mixed feelings from my album, because it is a total package album which contains dancing, inspirational courageous songs, if you want to dance, you will find danceable song, if you want to get inspire, there’s inspirational song as well, the album consists of

,

BY IYABO AINA

by ‘Suddenly’ featuring Chidinma, ‘End of Story’ and ‘Tomorrow’ produced by TY MIX. With your songs being played across the broadcast stations, has response been encouraging?

Well, so far the response has been very encouraging and I’m very much happy

I grew up in a family where music runs through us, music is my passion and it’s what I love doing

,

different kinds of music in one package

with the feedback on the album.

Which of your songs are you promoting for the album?

Most of the songs in the album but ‘Body Hug’ is my number one song followed

With the responses, have you been receiving calls for shows?

Yes, I’m getting a couple of

Continues on page 29

I N S I DE: Glo X-Factor: who wins the N2 4m prize N24m money?

Colour, in the evolution of TV tech

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013— 29

Synopsis

D

on and Ellie were once married and have two children, Lyla and Jared.

They adopted a boy from Colombia, Alejandro. Eventually they divorce, Ellie moves away and Don hooks up with Bebe, Ellie’s best friend. When Alejandro is about to get married, he informs Don And Ellie that he never told his natural mother who is so traditional that they got divorced. And she is coming for the wedding so he asks them if they can pretend to still be married. Don and Ellie reluctantly agree to it and Bebe moves out who is also upset that Don for some reason doesn’t want to commit

TOP MOVIES OF THE WEEK TWO GUNS ELYSIUM SMURFS GROWN UPS WORLD WAR Z

Exhibition Schedule from Sept. 20th -26th , 2013 SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, VICTORIA ISLAND This Is The End : 1:45pm,6:00pm,8:20pm The Big Wedding : 1:15pm,3:10pm,6:30pm Phata poster : 3:20pm,6:10pm Grown Ups 2 : 11:50am,3:55pm, 2 Guns : 6:45pm,8:55pm Elysium : 4:20pm,8:20pm World War Z : 8:50pm Smurfs : 1:15pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, IKEJA The Big Wedding : 7:05pm,8:50pm This Is The End : 11:00am,1:05pm,5:35pm Grown Ups 2 : 2:40pm,8:45pm 2 Guns : 12:30pm,4:35pm,8:45pm,10:00pm, Elysium : 7:00pm, Smurfs 2 : 1:55pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, SEC Big Wedding : 1:00pm,2:50pm,4:40pm,6:30pm,8:20pm This Is The End : 11:50am,2:00pm,4:10pm,6:20pm,8:30pm Grown Ups 2 : 2:35pm,6:50pm,9:00pm 2 Guns : 12:40pm,2:50pm,5:00pm,7:10pm,9:20pm Elysium : 1:10pm,7:20pm,9:30pm World War Z : 1:40pm,6:10pm,8:40pm Smurfs 2 : 11:30am,4:00pm White House Down : 12:00pm,4:25pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS CEDDI PLAZA , ABUJA 2 Guns : 2:30pm,6:50pm,9:00pm Elysium : 6:30pm,8:40pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT This Is The End : 12:00pm,2:10pm,6:30pm,8:40pm Grown Ups 2 :12:10pm,4:30pm 2 Guns : 1:55pm,4:15pm,6:35pm,8:55pm Red Hot : 12:50pm,4:50pm Elysium : 4:10pm,8:35pm Dead Man Down : 11:40am,4:15pm House of Gold : 2:50pm,6:50pm,8:55pm,

Originality will differentiate me from other artistes Continues from page 28 calls every now and then for shows but it is a gradual process. I am taking my time and before long I shall be very much involved with it .

Your album titled ‘Sometime in August’, what’s the secret behind it?

Well, ‘Sometime in August’ is today, sometime in August I launched the album and sometime in August I was born while a lot of things happen to me in sometime August.

Being a singer do you prefer the digital recording to the live band?

Live band has always been part of me, I sang with the live band in my church before I started using studio and if you give me an option to pick between digital studio and live band, I would pick the live band because it gives me the opportunity to express myself. I won’t be restricted to singing the same way I sang in the album. With live band I have the ability to express myself, though there are other things I could do, it also helps you as an artiste to show your diversity, like you are really an artiste, people that see you know this person can sing C M Y K

and I have always chosen a live band over other forms of stage performances.

Was any of your songs recorded in live band studio?

In this part of the world it is hard to see a live band studio, but I make sure that some of the songs sound live; if you take time to listen to my songs, like ‘Tomorrow’ it sounded like a live band production. But I would love to record in a live recording studio anytime.

What do you do apart from music?

Music is my number one priority; I would have different things doing, like my mum always said that it’s good when you have several things doing. So music is my number one priority, music is my life and it’s my style and every other thing I want to add to it is just pastime.

How have you been managing with your money and car?

Well, I thank God for my family, though we are not rich, but we are okay, I’m doing good with the money, managing it with my day to day activities and the car has been keeping me moving and I thank God for the life He gave to me.

SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, UYO Grown Ups : 12:25pm,2:35pm,4:45pm,6:55pm Elysium : 4:15pm,6:25pm Dead Man Down :2:15pm,6:50pm Red Hot : 12:15pm,2:00pm Smurfs : 12:05pm,4:35pm House of Gold : 2:05pm,7:00pm White House Down : 3:45pm,6:30pm OZONE CINEMAS LAGOS This Is The End : 3:10pm,8:15pm The Big Wedding : 5:00pm,8:55pm Grown Ups : 10;50am 2 Guns : 2:00pm,4:05pm,6:10pm Elysium : 10:45am World War Z : 12:45 Smurfs 2 : 10:00am, GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, LAGOS The Big Wedding : 11:10am,7:40pm,9:35pm,11:30pm This Is The End : 4:20pm,7:00pm,9:30pm Grown Ups : 5:25pm,9:15pm 2 Guns : 2:40pm,7:25pm,9:40pm,11:50pm Elysium : 2:50pm,7:25pm,9:40pm,11:50pm The Smurfs 2 : 10:15pm,2:45pm GENESIS CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT This Is The End : 12:00pm,4:20pm,8:35pm Grown Ups 2 : 10:00am,8:25pm,10:30pm 2 Guns : 9:50am,2:10pm,10:45pm Smurfs 2 : 9:45am,11:45am,1:50pm GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, ENUGU Grown Ups 2 : 11:30am,3:55pm,8:20pm 2 Guns : 12:10pm,4:30pm,6:40pm Elysium : 10:00am,2:20pm,8:50pm Dead Man Down : 1:35pm,6:00pm Smurfs 2 : 10:00am,12:10pm,4:15pm Despicable Me 2 : 10:10am,2:15pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, SURULERE The Big Wedding : 12:45pm,4:50pm This Is The End : 2:10pm,6:20pm,8:25pm 2 Guns : 12:00pm,4:15p Smurfs 2 : 10:00am FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, IBADAN The Big Wedding : 12:30pm,6:40pm,8:30pm This Is The End : 2:10pm,6:20pm,8:25pm 2 Guns : Continues 12:30pm,4:35pm on page 28 Grown Ups 2 : 2:15pm,6:25pm,8:35pm, Elysium : 11:45am Smurfs 2 : 10:10am FILM HOUSE CINEMAS,CALABAR Grown Ups 2 : 4:30pm,6:35pm,8:40pm 2 Guns : 12:00pm,4:25pm Elysium : 10:00am, Dead Man Down : 2:10pm •Laide Bakare Smurfs 2 : 10:00am

30— Vanguard ,

FRIDAY FRIDAY,, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—31

Glo X-Factor: who wins the N24m prize money?

I

By AYO ONIKOYI

n about 24 hours from now,the curtain shall be drawn on Glo X Factor, the world’s biggest singing reality TV competition and the world shall come to know which of the last standing three acts, DJ Switch, Eshun

This is a big stage, but my dreams are bigger

All my fans should expect big things from me — Vicky

—DJ Switch

V

icky is generally called “The Voice” because of her amazing voice quality. She is small physically, but only a fool would underrate her voice. When she sings, she towers like a giant, and she wouldn’t rest until the N24m is snuggling in her bank account. We spoke with her…

D

J Switch is one of the crowd’s favourites on the show, as her performances are usually greeted with exuberant applause. She has made it this far by being consistent and creative, and she’s not ready to give up. Hear her:

Hypothetically, what’s the first thing you will do if you win the N24m prize money?

First, I’ll be so happy and grateful to God. I’m going to pay my tithe, and I’m dead serious about that.

Secondly, the money will go back into music, because music gave it to me. I will not disappoint my fans who have stood by me, and other things can now follow.

•DJ Switch

Out of the thousands that came for the auditions, you have made it to the top three, how do you feel?

I feel like the most blessed person here! It’s God’s favour that has helped me all the way. I don’t know a lot of people, but, somehow, God has given me fans; people I don’t even know have taken it upon themselves to vote for me. I’m really glad.

At this critical stage, you really have to give in your best, what will it mean for you to emerge as winner?

It will mean a lot to me, because that money will change everything! I hear constructive criticisms from the judges and my dance coaches, and I’m working on it to put in that extra spice to bring out that Vicky that has never been seen.

What will you give to be the last girl standing?

By God’s grace, I’ve been giving everything that I have since I came. If I could drop a leg on the stage to win, I would do it.

I’m still going to give my best.

•Vicky

C M Y K

You were quite close to Pheel, how do you feel about his eviction?

When we were put up for eviction, I almost lost it because we’re both good. I feel so bad that he is no longer here.

After X Factor, what should we be expecting from you?

All my fans should expect big things from me!

You’ve never been in the bottom two, what can you say has been working for you?

It’s simply God’s grace.

What should your fans be excepting from you?

Expect a different type of act. Yes, I’m a woman and we’re often underestimated in our performance. This is a big stage, but my dreams are bigger. This show has taught me that it’s not just about coming out and looking at people. You have to entertain them, and I’m willing to do that! To everybody out there, you can achieve your dreams, but you can’t do that if you’re still sleeping and dreaming. You must go out to chase it.

and Vicky will have her life transformed forever.

Besides the whopping N24m star prize from the sponsors, Globacom, there is a recording contract with global leaders in entertainment, Sony Music.

But before that moment of elation of victory and possibly agony of defeat, we bring you on on one with each of the three acts and what they have in store to push for the final shot at glory. Excerpts:

I will give everything that I have ... — Eshun A

•Eshun

ll the way from Ghana, Eshun is one of only two contestants who have succeeded in making one of the judges, Onyeka Onwenu, cry. Twice, she has induced tears from the Elegant Stallion, and she is confident that she will emerge the ultimate winner. She is the only Ghanaian left on the show…?

You made Onyeka cry twice, what’s your X Factor that communicates to the audience?

Well, since I was small, everybody says that when they get close to me, I have a warm spirit that connects. I don’t see it myself, but people around me testify to it.

At this stage of the competition, what’s the biggest thing you have to offer?

My all! Just like I’ve always been doing, I will give everything that I have without holding back.

Victory, or not, what next for you after X Factor?

I am going to move on with my music.

I should be able to give this gift back to the people, because God gave it to me, and it’s not for me to keep; I’m going to use it to make people happy.

32—Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Journalist sues

Monalisa Chinda, Lanre Nzeribe over ‘failed’ magazine project

The Monalisa magazine team with Monalisa Chinda and Lanre Nzeribe, 2nd and third left (front row), the editor, Kelvin Keshi in green shirt (back row) third from right

A

media practitioner, Mr. Kelvin Keshi is dragging Nollywood actress, Monalisa Chinda and her beau, Lanre Nzeribe to court over breach of contractual agreement and failure to pay his two months salaries while working for their proposed magazine, Monalisa.

In a letter addressed to ‘The Managing Director, Lantana International Limited (Monalisa Magazine), 19 Ademola Adetokunbo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos,’ a copy of which was made available to Weekend Groove, Mr. Keshi, through his lawyers, Megafield Solicitors, is suing the business partners, who are rumoured to be onand-off lovers, for reneging on their agreement with him and their refusal and neglect to effect the payment of his salaries.

In an interview with Mr. Kelvin Keshi, the aggrieved journalist slammed the proposed magazine between Lanre Nzeribe and Monalisa Chinda as a

“failed white elephant magazine misadventure;” and Lanre as someone who “ was always conscious to give off a deceptive public image of the hip ‘big boy’ and perfect gentleman to camouflage his real insensitive, aloof and condescending sides.”

He further described

,

By AYO ONIKOYI

recalled that Lisa and Lanre had hired him sometime in April, on the recommendation of a mutual friend, to help set up a trendy lifestyle magazine that would in no time set the pace in its genre.

In his words: “I earnestly set off for work, most of the time multi-tasking as editor,

In all of these sessions I noticed almost everyone else was shallow about what they really wanted; but after much prodding, Lisa said she‘d like a lifestyle magazine with a mass appeal

Monalisa as “almost a simpleton who hardly holds her own opinion. Even when it seems she finally has an opinion of her own, it’s always shaded by Lanre’s ego-fuelled preferences and biases which often border on his crave for a God-like reverence and being ensconced in his little elitist burble world.”

Tracing the genesis of their relationship, Mr. Keshi

,

administrative and human resources manager and working late into the night.

Incidentally, I had another offer from an Abuja-based company to be an Assistant Editor and Lagos bureau chief of a political magazine but I turned it down on the excuse that I just got engaged with a similar job and wanted to give it 100 percent,” I remember the several meetings I had with Lanre,

Lisa and the mutual friend – sometimes lasting till 10:30 pm – to discuss and deliberate on issues like editorial thrust, philosophy, mission, vision, target demography, templates, sectionalisation, themes, pagination, story ideas, online presence, USPs, advert generation, circulation and distribution and staffing for the magazine. In all of these sessions I noticed almost everyone else was shallow about what they really wanted; but after much prodding, Lisa said she‘d like a lifestyle magazine with a mass appeal. Truth is, they were largely vague about the new magazine concept, but I still tried to decrypt their nebulous ideas, concretised, gave life and substance, documented and presented to them.”

Mr. Keshi said he was puzzled after he discovered that all Lanre really wanted from him was to use him to set up the magazine and then whip up and amplify inexistent and inconsequential issues along

Wande Coal for Gulder Ultimate Search 10 selection party

BY BENJAMIN NJOKU

P

opular Nigerian musician, Wande Coal will be on duty this evening as he entertains guests at the final selection party for Gulder Ultimate Search 10.

It is expected that the African R & B crooner will treat the audience to breath-taking performances from his past and yet-to-be released albums. Recent songs by Wande Coal which have turned out to be chart busters include “Been long you saw Me” Wande and “The Kick and Rotate.”

Coal The Gulder brand team at Nigerian Breweries Plc. is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that Gulder Ultimate Search 10 will linger on in the minds of viewers and fans for a long time to come. The registration and regional selection exercises ended weeks back, paving way for the next stage, which is the final selection party.

The host for the final selection party, the Gulder Ultimate Search 10 show anchor and the two past Gulder Ultimate Search champions that will play the roles of Gatekeepers have however not been revealed. While Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly called C M Y K

Freeze hosted last year ’s Final Selection Party, Chidi Mokeme was only revealed as the Gulder Ultimate Search 9 Host at the same event. Dominic Mudabai (Gulder Ultimate Search 4 winner), Michael Nwachukwu, (Gulder Ultimate Search 5 winner) and Christopher Okagbue (Gulder Ultimate Search 8 winner), all past winners, were also revealed as the Gatekeepers for last season.

The final selection party for this year ’s Gulder Ultimate Search will take place this evening at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos.

Of the thousands of hopefuls that turned out for the Gulder Ultimate Search 10 regional trials in Owerri, Benin and Lagos, 30 have been chosen.

The 30, who arrived Lagos, on Tuesday, will be subjected to physical and mental alertness tests. They will also undergo a psychiatrist’s evaluation. The 12 jungle bound contestants will emerge from this list of 30 contestants; while the remaining 18 would have to give the competition another shot next season.

This year, the contestants would be searching for the 10th Symbol.

the way as convenient alibis to sever the working relationship.

“I first suspected when he issued three-month temporary employment to the first batch of staff and arbitrarily fixed salaries without giving room for negotiations. When I questioned it, he said salaries would be reviewed upwardly at the end of the three months and permanent employment letters issued.

“Also in breach of initial discussions before I agreed to resign a job and join him, he affixed the title ‘Assistant Editor’ to my name instead of ‘Editor.’ Curiously, after all editorial work had been concluded, he introduced his sister, Ejine, as ‘Editor’ and requested me to forward all edited materials to her.

Ejine never showed up in the office once and her editing via e-mails was just so-so, forcing me to re-edit again. “Lanre also asked that since stories for the first edition were completed, my team and I should write for subsequent editions which I obliged him out of trust. As I discovered later, his wily game plan was to get as much intellectual and editorial contents out of me for subsequent editions before he schemes me out of the set-up,” he complained.

Mr. Keshi said the straw that broke the camel’s back was when Lanre and Monalisa refused to pay him his outstanding fees after they severed the working relationship with him without a valid reason.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—

33

With PRINCE OSUAGWU princeosuagwu@gmail.com 08050498513

Colour, in the evolution of TV tech I

ly l began... Ear •Where it al ter screen colour compu

Today, with the advancement in technology and with the numerous high-tech research being conducted all over the world, these devices are now expected to excel in colours as well as definition, enabling consumers have an instant connection with the product thereby making the devices a true companion.

The greatest leap in this journey, from the original black and white, through to traditional color TVs was when the personal computer jumped on the scene in the 1980s.

Computer monitors borrowed heavily from their TV

• Nokia Lumia 625

Emitting Diode (OLED) displays which now form the basis of the new wave of advanced High Definition (HD) TVs that champion the evolution of the 21st century TV experience.

All over the world there is a majestic migration from the earliest versions of these technologies to the newer and advanced models.

In Nigeria, with the reemergence of the middle class, many are going for devices with superior picture qualities be it smart phones, computer monitors and TVs. Owning the best of these devices has

Nokia in new Lumia Smartphone with 4.7 Inch Screenprocessor.

ITH the spate of flying viruses and nasty malware spread, it could be injurious to consciously insert your USB drive disks into any port. The implication is that it may easily be infected or you suffer “juice jacking”, which is when someone is able to steal your data through a public charging station.

But technology has a way of replicating true life conditions and practices in

technological innovations.

From adapting the computer system from human brain cells, a lot of technological innovations have followed the human path.

Now, apparently having seen the uses of condom in protecting humans against the dreaded HIV virus, tech experts have designed condom for USBs to protect against virus infection or data theft.

The solution is coming from the stable of experimental

om

W

security outfit called Int3.cc.

Tagged the USBCondom, the product is a g o between device that creates a break between the data pins of the USB connector and those of the public USB port it is being plugged into. nd

USB gets Condom against virus from public ports

The device comes with the trademark Carl Zeiss lens and Nokia Smart Camera technology. This enables users to take a sequence of photos and then select the best shots by deleting unwanted objects or selecting the best facial expressions to create the perfect group shot.

Speaking at the launch, Sales Director, Nokia Middle East and Africa, Patrick Dravet, highlighted that the wider screen means that consumers can enjoy more with their Nokia Lumia 625.

Co

entertainment mobile product launch tagged #LiveLumia party.

The Nokia Lumia 625 comes with a wide 4.7 inch screen

making it the largest screen within the Nokia Lumia r a n g e .

Fully loaded with multimedia content, the device spots a brilliant 4.7-inch IPS touch display with 800 x 480 pixels resolution, which gives users a fantastic experience while playing games, watching movies and surfing the internet. The Lumia 625 also features a 5 megapixel camera with full 1080p HD video recording, autofocus, LED flash as well as a front facing VGA Camera and 1.2GHz dual-core

SB

A

FTER the shocking announcement of the sale of Nokia’s device and service arm to Microsoft penultimate week, the least industry watchers expected was to hear Microsoft’s plans to put the transaction to good use for its benefit.

But full of surprises itself, Nokia also pulled a surprising appearance at the weekend with the launch of its 625 specification of the Nokia Lumia.

You can bet that majority of guests at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Lagos venue of the launch, came to see whether there was a microsoft addition to the Nokia Lumia now that power is changing hands. But Nokia still has its influence all over the product. This time around, it even partnered telecommunications service provider, MTN and African urban music channel, SoundCity in a world class

counterparts, although they soon made refineddistinctfrom the TV industry. Specifically, technologies were developed to optimize computer monitors for gaming purposes as well as professional graphics work and photo manipulation.

This merger between the TV and computer worlds threw down the gauntlet to engineers who set to work to bring color to the masses. Yet, they too began to head in distinct directions. The mobile world embraced touch screen technology, and also pioneered the development of new areas like Organic Light-

•LG Ultra HD 4K TV

•U

N the early days of display technology it was a bit difficultto read or view information and pictures from display devices such as TV, computer monitors and phones.

The early TV was black and white and had problems with maintaining clarity as they mostly required the user to tinker with external antenna to achieve some level of picture clarity. So also were the early mobile phones with a display composed of a yellow coloured screen and tiny texts that required the user to strain his or her eyes in order to decode information. The older versions of computer monitor were also known to have many drawbacks.

Picture quality has been a key determiner in the intent to purchase devices like TVs, smartphones, computer monitors and tablets. Simply put, we want images that play to our visual capabilities. What makes the 21st century more exciting is that we are beginning to see technological products hitting the market that are satisfying the most sophisticated and demanding of judges: our eyes.

somewhat become a status symbol and distinguishing marks of upwardly-mobile individuals.

Strategically positioning themselves to satisfy this growing need, leading companies are investing in Research and Development.

So when some time in 2012 LG Electronics, introduced the ULTRA HD TV, it stoutly claimed that the product would redefineTV viewing,to itsresolution exceeding eight million pixels. In essence, that number isfour times that of conventional HD screens.

The LG ULTRA HD TV which was christened the ‘Magnificent TV’because of its features is generation of sets that boastofspectacular viewing experience. The84inch ULTRA HD TV bworld firstbiggest UHD TV as at that time. But now, also added to that platform, another concept4KTV,which takes image clarity to a whole new level with pixel resolution that’s four times greater than Full HD. Speaking at the launch in Nigeria, the General Manager, Home Entertainment division, LG Electronics, West Africa Operations, Mr. Steve Ryu said: “It is obvious that our industry is driven by innovation and Ultra High Definition which is why our latest invention will transform viewing experience. This is indeed a watershed moment in TV history because the Ultra HD 4K technology will make it possible for consumers to enjoy crystal clear picture quality”.

On a very closer look, the recent exponential growth of technologies which stand on the shoulders of the innovations of the past is nothing short of astounding.

The advances made in TV technology in the last five years is remarkable and have changed the taste of consumers to clearer, brighter and real images. Truly, colour, is the game!

34— Vanguard ,

FRIDAY FRIDAY,, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013— —35

C M Y K

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

VANGUARD BOOK SERIALS

The Pincer strategy used to defeat Biafra YESTERDAY.....

WHAT came your way yesterday in this intriguing tale of 3MCDO operations during the war was how Alabi-Isama and Akinrinade parted ways with their commander, Col. Adekunle.

The incidents eventually led to Adekunle being relieved of command, and Col. Obasanjo taking over.

Obasanjo blundered into his first battle, sustaining heavy casualties, and recoursed to the Pincer strategies earlier canvassed, but which he ignored. READ ON. The Pincer strategies Y suggested strategy was, first for the Sector HQ to move forward to Ohoba nearer the beleaguered 16 Bde immediately, then to start what I called Operations Pincer 1, 2 or 3, one of which will not only relieve 16 Bde of pressure but end the war at the same time. However, we had to realize that Uli Ihiala was the most important part of Biafra at that time. So, I invited Akinrinade to my Uyo HQ to discuss the “Pincer Strategy” after which Akinrinade and I went to discuss with Ayo Ariyo in Calabar; but Ariyo was no more interested. He led us into Port Harcourt during the 30-day advance, he held Port Harcourt until Adekunle returned finally to the war front, and he was completely frustrated like most of us.

We were not sure of what was inside the house; maybe it was even bugged. So, we came outside to discuss and to study the map. However, Ayo Ariyo listened to the plans, the strategy and the tactics of Operations Pincer 1, 2 and 3, he made some corrections and adjustments to the plans, and reminded me that all these had been discussed before we left Calabar a year ago, since April 1968, and only needed some adjustments, as the situation had changed.

He was right, and he also told us that he had trained another 200 recruits that could be made available; I also had about 250 and Akinrinade another 250 recruits who were trained locally. Our three sectors were solid and had not seen or experienced any Biafran counter-attack since they were routed in our sectors at Aba, Ikot Ekpene and Calabar. We intensified training in all respects;

M

,

from drivers training to medical, first aid, weapons training, snipers training, artillery and mortar training.

We sent long range patrols, and had plotted all known Biafran troop positions, defences, their resupply routes, including obstacles en-route Uli Ihiala which was the “Centre Of Gravity” of Biafra’s war effort at that time.

Only Sector 1 had problems which were of their own making; it was just a blunder. Any new reinforcements sent to 1 Sector merely fizzled away into Ohoba/Owerri road, just to die or be wounded. The hospitals were filled up at Port Harcourt with Owerri front casualties. The situation needed a new plan and strategy, not conventional warfare, which was just frontal, brutal and got so many dead, especially in a situation where we could have defeated the Biafrans mentally before they were defeated physically.

zAkinrinade and Alabi-Isama working out the Pincer strategieson their maps

H

F

urther to Obasanjo’s reorganization, Major S.S Tomoye who was my deputy in Sector 3, was moved to Akinrinade’s 17Bde in Aba. Prior to his redeployment, Tomoye was deputy and Brigade Major at 13 Bde in Uyo. He also knew about Ops Pincer 1, 2 and 3. As a matter of fact, he helped draw all the maps and organize the training related to the final battle for the capture of Biafra’s centre of gravity at Uli Ihiala. We were no longer in the riverine war theatre, so tactics needed to change as we expected heavy casualties, which necessitated more training for the Medical Evacuation Team on how to evacuate casualties under heavy fire. I was transferred to Enugu while Major George Innih was

mand of Major Tomoye as well as the 13 Bde. But there was a snag. Of all the Pincer options, the one Obasanjo had preference for was Operation Pincer 1 which was the bloodiest, and the one rejected by the Army HQ as well as 3MCDO under Adekunle. And to canvass support for his choice, he went to 1 Division himself to brief Col. Bisalla on Pincer 1. Bisalla was not in Enugu at the time, so he spoke with Lt. Col. Danjuma who received him warmly but could not take a decision on the issue.

Obasanjo also got in touch with 2 Division on the same subject.

zPlan of Op Pincer 1, which Obasanjo preferred

Of all the Pincer options, the one Obasanjo preferred was Operation Pincer 1... if Operation Pincer 1 had been executed there would have been a total of only slightly over a million Ibos left in Nigeria today transferred to take over

,

my 13 Bde in Uyo. The plan looked good even if he made it seem as though this latter change

was designed to replace the “enemy” that commanded 13 Bde. It was okay by me as long as the entire Brigade

knew about ops Pincer 1,2 and 3, and the troops that fought so hard and well from Calabar to Port Harcourt did not just die like chicken in the hand of an inexperienced commander; but the casualties kept coming in an alarming rate.

However, Obasanjo’s aim in reorganizing the Division as he did was to ensure that as GSO1 Akinrinade would still be able to control his old 17 Bde under the new com-

owever, when Bis alla returned to base in Enugu and looked at the bloody implication of Operation Pincer 1 he rejected the plan. That was how God saved Nigeria and Biafra from what would have been a senseless massacre that would have forever blighted the conduct of the civil war, and the image of Nigeria. To give a picture of the enormity of the possible consequences of Op. Pincer 1, you just have to think of a people trapped and surrounded by 1 and 2 Divisions, of the Nigeria Army, and the 3MCDO; all of them advancing simultaneously with tank, artillery and air support bombardment. Could Nigeria have been able to justify the aftermath? But that was Obasanjo’s preference, which practically every body in the command structure of the entire Nigerian army rejected. Since he had to settle for Pincer 2, innocent refugees, women and children, including the aged and disabled trapped in what was left of Biafra were thus saved from the horror of the devastation that would have been their fate if Obasanjo had had his way. My modest estimate is that if Operation Pincer 1 had been executed there would have been a total of only slightly over a million Ibos left in Nigeria today. And there would have been no way we could absolve ourselves from heavy responsibility of what could truly have been genocide.

In the final analysis, Obasanjo and Bisalla met at a meeting in Lagos where Bisalla had to explain why he could not accept

ÎÎÎ

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 — 37

VANGUARD BOOK SERIALS

zBriefing in Port Harcourt. From left, Obeya, Gen Katsina (hands on knees), Alabi Isama, and Obasanjo

zCol Bissalla, left, could not accept Obasanjo’s Op Pincer 1 plan, May 1969

Bisalla rejects Obasanjo's Pincer 1 operation ÍÍÍ to go along with Operation Pincer 1. In restrospect, he showed same brutal force in Odi, Bayelsa State in November 20, 1999 when he was civilian president.

G

en Hassan Usman Katsina, who became the Chief of Staff (Army) in May 1968, was briefed on Operations Pincer 1, 2 and 3 during his visit to 3MCDO in July 1968 after the capture of Port Harcourt. That was when 3MCDO started going astray with Adekunle’s operation OAU. In particular, after the fall of Owerri and Aba, the disastrous effort to take Umuahia in early October 1968 (secretly approved by Gowon and SHQ) rather than focus on Uli as approved by AHQ, brought things to a head. According to his memoirs, in mid-October 1968 the GSO1 at the AHQ, Col. Oluleye visited 3MCDO HQ in Port Harcourt and subsequently raised the possibility of creating a 4MCDO from the 3MCDO as an option to sending Adekunle on leave or replacing him altogether. But Gowon was not convinced yet. I was told about Oluleye’s visit; I did not know about it.

Col. Obasanjo was finally convinced that OP Pincer 2 was the way to go at last. It was not the only way to do it, as there were other methods of achieving the same result, but definitely not the initial way we had gone about it.

When I saw his confused look which suggested doubt, disbelief, and a lack of comprehension, I explained again, using the same map. All

the 3MCDO problems were in Sector 1. Let us stop the blame game and get on with it. I further explained, by going into details as follows using the same map :zThe remaining 16 Bde should be beefed up to strength, to defend their present position to disallow further Biafran advance across their defence line. z19 Bde commanded by Maj Aliyu, should also be beefed up to strength to take up defensive positions where they were. z15 Bde that was still at Omoku, should also be brought up to strength, and, with an extra Battalion, should advance to Uli Ihiala, passing through Ebocha,Mbebe, to Izombe, Mgbidi, with Oguta to the left. The extra Battalion would be left to defend Izombe, to avoid troops at Oguta from interfering with the advance of the main body of 15 Bde advancing to Mgbidi. They would bypass Owerri to the right, as we did not need Owerri. Otamiri River would be on the Battalion’s left flank. zThen, 12, 14, and 17 Bdes under the command of Akinrinade, should advance from their present Sector HQ at Aba, to Inyiogugu, with Owerri to the left, aiming for Orlu.

I also explained that 3MCDO never fought in the towns. We always bypassed them, surprising Biafran troops that expected us to fight inside the towns and villages, on the streets, including perhaps house-to-house fighting, which we avoided by all means. Based on the projections, I predicted that Akinrinade would take Uli-Ihiala in exactly seven days of crossing the

zOp Pincer 2 plan, renamed Op Tailwind

The Pincer 1 idea was turned down by both Col. Bisalla of 1 Division and Col. Jalo of 2 Division. Col Bisalla’s point was very valid; he said there would be too much blood and that the aim of the war was not to exterminate the Ibo people start line at “H” hour.(5).

We were lucky, I continued, that 1 Division had captured Okigwe in Oct. 1968, followed by Umuahia in April 1969, (which

was two months before this briefing). Col. Obasanjo himself arrived in May 1969 three weeks after Umuahia was captured. 13 Bde, which was

,

in my sector was already the largest of all the Brigades, and was well beefed up, ready to go. 13 Bde, therefore, would link up with 1 Division at

Umuahia, and thence, advance along both sides of the river to RV right of Akinrinade at Urualla to take Nnewi (Ojukwu’s home town), behind UliIhiala. z18 Bde, another brigade in Sector 3, would hold its position at Itu and be prepared to enter Arochukwu, should the Biafran troops in Arochukwu move against Pincer troops of 13 Bde. A battalion each was still standing by at Obubra, Ugep, and at Ikot Okpora, under the command of Lt Col Ignatius Obeya, who was the Commander of 18 Bde, should the Biafrans move against Calabar instead. zThe worst scenario was if Biafran troops in Arochukwu moved towards Calabar, which was our own Centre of Gravity. In that case, the battalion at Ikot Okpora would engage them before they cross the river at Ikot Okpora. The role of 18 Bde would not change, they would enter Arochukwu behind the Biafrans. Either way, a dilemma would be created for Biafran troops at Arochukwu if they ever moved. Their best bet was to do nothing. Col. Obasanjo then took a good look at the map and the plan again, while Col. (Fr.) Pedro Martins laughed, and said that he was impressed. When in 2009, Mr. Kayode Williams and I went to see Fr. Martins at his Victoria Island residence in Lagos for his 90 th birthday belated greetings, he remembered everything in detail as related to the Operation Pincer 2 briefing in Port Harcourt. It was incredible.

But Col Obasanjo preferred Op Pincer 1, despite all advice against it.

He then went about con-

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38—Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

VANGUARD BOOK SERIALS

Final battle: Akinrinade takes Uli-Ihiala with Op Pincer 2 ÍÍÍ tacting the other two Divisions. Fortunately, the Pincer 1 idea was turned down by both Col. Bisalla of 1 Division and Col. Jalo of 2 Division. Col Bisalla’s point was very valid; he said there would be too much blood and that the aim of the war was not to exterminate the Ibo people or permanently change their culture by us occupying Iboland. I was impressed. I took the picture of their meeting. It was then that he had a rethink on Op Pincer 2. It was at this time that Col Obasanjo suddenly transferred me to I Division at Enugu.

The final battle (Final execution of Op Pincer 2)

,

I will explain here how Op Pincer 2 was finally executed when the officers were tired of line straightening operations which yielded no positive results except more casualties. Since all the units were already in position, and battle ready, the final battle started. As early as 0600 hours on 22 December 1969, 17 Bde under Maj SS Tomoye fired the first shot. He advanced to the right flank in order to be able to link up with 1 Division troops already at Umuahia since April 1969. This was what was expected of 13 Bde, but he did not move because he was not part of the line straightening operation; but since Akinrinade had decided to advance without 13 Bde, he did not bother.

The gap between Owerri and Umuahia was important because the Biafran troops that were dislodged by 1 Division at Umuahia had not settled down to defend their new locations. The Biafran troops also did not expect the move between the gaps. They were expecting that the old conventional, mundane tactics of hitting one’s head in a frontal attack as in Ohoba and thence to Owerri was what would happen.

They, therefore, tied down most of their troops defending Owerri, for a show down with 3MCDO. So, they dug-in at Owerri, and in depth. It was expected to be the Mother of all battles at Owerri.

16 Bde commanded by Maj Utuk, who was still itching to take revenge on Owerri was not allowed to advance, while 19 Bde

Early in the morning of Tuesday 13th January 1970, a Biafran officer called Achuzia, with white handkerchief, crawled towards 17 Bde position, and was captured and taken to Lt. Col Akinrinade.

He introduced himself as Col Achuzia, and that he was sent

by Gen. Effiong and all the officers of Biafran Army to surrender to the commander of the Federal troops commanded by Maj. Aliyu was in defensive position to tie down Biafran troops at Owerri. With devastating 122 mm Artillery bombardment, directed at Owerri and Ohoba, the Biafran troops had no more doubt that 3MCDO was coming again, and they were ready for the mother of all battles.

Then 15 Bde commanded by Maj Iluyomade, who liked to salute like Hitler, moved into the gap between Oguta and Owerri to the left from Omoku, capturing Izombe, with Orashi River to his left which later flows right to his front.

That again further confirmed that 3MCDO would try to go back to Oguta. Therefore, Biafran attention was directed at Oguta and Owerri axes, while 14 Bde commanded by Maj Ola Oni to the left, and 12 Bde commanded by Isemede in the center advanced through the gap between Owerri to the left, and Umuahia to the right.

At this time, 13 Bde commanded by Maj George Innih had moved right from Ikot Ekpene towards Itu to what Obasanjo called passing through operation to capture Arochukwu. George Innih’s route is marked in red on the map. That distance alone is about 100 miles on a very bad road. To use the phrase used by Obasanjo in his book, he was to swing left towards Umuahia. That distance is another 100 miles from Arochukwu, and another 100 miles or more to Uli Ihiala, the Divisional objective.

When Akinrinade did not see him for four days, they continued the advance without him and his 13 Bde. On my birthday, 24th December 1969, Akinrinade and Tomoye linked up with 1 Division at Umuahia. They greeted me for my birthday and told me that it was my

, zAlabi-Isama explains strategy to Obasanjo: We will divide the enemy into two enclaves to cause panic in their ranks especially the Arochukwu enclave that will not be able to receive supplies and communicate with its Biafran HQ at Uli Ihiala. The gesture of my right hand had said it all.

zLt. Col. Akinrinade birthday present. That was cool, but I was biting my finger, wishing I was on the advance with them. We were running a commentary like a soccer match. On Christmas day 25th December 1969, I sent a message to the COSA in Lagos to say that Obasanjo went to Arochukwu and so did the 13 Bde with about 3,000 men going the wrong way.

COSA then sent a signal message to Obasanjo to concentrate on Uli-Ihiala and nowhere else. Obasanjo then wrote in his book that he wondered how COSA knew about his move to Arochukwu. By the time he got the message, Akinrinade had ended the war by capturing Uli Ihiala. At this time, with Inyiogugu to their left, 12,14,and 17 Bdes under Akinrinade’s command (The Coordinator) then had 1 Division at Umuahia look after their right flank, which made the advance faster without having to wait anymore for 13 Bde. Akinrinade did not have air support, because the Count Von Rosen inquiry was still going on in Port Harcourt.

By the 5th of January

1969,14 Bde was at Amaraka, 12 Bde was at Umuna, while Tomoye’s 17 Bde passed through to take Umuzoma, and Urualla.

From the right flank, the “Dream Team” was threatening Orlu from two flanks, having crossed Imo River, and were to enter Uli Ihiala by night fall.

By Thursday of 8th January 1969, Tomoye described the situation that they were not firing anymore, as there were too many refugees and too many Biafran troops just dropping their weapons and running, while some managed to enter their vehicles and drive fast away from the war front.

They told all those that raised their hands up in surrender to just go home. They did not capture any POW. Casualties were light on both sides.

Artillery could not be used beyond Owerri because of the enveloping troops from 12, 14 and 17 Bdes that were already behind enemy lines. By morning of Friday 9th January, 1970, Tomoye radioed to say that he thought the war was over as the Biafran troops were not fighting anymore. Beware of stray bullets, I shouted, and I asked after Maj. Innih. Tomoye had heard that his troops were at Owerri. I trusted that Akinrinade would not allow troops to enter the towns, which is why he warned Edet Utuk to remain in defence, and not enter Owerri. With his annoyance over what happened during the seven month siege, Utuk, might have the tendency to kill for revenge.

Very early in the morning of Tuesday 13th Janu-

ary 1970, a Biafran officer called Achuzia, with white handkerchief, crawled towards 17 Bde position, and was captured and taken to Lt. Col Akinrinade. He introduced himself as Col Achuzia, and that he was sent by Gen. Effiong and all the officers of Biafran Army to surrender to the commander of the Federal troops, and to invite the Commander to come and meet the Biafran officers somewhere few yards away, where they had gathered to surrender.

The town was called Amichi, and that they were all waiting at a house there. At first Akinrinade did not want to go but later he agreed and Maj Tomoye accompanied him.

Before they left, they left orders with their troops that if in two hours they were not back, or nothing heard from them, the entire place must be leveled to the ground.

So, they left with Achuzia who we had wanted to kill in Port Harcourt if we got him, for killing Chief Halley Day, the owner of The Silver Valley Hotel at Port Harcourt. When we were young officers, before the war, we used to travel to Port Harcourt to stay at the Silver Valley Hotel because we were friends of Chief Halley Day’s children. Akinrinade of course then remembered that we should not kill anyone that looked at us in the face.

Akinrinade then told him that we were looking for him and that the meeting that they were going to should be worth it.

Achuzia took Akinrinade and Tomoye to a house nearby, where they met Achuzia’s European wife,

and Achuzia broke kola nuts with the usual Ibo traditional welcoming ceremony. Well, so far so good, after which they then went to meet all Biafran officers seated and waiting to surrender to the two officers- Akinrinade and Tomoye. Akinrinade met all of them including some of our classmates like Gbulie and others. It was then that Akinrinade sent word to Obasanjo that Biafran troops had surrendered to him and his men if he would like to come and see. I was still on the RS301 Operation Radio with some officers, listening to our commentarylike discussions with Tomoye’s radio operator.

It was then that Obasanjo, the GOC of 3 MCDO started looking for his officers. It took him four hours to drive from PH to Amichi.

z CONCLUDED.

Y

OU have, since Monday, enjoyed excerpts from The Tragedy of Victory: On the spot account of the Nigeria-Biafra War in the Atlantic Theatre, written by Brigadier-General Godwin Alabi-Isama.

The book is available in bookstores nationwide, and online, at amazon.com

Vanguard Vanguard,, YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEO: Avoided you don’t allow others to mislead you, things will not go wrong. The more willing you are to take the initiative the better for you. Take your love life more seriously.

VIRGO: Although you will need to be as secretive as you can, your success will attract others’ attention to you to the betterment of your cause. Be ambitious.

LIBRA: People who more influential than you will be willing to support your cause but you will need to make the necessary move. The more self assertive you are the better.

SCORPIO: Challenges of yesterday will today bring you good opportunities along your career/business lines to the betterment of your finances seek supporters of powerful ones.

— 39

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 CANCER: Mercury has started going on backward motion in your Star sign, therefore you will need to re-examine both your personal ideas and advice given to you by others. Be family minded.

FRIDAY FRIDAY,, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

A

GREAT thinker, Senera once said: “it is not because things are difficult that we do not try, it is because we do not try that thing are difficult” Did you get that?

Let me illustrate: A

Why are things difficult? child said he is late home, rather than go home straight, he still stays half-way because he is afraid his father will punish him, is he not aggravating the issue?

TERROR MUDA

That is the case with those who do not try?

They worsen an already bad situation.

If you do not sow can you reap? If you don’t plant can you

in “Never say goodbye”

harvest? If you do not knock will you be opened for?

Do something today. No matter how difficult your situation seems now, the solution to it, is doing something no matter how small.

By Lanre Kehinde

SAGITTARIUS: Think of the best way to improve on your working pattern in order to enhance your career prospects if you listen to your creative self, things will work out fine for you. Be more loving.

CAPRICORN: Success is boldly printed on your cards today. Think of both immediate and far future while you are savouring goodies offered you but mother nature.

AQUARIUS: You should not have it tough while trying to win the needed supports of others. Take good advice from some of your friends who are creatively gifted.

PISCES: Your creativity quotient is enhanced today and if you demonstrate this within your working arena, you’ll earn success and consolidate on your recent progress.

ARIES: As mercury prepares to go on backward motion it is important you don’t take things for granted. Watch carefully what you agree to do.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

TAURUS: Better than yesterday. Others will be willing to give you the needed co-operation both at home and within your working arena. This is a good day for lovers.

GEMINI: Those of you who are more enterprising will have much to show for your efforts. The more cooperative you. Don’t neglect love.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What does future have for me Dear Joshua, I don’t want you to publish my data. However, I want to know how the planets lined up when I was born.

And which day of the week was I born, would I record success in life ? When would my success come?

Jimoh Ibadan Dear Jimoh, You were born on a Jupiter ruled day - Thursday. You’ll succeeded earlier than you think.

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Your Horoscope Data DAY OF BIRTH: THURSDAY SUN SIGN = PISCES: SUN IN 25TH DEGREE OF PISCES MOON SIGN: PISCES: MOON IN 21ST DEGREE OF PISCES MERCURY IN 28TH DEGREE OF AQUARIUS VENUS IN 28TH DEGREE OF ARIES MARS IN 7TH DEGREE OF CANCER JUPITER IN ZERO DEGREE OF AQUARIUS SATURN IN 27TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORN URANUS IN 22ND DEGREE OF LEO NEPTUNE IN 11TH DECREE OF SCORPIO PLUTO IN 6TH DEGREE OF VIRGO NORTH NODE IN 6TH DEGREE OF PISCES CARDINAL AND MUTABLE STAR SIGN HOSTED THREE PLANETS EACH, FIXED AND WATER FOUR EACH, FIRE EARTH AND AIR HOSTED TWO EACH. PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 40% NON-PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 60% HIGHLY HIGHLIGHTED STAR SIGN = AQUARIUS FINAL DISPOSITOR = SATURN ANALYSIS OF THE HOROSCOPE DATA Saturn as the final dispositor-the most influential planet at home when you were born, pointed to you as an ambitious person who must have a well developed career. You are a disciplined person with higher degree of leadership quality in yourself.

Although, you can be emotional, you are stable and reliable.

Less than 50 per cent of push-full influence in you is an indication of your being an amiable person. Both your natal sun/ moon in Pisces and Aquarius are indications of characteristic of star signs are highly pronounced in your inner-self Having your hands on public pulse will always bring you unexpected success and fulfilment.

FUTURE TRENDS Around your 30th birthday an endless cycle of great success and achievements will start for you.

Oil-petrol chemicals will feature in your life when the predicted great cycle gets started for you.

Congratulation.

Commen3

by Lawrence Akapa

40 —VANGUARD, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

BY ABDULLAH YUSUF ALI

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Narrated Ibn Abbas: “The first lady to use a girdle was the mother of Ishmael. She used a girdle so that she might hide her tracks from Sarah.

Abraham brought her and her son Ishmael while she was suckling him, to a place near the Ka’ba under a tree on the spot of Zam-zam, at the highest place in the mosque. During those days there was nobody in Mecca, nor was there any water. So, he made them sit over there and placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small waterskin bag containing some water, and set out homeward.

Ishmael’s mother followed him saying, “O Abraham! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything (to enjoy)?”

Abraham, Ishmael and Kaaba till she crossed the valley and reached the Marwa mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she could not see anybody. She repeated that (running between Safa and Marwa) seven times.”

The Prophet said, “This is the source of the tradition of the walking of people between them (i.e. Safa and Marwa).

When she reached the Marwa (for the last time) she heard a voice and she asked herself to be quiet and listened attentively. She heard the voice

not scooped from that water) (to fill her water-skin), Zam-zam would have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth.” The Prophet further added, “Then she drank (water) and suckled her child.

The angel said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid of being neglected, for this is the House of Allah which will be built by this boy and his father, and Allah never neglects His people.’ The Kaaba at that time was on a high place resembling a hillock, and when torrents came, they flowed to its right

They agreed to that.” The Prophet further said, “Ishmael’s mother was pleased with the whole situation as she used to love to enjoy the

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arrated Ibn Abbas: “When the Prophet saw pictures in the Ka’ba, he did not enter it till he ordered them to be erased. When he saw the pictures of Abraham and Ishmael carrying the arrows of divination, he said, “May Allah curse them (i.e. the Quraish)!

By Allah, neither Abraham nor Ishmael practiced divination by arrows.” (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Prophets, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 571)”

She heard the voice again and said, ‘O, (whoever you may be)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me!” And behold! She saw an angel at the place of Zam-zam

company of the people. So, they settled there, and later on they sent for their families who

Suckling Ishmael She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her. Then she asked him, “Has Allah ordered you to do so?” He said, “Yes.” She said, “Then He will not neglect us,” and returned while Abraham proceeded onwards, and on reaching the Thaniya where they could not see him, he faced the Ka’ba, and raising both hands, invoked Allah saying the following prayers: ‘O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House (Kaba at Mecca) in order, O our Lord, that they may offer prayer perfectly. So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits, so that they may give thanks.’ (14.37) Ishmael’s mother went on suckling Ishmael and drinking from the water (she had). When the water in the water-skin bag had all been used up, she became thirsty and her child also became thirsty.

She started looking at him (i.e. Ishmael) tossing in agony; She left him, for she could not endure looking at him, and found that the mountain of Safa was the nearest mountain to her on that land. She stood on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody to help her out, but she could not see anybody.

Then she descended from Safa and when she reached the valley, she tucked up her robe and ran in the valley like a person in distress and trouble,

convey my salutation to him and tell him to change the threshold of the gate (of his house).’ When Ishmael came, he seemed to have felt something unusual, so, he asked his wife, ‘Has anyone visited you?’ She replied, ‘Yes, an old man of so-and-so description came and asked me about you and I informed him, and he asked about our state of living, and I told him that we were living in a hardship and poverty.’ On that Ishmael said, ‘Did he advise you anything?’ She replied, ‘Yes, he told me to convey his salutation to you and to tell you to change the threshold of your gate.’

Ishmael said, ‘It was my father, and he has ordered me to divorce you. Go back to your family.’ So, Ishmael divorced

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her and married another woman from amongst them (i.e.

Jurhum).

Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as Allah wished and called on them again but did not find Ishmael. So he came to Ishmael’s wife and asked her about Ishmael. She said, ‘He has gone in search of our livelihood.’ Abraham asked her, ‘How are you getting on?’ asking her about their sustenance and living. She replied, ‘We are prosperous and well-off (i.e. we have everything in abundance).’

Then she thanked Allah’ Abraham said, ‘What kind of food do you eat?’ She said.

‘Meat.’ He said, ‘What do you drink?’ She said, ‘Water.” He said, “O Allah! Bless their meat and water.” The Prophet added, “At that time they did not have grain, and if they had grain, he would have also invoked Allah to bless it.”

To be continued next week

Quotes

The Kaabah

again and said, ‘O, (whoever you may be)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me!” And behold! She saw an angel at the place of Zam-zam, digging the earth with his heel (or his wing), till water flowed from that place.

Filling of water skin She started to make something like a basin around it, using her hand in this way, and started filling her waterskin with water with her hands, and the water was flowing out after she had scooped some of it.”

The Prophet added, “May Allah bestow Mercy on Ishmael’s mother! Had she let the Zam-zam (flow without trying to control it) (or had she

and left. She lived in that way till some people from the tribe of Jurhum or a family from Jurhum passed by her and her child, as they (i.e. the Jurhum people) were coming through the way of Kada’. They landed in the lower part of Mecca where they saw a bird that had the habit of flying around water and not leaving it. They said, ‘This bird must be flying around water, though we know that there is no water in this valley.’

They sent one or two messengers who discovered the source of water, and returned to inform them of the water. So, they all came (towards the water).” The Prophet added, “Ishmael’s mother was sitting near the water. They asked her, ‘Do you allow us to stay with you?” She replied, ‘Yes, but you will have no right to possess the water.’

came and settled with them so that some families became permanent residents there. The child (i.e. Ishmael) grew up and learnt Arabic from them and (his virtues) caused them to love and admire him as he grew up, and when he reached the age of puberty they made him marry a woman from amongst them.

After Ishmael’s mother had died, Abraham came after Ishmael’s marriage in order to see his family that he had left before, but he did not find Ishmael there. When he asked Ishmael’s wife about him, she replied, ‘He has gone in search of our livelihood.’ Then he asked her about their way of living and their condition, and she replied, ‘We are living in misery; we are living in hardship and destitution,’ complaining to him. He said, ‘When your husband returns,

‘Good and evil can never be equal. Repel (evil) with that which is better, and see how, then, someone between whom and you was enmity shall become a true friend. Yet none is given such goodness except those who are patient; none is give this but the most fortunate.’

(Al-Fussilat 41: 345)

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 20,, 2013 —41

Why Lagos is revitalising 57 flagship PHCs — ADESHINA GLOBALLY, Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs, provide easy access to healthcare services to people at the grassroots.

But the reverse appears to be the case in Nigeria. The nation has continued to witness a breakdown of service delivery at PHCs leading to unnecessary congestion at the secondary and tertiary healthcare centres.

Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adesina, spoke to Good Health Weekly, on the State’s revitalisation of PHCs with special focus on 57, 24-hour Comprehensive Flagship PHCs. She argues that a strong PHC system is central to improving the health of all and reducing inequalities among different groups as well as redirecting Nigerians back to the basics of the healthcare system. Excerpts:

BY CHIOMA OBINNA HEALTHCARE System n Lagos, there is one Terti ary health facility, 26 General Hospitals, eight Maternal and Child Centres, MCCs and 277 Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs. These three interface.

Nobody goes to secondary school without attending primary school and that is the sense of how health should be seen in any system. When the primary level cannot handle the condition we refer to the secondary level. If the secondary level cannot handle the case it is referred to the tertiary level. The referral should be bidirectional, meaning once we refer from primary to secondary and they have done their investigations and completed the treatment, they are supposed to send back to the primary level.

Culture But achieving this has become a real problem in the system. We realize that our people have developed a culture of skipping the primary level and going to the secondary. The demand for excellence services has really kept the government on its toes, so we need to reorientate our people to the significance of going to the primary level first.

One other thing that we realized is that because the secondary facility is the first point of call for a lot of people it is over- stretched and overly inundated with cases that can be managed on a routine bases in the primary health centres.

Government came up a blueprint of the revitalization of the primary health centres. It is a template we are now using to work on the PHCs. The revitalization programme is essentially to create 24-hour primary healthcare services within the local government and council development area. Out of the 277 PHCs, we are targeting to have 57 flagship comprehensive 24 – hour PHCs that will hoist the flag of excellence and improvement in our primary healthcare. Then, the other

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PHCs will now feed into the flagships and the flagship will feed into the secondary and tertiary facilities. We intend to complete 20 flagships this year and already five have been completed. By next year, we will complete the remaining.

Essence of revitalisation First, it is to redirect patients to the PHCs. We are looking at redirecting the patients to the PHCs without being intrusive or breaking the confidence in the system. To address this, we intend to allow patients come into the General Hospitals like any other day. The community will now take over their cases. They will screen out what we call ‘cold cases’ - like I want to check my blood pressure, I have a rash, etc., things that are routine services, we will now redirect these cases through the community health department clinic which will be run by the medical officers of the PHCs. So it gains two things, patients becomes familiar with doctors of the PHCs inside the General Hospitals, they will have more confidence when they go into the PHCs because they now see them as one. While at the community health department clinic of the General Hospital, we will offer one – on–one counseling and education on the

• Dr. Yewande Adeshina. need for patients to visit the PHC first and also on their proper use.

We will also refer them back to the PHCs component of the hospital that is close to them and that same doctor that they saw there will now become their primary care provider at the PHC so that the General Hospitals will focus on what they are called to.

For instance, the MCCs are not meant for every pregnant woman unless if it is a high risk pregnancy. They are supposed to be emergency referral centres like when the patient is in labour and it got into a difficult position they can quickly transport them to the MCCs for further intervention. But we are having challenges because the beds are full with normal deliveries that

should have happened in the Primary centres.

Scaling up We have moved away from traditional PHC system which focuses mostly on immunization and antenatal care and preventive screening things. To help the secondary facilities we have added non communicable disease including cancers such as breasts, cervical prostate, and colon cancer. Our flagship is rearranged for convenience of flow. Before, when you go into any PHC everybody is seated in one hall and it is rowdy but now the flagship are designed that all maternal cases have their own area. There is a pattern, orderliness in how we are providing services now.

Drug Revolving Fund When we say free health nothing is actually free, somebody has paid for that medicine somewhere and that somebody is mostly tax payers. Lagos state has about 70 percent informal sector and about 30 percent paying for what 20 million people will be utilizing for free healthcare. We are offering free health care for preventive health.

But once you are diagnosed with a life time ailmentssuch as diabetes and hypertension, you have to pay. We have decided to subsidize the drugs to be cheaper than at the secondary healthcare system.

There is huge challenge on the financial allocation of funds and the state drug revolving fund basically allows us to reinvest whatever proceeds we get from selling the drugs. For instance, if the drug is N1.00, 70 percent goes back into purchasing more drugs and the remaining 30 percent goes into the free health scheme.

Facilities Each area is equipped with newer furniture, labour and delivery facilities are replaced with a more modern mechanized type. We have added a laboratory to every flagship PHC. They do what we call point of care, to support NCDs clinic. We have the ability to do blood sugar, Haemoglobin which is essential to diabetes care; urine for protein, kidney amongst others. Our partners donated what we call point of care machine , we can now do haematology in the PHCs.

IANPHI boss tasks Nigeria on strong health institutions

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health institutions that can stand the test of time. Puska, who gave the charge while on a courtesy visit to Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, recently, noted that what Nigeria and other African countries need was strong institutions to drive ministries and n a t i o n a l development. He further stated that the core public health programmes, where promising, usually span a longer period than government ministries and agencies that drives them.

The IANPHI boss said it had, however, become important to put strong institutions in place to drive • Emergency services on display at the 9th West African Health health-related minisconference & Exhibition held in Lagos.

RESIDENT of the Interna tional Association of National Public Health Institutes, IANPHI, Professor Pekka Puska has urged Nigerian government to build

tries that in turn propel national development.

According to him, “This is the business of IANPHI, to ensure that the capacity of affiliated 80member institutions is strengthened.”

Responding, the DirectorGeneral of NIMR, Professor Innocent Ujah, acknowledged that many NIMR staff had benefited from the institution, and were happy to host the president on his trip to Nigeria. IANPHI is a global initiative that aims to develop stronger and more coordinated public health systems through the development and support of National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs). IANPHI spearheads improvements in NPHIs through a peer-assistance evaluation; grant support and efforts focused on NPHI advocacy, collaboration, and sustainability.

42— Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

THE availability and cost of electricity has long been identified as the major factor in determining growth of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs). The economies of advanced countries have been hinged on growth of SMEs and the future of Nigeria’s economy, likewise, is dependent on small enterprise.

VANGUARD therefore played host to various stakeholders in the businesses of regulation, generation and consumption of electricity with a view to exchanging ideas and bringing focus and clarity to the electricity situation in Nigeria.

Participants:-

Mr. Bassir Seye Manager, Project Finance, Asterios Capital (Financiers) Dr. Ibrahim Abba Commissioner, Government & Consumer Affairs Division, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (Regulators)

(Alternative energy providers) Mr Ojurongbe Seyi CoordinatorProgrammes Department, Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability & Professionalism (LEAP) Africa. (Representatives to SMEs) Ms Orakpo Ebele In-house contributor

Mr. Nelson Ubong In-house contributor

Barr. Salu Olawale Principal partner Olawale Salu&Co ( Constitutional lawyer)

Mr. Ogundipe Kayode Pragmatic Technologies

Mrs Taire Morenike Moderator

Morenike Taire HERE has been a lot of outrage over the recent increase in electricity tariffs. On one hand, people are complaining they were not well informed. People are not convinced. A lot of issues which I hope will be brought to the fore today. Mr. Ojuroungbe, is there a direct relationship between electricity tariffs and business?

Seyi We train business owners in leadership skills and we get to interact with business owners.

A lot of them share their concerns on the things that affect their businesses and electricity appears to be their major concern.

Morenike When the tariffs are increased how does it affect you as a business owner?

Seyi What they keep saying, the first challenge is non availability. The second has to do with increased tariff. They are paying so much for what is not available.

Morenike Dr. Abba, was this increase necessary?

Abba This is a service that has been provided by government for decades and we’ve seen how inefficient this service is. There has been a lot of money poured into the sector in the last one decade with very little results.

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The way forward is liberalizing the sector and by liberalization we must open the door for investors to come in both local and international.

The power sector reform started in 2000 leading to the Act itself finally signed into law in 2005.

It unbundled then NEPA into 18 companies and then rolled out plans for privatization so the tariff increase is a very essential component because you have to redeem it to the point where the sector will be able to generate adequate revenue to sustain itself.

When we were designing the recent tariff regime we had the social sides taken into consideration because like in any infrastructure service, access and affordability are very key factors.

Medium scale enterprises We had to also widen the scope especially for small and medium scale enterprises and for poor people. We know for sure that any economy cannot be sustained if there is no small and medium scale enterprises.

China has more than 10 million small and medium scale enterprises and they are the biggest employers of labour.

Morenike Gentlemen, would you like to add anything to- or challengewhat Dr. Abba said?

Discussants

Roundtable discussion on e electricity tariffs on small b Kayode I’d like to ask Dr. Abba if, before they effected the increment of tariffs, was there a platform made available for publics to make their contributions because as at today the tariffs have been increased, the cost of living has been increased and the supply of electricity is still inadequate.

How do you justify the increment?

Abba Were people really carried along? The regulatory process is participatory. We are required by law to consult widely for any regulatory process. The tariff itself is an order.

We don’t just go about increasing tariff anyhow. the first one was rolled out in 2008 and is supposed to have run for five years meaning the next major review should have been this coming year but a lot of work put in was based on financial and economic assumption.

In 2008 there were projections that by now we would have at least 16,000MW capacity for generation and just like any product the cost of electricity depends on the quantum of generation: the more you generate, the less the price.

There are annual reviews

because fuel costs vary, you have to factor in inflation and there’s also foreign exchange.

There is nothing we do that we do not involve stakeholders. We bring in experts, academics, for the financial and economic model we had university professors to review it. If we need to review the tariff they will have to justify that to the regulator and then the regulator will finally decide whether to accept, reject, review or whatever.

Government has subsidized power for a very long time.

That’s what brought in

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Engr. Alomo Abel Project Engineer PSC Industries (Alternative energy providers)

plans: residential, commercial, industrial, special categories like places of worship, schools, hospitals and we also have streetlights,a general public service. All these have been subsidized and even the commercial are categorized into various sectors because the barbershop is not the same as a small factory or a woodwork shop that involves heavy machinery.

Morenike If I may come in here I do not think it’s a question of whether the supply is increased. For me it’s more about the workability

The way forward is liberalizing the sector and by liberalization we must open the door for investors to come in both local and international

corruption because government employees are paid whether the service is delivered or not.

There are political issues, commercial issues, market issues and consumer issues.

The regulator is right in the middle managing these three key components. I am sure Seye here will agree with me as a financier, that he won’t be supporting any bid for anybody if it does not make economic sense. s. We have various

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in terms of available funds. Is it going to be actually possible or are people going to be literally thrown out of business.

Alomo We are discussing is basically about the tariffs. The regulatory agencies are there, the operators are there, the consumers are there. But the basic rudiments must not be neglected.

Generating electricity in Nigeria and the whole of Africa is still basically

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—43

it an issue that cannot be surmounted?

Seyi One major challenge was stakeholder management; they weren’t duly informed and a lot of them (SMEs) did not even have a problem with the increment but availability. What is the added value?

Seye It’s always going to be a politically challenging thing for the regulator in this case because you have to increase the tariff first and then that’s what is going to be the signal for generation to improve because what has happened in Nigeria historically is that between about Obasanjo’s military government to Obasanjo’s civilian government no power plant was built in Nigeria.

Risk-balance approach

effects of business in Nigeria from the conventional ways of generating electricity: specifically gas fire, gas turban, and very few of the hydro electric gas power station. The cost of crude oil where the source of generating electricity will continue go higher. If we base our generation on the conventional methods the tariff will continue to go up The key point we have to look at is possible ways to cause electricity tariffs to come down and the SMEs to drive.

Ubong I want to ask, how will you be able to regulate the people that have taken over, the generating companies so that tariffs and even the service itself will be controlled, because if you want to compare it with the

Mr. Nelson Ubong

mobile companies…

Morenike Mr. Ojurongbe: does this challenge your need for efficiency, do you think that in a way small companies always try to hide behind other factors in order not to be efficient or is

There is chronic underinvestment in that sector and what that means is that we need to ramp up significantly the generation. We saw what happened when the government tried to build NIPP, the power plant.

What we were told was that the power plant was built and then suddenly someone asked, where will the gas come from?

The private sector would have a much more holistic and riskbalance approach to building it and for you to get the private sector involved to bring money to invest in that sector you have to have a tariff that guarantees two or three things: that they recover their capital costs…

Ubong But not in one day!

Seye: Definitely not in one day. You have to guarantee that they can

pay to maintain the investment so that when they build power plants they can pay for fuel, people, replace spare parts and then you have to make sure they can make a profit.

It’s challenging in the Nigerian case because the average person will complain he still does not have light but I cannot conceive of any other way of doing it. What it was at 7naira you are not even recovering your capital cost.

Nobody would make that kind of investment.

To address the SMEs as well, part of the problem we’ve had generally in Nigeria is that most private entities are generating their power with generating sets, i-beta-pass-my-neighbour and the average of those generators are probably operating at 30% or 40% of capacity so there’s a lot of waste in the system.

There should be more aggregation, maybe we should move towards new models of collaboration in which they are partnering to buy gensets together or they are partnering to get themselves connected together to the gas grid for instance as you see in Ikeja.

I know the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria has one of those initiatives in which what they’ve essentially done is to go together as a cluster and try to build power plants to serve their own needs and we need to get to more creative ways of doing things like that, at least in the interim until generation responds to the generation incentive.

Morenike About tariffs coming in the way of incentive, are there other factors that are also responsible for inefficiency, particularly corruption in terms of power generation and costing?

Seye

The level of generation is just too low compared to demand so even accounting for corruption we still have a massive, massive shortfall in power generation.

Morenike Dr. Abba, as at today, what amount of electricity do we need?

Dr. Abba Unfortunately we are very poor in Nigeria with regards to data. We are doing a baseline study which will take anything between six months to a year before we get accurate figures but we can put things in perspective.

If you look at South Africa with population between forty and fifty million, they are generating over 45,000 MW and they still have some crises from time to time during peak periods.

They had a very cold winter this year so there was increased demand for electricity and they were rationing it. As at yesterday we had a peak generation of 4,000MW so you can see the gap as Seye said.

We may not need up to 45,000 because we don’t have the industry South Africa has but I can assure you, 30,000. If you quantify the amount of energy being used by that big generator I saw when I was coming up…

Ubong 1000KVA Abba Costs 45/50 naira/KW hour.

The small i-pass-my-neighbour is up to 70 because they are using petrol and they are even more inefficient. Our highest tariff in Nigeria today considering inefficient networks that we have is 23 naira/ KWhour, and that, most of us here are not paying up to half of that in our own residential consumption so we are still being subsidized.

Subsidy regime

Mr. Bassir Seye

Dr. Ibrahim Abba

Mrs Taire Morenike

Engr. Alomo Abel

Ms Orakpo Ebele

Barr. Salu Olawale

In the subsidy regime there’s a cross subsidy. The bigger industrial consumer and the richer take more of that 23naira.

Those that have dedicated transformers will pay more.

The poorest members of the community are the rural dwellers and urban poor.

Anybody that consumes 50KW and below per month, their tariffs are only 4naira/KWhour, so you can imagine . then we come to the commercial where the SMEs fall in.

They also enjoy low tariffs.

How much will it cost to buy one gallon of petrol? We have 36 states in Nigeria and 724 local governments. Even if you want to reach all local governments and talk to people and use radio and television and newspapers as much as we have done we will only be able to cover after two years.

To be continued

44—Vanguard , FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Meat sellers, health workers, hospital row over ‘poisoned' Pomo

Okolugbo lauds Uduaghan on award

BY GODWIN OGHRE

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HE Commissioner representing Ndokwa nation on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Sir Kenny Okolugbo, has commended the award as a Fellow of National Postgraduate Medical College on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State.

He said the honour was in recognition of the governor’s outstanding contribution to the health sector in the state, such as free maternal care, building and equipping cottage hospitals.

Okolugbo said: “In my mandate area alone, DESOPADEC is building five of such and an antinatal clinic all at 80 percent completion stage.

“Our free medical care, all derived from the governor, has helped so much to give Deltans access to healthcare.”

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APELE—AUTHORITIES of Sapele General Hospital, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, have denied the allegation by some health workers attached to the Health and Environment Department of Sapele council that no fewer than 10 victims, who bought and consumed some allegedly poisoned animal hide, popularly called Pomo, were sick and lying in critical condition at the hospital.

It was alleged that the said pomo was purchased at Sapele Main Market.

Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Oyobere Onwoke, who rebuffed the claim of alleged sick patients, victims of the poisoned pomo, conducted newsmen around the hospital. He challenged the health workers to come forward and point out any patient that is a victim.

Free-for-all between meat sellers, health workers

The police in Sapele, led by the Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Mamma Rigau, earlier in the week, quelled what would have led to a major clash between the health officers of Sapele council and a large number of meat sellers in Sapele main market.

Rwanda Air

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WANDA Air, Rwanda’s national carrier has rotated some of its Country Managers in a bid to reposition for better services.

Hafeez Balogun, its Country Manager, Nigeria, has been posted to Tanzania as its new Country Manager, while the new Country Manager, Nigeria, is Fifi Rurungwa from Congo DR. Balogun became Country Manager, Nigeria, in March 2012, and has more than 20 years of work experience.

The allegation was that some of the meat sellers had injected a chemical, usually used in embalming corpses, into the pomo they were selling to make the said pomo increases in size and attract customers.

The health workers confiscated over N200,000 worth of pomo, arrested some of the meat sellers and handed them to the police for prosecution.

The accusation, it was gath-

ered, angered the meat sellers, who insisted that there were no poisoned meat in the market, leading to a free-for-all in the market.

On confiscated pomo

Head, Departed of Health and Environmental of the council, Mr. S. Jekwe was not available for comments at press time.

A senior health official, who

DPP denies aspirant's endorsement D ELTA State Chairman of Democratic Peoples’ Party, DPP, Mr. Tony Ezeagwu, has said that neither the leadership of the party nor Chief Great Ogboru, governorship candidate of the party, had endorsed any aspirant for the forthcoming Delta Central senatorial bye-election, describing the rumour as unfounded.

Ezeagwu, during a tour of the party’s local government secretariats in Delta Central, said that the party was waxing stronger, adding that those that left the party were not there at the formation stage and that their exit would not affect party negatively.

He said that he was im-

pressed by the huge turnout of party members during the inspection of the Okpe party secretariat, assuring members that Ogboru has no plan to cross to any political party as speculated.

He urged them to disregard such information and work for

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APELE—DELTA Vision 2015, a political pressure group in Delta State, has called on Deltans to support the 2015 governorship ambition of former acting governor and exSpeaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Sam Obi. Its President, Mr. Monday Mivwaye and others, said that

Obi positively affected the lives of Deltans within his threemonth stint as acting governor through infrastruc-tural development, prompt payment of workers, contractors and improved security system.

They said that if Obi is given the mandate to govern the state for four years in 2015, Deltans would have landed themselves a better deal, as he was a tested

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—THE fund raising/media chat of the Delta Central senatorial byelection candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance,

performer.

They said: “As a God-fearing and renowned clergy man, former councilor, chairman of local government area, board chairman, House of Assembly member, Speaker and governor for three months, whose motivating force is how to make Deltans have a better living standard, he possess credible credentials.”

APGA, Olorogun David Omoru, holds tomorrow.

Omoru, in a statement, said that the event, which will hold in Asaba, is to be chaired by the National Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh.

He added that Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State will be special guest of honour.

Meanwhile, Omoru has said that he would bring development to the district.

He assured that he will improve on the existing relationship between the Federal Government and their neighbours.

Omoru said: “If elected, I will give 20 percent of my salary for youth empowerment, 30 percent for women empowerment, 20 percent for education and 30 percent for personal logistics and legislative expenditure.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

the progress of the party.

Chairmanship aspirant of DPP, Blessing Oborevwori, commended Ezeagwu and Chief Ogboru’s steadfastness, saying that the high turnout of party members was a conviction that the party was very much on ground.

... as APGA raises fund for candidate

Delta guber: Group canvasses support for Obi

BY EMMA AMAIZE

craved anonymity, confirmed that the confiscated pomo had been buried, while some were left for laboratory test. He also said that the poisoned pomo were not from cows but from a yet to be ascertained animal.

Effort to see some of the allegedly poisoned pomo kept for laboratory test was rebuffed by the health officials on duty, who claimed that only their HOD could grant such permission.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On Education Minister's sack

T is a chance for me to be appointed Minister of Education. I am angry and hungry to introduce some radical and progressive changes in that sector that will definitely affect all facets of development in Nigeria. Try me, Mr. President!— Mr. Christopher Idumah, Businessman.

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HE Ministry of Education is an important one and Ruqayyatu Rufa’i did not meet up with expectations. Last year, she said that about 12 new universities would be built and then said there was no money to keep to a 2009 agreement with ASUU.— Miss Akinkunmi Horlar, Student.

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HE President has done well and I know if given the chance again things will be better. We cannot continue like this. The FCT Minister should be on that list, but we cannot dictate for the President. Let us just pray for him.— Miss Amam-chinefe Okoji, Banker.

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RESIDENT Jonathan for once has taken the bull by the horn by sacking the palace jesters that have messed up Nigeria’s foreign policy rather than promote and implement the foreign policy with finesse.

Let us look forward to better days.— Mr. Stanley Olisa, Student.

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S Ministers are only as good as their employer, it means they are all dead woods. That is why the action took this long. For Nigeria’s interest and progress, many of them should have resigned from office a long time ago.— Miss Ogbue Immaculate, Journalist.

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see nothing wrong if someone knows that things are not going well and the person decides to introduce a new formula to make things work. After all, for things to get better some people will have to leave, and serious ones will be brought in.— Miss Chimezie Nnenna, Student.

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—45

Rep sponsors 10 graduates on post graduate studies in UK

Delta, fastest growing state in W-Africa, by Uduaghan's aide

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

BY FESTUS AHON

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ORT HARCOURT—TEN graduates of Andoni, Npobo-Nkoro federal constituency have gained scholarships to pursue post graduate studies in various engineering fields in the United Kingdom, UK, with expectation to return and contribute to the growth of the constituency.

The scholarship, is aprt of an annual outreach by member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Dakuku Peterside under the AndoniOpobo/Nkoro Economic Zone Development Foundation, which he convened last year for economic transformation of Rivers State.

Recipients of the overseas scholarship, who emerged from a qualifying examination sat by 400 applicants include Pepple Festus, Okojaja Opuada, Pepple Monday and Ogbilikana Sampson, who were admitted into University of Bedfordshire, UK, while six others are billed for studies at the University of Aberdeen and Kingston University also in the UK.

NGO to sensitise youths on social vices

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WHERU Youth Foundation, UYF, a nongovernmental organisation, is to sensitise youths in Uwheru community in Delta State, as part of activities to re-orientate the community on social vices.

UYF president, Mr. Ovie Ederukai, during a courtesy visit to the new president of Urhobo Social Club, USC, Chief Simeon Ohwofa in Lagos on his election, said that plans were on top gear to re-orientate the youths of the community through entrepreneurship programmes and seminars, as well give scholarships to primary school pupils.

Also speaking, vice president of UYF, Mr. Terry Ayamre, said that the foundation was prepared to ‘Catch Them Young’ through scholarship programme to empower children to focused on their education while other programmes would help curb youth restiveness in the community.

Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke (right) receiving the CBN 2013 e-payment excellence award from SA ICT Devt, Mr. Odo Effiong, during the state executive council meeting in Calabar, yesterday.

N-Delta youths ask Jonathan to inaugurate NDDC board

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ARRI—NIGER-DELTA Youths for Positive Attitude and Progress, NDYPAP, yesterday, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately inaugurate the board of Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to speed up development in the region.

The group in a statement by its National President, Mr. Emmanuel Enisuo, said “One of the major reasons for creating NDDC is to empower youths and develop the Niger-Delta region, but as it stands now with the long delay in inaugurating the board of the commission, everything is stagnant in the region.

“Crime has increased, contractors have not been paid, ongoing projects have been abandoned because of lack of fund, thereby creating negative impression about Mr. President’s transformation agenda in the Niger-Delta.”

The group also implored the President to appoint “credible and

competent persons to be incharge of the commission to enable the people feel the

impact of his transformation agenda.”

Bye-election: Umukoro drums support for Dafinone

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ATIONAL Deputy Coordinator of Urhobo Network, Mike Umukoro, has called on Urhobos to support Ede Dafinone’s quest for the Delta Central senatorial byeelection.

Umukoro who spoke in Ughelli, urged the youths not to allow themselves to be used and dumped by politicians.

He said "the time has come for one who will empower our youths and make them useful to be supported", adding that the youths must shun politicians or aspirants who have nothing to offer them.

Umukoro said: “Can you imagine that our youths in Urhobo land have changed

their names to different names to enable them get employment in oil companies? Let them ask all these other so-called aspirants what plans they have for them.

“Our youths have been made to walk about without future by politicians. We are no longer going to tolerate all those sweet promises that are not fulfilled.”

He said the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, and its leadership in the Delta Central should be unbiased and ensure that a successful primary and the best and most qualified aspirant was chosen to take Urhobo people to the promise land.

Oshiomhole has impacted on the people — EDRRA boss

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY—MANAGING DIRECTOR of Edo State Rapid Response Agency, Engr. Mujaidu Dako, has said that the development of infrastructure in the state was a proof of the commitment of Governor Adams Oshiomholeled administration to improve the lots of the people.

Addressing newsmen, Dako noted that the achievements of the current state government in the last five years was unprecedented given the spate of deterioration in the state before assumption of office.

“Its just like a miracle, so massive that it will take those who were in Edo State before the inception of this administration to appreciate the

changes that had taken place.”

On the achievement of his agency, he noted that the agency was working in conformity with the directive from the office of the governor,

adding that much had been achieve in the areas of roads rehabilitation, provision of potable water and rebuilding of public infrastructure in the three senatorial districts of the state.

Anniversary

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ROMISE Kingdom Ministry Worldwide (A.K.A Overflow), in Okuovwori – Amukpe, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State is set to celebrate her 10th year anniversary, which is slated for September 26 to 29, 2013 at the Church auditorium with the theme; “It is the Lord doing.”

In a statement by the founder/

General Overseer, Bishop Godday Okokporo, he noted that the 10th year anniversary will witness great gospel artist such as Kefee (Branama), Godwin Tom and Solo Kings performing at the four days event.

The celebration, according to the organisers, will be attended by government officials.

GHELLI—SPECIAL Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Special Duties, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur, yesterday, said that the state was the fastest growing state in the West African sub region.

Tukur, in a chat with Vanguard, said “Go round Asaba, you will see for yourself that Asaba is wearing a new look. Today, Delta State is the fastest growing state in the West African sub region.

“We have construction of roads going on and we have the best schools in the country.

It is only in this state that school children are taught with computers. We have the best model schools in the state.

“The governor has empowered Deltans beyond reasonable doubt through the state micro-credit scheme and YETA. "Many youths are being trained at Songhai, Amukpe.

Even youths that are nonDeltans, Hausas and Yorubas, are being empowered through the initiative of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan."

Maritime Watch honours Gov Amosun

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GUN State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, will be conferred with the Maritime Watch governor of the year award, holding on Sunday, September 22, 2013, in Lagos.

A statement by Mr Shola Mekusi, Publisher, Maritime Watch newspapers, said Senator Amosun is given the award in recognition of his landmark achievements in road and infrastructure development of Ogun State.

The occasion which will be the 12th anniversary and 6th award of Maritime Watch newspapers has the National President, Association of Licensed Customs Agents, ANCLA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu as chairman of the occasion, while special guests of honour are Mallam Habib Abdullahi, MD, NPA; Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi, DG, NIMASA; Comptroller Ekpowei Edike, CAC, Apapa Command; and Comptroller Tajudeen Olarenwaju, CAC, PTML Area Command among others.

46—Vanguard , FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Abia relocates Umuahia main market

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—AS a way of cushioning the likely hardship for traders of Umuahia Main Market billed to be relocated to a new site at Ubani Ibeku by end of the month, Abia State government has procured luxurious buses to convey them between Umuahia and the new market.

The buses, according to the government, will shuttle between the city and the market on hourly basis.

To ensure their effectiveness, the government has set up a management committee to oversee the operation of the buses.

The committee has as its chairman, Elder Onyinyechi Odum, while other members include John Okey Orji, Emeka Efegwo, Ahamefule Lewechi and Mrs. Regina Madudionu.

Housewives lament high cost of kerosene

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI—HOUSE WIVES in Imo State have cried out for help, following skyrocketing price of kerosene in the state.

The women, who were spotted in some filling stations in search of the product, decried the suffering they were often subjected to buy it.

“No filling station sells the product at government approved pump price in Owerri. The unfortunate situation has put serious strain on the lean purchasing power of families,” Mrs. Ijeoma Nze lamented.

She appealed to government to quickly look into the issue, with a view to finding a solution to the nagging problem.

Vanguard investigation revealed that the product was sold at between N120 and N150 per litre in the gas stations operated by independent marketers.

The situation in most of the major petroleum marketing outlets in Owerri is different as they simply claimed they had run out of the petroleum product.

While all the marketers did not want to be mentioned, some of them claimed that they bought the product from the major marketers from either Lagos or Calabar before transporting it to Imo State.

Stakeholders raise fresh concern over Imo abortion bill O

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

WERRI—ALTHOUGH Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has sent an executive bill to the House of Assembly asking it to repeal the contentious part of the Abortion Law Number 12 of 2012, fresh facts emerged yesterday that another aspect of the legislation seeks to bar journalists from reporting proceedings in matters emanating from provisions of the statute.

This has, again, elicited concern from stakeholders in the state, who contended that it was by the government to re-enact the obnoxious Decree 4 of Buhari/Idiagbon military era.

According to Section 40(2)(a) of the law, “no person shall publish in any manner, any information which might, directly or indirectly, reveal the identity of any party to the proceedings”.

Section 40(3) of the law also warned that “any person who contravenes the provisions of this subsection is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to fine not exceeding N20,000 of both such fine and imprisonment”.

The law, which became operative since May 29 last year, following the assent of Governor Rochas Okorocha, prohibited any

publication that would reveal the names of the parties and their witnesses to court proceedings.

Reacting to this fresh fact, a social critic, Mr. Iyke Ibeh, described it as “most unfortunate, especially in the light of the Freedom of Information Act signed by President Gooodluck Jonathan”.

He wondered why those who

crafted the law thought that they could not only stop the public from getting information about happenings around them but also brought in from the back door the draconian anti-press Decree Number 4 foisted on Nigerians by the Buhari/Idiagbon military regime.

“Why should those who crafted the controversial law starve the people of vital infor-

mation? This ugly provision is another way of re-introducing the draconian Decree Number 4 enacted by the Buhari/ Idiagbon military junta. It cannot work in this dispensation,” Ibeh said.

In his own reaction, an Owerribased lawyer, Mr. Kissinger Ikeokwu, said that section of the law was offensive to the right of citizens to information.

DONATION: From left: Executive Secretary, Nonny Ugboma, Director, Akinwale Goodluck, both of MTN Foundation, and Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, during the donation of security patrol vehicles to the state by MTN Foundation in Enugu, yesterday.

Nigeria loses $10m to foreign registered private jets

BY KENNETH EHIGIATOR

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AGOS—THE federal gov ernment said, yesterday, that Nigerian owners of foreign registered private jets were taking out of the country annually over $10 million through payment of foreign cockpit crew, charges and taxes overseas.

According to government, this has further assisted to boost capital flight out of the country.

Coordinating General Manager, Corporate Communications of Aviation Agencies, Mr. Yakubu Dati, who disclosed this in Lagos, also revealed that owners of private jets who use them to operate illegal charter services were ripping off the country of well-deserved revenue and destroying le-

Club unveils new secretariat

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HE OBOSI United Friends Club of Nigeria has unveiled its national secretariat at the Royal Paradise Hotel Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Performing the official opening ceremony, Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Benson N. Agwuegbo, describe the club as the rallying point of the entire Obosi people and should be given all necessary support it needed from Obosi indigenes.

The club will hold a general meeting at itsnationalsecretariatatUrowulu,Obosi, tomorrow.

gally registered commercial charter operators who abide by the regulations of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA. He said it was to stop the exploitation of the country and grow the business of registered char-

ter operators that the regulatory agency slammed $3,000 on every operation of private jet owners who use their aircraft to carry out illegal services.

He said operators of foreign registered private jets also ab-

stained from paying import duties, five per cent VAT charges and five per cent passenger service charge, PSC, to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, thus denying the country of the needed revenue.

Alleged assault on female police officer: Groups demand arrest of bizman

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BY OKONKWO EZE

NITSHA—A coalition of human rights groups Wednesday embarked on street protest, demanding the arrest and prosecution of an Onitsha-based businessman (names withheld) for allegedly battering and stripping a female police officer, Inspector Tochukwu Offorchebe, naked recently at Bridge-Head police post, Onitsha.

Inspector Offorchebe was said to be on her duty post last Friday when the businessman operating a park in Onitsha, approached her and allegedly told her that he would facilitate her removal from Onitsha as he did to another officer, simply known as Archibong.

It was gathered that when Offorchebe demanded from him what she did that would warrant her removal, he allegedly

slapped her for daring him to ask questions, while his boys tore the female officer’s uniform and almost stripped her naked.

But the coalition of the human rights groups, comprising Campaign for Democracy, CD; NdiIgbo Unity Forum, NUF; NdiIgbo United Assembly, NUA; and Human Rights Volunteer Corps, HRVC, took to the streets of Onitsha in protest against the ugly trend, wielding placards.

NCP chieftain wants minimum qualification for LG chairmen, councillors reviewed

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AGOS—NIGERIAN lawmakers have been urged to review the Constitution so that any chairmanship or councillorship candidate without first degree or Higher National Diploma should not stand elections at local government level. Speaking at a conference in Lagos,

Jonathan Okiegbero, noted that the era of area boys as chairmen and ouncillors should be thing of the past.

He noted that this move will drastically reduce the level of corruption in the country and urged lawmakers to ensure that relevant portion of the constitution was reviewed as

to take government at the local level to higher pedestal.

Okiegbero, who is also National Legal Adviser of National Conscience party, said he had sent a bill to the National Assembly in respect of upgrading entry point to the Local Legislative council.

Vanguard , FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 —47

CONFERENCE: From left, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM, (Chartered); Lady Valerie Ebe, Deputy Governor, Akwa Ibom State, representing Akwa Ibom State Governor, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, and Alhaji Bukar Aji, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, representing the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, at the Annual National Management Conference of NIM at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

LAUNCH: Executive Director, Human Resources, Total Upstream, Mrs. Edith Okonkwo (left); Chairman, Kuje Area Council, Ishaku Shaban; Director, Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Bridget Okoeguale; Programme Coordinator, Family Care Association, Joshua Kempeneer, and Coordinator, National Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr. Nnena Ezekwe, during the launching of Malaria Prevention and Control, in Kuje Area Council, Abuja

AWARD: Editor-in-Chief of South South lnternational Magazine, Ovie Edomi (2nd left); Editorial board member,and Lecturer at UNIBEN, Vincent Diakpomrere (2nd right), and other editorial members, during a visit to Prof. Amos Utuama,Deputy Governor, Delta State (middle), to formally present him with the magazine's BIRTHDAY: Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Ugwuoke, CM, Director, Vincentian Retreat Centre, Deputy Governor of the Year award Ojodu (middle); Rev. Sisiters (Daughters of Divine Love) and others, during Fr. Ugwuoke’s 54th birthday and thanksgiving service for surviving a ghastly auto crash, at the Retreat Centre, Ojodu, Ikeja, Lagos.

FORUM: Lead Stroke Ambassador, Engr. Damian Anyanwu; Stroke Ambassador and Public Health Nurse, Mrs. Constance Umunnakwe; Holistic stroke care volunteers, Ms. Chioma Umunnakwe and Mr. Kenneth Anyanwu, all of Stroke Action Nigeria, at the Stroke Awareness forum, in Owerri.

WORKSHOP: Sitting, Dr. Bell Ihua, Director, Research (left); Oge Modie, CEO, NOI Polls Ltd (3rd left), with participants at the Capacity Building Workshop, organised for NGOs, Civil Society Organisations and the Public Sector by NOIPolls Ltd in partnership with Enhancing Nigerian Advocacy for a Better Business Environment, ENABLE/ DFID, in Abuja.

LAUNCH: Head, Tata Africa, Xavier Golille; Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mrs. Sola David-Borha; Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Mahesh Sachdev; Senior Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ahmed Adekunle, and Regional Director, West Africa, Tata Africa Services, Mr. Sudeep Ray, during the official launch of John Deere Financial/Tata, in collaboration with Stanbic IBTC, in Abuja.

FORUM: Product Manager, PC, Mr. Matthew Iwundu; Business Manager, B2B, both of Samsung Electronics, Mrs. Ruth Atsegbua-Mohammed; Managing Director, Certified Systems Ltd, Mr. Emmanuel Ochie, and Marketing Manager, IT, Samsung Electronics, Mr. Chima Ezenwanne, at the Samsung Customers for the Samsung IT Products, at the Zaranda Hotels, Bauchi.

SIGNING: Managing Director, Arik Air, Mr. Chris Ndulue (left), and Director General and Chief Executive Officer, International Air Transport Association, IATA Mr. Tony Tyler, during the signing of Weblink MOU between Arik Air and IATA, at Eko Hotel, VI, Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

48—Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Jigawa Govt releases N1.26bn fund for fertilizer, tractors

JAMB, group lauds UNIBEN VC

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BY ALIYU DANGIDA

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UTSE—JIGAWA State government has released N1.26 billion as revolving fund under the fertilizer procurement and Tractorization pro gramme of the government.

State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Rabiu Isah Taura made this known while speaking during the matriculation ceremony of the state Agricultural Skills Acquisition Centre at Kila, Danzomo and Mallam Madori.

He said that out of this amount, N500 million was released as revolving fund under work bull loan scheme, while N450 milion was spent on fertilizer subsidy to famers under the Growth Enhancement Support in, GES, over the last two years.

NIGERIACOM—From left: Director, Network Engineering, Etisalat Nigeria, Temi Ogunbambi; Chief Executive Officer, IHS Africa, Rajiv Jaitly and Head Competition & Tariff, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Inatimi Spiff, at the Etisalat sponsored NigeriaCom 2013 held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos, Tuesday.

No going back on ASUU demands — ATBU chapter chairman

BY SUZAN EDEH

MTN education tour hits Ibdan

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AGOS—MTN, Ni geria has extended its campaign on digital education to Ibadan, Oyo State. Tagged ‘MTN Education Tour Bus’, the campaign uses a digitally equipped facility, built into a luxury bus, to educate participants, about the latest advancement in the world of mobile and digital technologies.

According to Boluwaji Oretuyi, a post-graduate student of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, the campaign is, in essence, relevant to the teeming Nigerian youth population, who, averagely, are ignorant of global development in science and technology.

In his words, ‘the world is going digital, even NBC is currently working to make our local TV channels go digital by 2015; therefore, this campaign by MTN is quite timely, especially, for us students’.

Plans are already in full gear to move the digital facility to Ilorin, Ife, Akure and Ado, to round off a campaign that started with Lagos and Ogun State, for the Western region, between now and the first week of October.

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AUCHI—THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said that it would not shift grounds on its demand for 100 per cent implementation of the 2009 agreement it signed with the Federal Government, pointing out that the government was not sincere in addressing the rot in the education sector.

Chairman of ASUU at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi State, Dr. Lawan Abubakar, made this known in an interview in Bauchi yesterday.

Abubakar also lamented that both the Federal Government and the National Assembly were gambling and playing politics with the future of students in the universities by refusing to implement an agreement it consciously entered into with the union four years ago.

According to him, “I can recall vividly that in December 2011, ASUU went on strike over this same non-implementation of the 2009 agreement. In January 2012, we sat down again with the government and drafted a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, on how the 2009 agreement would be implemented.

“In the MOU,all the nine demands of ASUU were given deadlines for their implementation. If the government had sincerely followed the MOU, implementation would have been completed within June last year, but the government kept dragging the issue,without any positive headway,” he said.

Abubakar further said that the

Chairman, Implementation Commitee on the Needs Assessment of universities, Governor Gabriel Suswan did not disclose to the union the source of the N100 billion Infrastructural Intervention Fund to the 51 benefiting universities in the country, even as none of the tertiary institututions in the country had received its 2013 allocations from the government.

According to him, Suswan

did also not state when the government would release the N400 billion intervention fund to tertiary institutions which was already due just as the release of N30 billion as earned allowances of federal government universities was ‘’unacceptable to the union because by the analysis that was made in 2012, the cost implication of the arrears was N87 billion and not N30 billion.

ENIN CITY—THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has commended the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prof.Osayuki Oshodin, on what it described as the early conclusion of the 2013/2014 admission exercise.

This came as the Esan Students Association Worldwide, passed a vote of confidence on the leadership qualities of Prof.Oshodin, citing the developmental strides of the Vice-Chancellor, his anti-corruption war in the university and his concern for the welfare of students as reasons for its decision.

In a letter signed by the Registrar/Chief Executive of JAMB, Prof.Dibu Ojerinde, addressed to the Vice-Chancellor, it noted that the early conclusion of admission exercise by the University, is an unprecedented feat “ and it goes a long way to demonstrate that University of Benin is on its path to glory”.

According to the letter, “ the Management of the University of Benin has again shown that they are determined to right the wrongs associated with our education system particularly the admission exercise and all the problems associated with it. This transparent and efficient act will no doubt spur others to do what is expected."

The Esan Students Association in a letter signed by its President, Marxist Sunday Ogun and Secretary General, Alex Oseghale Orukpe, said the recent sack of 42 staff of the university who were involved in various offences, showed that the management has a listening ear.

Rights commission, Nasarawa Govt to partner on security L

AFIA—THE National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday said it would partner with the Nasarawa State Government to tackle security challenges in the state.

Mrs Tina Nwodu, Director of Conflict, Ethics and Good Governance of the commission, said this while exchanging views with Mr Sani Yakubu-Awa, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, in Lafia.

She said that the commission was concerned about the loss of lives and destruction of properties in the state.

“And we are prepared to partner with the state government to ensure enduring peace and stability.“

She said that crisis caused all kinds of abuses on lawabiding citizens, with children and women being the most affected victims.

Nwodu explained that the group would meet with the community and women leaders, market associations and youth groups to discuss on peace and unity of the people of the state.

“Crisis does not just erupt, it has traces, and early warning responses will assist to get first hand information for it to be nipped in the bud,” she said.

According to Nwodu, peace is priceless, as such, people should imbibe it as no meaningful development can be achieved in any society in an atmosphere of ran-

cour.

The director urged the people of the state to continue to tolerate and live in peace with one another, irrespective of religious, cultural and ethnic differences, adding, “ we should be our brothers keepers.

"Peace and unity are veritable tools for national development.

So, we must strive to maintain them for the state and indeed Nigeria to move forward,” Nwodu said.

She, however, commended the state for steps taking so far to protect its citizens, and urged the government to do more in averting such crisis in the state.

Responding, the commissioner thanked the commission for coming to identify and sympathise with the state at its trying moment.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—49

Akpabio did not lie—Umanah

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KWA Ibom state Commis sioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, yesterday, refuted allegations credited to the national secretary of the Abubakar Baraje led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, that the state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, ‘lied ‘concerning the issues that were discussed at the meeting President Goodluck Jonathan had with some aggrieved parties in the current crisis facing theparty In a statement yesterday, Mr Umanah said, “Nigerians who watched the governor on television will recall that he said emphatically that the issue of 2015 did not come up for discussion at the meeting, since it has to do with the political ambition of individuals. The governor even said that he has an ambition to go to the Senate when his tenure ends, which is public knowledge. Akpabio said that most of the issues in contention would be resolved, and announced that another meeting would be held on October 7, 2013, in the effort to move the party forward”.

According to the statement, “at no time did he say that his aggrieved colleagues had agreed that President Jonathan should or should not stand for re-election in 2015. It is, therefore, strange that Eze could ascribe to Governor Akpabio what Nigerians did not see him say on television. Is this all in the name of politics?

Plot to impeach Tambuwal fails •Tukur group woos North-East members to boost their number

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

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BUJA—The grand plot by pro-Bamaja Tukur, the factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, otherwise called mainstream PDP, to impeach the Speaker, House of House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has failed, Vanguard can authoritatively report.

It was also gathered that $25,000 dollars each exchanged hands among the mainstream PDP lawmakers especially those who were involved in the brawl that ensued in the House on Tuesday during the visit of Abubakar Baraje PDP faction.

The money, Vanguard learnt was to compensate them for a job well done and to also commence impeachment process on Tambuwal.

But the plan failed when about 30 members from mainly the North-east region of the country who were approached for that purpose declined to give their support.

Determined to succeed in their assignment, the North-east lawmakers were drafted to share in US$25,000 allegedly distributed, yesterday, at Bolingo Hotel among the pro-Tukur Lawmakers. A source who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity said the plan was to get the required number capable of com-

FG to borrow N752bn in 2014

By JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA—THE Federal Government plans to obtain more than N752 billion in the 2014 fiscal year to assist in solving some infrastructural problems in the country.

This development is coming just as government said it would not be able to implement the Stephen Oronsaye’s committee report which recommended the rationalisation of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs. The government equally promised not to downsize wokers in its pay roll in 2014 in line with the Oronsaye’s recommendations. All these were contained in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, submitted to the National Assembly which was obtained by newsmen in Abuja, yesterday.

In the document, the Federal Government said: "It had been hoped that significant savings would be made from the implementation of government’s White Paper on rationalising public agencies. Unfortunately, very little or no savings

are likely to be made from the implementation of government’s White Paper on rationalising public agencies due to the fact that many agencies recommended for closure or merger was allowed to remain partly due to the fact that some of them are underpinned by law, which cannot be repealed in the short run.”

It said “Government is taking steps to correct the situation as much as possible through the IPPIS and other efforts, explaining that “the biometric verification of government employees is being accelerated, and extended to all MDAs, with the inauguration of implementation committee on IPPIS.” The government said it would implore other measures which it noted, “include leveraging on private sector funds through Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements such as the second Niger Bridge, Lekki Port, etc., to complement to efforts through the budget; rationalisation of recurrent spending through continued reduction or freezing of verge ads and through IPPIS project over the 2014-2016.

mencing impeachment process on the Speaker.

Recalling the vote of confidence passed on Tambuwal by the members on the resumption day, the source who is a member of Abubakar Baraje’s camp added that the idea was to get the support of members loyal to Baraje who at the time had not fully come to term with the conspiracy. He said that this accounted for why Tukur hurriedly withdrew the letter which he had earlier submitted to the House to inform the Speaker about his courtesy call on the House Leadership.

The source said: “We heard that $25 000 each was distributed to them. They thought they could get the number they needed to start off impeachment pro-

cess on the speaker but the people from the North-east rejected the idea. They are also being careful now since it has become clear to them that they are in the minority in the House”.

A member of the pro-Bamanga PDP who also craved anonymity dismissed the development as mere insinuations of the media, but admitted that the President hasn’t been paying adequate attention to them.

He said: “It is the usual thing people will always say when there is a division. Even when we were electing the Speaker of the House, we were accused of being given money by the government. Nobody was given any money but if there was any, I have not been given. We

were only accusing him of not paying attention to us. If you are familiar with the House, you will know that members are not happy with the Presidency. There is general apathy concerning issues from the Presidency.”

On whether the members met at the hotel, the member said such meetings were normal with politicians, stressing that members have been meeting even before the House resumed on Tuesday. He said “We have been meeting even since last week especially in the mist of this crisis. Every party will have to strategize.”

He overruled the possibility of any impeachment move on the President as was widely speculated, saying “if you witnessed what happened at the National Assembly, yesterday, you will know there is nothing like that because the opposition against Baraje as at yesterday was overwhelming. So who will impeach the President?”

L-r: Zonal head of operations, Federal Road SafetyCommission, Mr. Samuel Odukoya, sector command (FRSC), Kaduna State, Mr. Mike Olagunju, and head of operation state sector command, Mr. Akporowho Isaac, during the sensitization forum with stakeholders on speed limiting device enforcement in Nigeria in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Fashola flags off residents registration exercise •Says registration meant for sustainable devt

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

L

AGOS State Governor, Ba batunde Fashola, yesterday, denied that the current registration exercise of Lagos residents embarked upon by his administration was for purposes of tax explaining that the exercise would enable the state government to determine where and how to provide the required infrastructure for its residents Fashola, who spoke at the official launch of the residents’ registration exercise, urged residents, especially, parents to ensure that their family members were registered in the ongoing exercise aimed at creating a central data base to capture the number of residents in the state.

Also in attendance were delegates from Kano State, led by the special adviser to the state government on house numbering,

Dr. Abdulkadir Umar and other dignitaries.

The governor said, “Data is the most demanding currency in the world today. It is the bases of information. But in Nigeria, a lot of data is gathered over the years but there are still many gaps in it. For instance the number of vehicle owners in the state is known but not all the residents of Lagos own cars. And we also know the number of the pupils in the public schools but not all of them attend school and how will the state know the statistic for the state.”

“This was the concern of the three of us - Prof. Yemi Osibajo, ex-attorney general and commissioner for justice in Lagos, myself and the governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who was then the commissioner for works and

infrastructure during the administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in 2003.”

He added, “That was how the journey to fill these gaps started. This is the biggest initiative that will help the state to plan on where and how to provide the required infrastructure for the residents of the state.

Today is a watershed in the history of Lagos State. It will enable the state government register and collate the data of the entire residents in the state.

And with this, the development that we all seek for will happen, as quality data that will aid planning will be gathered.

“The exercise is expected to capture everyone who lives in the state but indigene of the state who live in other states are not eligible for the registration because the state they reside will cater for their demands.

Though, they are no less important”.

50 — Vanguard, FRIDAY,

SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—51

National identification’ll make Nigeria globally competitive—SFG

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

S

ECRETARY to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, yesterday, said the ongoing enrolment exercise for the National Identification Number, NIN, will make Nigeria globally competitive.

Anyim spoke at the first national identification management summit for local government areas, organized by the National Identification Commission, NIMC in Abuja.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary for Special Duties, Dr. Jamila Shuara, the SGF said the summit was considered necessary for 774 local government areas in the country as grass root government, in view of several failed attempts by the successive governments in the past to establish harmonized and reliable system of citizen identification in

the country.

While noting that this resulted in the general apathy towards citizen’s participation, hence the need for a renewed awareness and general mobilization especially at the LGA levels, Anyim said the Federal Government considered the national identity number important in view of dynamics and sophisticated information society the world is into.

He said: “The NIN is important to government in view of the current trends in globalization, sophisticated information and communication technologies and a competitive environment.

Nigeria as a major player must key into a credible identity management scheme as a reliable modern tool for accelerating socioeconomic development.

“I am aware that NIMC has commenced partnership with the association of local

government organization of Nigeria to share the importance and benefits of its unique mandate.

This is in view of the critical role and influence of local governments as the closest political link to the vast majority of the Nigerian people.”

Director General of the Commission, Barr. Chris Onyemenam, said the new identity system, when completed would offer the country a reliable and sustainable system of national identity management that enable citizens resident to assert their identity and help government tackle the security challenges currently facing the country.

He added that apart from offering Nigeria a unified and harmonious identity data system, the NIN would serve as a payment platform both at home and abroad, having passed through the international quality standard measures.”

52 — Vanguard, FRIDAY,

SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013—53

The burden of continuity in Anambra

BY NGWU NWEZE

A

S the November 16 gubernatorial elections in Anambra State draw closer, the question agitating the minds of many political observers and lovers of Anambra State is who will succeed Governor Peter Obi? The titanic battles that Governor Obi waged to reclaim and retain his electoral mandate is still fresh in people’s minds and the question of who succeeds him therefore becomes an obvious curiosity.

Perhaps, the most important reason is that after laying such a solid foundation for the accelerated development of Anambra State, Governor Obi has a duty to ensure that his legacy is not thrown to the dogs.

If what happened at the recent primaries is a reliable barometer to gauge the political climate of the state, one can hazard a guess and say that in the emerging scenario Obi is not totally unaware of what posterity requires of him.

Indeed anyone who is familiar with the trouble with Nigeria must know that a huge part of our problem is the challenge of continuity in governance. In saner crimes, administrators come and go but government stays; the vision does not completely change because a new catalyst has taken control.

The blueprint might be slightly modified at some point to meet the exigencies of the times but the basic thrust of administration remains largely unchanged.

Unfortunately, Nigerian leaders have always tended to throw away the baby with the bathwater.

They are so set against one another that no sooner is one administration over than the successor would discredit and sweep every achievement under the carpet.

This trend has slowed the pace of our socio-economic development to a near inconsequential level.

Fortunately, the tide is turning in some states of the federation, even if the change is not on the scale that will make a difference yet. We have seen where astute political re-engineering ensured that a good work done by exgovernor Donald Duke’s visionary leadership in Cross River is consolidated and taken to a whole new level by the incumbent Governor Liyel Imoke to the wide approval of all lovers of good governance.

We have also seen the shining example of Lagos State where ex-governor Tinubu’s dreams of a mega city are daily being given shape and form by the incumbent Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola. We have seen that for any lasting progress to be made there must be a continuity of vision over time.

And it is for this reason that all lovers of Anambra State must encourage Governor Peter Obi to take more than a passing interest in the question of who succeeds him to continue the many good work he has done in Anambra State. The last eight years of Peter Obi’s administration has

•Obi changed Anambra State for good. Even Obi’s worst enemies do not dispute this. He has single-handedly hurled Anambra State from a place where people pointed at from the safety of neighbouring states to a land of peace and bustling enterprise.

Obi’s imprint is deeply felt in the health sector where he has done massive works in building and rehabilitating hospitals and getting them accredited. Obi’s blueprint for industrializing Anambra is perhaps one of the most audacious in these parts.

Anambrarians still shudder in bewilderment whenever discussions tilt to Obi’s entrepreneurial maneuvers that sired the Orient petroleum

project as well as the SABMiller project.

His massive road construction works across Anambra State has ensured that no town in the state is cut off from its neighbours due to lack of access road.

In other words, in a manner of speaking, Obi brushed up former Governor Ngige’s much applauded road construction manual and took it to a level. But then, this essay is not on Obi’s achievements but on the need to ensure the continuity of his vision.

Close watchers of the Anambra guber race seem to agree that Obi has been playing behind the scene role in the on-going political chess-game to find his successor. Some people believe that Obi has made his choice in

Chief Willie Obiano, who is known as a silent achiever and astute administrator.

The manner of Obiano’s emergence as the APGA standard bearer in the last primaries has left no one in doubt as to Obi’s political gamesmanship and his capacity to take the opponent off his guard.

Close observers however believe that Obi has once again proven his political sagacity with his rumoured endorsement of Chief Obiano. Not only will he be keeping his promise to Anambra North that his successor would come from that senatorial district but he would also be securing the future of Anambra State by ensuring that a well-rounded and grounded manager of men and resources will take over from him to continue the good work he has started in Anambra State. In more ways than one, the APGA candidate compares quite favourably with Obi’s profile when he vied for the gubernatorial post eight years ago. Obiano has made his mark as an urbane banker and thoroughbred professional whose powerful instincts and administrative wizardry helped Fidelity Bank survive the ceaseless gales of distress that have swept many well-founded financial institutions in Nigeria off the financial map.

Obiano is also known to have left the service of the bank on high, having kept a squeaky clean image in a career spanning close to 30 years of operation at the highest levels.

•Ngwu Nweze writes from Awka

My freedom plan for Anambra — Ubah

BY DAPO AKINREFON

G

OVERNORSHIP candidate of Labour Party, Mr Ifeanyi Ubah has promised to create 40,000 jobs before his first 100 days in office, if voted into power.

Speaking at the flag-off of his gubernatorial campaign at the Holy Trinity Centenary field, Onitsha, recently, Ubah, in his speech titled: “My freedom plan for Ndi-Anambra”, pledged to initiate strategic leadership skills for the benefit of Anambra people.

According to him, “our beloved state, Anambra, is as of today, at a critical state of development and what is required now, more than ever before, is business acumen and strategic leadership skills to transform it for the benefit of the greatest number of our people both at home and in the Diaspora.”

He said, “I promise you, NdiAnambra, to create 40,000 jobs before my first 100 days in office as the Governor of Anambra

State. I have already developed a master plan for the creation of these jobs, both in the public and private sectors of the economy.

The youths and women will take centre-stage in my efforts to create jobs for our people.

Women will be empowered financially and otherwise so that they can establish their own business endeavours. My government will provide financial assistance to the youths in the 21 local government areas to set up and grow their own businesses.

"Furthermore, I will encourage the State House of Assembly to enact a law to enhance the capacity of our women and youths to have easy access to bank credits with which to cooperatively participate in the establishment of small and medium scale industries.”

Speaking on his plans for the education sector, he promised to ensure that no Anambra child of school age will be denied functional education as a result

of the inability of the parents to pay for his or her education, especially at the primary and secondary school levels.

“I will, no doubt, end the many years of the non-employment of teachers in our schools, as well as introduce a new teacher’s

•Ubah

salary scale (TSS) to enhance morale and improve the productivity of teachers in the state.”

On his plans to create a conducive environment for business, he promised to establish the Anambra State Business Development Agency to provide advisory, financial and logistic support to “our youth apprentices to start their own individual enterprises after acquiring the necessary trading skills from their business masters.

"The agency will help to package Anambra State businessmen and women to enable them access both local and international credit facilities and support. The agency will also provide support to patent holders and manufacturers so that they can set-up businesses in Anambra State, and in the process, offer employment opportunities to our people.”

To reduce crime rate in the state, the governorship hopeful said: “I

will implement a comprehensive security plan to tackle the root causes of insecurity in the state, as my government will focus more on preventive and proactive measures in the fight against crime.

My government will implement massive job and employment programmes to keep the youths off the streets by meaningfully engaging them permanently.

Furthermore, my government will enhance the capacities of the law enforcement agencies and our local vigilanté groups to detect and fight crime by introducing the use of modern technology, especially in intelligence gathering; detection of crime; reporting crime and tracking criminals, as we will partner with relevant agencies and telecommunications operators to set up hotlines to enable our people report crimes and volunteer information to aid investigations.”

54—Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

W

EATHERING any kind of storm has never posed a herculean task to the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, since 1999, but that record is being threatened by the monstrous nature the present crisis rocking the party has assumed.

In fact, the PDP has shown how best to flourish in the midst of troubles—a situation that seems to have boosted the party ’s history of internal crisis.

But whether it would emerge out of the current impasse stronger or weaker, has become a nagging question given that current reconciliatory efforts appear to be creating more problems than solutions.

This is why analysts are not in a hurry to drop their assumption that the ongoing peace moves, are pointing to no where.

Though, the mainstream PDP would not accept that the peace moves have gone awry, the various conditions for peace tabled by the feuding factions, speak volumes about how counterproductive the search for normalcy has become.

For a reconciliatory move that started with the inauguration of a 30-man Seriake Dickson-led committee, how the impasse went spiral is believed to be a source of concern to most actors in the controversy.

However, a few expected a fruitful result from the committee from inception.

•Pyrrhic truce: President Goodluck Jonathan alongside G7 Governors and old PDP Governors after at a peace parley in Abuja, last Sunday

PDP CRISIS:

How reconciliation efforts hit brickwall Baraje’s visit among others.

With this baggage of problems, it was not a surprise that party elders like former President Olusegun Obasanjo; ex-military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida; Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih; and former national chairmen of the party,Dr. Ahmadu Ali and Chief

,

Whether it would emerge out of the current impasse stronger or weaker, has become a nagging question given that current reconciliatory efforts, appear to be creating more problems than solutions

Perhaps, it is on the strength of this PDP found itself at a crossroads today.

In the beginning, there were issues that bordered on the Nigerian Governors Forum,NGF, impasse, Rivers and Adamawa exco crisis,Bamanga Tukur ’s chairmanship among others.

But the new angles include; President Jonathan’s rumoured second term ambition, formation of a factional PDP otherwise known as New-PDP, dissolution of Kano State exco, claims and counter claims on a deal between Jonathan and seven nPDP governors, as well as commotion in the House of Representatives over Kawu

Barnabas intervened.

,

Gemade

Concocted tales While the nation was amazed that the intervention of the elders was making little or no difference, claims that the seven nPDP governors had struck a deal with the President made headlines, creating the impression that the crisis was over.

Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, who said this, claimed that the aggrieved governors after their meeting with the President, had accepted that Jonathan should contest the 2015 presidential elections.

But that was countered by the nPDP in a statement by its

spokesperson, Mr Eze Chukwuemeka Eze. The party urged Nigerians and their supporters to ignore what it termed “the concocted tales of Governor Akpabio.

However, the dismissal implies that the party is now back to square one, even as it reaffirmed that the conditions for peace given by the nPDP still stand.

The roadmap for a truce from the standpoint of the nPDP as gathered include; Tukur must go, restoration of Rivers and Adamawa excos and recently Kano exco, recalling of Amaechi and his retention as NGF chairman, allowing a level playing ground in the emergence of a PDP presidential candidate for 2015 polls, among others.

Reconciliatory meeting With the situation appearing like a big pill to swallow for Tukur ’s faction, another reconciliatory meeting scheduled for October 7, analysts argued, might be stalemated.

However, a pressure group within the PDP is not taking the alleged pressure on President Jonthan to drop his rumoured ambition lightly.

The group under the auspices of Peoples Democratic Party Integrity Vanguard, PIV, cautioned

those behind calls for Jonathan to drop his second term ambition, saying that the President cannot be intimidated into dropping his ambition.

It also alleged that former President Obasanjo is behind the current crisis in the party, even as it insisted that Jonathan is constitutionally entitled to a second term in office.

The group’s Spokesperson Alhaji Alhassan Babosha, who said this in a statement, described the pressure on the President as provocative.

Unbriddled impudence His words:”The demand that Mr President should decline his party’s nomination for reelection in 2015 is provocative and smacks of unbridled impudence and we reiterate that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has already determined conditions and limits of eligibility to run for the office.

President cannot be intimidated “The errant members making that call labour under the illusion that they have overriding rights in this entity called Nigeria but they do not and by this demand, they have exposed to all and sundry that they have no

patience with the rudiments and basic tenets of d e m o c r a c y ” .

He further said, “ we know that their demand is not altogether altruistic and is not being made in the interest of the citizens of this country, rather it is a blackmail primarily aimed at foreclosing to their advantage the open and daunting challenge of due and transparent processes in determining the choice of candidate for our great party ahead of the elections in 2015. ‘’Without doubt, the posture of this rebellious band and their cohorts is a clear manifestation of their frustrations following the realisation that their plot to hound, intimidate and stampede Mr President out of office or relinquish his interest in further serving another term has failed to impress or even deter his march towards a legacy of a freed economy and polity “We are indeed not surprised by the motley crowd he gathered around him but saddened to find his footprints all over the contrived crisis in the party many patriots built .

“We of the PDP Integrity Vanguard urge Mr President to shun the pretences and dubious solicitations to arbitrate over the crisis or be coerced into feeding obsession with power”.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 — 55

The legal fireworks over council polls in Bauchi

BY SUSAN EDEH

T

HERE are legal fisticufs in Bauchi State over the nonconduct of local council elections.

Since the creation of the state in 1976 local government administration has been governed by duly elected chairmen except during the military era and in recent times.

When Governor Isa Yuguda was elected in 2007, there was no democratic local governments. He restored democratic rule at the third tier a year later and 2008 election was the last ime council polls were held in the state.

Since then, the government has instituted caretaker committees to oversee the affairs of the councils. Rather than conducting elections, the state government has been appointing and dissolving sole administrators against the constitutional stipulation on local governments.

Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution stipulates that all the 774 councils are to be governed by democratic elected chairmen.

At the moment, the state government and the opposition parties are at loggerheads over the inability of the Yuguda administration to conduct local government polls. Despite the inauguration of the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission ,BSEC, last year, the body is yet to come out with a definite timetable on the elections.

This delay by the Alhaji Abdulmumini Kundak-led

commission, has made the opposition to describe the government as being insincere on the matter.

It was also alleged that the delay was borne out of fear of defeat by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party,PDP. However, analysts are of the view that even if the election is conducted this year, it would be difficult for the incoming administration to accommodate the elected chairmen in 2015, since their tenure has been reduced to two and half years.

Speaking on the issue, the state chairman of Democratic Peoples Party,DPP, Hajiya Sa’adatu Mahmuda said that since the inception of the present administration, local government election was held once, adding that the government has been appointing caretaker chairmen every nine months.

Plans for the election She lamented that the practice is killing democracy at the grassroots. Corroborating Mahmuda’s position, a chieftain of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Alhaji Ali Sai’du, regretted that despite the inauguration of the state electoral commission, the body is yet to inform the opposition about its plans for the elections.

He said: “The refusal of the PDP- led government to inform the opposition in the state of its intention to conduct the council election is a gross violation of the code and conduct of the Electoral

•Yuguda Act, which is totally unacceptable in a democratic administration.”

Similarly, Spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress,APC, in the state, Alhaji Nasiru Darazo maintained that political parties must be carried along by the electoral body.

“I feel that the PDP is not sincere in conducting local council election because they have succeeded in keeping everybody in the dark as the electoral body and the state government have continued to remain silent on the issue,” he noted. But the state government through the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Alhaji Bashir Bukar has refuted the allegation that it has refused to conduct council polls.

According to him,“ the PDP is not afraid of conducting council polls because it will lose some of its seats to the opposition in the

state. We are ever ready.

The opposition in the state are the ones that delayed the election when they dragged the state government to court over the the conduct of the election. This action by the opposition has made things extremely difficult for the state government as it must respect due process and the rule of law.”

Reacting to the claims chairman of BSEC, Kundak described it as mischievous and biased and urged the opposition to always seek clarification from the appropriate authorities.

He said, “If they are really curious and sincere in finding out why the council election has been delayed, they should visit the electoral body and verify things for themselves, instead of going around and making statements that are baseless.

The state government is

hundred percent committed to conducting a hitch free local government election because it has put on ground all the necessary logistics like training of electoral officers.

If the government is not serious about the election, it would not have started making all these arrangements.”

The chairman who disclosed that the electoral commission is presently waiting for some of the electoral materials pledged by some international organizations, said that BSEC would not announce the date fof the election until all the materials are available in order to ensure free and fair exercise.

In addition, he disclose that the commission has budgeted over two billion naira for the conduct of the elections, adding that the money is to be used for building offices in the local government areas. He also noted that N700 million would be spent on allowances for over 30,000 adhoc staff to be recruited.

Also, Kundak said that the state government has made adequate funds available for the election, even as he appealed for patience. Meanwhile, the CPC and ACN recently sued the state government over its inability to conduct the polls. Additionally, ANPP instructed its counsel to join the two parties in the suit in order to compel the state government to conduct the elections.

Currently, the opposition and the state government has agreed to settle the matter out of court through a term of settlement signed by counsel to all parties involved. The government has also agreed that it will conduct a free and fair election in all the 20 local government areas within the period of four months from the date of adoption of the terms of settlement.

Lagos PDP: Newbreed plot removal of old brigade

BY DAPO AKINREFON

T

HE leadership crisis plaguing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the national level is also affecting the Lagos State chapter though of a different hue. The Lagos PDP has had its fair share of the crisis.

Since 1999, the party has remained an opposition party in the state having performed abysmally in all elections conducted.

As a result of this, some stakeholders are in the forefront of canvassing for sanitisation of the party’s leadership in the state. Given that the party does not have any known parallel executive with the Tunji Shelle’s led team, the fragmentation within the party, to say the least, is worrying..

Groups within the party only mind the dictate of their own

contact leader, who does not owe any allegiance to the state executive.

Ambition, power tussle for state’s party structure at the expense of others among other factors have been attributed to the continued division within the party. This is as a result of personal ego exhibited by party stalwarts.

Aside, the continued infighting among respective leaders have hindered the party from securing electoral gains for the party since 1998. Although there have been repeated efforts to reconcile aggrieved leaders and members for reconciliation in the party, such efforts have always met the brick wall.

While many analysts believe that the PDP in the state ought to have leverage on the marginal success and maximum goodwill it received from the public after

the local government election in 2011, to pull members together, look at their grievances and find means of repositioning the party for future elections.

Speaking with Vanguard under condition of anonymity, a party chieftain admitted that “the problem we are having in the PDP is still the same issue of overbearing influence of the elders who have been using similar tactics of politics and seem to have lost touch with the reality of modern politics as it concerns the South-West.”

Referring to the last local council elections conducted where Jide Obanikoro, son of former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro keptt the now defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, especially in Ikoyi-Obalende, on its toes, the source said “those new guys

understood the rudiment of grassroots politics combined with modern tactics of wooing the electorate.”

The source noted that “presently, if you look at the approach of this new acting zonal chairman of the PDP in the South -West, you will be impressed with his engagement on issues, it takes a cultivated man to administer that seat the way he is currently doing.”

With less than two years to the 2015 general elections, stakeholders hold the view that there is need for a paradigm shift at the helms of affairs in the party.

“I think it is high time that the national headquarters and the Presidency excused these old cargoes from core activities and day-to-day running of the PDP in Lagos," the party chieftain said.

When contacted, the state

•Tukur publicity secretary of the party, Mr Taofik Gani said the party remains united under the leadership of Chief Bode George.

It is however, expected that if the PDP in Lagos state must turn around its fortunes for good, the old guard must give way to young Turks.

56—Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

T

HERE is no doubt that many patriotic Nigerians, even if they do not believe that Nigeria could disintegrate in 2015, do fear greatly the ominous signs of political instability appearing on the horizon every day. Media reports also attest to the fact that all is not well in the political life of the country.

Some lovers of Nigeria are at a loss to understand why a country that has everything in its favour – mineral and human resources – could appear seized by demonic spirit and suffering from psychic disorder. The songs of war are being rendered loudly and the threats of civil unrest are coming from the Niger Delta states of the country if President Goodluck Jonathan is not allowed to complete two terms as President of Nigeria.

The crisis in the ruling Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which could be attributed to internal problems could get out of hand, and if not properly handled, could destabilize the peace of the country.

The events unfolding from the August 31 Convention of PDP are reminiscent of the Action Group (AG) Jos Conference of 1962 which led to internal bifurcation of the party, complicated by the opportunism of the opposition and which ended in national crisis – a precursor to army coup of 1966 and the civil war.

The President has not yet declared his intention because he is yet to complete his Transformation Agenda – a contract with the people who elected him and whose right it is to re-elect him if he wishes and gets his party‘s nomination.

In the midst of current political confusion, the Patriots, under Professor Nwabueze (SAN), a respected constitutional authority, have offered a sobering advice. No Transformation Agenda could succeed under a structurally deficient country like Nigeria. Even if APC or any other party wins power, the problems will always be the same. This factor has affected President Jonathan‘s performance not his

State of the nation:

Between now and 2015

person.

The elders have spoken through the mouth of Professor Nwabueze. President Jonathan should be prepared to lead a non-bloody revolution – a restructured society through a National Conference.

Enigmatic Obasanjo It is surprising if not painful that many Nigerians (mostly politicians) and respected columnists have yet to understand the nature of the retired army general, the former military head of State and also former civilian President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. This is more baffling inspite of his track records in government, what he had written in the past about himself and what others have noted about him in and out of government.

It has always amused me (‘I dey laugh o‘) when incisive writers come with a funny question: 'What does Obasanjo want? The reasonable question instead of abuses is: ‘what do you know of Obasanjo?

Many writers have created myths about Chief Obasanjo – that he single-handedly forced the former President, Yar‘Adua, on the Nigerian people and has also, put President Goodluck Jonathan on the

throne. If Chief Obasanjo could be endowed with such power and aura, then, he is a modern Leviathan.

It could be recalled with awful nostalgia that the present critics of Chief Obasanjo included those who voted for him in 1999 (against a Yoruba candidate) and massively in 2003 (that time with massive Yoruba votes). If it may be asked: were majority of voters in 1999 and 2003 blindfolded or were they simply naïve?

The answer is a matter of conscience which is always punishing.

It is necessary to recall what Chief (General) Obasanjo wrote about himself, what was said about him and what I feel in order to unravel the myth surrounding the great Nigerian statesman. Abuses should not be a substitute for logical argument or clear thinking borne out of deep study of the man who (perhaps not a democrat) has supported the existence of democracy in the country.

On what people think about him, Chief Obasanjo wrote in, “Not My Will” (page 226) that, `some who see themselves as been charitable say he is very lucky, those not so charitable say he is an opportunist, some friends say he works hard and he is good. Chief Obasanjo continues, “None

of them is totally right or correct. I believe that three ingredients must be present for success in any human endeavor: physical preparations, mental preparation including attitudinal and character, opportunity must avail itself and this may be due to luck, fate, destiny or chance.

"But as an old classmate of mine put it, if you are three or four times consecutively lucky, it is worthy of note, if not close study.. The bottom line and the point to note is that success invites envy and envy is not easily cured," Chief Obasanjo noted that even before he became President in 1999.

It may be relevant here also to state what was said about Chief Obasanjo by one of his military colleagues, General Oluleye (a Yoruba officer) in his book, Military Leadership in Nigeria (1966-1979).

He noted that General Obasanjo, ‘in terms of craft, he looks deceptive, but he can sketch good and bad schemes with equal celebrity. He is an expert in confrontational tactics‘. That is a successful war general and later, a foxy politician for you. My own impression of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is that he could be ranked second only to Chief Obafemi Awolowo among Yoruba political leaders who were real planners and thinkers.

According to him, ‘I leave nothing to chance, I prepare but after preparation, I leave room for the will of God which passes human understanding. I have never been seriously caught off-guard or disappointed because I always leave room for the worst after preparing for the best. And invariably, if you do not achieve the best, you avoid the worst‘.

To some observers, (including this writer), the nature of Chief Obasanjo, a retired General and former President of Nigeria deserves a deeper understanding than the puerile thoughts of many uninformed commentators.

Before I am crucified for appearing as Obasanjo‘s apologist, please read this piece carefully.

LG polls:

Enugu sets the pace

BY CHUKWUMA ONAH

I

N an era in which some state governments are yet to organize a single Local Government election with few months to the end of their tenures, Enugu State under Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime sets the pace as it conducts her fourth council poll on November 2, this year.

Only last Saturday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Enugu State chapter conducted its chairmanship primaries to elect candidates for the election.

Thus, Governor Chime has scored another first among his colleagues in enthroning democratic system at the grassroots as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

Yet, as usual, he prefers not to make much noise about this uncommon feat that underscores his commitment to deepen democracy and take development to the grassroots.

Today, the talk all over the Coal City revolves around how the primaries were peaceful and transparent, courtesy of the widespread consultations among stakeholders and party members, a practice long

introduced by Chime and embraced by other party chieftains and followers.

Those elected to fly PDP’s flag in the forthcoming council polls include 12 chairmen who received the mandate of their people to contest for their second terms in office.

They are Christopher Nwobodo (Aninri), Mathanus Nze (Awgu), Cornelius Nnaji (Enugu East), Emeka Edeh (Enugu North), Emeka Ozoagu (Ezeagu) and Festus Ozoemena (Igbo-Etiti).

Bonaventure Onuh (Igbo-Eze North). Others are Festus Ozioko (Igbo-Eze South), Augustine Nnamani (Isi-Uzo), Sam Iyiogwe (Nkanu East), Chinedu Iloeje (Udi) and Cornel Onwubuya (Uzo-Uwani).

The five new entrants in the race are Victor Agbo (Enugu South), Afam Okereke (Nkanu West), Charles Ugwu (Nsukka), Chideofor Onyemechi (Oji River) and Amaechi Nwodo (Udenu). They emerged as PDP candidates to take over the slots to be vacated by outgoing chairmen who are completing their second terms in office.

The remark by Governor Chime after casting his vote at his Udi town last Saturday was quite

•Chime instructive. “There’s nothing to celebrate about doing what is right and what our law prescribes,” he told journalists.

“For us as a Government, there’s no going back on conducting the elections on November 2, this year. This is in line with our commitment to deepen democracy and enthrone a Local Government system that takes development to our communities.

I believe that the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) is prepared to conduct a free and credible poll as an independent body.”

The governor gave a hint as to the reasons for the successes of the past three council elections and why he is confident that this

year’s exercise would follow in the same trend.

According to him, “as you know, this will be our fourth council election since we came on board. We’ve always conducted them on schedule and the previous ones were quite peaceful and successful.

The reasons are not far-fetched.

One, we usually consulted widely among our people as to the candidates.

Stakeholders from different local government councils were usually brought together to chart a common front as to the kind of candidates each council desired to have. Once the people agreed on the way forward, they would go back to their places to assess the aspirants before them and

finally choose one person. In some cases, they narrowed it to one person before the primaries.

“Now, the choice eventually made by the people becomes our party’s (PDP’s) flag bearer. The implication is that we go through an internal mechanism to elect our candidates. The result at the end of the day is that any such candidate(s) so chosen would enjoy the support of the electorate.

“The second reason is that our primary processes and the elections are very transparent to the extent that we don’t experience the kind of agitation you find elsewhere. As I speak to you, some of the chairmanship candidates were returned unopposed to fly the party’s flag.

Also, we campaign vigorously for our candidates once they emerge and the timetable (by ENSIEC) gives the green light.

“The truth is that we don’t take anything for granted. During the last Local Government elections, I was part of our party ’s campaigns and we visited all the 17 councils to ask for their votes.

No other party did so.

During the 2011 general elections, I led our party ’s campaigns also and we campaigned for Mr. President and other elective office seekers across the entire state. That’s our style and we won’t change from it,” said Chime.

*Chukwuma Onah sent in this piece from Nsukka.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 — 57

58 — Vanguard, FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

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Vanguard, FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 —59

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Mali’s Keita takes presidential oath in Bamako L

EADERS from across Africa and France watched the inauguration of Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in front of thousands of his supporters as the nation entered a new era of democracy after months of political chaos.

Idriss Deby of Chad, the Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara and Moroccan king Mohammed VI were prominent guests among numerous heads of state invited to welcome the new leader on Thursday, elected by a landslide on August 11.

In many ways the ceremony at the 55,000-seat

March 26 Stadium in the capital Bamako held most significance for France — drawing a line under what has been viewed as one of the more successful foreign interventions by a Western power in recent decades.

A place of honour was reserved for the French President Francois Hollande, who launched a military action in January, aided by African troops, and defeated armed groups linked to al-Qaeda who occupied northern Mali last year. The ceremony began with Hollande and Keita standing before the Ma-

Libyan militias hinder Gaddafi’s transfer to Tripoli

T

HE militia holding the son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam, has refused to transfer him to the capital for a pre-trial hearing.

“The security situation does not permit his transfer,” Zintan militia head Ajami al-Ateri said.

Libya’s attorney general said he had ordered that Saif al-Islam be present at the Tripoli hearing.

He did appear in court in Zintan earlier on Thursday in a separate case, which was adjourned until 12 December.

•Saif al-Islam Gaddafi He faces accusations of trading information threatening Libya’s national security.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi has also been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on war crimes charges relating to the 2011 uprising which

lian flag for the national anthem before Hollande addressed the crowd

ahead of musical and cultural performances and military marches.

Keita pledged to unite Mali and end endemic corruption as he was sworn in on September 4 to lead the deeply-divided west African nation’s emergence from months of political crisis sparked by a military coup in March last year. “I will not forget for a moment that you put me where I am to take care of all as-

Syria needs one year to disarm —Assad

S

YRIAN President Bashar al-Assad has said he is committed to a plan to destroy his country’s chemical weapons, but warned it could take about a year.

Speaking to Fox News, Mr Assad again denied claims that his forces were responsible for a deadly chemical attack near Damascus on 21 August.

The Syria disarmament plan was unveiled by the US and Russia last weekend. The West wants the deal enshrined in a UN resolution backed by the threat of military force, but Russia objects. Damascus - backed by Moscow - has insisted that rebel forces carried out last month’s attack in the Ghouta area.

In separate developments, a roadside bomb attack in central Homs

province caused multiple deaths and fierce fighting was reported between two rebel groups in the north of Syria. The bomb detonated in the village of Jbourin as a convoy of

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Nigerian contestant has been crowned the winner of a beauty pageant for Muslims in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta.

Obabiyi Aishah Ajibola, 21, won the World Muslimah 2013 title on Wednesday.

Twenty finalists showed off Islamic fashions and worked to demonstrate religious values during the contest. The pageant was held before the upcoming Miss World competition, which has drawn protests from hardline Indonesian Muslim groups.

Finalists in World Muslimah were chosen from more than 500 who took

AYO D E L E — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Ayodele Yinka Grace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Grace Olayinka Adeyemi. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State University and general public please take note.

•Obabiyi Aishah Ajibola

part in an online selection process. One of the rounds involved contenders comparing stories of how they came to wear the hijab (Muslim headscarf) - a requirement for all those taking part.

The finalists hailed from

countries including Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria and Brunei. All contestants in Muslimah World must wear the hijab.

Ms Ajibola, 21, cried and recited a verse from the Koran when her name

Iranian president hails Obama’s letter, frees dissident

H

ASSAN Rouhani, Iran’s new president, has praised B a r a c k Obama following an exchange of letters with his A m e r i c a n counterpart, adding that his government would never develop nuclear weapons.

Rouhani said Obama had recently written to him to congratulate him on his election victory and “some issues of his interest were raised”.

“I responded to that letter, I thanked him and expressed Iran’s viewpoint on the issues raised

in his letter and some other issues,” Rouhani told NBC News in advance of a visit to the UN General Assembly in New York.

minibuses was driving past. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least nine people were killed.

Another report put the toll at 19.

….Putin doubts disarmament

V

LADIMIR Putin says he is not certain that all of Syria’s chemical weapons will be destroyed under an international plan that averted US-led military action.

The Russian president was crucial to delaying US military strikes on Syria after a chemical-weapons release in Damascus on August 21 that the US says killed 1,429 people.

In comments on Thursday at the Valdai Club in northwest Russia, Putin said: “Will we be able to

Nigerian girl wins Muslim-only beauty pageant

A

pects of the life of our nation. National reconciliation remains the most urgent priority,” he said after taking the oath to preserve the constitution, democracy and the rule of law.

I want to reconcile hearts and minds, restore true brotherhood between us so that all the different people can play their part harmoniously in the national symphony.

was called as the winner.

She was awarded 25m rupiah ($2,200, £1,360) and trips to Mecca and India.

accomplish it all? I cannot be 100 percent sure about it.

“But everything we have seen so far in recent days gives us confidence that this will happen ... I hope so.”

Despite being central to formulating an international agreement on ridding Syria of its chemical weapons, he urged the world not to put the onus on Russia to see it through.

“This is not the first time I hear that special responsibility rests with me,” he said.

“Special responsibility rests with all of us, and it is equally shared. If the attempts to resolve the problem peacefully fail, it will be very bad.”

Security forces raid Morsi’s strong hold

E

GYPTIAN security forces backed by armored fighting vehicles and helicopters stormed a town known to be an Islamist stronghold outside of Cairo near the Great Pyramids yesterday, coming under barrages of fire from gunmen on rooftops as they searched door to door for militants.

A police general fell in

the first moments of the battle at around 6 a.m.

Gen. Nabil Farrag had just given a pep talk to his men on the street, preparing them to roll into the town of Kerdasa, when they came under a hail of gunfire, according to an Associated Press photographer and video journalists at the scene.

African leaders parley over Kenya’s ICC trial

A

FRICAN leaders will meet in the Ethiopian capital on October 13 to take a common stance on whether to join Kenya’s planned pull-out from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the prosecution of its leaders, officials said yesterday.

So far there does not seem to be much support for it, but heads of state

from the 54-member African Union (AU) may still discuss the possibility of a pullout by the 34 African signatories to the Rome Statute that created the tribunal.

Last week’s start of the trial of Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto for crimes against humanity - with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s trial due in November - has fuelled a

growing backlash against the Hague-based court from some African governments, which see it as a tool of Western powers.

“The Kenyans have been criss-crossing Africa in search of support for their cause, even before their parliament voted to withdraw from the ICC,” an AU official said.

60 — Vanguard, FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Champions League fall-out

Mourinho: Blame me for Chelsea’s defeat Benitez: C Arsenal are next

N

APOLI boss Rafael Benitez says his side are not afraid of anyone in their Champions League group, following an opening home win against Borussia Dortmund “We knew Dortmund would be dangerous on the counter attack and that it would be important to score the first goal”, he added. It is a win that gives us confidence. I’ve always said we do not fear anyone.”

•Mourinho complains to the fourth official.

Messi equals Ronaldo's hat-trick feat

HELSEA manager Jose Mourinho says he should take the blame for his team’s Champions League 2-1 defeat by Basel.

Oscar put the home side ahead but Mohamed Salah equalised for Basel and Marco Streller headed in a late winner.

“When we lose I don’t speak about the players or individuals, I speak about my responsibility.

I am responsible.”

New signing Samuel Eto’o started and Demba Ba was a second-half substitute, with Fernando Torres not on the bench.

“I’m happy with the three strikers for the rest of the season. The players are good players and good professionals, and try their best every day and every match. The happy moment will arrive.”

•Klopp (l) shouts to the fourth official as Benitez watches.

Klopp nearly kills fourth official

J

ÜRGEN Klopp may appear to be the coolest manager in all of professional football, but he’s capable of losing his mind just like anyone else is. Witness his exchange with the fourth official in Wednesday’s Champions League group stage match against Napoli.

Following Napoli’s opening goal, Klopp started off by sarcastically clapping. He was apparently upset that

injured defender Neven Suboti? was not allowed back onto the field before a Napoli free kick.

Essentially playing a man up, Gonzalo Higuain was able to get a good look at a header.

In any case, after the sarcastic clap, Klopp found the fourth official and promptly went thermo-nuclear.

It seriously looked as though his head may explode or he might kill the fourth official.

Wenger’s critics should feel ashamed

A

•Messi

Y

ES neither of the two won the Champions League last season and only one won a title- Messi and Barcelona won La Liga- but despite the reemergence of Franck Ribery as a genuine challenger to the duopoly after the brilliant season he had with Bayern culminating in him being crowned Europe’s best player, Messi and Ronaldo started their Champions

League campaigns in a way only they can.

Both players hit fantastic hat-tricks, Ronaldo first on Tuesday against Galatasaray in Turkey then his Argentine rival followed suit at home against Ajax.

Messi’s tally in Europe now stands at an astonishing 62 goals in 80 games, just nine shy of the all-time record held by Raul which took 144 games to amass. Ronaldo after his exploits on Tuesday now

has 54 in 97, remarkable as well. Six goals from two individuals without anyone raising a glass because these two have made the extraordinary seem normal.

•Wenger

Juve fire Gala warning

J

UVENTUS defender Leonardo Bonucci believes his team's qualification to the latter stages of the Champions League could hinge on beating Galatasaray on

matchday two.“The Italian champions were held to a 1-1 draw with Copenhagen in Denmark on Tuesday in their Group B opener, evoking memories of last sea-

son's surprise stalemate with Nordsjaelland.

"But we know we have to beat Galatasaray and then we can go to Madrid convinced that anything could happen.“

RSENE Wenger is undoubtedly one of the Premier League’s best ever managers and arguably the greatest coach in the history of Arsenal Football Club.

But for a significant number of Arsenal supporters, the Frenchman had outstayed his welcome last season.

Television host Piers Morgan led the calls for the Gunners’ board to sack Wenger with a succession of classless tweets posted in the aftermath of several Arsenal defeats, usually accompanied by the childish #WengerOut hashtag.

Arsenal are on the up and, unsurprisingly, the vastly-experienced Wenger is behind the transformation.

Wenger’s faith in his current squad appears to be paying off, with players like Aaron Ramsey - who has received more than his fair share of stick from the club’s impatient supporters over the years - now shining bright for the north London outfit.

Vanguard, FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 — 61

Obudu: No change in $50,000 top prize W

INNERS of the men and women race of this year ’s Obudu international mountain race will go home with $50,000 each for their efforts, reveals the local organising committee for the race.

Honourable Patrick Ugbe, a member of the committee who is also the Cross River state Commissioner for Sports disclosed this in Calabar yesterday. Ugbe said the prize money outlay for the 9th edition of the race and the 5th African Nations Mountain Running Championships which holds on Saturday, November 23 is unchanged from the previous three editions.

Three years ago, the total prize money for the 6th edition of the race was increased by over $35,000 by the organisers following the introduction of the women’s version of the African Nations Mountain Running Championship.

The total prize money which has gone up from $245, 500 to $278, 000 has been retained for this year’s edition. The prize money for the first to the 10th position for this year’s race remains the same with the winners in each gender category going home with $50,000 each while $20,000 and $9,000

Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder at 100 and 200 meters, said he might change his mind after listening more to his fans and sponsors. He said his coach believes he can continue competing at a high level, adding that it’s now ”on the cards” to compete for another year after the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“I am definitely reconsidering. I think my fans especially have really voiced their concern about me retiring. They think I should carry on and so do my sponsors. I have discussed it with my coach and he says it is possible.

We will see what happens.

But it’s on the cards that I will extend it by one more year.”

With the new potential timeline, Bolt would possibly retire after the 2017

BY SOLOMON NWOKE

F

OBUDU MOUNTAIN RACE ROUTE— This is the zig-zag route that athletes participating in the Obudu Mountain race must go through before smiling home with S50,000 prize money for the winners. respectively will go to the second and third placed finishers. The prizes for 4th -10th placed finishers in each category also remain at $4, 500, $4, 000, $3, 000, $2, 500, $2,000, $1, 500 and $1, 000 respectively.

Ugbe explains the reason for the unchanged prize monies.

‘His Excellency, the executive governor of Cross River state wants the race to maintain its status as the highest paying mountain race in the world.

He is happy with the way the competition has been organised since its maiden edition in 2005 and wants us to make this year ’s event even bigger.

Bolt Continues from BP

Igwilo sure Eagles ‘ll qualify

world championships in London. He’s also thinking about running in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, but the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo are not something he’s considering at this point, in part because, he said, if he wins gold in Rio, he will have done everything he envisioned for his career: “It’s a long way away, but if I win the next Olympics I will have done everything I wanted to do in my career. So there would be no reason to continue.”

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Bolt won the 100, 200 and 4×100-meter relay. He then repeated the feat at last summer’s London Games.

Bolt is currently in London to promote his autobiography, Faster Than Lightning.

Gov Orji pledges more support for Enyimba

BY ANAYO OKOLI, Umuahia

I

MPRESSED by the success of Enyimba Football Club, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia has assured the players and management of the club that the government would provide them the necessary financial and moral support they need to succeed in all their future outings.

Speaking at the Government House, Umuahia, Tuesday, shortly after he returned from Lagos where Enyimba lifted the Federation Cup, Governor Orji also assured other football clubs in the state, including Abia Warriors

and Abia Comets, of the Government’s support.

TopSpot tourney starts September 23

F

INLAND-based sports firm, TopSpot is partnering Paddysco Sports for this year ’s edition of TopSpot Talent Tournament, holding from September 23 to 26 in Lagos.

The group, which uses sports as a tool to impact developing countries and local communities in order to improve lives in a number of ways, has developing projects in Asia and Africa, which are implemented by nongovernmental bodies, religious organizations

Calabar Continues from BP international fixtures, including cadet games.

But the freshlyregressed National Stadium was re-opened on Tuesday and there have been suggestions that the NFF might move the Super Eagles back there in November when they host Ethiopia.

A top official of the NFF told KickOffNigeria.com that that scenario was very unlikely.

“As far as the federation is concerned at this moment, there is no reason to change the venue,” the official said.

“If the NFF decides to bring the team to Abuja

ORMER Nigeria youth international, James Igwilo has expressed confidence that the Super Eagles would pick one of Africa’s 2014 World Cup tickets to Brazil ahead of Ethiopia in the last round of the qualifiers beginning next month.

Speaking in a telephone chat from his Ireland base, Igwilo who is the Chief Executive of Insaka Sports in Ireland said the draw which pitched Nigeria against Ethiopia has made Eagles’ road to Brazil easier, but warned against complacency.

The 1995 Flying Eagle and Olympic team member said, “I’m very happy with the draw and I must say that Nigerians here in

Ireland are happy too with the draw making our road to Brazil a little bit easier.

But, they do not have to underrate the Ethiopia because they are a very good team. We have played them before in the last African Nations Cup in South Africa and we saw their strength as a good side.

Igwilo, an Ambassador of Sports in Ireland lauded Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi saying, “I must say that Keshi is doing a very good job with the team so far.

Nigerians are beginning to have confidence anytime the Eagles are playing”.

He solicited for more support for both Keshi and the team adding that the major problem with Nigerian football was not the coaches but the administrators.

and anything goes wrong, people will say it is because the venue has changed.

“In any case, it will be the height of ingratitude to the government and people of Cross River State who took the team in and hosted them at a time when nobody else wanted to.”

The official went on to add that the only way the match would move from Calabar, is if the players specifically request it.

“If the coach and players come out and say they want to play in Abuja, then the NFF would have no choice, but for now, the game will be in Calabar.”

and local clubs, while in Europe it works with clubs of similar vision.

In Nigeria, TopSpot has partnered Paddysco Sports to organize the talent tourney in Lagos since 2007, and in the process winning the confidence of both teams and players, with 1974

World Cup finals legend, Theo de Jong, as its head scout.

Nigerian players in Europe who were discovered through the tournament include Alison Ndukaku, Faith Friday Obilor and Mbachu Uchenna Emenike.

Minister Continues from BP very strategic and as soon as we are done with the World Cup qualifying matches, we will implement the report fully,” he explained.

“We don’t want to introduce the report now so that it does not distract us from the work we have at hand now.

“We will continue to manage it. It is after the World Cup qualifiers that we plan to put in place the structures that can provide the final solution to it.”

Julius Ogunro, special assistant to the sports minister, said there is no official commitment to back down on decision to slash bonuses paid to the players in the national team.

“The players were paid $5,000 each for the win against Malawi and there was no problem,” Ogunro told BBC Sport.

“The minister has taken this step to prevent distractions as he understands the huge task before the team as they prepare for their World Cup play-off.

“There is no change on the bonus agreement.

Implementation of the panel recommendation will be done at the end of the qualifiers.”

Back in June Nigeria’s players had initially refused to to go to the Confederations Cup following their 1-1 draw in Namibia in a World Cup qualifier as they were unhappy with the bonus payments offered by the NFF. The sports ministry intervened and made extra money available, eventually allowing the squad to travel to Brazil two days late and only around 36 hours before its opening game against Tahiti.

62 — Vanguard, FRIDAY,

SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 — 63

C M Y K

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 , 2013

2014 World Cup Play-off

Calabar remains Eagles home

T

HE Super Eagles are expected to stay in Calabar for the final

Minister rules out bonus slash, code of conduct for Eagles S

PORTS Minister Bolaji Abdullahi has delayed the implementation of a ‘code of conduct’ for Super Eagles players on international assignments.

The Nigeria Football Federations’ decision to reduce bonuses earlier this year nearly led to the national team almost boycotting June’s Confederations Cup in Brazil.

In August, a sixperson panel drafted a code of conduct and presented their findings on the row to the sports minister in Abuja.

The minister says the panels recommendations will be implemented, but warned bad timing could create more disaffection, distraction and failure.

“The panel’s report is Continues on page 61

match of their World Cup qualifying series despite the re-opening of the National Stadium, Abuja.

Over the last two years, with the Abuja Stadium pitch in disrepair and overgrown by weeds, the Cross River State capital has hosted the majority of Nigeria’s

Continues on Page 61

INSIDE CENTREPREAD

Bolt makes a u-turn on 2016 retirement date

S

PRINTING superstar Usain Bolt said Thursday he is “definitely reconsidering” the plans he stated earlier in September of retiring

•Enyeama

PUZZLE

Continues on page 61

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

after the 2016 Olympics.

According to Thursday’s Associated Press report, the 27year-old Bolt, a six-time

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Marionette (6) 5 Harry (6) 9 Coupled (5) 10 Slumbering (6) 11 Wave (6) 12 Storehouse (5) 14 Frozen (4) 17 Managed (3) 18 Present (4) 20 Dissuade (5) 22 Paddled (5) 23 Frisked (7) 24 Rot (5) 26 Principle (5) 29 Hero (4) 30 Plus (3) 32 Certain (4) 33 Giant (5) 35 Agree (6) 36 Excited (6) 37 Cap (5) 38 Scatter (6) 39 Numb (6)

DOWN 1 Calm (6) 2 Chicken (6) 3 Watched (4) 4 Drinker (5) 5 Wading-bird (5) 6 Revise (4) 7 Knocked (6) 8 Staggered (6) 13 Parade (7) 15 Yielded (5) 16 Design transfer (5) 18 Hell (5) 19 Allude (5) 21 Beam (3) 22 Damp (3) 24 Field-event (6) 25 Angle (6) 27 Tended (6) 28 Sinew (6) 30 Ventilated (5) 31 Challenged (5) 33 Instrument (4) 34 Observe (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS: 4, Sense 7, Eraser 9, Box 10, Lac 12, Reply 13, Seem 15, Cower 17, Serene 18, Task 20, Lasso 22, Tan 24, Hovered 27, Man 28, Arena 31, Divan 33, Stated 35, Steer 37, Will 38, Bathe 39, Dip 41, End 42, Demote 43, Meant.

How to Play Sudoku

DOWN: 1, Vessel 2, Caress 3, Gel 4, Sore 5, Exert 6, Salesman 8, Race 11, Contended 14, Mesh 16, Wear 18, Room 21, Activate 23, Neat 25, Vase 26, Drew 29, Editor 30, Allied 32, Ashen 34, Arid 36, Tent 40, Pet.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

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