Fuel Subsidy scam: Bamanga Tukur's son, 11 others charged

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61673

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

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•Continues on Pg.5

Ghana's President, Atta Mills dies @68

•Pgs.48&49

FUEL SUBSIDY SCAM:

Bamanga Tukur's son, 11 others charged

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH, ONOZURE DANIA & BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

•7 companies also charged; suspects to be arraigned today

•Imoukhuede committee submits report, indicts 21 firms •Petroleum marketers threaten to shut operations in 48 hours CHARGED: OIL COMPANIES CHARGED

Nasaman Oil Services; Eternal Oil and Gas Plc; Contario Oil & Gas Plc; Nadabo Energy Limited; Pacific Silver Line Limited; Axenergy Limited; Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited.

DIRECTORS FACING TRIAL

Mamman Nasir Ali; Christian Taylor; Mahmud Tukur; Ochonogor Alex; Walter Agbasoma; Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; (staff of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency, PPPRA); Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele (director of the accounting firm of Akintola Williams Deloitte); Abubakar Ali Peters; Jude Agube Abalaka; Abdulahi Alao; SUBSIDY REPORT—Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede submitting the Fuel Subsidy CommitOluwaseun tee's report to President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN. Ogunbambo C M Y K

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AGOS—THE law bared its fangs, yesterday, as the Ikeja and Lagos judicial divisions will try 7 oil companies and 12 directors charged before them.

They face between 7 years and 20 years imprisonment and to refund N304bn which was alleged to have been illegally taken from the Federal Government coffers.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterContinues on page 5

DEAR BUNMI:

Is it safe to travel with my boss?

•P.38

Mr & Mrs

4 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

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Vanguard, WEDNESD AY, JUL Y 25, 2012—5 WEDNESDA JULY

POCKET CARTOON

Fuel subsidy scam: Bamanga Tukur's son, 11 others charged Continues from Page 1 day, filed charges against the first batch of 18 suspects comprising six oil companies and 12 individuals implicated in the oil subsidy fraud.

The companies are: Nasaman Oil Services; Eterna Oil and Gas Plc; Contario Oil & Gas Plc; Nadabo Energy Limited; Pacific Silver Line Limited, Axenergy Limited and Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited.

The 12 individuals involved in the scam are: Mamman Nasir Ali; Christian Taylor; Mahmud Tukur; Ochonogor Alex; Walter Agbasoma; Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele; Abubakar Ali Peters; Jude Agube Abalaka, Abdulahi Alao and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo.

Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele is director of the accounting firm of Akintola Williams Deloitte while Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer is a staff of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency, PPPRA. At Ikeja High Court, Justices Habeeb Abiru and Adeniyi Onigbanjo have been assigned to entertain some of the charges while Justices Samuel CandideJohnson, Lawal Akapo and Dotun AdefopeOkojie of Lagos High Court will try the other charges in Lagos.

Justices Abiru and Onigbanjo who are presently on annual court vacation couldn’t come for the formal arraignment of the oil market-

ers yesterday. It was gathered that the Judges will sit today (Wednesday) for their arraignment.

In Justice Onigbanjo’s court, Mahmud Tukur, son of the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; Ochonogor Alex, Abdulahi Alao and Eterna Oil & Gas Ltd are defendants in a ninecount charge of alleged conspiracy, forgery, and obtaining N676.9 million under false pretence.

The EFCC alleged that the suspects on April 28, 2011 in Lagos, fraudulently obtained a total sum of N676.9 million from the Federal Government purporting same to be payment accruing to Eterna Oil under the Petroleum Support Fund.

They are also accused of falsifying claims of having “purchased 33,288,388 litres of Premium Motoring Spirits (PMS) from Mercury Energy Trading AS and imported to Nigeria through Ex-MT Fulmer, Ex-MT Emirates Star and Ex-MT Panther.”

The case preferred against the defendants before Justice Abiru bordered on “conspiracy to obtain N1.9 billion under false pretence contrary to Section 8, punishable under Section 107 of Advance Fee Fraud & other Related offences.”

The charge against Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer and Ezekiel Olajide Ejide stated that they “conspired to obtain

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property by false pretence contrary to Section 8 punishable under Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences on July 7, 2010, within the jurisdiction of this court.

“Conspired to commit an offence to wit: Obtaining the sum of N340, 178, 111.231 from the Federal Government of Nigeria, purporting to be Payment Support Fund, which sum was in excess of the actual value of the product imported into Nigeria.”

They were also said to have collected the sum of N340, 015,198, being “Excess of the value of the actual product (12,070,706 litres) delivered by MT. Union Brave to Integrated Oil & Gas Ltd on your behalf as against 19,681, 731 litres you falsely claimed to have discharged.”

The defendants were also accused by the government of “altering and forging documents contrary to Section 468 and 467 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos of State of Nigeria, 2006” respectively. The offences were said “to contradict Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences.

"The charge further said: “On July 7, 2010, within the jurisdiction of the court, you conspired to commit an offence to wit: Obtaining the sum of N340, 178, 111.231 from the Federal Government of Nigeria Support Fund, which sum was in excess of the actual value of the product imported into Nigeria.”

Abdulahi Alao will also face another 7-count charge bothering on obtaining by false pretence, forgery and use of false documents before Abiru.

He is accused of “fraudulently obtaining N2.5 billion in December 2010 from the Federal Government as sub-

sidy payments for supplying 13,364,284 and 20,014,627 litres of PMS from Ex- MT Gavros and Ex-MT Nippon Princess.”

In same vein, two directors of other oil companies who were charged before the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere will be arraigned on Thursday (tomorrow) for their alleged complicity in the fuel subsidy fraud of N2.153 billion, for the importation of 36.654 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into the country.

In a charge No. ID/ 117C/2012, Integrated Resources Limited, D u r o s o l a Omogbemigun, Pinnacle Oil & Gas and Peter Mba who are defendants were accused of having between 2010 and 2011conspired to defraud the Federal Republic of Nigeria by collecting the said money from the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of purported importation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from Europe to Nigeria.

The charge read: “You Integrated Resources Limited, Durosola Omogbemigun, Pinnacle Oil & Gas and Peter Mba, on or about February 4, 2011 within the jurisdiction of this Court, by false pretence and intention to defraud obtained from the Federal Republic of Nigeria the sum N986.154 million, requested the said money to be subsidy payment payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of 19.347 million litres of PMS, which you falsely claimed to have purchased from Guinness Petroleum Limited.”

The charge further stated, “Omogbemigun, on November 15, 2011 defrauded the Federal Republic of Nigeria of

the sum N343.182 million, money meant to be subsidy payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in the respect of 4.116 million litres of PMS, which he claimed to have purchased from Alkamo International Limited and allegedly imported into Nigeria.

“That Durosola Omogbemigun, on or about November 15, 2011 within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, by false pretence with intent to defraud the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the sum of N823.305 million, purported the said sum to be subsidy payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of 9.191 million litres of PMS, which you falsely claimed to have purchased from Alkamo International Limited and alleged imported into Nigeria” Nasaman Oil Services; Mamman Nasir and Christian Taylor are to face charges bordering on obtaining N4, 460, 130, 797. 94 (Four Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Million, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira, Ninety Four Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria under false pretence.

The sum is alleged to have been fraudulently

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obtained as subsidy payments from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 30.5million litres of Premium Motor Spirit from SEATAC Petroleum Limited of British Virgin Islands.

Nadabo Energy Limited, Abubakar Ali Peters, Jude Agube Abalaka and Pacific Silver Line Limited are to be prosecuted for allegedly obtaining the sum of N1, 464, 961, 978.24 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Four Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Eight Naira, TwentyFour Kobo ), being payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 19.4million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Walter Agbasoma; Adaoha Ugo -Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele and Contario Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited will be arraigned for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1, 959, 377, 542, .63 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty Nine Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty Two Naira, Sixty Three Kobo) from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 39.2 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo who are also charged will be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N979,653,110.20 ( Nine Hundred and Seventy Nine Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira, Twenty Eight Kobo), from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 33, 627, 84 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

•See more on Page 50

6—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Nigerian universities under ICPC searchlight zAs petitions flood anti-graft agency

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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BUJA — THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, in conjunction with the National Universities Commission, NUC, is set to beam its searchlight on corrupt practices in the Nigerian universities over chain of petitions received by the anti-graft commission.

The acting Chairman of the ICPC, Mr Ekpo Nta, said this at a one-day sensitisation workshop on ‘Effects of Corruption in the Nigerian University System" to examine the state of the country ’s tertiary institutions, in Abuja, yesterday.

Nta said ICPC had received petitions from students, members of staff, unions and other stakeholders alleging sundry corrupt practices and abuses in most tertiary institutions in the country.

The chairman said the abuses were highlighted as including admission processes, conduct of examinations, appointments and promotion of staff, manipulation and falsification of academic records such as transcripts.

Also reported are sexual harassment and victimisation of applicants,

syndicated plagiarism by students and staff, delay or non-payment of gratuities and pension, nonadherence to bidding processes in the award of contracts.

Others are illegal accreditation processes through deception, running un-approved study centres, affiliating programmes to accredited schools, establishing and operating un-approved and consequently illegal universities.

Nta said preliminary investigations by the commission pointed towards utter disregard and failure of regulatory systems within the academic institutions which had allowed many form of corruption.

He said that the review would form policies and guidelines to improve the quality of service delivery in the various institutions.

The ICPC boss, however, warned that after the exercise, the commission would not hesitate to sanction any institution which fall short of the standards to be put in place.

The chairman, however, mentioned the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Olabisi Onabanjo University, AgoIwoye and Salem University, Lokoja as the three universities that would be used for its system study.

From right: Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President, Dangote Group; Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, Deputy Managing Director, UBA; Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance and Mr Folusho Phillips, Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG, during the NESG CEO's forum with the Minister of Finance, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Court issues 14-day ultimatum over Ibori’s alleged $15m bribe to EFCC zAs FG moves to claim bribe money in CBN vault

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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BUJA — THE Federal Government, yesterday, approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, asking it to order the immediate forfeiture of $15 million allegedly given to

the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by the jailed former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, as bribe.

Federal Government, via an ex-parte originating summons it filed in court, yesterday, said the cash was received by officers of the

...US court seizes Ibori’s $3m assets L AGOS — THE United States Department of Justice has secured a restraining order against more than $3 million looted funds and a mansion in Houston, Texas owned by former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, in the US. Ibori is currently serving

a 13-year jail term in the United Kingdom for corruption and money laundering.

The department got the powers through an application filed under seal on May 16, 2012, in US District Court in the District of Columbia, to register and enforce two orders from

CBN raises CRR to 12% as foreign reserves hit $37bn

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

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BUJA — THE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, tightened liquidity in the banking system, by raising the Cash Reserve Requirement, CRR, from 8.0 per cent to 12.0 per cent.

With the new requirement, banks will now be left with less cash and, therefore, with less money to lend to their customers or play around with, in a measure that the Governor of the CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said was to check rising inflation.

The apex bank’s boss who announced the new policy in Abuja, said the requirement takes effect from today.

Sanusi, however, announced a retention of the Monetary Policy Rate, MPR, at 12.00 per cent

with symmetric corridor of +/-200 basis points, while reducing the Net Foreign Exchange Open Position, NOP, to 1.0 per cent from 3.0 per cent with immediate effect.

C'ttee reviews challenges Sanusi said the Monetary Policy Committee, which assists the apex bank in its policy decisions, reviewed the series of challenges the nation’s economy faced, particularly the declining global economy and its effects on the Nigerian oil revenue as well as the inflationary outlook and decided to take steps that might be painful in the immediate but better than allowing the nation to be confronted with a worst economic performance.

His words: “The committee recognised that

EFCC from an undisclosed agent of the ex-governor in 2007, as a bribe to compromise his investigation.

It told the court that the commission under its former Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, deposited the money into the strong

a logical response to the increasing inflationary outlook would be an increase in the MPR, especially considering the impact of sustained liquidity in the banking system on exchange rates.

“However, it is important to note that the significant liquidity on the books of banks has not led to intermediation and lending to the real economy. Banks have continued to take advantage of high yields on government securities to direct credit away from the core private sector. In addition, the liquidity has provided ammunition for speculative activity in the foreign exchange market with implications for inflationary expectation.

Policy trajectory “Against the foregoing, therefore, the MPC reiterated the need to

choose a policy trajectory that would have the least negative impact on the wider economy, to the extent that the longer-term benefits to the economy far outweigh the short-term costs”.

Justifying the new requirement further, the CBN boss said “the raise of the CRR is primarily about contribution to stability. At the moment, if you look back to what happened a few weeks ago, we had a lot of pressure on exchange rate and the only reason we are able to keep the Naira stable was we tighten money and increased supply from the reserves of dollars.

On the external sector, Sanusi said the nation’s foreign reserve stood at US$37.16 billion, as at July 19, representing an increase of US$ 0.33 billion over the level of US$36.83 billion at end-May.

United Kingdom courts against more than $3 million in corruption proceeds related to Ibori.

This was announced by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton in a statement on the U.SDOJ website, yesterday.

According to the statement, “the application, which was filed under seal on May 16, 2012, in US District Court in the District of Columbia, seeks to restrain assets belonging to Ibori and Bhadresh Gohil, Ibori’s former English solicitor, that are proceeds of corruption.

“Specifically, it seeks to restrain a mansion in Houston and two Merrill Lynch brokerage accounts.

US District Judge Lamberth granted the application and issued a restraining order under seal on May 21, 2012.

“The department was notified today (yesterday) that its application to unseal the restraining order was granted.

“The United States is working with the United Kingdom’s Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police Service to forfeit these corruption proceeds,” it said.

room No 1 of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on April 26, 2007, stressing that Ibori has since denied giving the cash to either the EFCC or any of its officers.

Consequently, Federal Government, alongside the Attorney General of the Federation and the EFCC, which were listed in the suit as the 1st to 3rd applicants respectively, yesterday, beseeched the court for “an interim order forfeiting the sum of $15,000, 000 (Fifteen million dollars) being an unclaimed property in possession of the Central Bank of Nigeria, to the Federal Government of Nigeria pending the publication and hearing of the motion on notice for the final forfeiture order of the said property."

As well as, “an order of this honourable court directing the publication in any national newspaper of the interim order under relief one above, for anyone who is interested in the property, to appear before this honourable court to show cause within 14 days, why the final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Meantime, CBN was listed as the only defendant in the application which was filed pursuant to section 17 (1) (2) (3) and (4) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006.

After listening to legal submissions by EFCC lead prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, who represented all the applicants, yesterday, Justice Gabriel Kolawole maintained that if by September 17, 2012, no one showed up to lay claim to the money, the $15 million bribe would be forfeited to the Federal Government.

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8—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

11 Army officers face court martial We are not above the law —Army

BY ALBERT AKPOR

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AGOS — THE Nigerian Army declared, yesterday, that nobody, not even the army, is above the law. It, therefore, warned that any personnel who contravenes the law would have to face it squarely.

General Officer Commanding, GOC, 81 Division, Major- General

Kenneth Minimah, gave the charge at the inauguration of a sevenman panel of senior army personnel to court martial four senior officers and seven rank and file. The officers were accused of various offences ranging from murder to misappropriation of funds.

The panel headed by Brigadier-General Edward Nze is to submit its report

within 60 days from the commencement of sitting.

On Col. Yusuf arrested on BRT lane Minimah spoke against the back drop of the recent incident between Colonel K. I. Yusuf and a staff Sergeant A. J. Adeomi and Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State over unlawful use of BRT lane.

He said: "Nigerian and, of course, the military are not outlaws. We make the laws and we should be able to obey the laws. Nobody is above the law. In Lagos State, the laws including the one governing the BRT lane are made for the good of Lagosians and we are Lagosians because we reside in Lagos. If we get it right, it will be good for us, but if we get it wrong, it will

be bad for all of us. We all have a responsibility to obey the laws. These laws are designed for our good.

The BRT lane should be avoided because it is meant to be used by BRT buses and so anybody caught using it will have to face the full wrath of the law.

“And in the case of the officer, he would have to pay the fine whether he apologised to the governor or not; that is the law. We shall, therefore, as a military, continue to do our

best to assist the state government in its pursuit of good governance for the people.”

Earlier, President of the Panel, Brig-Gen. Nze had said the officers and men standing trial would be given fair hearing, noting: “The officers and men standing trial are presumed innocent until proven otherwise. They will be well represented and are free to choose their representatives.”

FG targets $10bn excess crude account, $50bn foreign reserves by Dec Sets c'ttee on forbearance for stockbrokers

BY PETER EGWUATU

L From left: Mr Jerry John Rawlings, former President of Ghana; Dr. John Tesha, Executive Secretary, Africa Forum of Former Heads of States; Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, former President of Zambia; Nicephore Soglo, former President of the Republic of Benin; Karl Offmann, former President of the Republic of Mauritius and Mr. Richard Kasesela, East Africa Regional Representative, Friends Africa, at the Friends Africa side event on achieving the MDGs during the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Turai vs Patience: FG opts for out-of-court settlement of land dispute

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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BUJA — IN a bid to save Nigeria from further embarrassment, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, yesterday, urged an Abuja High Court sitting at Bwari to discontinue further hearing on the lingering land dispute between Dame Patience Jonathan and wife of late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, Turai.

The two women had plunged into cold war after the Certificate of Occupancy for a parcel of land originally allocated to a Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, “The Registered Trustee of Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, WYEF”, a pet project initiated by Turai Yar’Adua, was revoked by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, and reawarded to Patience Jonathan for the construction of a secretariat of the “First Ladies Peace

Mission.”

Specifically, the Registered Trustees of WYEF had applied and was granted an allocation of Plot 1347at the Cadastral Zone A00, Abuja, after paying N184,529,438 as statutory Right of Occupancy and was duly issued with the C of O by the FCT Minister.

Meanwhile, under the terms of grant, the plaintiff was given three years to develop the property based on approved building plans.

After the payments of the various levies, the plaintiff paid additional N76, 936,210.00 as building plan fees after which the grant and approval of the building plans were made and given in line with the master plan for Abuja.

The plaintiff told the court that shortly after it engaged a building company, AlCooks Nigeria Limited, to develop the property for N13, 516,013,797.58, the FCT Administration led by Bala Mohammed, on November 1, 2011, asked it to pay additional N18,529,438, which it said

was also paid.

It, however, lamented that after the various payments were made, the FCT Minister, without reason, issued a notice of revocation of the said property which it allocated to the plaintiff for the purpose of building public institution (Training/ Vocational Centre). It noted that the said letter of revocation was backdated with effect from October 27, 2011.

Meanwhile, Turai’s NGO stressed that it decided to seek redress in court upon discovering that the same piece of land was reallocated to another organisation sponsored by Jonathan’s wife.

Also joined as defendants in the suit with No. FCT/ HC/CV/2591/2010 included the AGF, FCT Minister and the Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS. Sequel to the suit, the court presided by Justice Peter Affen, issued an order barring the FCT Administration, AGIS and the AGF from carrying out further activities at the site.

However, while the order

of the court was still subsisting, the defendants in defiance of the said order mobilised people to the site to commence construction work.

The action prompted counsel to WAYE, Innocent Lagi, to initiate contempt proceedings against the respective defendants.

Nevertheless, before hearing could commence on the contempt charge, the AGF, last Friday, approached the court, asking it to vacate the restraining order.

Though Justice Affen ordered that all the necessary parties must be put on notice, the AGF, yesterday, re-approached the court, begging it to allow the matter to be settled-outof court.

Counsel to the AGF, Mr Baba Sa’idu further told the court that his client had already reached out to the aggrieved party for an amicable settlement of the dispute.

After listening to his submissions, Justice Affen adjourned till September 24 to receive the report of settlement.

AGOS — COORDINATING Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okojo-Iweala, yesterday, disclosed that the Federal Government had resolved to rebuild Nigeria’s depleting Excess Crude Account, ECA, which recently went down to $3.6 billion to $10 billion by the end of this year.

She also disclosed that Nigerian economy remained vulnerable, and buffers needed to be built up, saying: “Foreign reserves have risen slightly from $32.9 billion at the end of 2011 to $37.7 billion (June 2012) but have declined recently on the back of global developments. She said the reserve stands at $36.37 billion, but government's target is to keep the reserves at $50 billion by the end of the year.”

Okonjo-Iweala revealed that government was determined to recover subsidy money oil as the Federal Government would punish those who fraudulently defrauded the economy after its investigation is completed.

The Federal Government has discovered N422 billion as fraudulent payment to oil marketers from the N1.7 trillion total subsidy paid on fuel imports in 2011.

Speaking on the state of Nigeria’s economy in Lagos, yesterday, at a dialogue with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG and Organised Private Sector, OPS, she said government would recover the money because it was a major

leakage.

Okonjo-Iweala said the five per cent of the country Growth Domestic Product, GDP, being spent on fuel subsidy was not sustainable and the the government was trying to reduce the amount.

While briefing the OPS, on the state of the economy, the minister said a committee on forbearance package for stockbrokers had been set up to advise government on various options of intervention to safeguard the capital market.

In her words: “ I am very passionate about the capital market. It is unfortunate that the capital market is yet to rebound, but the Federal Government has limited resources to pump into the market.

"Every sector of the economy is clamouring for one form of intervention or the other. So, government is mindful of all these, and will in the short run intervene in sectors that are in grave need.

“Government is working on reviving the market through forbearance package to market operators; review of taxes, stamp duties, and other charges. It is also concerned with increasing number of listed companies and increasing pension fund investment.

"A committee on the forbearance has been set up and the members include: government agencies, such as Ministry of Finance, DMO, AMCON, SEC, CBN, and the operators in the capital market. The committee was given three weeks deadline to submit its recommendations on the modalities for the forbearance package.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012—9

800 sacked Mainstreet Bank staff protest

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

I

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, signing the visitors' register, after the flag off of school furniture, academic gowns and tree planting, initiated by the State Universal Basic Education Board in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday.

Police arrest 11 robbery suspects in Lagos zCourts overflow with divorce suits

BY EVELYN USMAN

I

KEJA—THE last two days in Lagos were characterised by intensified police patrols as the magistrate courts were also overflowing with divorce suits.

The activities, however, yielded results as the state Police Command said it picked no fewer than 11 suspected robbers while an Ojo Magistrate's Court dissolved a three-year-old marriage while ruling in one of the many marriage crisis in the metropolis.

The Police Command, while assessing its activities in the last two days, said, yesterday, that it arrested 11 suspected members of different robbery gangs that have been terrorising Lagosians, recovering 17 arms and 11 ammunition and house-breaking implements.

Also recovered in the arrest made between Sunday and Monday, were cars suspected to have been stolen.

A breakdown of the arrest as revealed by spokesman for the command, Ngozi Braide, showed that one of the arrests was about 5 a.m. on Monday at Ikorodu roundabout.

She explained that an eight-man robbery gang, which was driving in two vehicles, engaged a team of policemen attached to area ‘N’ Headquarters, Ijede, in a shoot-out.

In the process two suspected members of the gang were arrested with bullet wounds while the rest escaped in one of

their operational vehicles, a Toyota Corolla Saloon car with numberplate EL 449 GGE. Recovered at the end of the gun duel, according to her, were one Beretta pistol with number AHH-678, one Brownie pistol, three empty magazines, one wrist watch and $1 and N1,850 and one of their operational vehicles, a Mercedes Benz Jeep ML 320 with number-plate APP 443 AH. Same day, she informed that about 6.30pm, three suspected members of a robbery gang who specialized in snatching vehciles from Lagosians and sell same across the boarder, were arrested by policemen attached to Alakuko division.

The suspects, identified as Omolaja Lawal, Monday Onogun and Alade Lateef, were reportedly arrested with two locallymade pistols, seven rounds of live cartridges and a Honda Accord S/ Car with number-plate KSF 461 AL suspected to have been stolen at Ureni Yusuf Road, Alagbado.

Other arrests included that of a resident of Ijotin Oko-Afo, near Badagry.

He was reportedly arrested with bullet wounds which he confessed to have sustained during a robbery operation in Tolu area in Ajegunle.

Also, at 2 am, yesterday, policemen attached to Ipaja Division while acting on a tip-off raided a criminal hideout at 24, Bosoro Street, Shagari Estate, Ipaja and arrested three people with

one locally-made double barrel gun, two live cartridges and a matchet.

The previous day, 11pm, policemen attached to Sabo Division while acting on information arrested two people at Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, with one cut to size double gun and two live cartridges” All cases, she said, had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.

Divorce suits

In a divorce case, typical of many others in the state’s magistrates courts, a Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ojo, Lagos, yesterday, dissolved the three-year-old marriage of a petitioner who accused her husband of infidelity and cruelty.

The acting court president, Alhaji T.K. Keshinro, dissolved the marriage between the petitioner, Ramatu Abidoye and the respondent, Musiliu Abidoye, after they consented to it.

According to Keshinro: “Once the parties to a divorce suit have agreed to go their separate ways, no further evidence is required to show that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.

“The court lacks the power to force the couple to continue to live together against their wish.

This marriage is hereby dissolved with effect from July 24.”

In another suit, a 44year-old civil servant also yesterday asked a Lagos Customary Court to dissolve his marriage, accusing his wife of 10 years of always biting him.

KEJA—HUNDREDS of staff of Mainstreet Bank, yesterday, marched to the office of Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State to protest against their sack by the bank management last month.

No fewer than 800 staff were laid off on June 22.

The protesters, who converged on Ikeja Mall, to commence their protest, displayed placards with inscriptions such as, “Is transformation agenda of the banking industry meant to impoverish us; Full blown apartheid in Mainstreet Bank; Pay us our 2012 leave allowance and July 2012 salary in full,'' among others.

Their leader, Mr. Micheal Akintola, said a larger percentage of those sacked were staff of former Afribank.

He said: “Afribank was liquidated on July 6 while our appointment was terminated earlier.

This means that the bank was still functioning before we were sacked.

“And, when we were called upon to sign our termination letters, we were made to sign the letter under duress.''

“After terminating our appointment, they gave us one month basic salary as compensation for someone who has worked for over 20 years for the bank.

“We came here to alert the governor of what is happening to us and to help us speak to the President as well to intervene into the matter.

“We do not say they should not sack us, but they should pay us our benefits. We will not accept sacking us without

3rd Mainland Bridge: Total diversion slated for 2 Sundays

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

I

KEJA—AS the on-go ing repairs on the Third Mainland Bridge progresses, motorists may experience complete diversion of traffic from the bridge on Sunday, July 29 and Sunday, August 5, from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight.

Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, explained that traffic on the bridge needed to undergo total diversion at stated period to allow

I

KEJA—LAGOS State House of Assembly is considering constitutional amendment that would ensure total financial autonomy of the state legislature.

The move by the lawmakers was sequel to the adoption of a resolution following the outcome of a five-day workshop on budget and finance for members and staff, in Akwa Ibom State, which also recommended the monitoring of the revenue profile of the state.

Reading the statement at the plenary, Speaker of the House, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, told the Acting Clerk of the House to ensure

for the concrete casting of one of the three expansion joints undergoing repair on the Lagos Island-bound section to set.

The other two joints, may also be done on August 5.

According to him, the concrete casting and drying process requires zero-vibration, hence the complete diversion of vehicular traffic away from the bridge from Oworonshoki end to Adeniji-Adele end on Sunday, July, 29 and Sunday, August 5.

Makoko demolition criminal —CLO

BY INNOCENT ANABA

L

AGOS—CIVIL Liber ties Organisation, CLO, yesterday, described the demolition of Makoko, a riverine community in Lagos State, as a crime against humanity.

Lagos Assembly pushes for financial autonomy

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & EBUN SESSOU

benefits.”

However, the protesters were unable to see the governor, who was said to have gone for an inspection. They handed over their letter to the Chief of Staff, Mr. Olanrewaju Babalola, who promised to deliver it to the governor.

that the statement was immediately forwarded to all concerned Ministries, Departments and Agencies for proper Implementation.

Lifts suspension on LG fund disbursement Meantime, the House has lifted the suspension on the release of funds to Local Councils in the state by the State Joint Allocation Account Committee, JAAC. Ikuforiji also directed government functionaries and agencies involved in the investigation to forward necessary document.

He, however, urged the 10-man adhoc-committee to expedite action on the probe.

The group said the action of the state government was a serious threat to right to life and a flagrant infringement on local and international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory.

The group noted that the demolition commenced after four days of illegal quit notices were served on the people.

In a statement, CLO's Executive Director, Mr Ibuchukwu Ezike, said: “The demolition being perpetrated by the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development on behalf of the state government, continued on Saturday with the backing of heavily- armed, anti-riot policemen and retinue of other repressive security organisations in the state.”

“Eyewitness accounts told us that on arrival at the community, the armed security operatives opened fire on the harmless members of the community in a sporadic manner that culminated in the killing of an innocent citizen and injuring of several others. ''Not done with this mad and wicked act, the invaders set the community on fire in a manner reminiscent of the similar event by the same government against traders at Tejuoso Market in Yaba, Lagos.

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Briefly

Student sues IG N100m

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN—A student of Osun State College of Education, Mr. Adebayo Olaide, has filed a N100 million suit against Inspector-General of Police, a policeman, Mr. Mukailu Gujuba, with number 768142 and three others for loss of his eyes and violation of his rights.

In the suit filed at an Oyo State High Court, the applicant wants the court to determine whether the alleged conduct of the third respondent, Gujuba, who used a stick and the butt of his rifle to hit his eyes was lawful or not.

According to the charge sheet, the alleged crime was committed at Alagbayun Village in the Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area of the state.

Justice Mashud Abass, has fixed October 17 for hearing.

Motorists groan as gridlock hinders movement on Lagos/Ibadan road

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

B E O K U TA — GRIDLOCK, yesterday, forced motorists and passengers to spend many hours on the LagosIbadan Expressway.

They were subjected to mental torture as manhours were wasted for the better part of the day. The

agony was worsened by a downpour.

Vanguard gathered that the ugly situation was caused by a goods truck that fell across the expressway blocking passage for vehicles coming from the Lagos end of the road.

The incident which occurred few kilometres to

the Redeemed Christian Church of Christ, RCCG, camp, Mowe, forced motorists from the Lagos end to divert to the Ibadan lane end of the expressway.

The development worsen the situation, as it resulted in headlong traffic tussle, while victims groaned, lamenting the

WE APPRECIATE YOU...

Colonel Adenike Akerele of 68, Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, receiving award of Best Nurture of Tree in Lagos, from Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and Mr. Tunji Bello, Commissioner for the Environment at the 2012 Tree Planting Campaign, at OdiOlowo/Ojuwoye, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

ACN losses PDP, LP gain

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—TWO major groups have pulled out of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Ondo State to Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP and Labour Party, LP. The groups are the Legacy Campaign Group, LCG, and Sunshine Liberation Forum, SLF. While LCG joined the rival PDP, the SLF leadership moved to the ruling LP. President of the group that joined PDP, Mr Femi Ikoyi said the members were ready to fuse with the party at the ward and local government levels.

ACN reports LP to INEC

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—THE Cam paign Organisation of Ondo State governorship candidate for Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu,SAN, has called on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to investigate the alleged purchase of voters’ card by the Labour Party in the state.

In a statement, its Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, berated LP for being desperate to allegedly rig the October 20 governorship election in the state.

From left, Lagos Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye; Commissioner for Economic Planning & Budget, Pastor Ben Akabueze; students of Agidingbi Secondary School, at the launch of Suggestion/Complaint Box in Lagos schools, at Government Secondary School, Agidingbi, Lagos State. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

situation.

Those heading towards Lagos made a detour to the Sagamu interchange en-route Ogijo, while those coming from Lagos resorted to the use of bush-paths in Mowe village to find a way out of the predicament.

It was gathered that the presence of officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, could not give immediate succour, as many motor-

Benin Republic Yoruba monarchs re-unit with Nigerian kin

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO—THE need for a united Yoruba nation resonated when two of the three children of Okanbi, son of legendary Oduduwa, founder of Yoruba ethnic group, but rulers of different cities in Republic of Benin, paid a solidarity visit to their kith and kin in IlaOrangun, Osun State, Monday.

The host, Orangun of Ila and paramount ruler of Igbominaland, Oba Wahab Oyedotun, set the tone in his welcome address as he emphasised on the need for closer ties among the people of the Yoruba nation.

Oba Oyedotun, who gave kudos to the Onisabe of Sabeland, Benin Republic, for initiating the visit, stressed the need for greater and tighter relationship, first among the monarch sons

Oni insists Salami must be tried for alleged perjury zSays he remains PDP boss in S-West

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

A

DO-EKITI— FORMER governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Segun Oni, yesterday, insisted that the suspended President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, must be tried for alleged perjury, just as he said he remains National ViceChairman of Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP, despite the court’s pronouncement which had asked him to stop parading himself as such.

Oni, who spoke with newsmen at Ifaki-Ekiti, in Ido-Osi Local Govern-

ment Area of the state, said it was unfortunate that the court was yet to try Salami despite a weighty evidence against him that he committed the alleged offence.

He said the fact that the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Dahiru Mustapher, was a principal witness against Salami made the allegation more credible for immediate trial.

He, however, said he was not interested in the sending of the jurist to jail at all cost, adding that after trial the necessary authorities could grant him

pardon.

“It does not matter if he is not sent to jail. He (Salami) could be tried and found guilty but could be granted pardon. If you try him, I am not saying he should go to jail, he could be pardoned.''

Oni said his position should not be misunderstood for that of a politician, noting that such an offence would not be glossed over in any civilised world.

While maintaining that he was still National Vice-Chairman of his party in the South-West, Oni said the ex-parte or-

ists spent over four hours before they could get out of the logjam.

A victim, Bolaji Adeniji, narrated his experience thus, “the situation was killing.

“It took us four hours before we could get out of the place. A journey of 40 minutes from Lagos to Abeokuta took us over four hours.”

Sector Commander, FRSC, Mr. Ayobami Omiyale, described it as “terrible.”

He said motorists were virtually grounded, adding that traveling from Lagos to Ibadan became a serious problem.

der which restrained him from acting in that capacity had been appealed against, adding that the Court of Appeal has granted a stay of execution against the interim order of the high court.

Oni said: “The Court of Appeal has granted a stay of execution as the first leg of our appeal on the injunction order filed by some people who went to court for an ex-parte injunction.”

The former governor condemned the ejection of Makoko residents in Lagos, by the state government.

of Okanbi and other Yoruba in general.

The Orangun stated that a united Yoruba nation would be a catalyst for the growth and development of the race.

Oba Oyedotun used the occasion to emphasis the sacredness of the position of Yoruba Obas and the strategic position they occupy in the governance and administration of their people. He called on governments at all levels to accord them respect and proper recognition in all ramifications.

In his goodwill message, Asiwaju of IlaOrangun and former governor of the state, Chief Bisi Akande, traced the history of Yoruba and established the existence of the seven sons of Okanbi whose father, Oduduwa, founded the Yoruba nation.

Akande, who quoted from books published by Professor Banji Akintoye and Rev. Samuel Johnson, emphasised that there was no doubt about the blood affinity of Olowu, Alaketu, Oba of Benin, Orangun, Onisabe, Olupopo and Oranmiyan of Oyo, saying it was heart-warming that they were re-uniting after they were artificially separated, first by a series of destabilisation and tribulations and later by colonialists.

Alaketu of Ketu and Olupopo of Popo expressed joy at the possibility of the reunion meeting, saying it was a dream come true to interact fully with their kith and kin who had been inaccessible due to the artificial boundary created by those who do not know their historical affinity.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012 —11

Experts fault FG on siting of Lassa Fever centres and former Vice-Chancellor of AmbroseAliUniversity,Ekpoma,

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

CONDOLENCE VISIT: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (right) and Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State during Oshiomhole's condolence visit to the Oyo Governor on the death of his mother, Alhaja Sikirat Abebe Ajimobi, Monday.

ENIN CITY— MEDICAL experts have faulted the establishment of only two Lassa Fever confirmation centres by the Federal Government to service the country.

The two centres are in Edo State.

They called on the Federal Government to establish at least one of such centres in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country. The experts noted that the national approach to tackling the dreaded disease was defective “because such vital professionals

A'Ibom govt appeals to Jonathan over erosion menace

BY TONY NYONG

U

YO—AKWA Ibom State Gover nor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has sent a high-powered delegation to President Goodluck Johnathan, urging him to intervene in the devastating erosion problem facing the state.

The delegation, which met with Secretary to the

Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, it was gathered, pleaded with the Presidency, to come to the aid of the state in tackling the erosion menace in the state from the ecological fund.

Mr. Enobong Uwah, Commissioner for Environment told Vanguard, yesterday, that despite the ef-

forts and huge money spent by Governor Akpabio on erosion sites, the problem had persisted.

Uwah said Akpabio had demonstrated a holistic approach to development, touching more on the areas that directly impact on the ordinary people, adding that with the first class drainage system undertaken by the administration, part of the erosion problem within Uyo the capital city

would be addressed.

He said the state government had spent a lot of money to check the gully erosion problem in Brooks Street and Eka Road, which was threatening to destroy houses in the area.

He added that with the intensity of the rain this year, government had to act fast by taking drastic action to ameliorate the suffering of the people.

....As Delta vows to demolish illegal structures on drainage channels

BY EMMAARUBI

W

ARRI—TO prevent further flooding of cities and communities, Delta State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Frank Omare, yesterday, vowed to demolish any illegal structure on natural drainage channels in the state,

adding that the state government will deal with any youth that tries to interfere with the work of the demolition team.

Omare monitored some strategic natural drainage canals in Warri, which the state government was opening up, while some

protesting youths from Macdemoth Road in Warri, called on the government to urgently address the flood problem in the cities.

The commisioner, who calmed down the protesting youths, assure them that the tour was to enable the state embark on a meaningful solution to the perennial problem with the aim of

Alleged Abavo monarch, 24 others go into hiding rested. their interest to the State

BY EMMAAMAIZE

W

ARRI—THE selfstyled king of Abavo Kingdom in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, Chukwuma Jegbefume and 24 others, who were declared wanted by the police for allegedly declaring native war against the recognised monarch, HRM Uche Irenuma II, and people of Abavo, have gone into hiding.

They were declared wanted by the state Police Command, 24 hours after the State Security Council, at a meeting, chaired by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, last week, in Agbor, directed that the purported monarch and those backing him be ar-

State Police spokesperson, Mr. Charles Muka, confirmed to Vanguard, yesterday, that the wanted persons had gone underground, adding a manhunt for them was on and advised them to report in

Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, as earlier directed.

He said: “None of them had reported to SCID as directed, we have launched a manhunt for them.”

opening up all blocked drainages and warned against disturbing the team when work commences.

Some of the youths, who spoke to newsmen, alleged that the problem they have in that area was the Warri Dockyard Company, adding that the excavation activities of the company had blocked drainages in the area.

Omare directed contractors excavatingsandforthecompany to remove the sand immediately “The state government is determined to solve the flooding problems in Delta State and we are going to demolish any building that is blocking the free flow of water in the drainage system.

We are ready to deal with any trouble maker, who wants to make our job difficult for us.”

....As Delta monarch returns to community after 6-month exile

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—OVIE of Uzere Kingdom in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, HRH Isaac Odhuwu I, has returned to his kingdom after six months of self-exile, following violent crisis that rocked the community over his alleged collusion with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to undermine the

interest of the community.

The monarch had last December, left the community after his palace was razed by some aggrieved persons in the kingdom.

The Ovie described his purported dethronement as “illegal and an act of ignorance.”

Insisting that he remains the true and only paramount ruler of Uzere Kingdom, recognised by the state government, he said

“anyone claiming or parading himself as Ovie of Uzere is committing an abominable act and a breach of the law.”

The king, who spoke at a reception to mark his return from exile under tight security, described the ceremony as one of the most important events in his life, promising to unite the people of the kingdom in the interest of peace and meaningful development.

such as veterinarians, who have the knowledge and skill to understanding zoonotic virus (causative agent carried by rodents) were not included in the National Committee for the Control of Lassa Fever in Nigeria.”

The medical experts were in Benin City, Edo State at the maiden edition of Edo Vets Day .

A medical laboratory scientist

Professor Dennis Agbonlahor, in Benin City, Edo State at the maiden edition of Edo Vets Day organised by state chapter of Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, NVMA, said the continued outbreak of the disease needed attention of the federal and state governments, stressing that the prevailing measures being taken to tackle the problem by government was grossly inadequate.

Edebiri now ANPP BoT member

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HARCOURT— FORMER governorship candidate of All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in the last governorship election in Edo State, Chief Solomon Edebiri, has been appointed on the Board of Trustees, BoT of the party.

National Secretary of the party, Mr Tijani Tumsah in

a statement, said Edebiri will represent Edo State on the BoT. Tumsah, in a letter addressed to Edebiri, said: “I am pleased to convey to you the approval of National ExecutiveCommittee,NECofourgreat party of your nomination as a member of Board of Trustees representing Edo State.”

The board had since been inaugurated.

Group appeals to Delta Assembly over flood menace

S

A P E L E — D E LTA State House Assembly, has been asked to stop the menace of flood by sanctioning and stopping people from building on natural waterways across the state.

Addressing newsmen in Sapele, President of Niger Delta Revolution Movement, Mr Patrick Akamovba, sympathised with Sapele people

on the recent flood that led to loss of homes and property.

Hecondemnedtheactofbuilding on natural waterways and accused state Town Planning officials for not being able to stop those building on natural water ways.

He said: “Those sending relief materials will not solve the problem but stopping our people from building on natural water ways will.”

Amnesty: Group backs confidence vote on Kuku

W

ARRI—A group under the aegis of Niger Delta Youth Empowerment Front, NDYEF, has backed Chief Michael Johnny, a prominent Niger Delta activist on the vote of confidence passed on Mr. Kingsley Kuku last week.

Coordinator of the group, Mr. Emma Akpovoka, in a statement in Warri, maintained that the vote of confidence on Kuku by the Niger Delta activists led by

Chief Johnny was an attestation to the fact that Kuku was indeed, a patriotic Niger Deltan, who has been committed to the plight of the r e g i o n .

The group noted that Kuku and Johnny had contributed in different ways to the development of the reg i o n .

It further urged the people of the region to continue to live in peace and harmony.

2015: Urhobo group wants Okowa as PDP guber candidate

A

SABA—NATIONAL Coordinator of Urhobo Political Agenda, UPA, Prince Hycinth OvieTobore, has thrown his weight behind Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, representing Delta North as the only credible candidate from the zone to occupy the office of the governor in 2015,iftheoffice iszonedtoDelta North.

The group stressed that if the zoning policy of the ruling party, PDP,in the state was properly implemented, Delta North is favoured to get it, because the

south has ruled the state since 1999.

He said: “The reason we are throwingourweightbehindSenator Okowa is because of his vast knowledgeingovernment,hewas a three-time commissioner and secretary to the state government and now a senator. If the governorship ticket is zoned to Delta North, we believe he is the most credible candidate PDP can present from the zone."

He urged all socio-political groups to be conscious of what is happening in the political landscape of the state.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

From right: Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Mr. Nsima Ekere; National Chairman, Nigeria Chapter of West African College of Physicians, Dr. Ifeoma Egbuonu and National Secretary, Dr. Clement Ezechukwu, at the 36th Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the chapter in Uyo.

Ovie of Udu kingdom, HRM, Owhorhu 1 (2nd left): President-General, Union of Udu Communities, Chief Sokoh, at the presentation of a motorcycle to Mr. Ejovwoke Ozubu, by Onameyonre Foundation in Udu, Delta State.

Tinapa alleges plot by Customs to destabilise its operations zIt's a lie —Customs

BY JOHNBOSCOAGBAK-

C

WURU

ALABAR—MAN AGEMENT of Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort, Calabar, Cross River State, has accused Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, of deliberate plan to drive away investors at the place, thereby close down the multi million naira business outfit.

In its reaction, Cross River State/Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom State command of NCS, denied the allegation, saying that due process must be followed in accordance with the laws that established it.

It was alleged that recently, officers from the customs seized a bag of rice bought by a customer at Tinapa and only last week, the customs allegedly seized four washing machines bought by some customers at the gate of the resort.

A customers, Rev. Oganiru in company of two others, claimed that they bought the washing machines at Tinapa for personal use and had presented their receipts when the customs officer at the gate stopped them.

He said the custom officer insisted that they should pay duty on the machines, a development that at-

tracted the management of Tinapa.

Managing Director of Tinapa, Chief Bassey Ndem, said the customs officer told the management that he was acting on ‘instruction from above’ when he was confronted, that the goods that were not bulk purchased and not up to

the place and all relevant government agencies.

But reacting to the allegation, the CustomsPublic Relations Officer of the command, Mr. Daniel Tule, denied any paln to close down the place, insisting that due process must be followed in any business transaction.

Amaechi commissions Africa's 2nd PET plant at Eleme

BY JIMITOTAONOYUME

P

ORT HARCOURT— INDUSTRIALISATION and job creation have been identified as the twin solution to the security challenges facing the country.

Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, who, yesterday, commissioned a new world class Poly-Ethylene Terephthalate, PET, plant built by Indorama group, core investors in Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals limited, in Eleme, Rivers State, said the project will drive the nation towards the attainment of its vision 20:20 20 goals.

He expressed hope that the development will create more jobs in the state.

He also lauded the host community, Eleme for their

MIX UP WE apologise for the mixup in the caption and photograph that was used in our story, “No facts to support allegations against SPDC-Mr. Tony Attah, Vice President, HSE, Corporate Affairs”, published, in our Friday, July 20 and Tuesday, July 24 editions. The photograph is not that of Mr. Attah, but Barrister Osteen Igbapike, counsel to the oil communities.

Here is the picture of

N50,000 as stipulated by law that established the free trade zones.

Ndem, who wondered why the customs should frustrate efforts made to ensure that Tinapa was put to proper use, explained that in the last three years, there had been harmonious working relationship between

bonafide Mr. Tony Attah.

We are sorry for the error caused by printer’s devil.

—Editor

Tony Attah, VP, HSE/ Corporate Affairs

friendly conduct during construction of the plant.

On his part, Group Managing Director of Indorama Corporation, Mr. Amit Lohia, said the new PET Plant has a capacity to produce 86,000 metric tones of PET resins per annum.

The dream of Indorama,

he said, is to turn Nigeria into a net exporter of PET resins, adding “for now, Nigeria imports 100 per cent of its local demand of PET resins” and pledged that soon, Indorama’s PET production will cover all local demands, and for exports to neighbouring African countries.

Koroama women protest alleged neglect by Shell

BY EGUFEYAFUGBORHI

Y

ENAGOA—WOMEN of Koroama in Taylor Creek, Gbarain clan, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, host community to Shell Petroleum Development Company, have protested against perceived neglect by the oil company.

No fewer than 200 women, blocked the community main road, chanting war songs with leaves and placards. They claimed that the oil company with vast production facilities in the community had denied the people basic amenities and employment opportunities.

Chief Imomotimi Wariowei, who led the protest, said: “Shell is taking

our oil and has continued to deny the community potable water, health centre, light; employment of our youths and adequate intra community roads."

Edo NUJ urges more cooperation with Police

BY SIMONEBEGBULEM

B

ENIN CITY—EDO State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has called for a better working relationship between the Police Command in the state and journalists with a view to effectively fight crime in the state.

NUJ state chairman, Mr. Friday Obanor, who spoke at a reception at the NUJ Secretariat in honour of Assiatant Superintendent of Police, ASP, Titilope Otukoya, former Public Relation Officer, PRO, Zone 5 in Benin, who was

Group wants Rivers govt to end demolitionofhousesasinhuman. demolition Rivers State branch of the

BY EBELEONUORAH

P

ORT HATCOURT— Human Rights Group, Democratic Socialist Movement, DSM, has called on Rivers State Government to end the ongoing demolition of houses in waterfronts of the state and pay adequatecompensationtothose whose property were demolished.

The group also described the

Maku-Eyituoyor lauds Delta Assembly on 4 new polys

A

SABA—DELTA State Director of Special Project, Mr. Francis Maku-Eyituoyor, has commended the state House of Assembly for approving four new polytechnics in the state.

Maku-Eyituoyor who lauded the lawmakers for making the law backing the establishment of the polytechnics stated that

recently redeployed to the forceHeadquarters in Abuja.

ASP Titilope who was posted to Zone 5 headquarters in Benin in 2010 is to be replaced by Superintendent of Police, SP, Francis U. Onwuzurike from the State Police Command.

Obanor commended the officer for fostering a cordial relationship between members of the pen profession and Zone 5 headquarters during her stay in the state and urged other Police image-makers to take a cue from her.

the people of Abigborodo community are the beneficiaries of one of the educational institutions are looking forward to its take off.

The Special Project Director also hailed Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for his commitment to the development of educational infrastructure in the state and for taking pragmatic steps to solve the problem of secondary school leavers who are yearning to gain admission into tertiary institutions in the state.

group, noted that the state governmentmobilisedearth-moving equipment to Abonnema Wharf and demolished all houses and property, thereby rendering a communityofabout10,000homeless.

A statement by Mr Temple Morfordof DSMandCampaign for Democratic and Workers Rights, CDWR, said the government disregarded the court processes in carrying out the demolition, arguing that the case between the Abonnema Wharf Community and the Rivers State Government was still in court when government rolled in its bulldozers.

CORRIGENDUM IN the Vanguard of Monday, March 26, 2012 p.12 we published a news item, “Tension over arrest, remand of Delta Monarch, 4 others” in which we referred to one King Solomon Offor of Ekwuoma. The Obi of Akumazi has written us through his solicitors that Ekwuoma is under Akumazi clan and does not have a King of its own. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

—Editor

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012—13

RAMADAN TALK 06 Guide your Sahur, don't over eat

FRSC official petitions IG, alleges threat to life

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN

A

WKA—A SPECIAL Marshal, Dr. Olusegun Sogbesan, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar and the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ballah Nasarawa over an alleged assault and threat to life by the caretaker committee chairman of Idemili North Local Government area of Anambra State, Chief Raphael Nnabuife.

The council boss was alleged to have ordered his security aides to beat up Sogbesan and his wife for allegedly resisting his order during revenue drive in the area.

But Nnabuife has denied the allegation, saying that he never ordered anyone to beat up the couple as he only tried to settle a misunderstanding between one lady and some revenue officials when he went to supervise the ejection of street traders in Nkpor area of the local government.

T From left; Prof R.A. Bello, Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. O.O. Amund, Dean of Students Affairs, University of Lagos and Mrs Olapeju Ayo-Fisher during presentation of laptops to best graduating students of Dept of Computer Sciences.

From left: Managing Director/CEO, Accesslinks Property Ltd, Engr. Lanre Asamu; Executive Director, LPSI & MD, FMBN, Mr. Bola Ogunsola; Chairman/CEO, Modesty Capital, Alhaji Sheriff Yussuf and President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers Nigeria, Mr. Ariyo Olushekun, at the opening of Unique Gardens Estate, Abuja.

ECOWAS blames conflicts in Africa on inequitable distribution of wealth A

BUJA—ECONOMIC Community of West African States, ECOWAS, yesterday said inequitable distribution of countries’ wealth by governments for citizens is a major source of conflicts in Africa.

Mrs Bola Adetoun, Head, Gender Division, ECOWAS Commission, said this at the committee of experts’ meeting, organised as part of the 7th summit of African First Ladies Peace Mission.

She stressed that the promotion of good governance, equity, justice and fairness was the best way to prevent conflicts and resolve existing problems.

Adetoun said children should be protected and free from violence, particularly by parents, so that they would not extend such cruelty to the society.

“Our children should be protected from violence by the parents because if they are not free from the menace, they would begin to perpetrate violence in the society.

“Parents should also ensure peace in homes, communities and nations; if there is no peace in our

homes, such behaviour could be transferred to the larger society,” she said.

However, Mrs Linah Kilimo, Kenya’s Assistant Minister of Cooperative Development, who represented

Mrs Lucy Kibaki, the First lady of Kenya, urged African First Ladies to be more patriotic.

“All the First Ladies should leave their comfort zones and address the is-

sues facing the continent.

“They should also encourage their husbands not to become selfish with Africa and see the continent as their own, while promoting good leadership,” she said.

Presidency defends implementation of 2012 budget

BY BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA—THE presi dency yesterday defended its implementation of the 2012 budget as the Minister of Agriculture disclosed that his ministry recorded 68 per cent budget utilisation of the funds.

The alleged non-implementation of the budget was the subject of an impeachment threat against President Goodluck Jonathan by the House of Representatives.

But speaking with newsmen after briefing the president on budget performance, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, said out of N48.1 billion budgeted for capital projects in the ministry,

N13.8billion had been released out of which N9.4 billion had been spent while some of its parastatals have achieved as much as 100 per cent of the amount released to them from March when the budget was passed.

According to Akunwunmi, "the 2012 Budget was passed on the March 15, 2012 and the season started in January. N48.1billion was budgeted for capital projects with N13.8 billion released.

We have spent N9.4 billion of the amount released.

We have achieved 68 per cent utilisation at least for the ministry, while some of our parastatals have achieved as much as 100 per cent of the amount re-

leased to them from March when the budget was passed".

He said the country would be self sufficient in rice production by 2015 and would therefore raise the tariff on rice importation by 100 per cent.

The Minister noted that the various landmarks being recorded in the agriculture sector was already receiving global recognition with Mr. Bill Gate accepted to be a member of the Eminent Persons Group, EPG, that would be advising Jonathan on agriculture.

“We are getting huge amount of supports. Bill Gates has agreed to seat on the eminent persons group.

We have 36 and 6 regional Directors".

HE Prophet (s.a.w) was reported by Anas to have said: “eat something for sahur even if it is a date.

For there is in it barakah.”

(Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Isn’t it great that Allah is rewarding us for eating?

The kindness of Allah cannot be overemphasised when one ponders on the blessings in the act of eating sahur during Ramadan.

For Almighty Allah (SWT), it is not enough blessings that HE provides us with food on our table, but HE further blesses anyone who wakes up in the first rays of dawn to eat the same food to commence fasting. This meal is given a distinctive name- sahur, which is derived from the word sahar that denotes the part of night before dawn.

The prophet taught his companions and by extension, every Muslims that they should begin their fasting by taking something. It does not necessarily have to be heavy meal, in fact, overeating negates the spirit of fasting. It is advised to wake in the pre-dawn period to appropriately kickstart fasting by eating sahur among other things. Eat moderately even as you remember those who could not afford a meal for that purpose. If you have more

than what you eat moderately, give another who is seeking for anything for sahur. You can go the extra mile by asking the closest Muslim around you.

Some people have asked whether there is need to wake up for sahur if one has nothing to eat. What is however appropriate is to wake up, carry out other activities of the Ramadan night and when it is time for sahur, get some water to drink. In it, there is barakah.

It should be noted that there is no sin in not waking up for sahur if it was done inadvertently. Again, the inability to take sahur does not vitiate fast.

Another common argument now is the appropriate time for sahur. Dear brothers and sisters, sahur is not breakfast and should not be treated in like manners. While breakfast is the dawn meal, sahur is predawn meal.

Much as we know that the night is free for eating and drinking, Allah has described the time for the end of sahur as indicated in Quran 2 vs. 187 “...eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from its black thread.” The prophet also said; “Eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum makes his call to prayer. He does not make it until the break of dawn.”

NUPENG threatens to down tolls over deplorable roads

BY LAZARUS IBEABUCHI

N

IGERIA Union of Pe troleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, yesterday in Lagos, threatened to down tools over the deplorable conditions of road networks across the country.

At a briefing, President of NUPENG, Mr Achese Igwe, said the union would not give any more notice because members were disappointed that government had been paying deaf hears to the several notices and meetings held to address the issue.

He said, “If government fails to repair the nation's roads, we might stop plying these roads. The roads to Kaduna and Warri refineries are deployable and repair works have been abandoned. Port Harcourt

and Warri refineries access roads are not motorable again. Contractors were mobilized and the next thing we saw was that they moved out of site. The Minister of Works had gone round the media, saying they are repairing federal roads. But I want Nigerians to go and check. Our roads are death traps.

“My sadness is that our leaders travel outside the country to see how roads are constructed. But it is unfortunate that these people in corridor of power return to pay deaf ears. We feel disappointed because we have had various meetings and signed Memoranda of Understanding, MoU, with the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Works and other agencies involved. But till this moment, none of this MoU has been implemented".

14—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Ebonyi govt flays PHCN zOver 'arbitrary electricity bills' distributed to consumers

BY PETER OKUTU

A

From left: Dr Adamu Nuhu, Chief Medical Officer/Disease Control, representing Dr Adoj Muhammad, Executive Director/CEO, National Primary Health Development Agency, Abuja; Mr Lekan Asuni, Managing Director, GlaxoSmithline, GSK, Anglophone, West Africa and Dr. Mejebi Phillips, National Surveillance Officer, representing Dr Alex Gasasira, EPI Team Leader, World Health Organisation, WHO, Nigeria during the pneumoccocal vaccines stakeholders’ roundtable in Lagos. Photo:Bunmi Azeez.

Constitution review: Abia sets up 7-man c'ttee to articulate opinion

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA—ABIA State House of Assembly, has set up a 7-member Adhoc Committee to articulate the views of the State on the ongoing review of the 1999 constitution.

Headed by the member representing Isiala Ngwa North, Mr. Martins Azubuike, the committee which has since com-

menced sitting, is said to have consulted with a cross session of the people of the state to come up with a position for the state.

Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Alwell Asiforo Okere explained that the committee would articulate the aggregate opinion of the people on the constitution review.

Okere named other mem-

bers of the committee to include Mrs. Kate Maduako, representing Aba Central State Constituency; Mr. Mba Ukaha, representing Ohafia South; Mr. Mezie Nwaubani, representing Ukwa West; Prince Ikedi Ezekwesiri, representing Umunneochi and Prince Emeka Osoagbaka, representing Ikwuano constituency.

BAKALIKI—EB ONYI State Government yesterday condemned the perceived arbitrary electricity bills distributed by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to consumers in the s t a t e .

At a briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council, SEC, meeting, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Chike Onwe, who argued that such development was uncalled for in the face of the ongoing reform in the sector, appealed to the public to remain calm and pursue their rights through legitimate means.

This came as the state announced the appointment of a three-man economic team to join their counterparts from other states of the South East geo-political zone to work out the modalities for an economic summit as the first step towards the proposed regional integration.

Onwe noted that other

governors of the zone during their last meeting in Enugu bought into an earlier suggestion by Governor Elechi that an economic team be inaugurated to articulate the basis for the proposed regional economic i n t e g r a t i o n .

The three nominees for the

state were: Deputy ViceChancellor of Ebonyi State University, EBSU, Prof.

Egwu U. Egwu, former Managing Director of defunct Spring Bank and younger brother to Minister of Health, Mr. Mike Chukwu and Dr. Benjamin O z o .

Education: World Bank to provide $40m for Anambra

BY ENYIM ENYIM

O

NITSHA—THE World Bank is to provide Anambra about $40 million for the development of education, Mr Irajen Appasamy, the bank’s Senior Operations Officer on Education, has said.

Appasamy dropped the hint at a meeting between the bank, National Bureau of Statistics and the Federal Ministries of Education and Finance in Awka.

He disclosed that the bank planned to contribute a $150 million to three pilot states including Anambra, Ekiti, Bauchi, as well

as the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. According to him, the fund which would be released within the next two months would assist the states to prepare projects tailored towards achieving results in the education sector.

According to him, “We are working with Anambra to prepare a project which is focused on education results.It is different from the traditional approach of focusing on educational input that include employment of teachers, provision of text books, equipment, furniture and other infrastructure.

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012—15

Forgery allegation rocks APGA

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA—THE crisis rocking All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, yesterday, took a new dimension as the National leadership of the party, led by Chief Victor Umeh, petitioned the Abuja Commissioner of Police, alleging forgery of signatures of 11 of its National Working Committee, NWC, members by the Alhaji Sadiq Massalla group.

The police has commenced investigation into the allegation as men of the Command, it was gathered, had interro-

gated the affected members of the party, who raised the alert on signatures forgery.

Already, the affected members, led by Alhaji Abubakar Adamu, APGA’s North-East National Vice Chairman, had deposed to an affidavit before an Abuja High Court over the alleged forgery.

They said the Alhaji Massalla group forged their signatures, which they forwarded to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to indicate they had been participating in their meetings. The petition was also addressed to

INEC Chairman, Prof.

Attahiru Jega.

Members, whose signatures were allegedly forged, included the party’s Deputy National Auditor, Ogometu Ukpenetu; Deputy National Treasurer, Alhaji Lawal Barmo; National Organising Secretary, Dr. Gnega Femi; National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Benard Akoma; National Vice Chairman, SouthSouth, Mr. Jolly Ngbor.

Others are Deputy National Youth Leader, Alhaji Ibrahim Carefore; Deputy National Welfare Secretary, Mr. E. Sonubi; Deputy National Finan-

cial Secretary, Chief Chris Ndigwe; National Vice Chairman, North-West, Alhaji Sagir Maidoya and Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Alfred Nwosu.

The petition said: “We wish to report to you the forgery of our signatures by some members of our NWC, who have been engaged in dissident activities, recently.

“From the certified copy true copies of letters they sent to INEC, released to us by INEC on July 20, it was discovered that signatures of 11 of us hereunder, were forged by Alhaji Massalla.”

Gombe varsity students protest move to oust VC

BY JOHN BULUS

S

TUDENTS of Gombe State University, yesterday, took to the streets of Gombe Metropolis in protest against alleged planned removal of the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Abdulahi Mahdi, by the institution’s Governing Council.

President of Gombe State Students Association, GOSSA, who doubles as the interim Student Union Government, SUG, President, Abubarkar Kalosi, addressed students shortly before they staged the peaceful demonstration.

He said the students rejected the move by the

Governing Council to remove the VC, who they said had grown and transformed the university from its inception in 2005 till date.

The students accused the Council Chairman of championing his personal agenda rather than acting in the interest of the students and the state at large. They called on the state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo, to remove him as the Chairman of the Council.

Vice Chancellor, Professor Mahdi, who retired from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was appointed by former Governor of Gombe State, Senator Mohammad Goje.

Govs back Jonathan on fight against oil theft

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

M

MEETING: From left— Rev. Gabriel Ajayi, Region Overseer for Lagos, The Apostolic Faith Church; Rev. Bayo Adeniran, District Superintendent, West and Central Africa, and Rev. James Olaleye, Director of Welfare Services, at the 2012 annual camp meeting press conference, held at the West and Central Africa District Headquarters, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

Suspect in N32.8bn Police pension scam loses bid to defreeze accounts

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—THE Court of Appeal, Abuja, yesterday, threw out an application by one of the six suspects accused of complicity in the N32.8 billion Police pension scam, Mr. Esai Dangabar.

Dangabar had approached the appellate court, to set-aside an order made by the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Justice Lawal Gunmi, which gave Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, powers to take possession of his personal assets and equally freeze his bank accounts.

Justice Gunmi had directed that “all the 11 bank accounts currently being operated and maintained

by Inuwa Wada at Key-

stone and Zenith banks, are hereby temporarily frozen until the determination of the charge Number FCT/Cr/64/2012.

“Similarly, all the bank accounts currently being operated and maintained

by Esai Dangabar, Atiku Kigo and Veronica Onyegbula in the following banks: EcoBank, FCMB, Access Bank, Sky Bank, Fortis Micro Finance Bank, Aso Savings, GTB, Main Street Bank and Wema Bank are hereby temporarily frozen, pending the hearing and determination of all the said criminal charge No. FCT/64/2012 presently pending before this court.”

However, dissatisfied with the decision of the trial judge, Dangabar, headed to the Appeal Court, seeking to regain possession of his property

which EFCC insisted were proceeds of fraud.

He argued that the forfeiture order breached his right to fair hearing as enshrined in Section 36 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, adding that the order of attachment and forfeiture made on May 3, 2012 was inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution as it takes away his property right and presump-

tion of innocence.

In a unanimous decision read by Justice Kolawole Bada, yesterday, the Appeal Court resolved the three issues raised by Dangabar in favour of EFCC. The court held that the interim forfeiture order pending the hearing of the criminal charge preferred against the accused person was provided for under the EFCC Act.

INNA—CHAIR MAN Northern State Governors Forum and Governor Muazu Aliyu of Niger State, has thrown his weight behind President Goodluck Jonathan’s war against oil theft in the country.

Governor Aliyu, who addressed newsmen in Minna, yesterday, after receiving some guests from the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, NCPC, condemned those behind the act, which he said was ruining the country’s economy.

He noted that though there was hardship in the country, it should not in any way lead to oil bunkering.

He said: “It has more to do with our behaviour as Nigerians. If people steal, the money they steal is not coming back to the coffers of government and it means we have to be very serious about it.

“In the past four

months, earnings into the Federal Account Allocation Committee have been declining from what we were told and I know that people may not want to talk about it.

“I remember I was among those who visited Mr. President on some of these issues and we were able to resolve some of them in terms of what is happening on the ground that we are not very familiar with.

“It should not only be about security and protection of lives and property, but we must ensure that people do not steal. It is not only a Federal Government issue but all of us at the state and community levels must join in this fight.”

Governor Aliyu called on various communities hosting oil pipelines in the country to be vigilant and keep vigil over these property to save the country from the hands of these thieves, who make Nigeria to lose billions of naira.

Nasarawa gov to return to PDP

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—STRONG indications emerged, yesterday, at the National Secretariat of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that arrangements were under way for Governor Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa State to dump Congress

for Progress Change, CPC and return back to his former party, PDP. National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, was told, yesterday, that the governor will return to the party once the crisis bedevilling the party in state was resolved.

Speaking, yesterday,

during a visit to the national leadership of PDP, leader of a faction of PDP in Nasarawa State, Dr. James Angbazo, who noted that Governor Al-makura still remains a member of PDP at heart, said he was only bidding his time to return to the party because of what he termed

the crisis rocking the Nasarawa State PDP. It will recalled that AlMakura was forced to dumped PDP last year after he was schemed out of the governorship primaries.

He pitched tent with CPC on which platform he won the 2011 governorship election.

16—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Borno House approves N1bn agric loan

BY NDAHI MARAM

M

EDUCATION: From left— Mr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Minister of State for Education; Dr. Ahmed Modibbo, Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission; Anambra State Deputy Governor, Mr. Emeka Sibeudu, and Governor Peter Obi, presenting education materials to Chinedu Okonkwo during the flag off of South-East Distributions of Instructional Materials to Basic Education Institutions in Nigeria in Awka, Anambra State, yesterday.

Bauchi earmarks N62.5m for Ramadan

BY SUZAN EDEH

B

AUCHI—BAUCHI State Government has earmarked N62.5 million for feeding during the Ramadan period.

The government’s Ramadan feeding for breaking fast in Bauchi metropolis is expected to feed no fewer than 10,000 daily.

Deputy Chairman of 2012 Bauchi State Ramadan Fast Break Feeding Committee,

Alhaji Salisu Barau, who briefed newsmen, yesterday, said the 20 local government areas in the state were expected to make their feeding arrangement.

Barau, who said the earmarked amount would be released in three installments, explained that already one third of the amount had been made available to the 120 designated mosques in the metropolis, where feeding had also commenced.

Senate advocates more funding for agencies

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

S

ENATE, yesterday, frowned at what it called Federal Government’s poor funding of its agencies. The Senate said there was no way the government can achieve its reformation dream if there were no positive changes in the implementation of budgets to enable agencies have funds to run their affairs smoothly.

Senate Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, stated this while on an oversight function to the corporate headquarters of National Directorate of Employment, NDE, in Abuja.

The committee’s Chairman, Senator Wilson Ake, said he was disappointed at the poor funding of NDE in view of its enormous challenges.

Council boss blames insecurity on poverty

BY SUZAN EDEH

B

AUCHI—CARETAKER Chairman of Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Alhaji Mohammed Sadiq, has attributed the prevailing insecurity in the north to the poverty level in the country, especially among the youths.

Sadiq, who addressed newsmen, yesterday,

said the insecurity situation had seriously affected North’s socio-economic, political activities considered to be the bedrock of development.

He blamed the situation on lack of political will to empower the youths, especially by politicians, who had failed to consolidate on the gains of democracy while in office.

AIDUGURI— BORNO State House of Assembly, yesterday, approved a request by Governor Kashim Shettima, seeking to obtain N1 billion agricultural loan for the state’s farmers from the Federal Government.

The House also approved N16 billion as Special virement.

The approval was sequel to a debate on the motion, when it was presented on the floor of the House.

Majority Leader, Mr.

Idrissa Jidda, representing Ngala State Constituency, moved the two motions, which was seconded by Mr. Bukar Gana of Mobbar and Mr. Rawa Bukar of Gulumba Oloji state constituencies. Jidda said the need to obtain the loan had become necessary, as it will assist peasant farmers in the state.

He added that the approval of the N16 billion virement was because there were some sectors of the state’s economy that needed to be given more financial backup.

Two NYSC members die, 4 injured in Makurdi road mishap

BY PETER DURU

M

AKURDI—TWO National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members died, yesterday, while four others are in critical condition at a hospital in Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State, following an accident involving a 14-seater bus, which crashed into a farmland on MakurdiAliade Road.

The ill-fated vehicle, a Volkswagen bus belonging to the Anglican Communion, Diocese of Otukpo, plate number Benue AE 135 JUX, was conveying the corps members from the Benue State Orientation Camp in Wannune, to their places of primary assignment in Otukpo.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that the driver of the bus, conveying the 14 corps members apparently fell asleep while on top speed, “and all we saw was that the bus skidded off the road and somersaulted several times in the bush.”

He said members of the Igbor community rushed

to the scene to rescue the victims.

He said: “When we got there, we alerted the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, which also rushed to the scene.

“As we axed the bus, we discovered that two of the occupants were dead, while others were rushed

to Saint Vincent Hospital Aliade for treatment.”

Among the early callers at the hospital, where nine of the victims were recuperating, was Governor Gabriel Suswam, who lamented the unfortunate incident.

Governor Suswam, who also visited the state sec-

retariat of NYSC in Makurdi, directed that the victims be transferred to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, for further treatment.

When contacted, Benue State Public Relations Officer of NYSC, Mr. Chidi Nnorom, confirmed the deaths.

Plateau flood: 10 more bodies recovered

BY AKANINYENE EZEKIEL

J

OS—TEN more bodies were discovered, last night, in the five communities of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, which were flooded, Sunday. This was revealed by Abdulsalam Mohammed, Zonal coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, North Central Zone.

However, a source said about 15 bodies was recovered at Gada Bako area of the city, adding that the death toll had

risen to 40, while many are still missing.

Speaking, yesterday, at Government Secondary School, Gangare, Jos, while distributing relief materials to victims of the flood, Mohammed said NEMA’s duties include providing succour to displaced persons and cushioning the hardship they face in the camps, where the victims are taking temporary refuge.

Meanwhile, Plateau State Government has condoled the Muslim community over the unfortunate disaster, which occurred at Gangere, Rikkos

Tudun, Angwan Rogo, Corner Shagari and Abba Na Shehu areas, which saw scores losing their lives, while no fewer than 200 houses were destroyed, rendering many homeless.

Leading the state government delegation, Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Mallam Idi Waziri visited the Jamatul Nasril Islam, JNI, at Jos Central Mosque.

Waziri, who represented Governor Jonah Jang, said the governor was worried over the unfortunate development.

Mark preaches peace at Dantong's burial

BY AKANINYENE EZEKIEL

J

OS—SENATE Presi dent, David Mark, has urged total forgiveness from the people of Plateau State as the Senator representing Plateau North, late Gyang Dantong, was, yesterday, committed to the mother earth in Jos, Plateau State.

Mark said true forgiveness of the perpetrators of violence in the state would ensure timely answers to prayers by God, who taught forgiveness, adding that Plateau people should continue to imbibe the peace they are known for as the Senator would not have died if there was peace in the state.

The Senate President, in Jos at the funeral service of the late Senator Dantong, who died two weeks ago when attackers invaded a mass burial site at Maseh village in Riyom Local Government Area of the state, said time heals all things.

He added that many things were going wrong

in the nation but soon, the constitution amendment would address such wrongs.

He said: “Time heals all things. The late Senator was a sacrificial lamb for peace in the state. He would not have died if there was peace in the state. I urged all to imbibe true forgiveness.”

— 17 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012— “If spider webs unite, they can tie up an elephant.” -Ethiopian Proverb.

HE rather untidy involvement of the military in the relocation of villagers around Jos to enable operations against identified terrorists has thrown into sharp relief the current engagement and disposition of the military in the affairs of the nation. The fiasco which attended the relocation order amidst deep suspicions and recriminations, some of them targeted at the military itself is yet to settle down. An institution which exists essentially to wage war, the military has been left virtually alone to conduct sensitive public relations, separate warring communities, provide relief, and undertake confidencebuilding measures while it plans an operation against what it says are identified terrorists.

Ordinarily, the operation around Barikin Ladi and Riyom should have been preceded by sound legal advice and guidance on relocating the villagers and the manner in which their basic rights may be protected or shielded from undue assault. The National Human Rights Commission should have had a say in this. The National Refugees Commission should have been involved in all stages of the relocation, documentation and provision of relief once the movement became necessary.

The National Emergency Management Agency would also have been involved in mitigating hardships and further threats to the I.D.P.s. The Plateau State Government would have been involved in every stage of the exercise. Ward, Village and District Heads and other community leaders would all have been involved right from the beginning in every stage of the controversial movement of thousands of Fulani villagers and herdsmen who were deeply suspicious of both the Plateau State Government and the military.

The military operation itself should have been preceded by professional collaboration to gather intelligence. If the process of intelligence-gathering had worked well, building on the cooperation of the community and local-level vigilance as well as the capacity of the police and the SSS to monitor suspicious movements, this rather laboured approach to flush out terrorists detected through air surveillance may very well

T

Nigerian Military: One egg in all baskets have been avoided. As it was, the military may very well have had to rely entirely on its own means of detecting the enemy, and choosing its mode of engagement.

The more the military performs tasks or responsibilities which should be handled by other agencies, or should be performed jointly, the less likelihood there is that these agencies’ capacities will be improved enough to enable them to do their jobs properly

,

,

The pervasive role of the military in dealing with severe challenges to internal security and threats to law and order has been a feature of our nation’s approach to handling national crises.

Because the police and other security agencies were not involved, the military ’s brutal efficiency in suppressing internal challenges to security have left indelible marks in Zaki Biam, in Udi, in Maiduguri, in Kano and many parts of the north today. Every

President Goodluck Jonathan, Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria spectacular impact of the military represents a major setback in the capacity of our police and other security agencies to do their jobs well. Every major involvement of the military leaves behind it massive wreckage of rights of citizens and communities, huge collateral damage in social and economic assets while they raise new political problems in place of security issues.

Military's professionalism casualty

T

he military’s professionalism has been an early and costly casualty in the manner it has been stretched and stressed to perform every task in the name of security, law and order. An outfit which has achieved international

acclaim for peace-keeping and peacebuilding, our military has been put in a situation where it closely resembles our police. It was intimately involved in fighting militancy in the Niger Delta, but was suspected to be actively involved in large-scale bunkering and crude theft.

It has been accused of connivance to commit electoral fraud. It has been used to suppress civil protests, separate warring communities, enforce curfews, provide physical security for V.I.Ps and protect key and vulnerable points routinely. Now it is involved in fighting terror, and appears to be alone in this.

Once the police withdrew its hundreds of checkpoints in town and highways in the north, the military was left alone and exposed. Soldiers mann checkpoints, and behave the same way the police did.

Opportunistic agencies such as F.R.S.C, N.I.S and N.D.L.E.A set up shop close to military checkpoints to stop, search and make brisk business.

This is no way to treat an otherwise vital national asset. The more the military performs tasks or responsibilities which should be handled by other agencies, or should be performed jointly, the less likelihood there is that these agencies’ capacities will be improved enough to enable them to do their jobs properly.

The military is not likely to yield ground to the police and SSS in the fight against JASLIWAJ (Boko Haram) it will claim it earned it with valour and blood. With the frightening amounts being spent on security by state and federal governments, as well damaging rivalries between the security agencies, the nation may not see the end of the insurgency as early as it wishes.

The pivotal role of the military in all internal security, law and order matters today is a severe indictment of the police and intelligence agencies. The reality is that the average Nigerian has no faith or confidence in the police to do the most basic of its jobs. Still, making the military do police work as well as its own is not a solution. President Jonathan should be more active in finding solutions to the JASLIWAJ insurgency and other internal security challenges, so that he can address the fundamental issue of the collapse of the Nigeria Police, and reversing the damage done to a professional military in the last few years.

OPINION

BY CALLISTUS OMOREGIE

Continued from page 18

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ESIDES, there are feelers that there is a question mark on the education qualifications Oshiomhole filled in his INEC form. The PDP had published an advertorial signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Matthew Uroghide, in some newspapers on July 12, 2012, in which it drew the attention of Edo people to the issue. This may present a serious ground for litigation, except the PDP does not want to pursue that option for reasons that may be best known to it. And even if the PDP chooses not to go to court, Oshiomhole should not rejoice because ill-gotten victory will not endure.

But the PDP’s reaction to ACN’s post-election euphoria has been that the election was fraught with irregularities. Even if that line is not pursued in court by the party, the message has been clearly delivered. According to the party, in a statement issued by its Chairman, Dan Orbih: “Just before the close of polls of the July 14, 2012 governorship election in Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, in a reaction before the media, strongly indicted and accused Professor Attahiru Jega and Edo State INEC of colluding with Edo PDP to compromise the integrity of the election. This accusation which arose from the Governor’s observations on the conduct of the election is also published in the national newspapers of July 15, 2012 and especially on the

Edo guber polls: Rejoice not Oshiomhole front pages of the Sunday Vanguard and Tribune newspapers. In the accusation, Governor Oshiomhole said he will ‘...fight this [INEC] debauchery’.

“Edo PDP agrees totally with Governor Oshiomhole that the election was fraught with high and pervasive irregularities. In addition to the Governor’s observed ‘high and pervasive irregularities’, Edo PDP wishes to record the following facts and to make them public: That Edo PDP had, before the election, opposed the use of currently serving NYSC members in Edo State to conduct the elections. Facts abound everywhere that NYSC members used as INEC officiating staff became agents of the ACN, served its purpose and subverted the voting process.

“That in several units, voters were deliberately prevented from voting through non-provision of authentic voters’ registers. This action disenfranchised a lot of the voting public in those units; that party agents of the NCP, SDMP, LP and CPC at the polling units became agents of the ACN in order to compromise the process. Some of these agents are known ACN members; and that the released results show a pattern of figures being prearranged. There are infallible reasons to believe that figures had been allocated to the various voting units in the 18 local government areas long before

the election took place.

“That INEC officials at polling units illegally permitted the use of photocopied and cloned voters’ cards to vote at the centres. This gave rise to multiple voting from people who were not qualified to vote at those centres. It also made it possible for vote figures to be bloated and falsified. You will recall that Governor Oshiomhole at the stakeholders meeting of July 6, 2012 in Benin City tendered some of these cards to INEC Chairman Professor Jega as exhibits; and that of the over one million, two hundred registered voters for the election, only a little over six hundred were accredited, a development that was deliberately orchestrated to deregister a larger percentage of voters and deprive them of their right to vote.”

Well, against the backdrop of the above, it will be the height of criminal arrogance for the ACN and its candidate to continue to present to the world the saintly mien simply because they have not been exposed for what they are: scientific riggers. After all, the opposition raised the alarm before the election but the world was deceived by their “one man, one vote” mantra, which the PDP seemed to be genuinely committed to, but which to the ACN was a façade to garb its rigging plan from public perception.

Concluded

*Mr. Omoregie, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY JULY 25, 2012 STATES complain about the size of their civil service. Most of them do nothing about it.

The services are over-staffed. This accounts for the fact that most states are unable to foot their overhead bills. Most States are classified as “civil service States” because their bureaucracies guzzle the lion’s share of funds federally allocated monthly.

A typical civil service is lazy, inefficient, corrupt and has ghost workers. State governors have the responsibility to ensure the workforce is sufficient for optimum service delivery without constituting a drain on public resources needed for development. The complaints are increasing; diminishing public resources make it mandatory for governors to rescue the situation, otherwise States are doomed.

Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi recently used his State to illustrate the waste the civil service could be. According to him, delivering a letter to the head of a government department could involve as many as five clerks. Some people join the civil service with falsified documents. Employment racketeering abound in most civil services.

Some retirees find their way back to the payroll, while ghost workers haunt resources of

Bloat ed Civil Ser vices Bloated Services the States like real ghosts. According to the governor, the situation is so bad that 85 per cent of the State’s revenue go into recurrent overheads, leaving only 15 per cent for capital projects.

A decision to conclude a staff rationalisation exercise that the preceding administration of Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala started is generating a lot of heat. Alao-Akala hired consultants who performed a staff audit that disengaged 3,000 workers. Some vested interests are reading political meanings into it.

Governments contemplating “right-sizing” should ensure fairness is applied in disengag-

ing staff from service. Focus should be on those who join the service irregularly and use of modern technology to clear the service of frauds that now dominate many of the pay rolls. Biometric technology is useful in this regard.

Another challenge that bisects the service at all levels is its reduction to an appendage of the political party in power. Political patronage has adverse consequences for the service. It also creates instability.

Oyo State Government is setting up a committee to hear cases of those wrongly listed for retrenchment. The action is commendable, especially if the process ensures fairness. It would give people a feeling of a listening government.

The task of reducing the cost of governance has become a national challenge. We advocate that a collective constitutional approach would include limiting number of political appointees. Bloated civil services are drags on governance. Without an efficient civil service, governments cannot discharge their duties to the people. Important as the service is, it cannot be at a cost that would drown the government.

OPINION

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BY CALLISTUS OMOREGIE

HE much-talked about July 14, 2012 governorship election in Edo State has come and gone but contending issues around the conduct and outcome of the poll will continue to ricochet in the polity until they are resolved.

This is why the beneficiary of the poll, incumbent Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who contested on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, should be well advised not to rejoice yet or not to even rejoice at all because of the irregularities that typified the process that threw him up.

The totality of the theatrical outburst by Oshiomhole which characterised the accreditation of voters and the conduct of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has exposed the underbelly of the Governor’s stratagem: To incite the people (just in case the election did not favour him) by raising the alarm that the electoral body was working in cahoots with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo to rig the election in Edo South Senatorial District of the State.

But I was not deceived by the diversionary tactics employed by the Comrade-Governor. Reflecting on his allegation and condemnation of INEC and its Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, while the accreditation was still in progress on the election day, it is now apparent that Oshiomhole pulled a fast one on the main opposition party (PDP) which was conned into believing that the Governor’s rigging plan had been frustrated by the INEC whereas the plan was working out perfectly.

Oshiomhole had said: “If accreditation is to stop by 12pm and by 11 am (it is after 11 am now), there are no materials in some polling booths, it then means Prof. Atahiru Jega and INEC have no plans to conduct election. The whole idea is to frustrate the people so that they will not be able to vote, and they will declare a fake result. Prof Jega and

Edo guber polls: Rejoice not Oshiomole INEC have been an embarrassment to the nation. I am in shock with all the arrangements they have made sensitizing the people; and, I told them, INEC needed to be sensitized.

INEC is the weakest link in the Nigerian democratic chain.

I have no faith in what INEC is doing in Benin City.

“This is designed for where majority of the people are denied the right to vote and this time around, I have told them this country either decides on whether to move on or move back; I see sponsored editorials saying whatever happens we will go to court, but today we have to sort out the issues once and for all”. In fact, a statement by his Chief Press secretary, Peter Okhiria, wherein the Governor’s condemnation was contained, further quoted Oshiomhole to have said he held Jega responsible for the failure of the election and for disenfranchising the people as INEC had connived with the PDP to involve in scientific rigging.

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ccording to Oshiomhole: “They planned it and executed it this way. It is a shame that they have programmed this to embarrass the Nigeria nation. If INEC do not allow the people to vote and they pronounce the winner there will be trouble…. Fifty five percent of voters are in Edo South and 40 percent in Benin City, and they think they can deprive the people the opportunity to vote. Prof. Jega has failed us because I wrote a petition that they are buying voters card. We will all go to court before God. They know that if it is two people remaining they will not vote for them”.

These were the intimidation, blackmail and high drama that Oshiomhole introduced into the process, thus making an objective assessment by political watchers extremely difficult. He played the mind game and succeeded in demonizing the INEC and the PDP in the minds of Nigerians

as entities who were out to rig the election in Edo State and particularly in Edo South Senatorial District. With this, attention was diverted from the ACN and the totality of its rigging plan, which was then clinically executed.

The outcome of the poll in which the PDP did not win a single local government area raises a critical question against the backdrop of the huge mobilization and campaign by the party? Is the ACN claiming that its government has built infrastructure in every nook and cranny to deserve widespread support; such that it would win the entire Esanland and even the home base of the PDP candidate, whereas, Oshiomhole himself admitted during the governorship debate that his government had built about 20 percent of the infrastructure and that he would continue to do more. So, it is clear that it was not about development in the neglected rural areas. If it was not, then what happened?

How did the ACN do it? Time will tell.

But curiously, at the end of the day, Oshiomhole ended up being the beneficiary of an election which he claimed was fraught with irregularities. Trust Oshiomhole’s incredible capacity to approbate and reprobate on the same issue. He had quickly turned round to rationalize the alarm he raised and the allegation he made. And the whole world is probably no longer amused about his repulsive disposition and antics.

Well, the ball is in the court of Edo PDP to explore postelection options that it deems appropriate. If it decides to go to court, then Oshiomhole should be well advised not to rejoice yet.

Continues on Hakeem Ahmed's pg *Mr. Omoregie, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012— —19

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NE wouldn’t know if this is a sign of political ineptitude or an admission of failure but with his claim that his government is being distracted by insurgent activities in parts of the countryactivities that have crippled his ability to deliver on his electoral promises, President Goodluck Jonathan increasingly appears to be at a point between a reluctant president and a confounded one.

In the past when the President made such apparently artless claims many tended to praise him for his humility but that line can no longer sell. Not since the President made his now-notorious statement that he declared his assets publicly in 2007 but only because President Umaru Yar’Adua did (which he believed was not right anyway) and that he, indeed, doesn’t now give a damn what Nigerians thought of his refusal to fulfil the moral obligation of publicly declaring his assets in a country where public officers clearly couldn’t be bothered between the difference between personal and public property and have turned the national treasury into personal purse from which they routinely help themselves- not since the

President drew the battle line on public declaration of assets can he present a humble face to Nigerians any more. The boy without shoes from Otuoke has grown feet too big for any made-in-Nigeria shoe.

He has lost all that assumed artlessness that many thought was a sign of political honesty and innocence. Here is a president as clever and foxy as any we’ve ever had. Which made his statement that security issues have swamped his administration’s capacity to meet his electoral obligations quite a damning self-appraisal.

At the 60th National Executive Council meeting of the PDP last week, President Jonathan told his gathering of party faithful that at the inception of his administration their primary focus was to make power more available to Nigerians and generate more jobs. But now, the President went on to say, his administration’s gaze has been shifted from these twin objectives to security, no thanks to the activities of insurgent groups across the country who have made life and property very unsafe. This is to put the matter rather mildly because in truth what seems to be the case, really, is that large parts of the country are gradually

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railroaded into a state of total chaos and turned into killing fields by terrorist groups that have taken a measure of this administration and come to the conclusion that it is weak on many counts. What President Jonathan has said, without seeming to realise it, is that his political agenda has been changed and he has been handed a new script by a motley crowd of miscreants, party thugs, common thieves and hardened criminals all united under the anarchist agenda of fomenting both ethnic and religious war in the country.

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ccording to the President, his administration is being distracted by the activities of the insurgents who now force him, he appears to be saying, to concentrate on addressing the security challenges thrown up by these anti-social elements rather than improving the country’s power sector and providing employment for more Nigerians.

Viewed from one angle, both power generation and provision of more jobs are one and the same

Making millionaires at Aso Rock and the White House

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CTUALLY, the title is misleading though only by half. Unless he was already a millionaire, a president of the United States must perish the thought of becoming one while in office. Any dream of converting political power to capital gain, or, in plain terms, plenty of money, must wait until the door to the White House has been shut behind him. But whether or not the doors to big money will be opened for a former American president as the doors of power close on him depends on his performance in office and his continued relevance to the socio-political process. The president of the richest and most powerful country in the world earns a fixed annual taxable salary of $400,000 and a non-taxable allowance of $50,000 for expenses. And that’s it, no penny more: no food, newspaper, furniture, car, entertainment or other allowance. No security vote, even, though you would think that, as “policeman of the world” and chief pacifier of the universe for capital, the United States has security concerns enough to justify a special vote for its president. But, no, he has no such vote, and, somehow, the country remains powerful and more peaceful than security-voteloving Nigeria. Yet, that is not all. A president of the United States, as other top functionaries, cannot keep for himself any gifts given to him. This would include the gift of a church to his holy hometown, were that ludicrous scenario possible in “God’s own country”.

The stringent control of the US president’s emolument enshrines a fundamental principle of state: that public office is a duty, not a passport to riches nor a licence for all manner of charges on the commonwealth. For, any dollar falsely taken by a government official is a dollar

less for some public need: a school, a street lightbulb, a road, a library, a museum, a park, a sewer, etc. This ethic of governance embraced by every civilised polity is the very opposite of the “come and chop” philosophy famously enunciated by General Olusegun Obasanjo. In Nigeria, public office is not a call to duty, not the privileged opportunity to serve the common good, but an invitation to selfenrichment. Tellingly, Obasanjo announced this amoral idea of government in rebuke of a public servant who dared to be critical while still in office. It was delivered with all the wisdom and experience of a two-time head of state, for, after all, who should know better? And it is Nigeria’s shameful contribution to statecraft.

I said that my title is partly misleading and here’s why. Although Bill Clinton left the White House nearly penniless, mostly as a result of costly legal suits that arose from his hitherto uncontrollable philandering, he has since become a multi-millionaire. But the change in fortune began with his best-selling memoirs, My Life, published five years after he had left office and for which he got a $10 million advance from his publishers, the biggest for a presidential autobiography. As the Monica Lewinsky affair dimmed and his semen-soiled image was laundered by time, Clinton’s undisputed intellect and political savvy — in particular, his reputation as the saviour of the Democratic Party in the post-Carter years — led to huge speaking fees. It didn’t hurt, either, that his post-presidency platform, the Clinton Global Initiative, keeps him in the limelight. Nor that in the epoch of image and personality worship, he is as much a celebrity as he is a

objective-one drives the other. A major reason industries have folded up and relocated to other parts of the world was because of the parlous state of Nigeria’s power sector. It’s been a long time goal of government since the return to civil rule in 1999 to set things right in the sector. But while many have raked in billions of Naira, funds meant to increase the country ’s power-generating capacity, into private pockets, Nigerians get enveloped in thicker darkness. At a point, the Yar’Adua administration of which Jonathan was a part, declared a state of emergency in the sector, making it an area of key attention but nothing came of it beyond the hot air that was blown around the issue and more billions that went into private accounts. Then President Jonathan came on the scene and pretended to be going ahead with the Yar’Adua plan in a vacuous attempt to create a sense of continuity between both administrations. Again, nothing doing. The President pussy-footed so long on the power sector issuehe dithered on the matter without showing any sign that he knew what should come next until the mindless groups, ranging from herdsmen, ethnic jingoists, religious and political revanchists to common criminals and killers, in different parts of the North, to say nothing of armed robbers down South- all of these came on the scene to muddle up the already fouled river of national stability.

Now the President wants us to believe that the observable failures of his government were borne of the distractions caused by the outlaws that threaten both the peace and national cohesion of this country.

Well, President Jonathan would need to do more than come up with

statesman. So that in the US and around the globe, corporations and causes are prepared to break the bank to hear him speak.

Ironically, a Nigerian establishment, N d u k a Obaigbena’s ThisDay, holds the record of the second highest speaking fee of $700,000 paid to Clinton.

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ut what is most interesting about Clinton’s pre- and post-White House careers is its stark contrast to our heads of state’s corresponding careers

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President Jonathan: Where does the buck stop?

Government will need to act fast to halt the slide into mayhem; soon it might be everybody onto themselves; each new attack gets deadlier than the last and all we hear are words

Nigeria’s so-called leaders not only enter office as paupers and become princes the next day but leave wealthy beyond fantasy; which is why elections are do-ordie battles

,

before and after their Aso Rock tenures.

Before the White House, Clinton had been attorney-general and a two-time governor of Arkansas. But neither as governor nor as president of the richest country in the world did he become a millionaire; for that, he had to wait till he had left office.

It is a fact he acknowledges with some satisfaction thus: “I never had any money until I got out of the White House, you

lame excuses such as this. Ensuring security of life is a major task of any administration. It is routine requirement. A state that cannot secure the lives and property of its citizens has failed a crucial test of relevance. It follows, also, that a leader that cannot make the citizens feel safe cannot continue to lay claim to the allegiance of the people. What Nigerians want to see is action not listen to idle words that have no practical effect.

More than any other time in the past, the President now sounds like a repeating clock, a stylus caught in a groove with his parrot remarks and promises to end the activities of terrorists across the North and other category of criminals in other parts each time a new tragedy is unleashed on the people. While we still have a semblance of governance in some of these places, government will need to act fast to halt the slide into mayhem. Soon it might be everybody onto themselves. Each new attack gets deadlier than the last and all we hear are words.

Whole villages are sacked and towns and cities are shut down and all we hear are the same dry, uninspiring words. One begins to wonder if this administration has any thing to offer beyond the worthless words and excuses that lead one to question the preparedness of the present administration to rise to the demands of the times. Yet in the midst of these clear failures which the President admits to, he still had the presence of mind to engage in party talk, slamming the perceived opponents of the PDP who want them out of power. Surely, this President doesn’t seem to appreciate the enormity of the challenges before us all. Wake up Mr. President and smell the coffee!

know, but I've done reasonably well since then”. Last year, Clinton earned $13.4 million in speaking fees. We know this because his wife, Hillary Clinton, is obliged to disclose his earnings in her annual financial disclosure report as Secretary of State. This is to guard against conflict of interest, against influence peddling to the benefit of her spouse.

All of this, of course, is incomprehensible to Nigeria’s so-called leaders. They not only enter office as paupers and become princes the next day but leave wealthy beyond fantasy. The “come chop” philosophy of manic and primitive accumulation blinds them to any distinction between self and state: they are the state and the treasury their personal property to do with as they please. Which is why elections are do-ordie battles fought for the singular goal of control and distribution of petro-dollars as spoils of war. Consequently, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for government officials to publicly declare their assets. Try telling our I-don’t-care president that in the US he and his aides are fond of citing when it suits their fancy, he couldn’t escape the duty of disclosing his wife’s finances in his own assets declaration with the claim that Mrs Jonathan is a private citizen.

Aso Rock and the White House: two seats of government, the one a monument to duty, service and probity, and the other a shrine to monumental corruption.

20—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, , 2012

Drama as ffather ather diso wns 1 0-yr -old disowns 10-yr 0-yr-old son for roaming the streets

By DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

Debate of the masses

Boko Haram: Voice of Jacob, hand of Esau?

I

T came as a shock for resi dents of Abeokuta when a father who claimed to be fed up with the erring ways of his son publicly disowned him and invited who ever was interested to come and take him away. Vanguard Metro, VM, gathered that the enraged and seemingly irrational father of the rejected child, Sodiq Wasiu, is an Abeokuta-based Tipper Lorry Driver known simply as Baba Sodiq.

Baba Sodiq was reported to have disowned and abandoned his 10-year-old son, for roaming about the streets of the town since January.

The good news is that help has come Sodiq’s way as the state government has come to his rescue by adopting him.

Explaining how the innocent boy was rescued, former Secretary, Zone G of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, told VM that Sodiq was sighted at Iwe-Iroyin Press Centre in Abeokuta and on interrogation confirmed that he had been on the streets for months.

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Brief interaction Sodiq, during a brief interaction, claimed that he has never attended any school even at his age, adding that his mother left his father some years back and now resides in Lagos.

It was further gathered that the victim after he was ordered out of home participated in the fuel subsidy protest which took place in Abeokuta some months back, though the organisers •Sodiq... Disowned by father were ignorant he was a homeless child.

The young boy in an interview said he makes ”This was done and the According to family ends meet by soliciting police handed over the sources, he was simply for alms and sleeps un- boy back to me and I subfed up with the boy and der shanties in any sequently handed him had sworn he would not part of the town he over to the Ministry at have anything to do with finds himself. However, about 2.30pm on Thurshim anymore, including having him under his roof. The sources informed that the father ’s claim was that the boy has become notorious for frequently running away from home for no justifiable reason.

However, some residents who spoke to VM after narrating his plight day,” Kayode-Adedeji faulted the father ’s dishe was taken to Ibara said. position towards the boy, Police Station by where As at the time of filing arguing that the little he was accommodated this reports, the Welfare boy’s alleged run-away for 24 hours.

Ministry has relocated tendency was not Police report obtained him to the Juvenile enough reason to abanAccording to Kayode- Remand Home located don him.

Adedeji, the State Com- at Asero, Abeokuta missioner for Social Wel- where it is believed he From a broken home fare, Mrs Elizabeth will enjoy better upkeep.

On his own Shonubi, has been conVM, however, learnt part, Kayode-Adedeji tacted, but she advised that when the police viswho has taken up the that a police report ited the Erunbe home of challenge of seeing to should be obtained for the father in the town, he the boy’s welfare, obonward transfer of the was reported he had served that he was just boy to the Ministry. avoided meeting them. an innocent boy who

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that Nigerians do not see themselves as a family.”

“We must realise that IKE joke, the Boko Haram menace has Nigeria is highly blessed taken an international co- and only Nigerians are louration as no one is not seeing that. Outsidsafe anymore, not even ers have seen it and will those who started the do everything in their movement and were fi- power to overthrow this nancing it,” observed nation and we are inadOkey as the CMS-bound vertently aiding them to commuter bus waded its achieve their aim,” said way through the early Jide.

“You see, before you morning traffic.

“How do you mean,” judge another person’s Paul, another commuter action or inaction, try and see all sides of the probasked.

Replied Okey: “Have lem. When President you not noticed the dar- Jonathan went to Brazil ing nature of the attacks for the Earth Summit, recently? Without a some people cried blue doubt, some outsiders murder. But come to think who have been waiting of it, why wouldn’t the and praying for the dis- man go for a summit that integration of Nigeria he had indicated interest have cashed in on the sit- in going long before uation and are funding now?” asked Ben. “He should have canthese people to destroy the nation. They have dis- celled the trip. For God’s covered that each time sake, his country was the group struck, govern- burning and he was goment is a bit confused; so ing for Earth Summit, no they have started sup- be even better summit,” porting the group with said Rose.

“If the country was huge funds.”

“Of course, he who pays burning nko? Na today the piper dictates the Nigeria begin burn? Na tune. So if they are giv- the man be fire service?” ing them huge sums of replied Nike sarcasticalmoney to do their bid- ly.

“Yeah, to you, the sumding, they will do it. After all, money answers all mit may be unimportant because you do not know things,” said Mark.

Commented Kate: “The what it is all about, what initial financiers seem to it means to preserve the be no match for the new earth. You will underfinanciers. So the one stand when tsunami and with more money carries earthquakes happen in the day. If na you nko? Nigeria; when your crops You will definitely go for fail and hunger stares the higher pay. Abi, who you and your children in the face,” said Ben. no like better thing?”

“What contribution did “It’s so sad. How can people be so unpatriotic? he make at the summit?

Willing to sell their con- He was just there as an science and their people observer. So as far as I am for peanuts?” queried Obi concerned, he would have been more useful at to which Iyke replied: “Ah, it’s no peanuts ooo. home,” insisted Rose.

“More useful doing We are talking of billions what? Fighting Boko of dollars.”

“Ok, so if an outsider Haram? There are people pays you billions of dol- in charge of that,” noted lars to wipe out your en- Ben, adding: “Think of it tire family, will you do this way, if for every attack of the terrorist so?” asked Obi. To which Iyke replied: group, the President sits “I will not. I will collect at home, then the nation the money and save my will be grounded because family. But the truth is the attacks are constant”.

CONTACT: mykeboh@yahoo.co.uk

BY EBELE ORAKPO

He was simply fed up with the boy and had sworn he would not have anything to do with him anymore, including having him under his roof

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needs affection and attention. “He is from a broken home and in view of the fact that the mother had since parted ways with the father, it’s not surprising that he will display some errant behaviour which I think is not enough to leave him to his fate.

“After my interaction with him, I am optimistic that his future is bright if given needed affection. He told me that he is interested in going to school and I want to appeal that we should rally round him.

I visited him on Sunday.

You needed to be there to see his excitement when he saw me. I burst into tears because I realised he had missed the affection of his parents.

And that is why I’m inviting all and sundry to join hands with us to make life meaningful for this boy”.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012 — 21

Aviation stakeholders urge FG to invest more in the industry

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VIATION stakeholders have urged the Federal Government to encourage airline operators through investing more in the aviation industry.

The stakeholders made the call in Lagos at a conference organised by the publishers of an aviation magazine “Business Traveller Africa (BTA)’’. The theme of the conference was “Strengthening Business Travel in West Africa’’.

In a speech, BTA editor, Mr Dylan Rogers, called on the government to consider partnering with both local and foreign airlines operators to drive the industry forward. “Aviation business is very big and wide. It’s all about money; government should subsidise and float a National Carrier.

This will benefit the country and its citizenry. The floating of the carrier will make it more affordable for citizens to fly and have faith in the industry,’’ Rogers said. He also urged the government to promote the ‘Open Sky’ Agreement in such a way as to enable local airlines compete favourably and give air travellers room for choice.

According to him, the government should focus more on air safety to bring back the confidence of Nigerians in flying, as the recent Dana plane crash had affected local flights. Also speaking at the conference, the Sales and Marketing Director, ExecuJet, Mr Stephen Paddy, urged the government to provide facilities for smooth operations to encourage investors.

“Local airlines do not have the huge capital to train and retrain their staff, and at the same time, provide facilities that the government should have provided,’’ he said. Paddy said that airline operators should collaborate with the government to set rules and regulations to govern the aviation industry. He advised foreign airlines to understand the rules by their host countries, to enable them work better with the people and the government.

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-2.65

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

0.269 25.2059 187.5253 240.5287 41.2996 232.4279 156.1234 154.89 232.4446 1.9794 24.2522

0.279 25.2873 188.1307 241.3052 41.4329 233.1782 156.6274 155.39 233.195 1.9858 24.331

0.289 25.3686 188.736 242.0816 41.5662 233.9285 157.1313 155.89 233.9453 1.9922 24.4097

CBN Exchange rate as at 24/07/2012

From left: Kofoworola Ayodele, Channel Sales Manager-English West Africa (APC by Schneider Electric), Marcel Hochet, MD/CEO and Josiah Mogbonjubola, Enterprise Account Manager-English West Africa, all of Schneider Electric Nigeria during a media interactive session with IT editors in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

Govs tasked on CBN’s agricultural loans to boost food production

BY WILLIAM JIMOH

T

HE 36 state governors including the FCT administration have been urged to take advantage of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s new agricultural financing initiative to boost food security in their states.

The scheme is called Nigeria Incentive Based Risk Sharing Scheme for Agricultural Loans’ NISRAL. The immediate past national President of the Nigerian Association

of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Dr. Simon Chukwuemeka Okolo, who made the call, lamented that over 50 years after independence, Nigeria could not attain food security and urged the governors to address the anomaly through the CBN NISRAL. “The agricultural value chain covers a complete range of activities involved in the agricultural process, from the farms to the consumer tables.

“It encompasses the inputs (seeds,

Expert tasks regulatory bodies on housing finance delivery

A

real estate consultant, Mr. Adeyemi Williams, has urged the country ’s regulatory bodies to harmonise and implement all pending reforms on housing finance delivery.

Williams, a Managing Partner in Adeyemi Williams and Company told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that there were about eight housing bills before the National Assembly. He said that these bills were critical to the housing finance delivery in the country.

“There are about eight real estate related bills before the National Assembly and if these bills are passed into law, it will improve housing finance delivery,’’ he said.

Williams said that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) should take a holistic view of the sector and discharge their duties.

He said that the poor state of the Primary Mortgage Institutions (PMIs) must be critically resolved as

it was an indication of inefficiency in the system. According to him, the current situation where only two out of 90 PMIs are listed on the capital market shows that the options for raising funds have not been fully exploited. Williams said that commercial banks and insurance companies should be encouraged by the regulatory bodies to commit more of their funds into the housing sector.

“Commercial banks should buy into emerging credit registry firms, while the credit registry firms should deploy efficient systems that will enable fast credit search process,’’ he said. Williams canvassed that the government should reduce the time frame for accessing the National Housing Fund (NHF) loan to a maximum of 30 days. “This is because contributors to the fund are stakeholders or unit holders, thus the approval must be streamlined to facilitate quicker access to mortgage.’’

equipment, irrigation, fertilizers) producers, funders, provider of storage, technical and management support, distribution, processors to the wholesaler/retailers and exporters who will get the products to the consumers. They must all come together under one umbrella to have a full understanding of the chain.’’

“A strong agricultural value chain will ensure that fertilizers and high quality seeds are readily available and farmers have access to technical and management support, a ready market for their product, where the processors must have secured the supply of appropriate inputs and a ready market for output, and the consumer gets access to good quality and appropriately priced goods” he said.

He noted countries in Africa, Asia and South America that have used agricultural value chain concept to transform their agricultural sector into very huge success stories, pointing out that such a feat is not beyond Nigeria if government can integrate the small holder farmers into the value chain concept through cooperatives this will fast track the agric transformation process.

He recalled the groundnut pyramids of Northern Nigeria, the cocoa in the west and palm produce in Eastern Nigeria that have sustained the country until the advent of crude oil.

He, however, added that, Nigeria can recapture her once nostalgically high position and be able to feed her people if the government and the private sector can collaborate to nurture a system that will urgently produce great commercial farmers like we have in the developed economies.

22—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Oando posts N6.6bn half year profit … Set to list OEPL in Canada’s stock exchange

BY PETER EGWUATU

O

ANDO Plc has announced its unaudited results for the six months period ended 30 June, 2012, posting N6.6 billion Profit After Tax (PAT).

The company ’s turnover for the period under review grew by 31 per cent to, N350.6 billion compared to

N267.8 billion jn 2011.

Gross profit increased by 8 per cent to N33.9 billion compared to N31.5bn in 2011. ProfitBefore-Tax (PBT) decreased by 20 per cent to N10.4 billion compared to N12.9 billion in 2011. ProfitAfter-Tax decreased by 4 per cent to N6.6 billion compared to N6.9 billion in 2011.

Resources Inc. OEPL executes farm in agreement to acquire a 40 per cent participating interest in the Qua-Iboe marginal field (OML 13).

Oando Energy Services’ (OES) fourth rig commenced extensive refurbishment programme in anticipation of commencing a swamp

O p e r a t i o n a l Highlights show that Oando Exploration and Production (OEPL) completed the drilling of a second well in the Obodeti-Obodugwa field.

OEPL receives date for the completion of the Reverse Takeover (RTO) of Canadian listed Exile Resources Inc., to create Oando Energy

From left: Registrar/CEO, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, Mr. Emmanuel Ajayi; President, CIS, Mr. Ariyo Olushekun and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema during the CIS visit to the NSE, in Lagos.

Aluminium Extrusion assures on product quality, pays N10.99m dividends

C

HAIRMAN of A l u m i n u m Extrusion Industries Plc, Dr. Pascal G Dozie, has assured that the company will not compromise its product quality even in the face mounting challenges in Aluminum industry.

This is even as shareholders approved N10.99 million cash dividends recommended by the board of directors, which translates to 5 kobo per share.

A d d r e s s i n g shareholders at the 20th yearly meeting, Dozie, informed that the company has continued to take steps to improve the quality of its products, adding that it

has evolved certain strategies to ensure that it attracts new customer, while retaining the patronage of old ones.

He noted that they succeeded in installing a new and modern Step Tiles Machine for roofing business in the course of the year.

“We will continue to be creative in marketing our products knowing fully well some creativity in marketing in order to survive. Your company shall continue to work with the rest of the industry for the review of policies threatening the Aluminum industry inn general. Our prognosis for 2010 is that our performance would be tied to the review of these policies” he assured.

He explained that in

spite of all odds and difficulties, the company managed to record a modest improvement in turnover and profit.

The turnover rose from N1.61 billion in 2010 to N1.72 billion during the year, showing an increase of seven per cent. The Net Worth increased from N295.68 million in 2010 to N331.94 million in 2011.

The profit after tax, however, nose-dived by 21.67 per cent to N47.25 million, as against N60.32 million in the corresponding period of 2010.

The chairman explained infrastructural deficit, high interest rate, security concerns as well as lack of protection for local manufacturers all contributed to impede on

for 2012. The year so far has experienced s i g n i f i c a n t developments across the oil and gas sector, we remain steadfast in our commitment to grow our businesses in line with our strategic focus.The E&P division has been notified of a closing date for the RTO transaction and the subsequent listing of OER on the TSX on the 24th July 2012. The division signed a Farm-in Agreement for the acquisition of a 40% Participating Interest in the Qua Ibo field (OML 13), which immediately increases our 2P reserves by 5mmbbls, whilst also delivering a successful drilling programme in the Obodeti-Obodugwa field (OML 56), which promises an imminent increase in our oil reserves and production.

Ecobank, Portuguese bank sign bilateral agreement

C M Y K

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

drilling contract with an IOC in 2013; Oando Gas & Power (OGP) commenced commercial operations on the EHGC pipeline and flowed gas to its anchor customer.

The Federal Government of Nigeria attempted full deregulation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the first quarter, which initially hampered our ability to operate at our regular efficiency. A new PMS pump price of N97 was set and our operations across the nation regularized in the second quarter. Our LPG strategy continues to gather momentum with the delivery of over 343,000 cylinders.

Commenting, Mr. Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, Oando PLC said: “We are pleased to report our Half Year performance

its retained profit within the period.

BY CHINEDU IBEABUCHI, WILLIAMS JIMOH & RITA OBODOECHINA

E

COBANK Group said it had entered into alliance with Portugal’s third largest commercial bank, Banco Espírito Santo (‘BES’) to develop trade and investments between Portugal and Africa.

In a statement by the bank, the Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”), which was

UNICEM targets 5m tons production capacity

By JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

T

HE United Cement Company, one of the largest cement manufacturers in Nigeria has proposed to increase its production capacity from the current 2.5 million tons per annum to five million in 2013.

The decision to increase the production capacity at its Mfamosing site in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State and

the construction of new facility which is expected to take 36 days was taken at its July 2012 Board meeting.

The management of the company explained that the increase would compliment the federal government’s backward integration policy on cement production as well as make the product available and affordable at the South-south, South East markets where it holds market shares and where the demand of the product is high.

signed at BES’ Lisbon headquarters envisages joint effort and cooperation on the network of customers and branches of both banks to support and encourage trade and investments between Portugal and Africa and in particular Lusophone Africa.

“We look forward to working with BES to develop trade and investments between Portugal and Africa.

Ecobank is currently present in 3 Lusophone countries and this alliance will enable us to leverage our presence and local knowledge in these countries as well as in the other countries in Africa where we are present to better serve BES’s customers in Portugal and Europe doing business in Africa,” Mr. Arnold Ekpe, Ecobank’s Group CEO said.

Mr. Ricardo Salgado, President of BES added that there is already a deep connection between Portugal and Africa, owing to our shared heritage. “We look forward to working closely with Ecobank to capitalize on the trade and investment opportunities that are springing up, particularly as a result of growing trade between Portugal and Africa”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012 — 23

EDITED by Adekunle Adekoya

DIARY Select ICT events z2012 International Conference on Engineering and Applied Science. Holds 24 - 27 July in Beijing, China. zeduWeb Conference. Holds 30 July1 August in Boston, Massachusetts, USA . zSIGGRAPH 2012.

Holds 5 -9 Aug in Los Angeles, USA. zInternet Show Africa. Holds 11-12 September in Johannesburg, South Africa

Preview

New inventions shaping life and living

Puncture-free tyres Wheel with Outer Rim (ORIM) is a new tire technology minimizing rubber material in order to save the cost of vehicle maintenance. With this modern wheel technology the rim size is kept to the smallest diameter possible, leaving the space for break drum and axle accommodation.

Then there will be a large space remaining between the required wheel diameter and the modified rim diameter, so that, the small size tire is placed over the rim. The remaining space is occupied by a reinforced hoop member with its outer periphery enclosed by a tread belt.

I N S I D E C M Y K

ISPON begins nationwide search for software talents

zNames Ndukwe knowledge ambassador for national software contest

BY EMEKA AGINAM

O

N the heels of the global soft ware contest powered by Microsoft Corporation which held in Sydney, Australia a fortnight ago, the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) has flagged off this year's edition of the National Software Competition, in collaboration with the Cross River State Government. In addition, ISPON also named immediate past EVC of NCC, Engr. Ernest Ndukwe the "Distinguished Knowledge Ambassador" for the software contest whose grand finale will hold at the National Software Competition and Conference slated for October.

It would be recalled that last year's contest, which held at the Tinapa Resort in Calabar, was also sponsored by Cross River State Government

Software is tool for change

Describing Ndukwe as a knowledge champion in ICT whose leadership of the telecoms regulator, NCC re-awakened the nearly comatose communications profession and industry in Nigeria, ISPON President, Chris Uwaje while flagging off the national software competition told journalists that Nigerian IT professionals and youths have in the past decade recognized the potentials of software as a dynamic tool to change the world with and resolve the many challenging ambiguities associated with

Let the telecom operators be

KNOWLEDGE AMBASSADOR: Chairman, Open Media Group, Engr. Ernest Ndukwe has been named Distinguished Knowledge Ambassador by ISPON. Here, Ndukwe, ISPON President, Mr. Chris Uwaje and the Personal Assistant on IT to the governor of Cross River State, Henry Asor jointly present the trophy for this year's National Software Conference and Competition, TINAPA 2012. Photo: Emeka Aginam. life and development.

Optimistic that the event will actualize potentials of Nigerian software initiative, he recalled that last year ’s competition unexpectedly threw up Abia State Polytechnic as winners of the national software competition cup, adding “and that is some of the lessons learned from ICT knowledge development process. That is, anything can happen — all nations have equal chances to emerge winners,” he explained.

Software crucial to Vision 20-2020

Meanwhile, Governor

Vyclone makes video sharing app for iPhone

Imoke who was represented at the press conference by his Special Assistant on ICT, Henry Asor noted that national software policy engineering was important in achieving Vision 20-2020 and the mission of re-branding and transforming Nigeria. Incubation and development of software, he said, was imperative for enhancing productivity, creating new jobs, enabling more efficient businesses, producing higher quality of goods and services, and leading to greater innovation for the creation of wealth.

He said that the theme for this year and the apointment of Engr. Ernest Ndukwe as Distin-

guished Knowledge Ambassador were both significant and timely as it seeks to promote conscious national awareness on the imperatives for developing Nigeria’s indigenous intellectual property in the software knowledge space.

“It is our belief that this knowledge conference and competition adventure will unleash the currently suppressed ideas and creativity of Nigerian software professionals and the entrepreneurial spirit and skills of our teeming youths, as well as create the platform for beneficial networking and business attractions.

“Cross River State Gov

Agu: The Nigerian software lion has roared

Continues on Page 27

‘Nigerians not maximising use of GSM technology’

24 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Vyclone makes video sharing app iPhone Let the telecom firms be for HOOTING an iPhone

W

HEN, a few months ago, the Lagos State Government created an agency which it named the Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit (URFU), not a few eyebrows were raised.

In the first instance, not a few of the raised eyebrows were concerned that in the face of exploding demand for government resources in the area of services provision, yet another organization was being created which will further take its own share of the limited resources. In an era when the clamour is for less government, we are indeed expanding the sprawl of governance and increasing the cost.

But that can come later.

What is of greater concern is the mandate of the new URFU, headed by Mr Joe Igbokwe. I had written about this issue recently under the headline: As another regulator comes alive in Lagos.

Igbokwe went to town a fortnight ago, and warned that telecommunications masts which did not meet ‘installation standard’ would be pulled down.

These standards, largely unknown, will be applied to telecom masts and I can begin to guess the first targets. However, it would appear that URFU didn’t just come out of the blue; an indication to this effect could be discerned a few years ago. At a public forum in Lagos during the last year of his tenure as EVC of NCC, Engr Ernest Ndukwe had informed his audience of concerns in some government quarters in Lagos about telecom masts, and he had told them that of the figure given by those who raised the concerns, only about one quarter could be domiciled in the telecoms sector.

Immediate past president of ATCON, Engr. Titi Omo-Ettu, reacting to URFU’s declaration of intent said that though 6,196 masts were available in Lagos state only 1,599 or 25% of them are properties of telecommunication firms, and OmoEttu should know.

A number of issues come up here: the 75% or 4,597 masts, which do not belong to telecoms firms are probably the ones URFU is targeting. I assert thus because ina situation where we are all clamouring for improved telecoms services, telecoms masts should not be pulled down arbitrarily, lest innocent subscribers be cut off from their service providers.

That already is happening in various parts of the country, where states and local governments are shutting down base stations to effect payment of one levy or the other. In fact, it is disheartening to see communities which petitioned GSM firms in 2002, 2003 for establishment of base stations turning around t o “gbeghe” such base stations.

That is not counting the recent face-off bet w e e n NESREA and NCC on the same issue of “standards”, or uncountable demand notices fo payment of one levy or the other.

But that is what and who we are as a people and as a nation. The superstructure of any progressive society is law and order; in its absence, there is anarchy. If we have a constitution which stipulates that posts and telecommunications matters shall be on the exclusive legislative list, the least we can do is to respect that constitution, and abide by its spirit and letters. Right now, the only regulator for the telecoms sector is NCC, and no state or local government should under any guise try to perform its functions. It is constitutional abuse to do so.

In any case, why don’t we all face PHCN and ensure that machinery of state-sponsored extortion stops tormenting us?

Aren’t we all paying more for electricity that is not supplied? Let the telecoms sector be with its regulator and let us get another crucial sector off the ground.

Right now, the only regulator for the telecoms sector is NCC, and no state or local government should under any guise try to perform its functions

S

video with your fiends just got a lot more interesting. Meet Vyclone, a social video creation, collaboration, and sharing app for the iPhone and iPod touch.

The app lets two or more users create a collaborative video with others who are also shooting an iPhone video in physical proximity to them even if you’re not friends with or even aware the other people are shooting a video.

The result is an almost instant multi-angle video of an event that you’ll swear was created by a professional video editor.

“Working as a musician for years, I noticed that people were always taking video of their favorite moments of each concert, but there was no way for them to share their different viewpoints with each other,” said co-founder and chief creative officer Joe Sumner. “We created Vyclone to solve that problem and the result is something that goes far beyond concerts to finding a new

Nokia 808 Purview medium for expression.”

To do its magic, Vyclone uses the GPS in your iPhone to determine your location. If you’re recording a video with the app at the same time and place as another person, then the app will automatically edit together your two videos into one ultimate video mix. Bring four people together in the same spot and Vycone will combine all four video streams into a single synchronized mix.

Once you’re done recording -– videos are currently limited to one minute in length — you’ll

have the option to make the finished product available for just your crew (people you’re linked to on Vyclone), the Crowd (people who were around you when the video was recorded), or Everyone.

Finished videos can be shared in one tap on Facebook and Twitter as well as saved to the camera roll on your iPhone or iPod touch.

You can upload your video clip with tags or a comment. Uploads can be done right after you’re done shooting over your phone’s data connection, but can also be saved

within Vyclone to upload later when you’re connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot or have a more reliable data connection.

Once uploaded Vyclone will find people who were near you at the time of shooting and automatically edit together your videos into one multi-shot completed video. If you don’t like the automatic edit, you can also manually adjust it with Vyclone’s built-in video editor.

Much like you can with other video and photo sharing apps, Vyclone also has a gallery of videos created by others on the app you can browse through, allowing you to see at a glance what videos are popular at the moment, as well as what videos Vyclone has decided to feature.

All public videos can be re-edited by alone. So, if you see a video and think you could do a better job, you have the option to do so. If you’re at a concert or event, a nearby feature on the app will let you see what other Vyclone movies have been created near the space you’re in. The feature could also come in handy if you’re traveling somewhere new and want to get a sense of what’s going on around you.

Vyclone is currently available for iOS only, and is from the App Store. zCulled from Mashable .

Chams, Zinox, NIMC, others back NCS Cashless 2012

BY EMEKA AGINAM

A

S the the cashless society conference of the Nigerian Computer Society, (NCS) for the latest thinking, innovative products, services and policies on information technologies for development opens today in Uyo, Chams, Zinox, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Image Technologies, Data Sciences, Sidmach, Omatek Computers, MobileAppTek, Iris Smart Technologies, Dataflex, and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) Plc have thrown their weight behind the summit by exhibition and sponsorship.

NCS is Nigeria’s leading professional organization dedicated to advancement with information technology. With attendees from all sectors of the economy the NCS event attracts an audience of professionals, executives, IT managers, CIOs, CTOs, academics, consultants, educators, policy makers and other stakeholders in IT. NCS Cashless 2012 opening in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State today is dedicated to creating a sustainable cashless society with technology.

A cross section of African students at the just concluded Microsoft Imagine Cup Software competition in Sydney, Australia. Photo: Emeka Aginam.

Participants, according to the NCS President, Sir, Demola Ademokola will find the latest products, trends and information on Cashless, Mobile Applications, Technology and Business Solutions.

Exhibitors, he said, will use the event and demonstration area to showcase their latest products and services and hold meetings with interested attendees. Through practical demonstrations these organizations, explained will improve brand awareness while attracting even more patronage.

“It is a unique yearly opportunity for extensive

brand profiling in front of top professionals and stakeholders in the IT scene.

“While the private sector organizations come to sell their products and services, and the social and governmental organizations come to raise policy and advocacy issues, knowledge management practices are facilitated in the process.

“With eye opening, enthusiastic and knowledge sharing demonstrations and interactions attendees are given opportunities to learn firsthand from experts how a particular device or software program works or

improves efficiency and effectiveness, or the details of new policies” he said.

Also, exhibitors learn from the attendees who visit them and through various informal networking opportunities where participants share their experiences and perspectives. Employees of many of these exhibitors also participate in conference programs and sessions, either as registered attendees, or as presenters. Information gathered by these organizations is used to improve the IT products and services that the whole economy depends on.

C M Y K

— 25 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012—

C M Y K

26—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Airtel, RBF offer N10m star prize for Got Talent show

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

W

ITHIN two weeks of the commencement of auditions for the Nigeria’s Got Talent Show across the country, Nigeria Telecommunications Services Provider, Airtel Nigeria and Rapid Blue Format have announced a star prize of N10 Million Naira for the Show.

With this offer, all the Gifted Nigerians, male and female of all ages with talents in acrobatics, magic display, fire eating, ball juggling, dancing and others have a chance to showcase their talents in the reality Television show.

The show auditions according to the organizers, will kick-off in Abuja between the 31stof July and 1st of August at the Rockview Hotel before it moves to the Coal City, Enugu on the 3rd of August at the Independence Hotel.

Other cities where the talent showcase would take place include: Calabar on August 7, Port Harcourt on 9th, Warri 11th, Benin 13th, Ibadan 16th with auditions ending in the Centre of Excellence, Lagos on August 18th and 19th.

Commenting on this project, Executive Producer, Rotimi Pedro described the programme as a definitive talent show for Nigeria which stands out as unique show.

“This is the definitive talent show in the country at the moment; the

zAfrican acrobatic dance displayed at the occasion in Lagos. encompassing nature is strictly unique to the Got Talent brand and puts it ahead of other shows”, he added.

For the Chief Operating Officer & Executive Director, Airtel Nigeria, Deepak Srivastava, “Airtel is pleased to partner with RBF to empower talented Nigerians. Aside providing a great platform for talented Nigerians, we are also passionate about thrilling and exciting telecommunications consumers across the country. Airtel is excited to tour the country on yet another credible project that will celebrate and reward Nigerians especially its youth following the brand vision to remain the most

loved brand in the lives of Nigerians.”

Nigeria’s Got Talent reality show, powered by Airtel Nigeria would run between July and December this year featuring amazing performances and stunts on National television.

According to the organizers, the Nigeria’s Got Talent Show has no demographic barrier as any body could emerge ultimate winner and grab the 10 million prize money.

It will be recalled that Nigeria apart from South Africa is the only African country that has been able to secure the Got Talent franchise and is set to experience the magic of the show like

other nations across the world.

The Got Talent franchise has produced many notable performers in the last couple of years including Diversity, Bianca Ryan and Britain’s Got Talent’s 2009 1st runner up Susan Boyle, whose debut album became the fastest selling UK debut album of all time, selling over 3 million copies in the U.S amongst others.

The franchise currently in its 6th year is one of the fastest growing international franchises, closing the gap on other successful franchises such as ‘The Weakest Link’, ‘The X Factor’ and ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ amongst others.

A

T least African software developers are expected to win up to $20,000in the Google Apps Developer Challenge competition aimed to give software developers in Africa and across the globe an opportunity to show the world what they can do with the Google Apps and Google drive platforms.

Staff and students of tertiary institutions also stand to win an additional cash prize of $1,000 for getting to the semifinals and an additional $18,000 for their departments if they go on to win the grand prize.

The competition was a follow up to last year ’s Android Developer Developer Challenge for Sub -Saharan Africa which saw three winners emerge (one from Nigeria and two from Kenya) to claim the grand prize of $25,000.

This competition is the latest in a series of programs that Google has C M Y K

3 African developers to win $20,000 in Google's apps contest been holding across Africa over the past eighteen months, increase the quantity and quality of locally developed software applications in the region.

The competition requires software developers to submit a software application that falls under one of the following categories: including Enterprise / Small Business Solutions, Social / Personal Productivity / Games / Fun, Not-forProfit: Education / Water / Food & Hunger / Health According to the global

search engine, developers who take part in the competition would be split into 6 geographical regions namely: Sub Saharan Africa, Latin America, Middle East/North Africa, South East Asia, India and a sixth region that comprises the rest of the world.

The prizes to be won include Chrome Books for all the semifinalists and up to $20,000 each for a total of 18 winners (one for every category in each region).

Google is also looking to highlight the innova-

tions by female software developers and is offering an additional $1,000 prize to any all female team that makes the semi finals.

Meanwhile, Google will be partnering with various Google developer groups around the world including Nigeria to host events that will help inform and prepare software developers for the competition.

Already, the window for submission of entries opens on the 25th of July 2012 and closes on the 24th of August 2012.

Huawei drives smart phones sales

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

I

N apparent move to deepen its smart phone sales in Nigeria, Huawei in partnership with Etisalat Nigeria last week launched a sales drive promotion in Lagos.

Amongst the devices listed for the promotion includes the Huawei Gaga Smartphone bundled with free data packages along with the U8800, G3610 Dual SIM, and the E5 Mobile Wifi.

With this development, customers stand a chance of winning exciting gifts including brand new devices free with the Buy-2Get-1 Free Promo purchase of Huawei G3610 device from Etisalat.

According to the compa-

ny, the promotion is set to commence at all Etisalat outlets and customers will be enjoying mouth-watering gift items and free data bundles on Etisalat’s superior easy blaze data service. Customers will have a chance to purchase Huawei devices as Roadshow promotion which kicked-off from 9th, July 2012 across Lagos metropolis.

Managing Director Huawei Devices Nigeria, Mr. Tony Liangwei, said that the promotion is coming against the backdrop of the company’s determination to triple its Smartphone sales from 20 million, which represents 600 percent growth in 2011 to between 40 and 60 million in 2012.

Angaye lists role of RITCs in national development

D

IRECTOR-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Professor Cleopas Angaye has said that the establishment of Rural Information Technology Centres (RITC) across the country, by his agency, is aimed at bringing Information Technology to the doorstep of Nigerians.

He also said that the RITCs are also to provide a community-based platform for youth empowerment through e-learning and capacity building in Information Technology and community-based trainings in IT-enabled outsourcing and promoting equitable access to assets (credit, education, information, and technology).

Angaye added that the Internet centres will also help to minimize migration from rural to urban areas by providing the means for rural dwellers and the semi-urban population to become part of the evolving knowledge based society and to participate in an economy that is driven by Information Technology According to him RITCs will promote decentralization, enable local administrative units to be upgraded, plan development activities, and enable Local Governments to work closely with NGOs and Community organizations.

Angaye made the remarks at the Commissioning of one of the Rural Information Technology Centers (RITC) at Aiyegunle-Ejuku, Yagba-East Local Government of Kogi State on July 06, 2012.

The commissioning of the Rural Information Technology Center (RITC) in the State is one of NITDA’s Information Technology (IT) programs to provide Internet access

and development of IT. The RITC is a technology-driven response to the need for the active involvement and participation of rural and grass root populace in a knowledge society.

Other developmental programs NITDA is pursuing are the establishment of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), Post Graduate Scholarship Scheme for Masters and PhD Students in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector, Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure in Tertiary Institutions and development of Software Development Centres.

Angaye said NITDA which was established by an Act of Parliament has the statutory duty of establishing guidelines and standards for electronic governance, e-learning and guidelines for sectoral application of Information Technology in the economy and framework for the manufacture, sales and uses of computer hardware and software systems and framework for the development of National and State Information Infrastructure Backbone, and among many other functions.

He said NITDA is also empowered by law to facilitate universal access to Information Technology, a key mandate that has inspired the establishment of RITC and many others scattered all over the country.

According to Angaye NITDA is totally committed to provide Information Technology penetration in the country, including rural and underserved communities, adding that although NITDA has done its best to bring modern and life-changing technologies closer to the people of Aiyegunle- Ejuku, the project will fail if the community does not own it.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012— 27

‘Nigerians not maximising use of GSM technology’

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

M

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part from voice calls and data, what other benefits can we derive from use of this technology?

We can use technology to fight crime by the use of toll free lines. We can design a product people can use to offer information on security. It can also be used to plan a hitch free election and fight fake drugs. It can equally be used to track stolen cars. With this, it will be easier for security agencies to tracks cars that are not registered in Nigeria and this will make their work easier. With our telecom solution, we can write a programme and query it. Although, we are distributors of transmission equipments, we can sit down with our clients and visualize where their client want lies. Our partnership with the core telecom operators has resulted into increase in their revenue base. One of the areas of the partnership is in deploying a technology can enable them see traffic build up. The tech-

zAmechi: We are not using technology to fight crime...

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R. Amechi Stanley is the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Leystel Nigeria limited, a Nigerian based IT Consulting firm and wireless communication service that specialized in tailoring a quality wireless communication solutions and adding value services. In this interview with HiTech, he bared his mind on telecom operation in Nigeria, the explosion, challenges and the potentials in the economy, and forecasts that satellite telecommunications will soon die out in Nigeria. Excerpts: How would you appraise the Nigeria telecom market?

The Nigerian telecom market is a fast growing market with high teledensity rate of over 92m active subscribers but Nigerian market is lacking the basic infrastructure and requisite skills to deliver one stop solution to the teeming subscribers.

Again, the market is not growing as it should, compared the way other countries that manufacture technology do because it consume a lot of technology without manufacturing. Our cost of deploying fibre is high. We don't have what it takes to move at the desired speed compared to what obtains in other places.

We can use technology to fight crime by the use of toll free lines. We can design a product people can use to offer information on security. It can also be used to plan a hitch free election

nology works in such a way that when the network is saturated, a red alert shows, telling the clients where to upgrade and will not wait for everything to freeze before taking a proactive measure. This is work we see in the banking sector very often, leading to a huge economic loss to the country.

Why is Nigeria in this kind of situation?

It is chain reaction.

There is no company in Nigeria that can provide a one stop solution that can deliver a total package level of network. All the service providers have to be on top of their game to provide this service.

That is what I learnt from my eleven years experience in Denmark, Canada and other European countries, where I worked on transmission of fibre to all the sectors.

Are Nigerians actually making quality use of their GSM phones?

I don't think so. We have to make quality use of GSM tools like transfer of data in e-payment because it is not a luxury.

Added value can also added to the use of GSM phones when Nigerians use it more for data transfer and internet services and SMS. GSM has gone beyond voice services.

Who are your partners?

Our major mostly on telecom service providers, oil and gas and manufacturing companies. We have partners like Lavia that majored in microwave equipment, Wavion for networking, through which we try to deploy WiFi technology. We equally have Alvarion, that is manufacturing a transmission solution. We did not stop there, we

synergize with Ragwi company in UK that major on microwave communication that deliver one stop solution to customers, a major distributor in the whole of Europe. We have CISCO for networking and hardware solution.

We partner with them to deliver profitable solutions to our clients. We are here to deliver one stop solution that will give Ni-

gerian operators value for their money.We also offer support to upcoming telecommunication companies and conglomerates in the manufacturing sector.

We don't just drop the box, we also deliver the solution on behalf of our foreign partners.

Competitors?

Our major competitors are people coming from China and India, but we are not afraid of them because that is why we focus on on offering advanced solutions that cannot be matched by any other company. However, we try to adopt the approach of measuring twice and cutting ones.

What other services do you offer?

We certify companies that may want to offer services withing our area of operation. We needed to certify them for them to be acquainted with the latest technologies. Our strength lies in our solution. Wherever, we deploys, the quality of output speaks volume about the uniqueness of our service. We equally provide WiFi communication services to pipelines, carrying WiFi and fibre over pipelines. With our WiFi services, any 3G phone within the area of coverage will be hooked up in the network service. We are working with oil and gas companies to provide WiFi services on the pipelines, carrying internet over fibre. We equally offer Ragway services, which has about 23 mem-

ber countries that make up the RAG Group that offers radio, internet, voice and other communication services.

On the launch of Sat-3 Satellite In Europe and US, satellite is mostly used for monitoring weather forecast, for GPRS tracking.

Satellite communication is gradually dying all over the world. It is best used for monitoring services.

Presently, it will be difficult for satellite to survive in this market. All the telecommunication companies have started laying fibre and as fibre is getting to the last mile, they are decommissioning satellite. The one that can't get to the last mile point, they use last mile radio.

Again, fibre delivers service in seconds while satellite delivers in minutes.

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hough, fibre may be expensive at the beginning, but at the long run, it will return value for the money. As at today, about sixty percent of Satellite services have been decommissioned in Nigeria. We have Main One, Glo 1, MTN Direct and others coming, providing choice to Nigerians. This is driving us towards having a robust communication line. The issue of traffic will be dealt with using fibre. That is where the whole world is going because that is where we can deliver quality internet services.

That is why a branch of a bank in Nigeria can talk to another branch in London an South Africa and exchange data via cable.

We have to look at how we are going to bridge the existing gap in communication system in every sector of the economy, using GSM and by the time we finish we will have so many options.

ISPON begins nationwide search for software talents Continues from Page 23 ernment is happy to partner with ISPON and other industry players to raising the bar for quality of the conference and ensuring a memorable, beneficial and sustainable experience,” he added.

Nigeria can lead software Africa

In his response, Engr.

Ndukwe expressed happiness for the honour done him by ISPON, and promised to work with the software group in preparing youth for global challenges. His words: “ I am excited with this honour. I will work with ISPON to see these youths are encouraged for global challeng-

es. I am very passionate about youth empowerment. What is most important now is capacity building; I haver always hoped that Nigeria can lead other African countries in IT capacity building. It is important to replicate the success of telecommunication in the software arena.

Speaking further, ISPON president, Chris Uwaje said the Cross River State Government is committed to raising the bar for quality of the conference and ensure a memorable, beneficial and sustainable experience.

“One of the key factors behind last year's success was the quality and range of individuals and organisations spread across Africa, Asia and

the Americas. This enriched the Round table Interactive sessions and breath-taking presentations. The central challenge for 2012 is how to improve on the milestone and success of last year's conference and competition. This is why we have completely restrategized and revamped the entire branding, speaker, panel of judges, and faculties.

What informed the theme Theme of the contest and conference, Cloud and the Future of Software Nigeria, Uwaje said, addresses the overriding mission of ISPON national software conference/software competition for tertiary institu-

tions geared towards promoting conscious national awareness on the imperatives for developing Nigeria’s indigenous intellectual property in the software knowledge space. It also aims to harness our collective IT potentials, resources, capacity and capability as a national priority for global competitiveness, he added.

“We want to assure all the participants of an inspirational experience.

This, amongst other things is what informed the selection of the current theme which isdesigned to explore some of the most critical challenges of the software profession and industry namely: software in the cloud and what Nigeria must do to survive,” he said.

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS SPECIAL

Olympics, an eye opener ...Giggs reveals as soccer begins T

he Manchester United midfielder will finally make his international tournament bow this summer, after a long and distinguished career, by leading out Great Britain at London 2012 Team GB skipper Ryan Giggs says that he cannot wait for the Olympics to get underway, as he readies himself to take part in the first international tournament of his career.

The Manchester United legend will lead the side out against Senegal in their opening game at Old Trafford on Thursday evening, his home ground for the entirety of his 21-year club career.

The Welshman, who made 64 appearances for his country, has never progressed to a major finals with the Red Dragons - coming closest in 1993 when Romania piped the Welsh to USA ’94 - and Giggs is looking forward to experiencing something he never has before. ”My career for my country has obviously been the total opposite to my club career, I’ve been so successful with United but not so with Wales,” Giggs told TheFA.com. ”I would always watch the other lads, especially those ones I grew up with, Becks, Butty, Nev, Scholesy, go away on international tournaments and I would wish that I could do the same. ”Unfortunately, I never got the chance, but now I’ve got the chance and even in the first few weeks together here, I’ve seen things that I haven’t seen in my career before. It’s been an eye opener, and really enjoyable as well. ”It’s [playing in the Olympics] not something you

Nervy English women hope for a good start T

Giggs

US women vow to make up with soccer gold eigning Olympic during the match only to be R champions, USA will pegged back by the gutsy begin the defence of their Japanese. women’s football title against France, determined to make up for their defeat in last year’s World Cup final.

At that final in Germany, the US were beaten on penalties

by Japan following a 2-2 draw after extra time.

This was heartbreaking for the team as they had led twice

CELEBRATION...USA Olympic Female Soccer team celebrates C M Y K

”Because we got so close and lost in the most dramatic way you can lose a soccer tournament, it adds even more fuel to the fire,” said striker Abby Wambach a gold medallist from Athens 2004 ”We have had a short period of time from the World Cup to now and I think it is really nice and important for the freshness of that loss to be stuck in our minds and honestly in our hearts. ”What is in the past, is in the past but this team still has something to prove. ”There is no better motivation than losing. ”I think that we did a lot of really cool things in Germany last summer, we got people excited about the women’s game again and truthfully I wasn’t sure if that was going to happen again in my career. ”This team has something to prove.

eam Great Britain women football coach, Hope Powell has called on her side to overcome their nerves ahead of today ’s Olympic opener against New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

The team was held to a goalless draw by Sweden in a game where the English women failed to show much attacking force. And that called to question their ability to weather the storm in their ambition to grab the gold. As they face New Zealand coach Powell is looking forward to a good start with her wards.

“I think we need to play with a bit more freedom,” Powell said.

“I learned that we have gelled in parts.

We were a little bit negative at times when we could have

gone forward, final-third play, little things.”

The match against New Zealand will test the resolve of the Great Britain team who are yet to make any serious impact in World women football. Powell knew they would present her side with a stern test of their credentials having seen them reach the semi-finals in Germany, where her England team went out in the last eight.

Stony tackled

NO Ramadan for UAE Olympic team

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them to compete against someone with a full tank,” he said.

He made his comments in May. Last week, Yousuf Al Serkal, the Football Association president, reiterated that players will be allowed to make their own choices on the matter during the Olympics, but it is expected that none of them will fast.

Mahdi Ali said: “The players will not be forced to break their fast, but I am sure they will choose to do the right thing. It is not easy to play during fasting.”

The UAE players who do not fast have received sanction from a senior Muslim cleric, who cited a verse from the UAE players Quran that exempts travon arrival for ellers from fasting.

Games

efore embarking on the long training camp ahead of London 2012, Mahdi Ali spoke of the competitive difficulties faced by footballers who attempt to compete while fasting during Ramadan.

“It is like giving someone half a tank of fuel and asking

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012 — 29

Olympics day-to-day guide to events Wednesday, July 25

Britain’s women’s football team have the honour of getting the 2012 London Olympics under way . . . in Cardiff.

Hope Powell’s squad kick off their quest for gold against New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium.

Holders and the twotime world champions USA face France in another opening-day fixture while Beijing silver medallists Brazil take on Cameroon.

Thursday, July 26

Now it’s the turn of Stuart Pearce’s men to open their campaign with a clash against Senegal at Old Trafford. There’s no David Beckham but his former Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs, Liverpool’s Craig Bellamy and Manchester City’s Micah Richards offer plenty of toplevel experience.

Spain have beaten all-comers over the past six years and their youngsters will be looking to add a gold medal to World Cup and two European Championship crowns. They begin their campaign against Japan.

Friday, July 27

The eyes of the world will be fixed on the capital for the opening ceremony.

Beijing’s eye-popping effort in 2008, with 15,000 performers, 30,000 fireworks and an estimated audience just shy of four billion, will take some matching. But ‘Isles of

Wonder ’ will transform the Olympic Stadium into a picturesque British countryside and, under the direction of Danny Boyle, promises to celebrate all that is great of the country. There is some competitive action too, with archery getting under way at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Saturday, July 28

If everything then goes to plan, at around 4pm, Mark Cavendish will claim Britain’s first gold medal of the Games as he crosses the line on The Mall in the men’s road race. Fresh from his exploits at the Tour de France, the Isle of Man sprinter will certainly be in contention around the 150-mile course. Cavendish has undertaken a weight-loss programme in order to cope with a hilly midsection and is confident of success.

In the pool, Britta Steffen, the world’s fastest woman, and her Germany team will provide stiff competition in the final race of a busy day at the Aquatics Centre.

American Michael Phelps, who opens his account in the 400m individual medley, won eight golds four years ago and needs just three more of any colour to surpass the record Olympic haul of 18 collected by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina between 1956 and 1964.

Strawberries and cream at the ready as Andy Murray and Co return to Wimbledon just three

•Okagbare weeks after the Grand Slam there. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are the other main attractions in the men’s draw while Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters and Caroline Wozniacki should challenge for the women’s.

Rowing heats begin in nine of the 14 classes with Team GB looking to improve on the eight medals they achieved in Beijing. Britain appear the ones to beat following their record-breaking performance at the world championships last year, when they won 14 medals. Elsewhere, beach volleyball, one of the most popular spectator sports on show, begins at Horse Guards Parade.

HIGHLIGHTS Men’s road race Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay final Men’s 400m individual medley final Women’s 400m individual medley final Men’s 400m freestyle final

Sunday, July 29

•Chika

Another full schedule in the pool sees double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington defend her 400m freestyle crown. Team GB’s Golden Girl is No1 in the world at this distance but faces tough competition from Australia’s Kylie Palmer and Bronte Barratt. There is British interest in various heats throughout the day while

America and Australia look set for a ding-dong battle in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay.

Expect flashing lights and razzmatazz galore when the American sports experience comes to London with the men’s basketball. D’Tigers, Nigeria’s men team, would also be in action against Tunisia. No team across the whole of the Games boasts a more impressive collection of talent than Team USA. Complete with names such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony, anything other than the gold they achieved in Beijing will be considered a failure.

There will be no timeouts or shot-clocks in sight at Wembley, though, when Pearce’s footballers face UAE in their second group match. The UAE have been exempted from fasting during Ramadan with the Islamic holy month coinciding with the Games.

HIGHLIGHTS Women’s 400m freestyle final Women’s road race Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay final Basketball pool matches get under way GB v UAE (men’s football) Monday, July 30 The Aquatics Centre takes centre stage again but the swimmers will be sharing the spotlight with the divers.

Much of the attention will be on 18-year-old Tom Daley, who goes for gold in the men’s synchronised 10m platform with Peter Waterfield.

The poster boy of the Games can expect a blaze of publicity as one of the most high-profile members of Team GB. Waterfield has pedigree of his own, having won silver in Athens in 2004.

Liam Tancock could be our best chance of a men’s swimming medal and he should feature in the 100m backstroke final. The 27-year-old is a double world champion and world record holder at 50m but his specialist event is not an Olympic discipline. Tancock faces a tough field including Phelps and Ryan Lochte.

HIGHLIGHTS Men’s synchronised 10m platform final Gymnastics Men’s team final Men’s 100m backstroke final Women’s 100m breaststroke final Men’s 200m freestyle final.

Tuesday, July 31

Women’s football is back in the spotlight with the clash between Team GB and Brazil at Wembley. A gold medal has proved elusive for the South Americans in four previous Games and they will be looking to go one better than the silver they won in Athens and Beijing. Powell’s GB squad — making their Olympics debut — is drawn exclusively from England and Scotland, who supply midfielder Kim Little and Ifeoma Dieke. Little’s Arsenal team-mate Kelly Smith — England’s record scorer with 45 goals — will lead the line, having recovered from the broken leg she suffered in March.

In men’s basketball,

Team GB also face Brazilian opposition. The home squad prepared with a two-week training camp in America and boast players such as Luol Deng, Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Joel Freeland. Britain have not competed in a Games since 1948, while Brazil have qualified for the first time since 1996.

Back in the pool, Phelps will be in contention for two medals — in the 200m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay.

The tennis reaches the quarter-final stage at Wimbledon and British pair Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong, who have been handed wildcards to the single’s draw, will hope to still be involved.

HIGHLIGHTS Equestrian team eventing GB vs Brazil (women’s football) GB vs Brazil (men’s ba ketball) Men’s 200m butterfly final Men’s canoe slalom single (C1) final

Wednesday, August 1

Bradley Wiggins has been focusing on yellow for the last three weeks but now turns his attentions to gold. Yesterday he became the first Briton to win the Tour de France and, unfortunately, those exertions could take their toll at the Olympics, where today he will be competing in the individual time trial.

Bromley-born Ellen Gandy is among the favourites for gold in the 200m butterfly, having won silver at the World Championships last year. Gandy was 12 years old when she featured on a ‘back the bid’ poster and, some eight years on, takes her place at the Games she helped bring to the capital.

To be continued

•Bolt

C M Y K

30 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

S

The Nigerian software lion has roared Software Nigeria and Local Content Act 2010

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UPPRESSED Development and Under-development of Indigenous Software The Nigerian Software Lion has roared in an effort to occupy the international software space – this has come to pass.

Engr. Chijioke Simeon Agu, a Fellow of the Nigeria Computer society and past president of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) accomplished the feat before his dawn. It will be recalled that many decades ago – 1980’s, Tara Systems (Nig) Limited emerged as one of the first Oracle-based application developers in the national and international circuit. Indeed, the first known digital signature ported into Oracle Database was said to have been developed in Nigeria by Tara. Not only that, the Oracle-based application software developed

by Tara was exported abroad. The Nigeria Local Content Act 2010 was enacted in April, 2010 as the quantum of composite value added or created in the Nigerian economy by a systematic development of capacity and capabilities through the deliberate utilization of Nigerian human, material and intellectual resources and services in

The senior advocate of local content in Nigeria software space is undoubtedly, Engr. Chijioke Simeon Agu, who recently passed on to higher glory

the Nigerian economy in order to stimulate growth of indigenous capacity.

National Software initiatives constitute a significant part of the content under the act.

Also the Federal Government, through its circular, reference No. SGF/ OP/I/S.3/VII/795 2006 directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to operate strictly on the patronage of Nigerian Developed Computer Software and services.

The Nigerian Oil and Gas

Industry Content Act 2010 (‘the Act’) was signed into law on 22 April 2010. With effect from this date, the Act is expected to be applicable to all matters pertaining to Nigerian content in respect of all operations or transactions carried out in or connected with the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Meanwhile, comparative studies have shown that by extension, Information and Communications Technology and Software in particular represent the

core operation and transactions processes referred to in the Act. Nigeria can create at least one million jobs in the software sector within 24 months and earn an estimated $10billion USD annually after a critical incubation program of 3-5years.

The Act is designed to give the force of law to the Nigerian Content Policy, the objective of which is to increase the quantum of composite value added to or created in the Nigerian economy, through a systematic development of capacity and capabilities for the deliberate utilisation of Nigerian human and material resources and services.

From its inception in early 2000, the Nigerian Content Policy envisioned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation served as the basis for measuring and ensuring local participation and job creation for Nigerians in

ICSPA undecided on funding of anti-cyber crime efforts

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU, in emerging markets with agency reports

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HE International Cyber Security Protection Alliance, ICSPA, last week announced the launch of a research project to identify how attacks are likely to evolve in emerging markets over the next eight years.

The organisation is a coalition of law agencies, security companies and businesses, including Visa Europe and the defence firm, EADS. The project is however looking at developing economies in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe where broadband base is fast growing but there could be lack of ability to control the cyber threats that may accompany the developments.

The ICSPA says it will advise governments and local authorities of such nations on how best to react to the threats. Although the research project has only just got underway, the group has already started to co-ordinate action.

Meanwhile, members of the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) began similar work with the Ghanaian government in February to help it take technical steps to prevent cybercrime, and ensure offenders are prosecuted.

According to the organisation’s Chief Executive, Mr John Lyons, the aim was not just about putting a black mark against a particular nation because many of these countries are unwilling hosts to cybercriminal networks.

He however said that what the ICSPA is looking to do is to work with those nations to provide

support to help them improve the cyber-resilience of their national infrastructure, to aid their own economies, and to help their law enforcement groups tackle cybercriminals who use their countries as bases.

Lyons said that Nigeria, Botswana, Uganda and Rwanda were among nations likely to be targeted

by the campaign.

He said these countries were starting to benefit from improved internet access, but would struggle to suppress the criminality that will come with that connectivity. Other countries on his group's watch list included Bulgaria, Romania, India, the Philippines and parts of Latin America.

ALI BABA GETS SAMSUNG PHONES: Top stand–up comedy star, Ali Baba receiving Samsung Galaxy Note Smartphone from Head, Clients Service, CMC Connect Limited, Mr Segun McMedal, during a courtesy visit to Ali Baba, on behalf of Samsung Electronics West Africa, in Lagos.

the oil and gas industry.

In pursuit of global quality standards, the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) in April 2012 on behalf of Software Nigeria received an International Quality (QC 100) Award conferred on her by Arch of Europe at the Intercontinental Hotel in Frankfurt – Germany.

In light of all the above, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) has continuously advocated that Software operational and transaction related information and data from organizations referenced in the Act, including Banking and Financial Institutions on the level of compliance with the Local Content Act 2010 with respect to the application of indigenous software. This is informed by the fact that government Transformation Agenda may not be effectively implemented unless indigenous Software content and services delivery is made a very high priority.

The senior advocate of local content in Nigeria software space is undoubtedly, Engr. Chijioke Simeon Agu, who recently passed on to higher glory. He was the founding President of the

Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), a distinguished IT practitioner, Software Industry Pioneer and Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society. He left many legacies behind. But the core focus of this write-up is how conscious is the nation on the critical and strategic imperatives of indigenous and global Software for national survivability? Like Hussein Bolt, he has beaten all known records in the Software Ecosystem in Nigeria. He laid the foundation for the development of software Nigeria with his 10 point agenda to the Federal Government which led to the establishment of the National Software Development Initiative is 2005.

For the records, Engr Simeon Agu was the Great Lion of ICT-Nigeria, whose words alone awakened an entire IT industry; whose presence inspired confidence in a fledgling industry to go forth and claim its due; a fiercely loyal friend and a competitor respected by all. His roar will be missed by us all, as will his sure guidance and sagacity.

He was the founder and Chairman of Computer Systems Associates (Nigeria) Limited.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.

Bandwidth: NigComSat links up Main one

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

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HE Nigerian Communications Satellite Company Ltd, NigComSat, may have provided part pf the solutions to the lingering last mile problem that has slowed down the country’s broadband growth, when it last week partnered Main One Cable Company to provide access to rural dwellers.

The partnership saw to the launch of a Teleport by the duo at the premises of Main One Cable in Lekki, Lagos. The hub is expected to significantly reduce the dearth of bandwidth in rural areas, as well as providing services to the un-served and underserved areas in West Africa and other African countries, where NigComSat-1R has footprints. Apart from the benefits already enumerated, he partnership will augment capacity building in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry and also lead to a major crash in the cost of bandwidth which has been on the high side.

Main One Cable and NIGCOMSAT, at the launch, promised to serve their customers seamlessly. NIGCOMSAT is expected to carry traffic from

the Teleport to far flung places where cable cannot get, via satellite.

Speaking at the launch, Chairman of Nigcomsat board, Prof. Turner Isoun noted that the partnership was a win- win situation for both Companies, the end-users and the country.

Isoun, who led a delegation of some Board members including Mr. Olabode Oroge and Miss Alma Udoyen, said the deal was a breakthrough for the country as the relationship will greatly enhance access to the internet via broadband and create dividends of democracy for the people.

Also, Chief Executive Officer of Main One Cable, Ms. Funke Opeke agreed with Isoun that the relationship will lead to a significant price crash, adding that “to the benefit of our end-users especially those in the last mile domain which cable can hardly reach, this partnership is very significant.”

The hub consists of two satellite dishes, a major 6.3 metre hub able to transmit information to locations across Nigeria and another smaller dish, which serves as a tracking antenna to keep the hub aligned with the satellite.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012—31

Global survey of accountants caution govts on recovery Stories by BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

FROM LEFT: Generating set winner, Alhaji Saka Badmos, Jimoh Odutola branch, Unity Bank Plc receiving his prize from Mrs. Yemi Adeyinka, Regional Manager, Ikeja zone and Mr. Umar Adabara, Regional Manager, Apapa zone, at the Unity Bank Aim, Save and Win promo zonal draw, in Ibadan. quickly, and there could be implications for other markets which trade with China.”

According to the survey, the flip side of the Chinese slowdown is a recovery for the US economy, where investment is on the rise and confidence is high, despite significant potential problems.

With growth faltering once again, the finance professionals surveyed by ACCA and IMA are rethinking their attitudes

towards public spending.

However, the policy choice is not quite so simple.

Accountants working in major markets such as the US, China, Russia, Malaysia, or Pakistan economies relied on by others for trade and export opportunities - believe that fiscal stimulus by their governments is already unsustainable. It was in only a few markets that respondents believed that their governments

Why Africa ’ll continue to rely on foreign aid — Puplampu

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FRICAN economies will continue to rely on foreign aid until African entrepreneurs and businesses deliver tax revenue, employment opportunities and social innovation in their native countries, says Professor Bill Buenar Puplampu.

The Professor of organisational psychology and Dean of Business School, Central University College Ghana, made this assertion at the Alumni Seminar organised by the School of Media and Communication Alumni Association (SMCAA) recently in Lagos.

He spoke on the theme ‘Building African Businesses that Operate on Organisational Justice’.

Puplampu revealed that, with C M Y K

Cash-less: Banks flag off road show in Lagos

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HE global economic recovery has slowed down again in early 2012, while governments living beyond their means may struggle to get it back on track through extra public spending, says global survey of finance professionals.

The Global Economic Conditions Survey (GECS) for the second quarter of 2012, undertaken by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and IMA (the Institute of Management Accountants), cautioned that growth across the world’s most developed economies has stalled once again and that the global economy is as fragile as it has ever been in the last three years. The global survey of 2,700 professional accountants, now well into its third year, suggests that hints of a stronger recovery in early 2012 were mostly down to misplaced optimism, and that most of the gains made at the time have since been reversed.

China’s slowing economy has dominated the survey findings this quarter, although ACCA and IMA stress that there are few signs of the hard landing many commentators had feared. That said, both confidence and investment are falling despite increasing business opportunities. Survey editor Manos Schizas, Senior Economic Analyst with ACCA said: “The point now is to see how far and how fast the Chinese slowdown will travel.

Our members in Africa tend to feel any fallout from Asia fairly

BRIEF

an estimated population of 1 billion, African businesses account for less than 2% of global FDI flow with formal employment rate standing at 30%, 50% of this being government employees while the remaining are employed by multinational corporations, international agencies and local entrepreneurs (large and small).

According to him, African businesses face the difficulties of attracting and maintaining competent professional employees, managing compensation, sustaining structural growth as well as succession planning.

He highlighted several internal and external challenges such as the culture of abhorrence for contract, limited financing, weak

regulatory systems, arbitrariness, employee laziness, lack of connect between pay and performance among other challenges which the continent must resolve to break free from reliance on donors.

He stressed that for entrepreneurs and small scale businesses to succeed in Africa, they must ensure a proper organisational system of operations through effective allocation of task, resources generation and optimization, administrative and management systems among others. Puplampu advised entrepreneurs to contribute to African economy by providing employment opportunities, ensuring proper tax returns and investing in social innovation.

could spend both robustly and sustainably – places such as Singapore, or the UAE. Manos Schizas said: “ Finance professionals who responded to this survey were quite at ease with the prospect of austerity until mid-2010.

Then the recovery failed to take off and everything changed.

Relatively few believe their governments can make austerity work, even in countries such as Ireland where it has been executed quite successfully. Except this time there is a limit to what even countries with strong credit ratings and no liquidity constraints, such as the US and China, can do.”

Africa has long been the most confident of the regions and despite a setback in the second quarter of 2012 it has held on to this distinction, with 34% of respondents reporting confidence gains, down from 39% three months earlier.

Respondents here are also more optimistic about the state of the global economy than in most of the world: 45% (down from 54%) believe that the global recovery is on track.

Statistically speaking, the actual drop in economic performance implied by these figures is very small.

Further analysis suggests that Nigeria has been the top performer in Africa over the last nine months, with Malawi also performing well in early 2012 and maintaining confidence since then.

ANKS have flagged off a pilot road show to enlighten and encourage traders and the public at large to embrace the cash-less banking initiatives, recently introduced by the Bankers’ Committee.

The theme of the show was “Go cash-less, use Point of Sales (PoS), Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Internet, Chequebook and Phone.”

Cash-less banking is currently limited to Lagos State, the commercial capital of Nigeria.

The show, which started at the Trade fair Complex Lagos, would move to different parts of the state this week to make the initiative more widely understood. Other markets billed for the hosting of the show include Alaba, Mile 11 and Idumota.

The main objectives of the road show are to effectively communicate the initiative as an inevitable innovation payment option that is much safer than cash transactions.

Other goals of the show include, test running the point of sales (PoS) machines, teaching customers and merchants alike how to use them. PoS machines will also be supplied to customers who qualify for them by their respective banks. Other merchants that qualify for the PoS machines but do not operate current accounts will also be guided on how they will be serviced.

The road show format also uses drama skits to drive home salient points on the benefits associated with this technology initiative to individuals and corporate organisations, among others.

At the event, traders were not only made to understand how the PoS works, but were also advised to see the technology as the only solution to problems such as theft, and delay in payment for goods and services.

Banks will also be testrunning the machines this week at the venues of the show, and would give prompt feedbacks/comments to their management as required.

“Each bank would give PoS machines to their customers who have come to the show.

Now, we are doing the testrunning of the machines. The banks would get feedback on the issue later.

Giving the machines to traders would not be based on the feedback given to the banks, but on the basis of the accounts they are operating with the banks”, the sources added.

32 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Investment summit: Tricontinental pushes for Nigeria’s economic growth

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU & EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

A

Nigerian conglomer ate and organizer of the upcoming NigerianAmerican Business Investment Summit in Atlanta Georgia, the Tricontinental Group, has expressed its commitment to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.

Addressing the press in Lagos, Chief Olabintan Famutimi, Chairman of Tricontinental Group, who said that the theme which is “Nigerian Transportation Systems” will highlight the key sectors and sub sectors in the transportation industry. He further said that the Nigerian-American Business Investment Summit is designed to stimulate rapid and accelerated growth and development, whilst saying that Nigeria cannot achieve its full potentials without constantly mobilizing and encouraging Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs).

He noted that Nigeria is

being deprived of the actual volume of resources from FDIs due to bad perception of the country. He went on to say that, “Funds that should normally flow into Nigeria don’t come, simply because of the perception that the country is not investment- friendly.

Our desire is to show to the outside world that Nigeria is the best investment destination in Africa.”

According to him, the summit which comes up in Atlanta, Georgia, USA on August 21-22nd 2012 promises to showcase the economic potentials and investment opportunities in Nigeria, with strong bias for the transport system, saying that Atlanta was chosen as the venue because, America is the largest economy in the world, so it would be easier for in-

ternational players and investors to gather, and thoroughly assess the investment opportunities in the transport industry.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of the Group, Prof. Toyin Ashiru said that the summit was put together with a desire to look into major sectors in the Nigerian economy that required urgent foreign investment.

Unilever hoists 52 Nigerian flags to kick off Close-up campaign

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

P

RIOR to the 52nd Ni geria independence anniversary, Close-up toothpaste from Unilever Nigeria Plc’s stable, hoisted 52 Nigeria flags by 52 persons to commemorate the brand’s campaign, ‘Close-up loves Naija.’

Speaking, Mr. Thabo Mabe, Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria said the Close-Up Loves Naija campaign is one of the ways to say ‘thank to our numerous customers who have contributed to the success story of Close-Up in Nigeria. Through the campaign, we will also be cel-

ebrating Nigeria, and 52 years, this nation has remained strong and united.

Together, we have sailed in unity both in times when theskies are blue and sometimes through stormy seas.”

According to him, “In Unilever, we believe that the essence of our business goes beyond just selling our products and making a profit. As a business, we are therefore determined to put the interest of our consumers at the heart of all we do, so that we can help them to improve the quality of their lives by using the everyday products we make.”

Polo to fight fake Paget products

BY ITORO UDOFIA

P From left: Mr. Ernest Onyenekwe, Group Human Resources Manager, Fidson Healthcare Plc; Mr. Fidelis Ayebae, MD/CEO; Mr. Olugbenga Olaleye, Sales and Marketing Director and Mr. Ola Ijimakin, General Manager Marketing at the 2nd Astymin Brilliance Reward held at Grange School, GRA Ikeja, Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola.

OLO Limited mark ers of Paget Leather wrist watch said its prepared to combat the faking of its products in the market and to win customers support concerning its products.

Stressing this was Mr Mathieus Delmas, Area

In’Genius project ends, Team Aspire emerges winner

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

A

S the In’Genius Project competition comes to climax, Team Aspire inventors, one of the top 10 ideas at In’Genius Project Version 1.0 with focus on Information Communication Technology (ICT) has emerged winners of the maiden edition of the competition.

Team Aspire comprises of three members; Ibrahim Durosimi, Alex Iyaji and Dapo Shosayo with their educational based E-connect Playbook and Web Platform was adjudged by the panel of

judges after presentation and evaluation of all the top 10 Ideas.

In’Genius, Nigerian global youth organisation promoting innovativeness and creativity amongst Nigerian youths recently gathered the crème de la crème of the society from both the Private and the Public sector including top Chief Executive Officers and top Government functionaries at a Gala Night event held at the prolific Civic Centre, Victoria Island Lagos to showcase the top 10 ideas developed by Nigerian youths in the just concluded In’Genius Youth Project Competition.

Manager of the company said that Paget is the first five brands in the watch category, based in Switzerland, but targets the African audience.

Delmas said that the company has been working tirelessly to combat those that deals on fake Paget products who tend to discredit the genuine product. He said, “what we intend to do is to create customers awareness so that they will be able to identify the genuine ones if they come across the product.”

Assuring customers, he said, “if you buy any of our products it will last you and it will be passed unto the next generation. That is why we don’t produce much. The few ones you see grab it as possible as you can because it is a craftsmanship and also a special product.

In addition, Mr. John Obayuwana, Executive Director of the company said that because of the quality of the watches it is hard to come by and it is targeted at the elite, he said.

Cowbell Chocolate promo produces more winners

BY ITORO UDOFIA

P

ROMASIDOR Nige ria Limited’s on-going ‘Cowbell Chocolate Naija Quest’ promo launched recently has produced more wimnners.

Accordingly, the promo has produced additional 16 winners pan Nigeria, with each carting away fantastic prizes like bicycles, electronic pads and school kits.

The promo saw 16-year-

old Command Secondary School, Oshodi student Ganiyat Sanni Amuda win a bicycle, when she said she got exposed to the promo from the television and had hoped to win a bicycle which she eventually won.

Mr. Nwosu Kingsley Ekene, an 18-year-old student of North American University, Cotonou who also won a bicycle, said he would have been happier if he had won a Play Station 3, but was

still happy that he won and encouraged everyone to participate in the promo.

Other winners who were also at the company’s head office to redeem their prizes were Mr. Paul Udoye who won an Electronic Pad; Obetta Tochukwu who won a school bag, Mr. Shokunbi Oluwasesan who was also at the venue to collect for his 12-year-old son, Banjamin Shokunbi who won an Electronic Pad among others.

C M Y K

Vanguard,WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012—33

Disasters: Need for govt to be prepared

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BY ROSEMARY ONUOHA THE recent Dana plane crash has raised a lot of dust and the need why government should be ready for quick intervention in times of disasters.

I

N 2011, the Federal Government allegedly failed to release the sum of N3.6 billion provided for the Compulsory Group Life scheme for its civil servants to the Head of Service for onward payment to insurance companies. Consequently, the 2011 scheme was extended to March 2012. The government was still trying to sort itself out when the Dana plane crash occurred, killing many federal government workers in the process.

Unfortunately, consideration for the 2012 scheme is still in the closet.

It will be recalled that the Pension Reform Act, 2004 mandates that “Every employer with not less than five employees must insure the lives of the employees to a minimum of three times their total annual emolument and that in the event of death of any of such employees, the next kin is paid 300 percent of officer’s annual emolument.”

The Federal Government since 2008 has commenced the group life cover for its workers; however as is typical of the Nigerian government, payment of premium has not been regular.

And this was the situation when the Dana Airplane crashed on June 3rd, 2012 in Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos.

Unlike other climes, insurance business has really never managed to enjoy government led national prominence in Nigeria.

Although the government remains the highest consumer of insurance products and services in the nation, it remains the worst defaulter on prompt payment for these services.

Premiums, which form the bulk of insurers’ income, are used to indemnify losses incurred by policyholders, drive administrative costs, generate business opportunities, and explore investment pursuits, among others. This is why operators consistently lament the fact that outstanding premiums constitute a threat to the solvency margin of many insurance firms in the local market.

Several surveys have shown that premium debts affect the

BRIEF Africa-Re maintains S & P’s top rating

From left: Brands & Promotions Manager, Consolidated Breweries Plc, Ima-Abasi Esu; Managing Director, Mr. Boudewijn Haarsma; Managing Director, Etu Odi Communications, Mr. Uzoma Okoye, and Head of Marketing, Consolidated Breweries, Mr. Prashant Patwardhan, at the unveiling of the repackaged Champion lager beer, in Calabar, Cross River State. claims settlement machinery of insurance operators. “When premiums are promptly and accurately paid by every client, the insurer is able to settle claims promptly as well as engage in other businesses that will promote profitability,” argues Oluseyi Ifaturoti, managing director of Crystalife Assurance Plc.

Operators’ reaction

A

ccording to the President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, Mr. Wole Adetimehin, Governments at all levels should take insurance serious and pay premiums as at when due so as not to be caught unawares when disaster strikes.

For Adetimehin, it is sad that the Dana plane crash claimed many federal government workers lives even when underwriters are yet to be appointed for the compulsory group life insurance policy for such workers for year 2012.

Despite the fact that the Group Life Policy has been in existence for government workers for sometime now, Adetimehin regretted that bureaucracy in governance made it impossible for underwriters to be appointed for the current year. Because such negative actions will tend leave a gap in the entire process, settlement of claims could be unnecessarily prolonged, adding to more sorrow for the families off the

victims.

The way forward

A

ccording to Fola Daniel, Commissioner for insurance (CFI) the truth remains that insurance has been instrumental to the growth and development of the world’s leading economies, adding that there is nothing as important as having a fallback mechanism that ensures people are restored to the original position before they suffered a loss.

The long-term funds generated by insurance business, Daniel maintained, can really have a huge impact on continuing economic development processes in the nation and operators and consumers alike need to have the right attitude to insurance as a million enforceable policies could never change this fact.

For Ifaturoti, the industry can benefit after having so much in capital to be able to accumulate such risks, urging on the government to fulfill its part of all insurance contract saying “if the government makes a law then it should not be found wanting in the implementation of the law and the government has given the industry the assurance that it does not have the intention to go against its own laws.”

For Adetimehin, governments should endeavour to do the right

thing at the right time at all times, stressing that such lackadaisical attitude is not peculiar to the insurance sector alone but cuts across every sectors of the economy.

“Virtually all policy decision of governments in this part of the world do not agree with what obtains in other settings, and that is the challenge for all of us to impose on government and people in governance and people in policy making institutions to ensure that they set good leadership in all their roles.”

He said “When we had the bomb blast at Ikeja cantonment, you will recall what the industry suffered, however, that could not be likened or compared to 9:11 in USA. Till tomorrow, insurance operators in the USA are still taking relief from government because the loss was colossal and it was bound to affect the basis of providing cover for years.”

While stressing that Nigerians need to do quite a lot by ensuring that the right people are voted for into power, Adetimehin said “And when they get to office, we pray that God gives them the courage or what it takes to function effectively in such positions. The bane of our problem in this environment is that political decisions are made in virtually all areas which do not augur well for business concept and all other projects.”

frican Reinsurance Corporation, Africa Re, has retained its top ratings in fresh reports recently released

by Standard & Poor ’s (S&P) and A.M Best, global credit rating experts.

Standard & Poor’s, a division of McGraw-Hill Companies has assigned a Stable Arating to Africa Re’s operating structure, affirming its strong financial strength, counterparty credit rating, diversified competitiveness in the African insurance markets and impressive business outlook. “Africa Re continues to be supported by strong capitalisation, including a growing level of capital redundancy which is supportive of future premium growth. On December 31, 2011, Africa Re’s capital adequacy was redundant to 40 per cent above the A rating level. Its capital adequacy was boosted by recent capital injection, primarily from existing shareholders.

Capitalisation is also supported by appropriate reserving policies and retrocession protection.”

As a regional reinsurer, Africa Re’s operating performance remained strong and stable, improving its net combined ratio in 2011 to 92 per cent below its alreadystrong five-year average.

NCRIB promises to support WAICA

T

HE Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers has promised to support the West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA) in its quest at promoting the growth of Insurance in the West Africa sub region.

The President of the Council, Barrister Laide Osijo gave the assurance on behalf of the Brokers during a visit of WAICA delegation, led by its President, Mr. Dawda Sarge to the NCRIB in Lagos, recently. Osijo noted that the NCRIB was always ready to complement all reputable institutions whose mandate is to grow insurance practice in Nigeria and the West Africa sub region and would not shy from doing same to WAICA. The NCRIB President commended WAICA for sustaining its mandate as the umbrella body for insurance companies in the West Africa sub region and underscored the need for such regional professional bodies in Africa given the increasing need for effective networking and professional interaction between insurance practitioners in the continent.

C M Y K

34—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

MIDWEEK SERMON

with SAM EYOBOKA sameyoboka@yahoo.com

LITTLE SAINTS ORPHANAGE JOY NIGHT:

Ridding Nigeria of street kids S

BY SAM EYOBOKA & OLAYINKA LATONA

IXTEEN years ago the Lagos State government blazed the trail by registering the first non-governmental indigenous orphanage, the Little Saints Orphan-age, a divine haven for orphans, abused and abandoned children. Since inception on June 14, 1994, more than 1,000 children from different backgrounds and in various degrees of debilitating health conditions have benefited from programmes of the orphanage.

Today, the Little Saints Orphanage with an initial vision to house a handful of babies, has grown to have over 100 children in four branches of the home in different locations of Lagos; and it is making inroads to other parts of the country with a home recently donated by a public-spirited Nigerian in Warri, Delta State being the latest addition.

Quarterly variety programmes To mark the 16th anniversary of the home, the proprietor, Rev. (Mrs.) Christiana Dele George recently hosted a special JOY NIGHT, a quarterly variety programme featuring music, jokes, drama, karaoke, choreography and anything entertainment where the children showcased their various talents before their patrons and other guests.

The occasion which took place at the Strong Tower House, was attended by notable regulars like former Nigeria’s Green Eagles captain, Chief Segun Odegbami and several entertainment practitoners including comedians who joyfully uploaded the latest in their repertoires to the crowd.

The event which provided an opportunity for Rev. Mrs George

to update patrons on the latest developments at the home; featured Temitayo (West Africa Idols), Kore, Emmanuel (Nigerian Idol), Evangelist Loquacious, Funny Mouth and teenage Sebastian from Ikorodu. Captain Jide George, backed by the in-house musical outfit, Compassion Band set the stage with a session of praise and worship which was followed by the presentat-ion of Cry For Mercy, a documentary borne out of the deep desire to stop the homicidal abandonment of children in the country. Rev. (Mrs.) George said 50 per cent of abandoned babies die due to the wounds inflicted by their mothers, or the harmful environment they have been abandoned, noting that in most cases help comes to them too late. According to her, the first baby to arrive the orphanage in 1994 came in a polythene bag and was named Mary, while Baby Joy, the second, had three knife wounds on arrival. The mother, she said, was raped and out of frustration, decided to kill the baby by stabbing her several times before putting her in a polythene bag and dumping her in a gutter from where some public-spirited Nigerians saw her and brought her to the orphanage.

Apart from the hundreds of lives that have been saved, she maintained that the orphanaged had "reduced the rate of abandoned babies because young girls are now being encouraged to keep their unwanted pregnancies.

They are being encouraged to pass the product of such pregnancies to the orphanage because the Ni-

The only way we can get the thousands of Nigerian children off the streets is through fostering

Catholic League marks 90th anniversary, consecrates 247

T

HE Apostleship of Prayer League of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Sunday, held its 90th anniversary/annual thanksgiving where 247 new members were consecrated, report ETOP EKANEM & OLAYINKA LATONA. The event, with the theme: “Heart of Jesus, Home of Justice and Love” which took place at Christ the King Catholic Church, CKC, Akowonjo, Lagos also featured the investiture of eight patrons.

Speaking at the occasion, Archdiocesan President of the group, Sir Geoffrey Nebeolisa, advised the new members to love God and also human beings in all their endeavours, adding: “Your presumed love for Jesus will be incongruous if you lose sight of the main principle of our solidarity, which is anchored on love and humility. Jesus is love and whosoever does not love is a

gerian society is fast becoming an adopting society. We are getting better and better.

She said: “The only way we can get the thousands of Nigerian children off the streets is through fostering. It doesn’t matter whether their parents are alive. If you have a big home you can foster a child or two and train him or her to have a future because the children we refuse to care for now, would be the same ones who would tor-ment our children in the nearest future.”

The president of Little Saints Orphanage concluded with a cheery news, saying that a gentle man from Warri in Delta State “who saw our activities on the internet, called me and donated a fully furnished five-bedroom building to establish a branch of the orphanage in Warri.”

Outlining the objective of the orphanage, she said it is to erase the stigma attached to the orphan status and to create a leverage of equality for this group of children with their peers in the world, irrespective of the un-fortunate circumstances they were born into.

“We dream of a greater Nigeria devoid of street beggars, street children and homeless women labouring for crumbs. We dream of beautiful and well equipped rehabilitation centres for the needy. We dream of having compassionate leaders who will ensure that every citizen has a chance to a good standard of life. Strong Tower Mission and Little Saints Orphanage are praying and working out these dreams through various laudable projects and humanitarian activities.

“With regards to funding, the orphanage depends on placement of collection boxes in public places, musical concerts, fund raising events, as well as financial and material donations from the founders, trustees, compassionate citi-

murderer and a murderer has no part in the Lord.

“Your love for Jesus must be characterised by your repentance, forgivenness and good relationship with fellow mortals. It is unfortunate though that a lot of Christians do wrong things in their crass myopic and ignorant desire to serve God.” He said the fashionable manner in which many Christians pretend to serve God today "gives nonChristians the wrong impression that Christianity is a bastardized religion."

L-r:President of Little Saints Orphanage, Rev. (Mrs.) Dele George, Chief Segun Odegbami, Temitayo George and another patron at the Joy Night.

*ABOVE; Some of the female Little Saints dancing at the Joy Night and BELOW their male counterparts take to the floor.

zens and organizations."

We invite everyone to pay a visit to the children of the Little Saints' Orphanage. The children are wonderful to behold. Their laughter,

their tender touch, and their whispers of love and appreciation will stir up tenderness and compassion in anyone.

Insight Summit 2012

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NSIGHT Christian Centre, 191, Ijegun Road, Ilebadan Bus Stop, Ijegun, Lagos beg-ins her 2012 annual Sum-mit tomorrow.

Theme: Change! Other ministers expected to join the host and his wife, Rev. & Mrs. Prince Ufford at the event which begins daily at 6.00 p.m. and on Sunday at 9.00 a.m. include: Prophet J. Akanya and Bishop A. Etukudoh.

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012—35

Edited by Ogbonna Amadi amadi_o@yahoo.com

Ex- beauty queen Sylvia Nduka opens hair gallery E

X-Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2011, Sylvia Nduka came to show last Sunday that her one year reign as the Most Beautiful person 2011, at least Silverbird panel of judges thought so, was not all about the glamour and razzmatazz that came with the office as she officially made open to the public her store which she has been toying with since she dropped the coveted crown some months back.

Sylvia Hair Gallery as the store was christened is an exclusive hair mart that parades only Sylvia’s branded hair collections. The Beauty Queen must have been raking some cool pile of dough while in office as she took up the onestorey building, which formerly housed a bank, all by herself, using both floors as her showroom.

The store is located at 39, Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Surulere, Lagos. Beside it is where the popular Murphis Bar used to be, almost directly opposite Club 69, an allnight hangout for night crawlers who prefer Surulere as their moonlighting spot.

While the grand-opening event would not raise any roof it was as respectable as such events could get. If it wasn’t devoid of anything, it was glamour, fun and merriment.

Even from the newly upgraded Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, it was clear to see it was Beauty Queens’ affair as the exQueen’s friends and peers add colour to the ceremony.

Notably present were reigning Miss Tourism, Ifeoma Umeokeke, Second runner-up Miss Nigeria Nowe IsiborAlexis and many others.

INGER Mariah Carey has officially signed on as an American Idol judge.

Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler quit the panel earlier this month, sending TV show bosses scrambling to fill their vacant spots.

The Hero hitmaker’s name was tossed into the ring as a potential replacement and now the 42 year old has been confirmed as longtime pal and consultant Randy Jackson’s sidekick for the upcoming 12th season of Idol.

A statement from Carey reads: “As a singer, songwriter and producer, it’s going to be fun and rewarding to help find new talent and give back with American Idol. I can’t wait to channel my creative energy as a part of this show, which is a massive global phenomenon.”

According to GossipCop.com, the icon’s

Odunlade Adekola discounts “power tussle” rumour with Femi Adebayo

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ANGLING top Yoruba actor, Odunlade Adekola has discounted the ongoing rumour that there is a sort of “power tussle” between him and Femi Adebayo, the son of veteran Nollywood actor, Adebayo Salami known as Oga Bello.

Adekola, who is enjoying life as Glo Ambassador told E-Daily on a phone chat that •Sylvia Nduka such assumption must exist in the imagination of mischief makers, who must be looking to profit one way or another from generating a discord between him and Femi who described as his very good friend .

“In fact this must be coming to my hearing for the first time. You know this our business is fraught with new deal is said to be worth £11 million. scandals and scandalous Last week, the superstar’s husband Nick OLICE in the US are investigating a people who make up stories Cannon joked he wouldn’t let his wife family disturbance and possible battery to achieve selfish aims. I can leave the house for less than “$100 at the home of Michael Jackson’s mother. tell you without fear or million”. It isn’t known who will be joining Los Angeles Sheriff spokesman Steve favour that Femi Adebayo is Jackson and Carey on the show but names Whitmore said no-one was arrested after my very good friend. We in the mix include Black Eyed Peas stars deputies were called to Katherine Jackson’s have been friends for a long William and Fergie and former Idol stars home at around 1.10pm local time yesterday time and we will continue Carrie Underwood and Adam Lambert.

(July 23). to be friends. It is not just He said deputies determined there was a only Femi the whole physical altercation between two people and Adebayo family are my the case remains under investigation as a friends” he said. possible battery.

When he was prompted to Mr Whitmore declined to say who was comment on involved or whether the recent report by a the incident included magazine that Jackson’s three young Femi has children, who live with abdicated his their grandmother in home, leaving Calabasas, California. in the lurch, a The incident is the wife and three latest drama for the children, the Jackson family.

AbeokutaA relative reported b o r n , Katherine Jackson Abeokuta bred missing on Saturday, enthused but authorities located curtly “ no her with other family comment” members in Arizona. probably Mr Whitmore added demonstrating the case of Katherine the loyalty he Jackson’s reported has for his disappearance has •Michael Jackson’s mum “...very good •Mariah Carey been closed. friend”

Mariah Carey confirmed as new American Idol judge S

•Odunlade Adekola

The Jacksons face-off at mother’s home

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36 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY,

JULY 25, 2012

Circulation of fraudulent SMS

By IFEANYI OKOLIE

...EFCC makes a breakthrough, arrest Nigerian ringleader

,

PENULTIMATE Monday, Zaharadeen Runka, a staff at the Department of Education and Social Services, Safana Local Government Area of Kastina State received a Short Message Service, SMS, from a foreign number on his his Glo mobile phone while preparing to go to work. A quick glance at the SMS elicited excitement as he was told that he had won a whooping sum of 715,000 Pounds in the United Kingdom Nokia Promo Award with a code number 901NK. A closer glance said he should send details of his driver’s licence or International Passport for confirmation.

Unfolding message Shocked by the unfolding message, the middle-aged Kastina State indigene proceeded to his office with the intention of making further inquiries over the unexpected booty that was coming his way at a time he desperately needed financial succour. Shortly after, he received another message and this time, it was a congratulatory message from Nokia mobile sweepstake informing him that a cheque had been issued in his name with instructions to contact the courier service on bmchugh@heatrowexp.co.uk.

•Nosa Agho...arraigned for conspiracy and impersonation In addition, he was asked to pay delivery charge of 250 pounds which is about N63,200.

At this juncture, Mr. Zaharadeen went wild with happiness and broke the news to friends,

A quick glance at the SMS elicited excitement as he was told that he had won a whooping sum of 715,000 Pounds in the United Kingdom Nokia Promo Award with a code number 901NK

relations and co-workers. When he got home, it was jubilation galore as members of his family gave glory to God Almighty for having come to their aid at long last. Then, on May 14, 2012, he received another message, this time from his e-mail with further instruction to pay the money to their agent in Nigeria, a certain Nosa Agho with Ecobank Plc account number 004083999. At this point, he started suspecting foul play.

His optimism started giving way to doubts. Crime Alert gath-

,

ered that Mr. Zaharadeen quickly proceeded to the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Kano to lodge the report. After that, operatives of the commission reportedly swung into action and ended up arresting the suspect when he came to claim the money that was paid into his account.

Confirming the arrest of the suspect, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, told Crime Alert that the suspect is a member of a notorious syndicate that operate in Nigeria and the UK with the

Effective border patrol

Border settlers should be re-located —Immigration boss THE Controller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs. Rose Chinyere Uzoma, recently bared her mind on a wide range of issues bordering on her achievements in office, constraints facing the service, efforts to tackle them and the way forward. Her revelations, especially in the area of the porosity of our borders and the influx of foreigners into the country, were as shocking as it was astounding. Excerpts:

By EMMA NNADOZIE

A

CHIEVEMENTS: On as sumption of office, I discovered it is very necessary to carry everybody along, to give everyone the opportunity to contribute his or her quota. It has been a team affair. That is a quantum achievement, even when it appears invisible. We secured a piece of land which we are using for a post housing scheme for Immigration Officers and the general public. We also expanded the directorate of the services from three to seven, created additional seven commands in Lagos and Rivers states and introduced the new visa policy which I consider

as one of my greatest achievements. Aside the total closure of borders during the 2011 general elections, we also attracted the Federal Government to award contracts for the production of extra six million e-passport booklets and installed the night vision/ ICT equipment in Nigeria Immigration Service border surveillance aircraft.

One other important achievement recorded by my administration is the introduction of e-registration which is our strategic response to proper monitoring of foreigners of ECOWAS/African descent. We were able to collect and configure machines used by INEC during the 2006/2007 vot-

ers registration exercise to enable us collate and maintain the data of ECOWAS Nationals and African citizens in Nigeria for the purpose of monitoring their activities very closely.

It is also necessary to inform you that shortly after my assumption of office, we were able to impress on the Federal Government to approve the deployment of Immigration attachés to more of our Missions abroad. Before I assumed office, we had only 10 officers in five Nigerian Missions.

Today, there are 46 of our officers covering 12 foreign Missions, far more than the five we were covering before I assumed office.

This has gone a long way in en-

suring that foreigners and Nigerians in Diaspora enjoy more efficient and professional services from our operatives in those Missions.

e-passport intervention Closely related to this is the fact that the period I assumed office coincided with the phasing-out of the Machine Readable Passport (MRP). We had to undertake a massive e-passport intervention exercise to meet the huge demands for the essential travel documents by Nigerians in Diaspora. This measure was able to alleviate the plight of Nigerians who would have fallen out of status if we had not intervened by providing them with the e-passport in the various countries of their residence. It would have ne-

•Mrs. Rose Chinyere Uzoma, Con General,Nigeria Immigration Service cessitated majority of Diaspora Nigerians returning to the country to process their e-passport and the aggregate cost would have been unprecedented on them.

Porosity of our borders and measures for permanent solution

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012 — 37

aim of defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians. According to him, the commission was raising alarm over this ugly development because it is making the rounds at the moment.

The arrested suspect was arraigned in a Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State recently. Mr. Uwujaren, further told Crime Alert that the commission commenced investigations on the syndicate when it received a petition from Mr. Zaharadden Runka adding that Nigerians should be wary of the promo sms they receive so as to prevent them from falling victims to fraud.

Conspiracy and impersonation Meanwhile, Agho was arraigned in court by the EFCC on a six-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, impersonation, money laundering and obtaining money under false pretenses. He pleaded not guilty to the charges while his counsel immediately asked the court to admit him on bail. But prosecution counsel, Festus Ojo, opposed the application and requested the court to remand the accused in prison custody and fix a date for the continuation of trial.

Justice A. A. Okeke in her ruling on his bail application upheld the prosecution’s argument that the accused person could jump bail and ordered that he be remanded in prison custody and adjourned further hearing in the case to October 3, 2012.

•Some of the suspects

Police dock suspected bandits that attack motorists

By ONOZURE DANIA

I

T was the end of the road for seven suspected robbers who have been terrorizing motorists along Mile 2-Oshodi-Apapa Expressway when the Police in Lagos charged them to court on a three-count charge of robbery, stealing and conspiracy. They were arraigned before an Ikeja magistrate court, Lagos.

The defendants whose names and ages were given as Stanley

My men have turned back over porous and chaotic nature of our 35,000 foreigners since the begin- borders poses severe security ning of the year when the bor- challenges for the nation and in ders were closed. We are not un- particular, the Nigeria Immigramindful of the fact that the clo- tion Service in the arduous task sure of some areas of our inter- of border control and managenational borders could necessitate ment. The difficult terrain in most immigrants attempting to gain of these border locations, existentry through other areas. There- ence of settlements along border fore, we have stepped up our ac- lines without regard for buffer zones and the contivities in all areas of tiguous nature of our operational land our borders make borders. But this has effective migration not been easy. The management a challenges have quite herculean been quite tasking, If you know task. we have had to dis- how vast and I think the situacharge this hertion will improve culean task with lim- porous our remarkably if borited human and ma- borders are, der settlers are reterial resources. located to distant If you know how you will locations from the vast and porous our surely apbuffer zones to give borders are, you will statutory security surely appreciate the preciate the agencies at the borfeat and sacrifices feat and ders the latitude to made by the operantroller- tives of our Service in sacrifices operate within manning these bor- made by the clearly defined border territories. Unders. I have to ac- operatives of der a scenario like knowledge the support of other security our Service this, it will be very agencies in achiev- in manning clear to any person entering or leaving ing the expectations the country that he of the Federal Gov- these borernment vis-a-vis ders or she is crossing the closure of some international boundaries. The land borders. The

Augustine, 28; Chukwuka Ezeilo, 22; Abayomi Olubuade, 19; Suleiman Layewola, 24; Taye Akatah, 25; Sodiq Shittu, 21; and Wale Oje, 24, were docked before Magistrate Taiwo Akanni.

The prosecutor, Inspector Samson Ekikere, told the court that the seven defendants and others now at large, had on July 5, 2012, at about 20: 45, at Mile 2 area of Lagos conspired to commit felony to wit: robbery, and stole a blackberry and a Nokia X 2

phone both of which are worth between N40,000 and N13,000 respectively, belonging to one Mr. Olajide Ajikanle and Mr Kayode Adesanya.

According to Ekikere the seven defendants were members of a robbery gang and the offence committed is contrary to section 5 (b) and punishable under section 297, 295 (1) of the criminal laws of Lagos State 2011. The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges and Magistrate Akanni

current experience where houses are built along border lines makes strict control impossible. I know that clearing buffer zones of settlements has huge cost implications as border settlers will have to be provided with new accommodation and other basic facilities.

their duties effectively.

In many cases, you find border security operatives residing in houses owned by suspected human traffickers and smugglers.

Under such situation do you expect these people to live up to desired expectations? This is why it is very necessary to make necessary provisions for security operatives in border locations.

Coping with the scarce resources available in the Service It has not been easy, at all, meeting the competing demands in the Service. Of course, there is hardly any MDA that has sufficient resources to discharge its responsibilities and obligations. I must tell you that Immigration Service does not fare better. We operate under very tight circumstances as budgetary provisions for us are grossly inadequate to tackle the issues of effective border control and migration management.

Properly secured borders However, it is of great essence to recognize the need for such programme. We can start gradually and over the years, total relocation will be achieved. The entire nation can then go to sleep trusting that all aspects of our borders are properly secured. We can also remedy the present situation with the construction of border plazas or auto-gates, equipped with all necessary modern migration management facilities as obtained in most international borders.

Again, border operatives need to be adequately provided with office and residential accommodation as well as other necessary operational logistics. A situation where Immigration officers stay under trees with rope tied across the road without adequate arms and ammunition does not create proper atmosphere to discharge

I

t has been my desire to pro vide necessary operational facilities for officers and men of the Service to enhance service delivery including vehicles, communication gadgets, arms and ammunition, conducive office and residential accommodation; however, the funds are simply insufficient. Sometimes, we find it dif-

subsequently granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. The matter was adjourned to August 22, for trial.

How they were arrested: The Police at Kirikiri, Lagos, penultimate Thursday created a rare record for the force after it descended on hoodlums that have been terrorizing motorists along Mile 2, Otto Warf-Berger Yard axis on the ever-busy Oshodi/ Apapa expressway. In an operation that resulted into pandemonium following staccato sounds of gunshots, motorists and passers-by scampered for safety in different directions as the battleready policemen engaged the hoodlums in a fierce fight for supremacy.

At the end of the exchange of fire, three persons said to be leaders of the criminal gang that have been terrorizing motorists on the expressway were arrested. Rumpled wads of naira notes in different denominations which they allegedly snatched from their unsuspecting victims and assorted makes of telephone sets were recovered from the criminals. Police sources said the operation was as a result of complaints of incessant attacks by people that make use of the ever-busy highway daily. A motorist who refused to disclose his identity intimated that he had suffered several attacks on the highway especially from 7pm till 9pm while in the traffic gridlock that always take place on that particular portion of the highway.

ficult to repatriate illegal immigrants due to lack of funds. This is why I am advocating for the Service to retain portion of revenue it generates to be able to tackle some of these challenges.

Performance enhancement This will go a long way in enhancing the performance of the Service.

Rumour of mismanagement of funds in the Service It is a baseless concoction and deliberate attempt to smear my hard-earned reputation. What happened is that shortly after the Federal Government imposed partial state of emergence in parts of Borno and Yobe States among others, it made the closure of borders in those two states imperative. We therefore sought for and received a grant of twenty million to ensure that we enforced the border closure order.

Perhaps, some officers of the Service might have erroneously thought that the money was meant to be shared amongst them.

I wish to reiterate here that the fund was not meant to be shared, rather, it was intended to facilitate total enforcement of border closure.

38— VANGUARD,

WEDNESDAY,

JULY,

25,

2012

Can you tell how big a man is?

Could he really be a virgin?

Dear Bunmi, My new boyfriend and I are both 24 and he claims to be a virgin. The least problem I thought he would have was premature ejacula-

tion, but the opposite is the case. We both haven’t had full sex yet, but I have given him oral sex and he still hasn’t had

an orgasm even though I’ve done it for 30 minutes or more.

Does this mean he’s lying about being a virgin? I’ve asked him why he doesn’t orgasm and he says it feels good but he panics when he feels himself losing control. He sounds suspicious but I’ve quizzed his friends and he does appear to be telling the truth.

Motayo, by e-mail.

Dear Bunmi, There is this rule of thumb that men with long and fairly fat fingers are good in bed.

That if you interlock the fingers in a certain way, you can even guess the girth of their penis.

I’ve always wound up with men who leave a lot to be desired in that department.

There is nothing as frustrating as sleeping with a man you can’t feel. I have tried the finger thing and I think it’s a hoax. Is there a way of telling a good lover?

Shade, by e-mail.

Dear Shade, I’ve come across a few clues that a man might be a good lover, but that’s all there are— clues. For instance, men who are romantics are said to be likely to savour every moment of love-making.

Those who are confident, without being arrogant, may also be a good bet; because they are not out to prove something to themselves, they can be more sensitive to their lovers’ needs.

Men who are especially comfortable with women and can discuss sexual topics openly have probably had decent sexual experience in the past.

Finally, a lot of women have sworn that native down-toearth men, weaned on heavy local mama’s cooking instead of the text-book cookings of their “ajebota” mums are not only virile, they have a lot of staying power!

Of course, none of these factors is a guarantee of sexual prowess— many men break all the rules for better or worse! Keep on looking though, one of these days you’ll strike it lucky!

ways been a flirt and my boyfriend thinks I mean no harm by it. Recently, I’ve been doing more than flirting.

A few weeks ago, I even allowed myself to be seduced by one of my boyfriend’s mates!

I know it makes me look slutty, but I felt no qualms whatsoever— he’s just one of the few men I’ve cheated with since I started going out with this guy.

I don’t understand why I’m being unfaithful to my boyfriend as I love him a lot. I just believe that since I feel no guilt, there is no reason to stop. How can I stop? I don’t want to lose my boyfriend who is the best thing that has happened to me.

you’re obviously not committed to him. There are many reasons why people stray.

Maybe you’re attached to the thrill of secret flings or you’re frightened of being tied to only one relationship. You need to search your mind to see if you’re really in love with this man.

Your best bet is to let your steady go before he discovers what you are up to and be thoroughly disgusted with you. Tell him you need a breather, then see if you can change your ways by considering your reputation and fear of STDs, especially AIDS. When you are sure you can be trusted, that’s when you’re ready to commit.

Native down-to-earth men, weaned on heavy local mama’s cooking instead of the I want to stop cheating text-book cookings of their Dear Motayo, Not “ajebota” mums are not only onlyYourdoespoorheboyfriend!

Dear Bunmi, Wosilat, by e-mail. have to conI’ve been in a serious relaDear Wosilat, fess to being a late bloomer, virile, they have a lot of now I don’t think you are ready he’s being accused of tionship for close to a year now, but my problem is that I for a proper relationship. You making it all up!

Then, just staying power! in case all his friends didn’t can’t stop cheating. I’ve al- might love your boyfriend, but

Dad ran off without his family Dear Bunmi, I am a 24-year-old undergraduate and my family is currently living through what can best be described as a nightmare. Dad was the Managing Director of a popular company until he suddenly had to take-off abroad. Before he did, he sold off most of his property and mum had to fight him to finish before he agreed not to sell the house we have lived in all our lives.

In the meantime, we have no cars; all the cars were sold and money is very, very tight. All of us children (I am the eldest) are still in school and my poor mum is feeling harassed trying to make ends meet.

Piecing together whispers here and there, I was told that dad was involved with a gang of tricksters which specialises in selling bogus ideas about instant wealth to gullible victims. I was amazed. I mean this ‘ wash wash’ business has been around for ages, yet even intellectuals fall victims.

I feel sad and embarrassed that a father I had so much respect for could fall victim to these tricksters who are nothing less than touts. It seems as if everybody on campus is laughing behind my back and I am seriously thinking of dropping out.

John, by e-mail.

Dear John, Your father has lived his life— you have yours C M Y K

stretched out in front of you.

Naturally, your mother and siblings have you to look up to. Thankfully, you are already in the university and it is only a matter of time before you are qualified and your own person. I would hang in there if I were you.

In the meantime, don’t be too hard on your father. It is amazing the number of citizens who fall victim of these tricksters day in day out.

Unfortunately, they don’t have just one modus operandi and their ‘sales’ pitch is almost impeccable. You don’t know the line your father fell for and you should hear his side of the story first before you condemn him.

Don’t feel embarrassed for an incident that has absolutely nothing to do with you. Instead, find ways your family can move forward.

know, you quiz them about it.

It’s any wonder he’s able to get an erection for oral sex let alone orgasm!

I don’t think your man is lying. So, if he’s a virgin, his experience with women is probably limited. You’re assuming that even though he hasn’t had an orgasm with a partner through intercourse, he has by other means. This may not be true. As a result, he’s understandably nervous and anxiety is making him stop when he feels himself going over the edge.

On the other hand, he may have developed an unusual or specific masturbation technique that he uses all the time. He’s trained himself only to orgasm this way and may be too embarrassed to tell you what he needs.

You need to make him feel comfortable with you. Let him know you want to explore sex with him, at his pace, with no pressure. In the meantime, stop calling the poor man a liar when he’s already struggling!

Is it safe to travel with my boss?

Dear Bunmi, I have a very nice and considerate boss and we’ve always been friends. Recently, his wife left him and he’s now asking me to accompany him on an overnight business trip.

I’m willing to go but certainly don’t want an affair with him.

How do I handle this?

Dear Mo, Your boss is on his own and feeling rejected by his ex and it’s obvious he fancies a quick fling as an ego booster even if he doesn’t realise it. I don’t

think you should get involved, particularly when he’s recovering from a messy break-up. You can’t challenge him as he’d only deny any hidden agenda, but you can warn him off subtly. Tell him a story of a ‘friend’ who knew it was a bad idea to sleep with her boss, then comment on how right she was.

If you end up going on the trip, be professional. Don’t stay up late talking to him and don’t pop into his room for a night cap! He’ll get the message.

My toddler eats dirt Dear Bunmi, My two-year-old son has a habit of eating dirt and I’m worried that he may catch worms or have an infection. His older sister didn’t have that habit when she was a toddler. How can I stop him eating dirt? If he has worms as a result, what can I give him to kill the worms?

Josephine, by e-mail.

Dear Josephine,

Toddlers often go through a spell of experimenting with putting objects in their mouths, but they quickly grow out of it unless there is a psychological problem.

Let your son know that you are not happy when he eats dirt, but bear in mind that his stomach acid will kill off germs.

Ask your chemist to suggest an over-the-counter anti-worms medicine to deal with any symptoms.

Share your problems and release your burden.

Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

V anguard Vanguard anguard,,

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

TAURUS; Monetary Venus makes an ingress into your Star sign with good luck to you. Financial success is closer to you than you can imagine. Give it a big push.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

IF there is any commodity that is scarce today, that thing is time. It is on account CANCER; This is your day. The more ambitious you of this that many of are along your career line the better for you. And us leave undone friends are willing to give the needed supports. what ought to have LEO; Your mind is truly active and if you’re more been done. It is for GEMINI; Here is a good day when influential personalities around you will be willing to assist you but you will need to take the initiative. Take good advice.

practical about it success’ll crown your efforts. Reason with your tried and trusted friends.

VIRGO; Coming of monetary and loving into a positive angle to your Star sign is a big plus. On a day like this the more ambitious you are the better. It’s good to be loving

WEDNES DAY , JUL Y 25, 2012 — 39 WEDNESD JULY

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

Where is the man with the time.....? this reason too that many of us leave tasking duties to our own detriment. It is for this reason also

TERROR MUDA

that we leave undone what could lead to our promotion.

If I may ask you,

in “Never say goodbye”

who is that man/ woman without something occupying him/her now? Virtually, every one of us is busy doing one thing or the other, but the issue is: what are you busy doing?

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

LIBRA; The more willing you are to listen to your partners and/or spouse the better for you today.

Friends are trying to convince you that the are reliable.

SCORPIO; The more push-full you are along your career/business lines the better. Embrace new method at work. Don’t neglect your love life.

SAGITTARIUS; Here is a day you are not meant to ignore new ideas that come suddenly. It’s good to take matters of the heart more seriously. Listen to your spouse please.

CAPRICORN; Monetary and romantic Venus is joining mighty Sun at positive angle to your Star and bringing you good influence. Be more ambitious.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

AQUARIUS; Although your being co-operative can enhance your scope, your personal ideas and initiative are guarantee for a bigger do.

PISCES; Those of you who are more consistent will have more to gain. Good ideas on monetary issues will enhance your finances. Be more family minded.

ARIES; Entrance of monetary and romantic Venus into a positive angle is meant to enhance your finances. The more willing you are to take good advice the better. Be loving.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dear Joshua, I am a regular reader of your work since you were with The Punch Newspapers. I want you to please tell me my lucky dates and dates to beware this year (2008). More ink to your pen.

Yusuf Ilorin.

Dear Yusuf, On your lucky dates try to maximise your gains on one hand and or the other hand, try your best possible to avoid trouble and/or loss during those dates to beware of. But take note that there is nothing to worry about concerning dates to beware of because, they are mere warnings. However the lucky dates are for real.

Important days for you in 2009 YOUR LUCKY DATES October – 2*, 7*, 16* 20, 25 & 30.

November – 4, 11, 13***, 17, 21** & 26.

December – 1***, 10, 14, 23 & 28.

DATES TO BEWARE OF Oct – 18 Nov – 1 Dec – 6 Prince Joshua Adeyemo

C M Y K

Commen3

by Lawrence Akapa

40 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESD AY, JUL Y 25, 2012— 41 WEDNESDA JULY

Poor people value marriage as much the rich —STUDY

P

OOR people hold more traditional values toward marriage and divorce than people with moderate and higher incomes, UCLA psychologists report in the current issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family. The findings are based on a large survey about marriage, relationships and values, analyzed across income groups. They raise questions about how effectively some $1billion in government spending to promote the value of marriage among the poor is being spent. ”A lot of government policy is based on the assumption that low-income people hold less traditional views about marriage,” said Benjamin Karney, a UCLA professor of psychology and senior author of the study.” However, the different income groups do not hold dramatically different views about marriage and divorce — and when the views are different, they are different in the opposite direction from what is commonly assumed.

People of low income hold values that are at least as traditional toward marriage and divorce, if not more so.”

Karney, who is co-director of the Relationship Institute at UCLA, added: “The United States is spending money teaching people about the value of marriage and family, and we are saying, congratulations, the battle has been won.” The study consisted of 6,012 people, 29.4 percent of low income, 26 percent of moderate income and 34.7 percent of high income.

Low-income people hold much more traditional attitudes about divorce and are less likely to see divorce as a reasonable solution to an unhappy marriage, Karney said. One area where low-income groups are less traditional, he said, is on the acceptability of single parenting.

But these findings raise an obvious question: If poor people hold traditional values about marriage and divorce, why are their marriage rates lower and their out-of-wedlock births much higher than those of higher incomes? The answer, Karney said, is that values often do not predict behavior, and they don’t in these areas. He noted that most people do not consider lying to be a good value, yet large numbers of people lie nevertheless.

Detoxing: Getting fresh and fruity EVERYBODY knows the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and that can be attributed to the high amounts of fiber and water contained in the apple. But it isn’t just the apple that can keep the doctor away, all fruits contain high fiber and large amounts of water both of which are essential in detoxing and flushing your body. Fruits are also loaded with nutrients, antioxidants, and many disease-fighting phytochemicals. Fruits help fight and prevent cancer.

All citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, fiber, water, and essential nutrients, but lemons are one of the superstars of the fruit world. It’s loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants, and its liver cleaning abilities are legendary and the practice dates back centuries. A glass of warn lemon water first thing in the morning and the last thing at night helps keep the liver clean and functioning properly. Sucking on a fresh lemon is a good way of ingesting vital nutrients as well as giving the liver a good jolt but please be cautious – too much lemon sucking can affect the enamel on your teeth!

Try adding in some lime for a flavor change.

Are there fruits out there higher in vitamin C than citrus?

C You betcha! Tomatoes not only containM higher amounts of vitaY min C, they contain large amounts of K Lycopene which has shown to help to prevent prostate cancer. They are also packed

Julia Fortune

The Cancer

FIGHTER

juliafortune@hotmail.com

with phytochemicals that have been shown to block the formation of carcinogenic compounds in the body. Peppers are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. Eaten fresh they are also very tasty. Now I’m not suggesting chomping down on fresh off the vine hot stuff, sweet peppers used as garnishes or as a snack are a healthy alternative to potato chips, etc. Adding them to a stir fry along with your favorite hot pepper gives you a colorful and healthier dish.

There are many types of peppers and they can grow most anywhere, check with your local grower for information on what’s best in your area.

If you’re looking for an antioxidant boost there is no better fruit than the superstar of the berry world – blueberries. Fresh off the bush, washed and mixed with nuts is a wonderfully healthy snack. All berries are good for you but blueberries by far lead the pack. In my opinion melons contain

A

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

C M Y K

7 years malaria TB, AIDS funding misspent by 3% —Global Fund investigations

A

• Cross section of partcipants and students of Dolphine Senior High School.during one of the on-going free Heart Screening Programme being organised by Ckike Okoli Foundation in 10 secondary schools in Lagos.

Fitness workout linked to sound sleep HEALTH consultant, Dayo Ibrahim, has advised Nigerians to cultivate the habit of regular short walks to improve sleeping patterns.

Ibrahim, a staff of Pregnancy and You, noted that benefits of exercise are too numerous to ignore. “Regular exercise helps you fall asleep faster, sleep longer and wake up less frequently during the night. In fact, if people devote just 20 minutes of their time each day to exercise, it can help them fall asleep more quickly, experience deeper sleep stages and wake up fewer times throughout the night.”

He said this while giving tips to about 40 participants of the six-kilometer The Eva Fun Walk held recently in Ogudu, a suburb in Lagos. The Eva Fun Walk, an expression of the “Be Eva Active” campaign designed by Coca-Cola Nigeria, saw participants taking off from Alhaja Bus Stop on Ogudu Road, walked towards Ojota and returned to the start point.

higher fructose levels than most other fruits and contain more water so when the sugar craving hits have a slice of melon, especially watermelon. Ripe watermelon is about 95 percent water which aids in flushing toxins from your body and nothing quenches thirst better on a hot summer day than an ice cold slice of ripe watermelon.

Be sure to check out how good fruits are for you in my book “Chronicles of a Cancer Survivor”.

Available at Glendora International Bookstores – Ikoyi, Alausa-Ikeja & Abuja; correspondence to juliafortune@hotmail.com

On the importance replacing lost body fluids when exercising, Ibrahim observed “A decrease in the water levels in the body leads to weakness. A major loss can cause muscle cramps, headaches, and heat stroke. So, it’s vital to ensure you carry as much water along as is convenient.”

Said a participant in the walk, Ibrahim Damilare, an accountant “I know walking is good for the health but I have not been encouraged to go on walks until today. “In the few minutes I have been engaged in this walk, I feel a lot lighter and happier with myself. I think it is a culture I want to maintain. It has also afforded me the opportunity to bond with other residents I have never spoken with in this neighborhood.”

Responding, Soji Omoigui, Brand Manager, Still Beverages, Coca-Cola Nigeria, reiterated the vision behind Eva Fun Walk and the strategic approach in reaching out to communities. “As a nation, we must realize that keeping healthy is a culture; a

way of life. Exercise is good for the brain.

We need not fall ill before we think about our health. The “Be Eva Active” campaign is geared towards building a healthier nation, having better-connected communities, and stronger relationships. “We can collectively enhance the quality of life by simply doing things that will make us more productive and happier, and walking together is one of those things.”

Eva Fun Walk is activated by Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited’s ‘Live Positively’ initiative and is endorsed by the Lagos State Government. The campaign encourages residents to engage in regular cardiovascular exercises, and to build more inclusive and connected communities. The “Be Eva Active” is borne out of the brand’s vision to promote wellness by encouraging Nigerians to make walking an active part of their lifestyle through the Eva Fun Walk - a community-based exercise and fitness programme which also helps to build better connected communities.

new analysis of audits and in vestigations by the office of the Inspector General of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has showed that 3.0 percent of funding audited or investigated between 2005 and 2012 had been misspent, fraudulently misappropriated or inadequately accounted for.

As part of the Global Fund’s efforts to effectively prevent and treat disease, serious efforts are made to ensure that all funding is properly handled, disbursed and managed. Wherever impropriety is discovered, it is reported. When funds are misappropriated or improperly spent, they are recovered as fully as possible.

According Chief Risk Officer at the Global Fund, Cees Klumper, the organisation don’t tolerate any misuse of funds, no matter how minor.

Klumper who conducted the analysis said: “Although some of these funds were misspent, and are just ineligible expenses, a small percentage of funds are misappropriated through fraud. We actively pursue and expose all such cases.”

The office of the Inspector General, which is fully independent and reports directly to the Board, plays an indispensable role in helping achieve the mission of the Global Fund by diligently pursuing audits and investigations.

Since it was established in 2005, the office of the Inspector General has compiled 28 reports on audits and investigations that it has carried out in 27 countries, where a total of $3.8 billion has been disbursed, approximately 23 percent of all disbursements that the Global Fund has made to date.

The analysis of the Inspector General’s findings shows that, cumulatively, 3 percent of the funding that was investigated was not spent in compliance with the grant agreements, as follows: Ineligible expenses – or activities not covered by the grant agreements – 1.1 percent, inadequately substantiated due to poor or missing documentation – 1.1 percent, fraud – 0.5 percent, failed to report funds as required – 0.3 percent

42—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

and sign important bills passed by the National Assembly were inimical to democracy in the country. In response, Jonathan had argued that the budget as passed by the National Assembly could not be executed by him. He accused the legislators of padding the budget without recourse to the fundamentals and benchmarks set for the budget.

Again, the President seemed to have incurred the lawmakers wrath since he seemed to have ignored their summons to appear before them with the service chiefs to brief them about what the administration was doing about the high level of insecurity in the northern part of the country.

Terrorist attacks The invitation was served on the President after terrorist attacks on several churches in •Jonathan and Tambuwal: Who blinks first?

Kaduna State and the retaliatory attacks that spurred further retaliation. In a seeming plot to get at Jonathan, the House decided to raise germane questions on national security, drawing inspiration from the Constitution, which confers it powers to summon any person in Nigeria to appear before it. Jonathan has STUNG by its own moral deficit arising from the conduct of some of its leading lights, the remained adamant to the House of Representatives seeks to recover lost grounds with a tackle on President Goodluck House summons on the Jonathan over his own deficiencies in the execution of the budget. deteriorating insecurity in the country.

BY OKEY NDIRIBE Before now, not a few had Chairman of the House was presented by the various business by the executive. For Committee on Rules and MDAs. Few days before the instance at the end of its first considered the House of Reps AST Thursday’s threat to Business. legislative year last month, the probe of N1.7trn fraud in the debate on the budget, the commence impeachment After he spoke, the Speaker House had discussed the poor Committee on Rules and management of fuel subsidy, proceedings against the called on the Chairman of the condition of the East-West Road Business had much of which President was the climax of the Appropriation Committee of the passing through the Niger condemned the perpetrated in 2011, simmering discontent among House Hon. John Eno to brief Delta. The bad road was P r e s i d e n t ’ s as a covert the law-makers over what they the law-makers on the details indirectly blamed for the petrol tendency to delay indictment of the consider an insensitive of the budget as was passed by tanker accident that claimed assent to bills administration. presidency.

President Jonathan the House. more than 150 lives passed by the The threat of impeachment as National Assembly. has dilly-dallied on penultimate week. spearheaded by the Minority Revenue the implementation The House had urged the Leader, Femi Gbajabiamilla of findings of the Federal Government to quickly Over riding the projections has inevitably set the stage for report, which complete the road which is president The threat of a dogfight between the House required those currently under construction to Next to be called upon were and the Presidency. be Tsokwa, who impeachment indicted the Chairmen of the avoid further loss of lives.

The looming confrontation prosecuted. notwithstanding, chairs the as Committees on Finance, This between the presidency and However, the Customs, Petroleum Upstream the stage was set in the House Committee had told the House began as a cold war. spearheaded $620,000 bribery that for the missile that was fired at newsmen at a and Gas. All of them were Indeed, the cat and mouse involved the unanimous in their verdict that the executive later that briefing that the by the relationship between the lawchairman of the the nation had not only met its Thursday with the Presidency’s House would go makers and the executive has House ad hoc panel revenue projections for the reinstatement of Ms Arunma ahead and over-ride Minority lingered since the inception of Oteh, as Director-General of the President in the period under review, but Leader, Femi that investigated the the 7th session of the House in fuel scam, Mr. Exchange following legislative surpassed same in several Securities June last year when Rep. Lawan, cases. However, the mood of Commission, SEC, - an action year if the situation Gbajabiamilla Farouk Aminu Tambuwal emerged as further fanned the the House became charged many of the law-makers persisted. The row has Speaker contrary to the embers of discord when Chairmen of committees considered as an affront on the over the twin issues arrangement approved by the between the two of delay in the inevitably dubbed as “Spending lower chamber. ruling Peoples Democratic President’s assent to set the stage arms of government.

Committees” were called upon Party (PDP).

The House had he House Ad-hoc bills and nonto address the House. After the for Nevertheless, what has been accused the Committee on the Near implementation of Chairmen of Committees on seen all along as a lowpresidency of Works, Health and MDGs had Collapse of the Capital Market the 2012 budget a dogfight intensity political spoken, there was palpable had recommended the sack a c t u a l l y between the masterminding the warfare suddenly escalated plot as a way of and prosecution of Oteh in its became public last anger in the Green Chamber. last Thursday when the House House and distabilising the report which was laid before May 29, during One or two of the Committee decided to hold a plenary leadership. But the Chairmen actually stoked the the House the previous Democracy Day the session on the implementation presidency swiftly flames when they alleged that Tuesday. In addition to all celebration. of the 2012 budget. The day’s denied the charge.

S p e a k e r Presidency civil servants had been directed these, the House had in the plenary session seemed to For now it remains last two months sent very Tambuwal, had fired by the Executive to ignore the have been pre-arranged as it budget as was passed by the strong signals about the law- the first salvo when he said uncertain how the rift between was well-attended by members.

National Assembly and instead makers’ displeasure with the President Jonathan’s refusal to the House and the Presidency The debate was led by Hon. implement the proposal as conduct of government implement the budget in full would be resolved.

Sam Tsokwa (PDP Taraba),

PRESIDENCY VERSUS REPS:

No retreat, no surrender L

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012—43

S/west completely out of bound to PDP — Lai Mohammed •Says proposed alliance with CPC ’ll work ALHAJI Lai Mohammed is National Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. In this interview, he says that the plan by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to take over the South West from the ACN is impossible. He, however, expresses optimism that the proposed alliance between his party and the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, will work out despite general pessimism. He also commented on several other national issues including the need to have a Sovereign National Conference which he equates with the annual general meeting of a company. Excerpts:

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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HAT is your view on the proposal for a S o v e r e i g n NationalConference?

The opposition is basically coming from elected members of the National Assembly and key office holders in different governments. Their belief is that a national conference will mean a replacement of their relevance in government. But that is not correct.

The truth of the matter is that even in a company, there are regular meetings; and there are two types of meetings you have in a company: you have the board of directors and you also have the management meeting. But once in a year you have what you call an annual general meeting, it is at the annual general meeting that every shareholder in the company is given a score card of how the company has performed and given opportunity to air his views on where the company has erred and chart generally a new path for the company.

What we have today in Nigeria is like what we have in a company structure because you have the executive

integration are not feasible?

Contrary to what they are saying, it even helps development in states that are supposed to be weak. I am always amazed at the lack of depth of the PDP thinking machinery, if they have one at all. Today, there is an informal regional cooperation and what we are trying to do is to formalize it and improve on it.

PDP officials are saying that the party would reclaim the Southwest in 2015?

I think their leaders are just trying to be relevant. The Southwest is completely out of bounds for them (PDP). There is no amount of manipulation or grandstanding that will sway the people and allow the PDP to come back in the south west.

Response to issues

*Mohammed: arm of government, you have legislative and you also have the judiciary. All these three have various functions: one makes the law; one interprets the law, while one executes the law. For those members of the National Assembly who are saying that the call for a national conference is an anomaly, I think they have got it completely wrong. What we are saying is that things are not working and anybody that says

a national conference is not what we need, I think that fellow is very unpatriotic. We have problems in the north; we have problems in the south and in the Niger Delta, let us sit down and ask ourselves what we are not doing right. That is why we are asking for a national conference.

How do you react to criticisms of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that ACN's plans for regional

I keep telling the PDP that they should be more concerned about states they are controlling because those states will fall to the ACN. They will try but they will not succeed. We are not perfect, but we will respond to issues as they come, we are also proactive.

Your party is trying to form an alliance with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). How optimistic is it that this alliance will work this time around considering what happened during the 2011 general elections?

The fact that the alliance did not work in 2007 and 2011, does not mean that it will not work this time around. It means that we have learnt why it did not work. Can you now fault us for

How Sapele, our town 'll rise again — Tobi MR. Ben Tobi is a social crusader in Sapele. In this interview he speaks on the challenges facing the socio-economic growth of Sapele, the infrastructure deficits in the town and makes his recommendations on how the popular timber wood city could rise again.

Excerpts:

BY GODWIN OGHRE

H

OW would you assess the activities of the Delta State Governor?

The Governor of Delta State Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan, should be allowed to complete his second term and complete his 3-points developmental agenda for the state. He has performed creditably especially in the area of peace and unity of the various ethnic groups in the State. In the area of Micro-Credit Scheme and rehabilitation of schools, he has also done well. Some people may not be happy with him as

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he is not open like Ibori, the reason of which we all know today. Some of the people Ibori helped were the ones that turned around to stab him in the back.

In what areas would you like to advise him to improve?

My advice to him is that he should look at the deplorable road situation in some of our cities. He should also try to do something for the people of the downtrodden of Sapele. He is neglecting them. These people were the ones who voted for him en-mass, that gave him the vote in Sapele. Take for instance the only road leading to Boyo Road

extension where his grandmother in-law’s house is, I mean Oguaja, has now been taken over by illegal structures, some are even on the road, making the area no longer motorable. The people have complained to the Council times without number, to no avail. I am therefore appealing to him to call the Local Government Authority, the so called Town Planning Officers to look into the road and do something. I feel like crying anytime I drive through the area.

How do you react to the recent flood disaster in Sapele?

In 200I when we talked about the poor job on the Adidi/Ikomi road Ibori took it and transferred the Resident Works Engineer because of the poor job. My plea is that the Governor should make drainage along Macpherson, Mission,

*Tobi Cemetery, to River Ethiope, and link all the other drainage systems to them. I have lived all my life in this town and can tell some of the stories. There used to be a very big drainage from Okotie-Eboh Grammar School,

trying to make it work this time around? What is going to happen is not going to be an alliance with the CPC and the ACN alone. There is going to be an alliance between CPC, ANPP, aggrieved members of the PDP and other political parties including the ACN. Everybody is dissatisfied with the present government, what is going to happen is that we will build Noah’s ark and within the next three years, that ark would have been completed.

Will the alliance be based on a new political platform?

I will not preempt it. The parties will sit down and adopt a name, either an existing one, an old or new one. That is one of things that will be discussed by the various parties.

In Ondo State, mixed reactions have greeted the selection of Mr Rotimi Akeredolu as the flagbearer of the ACN. What is your take on this?

There is no where in the world that you are going to have a candidate that will be generally accepted by all the aspirants. What we want to do is fence mending and confidence building. Like I tell people, three months is a long time in politics and a lot could happen. Already I know we are talking to all the aspirants.

What are the chances of your candidate emerging victorious at the end of the day in Ondo state?

It is about the desire of the people to move to a platform, which has demonstrated capacity for development and capacity for progress. You see, the candidate is just a symbol and I want to assure that we will, God will, win the governorship election in Ondo come 2012.

which passed through Akuera to the front of Zik Grammar School, through Palmer Road to Ethiope River. This drainage has been blocked, and can no longer be of help, hence I am making the above suggestions.

What is your comment on the security situation across the country?

My candid opinion is, if the North wants the country to split, so be it. The Boko Haram thing is the child birth of political elites.

If they were the ones ruling the problem of Boko Haram won’t be there.

What is your opinion on the deregulation of the Downstream sector of the oil industry?

It has been deregulated and the poor people are suffering and the are getting richer. The price of fuel is telling on the poor.

Transport fare is increasing and that has a chain reaction to everything.

44— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

and the enthronement of a military regime by General Muhammadu Buhari.

Since then, the dream of Lagos joining the league of mega-cities in the world with a railbased mass transit, RBMT, system has remained in abeyance.

That was until LAMATA came up with the framework for a rail mass transit system which would provide passenger rail services on the most heavily travelled corridors in Lagos.

B

*On-going structure at the new rail line. INSET: Gov. Fashola being briefed by contractors at construction site

TRAFFIC CHALLENGE IN LAGOS:

Rail transport to the rescue

By MIKE EBONUGWO

T

RAFFIC congestion is one problem that has defied all the measures applied by successive administrations in Lagos. It was a problem that the Babatunde Fashola-led government also inherited and had at inception tackled by first addressing the prevailing transportation challenges in the state.

Long before the Fashola administration came into office, Lagosians were resignedly content with making the best out of the poor transportation options available, especially in terms of the rickety molue and danfo buses as well as the Okada and Keke(or Marwa) commercial vehicles operated by individuals who appeared in most cases to be on a suicide mission.

Model mega-city The situation was hardly in line with the government’s envisaged and indeed much advertised vision of building a “New Lagos” and transforming the city into Africa’s model mega-city. The desire to change this unenviable situation gave birth to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA, which in turn delivered the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, Scheme, that today has provided Lagosians access

to a decent, more comfortable servers do not think so. And if bus transport system that guar- recent indications are anything antees faster travel time. to go by, the state government is Buses operating under the well aware that the battle to tame auspices of the scheme are now the traffic congestion monster is familiar features on the Mile 12 far from being over. And this obto Lagos Island through the viously explains why LAMATA Ikorodu Road route. is said to have develThe presence of the oped a Rail Master scheme is also being Plan, complete with felt in other parts of an extensive network the metropolis with of rail lines connectthe result that passening most parts of the ger traffic on these Lagos metropolis. buses is said to be Like the BRT presently in excess of Scheme, the urban 200,000 per working rail system will, acday. The success of cording to officials, be the scheme is believed implemented to have been aided to The Lagos through a Public a large extent by sev- Rail Mass Private Partnership eral road rehabilitascheme, PPP. tion projects which Transit, LRMT, While conducting have been executed project will be an on-the-spot and the on-going exassessment of the the most multipansion of the 49.5km construction work Lekki-Epe Express- dimensional done on the project way and the 60km Lafrom Orile to Mile 2 and most gos-Badagry Exrecently, an obviimpactful pressway. ously impressed But the question efforts of the Governor Fashola remains: Is the said given the pace success of the BRT Lagos State at which the contracenough to effectively Government at tors, China Civil Enaddress what has g i n e e r i n g become the intracta- combating Construction Corpoble problem of traffic Lagos’ ration, CCECC, is congestion which has moving with the been a source of untamed traf- work, the first seven trauma to road users fic congestion kilometres of the Blue in Lagos. Many obLine of the Light Rail

Project will be delivered before the end 2012. He also assured that barring paucity of funds, the project would be delivered within the stipulated time, as 90 per cent of the structural work was already completed.

Significantly, the rehabilitation of the railway system includes track spot renewal of Lagos to Kano and Maiduguri to PortHarcourt, supply of 25 new locomotive engines from Brazil South America to boost the existing motive power base of the corporation, upgrading of the signaling and telecommunication system from manual to semi automatic, as well as rehabilitation of carriage and wagon workshops, re-equipping the workshops, supply of service support (spare part consumables), strategic rebranding of the corporation, rehabilitation of stations and marshalling yards.

•Terrorists, ritualists, kidnappers hold sway

Rapid rail transit It will be recalled that the idea of developing rapid rail transit in Lagos was mooted in the 1980s by the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande which conceived a metroline project for Lagos. Unfortunately the idea was aborted following the military overthrow of the Second Republic civilian administration

oth the Red Line and the Blue Line which are the first to come on stream, will, according to officials, be developed on a PPP basis, with the Lagos State Government providing all rail and station infrastructure. On its own part, the concessionaire will procure and finance rolling stock, depot facilities as well as provide operations and maintenance over a 25-year period.

The Red Line rail system is being developed on North-South axis through some of the most densely populated areas in Lagos. Beginning on the island, the Red Line will run north to Agbado through a total of 13 stations. From the Marina to Iddo stations, the Red Line will share the alignment with the Blue Line. The shared infrastructure in these portions will be constructed as part of the Red Line project. From Agbado to Iddo, the Red Line will utilize the existing NRC corridor. The Blue Line will run 27km from Okokomaiko to Marina, one of the most densely travelled corridors in Lagos.

Development of rail infrastructure The rail infrastructure is being developed in conjunction with the Badagry Expressway project, a proposed toll road running from Lagos to Badagry. The Blue Line will run on an exclusive 15-metre right of way in the middle of the expressway.

In total there will be 13 stations, three that will be shared with the Red Line system. The stations will be located above the tracks, with large pedestrian walkways crossing the expressway. Large, concrete barriers will be placed between the rail lines and the expressway to ensure no external factors will disrupt service. The Blue Line system will require the construction of two bridges. The larger of the two, to be shared with the Red Line, will connect the mainland with the island.

The second bridge will be across Continues on page 45 C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012 — 45

42 years after, free education takes off in Imo

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

E

DUCATION is the major industry in Imo State and all former administrations told whoever cared this bit. Despite this supposed position of successive administrations, not much was done to improve the infrastructure, which dilapidated terribly since after the Nigerian civil war in 1970. Apart from what the immediate past state administration did to redress the sagging infrastructure and paucity of trained classroom teachers, the Rochas Okorocha government has taken the bull by the horn.

He first announced his intentions when he flagged off his gubernatorial campaign. He promised free education to the citizenry. This expectedly boosted his rating before the people and the votes came in torrents. Soon after his swearingin, Okorocha not only reiterated his earlier promise of giving free education to children but went a little further to announce that such children will also be given textbooks, school bags, sandals, uniforms, exercise books, writing materials, paid monthly stipends and all other requirements.

The applause was deafening!

Before the applause died down,

he asked parents to go back to school heads of their wards and collect the fees they paid in the previous term. He warned school heads to stop collecting parentsteachers’ association, PTA, levies and indeed slammed a ban the association. He also warned that no child should be sent out of school because of lack of textbooks, uniform or any other facility.

Free education programme The Governor has since extended his free education programme to tertiary institutions.

For now, no Imo son or daughter will pay a dime to acquire education in Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, and the School of Health Technology, Amaigbo.

They now receive bursaries instead of paying fees!

This has necessitated the posting of more youth corps members to state schools. Addressing the 2011 Batch B corps members, who served in Imo State, Okorocha urged them to embrace “self reliance, hard work and free enterprise as determining factors for survival.”

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha

*Gov. Okorocha acknowledging cheers from school children He did not stop there. “I advise components for distribution to the you to avoid mischief makers and pupils at the beginning of the other misguided elements in the school year were yet to be realised society, who propagate and that, he assured that several conengage in terrorism, human tainers now lying at the ports are laden with these trafficking, drug educational materipeddling and als. advance fee He said: “It is no fraud as means of The Gover- longer a political livelihood.” issue that the free Speaking also, nor has since education policy of the State NYSC this administration is C o o r d i n a t o r, extended his being pursued with Mrs. Chinwe free educareligious and clinical Ojukwu, said finesse. Today, our that six names out tion proprimary school of the 2,250 corps children are now members that gramme to being given monthly distinguished the tertiary stipends.” themselves While explaining during the serv- institution; that the idea of giving ice year had been for now, no stipends to children forwarded to the was not only to regovernor for state Imo son or award. “Some daughter will connect them to government but to corps members who ran foul of pay a dime to also encourage them to embrace the rules and acquire edueducation, Governor regulations of the scheme, were cation in Imo Okorocha reasoned parents and also considered State Univer- that guardians would no for sundry oflonger have any reafences and will be sity son to subject their subjected to children and wards to various forms of all manner of disciplinary indignities. He said: measures with “The major thrust of the NYSC Bye Laws,” Ojukwu said. my administration is giving Only last week, Governor sound education to our children.

Okorocha told journalists who The greatest love we can show sought to know why some of the our children is to give them sound freebies he promised children education. such as school bags, sandals, textbooks, uniforms and other hat will the nation’s future look like if the next generation is a bunch of illiterates? This propels my actions,” Okorocha told Vanand use their own hands and guard Features in Owerri.

Answering another question, their own skills to earn a living the Governor said: “Over 3,000 and feed their families.” students have registered for the It is envisaged that by the time Imo College of Advanced Profesthe first seven kilometres of the Blue Line would have been sional Studies, ICAPS, completed and the first five programme”, adding that the stations fully built, over 8,000 courses taught in this school people would be employed in would make the graduands more the course of the construction marketable. Efforts are equally on to expand the intake. phase of the projects.

As at the last count, Okorocha has awarded contract for the con-

Traffic challenge in Lagos: Rail transport to the rescue Continues from page 44 the river at Mile 2.

According to the Governor: “The Lagos Rail Mass Transit, LRMT, project will be the most multi-dimensional and most impactful efforts of the Lagos State Government at combating Lagos’ untamed traffic congestion, which has had adverse effect on the economy and the environment. On one of C M Y K

the sites, we have a total of 325 workers, 300 of them Nigerians and 25 Chinese. At the second site, where we have the terminus, you also saw another set of workers. Those people would, probably, have been idle, looking for desperate income, for which there is no work. But I am happy that we are able to put them to work and give them the opportunity to retain their dignity

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struction of what he termed “305 model classroom blocks in all Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, wards in Imo State”. In Owerri municipality, work has reached advanced stages at the Township School, where this model primary school block is being constructed. The cheering news is that the administration has given approval for the reinstatement of all the teachers who were hired in the 10,000-job offer of the Ikedi Ohakim administration.

Presidential address Delivering his presidential address recently, Bishop of the Diocese of Oru, Anglican Communion, Rev. Dr. Geoffrey N. Chukwunenye, said: “A cursory assessment of the performance of the present government in the state has a greater tendency to suggest that the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has done exceedingly well in his policy thrust. From the foregoing, it is clear that the Governor has strong passion for education and great drive for human capacity development”.

The cleric also reasoned that “the government’s extension of free education to Imo indigenes in Imo State University, Owerri and Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, is highly commended, especially when visitors to the institutions in the past have raised the tuition fees beyond the reach of the common man”.

In his presidential address, the Bishop of the Diocese of Okigwe South, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. David Onuoha, pleaded that grants be given to missionaries on a yearly basis, to ensure the arrest of the monumental decay in all the schools recently returned to their original owners.

He said: “The idea of free education from primary to university level is a noble one. It is a window into the passion and zeal in the heart of our dear governor for the total transformation of the state.”

46—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012 — 47

PAC warns members against abuse of police e-mail

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From left: Coordinator, Taraba State National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Hajiya Zainab Isah, Taraba State Deputy Governor, Sani Abubakar Danlandi and Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Garvey Yawe during the closing ceremony of 2012 Batch “B” orientation course at Federal Government Jalingo.

OLICE Assistance Committee, PAC, yesterday, warned against the abuse of the Nigeria Police Force’s new email address, policemonitor@npf.gov.ng. recently released to the public by the Inspector General of Police.

Director General of PAC, Dr. Martins Oni, who issued the warning while addressing members on how to apply themselves to the usage of the police email, said members of the public should not give false alarm to the Police or other security agencies through the email address.

Oni also urged the mem-

bers comprising tradesmen and artisans to adhere strictly to the areas adduced by the IGP that could warrant the usage of the email and also to guard against being misinformed or wrongly instigated by members of the public to pass on information which they are not clear about either to the police or other security agencies.

The body commended the IGP over this initiative and other public interest policies the police boss has introduced to carry the members of the public along in the bid to confront security challenges in the country.

Middle-Belt youths ask Boko Haram to halt further attack

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A member of the House of Representatives, Hajiya Aishat Ahmed Mohammed Binani (Yola North/Yola South/Girei) with PDP leaders at the commencement of Binani Fertilizer Distribution to farmers in Yola.

OLLOWING the kill ing of innocent people and destruction of property in the Northern part of the country, Middle Belt Youths Focus, MBYF, has threatened to defend people of the region, if the attacks were not stopped forthwith.

President of the group, Alhaji Abdulazeez Bello in a statement condemned the frequent attacks by the Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen on innocent Nigerians and warned that the acts

FG to investigate imposition of illegal levies in public schools F

EDERAL Government will investigate reported cases of imposition and collection of illegal levies in basic education institutions across the country, Minister of State for Education, Mr Ezenwo Wike, has said.

The investigation, according to the minister, is aimed at imposing sanctions on head teachers and managers, who deny Nigerian children access to quality education.

Wike added that the free textbook programme of the Federal Government was one of the most imaginative ways of opening the treasury of learning to the Nigerian child.

Speaking at the SouthEast books distribution flag off in Onitsha, Anambra State, he noted that the Federal Government plans to awake the future of the Nigerian child towards a greater intellectual development and rewarding career development for the

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children.

The Minister said, “apart from meeting the learning needs of pupils of all backgrounds, the free textbook policy is also intended to eliminate inequities and disparities in the education

system in terms of access to study materials, as well as, participation and performance in and out of the classroom.”

He noted that the Federal Government was distributing 2.99million of prima-

ry school books and 560,000 copies of library materials in the South East.

Wike said the goals of the Federal Government can only be achieved when stakeholders cooperate to deliver on basic education.

NLC denies receiving financial inducement from Mimiko

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

N

IGERIA Labour Con gress, NLC, yesterday, dismissed allegation

by Ondo State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of receiving financial inducement from Governor Olusegun Mimiko to back his second term ambition.

NLC in a statement by its President, Mr Abdulwaheed Omar, said congress was surprised that such reckless statements could be

made by an official of a political party that wields the realm of power not only at the federal level, but at other tiers of government.

It contended that neither the NLC nor its officials would ever consider monetary benefits in the choice of who to support “in our collective quest for good governance.”

NLC reminded PDP that it (NLC) vigorously campaigned for its immediate past president, who had been re-elected governor of Edo State, Mr Adams Os-

hiomhole because it was its collective decision that he ran for that office in the first instance, despite the fact that he had proven beyond doubt that he was well focused on running a peopledriven government that had developed the state.

The statement said: “We supported Dr. Mimiko during his campaigns for his first term in office; we have been supporting him and we have no reason, given his remarkable performance not to campaign for him to be re-elected".

could no-longer be condoned.

Abdulazeez said, “should the situation degenerate any further than it is today, the people of Middle Belt will have no other option that to defend themselves, even with the last blood in us.

“We the people of Middle Belt have been and will continue to embrace peace but there is limit to our patience. Our silence is based on our belief in the unity and co-existence of our na-

tion.”

He noted that the reoccurrence of attacks in Jos, Plateau State, was a calculated attempt to destabilise the Middle Belt region.

The youth leader, who lamented the manner the menace had been handled by the Federal Government, decried what he called the non-chalant attitude of the various security organisations, urging them to wake up to their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property.

Esan people in diaspora congratulate Oshiomhole

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

E

SAN people in The Netherlands, under the aegis of Esan Development Coalition, have attributed the success of the July 14, 2012 governorship election in the state to Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s campaign of one man, one vote, which they said had educated the electorate on

their civic responsibilities.

The group, in a congratulatory message to the governor signed by its President, Mr. Clem Ehinosun, also commended President Goodluck Jonathan and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for making Nigerians proud by organising a free, fair and credible election in the state.

Patani PDP commiserates with Delta dep speaker

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, in Patani Local Government Area, Delta State has condoled with the Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly, Mr. Basil Ganagana, over the death of his mother, Mrs Patricia Ganagana.

A delegation of the party chieftains led by the former Chairman of the party, Dr. Pius Sinebe, urged Ganagana to accept the death of his mother in good fate, noting that God cannot be

questioned no matter the circumstance. “We are here to share this moment with you and to let you know that we will participate actively in the burial of our mother to ensure a befitting burial for her,” he said.

Also part of the delegation were former Commissioner and House of Assembly candidate of Fresh Democratic Party in the last election, Mr. Raymus Guanah; Chairman of Patani chapter of the PDP, Mr. Godbless Omoniyi; party executives, women and other leaders of thought.

48 —

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Ghana: Atta Mills dies at 68 •Jonathan, Tinubu, Reps condole Ghana •VP John Dramani Mahama takes over •Death aborts visit to Nigeria over trade dispute

BY HUGO ODIOGOR, ADELEKE ADESERI, UDUMA KALU AND EMMA OVUAKPORIE

G

HANAIAN President John Evans Atta Mills died of cardiac arrest yesterday at a military hospital in Accra on the day he was scheduled to be in Abuja on a one day working visit.

Atta Mills, 68, became the president of Ghana in 2009 on the platform of National Democratic Party which had lost the presidential election twice . He celebrated his 68th birthday last Saturday.

Reports said his death came barely one month after he returned from New York after nine days of routine medical check up, but worries on his state of health persisted leading to rumours in June that he had died.

A statement from the office of the President yesterday said: ‘’it is with a heavy heart that we announce the sudden and untimely death of the president of the Republic of Ghana’’.

The Ghanian government said that late President passed on after a brief illness at 37 military hospital, Accra Ghana.Atta Mills becomes the second African president to die in power this year. Last April, President Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi died of stroke.

Atta Mills became third president of Ghana in 2009 after losing twice. He previously served as vice president. He was inaugurated on 7 January 2009, having defeated the ruling party candidate Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2008 election. He was Vice-President from 1997 to 2001 under President Jerry Rawlings, and stood unsuccessfully in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections as the candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Atta Mills recently returned from a nine day medical checkup in the United States. Prior to his trip to the U.S on June 16th, questions had been asked about the whereabouts of the president after he was not seen in public for close to two weeks whilst communal violence ravaged parts of the country.

After a successful routine medical checkup in New York, Atta Mills arrived home at about

12:45pm on Monday 25th June, 2012 to a rousing welcome.

Before his departure to the USA, President Mills quashed rumours of his death when he addressed the media. He also stated that he was going for a “routine check-up” and will be “away for a few days.”

President Jonathan condoles Ghana The Nigerian Presidency was swift in reacting to the news as President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said he “has received with shock and immense sadness news of the sudden death of President John Atta Mills of Ghana” The Nigerian President went on to say, “On behalf of himself, the government and people of Nigeria, President Jonathan extends sincere condolences to late President Mill’s family as well as the government and people of Ghana. The President assures the people of Ghana of the sympathy and solidarity of the people of Nigeria as they mourn late President

,

It is our hope and expectation that the excellent relationship which existed between Nigeria and Ghana during President Mill’s tenure will continue to be strengthened under the new leadership in Ghana

,

Mills who did his best during his tenure to carry forward the process of democratic consolidation and socio-economic development in Ghana."

He prayed that God Almighty will grant the late President’s soul eternal rest and bless his successor with the fortitude and wisdom he will need to keep Ghana firmly on the path of peace, stability and progress.

Late President Mills

Profile of Atta Mills

A

TTA Mills became the third president of Ghana in 2009 when he defeated the candidate of the ruling party Nana Akufo Addo. Before then he had lost twice but he served as vice president to former President John Jerry Rawlings from 1997 to 2001.

In mid June the late president was compelled to refute rumours of his purported death when he told journalists in Accra that “Indeed, this is not the first time that I have heard people say this about me. Let me just say that I’m very, very strong and I don’t know the basis for people saying that I am dead,” President Mills said. “You look at me as a person, are you seeing a person who has died?” The former University Professor University professor was married with a child and was known to be a lover of Hockey, swimming According to President Jonathan “It is our hope and expectation that the excellent relationship which existed between Nigeria and Ghana during President Mill’s tenure will continue to be strengthened under the new leadership in Ghana in the mutual interest of both countries”.

House of Representatives react Nigeria’s House of Representatives yesterday described the death of Ghanaian president Mr Atta Mills as a great loss not only to Ghana,but to Africa in general.

In a statement issued by the Spokesman of the House, Hon Zakari Mohammed said the late president is an embodiment of humility and a honest and transparent leader whose wit and wise counsels on the development of the region would be greatily missed. We in the 7th assembly while commistrating with our brothers and sisters in Ghana are consoled by the exemplary life the late politician lived and died for.similarly the Late Mr Mills will be missed for his politics without bitterness stand."

Tinubu and Aregbesola commiserate with Ghana The National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has sent his condolences to the government and

•John Dramani Mahama, new Ghanian President people of the Republic of Ghana on the passing on of President John Atta Mills.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, the former governor of Lagos State said: “He was a good man. A patriotic man, highly committed to the progress of his country and its people.

“He was dedicated to the ideals of democracy and the development of his country.

“President Mills lived a good life. H e has left a legacy of hard work, respect for human rights and his people’s culture.

“He will surely be missed by all.”Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday described the death of the Ghanaian President John Evans Atta Mills as an irreparable loss to the African continent.

Atta Mills, Aregbesola stated, had continued the job of advancing the course of democracy in his country which had become a source of pride to West African subregion in democratic tenets.

The Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu

Okanlawon, in a statement Tuesday evening, quoted Aregbesola as saying, “Africa has lost a rare gem. Atta Mills was quintessential leader who left no one in doubt over his readiness to advance the course of democracy.

Governor Aregbesola also sympathized with the entire people of Ghana praying for a worthy successor that would further ensure good governance and the development of the Black race.

Aborted visit to Abuja But his determination to hang on to his life and his job came to nought yesterday even as he was preparing to visit Abuja to resolve trade issues that have created tensions between Ghana and Nigeria and at the same time, threatened the ECOWAS treaty on trade liberalisation, free movement of goods and services. His planned visit to Nigeria was made known on the floor of Ghanaian parliament on Monday when his letter to inform the house was read by the Speaker.

The Ghana press said the recent foreign retail trade dispute was expected to take centre stage during the discussions.

There have been reports that Ghana is denying Nigerians entry over alleged fake yellow fever cards as some Nigerian travellers to Accra were reportedly subjected to inhuman treatment at the Kotoka International Airport, Accra, over yellow fever vaccination as all the yellow fever cards from Nigeria were presumed fake and international passports of such Nigerians seized. The Ghanaian immigration officials got them Ghana’s yellow fever cards for N2,000 each before they got their documents back while other arrivals consisting of whites and blacks on board were ignored. Their participation in retail business in markets across the Ghana was said to be in violation of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, GIPC, Law, Act 478 of 1994, which reserves smallscale retail businesses for Ghanaians. The GIPC Act confers the sole right of trading in the market on Ghanaians.

V anguard, WEDNESD AY, JUL Y 25, 2012 — 49 WEDNESDA JULY Vanguard

Rebekah Brooks, six others charged for phone hacking T

HE former Chief Ex ecutive of Rupert Murdoch’s News International, Rebekah Brooks and the former Director of Communications, to British Prime Minister David Cameron, Mr. Andy Coulson, will be charged with phone hacking, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Six other people will also be charged in the ever-widening scandal for their roles in a lengthy campaign of illegal espionage that victimised hundreds of people, the CPS said on yesterday in a televised statement Coulson and Brooks, both former editors for the News of the World, the Sunday tabloid which was shut down last July amid public outrage over the scandal, are accused of conspiring to intercept voicemails of 600 al-

leged victims between October 2000 and August 2006.

Others being charged include senior tabloid journalists Stuart Kuttner, Greg Miskiw, Neville Thurlbeck, James Weatherup and Ian Edmondson. Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, whose extensive notes have been at the centre of the scandal, is also being prosecuted.

Coulson quit the News of the World in 2006 after one of his reporters was found guilty of phone hacking, but denied any personal involvement and always insisted that the practice was the work of one rogue reporter.

In 2007, Cameron appointed him communications director of the Conservative Party, a post he held until he quit last year as the scandal deepened and the British public ques-

on media ethics. She insisted she was not guilty, saying in a statement on Tuesday: “I did not authorise, nor was I aware of, phone hacking under my editorship.”

Murdoch appointed Brooks chief executive

EU lists terms to end sanctions on Zimbabwe

A •Rebekah Brooks tioned Cameron’s judgement over the appointment.

Brooks, who was once deputy editor a t t h e News of the World, before she went on to edit the Sun, Brit-

ain’s best-selling newspaper and one of the four titles in News International’s stable, had also denied any wrong doing when she appeared before a parliamentary committee

Nigeria-Egypt trade hits $100m mark

BY VICTORIA OJEME

N

IGERIA-EGYPT trade volume is now put at $100million, as the country celebrate its 60 years of nationhood and revolution, leading to the emergence of a democratically elected president in the country recently.

Speaking in Abuja, at a reception to mark Egypt national day of the country, Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Youssef Shawki said Nigeria and Egypt have been enjoying a very good relationship leading to establishment of an Egypt cultural center in Nigeria, consulate in Lagos as well as many Egyp-

tian companies operating in Nigeria. Adding that the relationship has continued to develop from time to time.

On the trade volume between the two countries, the envoy said “the trade volume is about one hundred million dollars but we are looking up for increment in it to better strengthen out relationships. Both countries have worked together to nourish their relationship and boost our cooperation politically, economically and culturally.”

The ambassador also noted that participation of their new president two weeks after he emerged the president of Egypt at the African Union summit is part of

Egypt commitment to the growth and development of the people in

J

OHN Dramani Ma hama was born 29 November 1958. A communication expert, historian, writer, former Member of Parliament and Minister of State, his father Mr. Emmanuel Adama Mahama was the first Member of Parliament

for the West Gonja Constituency and the first Regional Commissioner of the Northern Region during Ghana’s First Republic. Upon the successful completion of that programme, Mahama then went on to pursue an additional postgraduate diploma, this one in social psychology at the Institute of So-

particular and African continent at large.

credible referen dum on Zimbabwe’s new constitution will be “an important milestone” toward the suspension of sanctions targeting many leaders and businesses linked to long-time ruler Robert Mugabe, the European Union said.

EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Aldo Dell Ariccia said on Monday in Harare that the 27-nation bloc was encouraged by reforms in Zimbabwe after years of violence and economic turmoil. Zimbabwe needs to be rewarded to maintain the pace of reforms, but individual travel, banking and business bans imposed

Assad’s WMD threat alarms Russia

I

NCREASINGLY un der pressure by rebels intent on unseating him, Bashar al-Assad has considered using chemical weapons against his enemies but Washington and Moscow have formed an unlikely alliance to force him to abandon such plans.

Analysts and diplomats across the region and beyond do not doubt that the Assad government, recoiling from a devastating attack on its security establishment last week and struggling to contain rebel offensives across Syria, is capable

Ghana swears-in new president

BY UDUMA KALU

of News International in 2009 and she was widely seen as the media mogul’s right-hand woman at News Corporations’s newspaper division in the UK until she quit in 2011 over the scandal.

cial Sciences in Moscow.

After completing his education Mahama returned to Ghana and, from 1991 to 1996, he worked as the Information, Culture and Research Officer at the Embassy of Japan in Accra. From there he moved to the nongovernmental agency (NGO) PLAN International’s Ghana Country

of using agents such as Sarin gas if its survival is at stake.

Yet some believe that the government’s unprecedented admission that it possesses a chemical stockpile - although

in safe storage and only to be deployed against “external aggressors” is an attempt to allay international alarm that might prompt outside intervention to secure the weapons.

in reaction to violations of human and democratic rights will stay in effect at least until after a referendum, he said.

A draft of the new constitution was completed on Friday. It must be put to a vote months before parliamentary and presidential elections proposed for mid-2013.

Mugabe, 88, joined a fragile coalition with the former opposition after violent elections in 2008. ”A peaceful and credible referendum will justify suspension of the majority of listed people,” Dell Ariccia told reporters, referring to individuals who are facing bans.

About 110 politicians and Mugabe loyalists are currenlty banned from traveling to Europe and doing business there. EU officials say the bans on Mugabe and his closest associates will not be immediately affected by any easing of sanctions policy.

Iraq delays trial of former VP

T

HE trial of Iraq’s fu gitive Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, accused of running death squads, has been postponed after defence requests to call President Jalal Talabani to testify were again denied. An Iraqi appeals Office, where he worked as International Relations, Sponsorship Communications and Grants Manager. An eloquent champion of the underprivileged, Mahama was first elected to the Parliament in 1996 to represent the Bole/ Bamboi Constituency for a four-year term. In April 1997, Mr. Mahama was appointed Deputy Minister of Communications.

court refused on Tuesday to allow Talabani testify in a terror trial against the nation’s Sunni vice president, a case that has deepened the rift between the country’s largely sectarian-based political factions. The latest session in the case against Vice President Tariq alHashemi follows the bloodiest day in Iraq in two years. Monday’s attacks killed 115 people and came on the heels of a declaration by al-Qaida’s new leader that the movement hopes to reestablish itself in Sunni areas and recreate alliances with Sunni tribes.

AlHashemi, one of Iraq’s highest-ranking Sunni politicians, is accused of running death squads that targeted Shia officials and pilgrims. Al-

•President Talabani Hashemi, who is in Turkey avoiding trial, has denied the wrongdoing and has said he is the victim of a political vendetta by Shia Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Attorney Muayad Obeid al-Ezzi, the head of al-Hashemi’s defence team, said the Iraq’s federal appeals court upheld an earlier decision by the Baghdad’s criminal court to not take Talabani’s testimony.

50—V anguard, WEDNESD AY, JUL Y 25, 2012 50—Vanguard, WEDNESDA JULY

ARMS FACTORY—Two suspects arrested at an illegal Arms Factory in Nassarawa State and some of the arms and ammunition recovered, yesterday.

Imoukhuede committee submits report, indicts 21 oil firms

BY BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA—THE Presidential Committee on Verification and Reconciliation of Fuel Subsidy Payments, yesterday, revealed that 21 companies that participated in Subsidy payments were found culpable of fraudulent claims.

Submitting the final report, Chairman of the committee, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede told State House correspondents that out of the N422 billion earlier found to have been unaccounted for, N18 billion was actually a duplication while only N403 billion was verified.

According to him, N21 billion was cleared leaving N382 billion as the sum in contention, the basis for which the committee recommended that the process of recovery should be made.

Giving an insight into the committee’s operation, Aig-Imoukhuede said a total of 116 oil marketing and trading companies (OM&T) that participated in the petroleum subsidy scheme in the period under review were invited for interviews.

“Out of the N422 billion identified by the Technical Committee which I chaired, the Presidential Committee took steps to identify and remove duplication, which may have been contained in the Technical Committee’s report

which was also discovered in the course of the panel’s interviews.

“Of the N422 billion, N18 billion was found to be duplication. So, the actual amount that was being verified is N403 billion. Of this amount, N21 billion was cleared and that leaves N382 billion as the sum in contention for which the committee recommended that the process of recovery should be made.

“Painstaking efforts were made to ensure fairness, OM&T’s were given the opportunity to come back with as much documentation and even

be re-interviewed where necessary.

“We have six categories of issues, likely fraudulent cases for criminal investigation-you have 21 OM&T affected. We have short-time certificate issues and a number of OM&Ts involved in irregular payments and so on.

“There are 22 recommendations made by the Committee. I will like to summarise them as follows: “Obviously, the first is the recovery of the said amount. The next is possible criminal investigation and prosecution of the OM&T that are found

to have engaged in likely fraudulent issues.

“Also, the external auditors and any government functionaries who served will be further interviewed to determine their roles, if any, in the issues that were discussed.

“We also recognise the need for the accelerated implementation of all the recommendations in the Technical Committee report.

“It is important to note that the fuel subsidy scheme involved the sourcing, importation and distribution of petroleum and other related

products within Nigerian. And based on the fact that you have a subsidy regime, the claiming of subsidies by those who import these products.

“It has taken time because it is better to do your homework thoroughly before you take action as opposed to rush and take action and then be embarrassed in court because you didn’t do your homework.

“We believe that at this juncture and based on the recommendations of the committee, Nigerians will begin to see the federal government take the action that is visible having gone through the invisible hard work of putting together the cases against those who may have misbehaved in the fuel subsidy programme.

“Finally, our recommendation is that for the nation to keep putting together teams of technocrats to pursue those who abuse a subsidy regime is not sustainable. The lasting and final solution to ensure that this kind of thing does not occur again is for the deregulation of fuel subsidy”, he said.

He added: “There are a number of options. The first is to determine whether you have some of the subsidy payments due still within the banking system in the possession of those who illegally collected them.

“There are other powers that the federal government has with respect to transactions that are ongoing and claims that such people may have for additional fuel subsidies-that is another

source of recovery.

“We have also looked at one or two interesting enabling laws that allow the federal government take certain steps we will not mention now because you don’t disclose your procedures to the man you intend to prosecute.

“But, is it likely that we can recover the sum of N382 billion in a process like this? It will be naïve to think that we can recover the whole amount.

The most important thing is that the State diligently pursues recovery to its logical conclusion.

At the end of the day, having exhausted all means at its disposal, I think the people of Nigeria will know that justice has been done”, he said.

Speaking on the work of the committee, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke said the work of the Technical Committee was to fine-tune what the EFCC is doing.

“It is complimentary to the EFCC report as well as that of the House of Representatives. The entire objective is that the government is not just interested in prosecuting those that are engaged in impunity for violating the process but also recovering the money and will need technocrats to help us identify the exact amount of money because with the prosecution, the society itself must benefit by having a restitution. We are going to recover this money and we are going to set the process for recovery alongside the prosecution.”

Petroleum marketers threaten to shut operations in two days

L

AGOS—THE Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA) yesterday, threatened to shut its operations within 48hours if government failed to pay the subsidy claims to marketers.

Mr Dapo Abiodun, the President of the association, gave the ultimatum in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Abiodun said that government's failure to pay all verified and outstanding subsidy claims would force the members to suspend supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide.

“We are not fighting government but what we are saying is that government should pay all our

outstanding subsidy claims which have affected our operations.

“If after 48-hours government fails to effect payment, we, the members of DAPPMA are going to put our operations on hold nationwide pending when it is paid,” he said.

Abiodun said that banks were charging marketers about N1.80k as interest on a litre of petrol per month due to non-payment of the subsidy claims by government.

He said that it costs members about $30 million to import 30,000 tonnes of petrol, adding that non-payment of subsidy had resulted to huge debts from funds borrowed from banks.

According to him, the

bank loans used to finance importation of petroleum products have continued to accrue interests over and above the 45 days.

He said also that the decision of Federal Government to suspend indefinitely all verified and outstanding subsidy payments since January had exposed its members to financial crisis.

“Our members have been exposed to harsh effects of the devaluation of the naira.

“That will make it impossible to fully repay the outstanding dollar denominated loans when eventually payments are made by the Federal Government."

Abiodun said the situation had made it imperative for marketers to

demand also the payment of all accrued interests over and above the contractual period.

He said that the association was not against the ongoing investigation of the 2011 subsidy claims by marketers but requested for the full payment of 2012 subsidy claims so far.

“We have subjected ourselves to the various panel investigations but nothing came out of the reports. Government doesn’t have reason to hold payment of claims when marketers duly imported products.”

Meanwhile, Wole Ademolekun, the General Manager, Operations of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), said that they would not

join issues with marketers on the subsidy payment.

“As an organisation, we don’t comment on this.

We have seen advertisements, we have seen so many things but we don’t comment on such.

“Even what you have said now, it’s not accurate but we don’t want to join issues with them. It was JEFTON, now DAPPMA that went and placed an advertorial. Everybody is making a statement and we don’t want to join issue with them,” he said.

NAN reports that the Jetty and Tank Farm Owners Association of Nigeria (JEFTON) on Monday embarked on indefinite strike over the non-payment of subsidy claims.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012—51

We make visa experience pleasant for Nigerians — Malick, Indian Consul Gen The Indian Consul General, Lagos office, Rani Malick, in this interview, speaks on the commitment of the Consulate which is aimed at ensuring issuance of visa to Nigeria applicants.

She disclosed the Consulate’s interest to ensure that every visa applicant experiences a very pleasant and conducive atmosphere during visa processing stages.

The principal office which is located in Abuja, as well as the Lagos office, according to Malick, are always available to handle all visa cases, with the objective of giving applicants the most efficient services ever. Also for the convenience of visa applicants, the embassy she disclosed, maintains a special bank counters inside the office premises for payment of visa fees. Excerpts:

By VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU & PRISCA SAMDURU

W

HAT is the statistics of Ni gerians who apply for visa yearly to India and how many are successful?

In 2011, the High Commission of India offices in Abuja and Lagos issued over 33,000 visas, mostly to Nigeria nationals, with a small percentage for Cameroon, Benin and Chad and other nationalities.

What are the constraints in dealing with Nigeria applicants?

Although instructions on our website are quite clear and fairly simple, many applicants do not come prepared. They do not follow the prescribed procedure and end up stampeding us into giving those visas. Submission of inadequate or fake documents with visa applications is also a major challenge.

How far does the consulate reach out to Nigeria visa applicants by way of giving out information, in situation of change in policies or other visa related matters?

Exhaustive information, including on visa procedure, is available on the High Commission's website. Contact details of concerned visa officers are also displayed. Telephone calls and e:mails are promptly and adequately responded to. Information on change of visa procedure, in addtition to posting on the website, is also prominently disemminataed through leading local newspapers.

To what extent are you helping to speed up the processing of visa applications for those persons seeking medical attention?

The visa processing time is only three working days. In case of a genuine medical emergency due care is taken to issue visas expeditiously.

Do you have a special visa category for person seeking medical attention?

L-r: Mr. Mike Sidwel, Sales Director, Globacom; Mr. Dwight Yorke, Manchester United Ambassador; Mr. George Anda, Regional Director, Marketing Promotions; and Miss Monalisa Chinda, Glo Ambassador during the launch of Globacom/ Manchester United Mobile site in Lagos.

Photo: Sylva Eleanya

L-R: Mr. Emmanuel Evue, Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya, Mrs. P.O. Ijerheime, Chief Johnson Barovbe, JP, Mrs. Goodie Ibru, Prof Sam Oyovbaire, Oba Babatunde Akran of Badagry, Olori of Badagry, Mrs Alaba Fadairo, representative of the Dep. Gov. of Lagos State, Daniel Omokachi; Badagry Chief, Chief Gabriel Otite, Barr. Mrs. J.M. Barovbe, Mrs. M.K. Jibowu at the 10th graduation of Westminster College Lagos

•Indian Consul General,Rani Malick Yes, we have a specific category of visa called “Medical Visa” for those wishing to seek medical treatment in India and the “Medical attendant visa” for one (or maximum two) attendant(s), where required.

What is your stand in a case where an applicant needs a visa swap?

Normally, the applicant is expected to make up his mind about the purpose of his/her intended visit to India, before filling in and submitting the online visa application. Supporting document specifications vary with the type of visa. Change of purpose is normally not encouraged.

Are there programmes set up by the Consulate in helping to educate the Nigeria public on the prerequisites for a successful visa application?

Detailed information on the sub-

,

ness visa.

If there is opportunity to reconstruct the laid down rules of visa processing, what would you want to change?

You will notice that our rules and processes are user friendly. However, the High Commission is open to constructive suggestions to improve the procedure for more efficient delivery.

Has the Consulate outsourced its visa processing to any agency or group?

No, the visa service has not been outsourced. All applications are received directly in the High Commission offices in Abuja and Lagos.

Is there any mechanism in place to check activities of embassy touts?

We believe that our transparent rules and processes are effective in preventing touts. We also seek

,

The High Commission is open to constructive suggestions to improve the procedure for more efficient delivery

ject of visa is available on the High Commission’s website.

However, the High Commission will be willing to consider request for disseminating visa specific information to any group, if need arises.

Of all the type of visas made available by the High Commission to intending Nigeria applicants, which is the most sought for?

Business visa, followed by medical visa are those that are mostly sought after by Nigeria nationals.

Is there any special consideration given to persons who seek a particular type of visa, for instance, investment?

A person seeking to invest in India would need to obtain a Busi-

from time to time, assistance of the local police and other Nigeria authorities to remove touts who stand in the public areas like parking lots or on the main road and have been reported to misguide/harass the visiting applicants. I would like to use this column to strongly urge the applicants to obtain and follow only authentic visa information given either by the website as mentioned earlier or given out by authorized High Commission personnel.

What are some of the issues that could lead to visa denial?

Previous adverse record, suppression of information, inconsistency between documents and interviews, fake documents and so on.

L-r: Peter Stomheit, Country Programme Officer, AFDB, Mr. Kayode Fabunmi, Chairman, IPFA and Edmund Boyo, Partner, Clifford Chance, U.K at the ESQ Summit in Lagos yesterday

L-r: Past district 9110 governor, Rotary International and international award winner, Rotn Otunba Abiodun Sanwo; Districtn 9110 governor elect,Rotn Oluwagbemiga Olowu; Mr. Olayiwola Olowu and a past district 9110 governor, Rotn Dr. Vincent Alaba Akinsete at the funeral reception of Special Apostle Olubunmi Obatolu-Olowu in Lagos

R-l: President, Rotary Club of Ikoyi Metro, District 9110, Rotn Ify Ejezie with past president, Rotary Club of Victoria Island, Lagos, Rotn Femi Ogunlowo, at the launch of "The Pride" magazine in Lagos

52 —

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Idowu vows to go for Olympic gold P

HILLIPS Idowu has vowed to go all out for gold after revealing he will be fit to take his place on the triple jump runway at the Olympic Games.

The 33-year-old has been suffering from hip and knee injuries and this week opted out of the Team GB camp in Portugal in favour of staying with his own team of trainers.

But Idowu said: ‘I’m fine, I’m OK. Things are being blown out of proportion. The season’s goal is still the same - to come away with the Olympic gold medal.

That’s what I’ve been looking for since the heartbreak of Beijing.

‘Even if the build-up to the Games hasn’t been what I wanted, I’ll always come out and jump a season’s best. I’ll do everything I can to make sure

I’m pain free for the competition so that I can jump to the best of my abilities. That’s the plan.’

British Olympic officials were angry at Idowu’s decision to pull out of the trip abroad and spokesman Darryl Seibel told Sportsmail: ‘We have written to Phillips and his agents asking that he provides the relevant material relating to his injury and the treatment he is currently receiving to our chief medical adviser, Dr Ian McCurdie.’

But Idowu’s agent Jonathan Marks hit back, telling BBC Sport: ‘He’s incredibly disappointed and surprised as to why the BOA has chosen to do this (make the request for injury details public).

I can’t understand the benefit to the athlete.

Iraq shooter barred from taking gun to Games

I

IN FLIGHT: Phillips Idowu, British medal hope at London 2012

Canada women soccer team aim for gold

C

ANADA women soc cer team are not ruling themselves out of the gold as they open their account against Japan today.

“We are working on the things that will hopefully take us through to the podium,” said Canadian head coach John Herdman. “We are constantly working on four or five things, so hopefully those will be the things that get us there in the end.”

From the goal out, Canada’s Olympic squad fea-

tures Karina LeBlanc and Erin McLeod as goalkeepers, Emily Zurrer, Carmelina Moscato, Robyn Gayle, Rhian Wilkinson, Candace Chapman, Chelsea Stewart and Lauren Sesselmann as defenders, and Kaylyn Kyle, Diana Matheson, Desiree Scott, Christine Sinclair, Sophie Schmidt, Melissa Tancredi, Kelly Parker, Jonelle Filigno and Brittany Timko from the midfield up through to the attack.

Cameroon ready for Olympics baptism C AMEROON coach, Enow Nagatchu insisted that his wards have

nothing to prove when they play their first ever Olympics soccer game

against giants Brazil.

However, he stated that Cameroon women football will benefit from the exposure. Cameroon’s women’s football team will be first-timers in London. Previous attempts to qualify have failed, even Cameroon officials admit, because the standard of the

women’s game was simply not good enough.

“I believe in this group I have patiently built. We made it to the Olympics by eliminating Nigeria, which is one of the best teams in Africa and even one of the best in the world,” said coach Enow Nagatchu.

Canada are in the same group with Japan, Sweden and South Africa.

De Gea gears for soccer battle

M

ANCHESTER United and Spain keeper, David De Gea believes winning the Olympics in London would be just as significant as any of Spain’s recent triumphs.

And the 21-year-old is in no doubt as to the importance of the tournament to his country.

“This is a huge event, worldwide, one that has

Serena set for Wimbledon again at Olympics

S

READY TO ROAR: Cameroon female soccer team, roaring to go.

ERENA Williams says she feels “really good” and is ready to go for another title at Wimbledon.

Phelps, Lochte train at London Aquatic Centre

I

T’S going to be one of the great rivalries at London 2012 – and to add extra edge it is purely a domestic one.

After winning a record eight gold medals in the Beijing swimming pool, Michael Phelps will be aiming for another gold rush in London 2012 in a bid to take his tally to 21 following the six he picked up at Athens in 2004.

But out to stop him is his American compatriot Ryan Lochte who is set to push the 27-year-old all the way in London.

It’s a rivalry backed up

by Phelps’ coach Bob Bow-

man who has claimed: ‘They rarely train together, mainly because we don’t want them killing each other or killing themselves — and they would.’

But there was no separating them in London on Tuesday, as both trained in the London pool ahead of the opening events on Saturday.

The pair are good friends outside the pool but inside it they are bitter rivals, with both admitting they hate it when the other swims his way to victory.

With Lochte gradually narrowing the gap be-

tween him and Phelps in their eight-year rivalry, their battles are set to be closer than ever at the Olympics.

•Phelps

But whether it’s for three Olympic golds or just two is still up in the air.

Williams pulled out of a World Team Tennis match in Washington last week to rest her back before the Olympics. She said Tuesday she doesn’t have any injury concerns as she prepares for a quick return to the All England Club. She won her fifth Wimbledon title there this month and also teamed with sister Venus to win the doubles tournament.

Serena said at a news conference with the U.S. team that “I feel really good going into these Olympic Games, and wanting to do really well.”

The Williams sisters will be defending their gold medal in doubles, but team officials say they won’t pick players for mixed doubles until

RAQI Olympic shoot er Noor Aamer Jassim was barred on Tuesday from taking her equipment onto a plane from Baghdad to Dubai on her way to compete in the London Games, an Iraqi official told AFP. “The Emirates crew refused to allow Noor Aamer take her pistol with her or for it to be sent separately from Baghdad to Dubai, because it was not on the permitted possessions list authorised by Emirati authorities,” said Yusuf Khoshaba, public relations chief for the Iraqi Olympic Committee.

next week.

Serena

•De Gea enormous repercussions.

“We’re talking about a unique competition; special, completely different.

One we’re taking very seriously.

“Imagine it - standing there on the podium, the national anthem playing, a gold medal round your neck ... it is a dream.

“There are players here who have won everything with the senior side and yet they desperately wanted to be here with us too. That says it all.”

The presence of the likes of Juan Mata, Jordi Alba and Javi Martínez and the disappointment Sergio Busquets felt at not being involved illustrates his point. But it is the togetherness of the youngsters that De Gea believes makes them serious contenders.

“We have played together for a long time,” De Gea continued. “We know each other, how we play, how we work, and we get on well.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012 — 53

o 20 12’ Sports Festival: Lagos opens ‘Ek ‘Eko 201 to private sector

BY IME BASSEY

T

HE Marketing subcommittee of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 18th National Sports Festival tagged Éko 2012’ yesterday at the Protea Hotel Ikeja officially launched the brand for sponsorship.

In her speech to formerly open the brand for patronage from corporate organizations, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State who doubles as chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire said that Games can’t be successful without the partnership of the private sector.

“I want to officially announce to all corporate organizations that the brand ‘Éko 2012’ is now open for sponsorship.

Pix from right Chief Molade Okoya Thomas, Chairman, Marketing and Sponsorships Committee, Eko 2012; Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Deputy Governor and Chairman LOC; Mr Abimbola Sunmola, CEO Q Sports; Mr. Cy Anosike and Mr Taye Ige, President, Hotsports at the unveilling of Sponsorship and Leveraging opportunities for Eko 2012 Sport Festival at Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele

The Lagos State Government and its consulting partners for the organization of the games look forward to have official transporter, Bank, Hotel, soft drink, alcohol of the games and many more.

She disclosed that Alliance Auto had already

donated 5 vehicles for the games to the LOC and more was expected from them.

Although the official opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics comes up on Friday, July 27, some events will begin today.

Setraco tennis gets Zenith bank's boost

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

T

HE Setraco Junior Tennis Clinic has received a major boost from Zenith Bank, who are now co-sponsors of the catch-them young initiative According to the Managing Director of Setraco Nigeria Ltd, Engr Michael Hacchenberg, the tournament was con-

ceptualized to encourage students on their summer break to engage in tennis. He added that it was also designed to create an opportunity for those already involved in tennis to expand their skills through a tournament experience.

He said that the sponsorship of Zenith Bank was going to take the clinic to new heights.

Barca reject Milan bid for Sanchez

B

ARCELONA have turned down an approach from AC Milan for versatile attacker Alexis Sanchez, Goal.com understands.

Don’t Miss The Rossoneri are looking to reinforce their attack following the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Paris Saint-Germain, and were hoping to acquire Alexis on a one-year loan deal with an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

However, Barca have shot down Milan’s advances as they see the 23-year-old as an integral part of their squad. Alexis joined Barcelona from Udinese in the summer of 2011, and netted 12 goals in 25 Liga appearances in his first season at the Catalans.

Meanwhile, Goal.com has learned that Milan are ready to sell Robinho this summer if a good offer comes in.

Head coach Massimiliano Allegri does not see the former Manchester City forward as a key player, and an offer in the region of €9 million would be enough to lure the Brazil international away from the San Siro side.

•Sanchez

The coordinator of the programme, Rotimi Akinloye said this year ’s event, which runs from July 30 to August 31, will serve off with the tennis clinic from July 30 through August 8, whicl would be followed by a tournament for those selected from the clinic from August 9-11. From August 13-25, the winners of the tournament will undergo trainings to prepare them for a tournament wich comprises of young tennis players from seven states, including the Federal Capital Territory.

The States include Delta, Lagos, Rivers, Ekiti, Kaduna, Niger and Benue and their battle for the ultimate glory commences on August 27 with the finals holding on August 31. The Abuja National Stadium will host the tennis clinic while the tournaments take place at Abuja Tennis Club in Life Camp.

54 —

Vanguard, WEDNEDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Eagles resume camp Aug 19 T

HE Super Eagles team will resume camping on August 19 for their last qualifying Afcon dates against the Lone Stars of Liberia.

This was revealed by Ben Alaiya, Media Officer for the team.

Alaiya who quoted team scribe, Dayo Enebi Achor, said the date was picked with all logistics taken into consideration by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the coach, Stephen Keshi.

The date of the first leg match is September 8 and the Eagles camp will open with the homebased players who will have concluded the league season.

Bolton White Apartments, Abuja remains the camp site and training will commence on August 20. Meanwhile the NFF is intensifying efforts for friendly match for the national team before the game against Liberia.

The list of players expected in that camp –

Oscar close to £25m Chelsea switch

C Glo unveils Glo-Man United mobile site both home-based and European, will not be released till just a few

BY JACOB AJOM

C

OMMUNICATION giants, Globacom yesterday moved one step further in its relationship with English Premier League club, Manchester United as the company unveiled a mobile site, exclusively for thousands of the club’s fans who are glo subscribers. Subscribers can get all they want on the club by going to www.manutd.gloworld.com Speaking at the site unveiling ceremony, the executive director of the company, Adewale Sangowawa said, “Glo subscribers can access the icons, souvenirs, games, tickets, information and just about anything that a fan may want to know about Manchester United and satisfy his passion – direct on Glomobile phone.”

days to the August 19 date, when the technical crew will have conclud-

ed on the players that will be called up.

HELSEA target Os car has described the prospect of joining the

He further explained that fans ccould even watch clips of old matches, including star goals in the portal while receiving SMS alerts on live match-

es.

Sangowawa explained that Globacom’s romance with the former English champions dated back to 2010 and this has been of

immense benefit to numerous subscribers, some of whom have gone to Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United to watch the club’s matches.

L-R, Mr. Mike Sidwel, Sales Director, Globacom, Mr. Dwight Yorke, Manchester United Ambassador, Mr. George Anda, Regional Director, Marketing Promotions and Miss Monalisa Chinda, Glo Ambassador during the launch of Globacom/ Manchester United Mobile Site in Lagos. Photo by Sylva Eleanya.

Blues as a ‘dream’ amid reports his £25million move could now be wrapped up as early as Friday. Doubts had been cast over his move to Stamford Bridge after the Brazil international said he would not allow the transfer distract him from trying to win Olympic gold The 20-year-old Internacional playmaker has been the subject of intense speculation linking him with a move to Stamford Bridge all summer.

And he underwent a medical before starring in Brazil’s 2-0 friendly win over Great Britain in Middlesbrough He said: ‘If I go to Chelsea, it will be a dream - a big club in Europe. ‘I’m sure I’ll have a great Olympics, and if it is to be Chelsea, I will do a great job there.’

Oscar joined Internacional from Sao Paulo in 2009 and last summer scored a hat-trick in the Under 20 World Cup final as Brazil beat Portugal.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012 — 55

D’ Tigers here for a medal, says Oguchi N IGERIAN basket ball player, Chamberlain “Champ” Oguchi said he and his teammates are not in London 2012 to make up the numbers.

Oguchi who arrived the Games Village on Monday stated that the team was in high spirits and they ready to prove that their qualification for the Olympics was not a fluke.

“Our goal is to place, not just compete,” said Oguchi. “We’ve already proven we can compete with some of the top teams in the world such as Greece and Lithuania.

Now that we know that, and the rest of the world knows that, we expect nothing less. We want to establish ourselves as one of the top teams in the world.”

D’ Tigers are making their Olympic debut.

They will play their first game against Tunisia on Sunday. Oguchi who was sidelined by an injury during the qualifiers declared that he was looking forward to the games, most especially the one against the USA all star Dream Team on August 2.

“Just to be on the floor with those guys I grew up admiring, guys like Carmelo (Anthony), LeBron (James), Kobe (Bryant), Deron Williams will mean a lot to me,” said Oguchi. “But I can’t think about that in the game. Before and after the game is when it’s going sink in that I’m going against some of the best talent in the world.”

American 4x400m relay team 'already disqualified'

A

ON THE PROWL — Nigeria's Chamberlain Oguchi attempts to beat two Greek players during an Olympic qualifying match in Venezuela.

Team Nigeria cchances hances ‘re vver er ys eryy good, sa says Chef de Mission N IGERIA’S Chef De Mission at the London 2012 Olympics, Dr Patrick Ekeji yesterday described Team Nigerian chances at the Olympics as very good. ‘’We look good for the Games. There are pointers to the fact that this Olympics will be good for Nigeria”, Ekeji said moments after Team Nigeria was received formally at the Olympic Village.

Taking a cursory look at Team Nigeria, Ekeji who is also the Director General of the National Sports Commission, NSC, said that Nigeria would excel in Boxing. ‘’I monitored all the athletes right from their

Team Nigeria ttak ak es centre ssttage akes at Olympic Village Continues from B/Page

President, Engr Sani M. Ndanusa and Nigeria’s High commission to the UK, His Excellency Dr Dalhatu Tafidah stood at attention watching the flag soar high to mark Nigeria’s formal welcome into the Games Village housing all the participating nations for the Olympics.

Ex-international athlete and one of the coaches of Team Nigeria, Yussuf Ali was so moved that he predicted that Nigerian national anthem would be played more during the Games. Only countries whose athletes win gold medals have the honour of their national anthem being played at the med-

DECISION by the In ternational Olympic Committee (IOC) not to reaward the medals from the women’s 4x400 metres at the 2004 Games in Athens has caused surprise among senior officials at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The IOC’s ruling Exec-

al presentation ceremony. Ali said that he was not being carried away by emotion or blinded by patriotism. ‘’More of Nigerian national anthem will be played during the Games. This is because the athletes are raring to go. They are determined to themselves and the country proud coupled with the smooth relationship of the NSC and the NOC”, Ali , a veteran of many Olympics said.

Present at the event also was the Mayor of Enfield, Mrs Kate Anolue among many Nigerians living in London who screamed when Nigerian athletes marched to the venue clad in their green white green outfit, waving their flags to their admiration.

training bases and I feel satisfied with their reports. ‘’We are set to go and I feel good that something good will come out of this despite the huge challenges we faced running to the Olympics. I think that I have given it my best and wait and hope that the athletes will justify all that we put into it. “For me, this is going to be my last Olympics. It means a lot to me and I have put in everything to ensure that Nigeria finishes on a higher pedestal”, . ‘’Okagbare is doing absolutely well and we pray that she carries

PRINT king Usain Bolt is preparing to smash the world record once again by running 9.4 seconds - but says that is the limit.

His coach Glen Mills has always predicted Bolt will be at his very best by the time of his 26th birthday, which falls less than two weeks after the end of the Olympics on August 21.

Having set world records of 9.58s for the 100m and 19.19s for the 200m in winning golds at the 2009 World Championship in Berlin, Bolt still says there is room for improvement.

He told The Sun: ‘You can’t be sure when or where you can run a time like 9.4.

‘But the major competitions are when I take it really seriously and shine through — that’s

These Tigers ‘ll injure teams — Gbiri

T

• Dr. Ekeji her form to the Olympics.

And so, it is with all the athletes that we registered. But we still need

support and prayers of Nigerians as we get ready to go”, Ekeji emphasized.

I’m ready to run 9.4s, says Bolt

S

utive Board last week claimed they were awaiting “clarification” from athletics’ world governing body over whether to disqualify the United States team despite one of the squad, Crystal Cox, admitting afterwards she took steroids from from 2001.

The IOC have alrady disqualified Cox, who was one of several athletes who have admitted using banned performance-enhancing drugs as part of the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO) conspiracy.

business time.’

Fears have been raised over Bolt’s fitness in the lead up to The Games and the threat posed by training partner Yohan Blake.

But the Jamacian remains confident of success, although he has set a limit on how fast he or anyone can run - saying 9.4s is the fastest.

He added: ‘It is impossible to run 9.2.

‘The body isn’t made to go that fast no matter how hard you train, how good a shape you’re in or how good your technique.’

And Bolt claims his spirit and hunger for sprinting has remained the same since his school days and he claims that if he beats someone once, he’ll never lose to them again.

HE presence of Nige ria’s male Basketball team, D Tigers at the Olympics is still causing ripples with the scribe of Nigerian Basketball Federation, Francis Gbiri who is vowing that the Tigers will ‘injure’ teams here. ‘’WE are not here by mistake. We are here because we merit to be at the Olympics. We are here because the players gave their all to be here. We are here because of the doggedness of the President, Tijani Umar.

I’m ready to face the world Continues from B/Page

her confidence has been boosted by her performance at the Monaco Diamond league.

“My recent win in Monaco has boosted my confidence,” Okagbare said. “I think I’m ready to face the world. I’m just going to go out and do my best. “I’m aiming for a top three overall. If I get the gold, I’ll take it. Whatever happens I will accept my fate.”

Okagbare is enjoying a burst of form and has demonstrated this by going under 11 seconds twice. She stated that she is not intimidated by the credentials of rivals like defending Olympic champion, Shelly-AnnFraser Pryce of Jamiaca

who has the world leading time of 10.70 seconds, Carmelita Jeter of the USA who has the second fastest time of 10.81, Veronica Campbell Brown and Allyson Felix who are favourites for the medals at the stake.

“You race with them from day to day. It’s not any different at the Olympic Games,” she said.

In Beijing 2008,Okagbare won a bronze in the Long Jump after she was elevated to the final list of 12 qualifiers. This was after Ukraine’s Ludmila Blonska was disqualified for doping.

Okagbare said that she was certain of getting two medals in London 2012.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

I’m ready to face the world — Okagbare

N

IGERIA’S medal hopeful, Blessing Okagbare declared yesterday that she was ready take to on the strong women that have

been tipped for the 100m women gold when the athletics events begin next week.

Okabgare has a bevy of US and Jamaican

women who are running faster times than her 10.96 seconds personal best, but she stated that

Continues on Page 55

Team Nigeria ttak ak es centre akes stage at Olympic Village

• Nigeria’s flag hoisted T

EAM Nigerian ath letes and officials took centre circle yesterday at the imposing Olympic Village when

the country’s contingent to the Games were formally welcomed to the Village as well as the hoisting of the green

Today’s events The official opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics comes up on Friday, July 27 but some events begin today.

Women football Great Britain Japan USA Cameroon Sweden Colombia

•Jetter TODAY'S

•Okagbare PUZZLES

Continues on Page 55

American 4x400m relay team 'already disqualified'— Pg 55

•Fraser YESTERDAY'S

GROUP E v New Zealand 4.00 p.m.

GROUP F vs Canada 5.00 p.m.

GROUP G vs France 5.00 p.m.

GROUP E vs Brazil 6:45 p.m.

GROUP F vs S/Africa 7:45 p.m.

GROUP G vs DPR Korea 7.45 p.m.

white green flag of Nigeria. With the national anthem playing on the background, the Nigerian flag rose gradually with athletes yelling, cheering as the flag rose majestically to flutter among the flags of other nations for the Olympics which begins July 27.

In a colourful ceremony at the Village, Nigeria’s Chef de Mission, Dr Patrick Ekeji, NOC

ANSWERS

QUICK CROSSWORD

ACROSS 2 Devil (5) 7 Tendon (5) 8 Pass on (5) 10 Bet (5) 12 Entrap (3) 13 Inlet (5) 15 Rule (7) 17 Dislike (6) 19 Of us (3) 20 Unbiased (7) 23 Cradle (4) 25 Final (4) 26 Cautious (7) 30 Because (3) 31 Flavour (6) 34 Fine (7) 37 Amid (5) 38 Lubricate (3) 39 Hue (5) 40 Viper (5) 41 Beneath (5) 42 Avarice (5)

DOWN 1 Head-dress (5) 2 Drain (5) 3 Arouse (6) 4 Mimicked (4) 5 Mid (7) 6 Ragged (5) 9 Meadow (3) 11 Turbulent (7) 13 Verify (5) 14 Moral (5) 16 Dog (3) 18 Fault (7) 21 Lariat (5) 22 Prick (5) 24 Confused (7) 27 Fish eggs (3) 28 Alliance (6) 29 Sullen (5) 32 Correct (5) 33 Attack (5) 35 Free (3) 36 Row (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS CROSS: 2, Table 7, Stow 8, Recipe 9, Older 11, Pew 13, Bus 15, Away 16. Pet 18, Mete 19, Married 20, Lied 22, Tout 23, Runaway 25, Used 27, Nil 28, Wife 30, Rod 31, Nor 33, Befit 36, Snooze 37, Only 38, Gripsy.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Strew 2, Two 3, Bud 4, Err 5, Act 6, Spout 10, Ewer 11, Palour 12, Wavered 13, Bedouin 14, Settler 16, Pagan 17 Trial 18, Met 21, Dud 24, Wide 26, Sound 29, Folly 32, Woo 33, Beg 34, Fop 35, Toy.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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